Saint14th century · Feast April 29
Also known as Caterina Benincasa, Catherine Benincasa
A Dominican laywoman, mystic and Doctor of the Church who combined intense prayer, care for the sick and fearless counsel to Church and political leaders.
Catherine resisted family pressure to marry and joined the Dominican Mantellate while remaining a laywoman. She cared for the sick, gathered a community of disciples and dictated letters and the Dialogue. She urged reform, worked for peace and pressed Pope Gregory XI to return from Avignon to Rome.
Catherine lived during plague, political violence and a crisis of papal residence and Church unity in fourteenth-century Europe.
Intense union with Christ, truth spoken in charity, service to the sick and love for the Church joined to reform.
Catherine speaks to women in leadership, reformers, caregivers and people who must tell difficult truths without losing prayer or love.
People turn to St Catherine of Siena in matters of:
God of truth and love, through St Catherine’s intercession make our prayer courageous, our speech charitable and our service faithful. Amen.
1347
Is born in Siena
1360s
Joins the Dominican Mantellate and begins public service
1370s
Writes widely to Church and political leaders
1376
Travels to Avignon and urges Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome
1380
Dies in Rome
1970
Is declared a Doctor of the Church
Source-quality status: unverified prototype