Meet St. Catherine of Siena
By Fr. Jerry Vincke
Today,
a big family would probably consist of 4-6 children. How would you like
to be one of 25 children? Catherine of Siena was the youngest of 25 children.
She was born in Siena, Italy, in 1347 on March 25, the feast of the Annunciation.
At a young age, Catherine wanted to dedicate her life to Christ in a special
way, by a life of virginity. This caused conflict in her household. Her
mother thought that her daughter’s natural beauty would attract a
rich husband. The stubborn Catherine responded by cutting off all her
hair. Her mother and family relented and allowed her to practice her faith.
Eventually, Catherine gathered a band of disciples who served the poor
and lived in poverty themselves. Daily Catherine begged for food and baked
bread to feed the hungry. But her real concern was for souls. She evangelized
the whole town, from inmates in prison to local crime bosses. Perhaps
Catherine is most famous for convincing Pope Gregory XI to return the
papacy to Rome after a short stint in Avignon, France.
On April 29 (her feast day) in 1380, at the age of 33, she died of a
stroke.
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