Why Is St. Catherine Important?

St. Catherine of Siena was born during the outbreak of the plague in Siena, Italy on March 25, 1347. She was the 25th child born to her mother, although half of her brothers and sisters did not survive childhood. Catherine herself was a twin, but her sister died as an infant. Catherine’s father was a fabric dyer and her mother was the practical daughter of a poet. Both of Catherine’s parents were middle-class citizens. Little Catherine made an impression with her sacredness practically from the time she could toddle. Catherine loved to go out to quiet places to pray and talk to God. She experienced a vision of Our Lord near the church of the Friar Preachers in the Valle Piatta when she was 5 or 6 years old. In her vision, the Lord was clothed in adamant garments with a tiara on top of

St. Catherine was deeply devoted to the Holy Catholic Church and displayed it throughout her life. Catherine demonstrated love for Christ by helping the poor and those with ailments. Two virtues that stand out in St. Catherine are strength and humility. She was a humble individual and yet told even the most important and influential people to correct their lives. She was loved by Jesus and espoused to him, but she had many enemies who treated her terribly. All her life she significantly suffered for the good of the Church. I greatly admire how St. Catherine never cared about what people thought of the way she lived. I appreciate her vigor in maintaining her faith and persuading others to follow Jesus. I find it particularly interesting how she traveled the world to spread the word of God and to help those in need. It’s very clear that St. Catherine of Siena dramatically impacted and influenced the teachings and principles of the Catholic Church. Although she faced many deterrents and obstacles in her lifetime, Catherine recognized and understood the meaning and hardship of intense suffering. As St. Catherine once wrote, ”The human heart is always drawn by