Copyright 2017 - RCL Benziger. WebOf noble birth, Catherine was educated at the Este court at Ferrara and entered the order in 1432. She was a model of piety and reported experiencing miracles and several visions of Christ, the Virgin Mary, Thomas Becket, and Joseph, as well as future events, such as the fall of Constantinople in 1453. WebSt. Annunciation; Miraculous Draught of Fish; Transfiguration; Raising of Lazarus; Resurrection; Amanda Weaver. Saint John Cassian's feast day is February 29. by Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio, Bilinge: Encontrando a Dios / Finding God, Encontrando a Dios / Finding God (Espaol), Encontrando a Dios / Finding God (English), Catequistas Y Maestros / Catechists & Teachers, En El Orden Restaurado: Descripcion Del Programa, Nuestra Seora De GuadalupeOur Lady of Guadalupe. Then, looking compassionately at the happy nun, the holy abbess said: Little daughter, I give you this foot. As reported by Loyola Press, Pope Benedict was particularly fond of this quiet saint: To visit the remains of St. Catherine of Bologna, enter the church of Corpus Domini (Via Tagliapietre, 21) and look for a small wooden door on the left. She, like us, suffered temptations, she suffered the temptations of disbelief, of sensuality, of a difficult spiritual struggle. Saint Catherine was particularly tactful in preserving peace within herself and peace among the members of her community. . Saint Catherine of Bologna spent most of her life as a cloistered nun in the convent of the Poor Clares of Bologna, in northern Italy. The virginal lips of the nun touched the face of the Child, who, in response to the love of his spouse, also gave her a kiss. (LogOut/ [2] The treatise was circulated in manuscript form through a network of Poor Clare convents. It was eventually relocated to a chapel where it remains on display, dressed in her religious habit, seated upright behind glass. Printable Catholic Saints PDFs St. Catherine of Bologna was born in Italy in 1413. Then she became Superioress of a new school in Bologna. , written in 1438 and continuously re-drafted until her death in 1463. Catherine continued in her artistic pursuits, playing the viola, painting religious pictures (including one of St. Ursula that hangs today in a gallery in Venice), copying out and illuminating her breviary (now on display at Oxford), and writing spiritual guides and poetry. WebCatherine was to be canonized by Pope Clement XI on 22 May 1712. Box 724Nobleton, ON L0G 1N0Phone: 1-800-674-3410, P.O. But when we got there, we discovered a very powerful Saint who became very personal to us. Princess Margaret of Ferrara grew very fond of Catherine and even asked her to stay as her official companion after she had been officially engaged to a local nobleman. In 1456 she founded in Bologna a convent of Poor Clares, serving as abbess until her death. Public Domain via Wikimedia. We have loved her since 1977, the first time we brought our grandson, all of ten years old, to Europe with us. WebSt. Her ministry eventually moved beyond her local community, and Catherine began to travel and promote church reform. She wished to offer a thousand Hail Marys in honour of the Mother of God. St. Catherine of Bologna was an Italian nun and artist born as Catherine de' Vigri on September 8, 1413 in Bologna, Italy. Only the face had been damaged by the weight of the earth, but after a short time it miraculously returned to normal. It was only when the Abbess ordered her, did Catherine, out of obedience, sit unaided in the chair and in the same position she can be found to this day. Yet in all these situations she was always holding the Lords hand, she did not leave him, she did not abandon him. Start with reading the stories of St. Francis of Assisi and. As St. Catherines illness continued to worsen, she received the last Sacraments. Catherine was determined to live a life of perfection, and was admired by her companions for her holiness. [12] She meditated while she copied the scriptural text, adding about 1000 prayer rubrics, and drew initials with bust-portraits of saints, paying special attention to images of Clare and Francis. He inscribed her name in the Martyrology of Saints of the Roman Catholic Church. It appears as if you had not yet learnt to be a true servant of Christ.". Her body was found to be astonishingly untouched by death, and deemed incorrupt.. Date: 1551 She is the patron saint of artists, the liberal arts, against temptations and of Bologna. Learn about this Italian saint, whose feast is March 9. Casting off comfortable courtly life with ready love and obedience, Catherine found great joy in performing humble duties of daily laundry and the baking of convent bread. Saint Catherine of Bologna, original name Caterina Vigri, (born Sept. 8, 1413, Bologna, Papal States [Italy]died March 9, 1463, Bologna; canonized 1712; feast day May 9), Italian mystic and writer whose spiritual writings were popular in Italy until the end of the 18th century. Catherine is pointing her finger upward as she explains that there is only one God. She was an important defender of the papacy and is a patron saint of Europe and of Italy. Saint Catherine of Bologna was charged with the duties of the bakery; she cheerfully undertook this laborious service, and even when the heat began to affect her eyes, she remained at her post as long as the abbess required it. She was exhumed 18 days later after visitors noticed a sweet smell coming from her grave and some experienced miracles. Her most remarkable vision was on Christmas Eve, when she claimed that Mary appeared to her with baby Jesus, and that Mary even let Catherine hold him. - King Fernando III! [3] During this time, she received some education in reading, writing, music, playing the viola, and had access to illuminated manuscripts in the d'Este Court library.[4]. Catherine became a tertiary (member of a monastic third order who takes simple vows and may remain outside a convent or monastery) of the Dominican order (1363), joining the Sisters of Penitence of St. Dominic in Siena. She was particularly solicitous for the sick sisters. Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Catherine is significant as a woman artist who articulated an aesthetic philosophy. Among the first to come was Queen Isabel of Naples, Italy, who arriving in her regal finery, venerated our Saint and then left her ring as a token of her affection. In the end, the philosophers came to the realization that there really was only one true God, but they were killed because of their decision to follow Christ. Fortunati, Vera, Jordano Pomeroy & Claudio Strinati. At a young age she is said to have consecrated her virginity to Christ and experienced mystical visions. Catherine was buried in the convent graveyard, but after eighteen days, a sweet smell emanated from the grave and the incorrupt body was exhumed. Encourage children to be creative in decorating their pages. Please helpus continue to bring high quality books to our readers at the lowest possible price! She also taught them to use the golden mean that leads to solid virtue. WebCatherine lived at Corpus Domini, Ferrara most of her life from 1431 to 1456, serving as Mistress of Novices. Pope Benedict described this humble saint as, "From the distance of so many centuries she is still very modern and speaks to our lives. Tradition tells us that the white mark which remained on St. Catherines incorrupt body indicates the exact spot where Jesus affectionately kissed her. But 14 days after her burial her sisters decided to exhume her body, as a sweet scent emanated from her tomb. The vision signified that, however great her trials might be, her attitude should always be to pray and to place herself in Gods hands with serenity and confidence. But you will no longer be able to prevent me when from all parts of the world the faithful will come to visit you and, with profound veneration, will kneel to kiss your feet!. They had no personal possessions and shared everything. Canonized: May 22, 1712. Spiritual visions consoled and disturbed her at various times in her life, which we know from her work, The Seven Spiritual Weapons. Her incorrupt body is preserved in the city of Bologna, in the chapel of the monastery of Corpus Domini. Once when she was again heroically struggling against it during the holy Mass, God Almighty permitted her to hear the angelic choir singing after the elevation. Fresh blood immediately flowed, as if the saint were still alive. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). For a long time she herself was troubled with the temptation to sleep during the spiritual exercises. Soon, the women decided to join an order of nuns called the Poor Clares. We can surely follow her example of what it means to live a godly life. Thank you! The Sette Armi Spirituali became an important part of the campaign for her canonization. Catherine was openly willing to serve the more humble roles in the convent. It was later translated in French and Italian, thus helping to spread late-medieval vernacular mysticism in the early modern period. The amazing life story of the She first join a local order of lay women who followed the Franciscan rules and later become part of the Poor Clares, a religious order founded by St. Clare and St. Francis of Assisi to allow nuns to lead a contemplative lifestyle. Especially for young children - At just 17 years old, Catherine joined a semi-religious lay community and later went on to join other women in founding a monastery of the Order of Poor Clares. She wrote the Treatise on the 7 Spiritual Weapons Necessary for Spiritual Warfare. The record of her ecstatic experiences in The Dialogue illustrates her doctrine of the inner cell of the knowledge of God and of self into which she withdrew. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! However, a problem arose: the place where the body was to be laid proved too small for the purpose. .css-pelz90{font-weight:400;}Saint Catherine of Bologna spent most of her life as a cloistered nun in the convent of the Poor Clares of Bologna, in northern Italy. As was the custom of the Poor Clares, she was buried without a coffin. She was exhumed 18 days later after visitors noticed a sweet smell coming from her grave and some experienced miracles. Catherine was canonized in 1712, and her feast day is March 9. by A.G. McDougall, The Spiritual Armour, 1926). Through her efforts with Pope Nicholas V, the Poor Clare convent at Ferrara erected an enclosure, and Catherine was appointed Superioress. They are prolific writers about the Catholic faith, especially the Saints for which they have been dubbed "experts on the Saints." Her self-taught style incorporated motifs from needlework and devotional prints. Updates? The Poor Clares lived in silence much of the time so that they could listen and talk to God in the quiet of their hearts without distractions. He worked with Perino del Vaga in Genoa for several years before he returned home. Donations to Catholic Vitality Publications, Copyright 2011 Roman-Catholic-Saints.com. Catherine had spent 24 years in the convent at Ferrara and had trained many sisters in the way of sanctity when, at the request of the city of Bologna, she was sent with 15 sisters to establish a similar convent in her native town. One day, a sermon was being delivered in the monastery which Catherine did not want to miss. As a Poor Clare she mastered the Franciscan virtues by taking care of animals and plants, engaging in a simple and communal lifestyle where laundry and cooking were shared by all members of the order. The first time we went to visit Saint Catherine, it was out of holy curiosity; her body was in-corrupt! Catherine was the youngest of 25 children born to a lower middle-class family; most of her siblings did not survive childhood. WebThe Deliverance of St. Peter; The Healing of the Lame Man; The Dispute of St. Catherine; Miracle of the Black Sea; John Shipley. | So extraordinary was their music that Catherine feared that her soul would leave her body at that moment. 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