FD of St. Catherine of Siena (d. 1380), Doctor of the Church, mystic and prophet. Living in one of the darkest periods in history, she mediated through her own heart the burning love of Christ and the needs of her time. After donning the habit of a Dominican tertiary she...
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spent 3 years in her room. During this time she was besieged by doubts and taunting voices that she finally banished with laughter. At this point Christ appeared. "Where were you when all this was happening?" she asked. "I was in your heart," he replied.
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This signaled the 2nd phase of her life, caring for the poor and sick. Christ told her: "The service you cannot do me you must render your neighbors." After several yrs Christ next commanded her to go out to the world to promote peace, reform, and reconciliation.
She mediated between warring cities and traveled to Avignon to shame the pope into returning to Rome. But the divisions in the church became too great to bear. In a final vision she saw the church like a mighty ship laid on her back. She collapsed and died on April 29 at 33.
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