Homily St. Catherine of Siena (2021)
Homily St. Catherine of Siena (2021)
Sometimes it is stated that lay people cannot have much influence in the church. St. Catherine of Siena belied that whole notion. She was born in Siena in 1347. She was the twenty-fourth of twenty-five children. She decided early in life not to marry. She joined the third order Dominicans.
At first, she lived a life of prayer and solitude. She was said to have mystical experiences during this time in her life. She decided that she wanted to live a more apostolic life, so she began to nurse the sick in a local hospital.
She began to travel with a band of disciples who were known as her “family.” She called people to reform and conversion. As a disciple of St. Dominic, she thought it was her mission to travel and preach, but there was great opposition to her because she was a woman and presumed to preach. Nevertheless, her reputation spread, and she had extraordinary success.
She felt that the church needed to be renewed, but there was a controversy over papal succession in her lifetime. At one time there were three different Popes. Catherine tried to encourage everyone accept Pope Urban VI.
When she waded into this controversy, she was attacked by many. Popes were not only church leaders, but they were also civil leaders and had much wealth and power. This caused the tension to be even more intense.
Even though Catherine was only thirty-three her extreme penance for the conversion of the church broke her health. When Urban asked her to Rome to support him, she set out, but she her efforts led to physical collapse and led to her death.
Reflection Questions:
- Catherine was the most charismatic church figure of her day. What was it that allowed her to have so much influence?
- Who have been some influential women in the church the last 100 years? Where did their power come from?
Dear Parishioners,
The Center for Disease Control has issued new guidelines for COVID 19. I have been reviewing this information and am checking to see if there are any of the protocols we have been observing that could be relaxed.
One thing that does not seem likely to change is mask wearing at indoor events and social distancing. I appreciate everyone’s cooperation with wearing masks. I would urge everyone to get a COVID 19 inoculation when you are eligible. It would seem that the only way out of our present situation is that everyone get vaccinated who can.
The numbers of hospitalizations and deaths has gone down a lot. Let’s pray that everyone tries to show charity toward their neighbors and that we all try to take into account the common good with all our behaviors.
May Our Lady and All the Angels and Saints watch over you.
Fr. Mark