There are 36 Doctors of the Church. The title Doctor of the Church is given by the Catholic Church to saints recognized as having made a significant contribution to theology or Church doctrine through their research, study, or writing. Four women have been named as Doctors of the Church: Teresa of Avila, Catherine of Siena, Therese of Lisieux, and Hildegard of Bingen.
We celebrate the feast day of St Catherine of Siena tomorrow on April 29. She was an important figure in the Church in the medieval era, having lived in the 14th century. A Dominican lay woman, Catherine was a mystic, an author, and an advisor to the Pope and Church leaders. She was proclaimed a patron saint of Europe in 1999 by Pope John Paul II. Catherine strongly influenced the return of the Pope from his exile in Avignon, France to Rome, which was quite an extreme crisis for the Church of medieval Europe. Catherine then carried out many missions entrusted by the pope, which something quite unusual for a lay woman in the medieval era.
Here are some wonderful quotes from Catherine of Siena:
“Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.”
“You are rewarded not according to your work or your time but according to the measure of your love.”
“Lord, take me from myself and give me to yourself.”
“The human heart is always drawn by love.”
“Out of darkness is born the light.”
“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”
Have a blessed week everyone. Father Lincoln.
No comments:
Post a Comment