by Suzanne Noffke, 1980). Compose a prayer in honor of artists, asking for the intercession of St. Catherine. As companion to Margaret d'Este she was educated at the ducal court until Margaret's marriage. . Pope Clement VII granted the nuns permission to say the Office and celebrate Holy Mass in honor of Saint Catherine on March 9th which became her Feast Day. Catherine continued to paint and to write beautiful spiritual guides and poetry. While they were unable to account for this, Catherine, knowing the source of all good from whom this miraculous event proceeded, began to give out the wine openly and unstintingly to all the poor people she knew, but even then the cask showed no signs of drying up or the wine of losing its flavor. If He encounters no obstacles on our part, the heavenly Father will transform and sanctify us, making our spirit shine with His, the ultimate end of our existence. She felt forsaken by God, she found herself in the darkness of faith. Accordingly, she encouraged the members of her community with words such as these: Beloved sisters, the dowry that Christ Jesus wants to find in each one of you is that you be valiant in battle, that is, strong and steadfast in the fight.3, However, it was not only her gifts as a pious writer that the novices of Ferrara could appreciate. That means it has not decayed. Then she became Superioress of a new school in Bologna. The women were divided over whether instead to adhere to the Franciscan rule, which eventually happened. She was not in a position to return to the bakery until five hours later, and certainly believed that everything had been burned by that time. Catherine was the youngest of 25 children born to a lower middle-class family; most of her siblings did not survive childhood. On March 9, at about two oclock in the afternoon, she asked that a priest be called to hear her Confession and give her Viaticum and Extreme Unction. Catherine discovered that God had blessed her with a talent for drawing. Hence she was also loved by all of them. Born into an aristocratic family in the city of Ferrara, northern Italy, she was educated in the artsshe particularly excelled at the viola and miniature paintingand selected to become an official companion to the daughter of the local Marquis of Ferrara at age 11. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. Practical Practice of Fasting with Fr Dwight Longenecker, 10 important things to consider during Lent, The Happy Priest on Lent, Happiness and the Call to Selfless Love, Daily Readings for Wednesday, March 01, 2023, St. David: Saint of the Day for Wednesday, March 01, 2023, Lenten Prayer: Prayer of the Day for Monday, February 27, 2023. WebAt age 49, she became gravely ill and died a few months later. At the age of nine, she went to live at the court of the Marquis of Ferrara, where she became the maid of honour of Princess Margherita dEste. 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. 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. Among her visual art production, a painting of. Her feast day is 9 March. Defenders of Christendom Battles - Honor - Miracles! She would live there for seven years, until her leave-taking from this earth. 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. Although she probably taught similar ideas, she kept the written version hidden until she neared death and then handed it to her confessor with instructions to send a copy to the Poor Clares at Ferrara. WebThe Deliverance of St. Peter; The Healing of the Lame Man; The Dispute of St. Catherine; Miracle of the Black Sea; John Shipley. Then she became Superioress of a new school in Bologna. In 1456 she founded in Bologna a convent of Poor Clares, serving as abbess until her death. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, Copyright 2022 Catholic Online. The birth of Saint Catherine of Bologna was foretold to her devout father by the Blessed Virgin, with the announcement that the child would be a brilliant light throughout the world. The ecclesiastical and civil authorities, as well as the people, received the foundresses of the new convent with great deference. He had them all put to death. She also served as a caretaker for the animals. During this time, her convent disagreed in whether to continue following the Augustinian rule or to instead adhere to the Franciscan rule. A contemporary Poor Clare, Sister Illuminata Bembo, wrote her biography in 1469. Saint of the Day for Thursday, March 2nd, 2023, 5 prayers you should say this Lenten Season News, 7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God. Her diffidence in herself drew down God's blessing on her efforts to give the novices a good training. A Rule is a specific expression of the Christian life which calls the men or women of a particular religious order to a daily pattern of prayer, work and charity. WebCatherine was to be canonized by Pope Clement XI on 22 May 1712. Among her visual art production, a painting of St. Ursula, now held at Venices Galleria dellAccademia, particular stands out, as well as her own illuminated manuscript which was used by Pope Pius IX and is now preserved in Oxford, England. Her own experience taught her how to protect them from the snares of the devil. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Catherine, then 14, joined a group of Franciscan tertiaries in Ferrara who later adopted the Rule of St. Clare. It was first printed in 1475, and went through 21 later editions in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, including being translated into Latin, French, Portuguese, English, Spanish, and German. In 1456, Catherine returned to Bologna with her superiors and the governors there requested she found a second monastery of the same Order and be the Abbess of the convent. We can ascertain that she was not undeserving of her renown as a highly cultivated person. 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 so calmly spoke these words right before her death, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I thank Thee for having firmly set my feet on the rock of the Faith and directed my steps on the pathway of salvation. There were no trees, herbs or even flowers there, and miraculously the aroma intensified as the days went by. We can surely follow her example of what it means to live a godly life. In the middle of the last century, a glass casing was added to protect her. Catherine was determined to live a life of perfection, and was admired by her companions for her holiness. Soon, the women decided to join an order of nuns called the Poor Clares. WebIn St. Catherine of Bologna, Divine Providence deposited admirable gifts, among which stand out her docility in allowing herself to be loved by God. Unfortunately, the body has darkened over the years due to the negligence of the first devotees who burned oil lamps and votive candles very close to the Saints body during their prayer vigils. As Catherine used her talents to honor and glorify God, she is the patroness of artists. When she died on March 9, 1463, sounds of sobbing and weeping were heard everywhere in the convent. Learn about this Italian saint, whose feast is March 9. However, when she removed the loaves from the oven, they were nicer than ever. Location: Capitoline Museum, Rome But 14 days after her burial her sisters decided to exhume her body, as a sweet scent emanated from her tomb. St Catherine's body has remained incorrupt and retains its quality of flexibility like that of a living body. However, a problem arose: the place where the body was to be laid proved too small for the purpose. Her body was found to be astonishingly untouched by death, and deemed incorrupt.. 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. In 1426, at 13-years-old, she entered the convent of Corpus Domini at Ferrara and became a Franciscan Tertiary. Throughout her life Catherine claimed to have visions and revelations. All rights reserved. Omissions? 98% of our readers don't give; they simply look the other way. Find Your Educational Consultant Review Our Catalogs Search the SiteSEARCH Faith Formation Programs Christ Our LifeChrist Our Life Finding GodFinding God Sacramental PreparationSacramental Preparation Growing With GodGrowing with God And, her painting of St. Ursula remains on display in a Venice gallery. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Then the nuns decided that the faithful could view her better if she were seated on a chair. Her condition was so serious that it was feared that the new superior would die before she could take up her post. Her incorrupt body is preserved in the city of Bologna, in the chapel of the monastery of Corpus Domini. She painted pictures of Jesus, Mary, and the saints. She died in 1463 and was canonized in 1712. Prospero Fontana was an Italian Mannerist Painter who lived from 1512 to 1597. As a mistress of novices, St. Catherine left behind an important treatise on the spiritual life which, centuries later, continues to be useful not only for religious, but for all those who aspire to walk the paths of perfection. http://www.edocere.org/articles/st_catharine_alexandria.htm WebCatherine was to be canonized by Pope Clement XI on 22 May 1712. Catherine became known as a miracle worker after her death in 1463. Catherine was buried in the convent graveyard, but after eighteen days, a sweet smell emanated from the grave and the incorrupt body was exhumed. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Her self-taught style incorporated motifs from needlework and devotional prints. [2] The treatise was circulated in manuscript form through a network of Poor Clare convents. Thanks to their partnership in our mission, we reachmore than 20 million unique users per month! https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Catherine-of-Bologna, The Catholic Encyclopedia - Biography of St. Catherine of Bologna. Learn more about the Franciscan spirituality which St. Catherine lived. Crossing of the Red Sea; Moses Changing Aarons Rod into a Snake; Moses Saved from the River; Moses While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Pope Benedict described this humble saint as, "From the distance of so many centuries she is still very modern and speaks to our lives. St. Catherine was convinced that the moment of her departure from this world was at hand, but her spiritual daughters, although resigned to the divine plan, redoubled their prayers and supplications asking Heaven to leave her a little longer among them. After five years, this group disbanded, but Catherine and some of her companions formed a new group, ruled by the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi. Learn interesting facts and tidbits about the beloved St. Patrick. Some of her artwork can still be seen today in a museum in Venice. 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. 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