Lives to Inspire: Catherine of Siena

Catherine, who was born a twin to a rather prolific mother who had already borne 22 children (eventually stopping at 25) is known in the Church as a mystic.
She decided at an early age to dedicate her life to Christ.
When she was 16 her older sister died in childbirth and the family wanted Catherine to marry her brother-in-law. She had other ideas however; she went on hunger strike and cut her hair short to make her less attractive to possible suitors.

At the age of 21 she had a mystical experience of marriage with Jesus.

In another vision she was encouraged to go out into the world.
So she went with a group of followers with various aims. They sought to reform the clergy, encourage people to totally devote themselves to God and to bring peace to the warring factions in Italy. She never became a nun, but she did join the lay Third Order of the Dominicans.

Around 1377 she learned to write and began sending letters to important people in the Church and to heads of state to encourage peace and unity.
She also wrote an important spiritual work, The Dialogue of Divine Providence.
In many ways fasting was her special charism. Towards the end of her life it was said that she almost survived by consuming the Eucharist alone.
She eventually died at the age of 33 of a stroke.

She was regarded as a saint in her lifetime, and had many hagiographical lives written about her soon after her death.

Books about Saint Catherine