My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to pasture his flock in the gardens, and to gather lilies. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; he pastures his flock among the lilies – Song of Solomon 6:2-3 (RSVCE)
This past week saw the commemoration of St Catherine of Siena, a woman who has gained a reputation as one of the greatest women of not only Christian history but even of world history. Third-order Dominican, mystic, Doctor of the Church, and reformer are just a few of the labels she merited, despite her short lifespan of only 33 years. Perhaps her crowning moment was when she, a poor, mostly illiterate, lay woman, confronted Pope Gregory XI in 1376 to convince him to end the Avignon papacy and return to Rome. For close to 70 years before St Catherine’s day, in an often-overlooked period of Church history, the pope had decided to move from Rome to the French city of Avignon. This scene of St Catherine in Avignon in discussion with cardinals is depicted for us by Elanor Fortescue-Brickdale. The work comes from a 1919 publication of her Golden book of famous women, which included illustrations of various female figures and romantic couples from the Medieval age, both historical and fictitious.
In this powerful image we see St Catherine, dressed in nun-like attire, standing in the midst of cardinals and clergy. Both her form and figure, as she stands resolute and unmoving, are in contrast to the animated movements and expressions of the clergy around her. A figure in simple black and white against the sea of opulent red. The cardinals appear relaxed, yet at the same time lax, as one leans on the brick balcony while another sits nonchalantly in a chair. This signifies the corrupt and careless nature of many clerics in St Catherine’s day. St Catherine’s stance reflects this intolerance for such behaviour from the clergy she so venerated. The scene is reminiscent of depictions of the Child Jesus among the doctors and scribes in the Temple, as the lowly figure speaks to and teaches those who occupy a higher worldly role.
However, the stony-faced Catherine appears to contradict the Catherine we know from history, who was a firebrand of activity and devotion. Biographers of St Catherine applied the words of the Psalms and Gospel to her, that she was consumed with zeal for God’s house (Ps 69:9, Jn 2:17). Even though she spent a significant portion of her life in her room, enraptured in contemplation, she soon began to hear the call of Christ to active ministry. Just as St Catherine taught that God feels such a strong infatuation and love for humanity, St Catherine wanted to take that same wild love and spread it to the Church and her members. During the course of her life St Catherine authored over 200 letters, whose recipients ranged from close friends, neighbours, and workers, to prelates, princes, royalty, and even the pope. She was an eager advocate for reform and increased zeal within the Church and fought for reconciliation not only between worldly powers but between God and mankind. The words of St Paul apply well to this great saint and her work: All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Cor 5:18, 20) May we continue this work, even if we are not reconciling popes or presidents, but focus on reconciling first ourselves with God, and ourselves with others, especially family and friends in this time.
St Catherine of Siena, pray for us.
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