The feast day of St. Audrey is celebrated on June 23.
St. Audrey was also known as Etheldreda. She was born an English princess. At her parents insistence, she married a prince named Tonbert. He permitted her to keep the vow of virginity which she had earlier made. However, after three years she was a widow.
She was later forced to marry a king from Northumberland, named Egfrid. After twelve years he tried to change her mind about living as brother and sister. When she refused he tried to bribe the bishop St. Wilfred of York, asking him to release her from her vows. St. Wilfrid refused.
With the permission of her husband St. Audrey became a nun and founded the Abbey of Ely. She died from an enormous growth on her neck in 679. She was not yet 50 years old.
Sixteen years later her body was found to be incorrupt.
Charity is the sweet holy bond that binds the soul with the Creator.
The feast day of St. Catherine of Siena is celebrated by the Catholic Church on April 29. St. Catherine is the patron saint against fire, illness and miscarriage.
St. Catherine was the 25th child to Giacomo and Lapa Benincase. She was born in 1347. Her father was a wealthy wool dyer in Northern Italy. She began having mystical experiences at the age of six, seeing guardian angels clearly. She also had visions of Heaven, helland purgatory. She consecrated herself to Christ at the age of seven.
At the age of 16, Catherine became a Dominican tertiary (lay Dominican), continuing to have visions of Christ, Mary and the saints. In many of her ecstasies, Catherine fell into fire; however, she was untouched by the flames. This is why she is the patron saint against fire.
St. Catherine received a divine call to enter the public life . She began writing letters to princes and republics of Italy. She was consulted by papal legates. She persuaded Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from Avignon and reform the clergy and the Papal States. She referred to the pope as “sweet Christ on earth”. St. Catherine also cared for the sick (working among lepers) , served the poor and worked tirelessly to convert sinners. St. Catherine’s reputation for holiness grew.
On the 4th Sunday of Lent, 1375, she received the Stigmata, (the wounds of Christ). They were only visible after her death.
At the age of 33, on April 29, 1380, Catherine died of a mysterious and painful illness which came on without notice. It was not diagnosed. Her body was discovered to be in-corrupt in the year 1430. In 1970, Pope Paul VI declared St. Catherine of Siena to be a Doctor of the Church.
Enough of all this soft soap! All it does is cause the members of Christ’s Spouse to stink!
Quote of St. Catherine of Siena
St. Catherine of Siena in Art
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Get to know the mystics! The mystics are saints in the Catholic Church who have had visions and personal experiences with the presence of God in their lives. Many of the Saints have written of their love of God. It can be contagious!
The following five poems are written by mystics of the Catholic Church. They are inspired by their own personal relationship and experience of God. Because their joy could not be kept to themselves, they became radiant lights to the world.
The different types of prayer are petition, intercession, thanksgiving, adoration, praise and glory. Their poetry uses all these types of prayer and can help lead us to a personal relationship with God.
St. Francis was born in Assisi, Italy in 1181. He is known for his love of animals and the suffering. He is the founder of the Franciscan Order. While praying in front of a crucifix, Jesus spoke to him saying, “Francis, rebuild my church!”
St. Teresa of Avila was born in Spain in 1515. She helped reform the Carmelite order. The poem in this collection shares one of her experiences during prayer.
St. Catherine of Sienawas born in 1347. She began having visions as a young child pertaining to heaven and hell.
Bernard of Clairvaux was born in 1090 in Burgundy France. He wrote a treatise called Degrees of Humility and Pride which analyzed the human character. He also wrote many hymns.
St. Augustine was known for his conversion during the fourth century. He became a famous bishop. His poem Beauty ever ancient and so new is well known.
Learning about the spirituality of the saints can help us develop our own prayer life. Meditating on these prayers will change the course of your life.
St. Francis with Birds
Canticle of the Creatures
All Praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, bright, and precious, and fair.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brothers wind and air, and fair and stormy, all the weather’s moods, by which you cherish all that you have made.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water, so useful, humble, precious and pure.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten up the night. How beautiful is he, how cheerful! Full of power and strength.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains us and governs us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy are those who endure in peace, by You, Most High, they will be crowned.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death, from whose embrace no mortal can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your will! The second death can do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks and serve him with great humility.
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Augustine of Hippo by Sandro Botticelli
Beauty so ancient and so new
Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you!
Lo, you were within,
but I outside, seeking there for you,
and upon the shapely things you have made
I rushed headlong – I, misshapen.
You were with me, but I was not with you.
They held me back far from you,
those things which would have no being,
were they not in you.
You called, shouted, broke through my deafness; you flared, blazed, banished my blindness;
you lavished your fragrance, I gasped; and now I pant for you; I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst;
you touched me, and I burned for your peace.
St. Augustine
St. Bernard of Clairvaux
O Sacred Head Surrounded
O sacred head, surrounded by crown of piercing thorn!
O bleeding head, so wounded, reviled and put to scorn!
Death’s pallid hue comes over you the glow of life decays, yet angel hosts adore thee and tremble as they gaze.
I see thy strength and vigor all fading in the strife, and death with cruel rigor, bereaving thee of life;
O agony and dying!
O love to sinners free!
Jesus, all grace supplying, O turn thy face on me.
In this thy bitter passion, Good Shepherd, think of me, with thy most sweet compassion, unworthy though I be,
beneath thy cross abiding forever would I rest, in they dear love confiding and with they presence blest.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Consumed by Grace
I first saw God when I was a child, six years of age.
the cheeks of the sun were pale before Him,
and the earth acted as a shy girl, like me.
Divine light entered my heart from His love that did never fully wane,
though indeed, dear, I can understand how a person’s faith can at time flicker,
for what is the mind to do with something that becomes the mind’s ruin:
a God that consumes us in His grace.
I have seen what you want; it is there,
a Beloved of infinite tenderness.
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Teresa of Avila
Laughter came from every brick
Just these two words He spoke changed my life,
Enjoy Me!.
What a burden I thought I was to carry, a crucifix, as did He.
Love once said to me,
“I know a song, would you like to hear it?”
And laughter came from every brick in the street and from every pore in the sky.
