Introduction-paragraph 2

Born and raised in Siena, Catherine wanted from an early age to devote herself to God, against the will of her parents

Introduction-final paragraph

Catherine of Siena is one of the outstanding figures of medieval Catholicism due to the strong influence she had in the history of the papacy and her extensive authorship.

Early Life-paragraph 1

The house where Catherine grew up still exists. Lapa was about forty years old when she gave premature birth to her 23rd and 24th twin daughters, named Catherine and Giovanna. After birth, Giovanna was handed over to a wet-nurse and died soon after. Catherine was nursed by her mother and developed into a healthy child.

Early Life-paragraph 3

Besides fasting, Catherine further disappointed her mother by cutting off her long hair in protest of being encouraged to improve her appearance to attract a husband.

Early Life-paragraph 4

Serving them humbly became an opportunity for spiritual growth. Catherine resisted the accepted course of marriage and motherhood on the one hand, or a nun's veil on the other. She chose to live an active and prayerful life outside a convent's walls following the model of the Dominicans.

Early Life-paragraph 6

It was customary for Catherine to give away clothing and food without asking anyone's permission, which cost her family significantly. However, she requested nothing for herself and by staying in their midst, she could live out her rejection of them more strongly. She did not want their food, referring to the table laid for her in Heaven with her real family.

Split between early life & later life at Life the below quote

According to Raymond of Capua, Catherine was told by Christ to leave her withdrawn life and enter the public life of the world. Catherine rejoined her family and began helping the ill and the poor, where she took care of them in hospitals or homes. Her early pious activities in Siena attracted a group of followers, women and men, who gathered around her.

Later life-paragraph 3

In Pisa, in 1375, she used what influence she had to sway that city and Lucca away from alliance with the anti-papal league whose force was gaining momentum and strength. She also lent her enthusiasm toward promoting the launch of a new crusade. It was during this time in Pisa, according to Raymond of Capua's biography, that she received the stigmata (visible, at Catherine's request, only to herself).

Later life-paragraph 4

Her physical travels were not the only way in which Catherine made her views known.

Later life-paragraph 5

get rid of the sentence "Toward the end of 1375, she returned to Siena, to assist a young political prisoner, Niccolò di Tuldo, at his execution. "(no significance to the rest of her life)

Later life-paragraph 7

Late in 1377 or early in 1378 Catherine again travelled to Florence, at the order of Gregory XI, to seek peace between Florence and Rome. Following Gregory's death in March 1378 riots, the revolts of the Ciompi broke out in Florence on June 18th, and in the ensuing violence Catherine was nearly assassinated. Eventually, in July 1378, peace was agreed between Florence and Rome and Catherine returned quietly to Florence.[citation needed]

Later life-paragraph 9

But Catherine replied that she was unable to, describing her inability to eat as an infermità (illness). From the beginning of 1380, Catherine could neither eat nor swallow water. On February 26th she lost the use of her legs.

Later life-paragraph 10

Catherine died in Rome on April 29th,1380 at the age of thirty-three, having eight days earlier suffered a massive stroke, which paralyzed her from the waist down. Her last words were, "Father, into Your Hands I commend my soul and my spirit."

Move Sources of her life section towards the bottom

Sources of her life-paragraph 2

Much detail about her life has also been drawn from the various sources written shortly after her death to promote her cult and canonization

Works-paragraph 1

Her major treatise is The Dialogue of Divine Providence, which is thought to have been begun in October 1377 and finished by November 1378.

This text is described as a dialogue between God and a soul(cite the dialogue)

Works-paragraph 2

Delete the sentence "Approximately one third of her letters are to women.[citation needed"

Theology-paragraph 3

According to the writings attributed to Catherine, in 1377 she had a vision in which the Virgin confirmed to her a thesis supported by the Dominican order, to which Catherine belonged: the Virgin said that she had been conceived with the original sin.

Cardinal Lambertini (later Pope Benedict XIV) in his treatise De servorum Dei beatificatione et de beatorum canonizatione, 1734-1738, cites theologians who believed that Catherine's directors or editors had falsified her words; he also cites Father Lancicius, who believed that Catherine had made a mistake as a result of preconceived ideas.

Combine Veneration and Legacy into one overall Legacy section

Legacy-paragraph 3

Pope Pius II himself canonized Catherine on 29 June 1461.

Legacy-paragraph 5

However, Catherine's feast day was not initially included in the General Roman Calendar. When it was added in 1597, it was put on the day of her death, 29 April; however, because this conflicted with the feast of Saint Peter of Verona, which also fell on 29 April, Catherine's feast day was moved in 1628 to the new date of 30 April.

Legacy-paragraph 8

In his decree of 13 April 1866, Pope Pius IX declared Catherine of Siena to be a co-patroness of Rome. On 18 June 1939 Pope Pius XII named her a joint patron saint of Italy along with Francis of Assisi.[1] This declaration was part of the Fascist movement that was occurring in Italy at this time. Catherine was originally portrayed as "an overtly nationalistic and patriotic figure who, moreover, could be readily associated with the values and ethos of Fascist Italy".[2] The Fascist party of the time thus used Catherine and her new title of joint patron saint throughout the final years of the Fascist regime and Italy's involvement in World War II.

Legacy final paragraph

She remains a greatly respected figure for her spiritual writings, and political boldness to "speak truth to power", with it being out of the ordinary for a woman in her time period to have had such influence in politics and on world history.


Early Life-paragraph 4(after eventually her father permitted)

It was during this time of solitude that Catherine began to build herself a "spiritual body" and thus go beyond the gender roles that were assigned to women in the society and Church of her time.[3]


New paragraph for later life section(before as social and political tensions)

Between the years 1367 and 1374, Catherine devoted herself to helping the sick and incarcerated of Siena.[3] With her help in the Hospital of Santa Maria della Scala and within the neighborhood that she was living, Catherine's acts of charity became well-known. This lead to her being known as santa donna, or a holy woman. This reputation of holiness eventually lead to her involvement in politics and a hearing with the pope.[4] (citation for scott)

  1. ^ (in Italian) Pope Pius XII, Pontifical Brief, 18 June 1939.
  2. ^ Parsons, Gerald (2008). "A national saint in a fascist state: Catherine of Siena, ca 1922-1943". Journal of Religious History. 32 (1): 76–95.
  3. ^ a b Vauchez, Andre (2018). Catherine of Siena: A life of passion and purpose. Paulist Press.
  4. ^ Scott, Karen (2009). "St. Catherine of Siena, "Apostola"". Cambridge University Press.