“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” —St. Catherine of Siena Today is the feast of one of the Church’s greatest saints, Catherine of Siena (1347-1380). “[CatholicSaints.info] Youngest of 24 children; her father was a wool-dyer. At the age of seven she had a vision in which Jesus appeared with Peter, Paul, and John; Jesus blessed her, and she consecrated herself to Him. Her parents began making arranged marriages for her when she turned 12, but she refused to co-operate [which led to abuse initially], became a Dominican tertiary at age 15, and spent her time working with the poor and sick, attracting others to work with her. Received a vision in which she was in a mystical marriage with Christ, and the Infant Christ presented her with a wedding ring. Some of her visions drove her to become more involved in public life. [Had the stigmata, the wounds of Christ’s passion.] Counselor to and correspondent with Pope Gregory XI and Pope Urban VI. Stigmatist in 1375. Lived in Avignon, France in 1376, and then in Rome, Italy from 1378 until her death [as she convinced the pope to return to his seat of Rome from a long period of papal residency in France. She ultimately offered her life to God in exchange for Church unity and the end of warring anti-popes]. Friend of Blessed Raymond of Capua who was also her confessor. Proclaimed Doctor of the Church on 4 October 1970.”