The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena [Paperback]

St. Catherine of Siena (Author), Roman Catholic Church (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2006

St. Catherine of Siena is recognized as one of the most remarkable mystical theologians of the Middle Ages. She was also a stigmatist, counsellor of popes and is one of only three women to be made a Doctor of the Church. The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena treats of the whole spiritual life of man in the form of a series of colloquies between the Eternal Father and the human soul (represented by Catherine herself). The structure of the Dialogue is unusual: the saint makes four petitions to God for herself, for the Church, for the whole world, and for the assurance of God s providence in all things. The rest of the book is devoted to God s response to these four petitions.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Saint Catherine of Siena (March 25, 1347 in Siena - April 29, 1380 in Rome) was a tertiary of the Dominican Order. She worked to bring the Papacy back to Rome from its displacement in France, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. She was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1970 and is one of only three women Doctors of the Church. She is one of the two patron saints of Italy, together with Francis of Assisi.

Catherine had her first vision of Christ when she was age five or six saying that Jesus smiled at her, blessed her, and left her in ecstasy. At age seven she vowed chastity.

Her parents were not supportive of some of her religious desires. She was advised by her confessor and biographer Raymond of Capua to "Build a cell inside your mind, from which you can never flee." Serving her family humbly became an opportunity for spiritual growth. The greater the suffering, the larger her triumph was. Eventually her father permitted her to live as she pleased.

A vision of St. Dominic strengthened her. Catherine received the habit of a Dominican tertiary. As a third order member she lived at home with her family.

In about 1366, Catherine experienced what she described in her letters as a "Mystical Marriage" with Jesus. Her biographer Raymond of Capua also records that she was told by Christ to leave her withdrawn life and enter the public life of the world. Catherine dedicated much of her life to helping the ill and the poor. After investigation by the Dominican order, she began traveling with her followers advocating reform of the clergy and advising people that repentance and renewal could be done through "the total love for God."

She also began writing letters including to figures in authority as she begged for peace between the republics and principalities of Italy and for the return of the Papacy from Avignon, France to Rome. She carried on a long correspondence with Pope Gregory XI, also asking him to reform the clergy and the administration of the Papal States. Through her requests and prayers, Pope Gregory XI returned his administration to Rome in January 1377.

St Catherine's letters are considered one of the great works of early Tuscan literature. St Catherine died in Rome, the spring of 1380, at the age of thirty-three. Jesus Christ is also commonly thought to have died at the same age.

On 5 May 1940 Pope Pius XII named her a joint Patron Saint of Italy along with Saint Francis of Assisi. Pope Paul VI gave her the title of Doctor of the Church in 1970 along with Saint Teresa of Avila making them the first women to receive this honor. In 1999, Pope John Paul II made her one of Europe's patron saints. (This author bio is adapted from Wikipedia.) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Baronius Press Ltd; 1st Edition edition (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1905574231
• ISBN-13: 978-1905574230
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,746,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Welcome Challenge for People who Pray, March 27, 2003

By 

Theodore (Ventura, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) (Paperback)

The first two sections of St. Catherine's "Dialogue", the Prologue and the Way of Perfection, are very powerful statements about our relationship to God. In the Prologue we, through Catherine, are speaking to God by expressing our hopes and fears. But in the Way of Perfection it is God who is speaking about His hopes and fears for us and for our society. Thus, the work of Catherine truly represents a dialogue between two parties - us and God.

The remarkable characteristic about this dialogue is that it is similar to the model for dialogue promoted by today's counsellors and psychologists: the model where a staff member first listens to the client before responding with professional expertise in order to respect the freedom of the client. Since her model for dialogue is similar to that of contemporary counsellors, Catherine can be said to be very relevant today.

In the Prologue Catherine opens the discussion by expressing some very human and normal desires. She hopes for the good of herself, of the Church, and of the world. Catherine even manages to present to God a special intention which affirms the Catholic teaching that God knows not only universal, cosmic events, but also ordinary, everyday particular circumstances.

The petitions of Catherine reveal two characteristics of her relationship with God. First, by her example Catherine teaches that God is able to relate to us humans on our level. She was able to tell God about human events and affairs. Secondly, her action of asking God for things is a sign that Catherine had a great trust in God and in His love. She would not have made those prayers in the Prologue if she thought God was unconcerned and indifferent to our well-being. Consequently, Catherine shows not only her fragile, human side, but also her trust and hope.

The Way of Perfection is the section where God speaks to His dialogical partner in reply. This section is longer than the Prologue, yet this should be of no surprise since God obviously has more to say than Catherine. In this section the distinction between virtuous and non-virtuous people is made. The difference is that, unlike those who live in vice, virtuous people have an awakened conscience, appreciate the fragrant smell of virtue, and take joy in the company of other believers (p.30). And because the life of virtue is superior to its opposite, the life of vice, just as love is superior to hatred (p.34), God desires virtue for all people. "... I look on them and give them light (p.30)."

A finer distinction is made between the virtuous and the truly virtuous. The virtuous are those who enjoy the presence of God yet take it for granted. They do not make perfect contrition for their sins. Consequently, their sins are forgiven, but not the penalty due to their sins. "...These receive no pardon of the penalty but only of the sin itself (p.31)." But the truly virtuous are those who not only participate in the presence of God, they also are disposed to receive this presence in a humble way. As a result, their sins and the penalty due for their sins are forgiven.

In summary, St. Catherine's words to God are encouraging because she speaks to Him about some of the things relevant to my life. But God's words to Catherine are challenging because they point out the inconsistencies and weaknesses of believers. Fortunately, God would not have said these difficult things to Catherine if He did not think we could learn from them and change our ways.

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from the Publisher, March 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) (Paperback)

Dictated by St. Catherine while in ecstasy and speaking with God. Contains page after page of divine wisdom on a host of spiritual subjects under 4 main categories: Divine Providence, Discretion, Prayer, Obedience. One of the great literary treasures if the Church. A famous classic. It was largley for this book that St. Catherine of Siena was declared a Doctor of the Church.

48 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Catherines dialogues with God the Father, April 29, 2000

By 

Jackie M. Sthilaire "Memere Jackie" (Manchester, NH United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) (Paperback)

Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970. Catherine had no formal education but yet was able to dialogue with the Pope, Bishops and many of the ecclesiastic members of the Church through the grace of God. I will quote from her treatise of prayer: "When the soul has arrived at the attainment of the general light, of which I have spoken, she should not remain contented, because, as long as you are pilgrims in this life, you are capable of growth, and he who does not go forward, by that very fact, is turning back". Powerful words in the context of living and growing in our spiritual life. No matter what stage we are in our spiritual growth, we can always test ourselves on our capacity to love and be loved. Faith, hope and love but the greatest is love. Jesus left us a new commandment to love one another as He loves us.