St. Catherine of Genoa, Widow and Mystic: 1447-1510 A.D.

Author's note: Check the other Saints Commemorated in the Roman Catholic Church for the Month of September.

Birth and early life

St. Catherine, a.k.a. Caterinetta, is the daughter of James Fieschi and Francesca di Negro. Born in Genoa, she was their fifth and last child. She wanted to enter religious life, but then her father died, and she married Julian Adorno at the age of sixteen. Julian was not a faithful husband to Catherine. His extravagance also became a problem, for it led their ten years of marriage to poverty. But in time, Julian was converted and reformed his life. He became a Franciscan tertiary and together with St. Catherine, both led a continent life.

St. Catherine's conversion experience

In 1473 A.D. during Lent, Catherine underwent a conversion experience when she saw a vision of Christ on the cross. She began to live an intense spiritual life. Her follower, Ettore Vernazza, wrote and said that St. Catherine exercised prolonged fasting, enjoyed frequent ecstasies, and lived with a great desire for the Eucharist (which she received every day - a rare privilege during her time).

Assisting the sick and the poor

Since St. Catherine was instrumental in the reform of her husband Julian, she was able to convince him to assist her in her work. In 1479 A.D., both of them moved into the Pammatone Hospital to make themselves more available to assist both the sick and the poor. In 1490 A.D., she became the director of the hospital.

Genoa stricken with a plague

In 1493 A.D., Genoa was stricken with a plague. St. Catherine was very active especially during this time. Because of her contact with the plague-stricken, she almost died. The plague wiped out three quarters of Genoa's residents. St. Catherine was able to recover from the effects of the plague on herself, but she was obliged to resign her position in 1496 A.D., as director of Pammatone Hospital, because of her health. She and her husband Julian continued though to live in the hospital. The following year, her husband Julian died.

The Oratory of Divine Love

St. Catherine met Ettore Vernazza, a wealthy businessman and philantrophist, and together, they were able to form the Oratory of Divine Love, a group of clergy and lay people devoted to achieving a deeper spriritual life through both contemplative prayer and active charity. Vernazza became St. Catherine's follower. It was through the pen of Vernazza that we can read of St. Catherine's intensive spiritual life.

St. Catherine of Genoa's spiritual teachings

Although St. Catherine wrote nothing during her life, her "writings" are from the pen of Vernazza and her confessor, the priest Fr. Cattaneo Marabotta. Both written views of St. Catherine's spiritual teachings reflect on the way of life of a married mystic who was able to combine action and contemplation so effectively. The written works on her spiritual teaching are: "Life", by Vernazza; "Purgation and Purgatory"; and the "Spiritual Dialogue". The latter two writings are outstanding documents in the field of mysticism.

Beatified in 1737 A.D., St. Catherine of Genoa was then canonized by Pope Benedict XIV and added to the Roman Martyrology. The Church celebrates her feast on September 15.

Sources of this blog post:

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, by editor Bernard McGinn

22nd Sunday of the Year (C)

Paraphrasing the Sunday Readings

Author's note: Paraphrasing the Sunday gospel is a method I learned from Maryhill School of Theology. The method I used is only an adaptation of the original, which was formatted in a blackboard. The method by our theology professor was for exegetical purposes. My purpose is to format it in poetic/prosaic form for clarity of reading and reflection. Formatted this way makes the gospel easy to digest for one's thoughts.

From Sunday Readings: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

22nd Sunday of the Year (C), September 1, 2013 (Edited for August 31, 2025)


Liturgical readings
Ecclesiasticus 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
Psalm 68
Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24
Luke 14:1, 7-14

"Humility will win you the esteem of your fellow guests."


When Jesus came on a sabbath
        to eat a meal
        in the house
        of one of the leading Pharisees,


they observed him closely,


He went on to address a parable
        to the guests,
        noticing how they were trying
        to get places of honor
        at the table:


"When you are invited
by someone to a wedding party,


do not sit in the place of honor


in case some greater dignitary
has been invited.


Then the host might come
and say to you,


'Make room for this man',


and you would have to proceed
shamefacedly to the lowest place.


What you should do
when you have been invited


is


go and sit in the lowest place,


so that
when your host approaches you
he will say,


'My friend,
come up higher.'


This will win you
the esteem of your fellow guests.


For everyone
        who exalts himself
        shall be humbled


and


he
        who humbles himself
        shall be exalted."


He said to the one who invited him:


Whenever you give a lunch or dinner,


do not invite your friends
        or brothers
        or relatives
        or wealthy neighbors.


They might invite you in return
and thus repay you.


No,


when you have a reception,


invite beggars
        and the crippled,
        the lame
        and the blind.


You should be pleased
        that they cannot repay you,
        for you will be repaid
        in the resurrection of the just."



Scripture verses from the Readings:
"An attentive ear is the wise man's joy." (Ecclesiasticus 3)
"What is to sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength, search not." (Ecclesiasticus 3)
"God is the father of orphans and the defender of widows." (Psalm 68)
"You have drawn near to Mount Zion and the city of the living God." (Hebrews 12)
"Be pleased that the poor cannot repay you, for you will be repaid in the resurrection of the just." (Luke 14)

Reflection

The gospel for the 22nd Sunday of the Year (C) speaks about the theme of humility, and Jesus took occasion to teach about the virtue when He was invited to a meal. Humility ought to be practiced as a social virtue whenever invited to feasts or dinner. When the gospel described the guests competing for the seats of honor, Jesus told a parable, teaching the importance of seeking not a place of honor but to let the host decide where one ought to be seated. He also challenged His Pharisee-host to invite to the banquet people who cannot repay him: the beggars and the crippled, the lame and the blind.

Humility is one of the Christian virtues that is very difficult to practice - given the heroic example presented by our Lord in His life and teachings. The virtue will be easier if it is part of a disciplined way of work and life. Self-awareness in prayer helps remedy whatever traces of pride one has in the soul. As long as the soul never gives up, then the the grace to be humble needed for daily and practical living can be received. It is a state of mind and heart that is detached from relationships or things that make us proud.

Jesus is the perfect example of humility in being and action. Though He is divine, He lived and worked as a carpenter's Son. He has divine power, but He used it for the poor, the sick and the marginalized. He is the Beloved Son of the Father, but He obediently took His cross and suffered greatly for our salvation. And even when He was vindicated by His Father in the Resurrection event, which proved His victory over sin and death that afflicts all humanity, He quietly and simply made His Risen appearances only to His apostles and disciples.

21st Sunday of the Year (C)

Paraphrasing the Sunday Readings

Author's note: This Sunday, there are three paraphrases of the readings: from the book of Isaiah, the letter to the Hebrews, and the gospel of Luke. Paraphrasing of the Sunday gospel is a method taught in Maryhill School of Theology. The method I used is only an adaptation of the original, which was formatted in a blackboard. The method by our theology professor was for exegetical purposes. My purpose is to format it in poetic/prosaic form for clarity of understanding and reflection.

From Sunday Readings: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

21st Sunday of the Year (C), August 25, 2013 - (Edited for August 24, 2025)

Liturgical readings
Isaiah 66:18-21
Psalm 117
Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13
Luke 13:22-30


Paraphrase of Isaiah 66:18-21

"The Lord has come to gather nations of every language."



"I come to gather nations of every language;


they shall come and see my glory.


I will set a sign among them;


from them I will send
        fugitives to the nations;
            to Tarshish
            Put and Lud,
            Mosoch,
            Tubal and Javan,
        to the distant coastlands
        that have never heard of my fame,
        or seen my glory;


and they shall proclaim my glory
        among the nations.

They shall bring all your brethren
        from all the nations
        as an offering to the Lord,
            on horses and in chariots,
            in carts,
            upon mules and dromedaries,


to Jerusalem my holy mountain,"


says the Lord,


"just as the Israelites bring their offering
to the house of the Lord in clean vessels.


Some of these I will take as priests and Levites,"


says the Lord.


Paraphrase of Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13


"That your halting limbs may not be dislocated but healed."


You have forgotten the encouraging words
addressed to you as sons:


"My sons,
do not disdain the discipline of the Lord
nor lose heart when he reproves you;


For,
whom the Lord loves,
he disciplines;


he scourges every son he receives.


Endure your trials as the discipline of God
who deals with you as sons.


For what son is there
whom his father does not discipline?


At the time it is administered,
all discipline seems a cause for grief
and not for joy,


but later it brings forth
the fruit of peace and justice
to those who are trained in its school.


So
strengthen your drooping hands
and your weak knees.


Make straight the paths you walk on,


that your halting limbs
may not be dislocated but healed."




Paraphrase of Luke 13:22-30


"People will come from the east...west...north...south...and take their place in the kingdom of God."


Jesus went through cities and towns


teaching --


all the while
making his way toward Jerusalem.


Someone asked him,


"Lord,
are they few in number
who are to be saved?"


He replied:


"Try to come in through the narrow door.


Many,
I tell you,
will try to enter and be unable."


"When once the master of the house has risen
to lock the door
and you stand outside
knocking and saying,


'Sir,
open for us,'


he will say in reply,


'I do not know where you come from.
Away from me, you evildoers!'"


"There will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see
        Abraham,
        Isaac,
        Jacob,
        and all the prophets
safe in the kingdom of God


and you yourselves rejected.


People will come from
        the east
        and the west,
        from the north
        and the south,
and will take their place
at the feast in the kingdom of God.


Some who are last
        will be first
and some who are first
        will be last."