a year of prayer: 365 Rosaries

Today, April 29, we celebrate the feast day of a truly holy woman, Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), virgin, mystic, and Doctor of the Church. A individual must fulfill three requirements to be deemed a Doctor of the Church: 1) holiness that is truly outstanding, even among saints; 2) depth of doctrinal insight; and 3) an extensive body of writings which the church can recommend as an expression of the authentic and life-giving Catholic Tradition. The life of Saint Catherine of Siena easily meets these criteria.


Saint Catherine was born the 23rd child of a poor wool dyer in Northern Italy. She was marked by the sign of holiness from a young age, clearly experiencing visions by the age of six in which she saw both her neighbors and their guardian angels simultaneously. That same year, at age 6, she was observed to fall into a religious ecstasy while reporting a vision of Christ, dressed as the pope, and the apostles. In her vision, Christ blessed her, anointing her with her earthly mission. As she aged, her intelligence and beauty grew, along with her piety. As she approached marrying age, her mother encouraged her to look for a spouse, but Catherine instead cut off her hair (to make herself less attractive) and committed herself to a life of prayer and meditation, consecrated a virgin bride of Christ. While her mother was distraught, her father encouraged her, setting aside a room of the family’s small home for Catherine to use in pursuit of her spiritual endeavors.

At age sixteen, Catherine took the habit of the Dominican Tertiaries (Third Order of Saint Dominic), where she continued to have ecstatic visions of Christ, Our Blessed Mother, and the saints. During these visions, she engaged in familiar conversations with Christ over three years, and underwent the mystical experience of “mystical espousal” to Christ.

Despite her lack of formal education, the writings of Saint Catherine are regarded as treasures of the Church, and her mind one of the most brilliant theological minds throughout the ages. She was a prolific writer, the most famous of her works being The Dialogue, which she dictated while experiencing her ecstatic visions and conversations with Christ. In this work, she expounds on the mysteries of the Church, the Creed, the sinfulness of man, and the divine mercy of the Lord.

Saint Catherine experienced visions of both heaven and hell while on earth. She worked tirelessly, through letters (over 400!) and counsel to church and world leaders—including Pope Gregory XI and various kings and queens of the time. Her goal was church reform, inspired by her visions of Christ, and her call to public service. Saint Catherine devoted her free time to the poor and ill, and the conversion of sinners. Five years prior to her death, Catherine was graced with the stigmata, although she kept this a secret due to her humility. Saint Catherine is said to have eaten very little during her life, with the exception of Holy Eucharist each day. She bore continuous stomach ailment and discomfort without complaint, uniting her suffering to that of Christ. Saint Catherine engaged in severe forms of mortification, wearing a metal shirt which cut into her hips, beating herself with a chain for her own sins (and those of others), sleeping on a wooden bench, and oftentimes refusing to speak. For Catherine, the greater her suffering, the greater the triumph of heaven!

During her lifetime, the Church experienced great turmoil, which Catherine sought to reconcile. She offered herself and her life as a victim for the Church in it’s agony. Saint Catherine died when she was only 33, and upon exhumation of her body over 100 years later, was found to be incorrupt. Her head and thumb, miraculously smuggled out of Rome during time of persecution (upon examination by guards, the bag in which her head was hidden was observed to be filled with rose petals, but upon moving past the guards, the roses disappeared and the holy face of Saint Catherine returned), were returned to Siena, where they remain incorrupt in the Basilica of San Domenico. Numerous miracles have been recorded through her intercession.

The life and inspiration of Saint Catherine of Siena can best be found in her words, preserved in over 400 letters written in her hand, numerous prayers, as well as in The Dialogue. Selected quotations are presented below. The words of Saint Catherine remind us of our faith, of our weakness and sinfulness, and of the unending love and mercy of the Lord. In her words, everything we do should begin in love—love for our neighbors, love for our Lord, love for ourselves. The Lord does nothing without love in mind, and Saint Catherine reminds us that neither should we!




Selected Writings of Saint Catherine of Siena

“So take a lesson from the true father and shepherd. For you see that now is the time to give your life for the little sheep who have left the flock. You must seek and win them back by using patience and war–by war I mean by raising the standard of the sweet blazing cross and setting out against the unbelievers. so you must sleep no longer, but wake up and raise that standard courageously. I am confident that by God’s measureless goodness you will win back the unbelievers and [at the same time] correct the wrongdoing of Christians, because everyone will come running to the fragrance of the cross, even those who have rebelled against you most.”

“No one should judge that he has greater perfection because he performs great penances and gives himself in excess to the staying of the body than he who does less, inasmuch as neither virtue nor merit consists therein; for otherwise he would be an evil case, who for some legitimate reason was unable to do actual penance. Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with the light of true discretion without which the soul is worth nothing."

"If not for my sins, the world would be a better place."

“You know that the devil is not cast out by the devil, but by virtue.”

"There is no perfect virtue-none that bears fruit- unless it is exercised by means of our neighbor."

“Charity is the sweet and holy bond which links the soul with its Creator: it binds God with man and man with God.”

“Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea, you could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being. Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates the mind with its light, and causes me to know your truth. And I know that you are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, you gave yourself to man in the fire of your love.”

“Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind.”

“And let the truth be your delight; let it always be in your mouth, and proclaim it when it is needed. Proclaim it lovingly and to everyone, especially those whom you love with a special love---but with a certain congeniality, putting the shortcomings of the other person on your own shoulders. If in the past you haven't done it as sensitively as you should, let's do better in the future.”

“I long to see you a productive tree planted in fertile soil and laden with sweet mellow fruit. For a tree uprooted from the soil (I mean the soil of true self-knowledge) would dry up and bear no fruit.”

“We lack nothing but virtue and hunger for the salvation of souls---but there is a remedy for this, father: that we do away with loving ourselves or anyone or anything else apart from God. Let us concentrate no longer on friends or relatives or on our own material needs, but only on virtue and the promotion of spiritual matters. For the only reason you are wanting for material things is your abandonment of concern for the spiritual.”

“Learn from the Master of truth, who preached virtue only after he had practiced it.... To this wonderful school, then, my children!... Open your ears, I tell you, to hear his teaching --- and it is this: voluntary poverty; patience in the face of injury; returning good to those who do us evil; being little, humble, oppressed and forsaken in the world; with ridicule, torment, wrongs, insults, detraction, gossip, difficulties, and harassment from the world.... No more indifference, then! No more sleeping in unawareness! No, with bold and blazing heart stretch your sweet loving desires to go and give honor to God and your best efforts to your neighbors, never losing sight of your objective, Christ crucified.”

"Love is the most necessary of all virtues. Love in the person who preaches the word of God is like fire in a musket. If a person were to throw a bullet with his hands, he would hardly make a dent in anything; but if the person takes the same bullet and ignites some gunpowder behind it, it can kill. It is much the same with the word of God. If it is spoken by someone who is filled with the fire of charity- the fire of love of God and neighbor- it will work wonders."

"Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind."

"Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with the light of true discretion without which the soul is worth nothing."

"Strange that so much suffering is caused because of the misunderstandings of God's true nature. God's heart is more gentle than the Virgin's first kiss upon the Christ. And God's forgiveness to all, to any thought or act, is more certain than our own being."

“When then, eternal Father, did you create this creature of yours?…You show me that you made us for one reason only: in your light you saw yourself compelled by the fire of your love to give us being in spite of the evil we would commit against you, eternal Father. It was fire, then, that compelled you. Oh, unutterable love, even though you saw all the evils your creatures would commit against your infinite goodness, you acted as if you did not see and set your eye on the beauty of your creature, with whom you had fallen in love like one drunk and crazy with love…You are the fire, nothing but a fire of love, crazy over what you have made.”

“My Lord, turn the eye of your mercy on your people and on your mystic body, holy Church. How much greater would be your glory if you would pardon so many and give them the light of knowledge! For then they would surely all praise you, when they see that your infinite goodness has saved them from deadly sin and eternal damnation. How much greater this than to have praise only from my wretched self....


So I beg you, divine eternal love, to take your revenge on me, and be merciful to your people. I will not leave your presence till I see that you have been merciful to them.”


Prayers Composed by Saint Catherine of Siena

Holy Spirit, come into my heart, by your power I journey to You, God, and grant me charity with fear. Protect me, o Christ, from every evil thought, warm me with Your sweet love, so that each burden seems light to me. My holy Father and my sweet Lord, help me always in all my endeavors, Christ love, Christ love. Amen.

Precious Blood,
Ocean of Divine Mercy:
Flow upon us!
Precious Blood,
Most pure Offering:
Procure us every Grace!
Precious Blood,
Hope and Refuge of sinners:
Atone for us!
Precious Blood,
Delight of holy souls:
Draw us! Amen.

Today, April 9, we celebrate he feast day of Saint Casilda of Toledo (approximately 950-1050). While little is known about Saint Casilda, what we do know is inspirational—especially at a time when both inter and intra-religion conflicts continue to exist. The life of Saint Casilda reminds us that the Lord calls us to love and acceptance of all people, and challenges us to open our hearts to those we disagree with or do not understand.

Saint Casilda was born the daughter of a Muslim king in Toledo, Spain. Raised Muslim, she embraced her faith and felt a strong desire to help others—including the many Christian prisoners detained in Spanish prisons. In her kindness, against the orders of her father, Casilda often visited the prisoners, smuggling in food and bread for them in the folds of her dress. As holy legend recounts, on one occasion Casilda was stopped by prison guards who demanded she disclose what she was hiding in her clothing. Upon revealing the folds of her skirt, the bread she carried miraculously transformed into roses. Saint Casilda is oftentimes depicted in religious art carrying a basket or bunch of roses of this reason.

As a young woman, Saint Casilda fell ill, likely from a hemorrhagic fever common at the time, for which there was no cure. She refused the assistance of the best Muslim physicians, and instead, traveled down the Iberian Peninsula to the Shrine of San Vicente, known for it’s healing waters and miraculous cures. There, through her faith and holiness, she was cured of her illness, and later baptized into Christianity.

Saint Casilda lived the remainder of her life as an anchoress (until she reached the age of 100!) in quiet penance and solitude, contemplating the wonder of God, and praying for those on earth. She died peacefully, having served her creator well while practicing two faiths on earth.

Saint Casilda reminds us of the divides that exist between religions today (as well as within our own Church), and models for us the simple love and acceptance of others that the Lord calls us to. Rather than judge the imprisoned Christians, she brought them food. Rather than return to her family and argue with them about their faith, she chose to avoid the conflict, praying for them from afar. How often do we seek our arguments? How often do we judge members of our own and other faith communities? How might we better serve the Lord and draw others to Him through the practice of love, charity, and acceptance?

March 17 is one of the most widely recognized feast days throughout the Church, the feast of Saint Patrick (387-493), patron saint of Ireland. Many myths and legends have arisen regarding the life of Saint Patrick, some culturally-based in Celtic oral storytelling, and some much more modern in support of non-spiritual celebrations. Church historians have compiled the basic facts of Saint Patrick’s life from letters and Confessions that he wrote while alive, as well as survey of the political and historical landscapes of the time. Many of the legendary miracles reported to have been performed by Saint Patrick remain unverified by history, but for many verified by faith in the gentle man responsible for bringing Catholicism to Ireland.


Saint Patrick was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland, where he lived the first 14 years of his life with his family, Christians, although not overly devout. In late adolescence, Patrick was captured from his family’s home by Irish raiders, and taken back to Ireland as a slave. There, he would spend the next six years in captivity, learning Celtic customs and language, and spending significant periods of time alone, tending sheep in the fields. It was here that Patrick’s’ love of God deepened and his faith took root and bloomed. He prayed incessantly, writing, “the love of God, and His fear increased in me more and more, and the faith grew in me, and the spirit was roused, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers, and in the night nearly the same, so that whilst in the woods and on the mountain, even before the dawn, I was roused to prayer and felt no hurt from it, whether there was snow or ice or rain; nor was there any slothfulness in me, such as I see now, because the spirit was then fervent within me.”

After six years of contemplation, Patrick was visited by an angel who encouraged him to return home to Scotland by escaping his slavery and walking 200 miles to the coast where he would find a ship awaiting him. Patrick did as instructed, finding the crew of s ship willing to take him to Scotland, and returned home to his grateful family. After a few years, Patrick experienced a second call from God, this time in the form of a visitor from Ireland. In his Confessions, he wrote:

I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish". As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us!

Patrick felt called to return to Ireland, but wished to be ordained prior to his departure. He undertook rigorous religious study, lasting approximately 14 years, during which time he was first ordained a priest, and later a bishop. Only upon becoming bishop did Patrick feel prepared to return to Ireland. While some legend suggests that Saint Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland, it is far more likely that some small Christian communities existed before his second arrival. His dual mission was that of ministering to the existing Christian communities and converting others to the faith.

Saint Patrick had great success on both accounts, drawing from his familiarity of Celtic and Druid religious beliefs and language. He introduced natural elements into his teaching, including placing the sun on the Celtic Cross as symbolization of the Godhead, illustrating the Resurrection of Christ through the use of bonfires (symbols familiar to the Druids), and most famously, explaining the Holy Trinity through comparison to the shamrock.

Many were converted by his works, and monasteries and convents established (although their formal structure and organization would not be complete until centuries after his death). During his ministry in Ireland, Saint Patrick lived a poor and austere life, accepting only what he needed to live. He was repeatedly arrested and imprisoned, threatened and attacked by chieftains of warring tribes, and suffered great peril. Throughout all struggles, he remained fearless, looking to the Lord for guidance and comfort, and demonstrating great love, humility, and charity towards all he encountered. Numerous miracles and intercessions are reported in his name.

Saint Patrick’s ministry in Ireland spanned over 40 years, during which he laid the foundation for the seat of the Church during the Dark Ages, when Christianity survived in Irish monasteries. He died in Saul, Ireland, where he is believed to be buried. He is reported to have composed the following prayer, referred to as “Saint Patrick’s Breastplate:”

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.


I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgment Day.


I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.


I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.


I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.


Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.


Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the deck of ships,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.


I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

“Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.”


Today, February 13, we enter the solemn Lenten season of preparation and repentance. Ash Wednesday reminds us in a dramatic manner of our inevitable death—that our mortal bodies will fail and return to the dust from which they originated. But in this way, despite our medical advances, we are more importantly reminded that we can not triumph over death without the help of He who literally triumphed over death. When Jesus emerged from His tomb two thousand years ago, He freed us from the chains of death, inviting us to live in His glory with Him. Without that sacrifice—without that invitation—we would literally turn to dust, our mortal bodies ravaged by time and earthly emptiness.

Lent is a period of preparation—we prepare ourselves to meet Jesus, to follow Him with all that we have. We take stock and inventory of our lives, and bring from the darkness those areas of sin and failing which we can improve upon. Lent is not simply about choosing something to “give up.” Lent is about opening up ourselves to our Lord—repenting, and engaging in acts of prayer and penance, not only for ourselves but for all those in need.  Lent is a time of deeply personal conversion-- the physicality of fasting and penance should not distract us from this season's true goal: internal growth and movement toward Our God.

Biblically, ashes were a symbol of one’s repentance and wrongdoing. To put ashes upon oneself was a clear signal to those who witnessed it that one was a person of faith who had sinned against the Lord. The recognition and repentance can be viewed in much the same manner today, as we place the ashes on our foreheads in witness of the Gospel to the world, and recognition of our shortcomings. As we go about our days, with the mark of Christ on our foreheads, not only do we bear witness to the saving power of Christ to those around us, but we literally identify ourselves as the “walking dead” without His intercession.

Throughout this Lenten season, I will be meditating and reflecting on the book of Job, an "instructional manual" for patient suffering, for love, and for finding joy in all that the Lord gives-- including difficulty and harship.  At the end of his trials and suffering, although he stayed true in his faith in the Lord, Job repented in dust and ashes for his sinfulness.
1 Then Job replied to the LORD :
2 "I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.'
5 My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:1-6)


And as we know, the Lord forgave Job and bestowed on him countless blessings, just as the Lord does for us with the great gift of the Resurrection.

Lent is a time of solemn contemplation of the Passion of Christ. We may choose to meditate, contemplate, or pray on His suffering for us. We may further contemplate the sufferings of His Blessed Mother throughout her live, recognizing the suffering she endured borne out of her great love for Jesus. In this tradition, we are encouraged to find our joy during Lent—a joy borne out of penance and prayer based in our own love for the Lord. As written in the Rule of Saint Benedict: “The season of Lent is: "to offer in the joy of the Holy Spirit, of our own accord a measure of service...Less food, drink, sleep, speech, merriment, and with the joy of spiritual desire await holy Easter." We are called to deep, personal conversion during Lent—and this conversion begins in love and joy, through the practice of repentance and penance.

I pray you each experience a profoundly enriching Lenten season, moving closer to the Lord with every step we take toward the glory of Easter!

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, the all-holy one, who gives us life and all things. As we go about our lives, the press of our duties and activities often leads us to forget your presence and your love. We fall into sin and fail to live out the responsibilities that you have entrusted to those who were baptized into your Son.


In this holy season, help us to turn our minds and hearts back to you. Lead us into sincere repentance and renew our lives with your grace. Help us to remember that we are sinners, but even more, help us to remember your loving mercy.


As we live through this Ash Wednesday, may the crosses of ashes that mark our foreheads be a reminder to us and to those we meet that we belong to your Son. May our worship and prayer and penitence this day be sustained throughout these 40 days of Lent. Bring us refreshed and renewed to the celebration of Christ’s resurrection at Easter.


We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

John predicted his own death, January 11, 1501. His legacy in service and truth reminds us that to be great in the eyes of the Lord we need only love each other, simply and joyously.