Written by Fr. Paul Murray Saint Catherine of Siena is one of the Church's most intriguing and explosive saints. She rose to prominence as a young laywoman with little education, renowned for her intense mystical experiences, inspired preaching, and scathing criticism of corrupt political and ecclesiastical authorities. She is even recognized today as a Doctor of the Church, the only layperson ever to receive the honour, but she comes across to us as more of an apostle than an intellectual. Her work is like a flaming version of Aquinas' Summa.
But, for all of Catherine's fascination, one aspect of her life has received surprisingly little attention: her preoccupation with freedom. Catherine was acutely aware of God's "unspeakably crazy" love and the liberating power of his mercy. But she also understood the terrible bonds of sin, as well as the necessity of confronting our own inner darkness if we are to overcome it. She was driven by a desire to lead those enslaved by fear and oppression to self-knowledge in God and, ultimately, true freedom. This "fire" ignites almost every page she writes.
Fr. Paul Murray, an Irish Dominican poet and writer, draws us into the fire of this great mystic's love for God and humanity in this profound book, reading her life and teaching not only through the lens of Dominican spirituality, but also through the writings of Renaissance philosopher Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and modern psychologist Carl Jung. As a result, we have a portrait of a preacher of liberty who speaks to us with compelling authority even today.
Publisher: Word on Fire Institute
Page Count: 208
ISBN: 9781943243570