Letters of Catherine BenincasaCatherine, of Siena, Saint
Religion
Letters of Catherine Benincasa
Catherine, of Siena, Saint
Catherine, of Siena, Saint, 1347-1380 -- Correspondence; Christian women saints -- Italy -- Siena -- Correspondence
desire constrains them to return to their cells, they are not therefore
willing to throw off the yoke, but say: "What I have said, be it unsaid!"
--disregarding their self-will and their personal consolations. One comes
here to endure: not for honours, but for the dignity of many labours, with
tears, vigils and continual prayers; thus should one do. Now let us not
weigh ourselves down with more words. May God by His mercy send us clear
vision, and guide us in the way of truth, and give us true and perfect
light, that we may never walk among shadows. I beg you, you and the
Bachellor, and the other servants of God, to pray the Humble Lamb that He
make me walk in His Way. Remain in the holy and sweet grace of God. Sweet
Jesus, Jesus Love.
TO QUEEN GIOVANNA OF NAPLES
(WRITTEN IN TRANCE)
Giovanna, recalcitrant, has failed to respond to the entreaties of
Catherine. Her temporary espousal of the cause of Urban has made only more
painful her reversion to the side of Clement. "You see your subjects
pitted against each other like beasts through this unhappy division,"
writes Catherine in another letter. "Oh me! how is it that your heart does
not burst, to endure that they should be divided by you, and one hold to
the white rose and one the red, one to truth and one to falsehood?
Misfortunate my soul! Do you not see that they are all created in that
very pure rose, the eternal will of God, and re-created by grace in that
very burning rose, crimson with the Blood of Christ, in which we were
washed from sin in Baptism? Consider that nor you nor another ever so
bathed them or gave them that glorious rose, but only our Mother, Holy
Church, through the highest Pontiff who holds the keys, Pope Urban VI. How
can your soul bear to take from them that which you cannot give? If this
does not move you, are you not at least moved by the shame into which you
are fallen in the sight of the world? This much more since your change
than before; for lately you confessed the truth and your wrong, and showed
yourself willing to throw yourself like a daughter upon the mercy of your
father; and since then you have wrought worse than ever, whether because
your heart was not pure, and feigned what was not there, or because
justice willed that I should anew do penance for my ancient sins, that I
do not merit to see you in peace and quiet, feeding at the breasts of Holy
Church. It is such a pain to me, that I cannot bear a greater cross in
this life, when I consider the letter which I received from you, in which
you confessed that Pope Urban was the true highest father and priest, and
said that you were willing to be obedient to him, and now I find the
contrary."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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