,anne ,soulard1 ,charles ,franks1       
,robert ,shimmin1 and the ,online       
,distributed  ,proofreading ,team       
,,letters ,,of ,,catherine ,,benincasa  
,illustration3 ,the ,ecstasy of ,st4    
,catherine  ,detail from ,bazzis ,fresco
          ,,saint ,,catherine ,,of      
,,siena  ,,as ,,seen ,,in ,,her         
,,letters    ,,translated  ,,edited     
,,with ,,introduction ,,by  ,,vida ,d4  
,,scudder          ,,table ,,of         
,,contents      ,table of ,persons      
,addressed  ,st4 ,catherine of ,siena as
 seen in her letters  ,chief ,events in 
the life of ,st4 ,catherine  ,brief     
,outline of ,contemporary ,public       
,events  ,to ,monna ,alessa dei         
,saracini  ,to ,benincasa her brother1  
when he was in ,florence  ,to the       
,venerable ,religious1 ,brother ,antonio
 of ,nizza  ,to ,monna ,agnese1 who was 
the wife of ,messer ,orso ,malavolti    
,to ,sister ,eugenia1 her niece at the  
,convent of ,st4 ,agnes of              
,montepulciano  ,to ,nanna1 daughter of 

,benincasa1 a little maid1 her niece    
,letters on the ,consecrated ,life      
,to ,brother ,william of ,england       
,to ,daniella of ,orvieto1 clothed with 
the ,habit of ,st4 ,dominic      ,to    
,monna ,agnese1 wife of ,francesco1 a   
tailor of ,florence  ,letters in        
response to certain criticisms      ,to 
,monna ,orsa1 wife of ,bartolo          
,usimbardi1 and to ,monna ,agnese       
,to a ,religious man in ,florence1 who  
was shocked at her ,ascetic             
,practices  ,to ,brother ,bartolomeo    
,dominici  ,to ,brother ,matteo di      
,francesco ,tolomei  ,to a ,mantellata  
of ,saint ,dominic1 called ,catarina di 
,scetto  ,to ,neri di ,landoccio dei    
,pagliaresi  ,to ,monna ,giovanna and   
her other daughters in ,siena  ,to      
,messer ,john1 the ,soldier of ,fortune 
,to ,monna ,colomba in ,lucca  ,to      
,brother ,raimondo of ,capua1 of the    
,order of the ,preachers  ,to ,gregory  
,,xi  ,to ,gregory ,,xi  ,to ,gregory   
,,xi  ,to ,brother ,raimondo of ,capua1 

at ,avignon  ,to ,catarina of the       
,hospital1 and ,giovanna di ,capo  ,to  
,sister ,daniella of ,orvieto  ,to      
,brother ,raimondo of ,capua1 and to    
,master ,john ,,iii  ,to ,sister        
,bartolomea della ,seta  ,to ,gregory   
,,xi  ,to the ,king of ,france  ,letters
 to ,florence      ,to the ,eight of    
,war chosen by the ,commune of ,florence
      ,to ,buonaccorso di ,lapo3 written
 when the ,saint was at ,avignon  ,to   
,gregory ,,xi  ,to ,monna ,lapa1 her    
mother1 before she returned from        
,avignon  ,to ,monna ,giovanna di       
,corrado ,maconi  ,to ,messer ,ristoro  
,canigiani  ,to the ,anziani and        
,consuls and ,gonfalonieri of ,bologna  
,to ,nicholas of ,osimo  ,to ,misser    
,lorenzo del ,pino of ,bologna1 ,doctor 
in ,decretals  ,letters written from    
,rocca ,d',orcia      ,to ,monna ,lapa1 
her mother1 and to ,monna ,cecca        
,to ,monna ,catarina of the ,hospital1  
and to ,giovanna di ,capo      ,to      
,monna ,alessa1 clothed with the ,habit 

of ,saint ,dominic  ,to ,gregory ,,xi   
,to ,raimondo of ,capua  ,to ,urban ,,vi
  ,to her spiritual children in ,siena  
,to ,brother ,william and to ,messer    
,matteo of the ,misericordia      ,to   
,sano di ,maco1 and to all her other    
sons in ,siena  ,to ,brother ,raimondo  
of ,capua  ,to ,urban ,,vi  ,to ,don    
,giovanni of the ,cells of ,vallombrosa 
,letters announcing peace      ,to      
,monna ,alessa1 when the ,saint was at  
,florence      ,to ,sano di ,maco1 and  
to the other sons in ,christ  ,to three 
,italian ,cardinals  ,to ,giovanna1     
,queen of ,naples  ,to ,sister ,daniella
 of ,orvieto  ,to ,stefano ,maconi  ,to 
certain holy hermits who had been       
invited to ,rome by the ,pope      ,to  
,brother ,william of ,england1 and to   
,brother ,antonio of ,nizza      ,to    
,brother ,andrea of ,lucca1 ,brother    
,baldo1 and ,brother ,lando      ,to    
,brother ,antonio of ,nizza  ,to ,queen 
,giovanna of ,naples  ,to ,brother      
,raimondo of the ,preaching ,order1 when

 he was in ,genoa  ,to ,urban ,,vi      
,letters describing the experience      
preceding death      ,to ,master        
,raimondo of ,capua      ,to ,master    
,raimondo of ,capua1 of the ,order of   
the ,preachers          ,,table ,,of    
,,persons ,,addressed      ,agnese1     
,monna1 di ,francesco  ,andrea1         
,brother1 of ,lucca  ,antonio1 ,brother1
 of ,nizza    ,baldo1 ,brother          
,bartolomea1 ,sister1 della ,seta       
,bartolomeo1 ,brother1 ,dominici        
,benincasa1 ,benincasa  ,benincasa1     
,eugenia  ,benincasa1 ,monna ,lapa      
,benincasa1 ,nanna  ,bologna1 ,anziani  
of    ,capo1 ,giovanna di  ,canigiani1  
,ristoro  ,cardinals1 ,three ,italian   
,catarina1 of the ,hospital  ,cecca1    
,monna  ,colomba1 ,monna1 of ,lucca     
,daniella1 ,sister1 of ,orvieto         
,france1 the ,king of  ,florence1       
,letters to    ,giovanna1 ,queen of     
,naples  ,giovanni1 ,don1 of the ,cells 
of ,vallombrosa  ,gregory ,,xi4         
,john1 ,messer1 ,soldier of ,fortune    

,john ,,iii41 ,master    ,lando1        
,brother  ,lapo1 ,buonaccorso di        
,maco1 ,sano di  ,maconi1 ,monna        
,giovanna di ,corrado  ,maconi1 ,stefano
  ,malavolti1 ,monna ,agnese  ,matteo1  
,messer1 of the ,misericordia    ,osimo1
 ,nicholas of    ,pagliaresi1 ,neri di  
,landoccio dei  ,pino1 ,lorenzo del     
,raimondo1 ,brother1 of ,capua          
,religious1 ,a1 in ,florence            
,saracini1 ,monna ,alessa dei  ,scetto1 
,catarina di    ,tolomei1 ,brother      
,matteo di    ,urban ,,vi41 ,pope       
,usimbardi1 ,monna ,orsa    ,war1 the   
,eight of  ,william1 ,brother1 of       
,england          ,,letters ,,of        
,,catherine ,,benincasa          ,,st4  
,,catherine ,,of ,,siena ,,as ,,seen    
,,in ,,her ,,letters      ,i    ,the    
letters of ,catherine ,benincasa1       
commonly known as ,st4 ,catherine of    
,siena1 have become an ,italian classic2
 yet perhaps the first thing in them  to
 strike a reader is their unliterary    
character4 ,he only will value them  who

 cares to overhear the impetuous        
outpourings of the heart and mind of  an
 unlettered daughter of the people1 who 
was also1 as it happened1 a  genius and 
a saint4 ,dante1 ,petrarch1 ,boccaccio1 
the other great writers of  the         
,trecento1 are all in one way or another
 intent on choice expression2           
,catherine is intent solely on driving  
home what she has to say4 ,her  letters 
were talked rather than written4 ,she   
learned to write only three  years      
before her death1 and even after this   
time was in the habit of  dictating her 
correspondence1 sometimes two or three  
letters at a time1 to  the noble youths 
who served her as secretaries4    ,the  
modern listener to this eager talk may  
perhaps at first feel wearied4          
,suffocated by words1 repelled by       
frequent crudity and confusion of       
metaphor1 he may even be inclined to    
call the thought childish and the  tone 
overwrought4 ,but let him persevere4    
,let him read these letters as  chapters

 in an autobiography1 noting purpose and
 circumstance1 and reading  between the 
lines1 as he may easily do1 the         
experience of the writer4  ,before long 
the very accents of a living woman will 
reach his ears4 ,he  will hear her      
voice1 now eagerly pleading with friend 
or wrong-doer1 now  brooding tender as a
 mother-bird over some fledgling soul1  
now broken with  sobs as she mourns over
 the sins of ,church and world1 and     
again chanting  high prophecy of        
restoration and renewal1 or telling in  
awestruck  undertone sacred mysteries of
 the interior life4 ,dante's ,angel of  
,purity  welcomes wayfarers upon the    
,pilgrim ,mount in voce assai pi che la 
nostra1 viva4 ,the saintly voice1 like  
the angelic1 is more living than  our   
own4 ,these letters are charged with a  
vitality so intense that across  the    
centuries it draws us into the author's 
presence4    ,imagination is inclined to
 see the canonized saints as a row of   
solemn  figures1 standing in dull       

monotony of worshipful gesture1 like    
,virgins and  ,confessors in an early   
mosaic4 ,yet1 as a matter of fact1      
people who have  been canonized were to 
their contemporaries the most striking  
personalities among men and women       
striving for righteousness4 ,they were  
all1 to be sure1 very good2 but         
goodness1 despite a curious prejudice to
  the contrary1 admits more variety in  
type than wickedness1 and produces  more
 interesting characters4 ,catherine     
,benincasa was probably the most        
remarkable woman of the fourteenth      
century1 and her letters are the        
precious personal record of her inner as
 of her outer life4 ,with all their     
transparent simplicity and mediaeval    
quaintness1 with all the occasional     
plebeian crudity of their phrasing1 they
 reveal a nature at once so many-  sided
 and so exalted that the sensitive      
reader can but echo the judgment  of her
 countrymen1 who see in the dyer's      
daughter of ,siena one of the most      

significant authors of a great age4     
,,ii    ,as is the case with many great 
letter-writers1 though not with all1    
,catherine reveals herself largely      
through her relations with others4 ,some
  of her letters1 indeed1 are elaborate 
religious or political treatises1  and  
seem at first sight to have little      
personal colouring2 yet even these      
yield their full content of spiritual   
beauty and wisdom only when one  knows  
the circumstances that called them forth
 and the persons to whom  they were     
addressed4 ,a mere glance at the index  
to her correspondence  shows how widely 
she was in touch with her time4 ,she was
 a woman of  personal charm and of      
sympathies passionately wide1 and she   
gathered  around her friends and        
disciples from every social group in    
,italy1 not to  speak of many           
connections formed with people in other 
lands4 ,she wrote to  prisoners and     
outcasts2 to great nobles and plain     
business men2 to  physicians1 lawyers1  

soldiers of fortune2 to kings and queens
 and  cardinals and popes2 to recluses  
pursuing the ,beatific ,vision1 and to  
men  and women of the world plunged in  
the lusts of the flesh and governed by  
the pride of life4 ,the society of the  
fourteenth century passes in review  as 
we turn the pages4    ,catherine wrote  
to all these people in the same simple  
spirit4 ,with one  and all she was at   
home1 for all were to her1 by no merely 
formal phrase1  dearest brothers and    
sisters in ,christ ,jesus4 ,one knows   
not whether to  be more struck by the   
outspoken fearlessness of the woman or  
by her great  adaptability4 ,she could  
handle with plain directness the crudest
 sins of  her age2 she could also treat 
with subtle insight the most elusive    
phases  of spiritual experience4 ,no    
greater distance can be imagined than   
that  which separates the young         
,dominican with her eyes full of visions
 from a  man like ,sir ,john ,hawkwood1 
reckless free-lance1 selling his sword  

with  light-hearted zeal to the highest 
bidder1 and battening on the disorder of
  the times4 ,catherine writes to him   
with gentlest assumption of fellowship1 
seizes on his natural passions and      
tastes1 and seeks to sanctify the       
military life of his affections4 ,with  
her sister nuns the method changes4     
,she gives free play to her delicate    
fancy1 drawing her metaphors from the   
beauty of nature1 from tender1 homely   
things1 from the gentle arts and        
instincts of womanhood4 ,does she speak 
to ,pope ,gregory1 the timid8 ,her      
words are a trumpet-call4 ,to the harsh 
,urban1 his successor8 ,with finest     
tact she urges self-restraint and a     
policy of moderation4 ,temperaments of  
every type are to be met in her pages--a
 sensitive poet1 troubled by  confusion 
of thought deepening into melancholia2 a
 harum-scarum boy1 in  whose sunny      
joyousness she discerns the germ of     
supernatural grace2  vehement sinners1  
fearful saints1 religious recluses      

deceived by self-  righteousness1 and   
men of affairs devoutly faithful to     
sober duty4  ,catherine enters into     
every consciousness4 ,as a rule we      
associate with  very pure and spiritual 
women1 even if not cloistered1 a certain
 deficient  sense of reality4 ,we       
cherish them1 and shield them from harsh
 contact with  the world1 lest the fine 
flower of their delicacy be withered4   
,but no one  seems to have felt in this 
way about ,catherine4 ,her love for     
souls was  no cold electric illumination
 such as we sometimes feel the phrase to
  imply1 but a warm understanding       
tenderness for actual men and women4 ,it
  would be hard to exaggerate her       
knowledge of the world and of human     
hearts4    ,yet sometimes ,catherine    
appears to us austere and exacting2     
unsparing in  condemnation1 and         
unrelenting in her demands on those she 
loves4 ,many of  her letters are in a   
strain of exhortation that rises into   
rebuke4 ,the  impression at first is    

unpleasant4 ,we are tempted to feel this
 unfailing  candour captious2 to resent 
the note of authority1 equally clear    
whether  she write to ,pope or          
,cardinal2 to suspect ,catherine1 in a  
word1 of  assuming that very judicial   
attitude which she constantly deprecates
 as  unbecoming to us poor mortals4 ,and
 perhaps the very frequency of her plea 
for tolerance and forbearance suggests a
 conscious weakness4 ,like most         
brilliant and ardent people1 she was    
probably by nature of a critical and    
impatient disposition2 she was1         
moreover1 a plebeian4 ,at times1 when   
she  is quite sure that men are on the  
side of the devil1 she allows her       
instinctive frankness full scope2 it    
must be allowed that the result is      
astounding4 ,yet even as we catch our   
breath we realise that her remarks  were
 probably justified4 ,it is hard for us 
moderns to remember how crudely  hideous
 were the sins which she faced4 ,in     
these days1 when we are all  reduced to 

one apparent level of moral             
respectability1 and great  saintliness  
and dramatic guilt are alike seldom     
conspicuous1 we forget the  violent     
contrasts of the middle ages4 ,pure     
,religious1 striving after the  exalted 
perfection enjoined by the ,counsels1   
moved habitually among moral            
atrocities1 and bold vigour of speech   
was a practical duty4 ,catherine        
handled without evasion the grossest    
evils of her time1 and the spell  which 
she exercised by simple force of direct 
dealing was nothing less  than          
extraordinary4    ,it is easy to see why
 ,catherine's plain speaking was not    
resented4 ,she  rarely begins with      
rebuke4 ,the note of humility is first  
struck2 she is  always servant and slave
 of the servants of ,jesus ,christ4     
,thence she  frequently passes into     
fervent meditation on some special      
theme3 the  exceeding wonder of the     
,divine ,love1 the duty of prayer1 the  
nature of  obedience4 ,we are lifted    

above the world into a region of        
heavenly light  and sweetness1 when     
suddenly--a blow from the shoulder6--a  
startling sense  of return to earth4    
,from the contemplation of the beauty of
 holiness1  ,catherine has swiftly      
turned us to face the opposing sin4     
,thou art the  man6 ,a few trenchant    
sentences1 charged with pain1 and the   
soul which has  been raised to celestial
 places awakes to see in itself the     
contradiction  of all that is so lovely4
 ,into the region of darkness ,catherine
 goes with  it4 ,it is not thou but we  
who have sinned4 ,she holds that sinful 
heart  so near her own that the beatings
 are confounded2 her words now and again
  express a shuddering personal remorse 
for sins of which she could have had  no
 personal knowledge4 ,her sense of unity
 with her fellow-men lies deeper  than  
any theory of brotherhood2 she feels    
herself in sober truth guilty of  the   
sins of her brothers3 her experience    
illustrates the profound truth  that    

only purity can know perfect penitence4 
,catherine is then saved from any touch 
of ,pharisaism by her remarkable        
identification of herself with the      
person to whom she writes4 ,but to      
understand her attitude we must go      
further4 ,for she never pauses in       
reprobation of evil4 ,full of conviction
 that the soul needs only to  recognise 
its sin to hate and escape it for ever1 
she passes swiftly on to  impassioned   
appeal4 ,her words breathe a confidence 
in men that never fails  even when she  
is writing to the most hardened4 ,she   
succeeded to a rare  degree in the      
difficult conciliation of uncompromising
 hatred toward sin  with unstrained     
fellowship with the sinner1 and         
invincible trust in his  responsiveness 
to the appeal of virtue4 ,when we       
consider the times in  which she lived1 
this large and touching trustfulness    
becomes to our eyes  a victory of faith4
 ,that it was no mere instinct1 but an  
attitude  resolutely adopted and        

maintained1 is evident from her frequent
  discussions of charity and tolerance1 
some of which will be found in these    
selections4 ,she constantly urges her   
disciples to put the highest possible   
construction on their neighbours'       
actions2 nor is any phase of her        
teaching more constantly repeated than  
the beautiful application of the  text3 
,in ,my ,father's ,house are many       
mansions1 to enjoin recognition of  the 
varieties in temperament and character  
and practice which may coexist  in the  
,house of ,god4    ,catherine had       
learned a hard lesson4 ,she saw in human
 beings not their  achievements1 but    
their possibilities4 ,therefore she     
quickened repentance  by a positive     
method1 not by morbid analysis of evil1 
not by lurid  pictures of the           
consequences of sin1 but by filling the 
soul with glowing  visions of that      
holiness which to see is to long for4   
,she never despaired  of quickening in  
even the most degraded that flame of    

holy desire which  is the earnest of    
true holiness to be4 ,we find her       
impatient of mint and  cummin1 of       
over-anxious self-scrutiny4 ,strive that
 your holy desires  increase1 she writes
 to a correspondent2 and let all these  
other things  alone4 ,i1                
,catherine--write to you--with desire3  
so open all her  letters4 ,holy ,desire6
 ,it is not only the watchword of her   
teaching3 it is  also the true key to   
her personality4      ,,iii    ,we have 
dwelt on ,catherine1 the friend and     
guide of souls2 but it is  ,catherine   
the mystic1 ,catherine the friend of    
,god1 before whom the ages  bend in     
reverence4 ,the final value of her      
letters lies in their  revelation1 not  
of her dealings with other souls1 but of
 ,god's dealings  with her own4    ,but 
in presence of the record of these deep 
experiences1 silence is better  than    
words3 is1 indeed1 for most of us the   
only possible attitude4 ,the  letters   
that follow must speak for themselves4  

,the clarity of mind which  ,catherine  
always preserved1 even in moments of    
highest exaltation1 and her  loving     
eagerness to share her most sacred      
experiences with those dear to  her1    
have given her a power of expression    
that has produced pages of  unsurpassed 
interest and value1 alike for the       
psychologist and for the  believer4     
,moreover--and this we well may         
note--her letters enable us to          
apprehend with singularly happy         
intimacy1 the natural character and     
disposition of her whom these high      
things befell4 ,in the very cadence of  
their impetuous phrasing1 in their swift
 dramatic changes1 in their  marvellous 
blending of sweetness and virility1 they
 show us the woman4  ,some of them1     
especially those to her family and      
friends1 are of almost  childlike       
simplicity and homely charm2 others1    
among the most famous of  their kind1   
deal with mystical1 or if we choose so  
to put it1 with  supernatural           

experience3 in all alike1 we feel a     
heart akin to our own1  though larger   
and more tender4    ,the central fact in
 ,catherine's nature was her rapt and   
absolute  perception of the ,love of    
,god1 as the supreme reality in the     
universe4  ,this ,love1 as manifested in
 creation1 in redemption1 and in the    
sacrament  of the ,altar1 is the theme  
of her constant meditations4 ,one little
 phrase1  charged with a lyric          
poignancy1 sings itself again and again1
 enlightening  her more sober prose3    
,for nails would not have held          
,god-and-,man fast to  the ,cross1 had  
love not held ,him there4 ,her          
conceptions are positive1 not  negative1
 and joyous adoration is the substance  
of her faith4    ,but the letters show  
us that this faith was not won nor kept 
without sharp  struggle4 ,we have in    
them no presentation of a calm spirit1  
established on  tranquil heights of     
unchanging vision1 above our mortal     
moral strife4  ,catherine is1 as we can 

see1 a woman of many moods--very        
sensitive1 very  loving4 ,she shows a   
touching dependence on those she loves1 
and an  inveterate habit of idealising  
them1 which leads to frequent           
disillusion4  ,she is extremely eager   
and intense about little things as well 
as great2  hers is a truly feminine     
seriousness over the detail of living4  
,she is  keenly and humanly interested  
in life on this earth1 differing in this
  respect from some canonized persons   
who seem always to be enduring it  faute
 de mieux4 ,and1 as happens to all      
sensitive people who refuse to  seclude 
themselves in dreams1 life went hard    
with her4 ,hers was a frail  and        
suffering body1 and a tossed and        
troubled spirit2 wounded in the house   
of her friends1 beset by problem1 shaken
 with doubt and fear by the  spectacle  
presented to her by the world and the   
,church of ,christ4 ,the  letters tell  
us how these1 her sorrows and           
temptations1 were not separated  from   

the life of faith1 but a true portion of
 it3 how she carried them  into the     
,divine ,presence1 and what high        
reassurance awaited her there4          
,ordinary mortals are inclined to think 
that supernatural experience  removes   
the saints to a perplexing distance4 ,in
 ,catherine's case1 however1  we become 
aware as we study the record that it    
brings her nearer us4 ,for  these       
experiences1 far from being independent 
of her outer life1 are in  closest      
relation with it2 even the highest and  
most mysterious1 even those  in which   
the symbolism seems most remote from the
 modern mind1 can be  translated by the 
psychologist without difficulty into    
modern terms4 ,they  spring from the    
problems of her active life2 they bring 
her renewed  strength and wisdom for her
 practical duties4 ,an age1 which like  
our own  places peculiar emphasis and   
value on the type of sanctity which     
promptly  expresses itself through the  
deed1 should feel for ,catherine        

,benincasa an  especial honour4 ,she is 
one of the purest of ,contemplatives2   
she knows1  what we to-day too often    
forget1 that the task is impossible     
without the  vision4 ,but it follows    
directly upon the vision1 and this great
 mediaeval  mystic is one of the most   
efficient characters of her age4        
,,iv    ,catherine's soaring imagination
 lifted her above the circle of purely  
personal interests1 and made her a force
 of which history is cognisant in  the  
public affairs of her day4 ,she is one  
of a very small number of women  who    
have exerted the influence of a         
statesman by virtue1 not of feminine    
attractions1 but of conviction and      
intellectual power4 ,it is impossible to
  understand her letters without some   
recognition of the public drama of the  
time4    ,two great ideals of unity--one
 ,roman1 one ,christian in origin--had  
possessed the middle ages4 ,in the      
strength of them the wandering barbaric 
hordes had been reduced to order1 and   

,western ,europe had been trained into  
some perception of human fellowship4 ,of
 these two unifying forces1 the         
imperialistic ideal was moribund in     
,catherine's time3 not even a ,dante1   
born fifty years after his true date1   
could have held to it4 ,remained the    
ideal of the ,church universal1 and to  
this last hope of a peaceful            
commonwealth that should include all    
humanity1 the idealists clung in        
desperation4    ,but alas for the faith 
of idealists when fact gives theory the 
lie6 ,what  at this time was the unity  
of mankind in the ,church but a formal  
hypothesis8 ,the keystone of her        
all-embracing arch was the ,papacy4 ,but
 the  ,pope no longer sat heir of the   
,caesars in the seat of the ,apostles2  
for  seventy years he had been a        
practical dependant of the ,french king1
 living  in pleasant ,provence4 ,neither
 the scorn of ,dante1 nor the eloquence 
of  ,petrarch1 nor the warnings of holy 
men1 had prevailed on the popes to      

return to ,italy1 and make an end of the
 crying scandal which was the  evident  
contradiction of the ,christian dream4  
,meantime1 the city of the  ,caesars lay
 waste and wild2 the clergy was corrupt 
almost past belief2 the  dreaded ,turk  
was gathering his forces1 a menace to   
,christendom itself4 ,the  times were   
indeed evil1 and the servants of ,god1  
of whom then1 as now1  there were no    
inconsiderable number1 withdrew for the 
most part into  spiritual or literal    
seclusion1 and in the quietude of       
cloister or forest  cell busied         
themselves with the concerns of their   
own souls4    ,not so ,catherine        
,benincasa4 ,she had known that         
temptation and conquered  it4 ,after her
 reception as a ,dominican ,tertiary1   
she had possessed the  extraordinary    
resolution to live for three years the  
recluse life1 not in  the guarded peace 
of a convent1 but in her own room at    
home1 in the noisy  and overcrowded     
house where a goodly number of her      

twenty-four brothers  and sisters were  
apparently still living4 ,and these had 
been years of  inestimable preciousness2
 but they came to an end at the command 
of ,god1  speaking through the          
constraining impulse of her love for    
men4 ,from the  mystical retirement in  
which she had long lived alone with her 
,beloved1  she emerged into the world4  
,and the remarkable fact is that in no  
respect  did she blench from the        
situation as she found it4 ,she faced   
life  steadily and faced it whole4 ,a   
,europe ravaged by dissensions lay      
before  her2 a ,church which gave the   
lie to its lofty theories1 no less by   
the  hateful worldliness of its prelates
 than by its indifferent abandonment of 
the ,seat of ,peter4 ,above this sorry  
spectacle the mind of ,catherine soared 
straight into an upper region1 where    
only the greatest minds of the day  were
 her comrades4 ,her fellow-citizens were
 unable to entertain the idea  even of  
civic peace within the limits of their  

own town2 but patriotic  devotion to all
 ,italy fired her great heart4 ,more    
than this--her instinct  for solidarity 
forced her to dwell in the thought of a 
world-embracing  brotherhood4 ,her hopes
 were centred1 not like ,dante's in the 
,emperor the  heir of the ,caesars1 but 
in the ,pope the heir of ,christ4       
,despite the  corruption from which she 
recoiled with horror1 despite the       
,babylonian  captivity at ,avignon1 she 
saw in the ,catholic ,church that image 
of a pure  universal fellowship which   
the noblest ,catholics of all ages have 
cherished4 ,to the service of the       
,church1 therefore1 her life was        
dedicated2 it was to her the ,holy      
,house of ,reconciliation1 wherein all  
nations should dwell in unity2 and only 
by submission to its authority  could   
the woes of ,italy be healed4           
,catherine's letters on public          
affairs--historical documents of        
recognised  importance--give us her     
practical programme4 ,it was formed in  

the light of  that faith which she      
always describes as the eye of the mind4
 ,she was  called during her brief years
 of political activity to meet three    
chief  issues3 the absence of the ,pope 
from ,italy2 the rebellion of the       
,tuscan  cities1 headed by ,florence1   
against his authority2 and at a later   
time the  great ,schism1 which broke    
forth under ,urban ,,vi4 ,during her    
last five years  she was absorbed in    
ecclesiastical affairs4 ,in certain of  
her immediate  aims she succeeded1 in   
others she failed4 ,it would be hard to 
say whether  her success or her failure 
involved the greater tragedy4 ,for      
behind all  these aims was a larger     
ideal that was not to be realised--the  
dream1  entertained as passionately by  
,catherine ,benincasa as by ,savonarola 
or by  ,luther1 of thorough             
,church-reform4 ,catherine at ,avignon1 
pleading this  great cause in the       
frivolous culture and dainty pomp of the
 place2  ,catherine at ,rome1 defending 

to her last breath the legal rights of a
 ,pope  whom she could hardly have      
honoured1 and whose claims she saw      
defended by  extremely doubtful         
means--is a figure as pathetic as       
heroic4 ,few sorrows  are keener than to
 work with all one's energies to attain 
a visible end  for the sake of a        
spiritual result1 and1 attaining that   
end1 to find the  result as far as ever4
 ,this sorrow was ,catherine's4 ,the    
external successes  which she           
won--considerable enough to secure her a
 place in history--  availed nothing to 
forward the greater aim for which she   
worked4 ,gregory  ,,xi41 under her      
magnetic inspiration1 gathered strength1
 indeed1 to make a  personal sacrifice  
and to return to ,rome1 but he was of no
 calibre to  attempt radical reform1 and
 his residence in ,italy did nothing to 
right  the crying abuses that were      
breaking ,christian hearts4 ,his        
successor1 on  the other hand1 did      
really initiate the reform of the       

clergy1 but so  drastic and unwise were 
his methods that the result was terrible
 and  disconcerting--the development of 
a situation of which only the ,catholic 
idealist could discern the full irony2  
no less than ,schism1 the rending of    
the ,seamless ,robe of ,christ4    ,with
 failing hopes and increasing experience
 of the complexity of human  struggle1  
,catherine clung to her aim until the   
end4 ,there was no touch of             
pusillanimity in her heroic spirit4 ,as 
with deep respect we follow the         
,letters of the last two years1 and note
 their unflagging alertness and  vigour1
 their steady tone of devotion and      
self-control1 we realise that to        
tragedy her spirit was dedicate4 ,her   
energy of mind was constantly on the    
increase4 ,still1 it is true1 she wrote 
to disciples near and far long1  tender 
letters of spiritual counsel--analyses  
of the religious life  tranquilly       
penetrating as those of an earlier time4
 ,but her political  correspondence grew

 in bulk4 ,it is tense1 nervous1 virile4
 ,it breathes a  vibrating passion1 a   
solemn force1 that are the index of a   
breaking heart4  ,not for one moment did
 ,catherine relax her energies4 ,from   
#acgf1 when she  went to ,avignon1 she  
led1 with one or two brief intermissions
 only1 the  life of a busy woman of     
affairs4 ,but within this outer life of 
strenuous  and1 as a rule1 thwarted     
activities1 another life went on--a life
 in which  failure could not be1 since  
through failure is wrought redemption4  
,from the days of her stigmatization1   
which occurred in #acge at ,pisa1       
,catherine had been convinced that in   
some special sense she was to share  in 
the ,passion of ,christ1 and offer      
herself a sacrifice for the sins of     
,holy ,church4 ,now this conception     
deepened till it became all-absorbing4  
,in  full consciousness of failing vital
 powers1 in expectation of her          
approaching death1 she offered her      
sufferings of mind and body as an       

expiation for the sins around her4 ,by  
word of mouth and by letters of         
heartbroken intensity she summoned all  
dear to her to join in this holy        
offering4 ,catherine's faith is alien to
 these latter days4 ,yet the  psychical 
unity of the race is becoming matter not
 only of emotional  intuition1 but      
established scientific fact3 and no     
modern sociologist1 no  psychologist who
 realizes how unknown in origin and how 
intimate in  interpenetration are the   
forces that control our destiny1 can    
afford to  scoff at her4 ,she had longed
 inexpressibly for outward martyrdom4   
,this was  not for her1 yet none the    
less really did she lay down her life on
 the  ,altar of ,sacrifice4 ,the evils  
of the time1 and above all of the       
,church1  had generated a sense of      
unbearable sin in her pure spirit2 her  
constant  instinct to identify herself  
with the guilt of others found in this  
final  offering an august climax and    
fulfilment4    ,during the last months  

of her life--months of excruciating     
physical  sufferings1 vividly described 
for us by her contemporaries--the       
woman's  rectitude and wisdom1 her swift
 tender sympathies1 were still1 as ever1
 at  the disposal of all who sought     
them4 ,with unswerving energy she still 
laboured for the cause of truth4 ,when  
we consider the conditions1  spiritual  
and physical1 of those last months1 we  
read with amazement the  able1 clearly  
conceived1 practical letters which she  
was despatching to  the many ,european  
potentates whom she was endeavouring to 
hold true to the  cause of ,urban4 ,but 
her spirit in the meantime dwelt in the 
region of the  ,eternal1 where the      
dolorous struggle of the times appeared1
 indeed1 but  appeared in its essential 
significance as seen by angelic         
intelligences4  ,the awe-struck letters 
to ,fra ,raimondo1 her ,confessor1 with 
which this  selection closes1 are an    
accurate transcript of her inner        
experience4 ,they  constitute1 surely1 a

 precious heritage of the ,church for   
which her life  was given4 ,catherine   
,benincasa died heartbroken2 yet in the 
depths of her  consciousness was joy1   
for ,god had revealed to her that ,his  
,bride the  ,church1 which brings life  
to men1 holds in herself such life that 
no  man can kill her4 ,sweetest ,my     
daughter1 thou seest how she has soiled 
her face with impurity and self-love1   
and grown puffed up by the pride and    
avarice of those who feed at her bosom4 
,but take thy tears and sweats1  drawing
 them from the fountain of ,my divine   
charity1 and cleanse her face4  ,for ,i 
promise thee that her beauty shall not  
be restored to her by the  sword1 nor by
 cruelty nor war1 but by peace1 and by  
humble continual  prayer1 tears1 and    
sweats poured forth from the grieving   
desires of ,my  servants4 ,so thy desire
 shall be fulfilled in long abiding1 and
 ,my  ,providence shall in no wise fail4
      ,v    ,psychologically1 as in     
point of time1 ,st4 ,catherine stands   

between ,st4  ,francis and ,st4 ,teresa4
 ,her writings are of the middle ages1  
not of the  renascence1 but they express
 the twilight of the mediaeval day4     
,they  reveal the struggles and the     
spiritual achievement of a woman who    
lived in  the last age of an undivided  
,christendom1 and whose whole life was  
absorbed in the special problems of her 
time4 ,these problems1 however1 are  in 
the deepest sense perpetual1 and her    
attitude toward them is suggestive      
still4    ,it has been claimed that     
,catherine1 a century and a half later1 
would have  been a ,protestant4 ,such   
hypotheses are always futile to discuss2
 but the  view hardly commends itself to
 the careful student of her writings4   
,it is  suggested1 naturally enough1 by 
her denunciations of the corruptions of 
the ,church1 denunciations as sweeping  
and penetrating as were ever uttered  by
 ,luther2 by her amazingly sharp and    
outspoken criticism of the popes2  and  
by her constant plea for reform4 ,the   

pungency of all these elements in  her  
writings is felt by the most casual     
reader4 ,but it must never be  forgotten
 that honest and vigorous criticism of  
the ,church ,visible is1 in  the mind of
 the ,catholic philosopher1 entirely    
consistent with loyalty to  the         
sacerdotal theory4 ,there is a noble    
idealism that breaks in fine  impatience
 with tradition1 and audaciously seeks  
new symbols wherein to  suggest for a   
season the eternal and imageless truth4 
,but perhaps yet  nobler in the sight of
 ,god--surely more conformed to ,his    
methods in nature  and history--is that 
other idealism which patiently bows to  
the yoke of  the actual1 and endures the
 agony of keeping true at once to the   
heavenly  vision and to the imperfect   
earthly form4 ,iconoclastic zeal against
  outworn or corrupt institutions fires 
our facile enthusiasm4 ,let us          
recognize also the spiritual passion    
that suffers unflinchingly the          
disparity between the sign and the thing

 signified1 and devotes its  energies1  
not to discarding1 but to restoring and 
purifying that sign4  ,such passion was 
,catherine's4 ,the most distinctive     
trait in the woman's  character was her 
power to cling to an ideal verity with  
unfaltering  faithfulness1 even when the
 whole aspect of life and society around
 her  seemed to give that verity the    
lie4 ,to imagine her without faith in   
the  visible ,church and the ,god-given 
authority of the ,vicar of ,christ is to
  imagine another woman4 ,catherine of  
,siena's place in the history of minds  
is with ,savonarola1 not with ,luther4  
,catherine confronted a humanity at     
enmity with itself1 a ,church conformed 
to the image of this world4 ,her        
external policy proved helpless to right
  these evils4 ,the return of the ,popes
 from ,avignon resulted neither in the  
pacification of ,christendom nor in the 
reform of the ,church4 ,the ,great      
,schism1 of which she saw the beginning1
 undermined the idea of ,christian      

unity till the thought of the ,saint of 
,siena was in natural sequence  followed
 by the thought of ,luther4 ,outwardly  
her life was spent in  labouring for a  
hopeless cause1 discredited by the      
subsequent movement of  history4 ,but   
the material tragedy was a spiritual    
triumph1 not only  through the victory  
of faith in her own soul1 but through   
the value of the  witness which she     
bore4 ,neither of the great conceptions 
of unity which  possessed the middle    
ages was identical with the modern      
democratic  conception2 yet both1 and in
 particular that of the ,church1 pointed
 in  this direction4 ,that ideal of     
world-embracing brotherhood to which men
  have been slowly awakening throughout 
the ,christian centuries was the        
dominant ideal of ,catherine's mind4    
,she hoped for the attainment of such a 
brotherhood through the instrument of an
 organized ,christendom1 reduced to     
peace and unity under one ,god-appointed
 ,head4 ,history1 as some of us  think1 

has rejected the noble dream4 ,we seem  
to see that the undying hope  of the    
human spirit--a society shaped by       
justice and love--is never likely  to be
 gained along the lines of the          
centralization of ecclesiastical  power4
 ,but if our idea of the means has      
changed1 the same end still shines      
before us4 ,the vision of human         
fellowship in the ,name of ,christ1 for 
which  ,catherine lived and died1       
remains the one hope for the healing of 
the  nations4          ,,chief ,,events 
,,in ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,saint          
,,catherine    ,processor's note3 this  
timeline and the one that follows       
appeared in the  opposite order in the  
#aije edition on which this etext is    
based4 ,their  order has been reversed  
to correctly reflect the order in which 
they  appear in the table of contents4  
#acdg4 ,on ,march #beth1 ,catherine1 and
 a twin-sister who dies at once1 are    
born in the ,strada dell' ,oca1 near the
 fountain of ,fontebranda1 ,siena4 ,she 

is the youngest of the twenty-five      
children of ,jacopo ,benincasa1 a dyer1 
and ,lapa1 his wife4    #acec-d4 ,as a  
child1 ,catherine is peculiarly joyous  
and charming4 ,when six  years old she  
beholds the vision of ,christ1 arrayed  
in priestly robes1  above the ,church of
 ,st4 ,dominic4 ,she is inspired by a   
longing to imitate  the life of the     
,fathers of the desert1 and begins to   
practise many  penances4 ,at the age of 
seven she makes the vow of virginity4   
,she is drawn  to the ,order of ,st4    
,dominic by the zeal of its founder for 
the salvation  of souls4    #acei-acfc4 
,her ascetic practices meet with sharp  
opposition at home4 ,she  is urged to   
array herself beautifully and to marry1 
is denied a private  chamber1 and forced
 to perform the menial work of the      
household1 etc4 ,in  time1 however1 her 
perseverance wins the consent of her    
father and family  to her desires4      
#acfc-acfd4 ,she is vested with the     
black and white habit of ,saint         

,dominic1  becoming one of the          
,mantellate1 or ,dominican tertiaries1  
devout women who  lived under religious 
rule in their own homes4    #acfd-acfg4 
,she leads in her own room at home the  
life of a religious  recluse1 speaking  
only to her ,confessor4 ,she is absorbed
 in mystical  experiences and religious 
meditation4 ,during this time she learns
 to read4  ,the period closes with her  
espousals to ,christ1 on the last day of
  ,carnival1 #acfg4    #acfg-acgj4 ,in  
obedience to the commands of ,god1 and  
impelled by her love  of men1 she       
returns gradually to family and social  
life4 ,from this time  dates her special
 devotion to the ,blessed ,sacrament4   
,she joyfully devotes  herself to       
household labours1 and to a life of     
ministration to the sick  and needy4 ,in
 #acfh her father dies1 and the         
,revolution puts an end to the          
prosperity of the ,benincasa family1    
which is now broken up4 ,catherine      
seems to have retained to the end the   

care of ,monna ,lapa4 ,in #acgj she dies
  mystically and returns to life1 having
 received the command to go abroad  into
 the world to save souls4    #acgj-acgd4
 ,her reputation and influence increase4
 ,a group of disciples  gathers around  
her4 ,her correspondence gradually      
becomes extensive1 and  she becomes     
known as a peacemaker4 ,at the same     
time1 her ecstasies and  unusual mode of
 life excite criticism and suspicion4   
,in ,may1 #acgd1 she  visits ,florence1 
perhaps summoned thither to answer      
charges made against  her by certain in 
the ,order4 ,she returns to ,siena to   
minister to the  plague-stricken4 ,she  
meets at this time ,fra ,raimondo of    
,capua1 her  ,confessor and biographer4 
,her gradual induction into public      
affairs is  accompanied by growing      
sorrow over the corruptions of the      
,church4    #acge4 ,at the invitation of
 ,pietro ,gambacorta1 ,catherine visits 
,pisa4 ,her  object is to prevent ,pisa 
and ,lucca from joining the ,league of  

,tuscan  cities against the ,pope4 ,she 
meets the ,ambassador from the ,queen of
  ,cyprus1 and zealously undertakes to  
further the cause of a ,crusade4 ,on    
,april #ast she receives the ,stigmata  
in the ,church of ,santa ,cristina2 but 
the marks1 at her request1 remain       
invisible4 ,she prophesies the ,great   
,schism4 ,a brief visit to ,lucca4      
#acgf4 ,catherine receives ,stefano     
,maconi as a disciple1 and at his       
instance  reconciles the feud between   
the ,maconi and the ,tolomei4 ,she      
attempts by  correspondence to reconcile
 ,pope ,gregory ,,xi4 and the           
,florentines4 ,on ,april  #ast the      
,divine ,commission to bear the olive to
 both disputants is given  her in a     
vision4 ,in ,may1 at the request of the 
,florentines1 she goes to  ,florence4   
,sent as their representative to        
,avignon1 she reaches that city  on     
,june #ahth4 ,gregory entrusts her with 
the negotiations for peace4 ,the        
,florentine ambassadors1 however1 delay 

their coming1 and when they come  refuse
 to ratify her powers4 ,thwarted in this
 direction1 she devotes all  her efforts
 to persuading the ,pope to return to   
,rome1 and triumphing over  all         
obstacles1 succeeds4 ,she leaves for    
home on ,september #acth1 but is        
retained for a month in ,genoa1 at the  
house of ,madonna ,orietta ,scotta4     
,after a short visit at ,pisa1 she      
reaches ,siena in ,december or ,january4
    #acgg4 ,catherine converts the      
castle of ,belcaro1 conveyed to her by  
its  owner1 into a monastery4 ,she      
visits the ,salimbeni in their feudal   
castle  at ,rocca ,d',orcia1 for the    
purpose of healing their family feuds4  
,while  here she learns miraculously to 
write4 ,she also visits ,sant' ,antimo  
and  ,montepulciano4    #acgh4 ,gregory1
 in failing health1 perhaps regretting  
his return1 becomes  alienated from     
,catherine4 ,he sends her1 however1 to  
,florence1 where she  stays in a house  
built for her by ,niccol ,soderini1 at  

the foot of the  hill of ,st4 ,george4  
,she succeeds in causing the ,interdict 
to be respected1  but almost loses her  
life in a popular tumult1 and keenly    
regrets not  having won the crown of    
martyrdom4 ,after the death of ,gregory1
 and the  establishment of the          
longed-for peace by ,pope ,urban1       
,catherine returns to  ,siena1 where she
 devotes herself to composing her       
,dialogue4 ,after the  outbreak of the  
,schism1 ,urban1 whom she had known at  
,avignon1 summons her  to ,rome4 ,she   
reluctantly obeys1 and takes up her     
abode in that city on  ,november #bhth1 
accompanied by a large group of         
disciples1 her ,famiglia1  who live     
together1 subsisting on alms4 ,from this
 time ,catherine devotes  her whole     
powers to the cause of ,urban4 ,she is  
his trusted adviser1 and  seeks         
earnestly to curb his impatient temper  
on the one hand1 and to keep  the       
sovereigns of ,europe faithful to him on
 the other4 ,she writes on his  behalf  

to the ,kings of ,france and ,hungary1  
to ,queen ,giovanna of ,naples1 to  the 
magistrates of ,italian cities1 to the  
,italian cardinals who have  joined the 
,schism1 and to others4 ,fra ,raimondo1 
despatched to ,france1 to  her grief and
 exaltation1 evades his mission through 
timidity1 to her  bitter disappointment1
 but does not return to ,rome till after
 her death4  ,catherine's health1 always
 fragile1 gives way under her           
unremitting  labours and her great      
sorrows4    #achj4 ,catherine succeeds  
in quieting the revolt of the ,romans   
against  ,urban4 ,she dedicates herself 
as a sacrificial victim1 in expiation of
 the  sins of the ,church and of the    
,roman people4 ,in vision at ,st4       
,peter's1 on  ,sexagesima ,sunday1 the  
burden of the ,ship of the ,church      
descends upon her  shoulders4 ,her      
physical sufferings increase1 and on    
,april #cjth she dies1  in the presence 
of her disciples4          ,,brief      
,,table ,,of ,,contemporary ,,public    

,,events      #acfh-acfi4 ,political    
,revolution in ,siena4 ,the compromise  
government of the  ,riformatori is      
established4 ,the ,emperor ,charles ,v4 
is summoned to the city  by the party   
worsted in the ,revolution1 joined by   
certain nobles4 ,he  arrives in         
,january1 '#fi1 but is forced to        
withdraw by a popular rising4  ,the     
nobles are excluded from the chief power
 and ravaged by feuds among  themselves4
    #acgb4 ,gregory ,,xi4 declares war  
against ,bernabo ,visconti of ,milan1   
and  takes into his pay the ,english    
free-lance1 ,sir ,john ,hawkwood4 ,peter
  d',estaing1 appointed ,legate of      
,bologna1 makes truce with ,bernabo4    
,the  latter1 however1 continues        
secretly to incite ,tuscany to rebel    
against the  ,pope1 inflaming the       
indignation of the ,tuscans at the      
arbitrary policy of  the ,papal         
,legates1 and in particular of the      
,nuncio1 ,gerard du ,puy1 who is        
supporting the claims of those turbulent

 nobles1 the ,salimbeni in ,siena4      
,catherine is in correspondence with    
both d',estaing and ,du ,puy4 ,on ,april
  #bbnd1 ,gregory1 in full consistory1  
announces his intention of returning to 
,rome4    #acgc4 ,italy is devastated by
 petty strife3 ,it seems as if a planet 
reigned at this time which produced in  
the world the following effects3  ,that 
the ,brothers of ,st4 ,austin killed    
their ,provincial at ,sant' ,antonio    
with a knife2 and in ,siena was much    
fighting4 ,at ,assisi the ,brothers     
,minor  fought1 and killed fourteen with
 a knife4 ,and those of the ,rose       
fought1  and drove six away4 ,also1     
those of ,certosa had great dissensions1
 and  their ,general came and changed   
them all about4 ,so all ,religious      
everywhere  seemed to have strife and   
dissension among themselves4 ,and every 
,religious  of whatever rule was        
oppressed and insulted by the world4 ,so
 with brothers  according to the        
flesh--cousins1 wives1 relatives1 and   

neighbours4 ,it  seems that there were  
divisions all over the whole world4 ,in 
,siena1  loyalty was neither proposed   
nor observed1 gentlemen did not show it 
among  themselves nor outside1 nor did  
the ,nine among themselves or with      
outside  persons1 nor did the ,twelve4  
,the people did not agree with their own
  leader1 nor exactly with any one else4
 ,thus all the world was a place of     
shadows4--,chronicle of ,neri di        
,donato4    ,a ,crusade publicly        
proclaimed by the ,pope4    #acgd4      
,plague and famine lay ,tuscany waste4  
,william of ,noellet1 the ,papal        
,legate1 refuses to allow corn to be    
imported into ,tuscany from the ,papal  
,states4 ,hawkwood1 probably at his     
instigation1 ravages the country1 and   
even threatens the city of ,florence4   
,florence1 enraged1 rebels against the  
,pope1 and appoints from the ranks of   
the ,ghibellines a new body of          
,magistrates1 known as the ,eight of    
,war4 ,meantime1 ,cione de' ,salimbeni  

is  raiding the country around ,siena4  
,the roads through the ,maremma are     
insecure for peaceable folk1 and the    
peasants are driven to take refuge in   
the plague-stricken town4    #acge4     
,eighty ,italian cities join a ,league1 
headed by ,florence1 against the  ,pope1
 with the watchword1 ,fling off the     
foreign yoke4    #acgf4 ,gregory        
despatches ambassadors to the ,eight of 
,war1 who scorn his  proposals4         
,florence incites ,bologna to revolt1   
and the ,legate flees4 ,the  ,papal     
,nuncio is flayed alive in the streets  
of ,florence4 ,the city is  placed under
 an ,interdict4 ,envoys are despatched  
to ,avignon1 who set forth  eloquently1 
but to no avail1 the grievances of the  
city4 ,war is declared  against         
,florence by the ,pope1 and ,count      
,robert of ,geneva1 with an army of     
free-lances1 is sent into ,italy4 ,count
 ,robert1 laying waste the territory  of
 ,bologna1 summons ,hawkwood to his aid1
 and perpetrates the hideous  massacre  

of ,cesena4 ,catherine1 sent to         
,avignon1 fails to procure peace4       
,gregory1 swayed by her representations1
 returns to ,italy1 and reaches  ,rome1 
after a difficult journey1 on ,january  
#agth1 #acgg4    #acgh4 ,gregory1       
exhausted and disappointed by the       
continued discords in  ,italy1 dies in  
,march4 ,the ,archbishop of ,bari1 known
 as ,urban ,,vi41 is  appointed his     
successor4 ,in ,july1 peace is made with
 ,florence1 and the  ,interdict upon the
 city is raised4 ,the harsh measures of 
,urban in dealing  with the clergy      
arouse violent antagonism4 ,in ,june1   
the ,cardinals begin to  circulate      
rumours challenging the validity of the 
election1 and on  ,september #bjth they 
formally announce that the election was 
invalid1  having been forced on them by 
fear1 and appoint as ,pope the ,cardinal
  ,robert of ,geneva1 who takes the name
 of ,clement ,,vii4    #acgi-achj4 ,the 
,great ,schism divides ,europe4 ,england
 remains faithful to  ,urban3 ,france   

and ,naples1 after wavering1 declare for
 ,clement4 ,war rages  between the two  
,popes4 ,the schismatic forces gain     
possession of the ,castle  of ,saint    
,angelo at ,rome1 but are driven out by 
the forces of ,urban1 who in  gratitude 
marches barefoot in solemn procession   
from ,santa ,maria in  ,trastevere1 to  
,st4 ,peter's4 ,the city1 however1 later
 revolts against  ,urban1 but is        
reconciled to him1 partly through the   
efforts of ,catherine4  ,queen ,giovanna
 of ,naples1 having conspired against   
,urban's life1 is  excommunicated4      
,,letters          ,,to ,,monna ,,alessa
 ,,dei ,,saracini      ,the young widow 
of noble family to whom this letter was 
written was the  most cherished among   
,catherine's women friends4 ,she seems1 
as often  happens with the chosen       
companion of a fervent and powerful     
nature1 to  have been a person simple1  
lovable1 and quietly wise4 ,having after
 her  husband's death assumed the habit 
of ,st4 ,dominic1 she distributed her   

possessions to the poor by ,catherine's 
advice1 but she evidently retained  her 
home in ,siena4 ,this became a constant 
refuge for the saint from the           
overcrowded ,benincasa household1 and   
the scene of more than one charming     
episode in her life as told by the      
legend4 ,for the ,mantellate1 or        
tertiaries of ,st4 ,dominic1 were not   
cloistered1 nor did they take the       
monastic vows2 they simply lived in     
their own homes a life of special       
devotion4    ,to ,alessa1 ,catherine    
left on her deathbed the care of her    
spiritual  family4 ,this intimate little
 letter dates from an early period in   
their  friendship4 ,in its homely1      
practical wisdom1 as in the gentle      
loftiness of  its tone1 it shows the    
watchful and loving care with which     
,catherine  entered into the details of 
the daily life of those whom she sought 
to  lead with her in the way of         
salvation4 ,the tests she proposes are  
as  penetrating to-day as they were     

then4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus      
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest daughter in ,christ sweet      
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 thy poor unworthy
  mother1 want thee to attain that      
perfection for which ,god has chosen    
thee4  ,it seems to me that one wishing 
so to attain should walk with and not   
without moderation4 ,and yet every work 
of ours ought to be done both  without  
and with moderation3 it befits us to    
love ,god without moderation1  putting  
to that love neither limit nor measure  
nor rule1 but loving ,him  immeasurably4
 ,and if thou wish to reach the         
perfection of love1 it befits  thee to  
set thy life in order4 ,let thy first   
rule be to flee the  conversation of    
every human being1 in so far as it is   
simply conversation1  except as deeds of
 charity may demand2 but to love people 
very much1 and  talk with few of them4  
,and know how to talk in moderation even
 with those  whom thou lovest with      
spiritual love2 reflect that if thou    

didst not do  this1 thou wouldst place a
 limit before perceiving it to that     
limitless  love which thou oughtest to  
bear to ,god1 by placing the finite     
creature  between you3 for the love     
which thou shouldst place in ,god thou  
wouldst  place in the creature1 loving  
it without moderation2 and this would   
hinder  thy perfection4 ,therefore thou 
shouldst love it spiritually1 in a      
disciplined way4    ,be a vase1 which   
thou fillest at the source and at the   
source dost drink  from4 ,although thou 
hadst drawn thy love from ,god1 who is  
the ,source of  living water1 didst thou
 not drink it continually in ,him thy   
vase would  remain empty4 ,and this     
shall be the sign to thee that thou dost
 not drink  wholly in ,god3 when thou   
sufferest from that which thou lovest1  
either by  some talk thou didst hold1 or
 because thou wast deprived of some     
consolation thou wast used to receiving1
 or for some other accidental  cause4   
,if thou sufferest1 then1 from this or  

anything else except wrong  against     
,god1 it is a clear sign to thee that   
this love is still imperfect1  and drawn
 far from the ,source4 ,what way is     
there1 then1 to make the  imperfect     
perfect8 ,this way3 to correct and      
chastise the movements of thy  heart    
with true self-knowledge1 and with      
hatred and distaste for thy             
imperfection1 that thou art such a      
peasant as to give to the creature that 
love which ought to be given wholly to  
,god1 loving the creature without       
moderation1 and ,god moderately4 ,for   
love toward ,god should be without      
measure1 and that for the creature      
should be measured by that for ,god1 and
  not by the measure of one's own       
consolations1 either spiritual or       
temporal4 ,so do1 then1 that thou lovest
 everything in ,god1 and correct  every 
inordinate affection4    ,make two homes
 for thyself1 my daughter4 ,one actual  
home in thy cell1 that  thou go not     
running about into many places1 unless  

for necessity1 or for  obedience to the 
prioress1 or for charity's sake2 and    
another spiritual  home1 which thou art 
to carry with thee always--the cell of  
true self-  knowledge1 where thou shalt 
find within thyself knowledge of the    
goodness  of ,god4 ,these are two cells 
in one1 and when abiding in the one it  
behoves  thee to abide in the other1 for
 otherwise the soul would fall into     
either  confusion or presumption4 ,for  
didst thou rest in knowledge of thyself1
  confusion of mind would fall on thee2 
and didst thou abide in the  knowledge  
of ,god alone1 thou wouldst fall into   
presumption4 ,the two1 then1  must be   
built together and made one same thing2 
if thou dost this1 thou  wilt attain    
perfection4 ,for from self-knowledge    
thou wilt gain hatred of  thine own     
fleshliness1 and through hate thou wilt 
become a judge1 and sit  upon the seat  
of thy conscience1 and pass judgment2   
and thou wilt not let  a fault go       
without giving sentence on it4    ,from 

such knowledge flows the stream of      
humility2 which never seizes on  mere   
report1 nor takes offence at anything1  
but bears every insult1 every  loss of  
consolation1 and every sorrow1 from     
whatever direction they may  come1      
patiently1 with joy4 ,shames appear     
glory1 and great persecutions           
refreshment2 and it rejoices in all1    
seeing itself punished for that         
perverse law of self-will in its members
 which for ever rebels against  ,god2   
and it sees itself conformed with       
,christ ,jesus crucified1 the way and   
the doctrine of truth4    ,in the       
knowledge of ,god thou shalt find the   
fire of divine charity4 ,where  shalt   
thou rejoice8 ,upon the ,cross1 with the
 ,spotless ,lamb1 seeking ,his  honour  
and the salvation of souls1 through     
continual1 humble prayer4 ,now  herein  
is all our perfection4 ,there are many  
other things also1 but this  is the     
chief1 from which we receive so much    
light that we cannot err in  the lesser 

works that follow4    ,rejoice1 my      
daughter1 to conform thee to the shame  
of ,christ4 ,and watch  over the impulse
 of the tongue1 that the tongue may not 
always respond to  the impulse of the   
heart2 but digest what is in thy heart1 
with hatred and  distaste for thyself4  
,do thou be the least of the least1     
subject in  humility and patience to    
every creature through ,god2 not making 
excuses1  but saying3 the fault is mine4
 ,thus are vices conquered in thy soul  
and in  the soul of him to whom thou    
shouldest so speak3 through the virtue  
of  humility4    ,order thy time3 the   
night to vigil1 when thou hast paid the 
debt of sleep  to thy body2 and the     
morning in church with sweet prayer2 do 
not spend it  in chatting until the     
appointed hour4 ,let nothing except     
necessity1 or  obedience1 or charity1 as
 ,i said1 draw thee away from this or   
anything  else4 ,after the hour of      
eating1 recollect thyself a little1 and 
then do  something with thy hands1 as   

thou mayest need4 ,at the hour of       
vespers1 do  thou go and keep quiet2 and
 as much as the ,holy ,spirit enjoins on
 thee1  that do4 ,then go back and take 
care of thy old mother without          
negligence1  and provide what she needs2
 be thine this burden4 ,more when ,i    
return4 ,so  do that thou mayest fulfil 
my desire4 ,i say no more4 ,remain in   
the holy  and sweet grace of ,god4      
,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4            
,,to ,,benincasa ,,her ,,brother  ,,when
 ,,he ,,was ,,in ,,florence      ,one   
questions whether ,catherine's brother  
would have relished the  admonitions of 
his saintly sister1 had he known what we
 learn through her  biographer3 that1   
feeling the temporal prosperity of her  
family to be a  snare to them1 she had  
earnestly prayed that they might fall   
into poverty4  ,the petition was        
promptly granted3 worldly losses1 and   
the departure of  two of the brothers   
for ,florence1 followed upon the        
,sienese ,revolution of  #acfh4         

,apparently1 family misunderstandings   
accompanied these  readjustments4 ,in   
the first of the present letters        
,catherine takes her  elder brother to  
task for neglect of his mother1 ,monna  
,lapa4 ,we do not  know the effect of   
her remarks1 but we do know that in the 
large family of  twenty-four1 no one    
except ,catherine herself--first        
recluse1 and later  busy woman of       
affairs as she was--seems to have       
carried the  responsibility for the     
mother's welfare4 ,the mother lived for 
the most  part with her great daughter1 
except when public interests took       
,catherine  away from home--occasions to
 which poor ,monna ,lapa was never      
reconciled4    ,in the second of these  
notes1 ,catherine comforts her brother  
very sweetly1  probably for the loss of 
his wealth4 ,but if we may judge from   
the nature  of the reflections addressed
 to him1 the spiritual instruction by   
which  ,benincasa was capable of        
profiting was extremely elementary in   

character4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus 
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest brother in ,christ ,jesus3 ,i  
,catherine1 a useless servant1 comfort  
and bless thee and invite thee to a     
sweet and most holy patience1 for       
without patience we could not please    
,god4 ,so ,i beg you1 in order that you 
may receive the fruit of your           
tribulations1 that you assume the armour
 of  patience4 ,and should it seem very 
hard to you to endure your many         
troubles1 bear in memory three things1  
that you may endure more patiently4     
,first1 ,i want you to think of the     
shortness of your time1 for on one day  
you are not certain of the morrow4 ,we  
may truly say that we do not feel  past 
trouble1 nor that which is to come1 but 
only the moment of time at  which we    
are4 ,surely1 then1 we ought to endure  
patiently1 since the time  is so short4 
,the second thing is1 for you to        
consider the fruit which  follows our   
troubles4 ,for ,st4 ,paul says there is 

no comparison between our  troubles and 
the fruit and reward of supernal glory4 
,the third is1 for you  to consider the 
loss which results to those who endure  
in wrath and  impatience2 for loss      
follows this here1 and eternal          
punishment to the  soul4    ,therefore  
,i beg you1 dearest brother1 to endure  
in all patience4 ,and ,i  would not have
 it escape your mind that you should    
correct you of your  ingratitude1 and   
your ignoring of the duty you owe your  
mother1 to which  you are held by the   
commandment of ,god4 ,i have seen your  
ingratitude  multiply so that you have  
not even paid her the due of help that  
you owe3  to be sure1 ,i have an excuse 
for you in this1 because you could not2 
but  if you had been able1 ,i do not    
know that you would have done it1 since 
you  have left her in scarcity even of  
words4 ,oh1 ingratitude6 ,have you not  
considered the sorrow of her labour1 nor
 the milk that she drew from her        
breast1 nor the many troubles that she  

has had1 over you and all the  others8  
,and should you say to me that she has  
had no compassion on us1 ,i  say that it
 is not so2 for she has had so much on  
you and the other that  it costs her    
dear4 ,but suppose it were true--you are
 under obligation to  her1 not she to   
you4 ,she did not take her flesh from   
you1 but gave you  hers4 ,i beg you to  
correct this fault and others1 and to   
pardon my  ignorance4 ,for did ,i not   
love your soul1 ,i would not say to you 
what ,i do4  ,remember your confession1 
you and all your family4 ,i say no more 
to you4  ,remain in the holy and sweet  
grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus    
,love4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus     
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest and most beloved brother in    
,christ ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant  
and  slave of the servants of ,jesus    
,christ1 comfort you in the ,precious   
,blood  of the ,son of ,god3 with desire
 to see you wholly in accord with the   
,will  of ,god1 and transformed thereby2

 knowing that this is a sweet and holy  
yoke which makes all bitterness turn    
into sweetness4 ,every great burden     
becomes light beneath this most holy    
yoke of the sweet will of ,god1  without
 which thou couldst not please ,god1 but
 wouldst know a foretaste of  ,hell4    
,comfort you1 comfort you1 dearest      
brother1 and do not faint beneath  this 
chastisement of ,god2 but trust that    
when human help fails1 divine  help is  
near4 ,god will provide for you4        
,reflect that ,job lost his  possessions
 and his sons and his health3 his wife  
remained to him for a  perpetual        
scourge2 and then1 when ,god had tested 
his patience1 ,he restored  everything  
to him double1 and at the end eternal   
life4 ,patient ,job never  was          
perturbed1 but would say1 always        
exercising the virtue of holy  patience1
 ,god gave them to me1 ,god has taken   
them from me2 the ,name of  ,god be     
blessed4 ,so ,i want you to do1 dearest 
brother3 be a lover of  virtue1 with    

holy patience1 often using confession1  
which will as often  help you to endure 
your afflictions4 ,and ,i tell you1 ,god
 will show ,his  benignity and mercy1   
and will reward you for every affliction
 which you  shall have borne for ,his   
love4 ,remain in the holy and sweet     
grace of ,god4  ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus   
,love4          ,,to ,,the ,,venerable  
,,religious1 ,,brother ,,antonio ,,of   
,,nizza1  ,,of ,,the ,,order ,,of ,,the 
,,hermit ,,brothers ,,of ,,saint        
,,augustine  ,,at ,,the ,,wood ,,of     
,,the ,,lake      ,it is in her letters 
to persons leading the dedicated life   
that one can  most clearly study        
,catherine's own inner experience4 ,when
 warning and  consoling them1 she is    
speaking to herself4 ,this obscure girl 
had a way of  writing to the great of   
this earth--and indeed to the very      
,fathers of  ,christendom--with the     
straightforward simplicity of a teacher 
instructing  childish minds in the      
evident rudiments of virtue4 ,often the 

sanctified  common sense of her letters 
to dignitaries is the most noticeable   
thing  about them4 ,but when she turns  
to a holy hermit1 the tone changes4 ,the
  commonplaces of the moral life are    
assumed or left behind2 she speaks to a 
soul that has presumably already brought
 its will into accord with the  divine  
will in regard to all outward           
happenings1 and she takes calmly for    
granted that this is a light and little 
thing4 ,we proceed to the analysis  of  
temptations more subtle and more        
alluring4 ,catherine has few superiors  
among religious thinkers in the power to
 trace self-will to its remotest  lairs1
 in the deeper reaches of personality4  
,in letters to such  correspondents as  
,frate ,antonio she often gives us1 as  
here1 precious  records of her          
intercourse with her ,lord4      ,in the
 ,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and  
of sweet ,mary3    ,to you1 most beloved
 and dearest father and brother in      
,christ ,jesus3 ,i  ,catherine1 servant 

and slave of the servants of ,jesus     
,christ1 write and  commend me in the   
,precious ,blood of the ,son of ,god1   
with desire to see you  kindled and     
inflamed in the furnace of divine       
charity and your own self-  will--the   
will that robs us of all life--consumed 
therein4 ,let us open our  eyes1 dearest
 brother1 for we have two wills--one of 
the senses1 which  seeks the things of  
sense1 and the other the self-will of   
the spirit1  which1 under aspect and    
colour of virtue1 holds firm to its own 
way4 ,and  this is clear when it wants  
to choose places and seasons and        
consolations  to suit itself1 and says3 
,thus ,i wish in order to possess ,god  
more  fully4 ,this is a great cheat1 and
 an illusion of the devil2 for not being
  able to deceive the servants of ,god  
through their first will--since the     
servants of ,god have already mortified 
it so far as the things of sense        
go--the devil catches their second will 
on the sly with things of the  spirit4  

,so many a time the soul receives       
consolation1 and then later feels       
itself deprived thereof by ,god2 and    
another experience will harrow it1      
which will give less consolation and    
more fruit4 ,then the soul1 which is    
inspired by what gives sweetness1       
suffers when deprived of it1 and feels  
annoyance4 ,and why annoyance8 ,because 
it does not want to be deprived2 for  it
 says1 ,i seem to love ,god more in this
 way than in that4 ,from the one ,i     
feel that ,i bear some fruit1 and from  
the other ,i perceive no fruit at  all1 
except pain and ofttimes many conflicts2
 and so ,i seem to wrong ,god4  ,son and
 brother in ,christ ,jesus1 ,i say that 
this soul is deceived by its  self-will4
 ,for it would not be deprived of       
sweetness2 with this bait the  devil    
catches it4 ,frequently men lose time in
 longing for time to suit  themselves1  
for they do not employ what they have   
otherwise than in  suffering and        
gloominess4    ,once our sweet ,saviour 

said to a very dear daughter of ,his1   
,dost thou  know how those people act   
who want to fulfil ,my will in          
consolation and in  sweetness and joy8  
,when they are deprived of these things1
 they wish to  depart from ,my will1    
thinking to do well and to avoid        
offence2 but false  sensuality lurks in 
them1 and to escape pains it falls into 
offence  without perceiving it4 ,but if 
the soul were wise and had the light of 
,my  will within1 it would look to the  
fruit and not to the sweetness4 ,what is
  the fruit of the soul8 ,hatred of     
itself and love of ,me4 ,this hate and  
love  are the issue of self-knowledge2  
then the soul knows its faulty self to  
be  nothing1 and it sees in itself ,my  
goodness1 which keeps its will good2 and
  it sees what a person ,i have made it1
 in order that it may serve ,me in      
greater perfection1 and judges that ,i  
have made it for the best1 and for  its 
own greatest good4 ,such a man as this1 
dearest daughter1 does not wish  for    

time to suit himself1 because he has    
learned humility2 knowing his           
infirmity1 he does not trust in his own 
wish1 but is faithful to ,me4 ,he       
clothes him in ,my highest and eternal  
will1 because he sees that ,i neither   
give nor take away1 save for your       
sanctification2 and he sees that love   
alone impels ,me to give you sweetness  
and to take it from you4 ,for this      
cause he cannot grieve over any         
consolation that might be taken from him
  within or without1 by demon or        
fellow-creature--because he sees that1  
were  this not for his good1 ,i should  
not permit it4 ,therefore this man      
rejoices  because he has light within   
and without1 and is so illumined that   
when the  devil approaches his mind with
 shadows to confuse him1 saying1 ',this 
is  for thy sins1' he replies like a    
person who shrinks not from suffering1  
saying1 ',thanks be to my ,creator1 who 
has remembered me in the time of        
shadows1 punishing me by pain in finite 

time4 ,great is this love1 which  will  
not punish me in the infinite future4'  
,oh1 what tranquillity of mind  has this
 soul1 because it has freed itself from 
the self-will which brings  storm6 ,but 
not thus does he whose self-will is     
lively within1 seeking  things after his
 own way6 ,for he seems to think that he
 knows what he  needs better than ,i4   
,many a time he says1 ',it seems to me  
that ,i am  wronging ,god in this3 free 
me from wrong1 and let what ,he wills be
 done4'  ,this is a sign that you are   
freed from wrong1 when you see in       
yourself  goodwill not to want to wrong 
,god1 and displeasure with sin2 thence  
ought  you to take hope4 ,although all  
external activities and inward          
consolations  should fail1 let goodwill 
to please ,god ever remain firm4 ,upon  
this rock  is founded grace4 ,if thou   
sayest1 ,i do not seem to have it1 ,i   
say that  this is false1 for if thou    
hadst it not1 thou wouldst not fear to  
wrong  ,god4 ,but it is the devil who   

makes things look so1 in order that the 
soul  may fall into confusion and       
disordered sadness1 and hold firm its   
self-  will1 by wanting consolations1   
times and seasons in its own way4 ,do   
not  believe him1 dearest daughter1 but 
let your soul be always ready to endure 
sufferings in howsoever ,god may inflict
 them4 ,otherwise you would do like  a  
man who stands on the threshold with a  
light in his hand1 who reaches  his hand
 out and casts light outside1 and within
 it is dark4 ,such is a man  who is     
already united in outward things with   
the will of ,god1 despising  the world2 
but within1 his spiritual self-will is  
living still1 veiled in  the colour of  
virtue4 ,thus spoke ,god to that servant
 of ,his spoken of  above4    ,therefore
 ,i said that ,i wished and desired that
 your will should be  absorbed and      
transformed in ,him1 while we hold      
ourselves always ready to  bear pains   
and toils howsoever ,god chooses to send
 them to us4 ,so we shall  be freed from

 darkness and abide in light4 ,amen4    
,praised be ,jesus ,christ  crucified   
and sweet ,mary4          ,,to ,,monna  
,,agnese  ,,who ,,was ,,the ,,wife ,,of 
,,messer ,,orso ,,malavolti             
,catherine is well aware that the world 
can be as true a school of holiness  as 
the forest cell4 ,she writes to the     
noble lady1 ,monna ,agnese ,malavolti1  
in much the same strain as to ,frate    
,antonio4 ,the danger of spiritual self-
  will forms indeed one of those        
recurring themes which pervade her      
letters  like the motifs of ,wagnerian  
music--ever the same1 yet woven into    
ever-  new harmonies4    ,but the       
general subject of this letter is the   
,santissima ,pazienza1 which  is still  
frequently invoked by the common folk of
 ,siena3 and ,catherine's  analysis     
searches deep4 ,patience could hardly   
have been one of the virtues  most      
native to the woman's valiant spirit1   
and one feels in her keen and  solemn   
meditations that she had herself known  

the bitter and corroding  power of the  
sin that burns and does not consume1 and
 that makes the  soul unendurable to    
itself4 ,it is with convincing fervour  
and fulness  that she presents          
impatience as the permanent condition of
 the lost4 ,the  little discussion of   
impatience in human relations1 and of   
the proud  humility resorted to by a    
soul ravaged by a sense of neglect1 has 
also a  very personal note4 ,but it is  
still more clear in the letter that     
,catherine's had become the disciplined 
nature which can endure a restless  mind
 with more reverence than a tranquil    
one1 if such be the will of ,god1  and  
which has entered deeply into the joy   
that awaits the meek4    ,monna ,agnese 
must have stood in special need of these
 touching  exhortations3 she was a woman
 sorrowfully tried4 ,her son had been   
beheaded  in #acgb1 in punishment for   
heinous sin2 and now her only daughter  
had  died4 ,for the which thing1 writes 
,catherine1 with one of her own         

inimitable phrases1 ,i am deeply        
content1 with a holy compassion4        
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3           
,dearest daughter in ,christ sweet      
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of  the servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to you in ,his ,precious ,blood1  
with the  desire to see you established 
in true patience1 since ,i consider that
  without patience we cannot please     
,god4 ,for just as impatience gives much
  pleasure to the devil and to one's own
 lower nature1 and revels in nothing    
but anger when it misses what the lower 
nature wants1 so it is very  displeasing
 to ,god4 ,it is because anger and      
impatience are the very pith  and sap of
 pride that they please the devil so    
much4 ,impatience loses the  fruit of   
its labour1 deprives the soul of ,god2  
it begins by knowing a  foretaste of    
hell1 and later it brings men to eternal
 damnation3 for in  hell the evil       
perverted will burns with anger1 hate   

and impatience4 ,it  burns and does not 
consume1 but is evermore renewed--that  
is1 it never  grows less1 and therefore 
,i say1 it does not consume4 ,it has    
indeed  parched and consumed grace in   
the souls of the lost1 but as ,i said it
 has  not consumed their being1 and so  
their punishment lasts eternally4 ,the  
saints say that the damned ask for death
 and cannot have it1 because the  soul  
never dies4 ,it dies to be sure to      
grace1 by mortal sin2 but it does  not  
die to existence4 ,there is no sin nor  
wrong that gives a man such a  foretaste
 of hell in this life as anger and      
impatience4 ,it is hated by  ,god1 it   
holds its neighbour in aversion1 and has
 neither knowledge nor  desire to bear  
and forbear with its faults4 ,and       
whatever is said or done  to it1 it at  
once empoisons1 and its impulses blow   
about like a leaf in  the wind4 ,it     
becomes unendurable to itself1 for      
perverted will is always  gnawing at it1
 and it craves what it cannot have2 it  

is discordant with  the will of ,god and
 with the rational part of its own soul4
 ,and all this  comes from the tree of  
,pride1 from which oozes out the sap of 
anger and  impatience4 ,the man becomes 
an incarnate demon1 and it is much worse
 to  fight with these visible demons    
than with the invisible4 ,surely1 then1 
every reasonable being ought to flee    
this sin4    ,but note1 that there are  
two sources of impatience4 ,there is a  
common kind  of impatience1 felt by     
ordinary men in the world1 which befalls
 them on  account of the inordinate love
 they have for themselves and for       
temporal  things1 which they love apart 
from ,god2 so that to have them they do 
not  mind losing their soul1 and putting
 it into the hands of the devils4 ,this 
is beyond help1 unless a man recognizes 
himself1 how he has wronged ,god1  and  
cuts down that tree of ,pride with the  
sword of true humility1 which  produces 
charity in the soul4 ,for there is a    
tree of ,love1 whose pith is  patience  

and goodwill toward one's neighbour4    
,for1 just as impatience  shows more    
clearly than any other sin that the soul
 is deprived of ,god--  because it is at
 once evident that since the pith is    
there1 the tree of  ,pride must be      
there--so patience shows better and more
 perfectly than any  other virtue1 that 
,god is in the soul by grace4 ,patience1
 ,i say1 deep  within the tree of ,love1
 that for love of its ,creator disdains 
the world1  and loves insults           
whencesoever they come4    ,i was saying
 that anger and impatience were of two  
kinds1 one general and  one special4 ,we
 have spoken of the common kind4 ,now ,i
 talk of the more  particular1 of the   
impatience of those who have already    
despised the  world1 and who wish to be 
servants of ,christ crucified in their  
own way2  that is1 in so far as they    
shall find joy and consolation in ,him4 
,this is  because spiritual self-will is
 not dead in them3 therefore they       
imperiously demand from ,god that ,he   

should give them consolations and       
tribulations in their own way1 and not  
in ,his2 and so they become  impatient1 
when they get the contrary of what their
 spiritual self-will  wants4 ,this is a 
little offshoot from ,pride1 sprouting  
from real ,pride1 as  a tree sends out a
 little tree by its side1 which looks   
separated from it1  but nevertheless it 
gets the substance from which it springs
 from the same  tree4 ,so is self-will  
in the soul which chooses to serve ,god 
in its own  way2 and when that way fails
 it suffers1 and its suffering makes it 
impatient1 and it is unendurable to     
itself1 and takes no pleasure in        
serving ,god or its neighbour4 ,nay1 if 
any one came to it for comfort or  help 
it would give him nothing but           
reproaches1 and would not know how to   
be tolerant to his need4 ,all this      
results from the sensitive spiritual    
self-will that grows from the tree of   
,pride which was cut down1 but not      
uprooted4 ,it is cut down when the soul 

uplifts its desire above the world1  and
 fastens it on ,god1 but has fastened   
there imperfectly2 the root of  ,pride  
was left1 and therefore it sent up an   
offshoot by its side1 and  shows itself 
in spiritual things4 ,so1 if it misses  
consolations from ,god1  and its mind   
stays dry and sterile1 it at once       
becomes disturbed and  depressed1 and1  
under colour of virtue--because it      
thinks itself deprived  of ,god--it     
begins to complain1 and lays down the   
law to ,god4 ,but were it  truly humble 
and had true hate and knowledge of      
itself1 it would deem  itself unworthy  
of the visitation of ,god to its soul1  
and worthy of the  pain that it suffers1
 in being deprived1 not of ,god's grace 
in the soul1  but of its consolations4  
,it suffers1 then1 because it has to    
work in its  chains2 yes1 spiritual     
self-will suffers under the delusion    
that it is  wronging ,god1 while the    
trouble is really with its own lower    
nature4    ,therefore the humble soul1  

which has freely uprooted with eager    
love the  root of ,pride1 has annulled  
its own will1 seeking ever the honour of
 ,god  and the salvation of souls4 ,it  
does not mind sufferings1 but endures a 
restless mind with more reverence than a
 quiet one2 having a holy  respectful   
knowledge that ,god gives and grants    
this to it for its good1  that it may   
rise from imperfection to perfection4   
,that is the way to make  it attain     
perfection1 for it recognizes better    
thereby its own defects and  the grace  
of ,god1 which it finds within1 in the  
goodwill that ,god has  given it to hate
 its mortal sin4 ,also1 by meditating on
 its defects and  faults1 old and new1  
it has conceived hatred for itself1 and 
love for the  ,highest ,eternal ,will of
 ,god4 ,therefore it bears these things 
with  reverence1 and is content to      
endure inwardly and outwardly1 in       
whatever  way ,god grants it4 ,provided 
that it can be filled and clothed with  
the  sweetness of the will of ,god1 it  

rejoices in everything2 and the more it 
sees itself deprived of the thing it    
loves1 whether the consolations of      
,god1 as ,i said1 or of its fellows1 the
 more gladsome it grows4 ,for many a    
time it happens that the soul loves     
spiritually2 but if it does not find    
the consolation or satisfaction from the
 beloved that it would like1 or if  it  
suspects that more love or satisfaction 
is given to another than to  itself1 it 
falls into suffering1 into depression of
 mind1 into criticism  of its neighbour 
and false judgment1 passing judgment on 
the mind and  intention of the servants 
of ,god1 and especially on those from   
whom it  suffers4 ,thence it becomes    
impatient1 and thinks what it should not
 think1  and says with its tongue what  
it should not say4 ,in such suffering as
  this1 it likes to resort to a proud   
humility1 which has the aspect of       
humility1 but is really an offshoot of  
,pride1 springing up beside it--  saying
 to itself3 ,i will not pay these people

 any more attention1 or  trouble myself 
any more about them4 ,i will keep       
entirely to myself2 ,i do  not wish to  
hurt either myself or them4 ,and it     
abases itself with a  perverted scorn4  
,now it ought to perceive that this is  
scorn1 by the  impulse to judge that it 
feels in its heart1 and by the          
complaints of its  tongue4 ,it ought not
 then to do so2 for in this fashion it  
will never get  rid of the root of      
,pride1 nor cut off the little son at   
the side1 which  hinders the soul from  
attaining the perfection at which it has
 aimed4 ,but  it ought to kneel at the  
table of the ,most ,holy ,cross1 to     
receive the food  of the honour of ,god 
and the salvation of souls1 with a free 
heart1 with  holy hatred of itself1 with
 passionate desire3 seeking to gain     
virtue by  suffering and sweat1 and not 
by private consolations either from ,god
 or  its fellows2 following the         
footsteps and the teaching of ,christ   
,crucified1  saying to itself with sharp

 rebuke3 ,thou shouldst not1 my soul1   
thou that  art a member1 travel by      
another road than thy ,head4 ,an unfit  
thing it is  that limbs should remain   
delicate beneath a thorn-crowned ,head4 
,if such  habits became fixed1 through  
one's own frailty1 or the wiles of the  
devil1  or the many impulses that shake 
the heart like winds1 then the soul     
ought  to ascend the seat of its        
conscience1 and reason with itself1 and 
let  nothing pass without punishment and
 chastisement1 hatred and distaste for  
itself4 ,so the root shall be pulled up1
 and by displeasure against itself  the 
soul will drive out displeasure against 
its neighbour1 grieving more  over the  
unregulated instincts of its own heart  
and thoughts than over the  suffering it
 could receive from its fellows1 or any 
insult or annoyance  they could inflict 
on it4    ,this is the sweet and holy   
fashion observed by those who are wholly
  inspired of ,christ2 for in this wise 
they have uprooted perverted pride1  and

 that marrow of impatience of which we  
said above that it was very  pleasing to
 the devil1 because it is the beginning 
and occasion of every  sin2 and on the  
contrary that as it is very pleasing to 
the devil1 so it  is very displeasing to
 ,god4 ,pride displeases ,him and       
humility pleases ,him4  ,so greatly did 
the virtue of humility please ,him in   
,mary that ,he was  constrained to give 
her the ,word ,his ,only-,begotten ,son 
and she was the  sweet mother who gave  
,him to us4 ,know well1 that until ,mary
 showed by her  spoken words her        
humility and pure will1 when she said3  
,ecce ,ancilla  ,domini1 be it done unto
 me according to ,thy word--the ,son of 
,god was not  incarnate in her2 but when
 she had said this1 she conceived within
 herself  that sweet and ,spotless      
,lamb--the ,sweet ,primal ,truth showing
 thereby how  excellent is this little  
virtue1 and how much the soul receives  
that  offers and presents its will in   
humility to its ,creator4 ,so then--in  

the  time of labours and persecutions1  
of insults and injuries inflicted by    
one's neighbour1 of mental conflicts and
 deprivation of spiritual  consolations1
 by the ,creator or the creature1 7by   
the ,creator in ,his  gentleness1 when  
,he withdraws the feeling of the mind1  
so that it does not  seem as if ,god    
were in the soul1 so many are its pains 
and conflicts--and  by fellow-creatures1
 in conversation or amusement1 or when  
the soul thinks  that it loves more than
 it is loved7--in all these things1 ,i  
say that the  soul perfected by humility
 says3 ,my ,lord1 behold ,thy handmaid3 
be it done  unto me according to ,thy   
word1 and not according to what ,i want 
with my  senses4 ,so it sheds the       
fragrance of patience1 around the       
,creator and its  fellow-creature and   
itself4 ,it has peace and quiet in its  
mind1 and it has  found peace in        
warfare1 because it has driven far from 
it its self-will  founded in pride1 and 
has conceived divine grace in its soul4 

,and it bears  in its mind's breast     
,christ crucified1 and rejoices in the  
,wounds of  ,christ crucified1 and seeks
 to know naught but ,christ crucified2  
and its  bed is the ,cross of ,christ   
crucified4 ,there it annuls its own     
will1 and  becomes humble and obedient4 
,for there is no obedience without      
humility1 nor humility without charity4 
,this is shown by the ,word1 for in     
obedience to ,his ,father and in        
humility1  ,he ran to the shameful death
 of the ,cross1 nailing and binding ,him
 with  the nails and bands of charity1  
and enduring in such patience that no   
cry  of complaint was heard from ,him4  
,for nails were not enough to hold ,god-
  and-,man nailed and fastened on the   
,cross had ,love not held ,him there4   
,this  ,i say that the soul feels2      
therefore it will not joy otherwise than
 with  ,christ crucified4 ,for could it 
attain to virtue and escape ,hell and   
have  eternal life1 without sufferings1 
and have in the world consolations      

spiritual and temporal1 it would not    
wish them2 but it desires rather to     
suffer1 enduring even unto death1 than  
to have eternal life in any other  way3 
only let it conform itself with ,christ 
crucified1 and clothe it with  ,his     
shames and pains4 ,it has found the     
table of the ,spotless ,lamb4    ,oh1   
glorious virtue6 ,who would not give    
himself to death a thousand times1  and 
endure any suffering through desire to  
win thee8 ,thou art a queen1 who  dost  
possess the entire world2 thou dost     
inhabit the enduring life2 for  while   
the soul that is arrayed in thee is yet 
mortal1 thou makest it abide  by force  
of love with those who are immortal4    
,since1 then1 this virtue is  so        
excellent and pleasing to ,god and      
useful to us and saving to our          
neighbour1 arise1 dearest daughter1 from
 the sleep of negligence and  ignorance1
 casting to earth the weakness and      
frailty of thy heart1 that it  feel no  
suffering nor impatience over anything  

that ,god permits to us1 so  that we may
 not fall either into the common kind of
 impatience1 or into  the special kind1 
as we were saying before1 but serve our 
sweet ,saviour  manfully1 with liberty  
of heart and true perfect patience4 ,if 
we do  otherwise1 we shall lose grace by
 the first sort of impatience1 and by   
the  second we shall hinder our state of
 perfection2 and you would not attain   
that to which ,god has called you4      
,it seems that ,god is calling you to   
great perfection4 ,and ,i perceive it by
  this1 that ,he takes away from you    
every tie that might hinder it in you4  
,for as ,i have heard1 it seems that ,he
 has called to ,himself your daughter1  
who was your last tie with the outer    
world4 ,for which thing ,i am deeply    
content1 with a holy compassion1 that   
,god should have set you free1 and      
taken her from her labours4 ,now then1  
,i want that you should wholly  destroy 
your own will1 that it may cling to     
nothing but ,christ crucified4  ,in this

 way you will fulfil ,his will and my   
desire4 ,therefore1 not knowing  any    
other way in which you could fulfil it1 
,i said to you that ,i desired  to see  
you established in true and holy        
patience1 because without this we       
cannot reach our sweet goal4 ,i say no  
more4 ,remain in the holy and sweet     
grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus    
,love4          ,,to ,,sister ,,eugenia1
 ,,her ,,niece  ,,at ,,the ,,convent    
,,of ,,saint ,,agnes ,,of               
,,montepulciano      ,two nieces1       
daughters of ,bartolo ,benincasa1 were  
nuns in the ,convent of  ,montepulciano4
 ,to one of them the following letter is
 addressed4 ,one can  read between the  
lines a lively solicitude4 ,never       
cloistered herself1  ,catherine had a   
close intimacy with cloisters1 and knew 
their best and  worst4 ,she held in     
hearty and loyal respect the            
opportunities which they  offered for   
leading an exalted life2 to this        
,convent of ,st4 ,agnes she was         

peculiarly attached4 ,at the same time1 
she was well aware1 as other  letters   
beside the present show1 that even the  
best of cloisters afforded  at this time
 scant shelter to young girls from      
emotional temptation1 gross  or fine4   
,her warnings to her niece have the     
authoritative tone of anxiety4  ,let us 
hope that ,eugenia took them to heart2  
and that1 leading the  disciplined life 
of ,catherine's desire1 she became not  
unworthy to receive  and apprehend in   
its full beauty the penetrating         
meditation on ,prayer  which forms the  
second part of the letter4 ,the thoughts
 of this  meditation1 like many others  
in ,catherine's letters1 will be found  
amplified in her ,dialogue--a colloquy  
between ,god and her soul1 composed  and
 dictated in trance during the year     
#acgh4 ,the following quotation         
illustrates an interesting passage of   
the letter3--    ,in this way1 vocal    
prayer can be useful to the soul and do 
,me pleasure1  and from imperfect vocal 

prayer it can advance by persevering    
practice to  perfect mental prayer4 ,but
 if it aims simply to complete its      
number 7of  paternosters71 or if it gave
 up mental prayer for the sake of vocal1
 it  would never arrive at perfection4  
,sometimes1 when a soul has made a      
resolution to say a certain number of   
prayers1 ,i may visit its mind1 now  in 
one way1 now in another3 at one time    
with the light of self-knowledge  and   
contrition over its lightness1 at       
another1 with the largesse of ,my       
charity2 at another1 by putting before  
its mind1 in diverse manner as may      
please ,me1 and as that soul may have   
craved1 the ,presence of ,my ,truth4    
,and  the soul will be so ignorant that 
it will turn from ,my ,visitation1 in   
order to complete its number1 from a    
conscientious scruple against giving  up
 what it began4 ,it ought not to do     
thus1 for this would be a wile of the   
devil4 ,but at once1 when it feels its  
mind ready for ,my ,visitation1 in any  

way1 as ,i said1 it should abandon the  
vocal prayer4 ,then1 when the mental    
has passed1 if there is time it can     
resume the other1 which it had planned  
to say4 ,but if there is not time it    
must not care nor be troubled or        
bewildered4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus
 ,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3  
,dearest daughter in ,christ sweet      
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of  the servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to thee in ,his precious ,blood1  
with  desire to see thee taste the food 
of angels1 since thou art made for no   
other end2 and that thou mightest taste 
it1 ,god bought thee with the ,blood  of
 ,his ,only-,begotten ,son4 ,but        
reflect1 dearest daughter1 that this    
food is  not taken upon earth1 but on   
high1 and therefore the ,son of ,god    
chose to  be lifted up upon the wood of 
the ,most ,holy ,cross1 in order that we
 might  receive this food upon this     
table on high4 ,but thou wilt say to me3
 ,what  is this food of angels8 ,i reply

 to thee3 it is the desire of ,god1     
which  draws to itself the desire that  
is in the depths of the soul1 and they  
make one thing together4    ,this is a  
food which while we are pilgrims in this
 life1 draws to itself  the fragrance of
 true and sincere virtues1 which are    
prepared by the fire  of divine charity1
 and received upon the table of the     
cross4 ,that is1  virtue is won by pain 
and weariness1 casting down one's own   
fleshly  nature2--the kingdom of one's  
soul which is called ,heaven 7cielo7    
because it hides 7cela7 ,god within it  
by patience1 is seized with force  and  
violence4 ,this is the food that makes  
the soul angelic1 and therefore  it is  
called the food of angels2 and also     
because the soul1 separated from  the   
body1 tastes ,god in ,his essential     
,being4 ,he satisfies the soul in such  
wise that she longs for no other thing  
nor can desire aught but what may  help 
her more perfectly to keep and increase 
this food1 so that she holds  in hate   

what is contrary to it4 ,therefore1 like
 a prudent person1 she  looks with the  
light of most holy faith1 which is in   
the eye of the mind1  and beholds what  
is harmful and what is useful to her4   
,and as she has  seen1 so she loves and 
condemns--holding1 ,i say1 her own      
fleshly nature  and all the vices which 
proceed from it1 bound beneath the feet 
of her  affections4 ,she flees all      
causes that may incline her to vice or  
hinder  her perfection4 ,so she annuls  
her self-will1 which is the cause of all
  evil1 and subjects it to the yoke of  
holy obedience1 not only to the ,order  
and its chief1 but to every least       
creature through ,god4 ,she flees all   
glory and human indulgence1 and glories 
only in the shames and sorrows of       
,christ crucified3 insults1 outrage1    
ridicule1 injuries1 are milk to her2    
she joys in them1 to be conformed with  
the ,bridegroom1 ,christ crucified4     
,she renounces conversation with        
fellow-beings1 because she sees that    

they  often intervene between us and our
 ,creator1 and she flees to the actual  
and to the mental cell4    ,to this ,i  
summon thee and the others3 and ,i      
command thee1 dearest daughter  mine1   
that thou abide for ever in the cell of 
self-knowledge1 where we  find the      
angelic food of the eager desire of ,god
 toward us2 and in the  actual cell1    
with vigil and humble faithful continual
 prayer1 divesting  thy heart and mind  
of every creature1 and clothing them    
with ,christ  crucified4 ,otherwise thou
 wouldst eat upon the earth1 and there  
,i have  already said to thee1 one      
should not eat4 ,reflect that thy       
,bridegroom1  ,christ sweet ,jesus1     
wishes naught between thee and ,him1 and
 is very  jealous4 ,so as soon as ,he   
saw that thou didst love any thing apart
 from  ,him1 ,he would go from thee1 and
 thou wouldst be made worthy to eat the 
food of beasts4 ,and wouldst thou not   
truly be a beast1 and food for  beasts1 
didst thou leave the ,creator for the   

creature1 and infinite good  for finite 
and transitory things that pass like the
 winds1 light for  darkness1 life for   
death1 ,him who clothes thee in the sun 
of justice with  the clasp of obedience1
 and pearls of living faith1 firm hope1 
and perfect  charity1 for him who robs  
thee of them8 ,and wouldst thou not be  
foolish  indeed to depart from ,him who 
gives thee perfect purity--so that the  
closer thou dost cling to ,him1 the more
 the flower of thy virginity is         
refined--for those who many a time and  
oft shed a stench of impurity1  defiling
 mind and body8 ,god avert them from    
thee by ,his infinite mercy6    ,and in 
order that no such thing may ever happen
 to thee1 be on thy guard3  let not thy 
misfortune be such as to enter into any 
private conversation1  with monk or     
layman4 ,for if ,i were to know or hear 
it1 even if ,i were much  farther away  
than ,i am1 ,i would give thee such a   
discipline that it would  stay in thy   
memory all thy whole life2 never mind   

who may be by4 ,beware  neither to give 
nor receive1 except in case of need1    
helping every one in  common within and 
without4 ,be steadfast and mature in    
thyself4 ,serve the  sisters tenderly1  
with all vigilance1 especially those    
whom thou seest in  need4 ,when guests  
pass by and ask for thee at the         
gratings1 abide in thy  peace and do not
 go--but let them say to the prioress   
what they wanted to  say to thee1 unless
 she commands thee to go on thy         
obedience4 ,then1 hold  thy head bowed1 
and be as savage as a hedgehog4 ,keep in
 thy mind the  manners which that       
glorious virgin ,saint ,agnes made her  
daughters observe4  ,go to confession   
and tell thy need2 and when thou hast   
received thy  penance1 run4 ,beware1    
moreover1 that thy confessors be not    
from the men  who have brought thee up4 
,and do not wonder because ,i talk so2  
for many a  time thou mayest have heard 
me say1 and it is the truth1 that the   
talk of  so-called pious men and women1 

full of depraved expressions1 ruins the 
souls and the habits and practices of   
,religious4 ,beware that thou bind thy  
heart to none but ,christ crucified2 for
 the hour would come when thou  wouldst 
wish to set it free and couldst not1    
which would be very hard for  thee4 ,i  
say that the soul which has tasted of   
the food of angels has seen  in the     
light that this and the other things we 
were speaking of are an  obstacle       
between itself and its food1 and        
therefore flees them with the  greatest 
zeal4 ,i say that it loves and seeks    
what may increase and  preserve it4 ,and
 because it has seen that this food is  
better enjoyed by  means of prayer      
offered in self-knowledge1 therefore it 
exercises itself  therein continually by
 all the ways in which it can hold      
closer to ,god4    ,prayer is of three  
sorts4 ,the one is perpetual3 it is the 
holy perpetual  desire1 which prays in  
the sight of ,god1 whatever thou art    
doing2 for this  desire directs all thy 

works1 spiritual and corporal1 to ,his  
honour1 and  therefore it is called     
perpetual4 ,of this it seems that ,saint
 ,paul the  glorious was talking when he
 said3 ,pray without ceasing4 ,the other
 kind is  vocal prayer1 when the offices
 or other prayers are said aloud4 ,this 
is  ordained to reach the third--that   
is1 mental prayer3 your soul reaches    
this when it uses vocal prayer in       
prudence and humility1 so that while the
  tongue speaks the heart is not far    
from ,god4 ,but one must exert one's    
self  to hold and establish one's heart 
in the force of divine charity4 ,and    
whenever one felt one's mind to be      
visited by ,god1 so that it was drawn to
  think of its ,creator in any wise1 it 
ought to abandon vocal prayer1 and to   
fix its mind with the force of love upon
 that wherein it sees ,god visit  it2   
then1 if it has time1 when this has     
ceased1 it ought to take up the  vocal  
prayer again1 in order that the mind may
 always stay full and not  empty4 ,and  

although many conflicts of diverse kinds
 should abound in  prayer1 and darkness 
of mind with much confusion1 the devil  
making the  soul feel that her prayer   
was not pleasing to ,god--nevertheless1 
she ought  not to give up on account of 
those conflicts and shadows1 but to     
abide  firm in fortitude and long       
perseverance1 considering that the devil
 so  does to draw her away from prayer  
the mother1 and ,god permits it to test 
the fortitude and constancy of that     
soul4 ,also1 in order that by those     
conflicts and shadows she may know      
herself not to be1 and in the goodwill  
which she feels preserved within her may
 know the goodness of ,god1 ,who is     
,giver and ,preserver of good and holy  
wills3 such wills as are not  vouchsafed
 to all who want them4    ,by this means
 she attains to the third and           
last--mental prayer1 in which  she      
receives the reward for the labours she 
underwent in her imperfect  vocal       
prayer4 ,then she tastes the milk of    

faithful prayer4 ,she rises above       
herself--that is1 above the gross       
impulses of the senses--and with angelic
  mind unites herself with ,god by force
 of love1 and sees and knows with the   
light of thought1 and clothes herself   
with truth4 ,she is made the sister  of 
angels2 she abides with her ,bridegroom 
on the table of crucified  desire1      
rejoicing to seek the honour of ,god and
 the salvation of souls2  since well she
 sees that for this the ,eternal        
,bridegroom ran to the  shameful death  
of the ,cross1 and thus fulfilled       
obedience to the ,father1  and our      
salvation4 ,this prayer is surely a     
mother1 who conceives virtues  by the   
love of ,god1 and brings them forth in  
the love of the neighbour4  ,where dost 
thou show love1 faith1 and hope1 and    
humility8 ,in prayer4 ,for  thou wouldst
 never take pains to seek the thing     
which thou didst not love2  but he who  
loves would ever be one with what he    
loves--that is1 ,god4 ,by  means of     

prayer thou askest of ,him thy          
necessity2 for knowing thyself--the     
knowledge on which true prayer is       
founded--thou seest thyself to have     
great need4 ,thou feelest thyself       
surrounded by thine enemies--by the     
world  with its insults and its         
recalling of vain pleasures1 by the     
devil with  his many temptations1 by the
 flesh with its great rebellion and     
struggle  against the spirit4 ,and thou 
seest that in thyself thou art not2 not 
being1 thou canst not help thyself2 and 
therefore thou dost hasten in  faith to 
,him who is1 who can and will help thee 
in thine every need1 and  thou dost     
hopefully ask and await ,his aid4 ,thus 
ought prayer to be made1  if thou       
wishest to have that which thou         
awaitest4 ,never shall any just  thing  
be denied thee which thou askest in this
 wise from the ,divine  ,goodness2 but  
if thou dost in other wise1 little fruit
 shalt thou receive4  ,where shalt thou 
feel grief in thy conscience8 ,in       

prayer4 ,where shalt thou  divest thee  
of the self-love which makes thee       
impatient in the time of  insults and of
 other pains1 and shalt clothe thee in  
the divine love which  shall make thee  
patient1 and shalt glory in the ,cross  
of ,christ crucified8  ,in prayer4      
,where shalt thou breathe the perfume of
 virginity and the  hunger for          
martyrdom1 holding thee ready to give   
thy life for the honour  of ,god and the
 salvation of souls8 ,in this sweet     
mother1 prayer4 ,this will  make thee an
 observer of thy ,rule3 it will seal in 
thy heart and mind  three solemn vows   
which thou didst make at thy profession1
 leaving there  the imprint of the      
desire to observe them until death4     
,this releases thee  from conversation  
with fellow-creatures1 and gives thee   
converse with thy  ,creator2 it fills   
the vessel of thy heart with the ,blood 
of the ,humble  ,lamb1 and crowns it    
with flame1 because with flame of love  
that ,blood was  shed4    ,the soul     

receives and tastes this mother ,prayer 
more or less perfectly1  according as it
 nourishes itself with the food of      
angels--that is1 with  holy and true    
desire for ,god1 raising itself on high1
 as ,i said1 to  receive it upon the    
table of the most sweet ,cross4         
,therefore ,i said to  thee that ,i     
desired to see thee nourished with      
angelic food1 because ,i see  not that  
in otherwise thou couldst be a true     
bride of ,christ crucified1  consecrated
 to ,him in holy religion4 ,so do that  
,i may see thee a jewel  precious in the
 sight of ,god4 ,and do not go about    
wasting thy time4 ,bathe  and drown thee
 in the sweet ,blood of thy ,bridegroom4
 ,i say no more4 ,remain  in the holy   
and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,nanna1    
,,daughter ,,of ,,benincasa  ,a ,,little
 ,,maid1 ,,her ,,niece1 ,,in ,,florence 
,this tender and playful little letter1 
with its childlike simplicity of  fancy 
and gentle authority of tone1 encourages

 us to believe that  ,catherine         
appreciated the full advantages of being
 an aunt4 ,we have other  indications   
that the many spiritual ties which held 
her as she grew older  never weakened   
the bond of any natural affection4      
,indeed1 ,catherine re-  created each   
natural bond1 when possible1 as a       
spiritual bond1 an  achievement none too
 common4 ,doubtless1 many children grew 
up around her  in the large ,benincasa  
household4 ,we know that at the time of 
the plague1  in #acgd1 ,lapa was        
bringing up eleven grandchildren in her 
own house4 ,of  these1 eight fell       
victims to the pestilence1 and we have a
 glimpse of  ,catherine burying them    
with her own hands1 and saying as she   
laid them to  rest one by one1 ,this    
one1 at least1 ,i shall not lose4 ,of   
the little  ,nanna to whom this letter  
was written we know nothing1 except that
 she was  the child of the elder        
brother1 who1 as we have already seen1  
had moved to  ,florence4      ,in the   

,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of
 sweet ,mary3    ,dearest daughter in   
,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1    
servant and slave of  the servants of   
,jesus ,christ1 write to thee in ,his   
precious ,blood1 with  desire to see    
thee a real bride of ,christ crucified1 
running away from  everything which     
might hinder thee from possessing this  
sweet and glorious  ,bridegroom4 ,but   
thou couldst not do this if thou wert   
not among those wise  virgins           
consecrated to ,christ who had lamps    
with oil in them1 and light  was within4
 ,see1 then1 if thou wishest to be a    
bride of ,christ1 thou must  have lamp1 
and oil1 and light4 ,dost thou know what
 this means1 daughter  mine8 ,by the    
lamp is meant our heart1 because a heart
 ought to be made  like a lamp4 ,thou   
seest that a lamp is wide above and     
narrow below1 and so  the heart is made1
 to signify that we ought always to keep
 it wide above1  through holy thoughts  
and holy imaginations and continual     

prayer2 always  holding in memory the   
blessings of ,god1 and chiefly the      
blessing of the  ,blood by which we are 
bought4 ,for ,blessed ,christ1 my       
daughter1 did not buy  us with gold or  
silver or pearls or other precious      
stones2 nay1 ,he bought  us with ,his   
precious ,blood4 ,so one wants never to 
forget so great a  blessing1 but always 
to hold it before one's eyes1 in holy   
and sweet  gratitude1 seeing how        
immeasurably ,god loves us3 who did not 
shrink from  giving ,his only begotten  
,son to the opprobrious death of the    
,cross1 to  give us the life of grace4  
,i said that a lamp is narrow below1 and
 so is our heart3 to signify that  the  
heart ought to be narrow toward these   
earthly things--that is1 it must  not   
desire nor love them extravagantly1 nor 
hunger for more than ,god wills  to give
 us2 but ever thank ,him1 seeing how    
sweetly ,he provides for us so  that we 
never lack anything4    ,now in this    
way1 our heart will really be a lamp4   

,but reflect1 daughter  mine1 that this 
would not be enough were there no oil   
within4 ,by oil is  meant that sweet    
little virtue1 profound humility3 for it
 is fitting that  the bride of ,christ  
be humble and gentle and patient2 and   
she will be as  humble as she is        
patient1 and as patient as she is       
humble4 ,but we cannot  attain this     
virtue of humility except by true       
knowledge of ourselves1  knowing our    
misery and frailty1 and that we by      
ourselves can do no good  deed1 nor     
escape any conflict or pain2 for if we  
have a bodily infirmity1  or a pain or  
conflict in our minds1 we cannot escape 
it or remove it--for  if we could we    
should escape from it swiftly4 ,so it is
 quite true that we  in ourselves are   
nothing other than infamy1 misery1      
stench1 frailty1 and  sins2 wherefore1  
we ought always to abide low and humble4
 ,but to abide  wholly in such knowledge
 of one's self would not be good1       
because the soul  would fall into       

weariness and confusion2 and from       
confusion it would fall  into despair3  
so the devil would like nothing better  
than to make us fall  into confusion1 to
 drive us afterward to despair4 ,we     
ought1 then1 to abide  in the knowledge 
of the goodness of ,god in ,himself1    
perceiving that ,he has  created us in  
,his image and likeness1 and re-created 
us in grace by the  ,blood of ,his      
only-begotten ,son1 the sweet incarnate 
,lord2 and reflecting  how continually  
the goodness of ,god works in us4 ,but  
see1 that to abide  entirely in this    
knowledge of ,god would not be good1    
because the soul  would fall into       
presumption and pride4 ,so it befits us 
to have one mixed  with the other--that 
is1 to abide in the holy knowledge of   
the goodness of  ,god1 and also in the  
knowledge of ourselves3 and so we shall 
be humble1  patient1 and gentle1 and in 
this way we shall have oil in our lamp4 
,now1 then1 we must have                
light--otherwise it would not be enough4

 ,this  light has to be the light of    
most holy faith4 ,but the saints say    
that  faith without works is dead1 so   
our faith might be neither living nor   
holy1 but dead4 ,therefore we need to   
exert ourselves virtuously all the      
time1 and leave our childishness and    
vanities1 and not behave any longer     
like worldly girls1 but like faithful   
brides consecrated to ,christ           
crucified2 in this way we shall have a  
lamp1 and oil1 and light4    ,the       
,gospel says that these wise virgins    
were five4 ,so ,i tell thee that  there 
must be five in each of us--otherwise we
 shall not enter the wedding  feast of  
eternal life4    ,by these five it is   
meant that we must subject and mortify  
our five bodily  senses1 in such wise   
that we may never offend with them1     
taking through  them or some of them    
unregulated pleasure or delight4 ,in    
this way we shall  be five1 when we have
 subdued our five senses4    ,but think 
that that sweet ,bridegroom ,christ is  

more jealous of ,his brides  than ,i    
could tell thee6 ,therefore if ,he      
should see that thou didst love  anyone 
more than ,him1 ,he would be angry with 
thee at once4 ,and if thou  didst not   
correct thyself1 the door would not be  
open to thee1 to the  wedding feast     
which ,christ the ,lamb without spot    
holds for all ,his  faithful3 but we    
should be driven away like bad women1 as
 those five  foolish virgins were1 who1 
glorying only and vainly in the         
integrity and  virginity of their body1 
lost the virginity of their soul1       
through the  corruption of the five     
senses1 because they did not carry the  
oil of  humility with them1 so that     
their lamps went out4 ,therefore it was 
said to  them3 ,go hence to buy oil4 ,by
 this oil is meant in this place the    
flatteries and praises of men2 since all
 the flatterers and praisers of  the    
world sell this oil4 ,as if it were said
 to them3 ,you have not wanted  to buy  
eternal life with your virginity and    

your good works2 no1 you have  wanted to
 buy the praises of men1 and to have the
 praises of men you have  wrought4 ,go  
now and buy praises1 for you will not   
enter here4 ,therefore1  daughter mine1 
beware of the praises of men2 and do not
 want praise for  any work that thou    
mayest do1 for the door of eternal life 
would not be  open to thee later4       
,so1 reflecting that this was the best  
way1 ,i said that ,i desired to see     
thee a real bride of ,christ crucified2 
and so ,i beg and command thee that     
thou try hard to be4 ,i say no more to  
thee4 ,remain in the holy and sweet     
grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus    
,love4          ,,letters ,,on ,,the    
,,consecrated ,,life      ,catherine is 
known in history as one of the great    
ascetics of the ,church2  these letters 
show her intimate attitude toward the   
mortification of the  flesh4 ,she was a 
woman called of ,god and her natural    
powers1 constantly to  assume the       
dangerous duty of convincing men of     

their sin2 these letters  give us her   
conception of the safeguards needed in  
the performance of that  duty4    ,both 
letters were written to ,religious4     
,father ,william ,flete was an          
,englishman1 who1 passing through ,italy
 in his youth1 became fascinated  with  
the land1 and spent the rest of his life
 in a hermit's cell in the  ,forest of  
,lecceto4 ,the annals of the time throw 
some entertaining side-  lights on his  
figure4 ,famous for his austerities and 
for the sanctity of  his life1 he was   
also a very impatient and somewhat      
intolerant person1  given to carping    
criticism of his brother hermits4       
,catherine1 in writing  to him1 analyses
 mercilessly the dangers of the ascetic 
life2 one feels  that not much          
self-righteousness could be left in a   
man after reading her  trenchant        
phrases4 ,soon1 however1 she lifts him  
with her to the ardent  contemplation of
 the perfect life2 it is in words of    
singular beauty that  she describes the 

attitude of generous loving-kindness1   
uncritical1 humble  and glad1 with which
 the true servant of ,god considers all 
sorts and  conditions of men3 ,such a   
man rejoices in every type that he sees1
  saying3 ,thanks be to ,thee1 ,eternal 
,father1 that ,thou hast many mansions  
in  ,thy house4444 ,he rejoices more in 
the differences among men than he would 
in seeing them all walk in the same way2
 for so he sees more manifest the       
greatness of the goodness of ,god4 ,he  
gets from everything the fragrance of   
roses4    ,in the letter to ,sister     
,daniella1 ,catherine develops these    
ideas further4  ,of this great servant  
of ,god nothing is known except what    
,catherine's  letters to her show4      
,something may be inferred from the fact
 that she is  one of the few people to  
whom the greater woman writes as to a   
spititual  equal4 ,she repeats to       
,daniella the letter to ,father         
,william--such  warnings1 indeed1 being 
needed by all persons leading the       

consecrated  life--and then goes on1 in 
the remainder of the letter as here     
given1 to  discuss those farther reaches
 of perfection in which charity has done
 its  perfect work4 ,two things she     
wishes herself and ,daniella to observe3
 the  first is abstinence from critical 
thoughts4 ,let us not judge the minds of
  our fellow-creatures1 which are for   
,god alone to judge4 ,it is the key to  
her own method in her great cure of     
souls which she here gives us3 ,when  it
 seems that ,god shows us the faults of 
others1 keep on the safer side--  for it
 may be that thy judgment is false4 ,on 
thy lips let silence abide4  ,and any   
vice which thou mayest ascribe to       
others1 do thou ascribe at once  to them
 and to thyself1 in true humility4 ,if  
that vice really exists in a  person1 he
 will correct himself better1 seeing    
himself so gently  understood1 and will 
say of his own accord the thing which   
thou wouldst  have said to him4--,the   
other point which ,catherine urges on   

,daniella is  the secondary importance  
of that life of mortification to which  
she firmly  believes that they have both
 been called4 ,good is penance and      
maceration  of the body2 but do not     
present these to me as a rule for every 
one4 ,if  either for ourselves or       
others1 we made penance our foundation  
444 we  should be ignorant1 and should  
fall into a critical attitude1 and      
become  weary and very bitter3 for we   
should strive to give a finished work to
  ,god1 ,who is ,infinite ,love1 and    
demands from us only infinite desire4   
,surely1 in this last thought ,catherine
 has attained in a flash to sublime     
spiritual insight4    ,the ,saints knew 
all about telepathy long before         
,societies of ,psychical  ,research grew
 eager over the matter4 ,it might       
surprise some modern  psychologists to  
read the tranquil passage in which      
,catherine1 assuming as  a matter of    
course that any servant of ,god engaged 
in intercessory prayer  has a mystical  

and direct knowledge of the condition of
 those she prays  for1 proceeds to warn 
,daniella as intelligently as any modern
 could do1  though in different terms1  
as to the limitations within which this 
kind of  knowledge can be trusted4      
,the little note with which this group  
closes is not written to a great        
recluse1 but to a tailor's wife4 ,with  
the simple1 ,catherine showed herself   
simple2 but ,monna ,agnese is to lead   
the consecrated life no less than       
,sister ,daniella4 ,catherine's plain   
directions to the one about her daily   
living evince the same mental clarity   
and sobriety as her exhortations to  the
 other1 and discriminate in much the    
same way between the excitement of      
religious practices and true            
consecration4          ,,to ,,brother   
,,william ,,of ,,england  ,,of ,,the    
,,hermit ,,brothers ,,of ,,st4          
,,augustine      ,in the ,name of ,jesus
 ,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3  
,dearest son in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i

 ,catherine1 servant and slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to you
 in ,his precious ,blood1 with desire   
to see you in true light4 ,for without  
light we shall not be able to walk  in  
the way of truth1 but shall walk in     
shadows4 ,two lights are necessary4     
,first1 we must be illumined to know the
 transitory things of the world1  which 
all pass like the wind4 ,but these are  
not rightly known if we do not  know our
 own frailty1 how inclined it is1 from  
the perverse law which is  bound up with
 our members1 to rebel against its      
,creator4 ,this light is  necessary to  
every rational creature1 in whatever    
state it may be1 if it  wishes to have  
divine grace1 and to share in the       
blessing of the ,blood of  the ,spotless
 ,lamb4 ,this is the common light1 that 
everybody in general  ought to have1 for
 whoever has it not is in a state of    
condemnation4 ,this  is the reason2     
that1 not having light1 he is not in a  
state of grace2 for  one who does not   

know the evil of wrong1 nor who is cause
 of it1 cannot  avoid it nor hate the   
cause4 ,so he who does not know good1   
and virtue the  cause of good1 cannot   
love nor desire that good4    ,the soul 
must not stay content because it has    
arrived at gaining the  general light2  
nay1 it ought to go on with all zeal to 
the perfect light4  ,for since men are  
at first imperfect rather than perfect1 
they should  advance in light to        
perfection4 ,two kinds of perfect people
 walk in this  perfect light4 ,there are
 some who give themselves to castigating
 their  body perfectly1 doing very great
 harsh penance2 and that the flesh may  
not  rebel against the reason1 they have
 placed all their desire rather on      
mortifying their body than on slaying   
their self-will4 ,these people feed  at 
the table of penitence and are good and 
perfect2 but unless they have a  great  
humility and conform themselves not     
wholly to judge according to the  will  
of ,god and not according to that of    

men1 they often wrong their  perfection1
 making themselves judges of those who  
do not walk in the same  way in which   
they do4    ,this happens to them       
because they have put more thought and  
desire on  mortifying their body than on
 slaying their self-will4 ,such men as  
these  always want to choose times and  
places and mental consolations to suit  
themselves2 also1 worldly tribulations1 
and their battles with the devil2       
saying1 through self-deceit1 beguiled by
 their own will--which is called        
spiritual self-will--,i should like this
 consolation1 and not these  assaults or
 battles with the devil2 not for my own 
sake1 but to please  ,god1 and possess  
,him more fully1 because ,i seem to     
possess ,him better in  this way than in
 that4 ,many a time1 in such a way as   
this1 the soul falls  into suffering and
 weariness1 and becomes unendurable to  
itself through  them1 and thus wrongs   
its state of perfection4 ,the odour of  
pride clings  to it1 and this it does   

not perceive4 ,for1 were it truly humble
 and not  presumptuous1 it would see    
well that the ,sweet ,primal ,truth     
gives  conditions1 time and place1 and  
consolation and tribulation1 according  
as  is needful to our perfection1 and to
 fulfil in the soul the perfection to   
which it is chosen4 ,it would see that  
everything is given through love1  and  
therefore with love4    ,all things     
ought to be received with reverence1 as 
is done by the second  class of people1 
who abide in this sweet and glorious    
light1 who are  perfect in whatever     
condition they are1 and1 in so far as   
,god permits  them1 hold everything in  
due reverence1 esteeming themselves     
worthy of  sufferings and scandals in   
the world1 and of missing their         
consolations4  ,as they hold themselves 
worthy of sufferings1 so they hold      
themselves  unworthy of the reward which
 follows suffering4 ,these have known   
and  tasted in the light the eternal    
will of ,god1 which wishes naught but   

our  good1 and that we be sanctified in 
,him1 therefore giving ,his gifts4 ,when
  the soul has known this will1 it is   
arrayed therein1 and cares for nothing  
save to see in what wise it can grow1   
and preserve its condition perfect1  for
 glory and praise of the ,name of ,god4 
,therefore1 it opens the eye of  the    
mind upon its object1 ,christ crucified1
 who is rule and way and  doctrine for  
perfect and imperfect3 and sees the     
loving ,lamb1 ,who gives it  the        
doctrine of perfection1 which seeing it 
loves4    ,perfection is this3 that the 
,word1 the ,son of ,god1 fed at the     
table of  holy desire for the honour of 
,god and for our salvation2 and with    
this  desire ran with great zeal to the 
shameful death of the ,cross1 avoiding  
neither toil nor labour1 not drawing    
back for the ingratitude and  ignorance 
of us men who did not recognize ,his    
benefits1 nor for the  persecution of   
the ,jews1 nor for mockery or insults or
 criticism of the  people1 but underwent

 them all1 like our captain and true    
knight1 who was  come to teach us ,his  
way and rule and doctrine1 opening the  
door with the  keys of ,his precious    
,blood1 shed with ardent love and hatred
 against sin4  ,as says this sweet1     
loving ,word1 ,behold1 ,i have made you 
a way1 and  opened the door with ,my    
blood4 ,be you then not negligent to    
follow it1 and  do not sit yourselves   
down in self-love1 ignorantly failing to
 know the  ,way1 and presumptuously     
wishing to choose it after your own     
fashion1 and  not after ,mine who made  
it4 ,rise up then1 and follow ,me3 for  
no one can go  to the ,father but by    
,me4 ,i am the ,way and the ,door4      
,then the soul1 enamoured and tormented 
with love1 runs to the table of  holy   
desire1 and sees not itself in itself1  
seeking private consolation1  spiritual 
or temporal1 but1 as one who has wholly 
destroyed his own will  in this light   
and knowledge1 refuses no toil from     
whatever side it comes4  ,nay1 in       

suffering1 in pain1 in many assaults    
from the devil and criticisms  from men1
 it seeks upon the table of the ,cross  
the food of the honour of  ,god and the 
salvation of men4 ,and it seeks no      
reward1 from ,god or from               
fellow-creatures2 such men serve ,god1  
not for their own joy1 and the          
neighbour not for their own will or     
profit1 but from pure love4 ,they lose  
themselves1 divesting them of the old   
man1 their fleshly desires1 and  array  
them in the new man1 ,christ sweet      
,jesus1 following ,him manfully4  ,these
 are they who feed at the table of holy 
desire1 and have more zeal  for slaying 
their self-will than for slaying and    
mortifying the body4 ,they  have        
mortified the body1 to be sure1 but not 
as a chief aim1 but as the  tool which  
it is1 to help in slaying self-will2 for
 one's chief aim ought  to be and is to 
slay the will2 that it may seek and wish
 naught save to  follow ,christ         
crucified1 seeking the honour and glory 

of ,his ,name1 and the  salvation of    
souls4 ,such men abide ever in peace and
 quiet2 there are none  who can offend  
them1 because they have cast away the   
thing that gives  offence--that is1     
self-will4 ,all the persecutions which  
the world and the  devil can inflict run
 away beneath their feet2 they stand in 
the water1  made fast to the twigs of   
eager desire1 and are not submerged4    
,such a man  as this rejoices in        
everything2 he does not make himself a  
judge of the  servants of ,god1 nor of  
any rational creature2 nay1 he rejoices 
in every  condition and every type that 
he sees1 saying1 ,thanks be to ,thee1   
eternal  ,father1 that ,thou hast many  
mansions in ,thy ,house4 ,and he        
rejoices more  in the different kinds of
 men that he sees than he would do in   
seeing them  all walk in the same way1  
for so he sees the greatness of ,god's  
goodness  more manifest4 ,he joys in    
everything1 and gets from it the        
fragrance of  roses4 ,and even as to a  

thing which he may expressly see to be  
sin1 he  does not pose as a judge1 but  
regards it rather with holy true        
compassion1  saying1 ,to-day it is thy  
turn1 and to-morrow mine1 unless it be  
for  divine grace which preserves me4   
,oh1 holy minds1 who feed at the table  
of holy desire1 who have attained in    
great light to nourish you with holy    
food1 clothed with the sweet raiment  of
 the ,lamb1 ,his love and charity6 ,you 
do not lose time in accepting false     
judgments1 either of the servants of    
,god or of the servants of the world2   
you do not take offence at any          
criticism1 either against yourselves or 
others4 ,your love toward ,god and your 
neighbour is governed well1 and not     
ungoverned4 ,and because it is governed1
 such men as these1 dearest son1  never 
take offence at those whom they love2   
for appearances are dead to  them1 and  
they have submitted themselves not to be
 guided by men1 but only  by the ,holy  
,spirit4 ,see then1 these enjoy in this 

life the pledge of life  eternal4    ,i 
wish you and the other ignorant sons to 
reach this light1 for ,i see that  this 
perfection is lacking to you and to     
others4 ,for were it not lacking  to    
you1 you would not have fallen into such
 criticism and offence and  false       
judgment1 as to say and believe that    
another man was guided and  mastered by 
the will of the creature and not of the 
,creator4 ,my soul and  my heart grieve 
to see you wrong the perfection to which
 ,god has called  you1 under pretence of
 love and odour of virtue4              
,nevertheless1 these are  the tares     
which the devil has sowed in the field  
of the ,lord2 he has done  this to choke
 the seed of holy desire and doctrine   
sowed in your fields4  ,will then to do 
so no more1 since ,god has of grace     
given you great lights2  the first1 to  
despise the world2 the second1 to       
mortify the body2 the  third1 to seek   
the honour of ,god4 ,do not wrong this  
perfection with  spiritual self-will1   

but rise from the table of penance and  
attain the  table of the desire of ,god1
 where the soul is wholly dead to its   
own will1  nourishing itself without    
suffering on the honour of ,god and the 
salvation  of souls1 growing in         
perfection and not wronging it4         
,therefore1 considering that this       
condition cannot be had without light1  
and seeing that you had it not1 ,i said 
that ,i desired and desire to see  you  
in true and perfect light4 ,thus ,i pray
 you1 by the love of ,christ            
crucified--you and ,brother ,antonio and
 all the others--that you struggle  to  
win it1 so that you may be numbered     
among the perfect and not among the     
imperfect4 ,i say no more4 ,remain in   
the holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,i    
commend me to all of you4 ,bathe you in 
the ,blood of ,christ crucified4  ,sweet
 ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4          ,,to    
,,daniella ,,of ,,orvieto  ,,clothed    
,,with ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,st4         
,,dominic      ,thou seest1 then1 that  

such men enjoy in this life the pledge  
of life  eternal4 ,they receive1 not the
 payment1 but the pledge--not waiting to
  receive it till the enduring life1    
where is life without death1 satiety    
without disgust1 and hunger without     
pain4 ,for far is the pain of hunger1   
since they have completely what they    
desire2 and far is the disgust of       
satiety1 since that is the ,food of     
,life without any lack4 ,it is true that
  in this life one begins to enjoy the  
pledge1 in this way1 that the soul      
begins to be an-hungered for the food of
 the honour of ,god and the  salvation  
of souls4 ,as it is an-hungered1 so it  
feeds thereon2 yes1 the  soul nourishes 
itself on charity for the neighbour1 for
 whom it has a  hungry desire4 ,that is 
a food which never satisfies those      
nourished on it4  ,it never satiates1   
and therefore hunger lasts for ever4 ,as
 a pledge is a  beginning of surety     
given to a man1 through which he expects
 to receive  payment 7not that the      

pledge is perfect in itself1 but it     
gives assurance  through one's trust1   
that fulfilment will come71 so the soul 
enamoured of  ,christ1 which has already
 received in this life the pledge of    
love for ,god  and its neighbour1 is not
 perfect in itself1 but awaits the      
perfection of  the life immortal4 ,i say
 that this pledge is not perfect--that  
is1 the  soul which enjoys it has not   
yet reached such perfection as not to   
feel  sufferings1 in itself or others3  
in itself1 from the wrong it does to    
,god1  through the perverse law which is
 bound into our members2 and in others1 
from the wrong of the neighbour4 ,it is1
 to be sure1 perfect in grace1 but  it  
has not the perfection of the saints1   
who are in the eternal life1 as ,i      
said2 since their desires are free from 
suffering and ours are not4 ,dost  thou 
know how it is with the true servant of 
,god1 who nourishes him at the  table of
 holy desire8 ,he is blessd and         
grieving1 as was the ,son of ,god  upon 

the wood of the ,most ,holy ,cross3 for 
the flesh of ,christ was grieved  and   
tortured1 and the soul was blessd1      
through its union with the ,divine      
,nature4 ,so1 through the union of our  
desire with ,god1 ought we to be        
blessed1 and clothed with ,his sweet    
will2 and grieving1 through compassion  
for our neighbour1 casting from us      
sensuous joys and comforts and          
mortifying our flesh4    ,but listen1   
daughter and dearest sister4 ,i have    
spoken to thee and me in  general1 but  
now ,i shall speak to thee and me in    
particular4 ,i want us to  do two       
special things1 in order that ignorance 
may not hinder our  perfection1 to which
 ,god calls us2 that the devil1 under   
cloak of virtue  and love of the        
neighbour1 may not nourish the root of  
presumption within  our soul4 ,for from 
this we shall fall into false judgments2
 seeming to  ourselves to judge aright1 
we shall judge crookedly3 often1 if we  
followed  our own impressions1 the devil

 would make us see many truths to lead  
us  into falsehood2 and this1 because we
 make ourselves judges of the minds of  
our fellow-creatures1 which are for ,god
 alone to judge4    ,this is one of the 
two things from which ,i wish that we   
should free  ourselves completely4 ,but 
,i want the lesson to be learned        
reasonably4 ,this  is the reasonable    
way3 if ,god expressly1 not only once or
 twice1 but more  often1 reveals the    
fault of a neighbour to our mind1 we    
ought never to  tell it in particular to
 the person whom it concerns1 but to    
correct in  common the vices of all     
those whom it befalls us to judge1 and  
to implant  virtues1 tenderly and       
benignly4 ,severity in the benignity1 as
 may be  needed4 ,and should it seem    
that ,god showed us repeatedly the      
faults of  another1 yet unless there    
were1 as ,i said1 a special revelation1 
keep on  the safer side1 that we may    
escape the deceit and malice of the     
devil2 for  he would catch us with this 

hook of desire4 ,on thy lips1 then1 let 
silence  abide1 and holy talk of        
virtues1 and disdain of vice4 ,and any  
vice that it  may seem to thee to       
recognize in others1 do thou ascribe at 
once to them  and to thyself1 using ever
 a true humility4 ,if that vice really  
exists in  any such person1 he will     
correct himself better1 seeing himself  
so gently  understood1 and will say that
 to thee which thou wouldest have said  
to  him4 ,and thou wilt be safe1 and    
wilt close the way to the devil1 who    
will  be unable to deceive us or to     
hinder the perfection of thy soul4 ,know
 that  we ought not to trust in any     
appearances1 but to put them behind our 
backs1 and abide only in the perception 
and knowledge of ourselves4 ,and if  it 
ever happened that we were praying      
particularly for some fellow-           
creatures1 and in prayer we saw some    
light of grace in one of those for  whom
 we were praying1 and none in another1  
who was also a servant of ,god--  but   

thou didst seem to see him with his mind
 abased and sterile--do not  therefore  
assume to judge that there is grave     
fault or lack in him1 for it  might be  
that thy opinion was false4 ,for it     
happens sometimes that when  one is     
praying for the same person1 one        
occasion will find him in such  light   
and holy desire before ,god that the    
soul will seem to fatten on his         
welfare2 and on another occasion thou   
shalt find him when his soul seems  so  
far from ,god1 and full of shadows and  
temptations1 that it is toil to  whoso  
prays for him to hold him in ,god's     
presence4 ,this may happen  sometimes   
through a fault of him for whom one is  
praying1 but more often  it is due not  
to a fault1 but to ,god's having        
withdrawn ,himself from this  soul--that
 is1 ,he has withdrawn ,himself as to   
any feeling of sweetness and            
consolation1 though not as to grace4 ,so
 the soul will have stayed sterile1     
dry1 and full of pain--which ,god makes 

that soul which is praying for it       
perceive4 ,and ,god does this in mercy  
to that soul which receives the  prayer1
 that thou mayest aid ,him to scatter   
the cloud4 ,so thou seest1  sweet my    
sister1 how ignorant and worthy of      
rebuke our opinion would be1  if simply 
from these appearances we judged that   
there was vice in this  soul4           
,therefore1 if ,god showed it to us so  
troubled and darkened1 when we  have    
already seen that it was not deprived of
 grace1 but only of the  sweetness of   
feeling ,god's presence--,i beg thee1   
then1 thee and me and  every servant of 
,god1 that we apply us to knowing       
ourselves perfectly1  that we may more  
perfectly know the goodness of ,god2 so 
that1 illumined1  we may abandon judging
 our neighbour1 and adopt true          
compassion1 hungering  to proclaim      
virtues and reprove sin in both         
ourselves and them1 in the way  we spoke
 of before4    ,we have spoken of one   
thing1 but now ,i tell thee of the      

other1 which ,i beg  that we rebuke in  
ourselves3 if sometimes the devil or our
 own very evil  construction of matters 
tormented us by making us want to send  
or see all  the servants of ,god walking
 in the same way that we are walking in 
ourselves4 ,for it frequently happens   
that a soul which sees itself advance   
by way of great penance1 would like to  
send all people by that same way2  and  
if it sees that they do not walk there1 
it is displeased and shocked1  feeling  
that they are not doing right3 while    
sometimes it will happen that  the man  
is doing better and being more virtuous 
than his critic1 although  he does not  
do as much penance4 ,for perfection does
 not consist in  macerating or killing  
the body1 but in killing our perverse   
self-will4 ,and  in this way1 of the    
will destroyed1 submitted to the sweet  
,will of ,god1 we  ought indeed to      
desire all men to walk4 ,good is penance
 and the maceration  of the body2 but do
 not show me these as a rule for every  

one1 since all  bodies are not alike1   
and also since it often happens that a  
penance begun  has to be given up from  
many accidents that may occur4 ,if1     
then1 we made  ourselves or others build
 on penance as a foundation1 it might   
come to  nothing1 and be so imperfect   
that consolation and virtue would fail  
the  soul2 for1 deprived of the thing   
which it loved and had made of prime    
importance1 it would seem to be deprived
 of ,god1 and so would fall into        
weariness and very great sadness and    
bitterness1 and would lose in the       
bitterness the activity and fervent     
prayer to which it was accustomed4 ,so  
thou seest what evil would follow from  
making penance alone one's chief        
concern3 we should be ignorant1 and     
should fall into a critical attitude1   
and become weary and very bitter2 we    
should strive to give only a finished   
work to ,god1 who is ,infinite ,good    
that demands from us infinite desire4   
,we  ought1 then1 to build our          

foundation on killing and destroying our
 own  perverse will2 with that will     
submitted to the will of ,god1 we shall 
devote sweet1 hungry1 infinite desire to
 the honour of ,god and the  salvation  
of souls4 ,thus shall we feed at the    
table of that holy desire  which never  
takes offence either at itself or at its
 neighbour1 but  rejoices and finds     
fruit in everything4 ,miserable woman   
that ,i am1 ,i mourn  that ,i never     
followed this true doctrine2 nay1 ,i    
have done the contrary1  and therefore  
,i feel that ,i have often fallen into  
irritation and a  judicial attitude     
toward my neighbour4 ,wherefore ,i pray 
thee1 by the love  of ,christ           
,crucified1 that for this and for my    
every other infirmity1  healing may be  
found2 so that thou and ,i may begin    
to-day to walk in the  way of truth1    
enlightened to build our true foundation
 on holy desire1 and  not trusting in   
appearances and impressions2 so that we 
may not lightly  neglect ourselves and  

judge the faults of our neighbours1     
unless by way of  compassion or general 
rebuke4    ,this we shall do if we      
nourish us at the table of holy desire3 
otherwise  we cannot4 ,for from desire  
we have light1 and light gives us       
desire2 so  one nourishes the other4    
,therefore ,i said that ,i desired to   
see thee in  the true light4 ,i say no  
more4 ,remain in the holy and sweet     
grace of ,god4  ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus   
,love4          ,,to ,,monna ,,agnese   
,,wife ,,of ,,francesco1 ,a ,,tailor    
,,of ,,florence      ,in the ,name of   
,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet   
,mary3    ,dearest daughter in ,christ  
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and
 slave of  the servants of ,jesus       
,christ1 write to thee in ,his precious 
,blood1 with  desire to see thee clothed
 in true and perfect humility--for that 
is a  little virtue which makes us great
 in the sweet sight of ,god4 ,this is   
the  virtue which constrained and       
inclined ,god to make ,his most sweet   

,son  incarnate in the ,womb of ,mary4  
,it is as exalted as the proud are      
humbled2  it shines in the sight of ,god
 and men2 it binds the hands of the     
wicked1  it unites the soul with ,god1  
it purifies and laves away the soil of  
our  sin1 and calls on ,god to show us  
mercy4 ,i will then1 sweetest daughter1 
that thou strive to embrace this        
glorious virtue1 so that thou mayest    
pass  over the stormy sea of this world 
free from storm and peril4    ,now      
comfort thee in this sweet and sincere  
virtue1 and bathe thee in the  ,blood of
 ,christ crucified4 ,and when thou canst
 empty thy time for prayer1  ,i pray    
thee to do it4 ,and love tenderly every 
rational being4 ,then1 ,i beg  and      
command thee not to fast1 except1 when  
thou canst1 on the days  commanded by   
,holy ,church4 ,and when thou dost not  
feel strong enough to  fast then1 do not
 observe them4 ,at other times1 do not  
fast1 except when  thou feelest able1 on
 ,saturday4 ,when this heat is over1    

fast on the days  of ,holy ,mary1 if    
thou canst1 and no more4 ,and drink     
something beside water  every day4      
,labour hard to increase thy holy       
desire1 and let these other  things     
alone for the future4 ,do not be anxious
 or depressed over us1 for  we are all  
well4 ,when it shall please the ,divine 
,goodness1 we shall see  one another    
again4 ,i say no more to thee4 ,remain  
in the holy and sweet  grace of ,god4   
,comfort my sweet daughters1 ,ursula and
 ,ginevra4 ,sweet ,jesus1  ,jesus ,love4
          ,,letters ,,in ,,response ,,to
 ,,certain ,,criticisms      ,catherine 
had ample opportunity to suffer from    
those keenly critical  instincts of the 
respectable which she reproved in the   
last group of  letters4 ,her life was   
full of eager unconventionalities that  
drew down on  her the frequent distrust 
of her co-religionists and              
fellow-townsmen4 ,we  cannot tell what  
special cause had excited the           
indignation of the loyal  friends to    

whom the following note is written2 but 
we may enjoy the spirit  of fresh and   
pure humility in which ,catherine gives 
them the difficult  injunction to       
acquiesce in any criticism made upon    
her4    ,the very matters which were    
later to be considered as proofs of her 
sanctity1 were during her lifetime      
grounds of suspicion4 ,some unknown1    
exercised in his mind over the reports  
of her extraordinary abstinence1  took  
evidently what would to-day appear the  
somewhat impertinent course of  writing 
her a letter of remonstrance4           
,catherine's inability or reluctance  to
 eat as much as others was one of the   
most interesting marvels of her  life to
 her simple contemporaries4 ,it is      
clear1 that partly from the  extreme    
mortification which according to        
mediaeval custom she inflicted on  her  
flesh from childhood1 her condition     
became at an early age thoroughly       
abnormal4 ,salads and water were        
practically her only diet2 the curious  

are  referred to the copious details    
furnished by her biographers4 ,meantime1
  the present letter shows how          
reasonable was her own attitude in the  
matter4 ,it shows also with what gentle 
dignity she received criticism4 ,the    
little touch at the end--,i pray you not
 to be light in judging1 if you  are not
 surely illumined in the sight of       
,god--is the only hint at a  natural    
impulse of resentment3 unless one reads1
 as it is tempting to do1  a delicate   
irony in the opening portion of the     
letter4          ,,to ,,monna ,,orsa    
,,wife ,,of ,,bartolo ,,usimbardi  ,,and
 ,,to ,,monna ,,agnese  ,,wife ,,of     
,,francesco ,,di ,,pipino ,,tailor ,,of 
,,florence      ,in the ,name of ,jesus 
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest daughter in ,christ sweet      
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of  the servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to you in ,his precious ,blood3   
with  desire to see you persevere in    
holy desire1 so that you may never look 

back4 ,for otherwise you would not      
receive your reward1 and would          
transgress the word of the ,saviour1    
which says that we are not to turn  back
 to look at the furrow4 ,be persevering1
 then1 and contemplate not what  is     
done1 but what you have to do4 ,and what
 have we to do8 ,to turn our  affections
 constantly back toward ,god1 despising 
the world with all its  joys1 and loving
 virtue1 bearing with true patience what
 the divine  goodness permits us2       
considering that whatever ,he gives is  
given for our  good that we may be      
sanctified in ,him4 ,we shall find in   
the ,blood that the  truth is thus4 ,so 
we ought to fill our memory with this   
glorious ,blood1  which shows us so     
sweet a truth1 that we may never be     
without the  recollection of it4 ,thus  
,i want you to do1 dearest daughters3   
that in this  life you shall persevere  
until death1 and at the close of your   
life shall  receive the ,eternal ,vision
 of ,god4 ,i say no more here4    ,i    

reprove thee1 dearest my sweet daughter1
 because thou hast not kept in  mind    
what ,i told thee--not to answer anyone 
who should say to thee  anything about  
myself that seemed to thee less than    
good4 ,now ,i do not  wish thee to do so
 any more1 but ,i wish both of you to   
reply to anyone who  narrated my faults 
to you in this wise--that they are not  
telling so many  that a great many more 
might not be told4 ,tell them to be     
moved by  compassion within their hearts
 in the sight of ,god1 as they appear to
 be  by their tongues--and to pray the  
,divine ,goodness earnestly for me1 that
  ,it will correct my life4 ,then say to
 them that it is the ,highest ,judge who
  will punish my every fault1 and reward
 every labour that shall be borne  for  
,his ,name4 ,as to ,monna ,paula1 ,i do 
not wish thee to be in the least        
indignant with her3 but think that she  
is acting like a good mother1 who  wants
 to test her daughter to see whether she
 has virtue or not4 ,i confess          

truthfully that ,i have found little    
success in myself2 but ,i have hope in  
my ,creator1 who will make me correct   
myself and change my way of life4       
,comfort you1 and give yourselves no    
more pain2 for we shall find ourselves  
united in the fire of divine ,charity1 a
 union that shall be taken from us      
neither by demon nor by creature4 ,i say
 no more to you4 ,remain in the holy    
and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,a          
,,religious ,,man ,,in ,,florence  ,,who
 ,,was ,,shocked ,,at ,,her ,,ascetic   
,,practices      ,in the ,name of ,jesus
 ,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3  
,dearest and most beloved father in     
,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 a  
useless servant of ,jesus ,christ1      
commend me to you3 with the desire to   
see  us united and transformed in that  
sweet1 eternal and pure ,truth which    
destroys in us all falsity and lying4 ,i
 thank you cordially1 dearest  father1  
for the holy zeal and jealousy which you

 have toward my soul3 in  that you are  
apparently very anxious over what you   
hear of my life4 ,i am  certain that    
nothing affects you except desire for   
the honour of ,god and  for my          
salvation1 which makes you fear the     
assaults and illusions of  devils4 ,as  
to your special fear1 father1 concerning
 my behaviour about  eating1 ,i am not  
surprised2 for ,i assure you1 that not  
only do you fear1  but ,i myself        
tremble1 for fear of devilish wiles4    
,were it not that ,i trust  in the      
goodness of ,god1 and distrust myself1  
knowing that in myself ,i can  have no  
confidence4 ,for you sent1 asking me    
whether or no ,i believed that  ,i might
 be deceived1 saying that if ,i did not 
believe so1 that was a wile  of the     
devil4 ,i answer you1 that not only     
about this1 which is above the  nature  
of the body1 but about all my other     
activities also1 ,i am always  afraid1  
on account of my frailty and the        
astuteness of the devil1 and  think that

 ,i may be deceived2 for ,i am perfectly
 well aware that the devil  lost        
beatitude1 but not wisdom1 with which   
wisdom1 as ,i said1 ,i recognized  that 
he might deceive me4 ,but then ,i turn  
me1 and lean against the ,tree of  the  
,most ,holy ,cross of ,christ crucified1
 and there will ,i fasten me2 and ,i  do
 not doubt that if ,i shall be nailed   
and held with ,him by love and with     
profound humility1 the devils will have 
no power against me--not through  my    
virtue1 but through the virtue of       
,christ crucified4    ,you sent me word 
to pray ,god particularly that ,i might 
eat4 ,i tell you1 my  father1 and ,i say
 it in the sight of ,god1 that in all   
ways within my power  ,i have always    
forced myself once or twice a day to    
take food4 ,and ,i have  prayed         
constantly1 and do pray ,god and shall  
pray ,him1 that in this matter  of      
eating ,he will give me grace to live   
like other creatures1 if it is ,his     
will--for it is mine4 ,i tell you1 that 

often enough1 when ,i have done what  ,i
 could1 ,i enter within myself1 to      
recognize my infirmity1 and ,god1 who by
  most special grace has made me correct
 the sin of gluttony4 ,i grieve much    
that ,i have not corrected that         
miserable fault of mine through love4 ,i
 for  myself do not know what other     
remedy to adopt1 except that ,i beg you 
to  pray that ,highest ,eternal ,truth1 
that ,he give me grace1 if it is more   
for  ,his honour and the salvation of my
 soul1 to enable me to take food if it  
please ,him4 ,and ,i am sure that the   
goodness of ,god will not despise your  
prayers4 ,i beg you that if you see any 
remedy you will write me of it2 and     
provided it be for the honour of ,god1  
,i will accept it willingly4 ,also ,i   
beg you not to be light in judging1 if  
you are not clearly illumined in  the   
sight of ,god4 ,i say no more to you4   
,remain in the holy and sweet grace  of 
,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      
,,to ,,brother ,,bartolomeo ,,dominici  

,,of ,,the ,,order ,,of ,,the           
,,preachers ,,when ,,he ,,was ,,bible   
,,reader ,,at ,,florence      ,belief in
 the wrath to come is sufficiently real 
to ,catherine1 and the  current         
demonology of her day slips readily from
 her tongue4 ,these things  she accepted
 as she found them4 ,but the atmosphere 
in which her spirit  breathes is the    
perception of the love of ,god4 ,the    
spiritual history of  the race1 from the
 creation to the coming of the ,spirit  
and the perpetual  support of the soul  
in the ,sacrament of the ,altar1 is to  
her a revelation  of the ,one           
encompassing ,love1 poured forth in     
fresh measure and under new  forms at   
each stage in the movement of human     
destiny4    ,and so1 in this little     
letter1 she invites us to enter with her
 the  peaceful and profound sea found in
 the words ,god is ,love4 ,elsewhere1   
both in her ,dialogue and in a letter to
 one ,brother ,matteo ,tolomei1 she     
analyses with keen insight the relations

 which redeemed humanity can bear  to   
the ,loving ,god2 she tells us how the  
servant1 obedient through fear1  may    
become the friend1 obedient through     
gratitude and desire for spiritual      
blessings2 and how these lower loves1   
through the operation of the ,holy      
,spirit1 may be transformed into the    
love of the son1 who seeks ,god for ,his
  own sake1 with nothing between4 ,and  
how shall human love1 when it has       
reached this point1 reflect the love of 
,him who needs not man's work nor  ,his 
own gifts8 ,how become1 not merely      
receptive1 but active and creative8     
,catherine gives the simple ,christian  
answer3 ,god has loved us without  being
 loved1 but we love ,him because we are 
loved4444 ,we cannot be of any  profit  
to ,him1 nor love ,him with this first  
love4 ,yet ,god demands of us1  that as 
,he has loved us without any second     
thoughts1 so ,he should be loved  by us4
 ,in what way can we do this1 then1     
since ,he demands it of us and we       

cannot give it to ,him8 ,i tell you3    
through a means which ,he has           
established by which we can love ,him   
freely1 and without the least regard  to
 any profit of ours3 we can be useful1  
not to ,him1 which is impossible1  but  
to our neighbour4444 ,to show the love  
we have to ,him1 we ought to  serve and 
love every rational creature4444 ,every 
virtue receives life from  love1 and    
love is gained in love1 that is1 by     
raising the eye of our mind  to behold  
how much we are beloved of ,god4 ,seeing
 ourselves loved1 we  cannot do         
otherwise than love4444 ,so thou seest  
that we conceive virtues  through ,god  
and bring them to the birth for our     
neighbour4    ,thus do ,catherine's     
loftiest meditations end on the         
practical note4 ,her  fundamental       
thought1 here as elsewhere1 is          
strikingly akin to the thought  of ,st4 
,bernard4 ,love yourself not for your   
own sake1 but for ,god6 she  constantly 
repeats4 ,to the same effect1 ,bernard  

describes at length the  progress of the
 soul till it reaches the highest stage1
 in which self-love  is so lost that    
even gratitude is left behind1 and man  
loves himself and  ,god for the sake of 
,god alone4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus
 ,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3  
,to you1 most beloved and dear father1  
through reverence of the most sweet     
,sacrament1 and son in ,christ ,jesus3  
,i ,catherine1 servant and slave of the 
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write and   
send comfort in ,his precious ,blood1   
with desire to see you kindled1 on fire1
 and consumed in ,his most ardent       
charity1 since ,i know that he who is on
 fire and consumed with this  charity   
sees not himself4 ,this1 then1 ,i will  
that you do4 ,i summon you to  enter    
through this most ardent charity1 a sea 
that is peaceful and  profound4 ,this ,i
 have just now found anew--not that the 
sea is new1 but  that it is new to me in
 the feeling of my soul--in that word1  
,god is ,love4  ,and in this word1 as   

the mirror reflects the face of man1 and
 the sun its  light upon the earth1 so  
it is reflected in my soul1 that all    
,his works  whatsoever are ,love alone1 
for they are not wrought of anything    
save love4  ,therefore ,he says1 ,i ,god
 am ,love4 ,from this a light is thrown 
on the  unsearchable mystery of the     
,incarnate ,word1 who by force of love  
was given  with such humility that it   
confounds my pride1 and teaches us not  
to  regard ,his works1 but the burning  
devotion of the ,word given to us4 ,he  
says that we should do as he who loves3 
who1 when his friend comes with a       
present1 looks not at the hands for the 
gift which he brings1 but opens  the eye
 of love1 and regards his heart and     
affection4 ,so ,he wills that we  should
 do1 when the ,highest eternal goodness 
of ,god1 sweet above all  things1 visits
 our soul4 ,it visits us then with      
measureless benefits4 ,let  memory act  
swiftly to receive the intention in the 
divine charity3 and let  the will arise 

with most ardent desire1 and receive and
 behold the  sacrificed ,heart of sweet 
and good ,jesus the ,giver3 and thus you
 shall  find you kindled and clothed    
with fire1 and with the gift of the     
,blood of  the ,son of ,god2 and you    
shall be free from all pain and disease4
 ,this it  was which took away the pain 
of the holy disciples1 when it behoved  
them  to leave ,mary and one another1   
and gladly they endured that separation1
 to  sow the word of ,god4 ,run then1   
run1 run4    ,concerning the affairs of 
,benincasa1 ,i cannot reply unless ,i am
 at ,siena4  ,thank ,messer ,nicolao for
 the charity which he has shown for     
them4 ,alessa  and ,i and ,cecca1 poor  
women1 commend ourselves to you a       
thousand thousand  times4 ,may ,god be  
ever in your soul1 amen4 ,jesus1 ,jesus4
    ,catherine1 servant of the servants 
of ,god4          ,,to ,,brother        
,,matteo ,,di ,,francesco ,,tolomei     
,,of ,,the ,,order ,,of ,,the           
,,preachers      ,in the ,name of ,jesus

 ,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3  
,dearest son in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i
 ,catherine1 servant and slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to you
 in ,his precious ,blood1 with desire   
to see you seek ,god in truth1 not      
through the intervention of your own    
fleshliness or of any other creature1   
for we cannot please ,god through any   
intervening means4 ,god gave us the     
,word1 ,his ,only-,begotten ,son1       
without  regard to ,his own profit4     
,this is true1 that we cannot be of any 
profit to  ,him2 but the reverse is not 
the case1 because1 although we do not   
serve  ,god for our profit1 nevertheless
 we profit just the same4 ,to ,him      
belongs  the flower of honour1 and to us
 the fruit of profit4 ,he has loved us  
without being loved1 and we love because
 we are loved3 ,he loves us of  grace1  
and we ,him of duty1 because we are     
bound to love ,him4 ,we cannot be  of   
any profit to ,god just as we cannot    
love ,him of grace1 without duty4  ,for 

we are bound to ,him1 and not ,he to us1
 because before ,he was loved1 ,he      
loved us1 and therefore created us in   
,his ,image and ,likeness4 ,there it is1
  then3 we cannot be of any profit to   
,him1 nor love ,him with this first     
love4 ,yet ,i say that ,god demands of  
us1 that as ,he has loved us without    
any second thoughts1 so ,he should be   
loved by us4 ,in what way can we do     
this1 then1 since ,he demands it of us1 
and we cannot give it ,him8 ,i tell     
you3 through a means which ,he has      
established1 by which we can love ,him  
freely1 and without the least regard to 
any profit of ours2 that is1 we  can be 
useful1 not to ,him1 which is           
impossible1 but to our neighbour4 ,now  
by this means we can obey what ,he      
demands of us for the glory and praise  
of ,his ,name2 to show the love that we 
have for ,him1 we ought to serve and    
love every rational creature1 and extend
 our charity to good and bad1 to  every 
kind of people1 as much to one who does 

us ill service and  criticises us as to 
one who serves us4 ,for ,god is no      
respecter of persons1  but of holy      
desires1 and ,his charity extends over  
just men and sinners4    ,one man1 to be
 sure1 ,he loves as a son1 and one as a 
friend1 and another  as a servant1 and  
another as a person who has departed    
from ,him1 for whose  return ,he        
longs--these last are the wicked sinners
 who are deprived of  grace4 ,but       
wherein does the ,highest ,father show  
,his love to these8 ,in  lending them   
time1 and in time ,he gives them many   
opportunities1 either to  repent of     
their sins1 taking from them place and  
power to do as much ill  as they would1 
or ,he has many other ways to make them 
hate vice and love  virtue1 the love of 
which takes away the wish to sin4 ,and  
so1 through the  time which ,god gave   
them in love1 from foes they are made   
friends1 and  have grace and are fit to 
become the ,father's heirs4    ,he loves
 as sons those who serve ,him in truth  

without any servile fear1  who have     
annulled and killed their self-will1 and
 are through ,god obedient  till death  
to every rational creature3 no          
mercenaries they1 who serve ,him  for   
their own profit1 but sons2 and they    
despise consolations and joy in         
tribulations1 and seek only in what way 
they can conform them to ,christ        
crucified1 and nourish them on ,his     
shames and labours and sorrows4 ,such   
men seek not ,god nor serve ,him for    
sweetness or consolation1 spiritual or  
temporal1 which they receive from ,god  
or the fellow-creature2 they seek  not  
,god for their own sakes1 nor the       
neighbour1 but ,god for ,god1 inasmuch  
as ,he is worthy of being loved1 and    
themselves for ,god1 for the glory and  
praise of ,his ,name2 and they serve    
their neighbour for ,god1 being of what 
profit they may to ,him4 ,these men     
follow the footsteps of the ,father1    
rejoicing wholly in charity toward their
 neighbour1 loving the servants of  ,god

 through the love with which they love  
their ,creator2 and they love  imperfect
 men through love that they should reach
 perfection1 devoting to  them holy     
desire and continual prayers4 ,they love
 wicked men1 who lie in  the death of   
mortal sin1 because they are rational   
beings1 created by ,god1  and bought by 
the same ,blood as they1 wherefore they 
mourn over their  condemnation1 and to  
rescue them would give themselves to    
bodily death4 ,as  to the persecutors   
and slanderers and judges who take      
offence at them1  they love these both  
because they are creatures of ,god1 as  
,i said1 and  also because they are the 
means and cause of testing their virtue1
 and  helping them reach                
perfection--especially as to that royal 
virtue  patience1 a sweet virtue1 which 
is never offended or disturbed1 nor cast
  down by any contrary wind or any      
molesting of men4 ,such men are those   
who  seek ,god with nothing between1 and
 love ,him truly as dear and lawful     

sons2  and ,he loves them as a true     
father1 and shows them the secret of    
,his  charity1 to make them heirs of    
,his eternal kingdom1 wherefore they    
run1  refreshed by the ,blood of        
,christ1 kindled by the fire of divine  
charity1  by which they are perfectly   
illumined4 ,such men do not run in the  
path of  virtue after their own fashion1
 nay1 but after the fashion of ,christ  
crucified1 following in ,his steps4     
,were it possible for them to serve ,god
  and win virtue without labour1 they   
would not wish it4 ,these men do not    
act like the second kinds of men1 the   
friend and the servant1 for the  service
 of these last has some ulterior        
thought4 ,sometimes it has regard  to   
the man's own profit2 one can reach     
great friendship in this way1 when  he  
knows his need1 and his benefactor1 who1
 as he sees1 can and will help  him4    
,yet first he was a servant1 for he knew
 his own wrong-doing1 on which  followed
 punishment2 so from the fear of        

punishment he drives out his sin1  and  
lovingly embraces virtue1 serving his   
,lord1 whom he has wronged2 and  he     
begins to draw hope from ,his benignity1
 considering that ,he wills not  the    
death of a sinner1 but that he be       
converted and live4 ,if the man abode   
in fear alone1 it would not suffice to  
give him life1 nor would he attain  to  
the perfect favour of his ,lord2 but he 
would be a mercenary servant4  ,nor     
ought he to remain only in the love of  
the fruit and the consolation  which he 
might receive from his ,lord1 after he  
has been made a friend2 for  this kind  
of love would not be strong1 but would  
fail when it was deprived  of sweetness 
or consolation and joy of mind1 or else 
when some contrary  wind struck it1 of  
persecution or temptation from the      
devil2 then at once  it would fail under
 temptations of the devil or vexations  
of the flesh4 ,so  it would fall into   
confusion through being deprived of     
mental consolation2  and in the         

persecutions and insults wrought against
 it by fellow-  creatures1 it would fall
 into impatience4    ,so you see1 that  
this kind of love is not strong4 ,nay1  
he who loves with  this love does as    
,st4 ,peter1 who before the ,passion    
loved ,christ tenderly2  but he was not 
strong1 therefore he failed in the time 
of the ,cross3 but  then1 after the     
coming of the ,holy ,spirit1 he         
separated him from the love  of         
sweetness1 and lost fear1 and reached a 
love strong1 and tried in the  fire of  
many tribulations4 ,thence1 having      
reached the love of a son1 he  bore all 
such with true patience--nay1 ran under 
them in great gladness1  as he had been 
going to a marriage feast and not to    
torment4 ,this was  because he had been 
made a son4 ,but had ,peter remained    
absorbed in the  sweetness and the fear 
which he felt in the ,passion and after 
the ,passion  of ,christ1 he would not  
have reached such perfection as to be a 
son and  champion of ,holy ,church1 a   

lover and seeker of souls4 ,but note the
 way  that ,peter took1 and the other   
disciples1 to gain power to lose their  
servile fear and love of consolations1  
and to receive the ,holy ,spirit1 as    
had been promised them by the ,sweet    
,primal ,truth4 ,therefore says the     
,scripture that they shut them in the   
house1 and stayed there in vigil and    
continual prayers2 they stayed ten days1
 and then came the ,holy ,spirit4       
,now this is the teaching which we and  
every rational creature ought to        
receive2 to shut ourselves into the     
house1 and remain in vigil and          
continual prayer3 to stay ten days1 and 
then we shall receive the  plenitude of 
the ,holy ,spirit4 ,who1 when ,he was   
come1 illumined them with  truth2 and   
they saw the secret of the immeasurable 
love of the ,word1 with  the will of the
 ,father1 who willed naught but our     
sanctification4 ,this has  been shown us
 by the ,blood of that sweet and        
enamoured ,word3 who was  restored to   

,his disciples1 when the plenitude of   
the ,holy ,spirit came4 ,he  came with  
the power of the ,father1 the wisdom of 
the ,son1 the mercy and  clemency of the
 ,holy ,spirit2 so the truth of ,christ 
is fulfilled1 which ,he  spake to ,his  
disciples3 ,i shall go and shall return 
to you4 ,then did ,he  return1 because  
the ,holy ,spirit could not come without
 the ,son and the  ,father1 because ,he 
was one thing with them4 ,thus ,he came1
 as ,i said1 with  the power that is    
assigned to the ,father1 and the wisdom 
that is assigned  to the ,son1 and the  
benevolence and love that is assigned to
 the ,holy  ,spirit4 ,well did the      
,apostles show it1 for suddenly through 
love they lost  their fear4 ,so in true 
wisdom they knew the truth1 and went    
with great  power against the infidels2 
they threw idols to the ground and drove
 out  devils4 ,this was not with the    
power of the world1 nor with bodily     
fortitude1 but with strength of spirit  
and the power of ,god1 which they  had  

received through ,divine grace4 ,now    
thus it will happen to those who  have  
arisen from the filth of mortal sin and 
the misery of this world1 and  begin to 
taste the ,highest ,good and enamour    
themselves of ,his sweetness4  ,but as  
,i have said1 by remaining in fear      
alone1 one would not escape hell2  but  
would do like the thief1 who does not   
steal1 because he is afraid of  the     
gallows2 but he would not abstain from  
stealing if he did not expect  to be    
punished4 ,it is just such a case when  
one loves ,god for the  sweetness of it2
 that is1 one would not be strong and   
perfect1 but weak  and imperfect4       
,the way to arrive at perfection is that
 of the disciples1 as ,i said4 ,that    
is1 as ,peter and the others shut       
themselves into the house1 so those have
  done and should do who have attained  
the love of the ,father1 who are sons4  
,those who wish to reach this state     
should enter the house1 and shut        
themselves in2 that is1 the house of the

 knowledge of themselves1 which is  the 
cell that the soul should inhabit4      
,within this cell another cell is       
found1 that of the knowledge of the     
goodness of ,god in ,himself4 ,so from  
knowledge of self the soul draws true   
humility1 with holy hatred of the  wrong
 which it has done to its ,creator1 and 
by this it attains to true and  holy    
patience4 ,and from the knowledge of    
,god1 which it finds in itself1 it  wins
 the virtue of most ardent charity3     
whence it draws holy and loving         
desires4 ,in this wise it finds vigil   
and continual prayer--that is1 while  it
 abides enclosed in so sweet and        
glorious a thing as is the knowledge of 
itself and of ,god4 ,it keeps vigil1 ,i 
say1 not only with the eye of the  body1
 but with the eye of the soul2 that is1 
the eye of the intellect  never sees    
itself closed1 but remains opened upon  
its ,object and ineffable  ,love1       
,christ crucified3 and there it finds   
love1 and its own guilt4 ,for  that     

guilt1 ,christ gave us ,his ,blood4     
,then the soul uplifts itself with      
deepest devotion1 to love what ,god     
loves and to hate what ,he hates4 ,and  
it  directs all its works in ,god1 and  
does everything to the glory and praise 
of ,his ,name4 ,this is the continual   
prayer of which ,paul says1 ,pray       
without ceasing4 ,now this is the way to
 rise from being only a servant  and a  
friend--that is1 from servile fear and  
from tender love of one's own           
consolation--and to arrive at being a   
true servant1 true friend1 true son4    
,for when one is truly made a son1 he   
does not therefore lose being a  servant
 and true friend2 but is a servant and  
friend in truth1 without any  regard to 
himself1 or to anything except pleasing 
,god alone4    ,we said that they abode 
ten days1 and then came the ,holy       
,spirit4 ,so the  soul1 which wishes to 
arrive at this perfection1 must observe 
ten days1  that is the ten commandments 
of the law4 ,and with the legal         

commandments  it will observe the       
,counsels2 for they are bound together1 
and the one  cannot be observed without 
the other4 ,true1 those who are in the  
world  must observe the ,counsels       
mentally1 through holy desire1 and those
 who are  freed from the world must     
observe them both mentally and actually4
 ,thus1  if the soul receives the       
abundance of the ,holy ,spirit1 with    
true wisdom of  true and perfect light  
and knowledge1 and with fortitude and   
power to make  it strong in every       
battle1 it becomes mighty chiefly       
against itself1  lording it over its own
 fleshly nature4 ,but all this you could
 not do if  you went roaming about1 in  
much conversation1 keeping far from the 
cell1  and neglecting the choir4        
,whence1 considering this1 ,i said to   
you when you  left me that you should   
study to flee conversation and to visit 
the cell1  and not to abandon the choir 
or the refectory 7so far as might be    
possible  to you71 and to keep vigil    

with humble prayer3 and thus to fulfil  
my  desire1 when ,i told you that ,i    
desired to see you seek ,god in truth1  
without anything between4 ,i say no more
 to you4 ,remain in the holy and  sweet 
grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus    
,love4          ,,to ,a ,,mantellata    
,,of ,,saint ,,dominic ,,called         
,,catarina ,,di ,,scetto      ,in the   
,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of
 sweet ,mary3    ,my dearest sister and 
daughter in ,christ sweet ,jesus4 ,i    
,catherine1 servant  and slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to    
thee in ,his precious  ,blood1 with     
desire to see thee a true servant and   
bride of ,christ  crucified4 ,servants  
we ought to be1 because we are bought   
with ,his blood4  ,but ,i do not see    
that we can be of any profit to ,him by 
our service2 we  ought1 then1 to be of  
profit to our neighbour1 because he is  
the means by  which we test and gain    
virtue4 ,thou knowest that every virtue 
receives  life from love2 and love is   

gained in love1 that is1 by raising the 
eye of  our mind to behold how much we  
are beloved of ,god4 ,seeing ourselves  
loved1  we cannot do otherwise than     
love2 loving ,him1 we shall embrace     
virtue  through the force of love1 and  
shall hate vice and spurn it4    ,so    
thou seest that we conceive virtues     
through ,god1 and bring them to the     
birth for our neighbour4 ,thou knowest  
well that for the necessity of thy      
neighbour thou bringest forth the child 
charity that is within thy soul1  and   
patience in the wrongs which thou       
receivest from him4 ,thou givest him    
prayer1 particularly to those who have  
done thee wrong4 ,and thus we ought  to 
do2 if men are untrue to us1 we ought to
 be true to them1 and  faithfully to    
seek their salvation2 loving them of    
grace1 and not by  barter4 ,that is1 do 
thou beware not to love thy neighbour   
for thine own  profit2 for that would   
not be faithful love1 and thou wouldst  
not respond  to the love which ,god     

bears thee4 ,for as ,god has loved thee 
of grace1 so  ,he wills that since thou 
canst not return this love to ,him1 thou
 return it  to thy neighbour1 loving him
 of grace and not by barter1 as ,i said4
  ,neither if thou art wronged1 nor if  
thou shouldst see love toward thee1 or  
thy joy or profit lessened1 must thou   
lessen or stint love toward thy         
neighbour2 but love him tenderly1       
bearing and enduring his faults2 and    
beholding with great consolation and    
reverence the servants of ,god4         
,beware lest thou do like mad and       
foolish people who want to set          
themselves  to investigate and judge the
 deeds and habits of the servants of    
,god4 ,he  who does this is entirely    
worthy of severe rebuke4 ,know that it  
would not  be different from setting a  
law and rule to the ,holy ,spirit if we 
wished  to make the servants of ,god all
 walk in our own way--a thing which     
could  never be done4 ,let the soul     
inclined to this kind of judgment think 

that  the root of pride is not yet out1 
nor true charity toward the neighbour   
planted--that is1 the loving him by     
grace and not by barter4 ,then let us   
love the servants of ,god1 and not judge
 them4 ,nay1 it befits us to love in    
general every rational creature3 those  
who are outside of grace we must  love  
with grief and bitterness over their    
fault1 because they wrong ,god  and     
their own soul4 ,thus thou shalt be in  
accord with that sweet enamoured  ,paul1
 who mourns with those who mourn1 and   
joys with those who joy2 thus  thou     
shalt mourn with those who are in       
mournful state1 through desire for  the 
honour of ,god and for their salvation2 
and thou shalt joy with the  servants of
 ,god who rejoice1 possessing ,god      
through loving tenderness4    ,thou     
seest1 then1 that through charity to    
,god we conceive virtues1 and  through  
charity toward our neighbours they are  
brought to the birth4 ,being            
thus--loving thy neighbour sincerely1   

without any falsity of love or  heart1  
freely1 without any regard to thine own 
profit1 spiritual or  temporal--thou    
shalt be a true servant1 and respond by 
means of thy  neighbour to the love     
which thy ,creator bears thee2 thou     
shalt be a  faithful1 not a faithless   
bride4 ,then does the bride fail in     
faith to her  bridegroom1 when she gives
 to another creature the faith which she
 ought  to give to him4 ,thou art a     
bride1 for ,christ in ,his circumcision 
showed  that ,he would wed the human    
race4 ,thou1 beholding love so          
ineffable1  shouldst love ,him without  
any means that might be apart from ,god4
 ,thus art  thou made the servant of thy
 neighbour1 serving him in all things to
 the  measure of thy power4 ,verily thou
 art the bride of ,christ1 and shouldst 
be  the servant of thy neighbour4 ,if   
thou art a faithful bride1 since we can 
neither be of profit nor of service to  
,god by the love which we bear ,him1  we
 ought1 as ,i said1 to serve our        

neighbour with true and heartfelt love4 
,in no other way nor wise can we serve  
,him4 ,therefore ,i said to thee that ,i
  desired to see thee the true servant  
and bride of ,christ crucified4 ,i say  
no more4 ,remain in the holy and sweet  
grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus    
,love4          ,,letters ,,to ,,neri   
,,di ,,landoccio ,,dei ,,pagliaresi     
,neri di ,landoccio dei ,pagliaresi is  
one of the attractive group of          
,catherine's secretaries1 which included
 also ,stefano ,maconi and ,barduccio   
,canigiani4 ,there is something very    
charming1 wholly ,italian and mediaeval1
  in the thought of the three           
highly-born and gently-bred young       
,tuscans1  who1 without leaving the     
world or taking religious vows1 attached
  themselves with a pure and passionate 
devotion to the person of the ,beata    
,populana1 dedicated their time and     
powers to her service1 caught the fire  
of her ideals1 and after her death      
followed her wishes for their future4   

,the faces that appear a little later in
 such pictures as ,botticelli's         
,adoration of the ,magi1 help us to     
understand the type of these young  men4
    ,of the three secretaries1 ,neri was
 the first to enter ,catherine's        
service4  ,it was he who introduced to  
her most of the people who later became 
her  disciples1 and many letters yet    
extant from one and another show that he
  was devotedly loved by the little     
group4 ,he was of a sensitive1 subtle1  
and despondent temperament--a reader of 
,dante1 himself a poet1 a man given  to 
self-torment1 and1 as his later life    
showed1 with a tendency to  melancholia4
 ,he must have possessed tact1 force1   
and probably charm1 for  ,catherine more
 than once sent him on important        
embassies--once as  harbinger of her own
 coming to ,pope ,gregory at ,avignon1  
and again1 at a  later time1 to the     
corrupt and brilliant court of ,queen   
,giovanna at  ,naples4 ,in obedience to 
the dying wish of his spiritual         

mother--who  probably well understood   
his needs--he became a hermit after her 
death4    ,catherine writes to this fine
 but fearful soul with an exquisite     
tenderness4 ,confusion of mind1 with its
 inhibiting sadness and  helplessness1  
is of all evils in the world the one    
most abhorrent to her  clear1 decisive1 
intuitive nature4 ,against this1 his    
besetting danger1 she  seeks with all   
her customary vigour to protect her     
beloved disciple4 ,the  love rather than
 the wrath of ,god was1 as we have seen1
 ever the chief  burden of ,catherine's 
teaching4 ,never did she dwell on it    
more earnestly  than here1 as with      
searching insight into the unfathomable 
depths of the  ,divine mercy1 she writes
 firmly3 ,his truth is this1 that ,he   
created us to  give us life eternal4    
,her words must have brought reassurance
 to any  darkened vision1 while her     
practical counsels were never more      
adapted to  individual need than in     
these peculiarly gentle letters1 written

 to one  whose temptations and spiritual
 perils were far different from her own4
      ,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ   
crucified and of sweet ,mary3           
,dearest son in ,christ sweet ,jesus4 ,i
 ,catherine1 servant and slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to    
thee in ,his precious ,blood3 with      
desire  to see thee in the true light1  
that in the light may be known the truth
 of  thy ,creator4 ,his truth is this1  
that ,he created us to give us life     
eternal4 ,but because man rebelled      
against ,god1 this truth was not        
fulfilled1 and therefore ,he descended  
to the greatest depths to which  descent
 is possible1 when ,deity assumed the   
vesture of our humanity4 ,so we  see in 
this glorious light that ,god has been  
made man1 and this ,he has  done to     
fulfil ,his truth in us3 and ,he has    
shown this to us verily by the  ,blood  
of the ,loving ,word1 inasmuch that what
 we held by faith is proved to  us with 
the price of that ,blood4 ,the creature 

that has reason in itself  cannot deny  
that this is so4    ,i will1 then1 that 
thy confusion be consumed and vanish in 
the hope of the  ,blood1 and in the fire
 of the immeasurable ,love of ,god2 and 
that nothing  remain but the true       
knowledge of thyself1 in which thou     
shalt humble thee  and grow1 and nourish
 light in thy soul4 ,is not ,he more    
ready to pardon  than we to sin8 ,and is
 not ,he the ,physician and we the sick1
 the ,bearer of  our iniquities8 ,and   
does not ,he hold confusion of mind as  
worse than all  other faults8 ,yes1     
truly4 ,then1 dearest son1 open the eye 
of thine  intellect in the light of most
 holy faith1 and behold how much thou   
art  beloved of ,god4 ,and from         
beholding ,his love1 and the ignorance  
and  coldness of thy heart1 do not fall 
into confusion2 but let the flame of    
holy desire increase1 with true         
knowledge and humility1 as ,i said4 ,and
 the  more thou seest that thou hast not
 responded to such great favours as thy 

,creator has shown thee1 humble thyself 
the more1 and say with holy  resolution3
 ,what ,i have not done to-day1 ,i will 
do now4 ,thou knowest  that confusion is
 wholly discordant with the doctrine    
which has always  been given thee4 ,it  
is a leprosy that dries up soul and     
body1 and holds  them in continual      
affliction1 and binds the arms of holy  
desire1 and does  not let one do what   
one would2 and it makes the soul        
unendurable to  itself1 disposing the   
mind to conflicts and varying fantasies2
 it robs the  soul of supernatural      
light1 and darkens its natural light4   
,so one falls  into great faithlessness1
 because one does not know the truth of 
,god1 in  which ,he has created us--that
 is1 that ,he created us in truth to    
give us  life eternal4 ,then with living
 faith1 with holy desire1 and with hope 
in  the ,blood of ,christ1 let the devil
 of confusion be defeated4    ,i say no 
more4 ,remain in the holy and sweet     
grace of ,god4 ,i pray ,him to  give    

thee ,his sweet benediction4 ,sweet     
,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      ,in the ,name
 of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of     
sweet ,mary3    ,dearest and sweetest   
son in ,christ sweet ,jesus4 ,i         
,catherine1 servant and  slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to    
thee in ,his precious  ,blood3 with     
desire to see in thee the light of most 
holy faith1 in order  that thou mayest  
never be shocked by anything that may   
happen to thee2 but  may thy mind be    
pacified concerning all the mysteries of
 ,god1 as thou  beholdest the ineffable 
love which moved ,him to draw forth from
 ,himself  reasonable creatures1 and to 
give us ,his image and likeness1 and to 
buy us  with the ,blood of the humble   
and spotless ,lamb4 ,thus doing1 thou   
wilt hold  all that happens to thee in  
due reverence1 and in true humility thou
 wilt  deny mere appearances1 when      
sometimes through the illusion of the   
devil  things seem to thee to get out of
 their right proportion1 through thy    

many  mental occupations and sweet      
physical torments4 ,i say no more4      
,remain in  the holy and sweet grace of 
,god4 ,may ,christ the ,blessed give    
thee ,his  eternal benediction4 ,sweet  
,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      ,in the ,name
 of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of     
sweet ,mary3    ,dearest and sweetest   
son in ,christ sweet ,jesus4 ,i         
,catherine1 servant and  slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to    
thee in ,his precious  ,blood3 with     
desire to see thee ever grow from virtue
 to virtue1 till ,i  behold thee return 
to that sea of peace where thou shalt   
never have any  fear of being separated 
from ,god4 ,for the foul perverse law   
that fights  against the ,spirit shall  
be left on earth1 and shall have        
rendered its due  thereto4 ,i will1     
sweet my son1 that while thou livest in 
this life thou  exert thee to live dead 
to all self-will1 and in such death thou
 shalt win  virtue4 ,thus living1 thou  
shalt resign to earth the law of        

perverse  desire4 ,so thou shalt not    
fear lest ,god permit in thy case what  
,he  permitted in that other1 nor shalt 
thou suffer1 because for a little while 
the human part of thee is separated from
 me and from the rest of the  family4   
,comfort thee1 and may that which ,truth
 says abide in thy mind--  that not one 
person shall be lost out of ,his hands4 
,i say out of ,his  hands1 because all  
things are ,his4 ,and ,i know that thou 
understandest me  without many words4 ,i
 say no more4 ,remain in the holy and   
sweet grace of  ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1    
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,monna     
,,giovanna ,,and ,,her ,,other          
,,daughters ,,in ,,siena      ,teach us1
 ,o ,lord1 and enable us to live the    
life of saints and angels6  cried       
,cardinal ,newman4 ,there is a lovely   
parallel to ,catherine's prayer in  the 
,paternoster of ,dante's blessed souls  
in ,purgatory3      ,come del suo voler 
gli angeli tuoi    ,fan sacrificio a te1
 cantando osanna1    ,cosi facciano gli 

uomini de' suoi4    ,from the gentle    
thoughts on non-resistance with which   
this letter opens1  ,catherine turns    
with transition as fine as sudden to the
 splendid figure  of the holy soul as a 
horse without bridle1 running most      
swiftly from  grace to grace1 from      
virtue to virtue4 ,one is accustomed by 
,plato--not to  speak of ,browning in   
,the ,two ,poets of ,croisic--to the    
image of the soul  as a charioteer4     
,catherine's metaphor is less familiar  
but not less  forceful4 ,the will1 to   
her1 is only free when pure3 impure and 
sinful  desires1 far from being the sign
 of liberty1 are the bit and bridle that
  hinder its fiery course toward ,god4  
,the same thought1 less vividly put1 is 
found in a modern theologian--,dr4      
,moberly4 ,the real consummation of     
either moral or immoral character1 he   
writes1 would exclude the  ambiguity    
which was offered as the criterion of   
free will4444 ,full power  to sin is not
 the key to freedom4 ,on the contrary1  

all inherent power to  do wrong is a    
direct infringement of the reality of   
free-will4444 ,free-  will is not the   
independence of the creature1 but rather
 his self-  realisation in perfect      
dependence4 ,freedom is self-identity   
with  goodness4      ,in the ,name of   
,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet   
,mary3    ,dearest and most beloved     
daughters in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i   
,catherine1  servant and slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 and your    
mother in  ,christ1 write to you and    
comfort you in the ,precious ,blood of  
the ,son of  ,god1 who was a gentle     
,lamb1 spotless and slain not by power  
of nails or  lance1 but by power of love
 and measureless charity which ,he felt 
and  still feels to ,his creatures4 ,oh1
 charity unspeakable of our ,god6 ,thou 
hast taught me1 ,love most sweet1 and   
hast shown me1 not by words alone--  for
 ,thou sayest that ,thou dost not       
delight in many words--but by deeds1  in
 which ,thou sayest that ,thou dost     

delight1 and which ,thou dost demand    
from ,thy servants4 ,and what hast ,thou
 taught me1 ,o ,love ,uncreate8 ,thou   
hast taught me that ,i should bear1     
patiently like a lamb1 not only harsh   
words1 but even blows harsh and hard and
 injury and loss4 ,and with this  ,thou 
dost will that ,i be innocent and       
spotless1 harmful to no one of my       
neighbours and brethren2 not only in    
case of those who do not persecute  us1 
but in that of those who injure us2     
,thou dost will that we pray for  them  
as for special friends who give us a    
good and great gain4 ,and ,thou  dost   
will that we be patient and meek not    
only in injuries and temporal  losses1  
but universally1 in everything that may 
be contrary to my will3 as  ,thou didst 
not will ,thine own will to be done in  
anything1 but the will of  ,thy ,father4
 ,how then shall we lift up our head    
against the goodness of  ,god1 wishing  
that our perverted wills should be      
fulfilled8 ,how shall we  not will that 

the will of ,god be fulfilled8    ,o    
,jesus1 ,most ,sweet ,love1 make ,thy   
will to be fulfilled in us ever1 as in  
,heaven by ,thy ,angels and saints6     
,dearest my daughter in ,christ1 this is
  the meekness which our sweet ,saviour 
wants to find in us3 that we1 with      
hearts wholly peaceful and tranquil1 be 
content with everything which ,he  plans
 and does concerning us1 and wish       
neither times nor seasons in our  own   
way1 but in ,his alone4 ,then the soul1 
so divested of its every wish  and      
clothed with the will of ,god1 is very  
pleasing to ,god4 ,like an  unbridled   
horse1 it runs most swiftly from grace  
to grace1 from virtue to  virtue2 for it
 has no bridle that holds or prevents it
 from running1 since  it has severed    
from itself every inordinate appetite   
and impulse of its  own self-will1 which
 are bands and bridles that do not allow
 the souls of  spiritual men to run4    
,the affairs of the ,crusade are going  
constantly better and better1 and the   

honour of ,god is increasing every day4 
,increase constantly in virtue1 and     
furnish the ship of your soul1 for our  
time draws near4 ,comfort and bless     
,francesca1 from ,jesus ,christ and me2 
and tell her to be zealous that ,i may  
find her increased in virtue when ,i    
shall return4 ,bless and comfort all my 
sons in ,christ4 ,now this very day the 
ambassador of the ,queen of ,cyprus     
came and talked to me4 ,he is going to  
the ,holy ,father1 ,christ on earth1 to 
urge him concerning the affairs of the  
holy ,crusade4 ,and1 moreover1 the      
,holy ,father has sent to ,genoa to urge
 them concerning the same thing4    ,our
 sweet ,saviour give you ,his eternal   
benediction6 ,remain in the holy and    
sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1     
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,messer    
,,john  ,,the ,,soldier ,,of ,,fortune  
,,and ,,head ,,of ,,the ,,company       
,,that ,,came ,,in ,,the ,,time ,,of    
,,famine       ,which letter is one of  
credentials1 certifying that he may put 

faith in  all things said to him by ,fra
 ,raimondo of ,capua4 ,wherefore the    
said ,fra  ,raimondo went to the said   
,messer ,john1 and the other captains1  
to induce  them to go over and fight    
against the infidels should it happen   
that  others should go4 ,and before     
leaving he had from them and from       
,messer ,john  a promise on the         
sacrament that they would go1 and they  
signed it with  their hands and sealed  
it with their seals4     ,so runs the   
old heading to this letter4 ,it is      
piquant to contemplate  ,catherine      
writing to that picturesque gentleman1  
,sir ,john ,hawkwood4 ,her  attitude of 
friendly and almost sisterly sympathy   
with the audacious free-  lance appears 
in her unwonted addition of the word    
glory to her usual  formula1 ,the honour
 of ,god and the salvation of souls1 in 
the last  sentence4 ,we are told that   
the letter and ,fra ,raimondo produced a
 real  impression1 and that ,hawkwood   
not only vowed himself to the ,crusade1 

but  that1 no ,crusade occurring1 he    
from this time bore arms only in regular
  warfare4 ,he who follows the          
,englishman's subsequent career may     
perhaps  wonder a little what regular   
warfare meant to his mind4 ,yet let us  
remember to his credit that ,hawkwood   
protested against the massacre of       
,cesena--nor was this the only occasion 
on which his nature flashed for a       
moment a chivalrous light4 ,may his     
bones rest in peace in the ,duomo of    
,florence1 that city to the gates of    
which he brought terror and dismay1  but
 which bore him no grudge1 and at the   
end decreed him splendid  funerals1 and 
sepulchre among her honoured sons6      
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3    ,to    
you1 most beloved and dear brothers in  
,christ ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1  servant 
and slave of the servants of ,jesus     
,christ1 write in ,his precious  ,blood3
 with desire to see you a true son and  
knight of ,christ1 in such  wise that   

you may desire to give your life a      
thousand times1 if need were1  in       
service of sweet and good ,jesus4 ,this 
is a gift which would pay off all  our  
sins1 which we have committed against   
our ,saviour4 ,dearest and  sweetest    
brother in ,christ ,jesus1 it would be a
 great thing now if you  would withdraw 
a little into yourself1 and consider1   
and reflect how great  are the pains and
 anguish which you have endured by being
 in the service  and pay of the devil4  
,now my soul desires that you should    
change your way  of life1 and take the  
pay and the cross of ,christ crucified1 
you and all  your followers and         
companions2 so that you may be ,christ's
 company1 to  march against the infidel 
dogs who possess our ,holy ,place1 where
 rested  the ,sweet ,primal ,truth and  
bore death and pains for us4 ,i beg you1
 then1  gently in ,christ ,jesus1 that  
since ,god and also our ,holy ,father   
have  ordered a crusade against the     
infidels1 and you take such pleasure in 

war  and fighting1 you should not make  
war against ,christians any more--for   
this is a wrong to ,god2 but go against 
the infidels6 ,for it is a great        
cruelty that we who are ,christians1 and
 members bound in the ,body of ,holy    
,church1 should persecute one another4  
,we are not to do so2 but to rise  with 
perfect zeal1 and to uplift ourselves   
above every evil thought4    ,i marvel  
much that you1 having1 as ,i heard1     
promised to be willing to go  to die for
 ,christ in this holy crusade1 are      
wanting to make war in these  parts4    
,this is not that holy disposition which
 ,god demands from you if you  are to go
 to so holy and venerable a place4 ,it  
seems to me that you ought  now1 at this
 present time1 to dispose you to virtue1
 until the time shall  come for us and  
the others who shall be ready to give   
their lives for  ,christ3 and thus you  
shall show that you are a manly and true
 knight4    ,there is coming to you this
 father and son of mine1 ,brother       

,raimondo1 who  brings you this letter4 
,trust in what he tells you2 because he 
is a true1  faithful servant of ,god1   
and will advise you and say to you      
nothing except  what will be to the     
honour of ,god and the safety and glory 
of your soul4 ,i  say no more4 ,i beg   
you1 dearest brother1 to keep in memory 
the shortness  of your time4 ,remain in 
the holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet
 ,jesus1  ,jesus ,love4          ,,to   
,,monna ,,colomba ,,in ,,lucca      ,let
 us hope that the frivolous ,monna      
,colomba listened to ,catherine's       
gentle but very explicit exhortations   
and turned away from her levities4  ,if 
she had a sense of humour--and it is a  
not uncommon possession of  light-minded
 elderly widows--she must have been     
lovingly entertained at  the pale       
virgin's identification of herself with 
those who walk in the  way of luxuries  
and pleasures1 and set themselves up as 
an example of  sin and vanity4 ,but     
,catherine's use of the first person in 

this  connection1 strained though it may
 appear1 is more than a figure of       
speech1 to soften the severity of her   
rebuke4 ,we learn from the legend  that 
till the end of her life she never      
ceased to repent1 bitterly and  with    
tears1 for having at the age of twelve  
allowed an older sister to  dress her   
prettily1 and blanch her hair after the 
fashion of the day4 ,the  reason for    
this terrible lapse1 as she told her    
confessor1 was simply a  delight in     
beautiful things--but she always looked 
back on it with horror4    ,the         
application of the finding of ,christ in
 the ,temple1 in this letter1 is        
curious1 but not devoid of grace4       
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3    ,to    
you1 dearest sister and daughter in     
,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1    
servant and slave of the servants of    
,jesus ,christ1 write in ,his precious  
,blood1 with desire that ,i might see   
you a fruitful field1 receiving the     

seed of the ,word of ,god1 and bringing 
forth fruit for yourself and others4  ,i
 want to see you1 who are now getting to
 be an old woman1 and who are  free from
 worldly ties1 a mirror of virtue to    
younger women1 who are still  bound to  
the world by the tie of their husbands4 
,alas1 alas1 ,i perceive that we are    
unfruitful ground1 for we are letting   
the ,word of ,god be smothered by the   
inordinate affections and desires of    
the world1 and are walking in the way of
 its luxuries and pleasures1  studying  
to please our fellow-beings rather than 
our ,creator4 ,and there is  a more     
wretched thing yet1 for our own         
evil-doing is not enough for us2  where 
we ought to be an example of virtue and 
modesty1 we set ourselves up  as an     
example of sin and vanity4 ,and as the  
devil was not willing to fall  alone1   
but wanted a large company with him1 so 
we are enticing other  people to those  
same vanities and amusements that we    
indulge in ourselves4  ,you ought to    

withdraw1 by love of virtue and your    
salvation1 from vain  diversions and    
worldly weddings--for they do not suit  
your condition--and  try to keep others 
away1 who would like to be there4 ,but  
you talk bad  talk1 and entice young    
women1 who are wanting to withdraw from 
going to  these things through love of  
virtue1 because they see that it is     
wronging  ,god4 ,i do not wonder1 then1 
if no fruit appears1 since the seed is  
smothered as ,i said4 ,perhaps you would
 find some excuse in saying1  ,still1 ,i
 have to condescend to my friends and   
relatives by doing this1 so  that they  
will not be annoyed and irritated with  
me4 ,so fear and  perverted             
self-indulgence sap our life1 and often 
kill us2 rob us of the  perfection to   
which ,god chose and calls us4 ,this    
excuse is not acceptable  to ,god2 for  
we ought not to condescend to people in 
a matter which wrongs  ,god and our own 
soul2 nor to love or serve them1 except 
in those matters  which come from ,god  

and befit our condition4    ,oh me1     
miserable6 ,was it our relatives or     
friends or any fellow-being who  bought 
us8 ,no2 ,christ crucified alone was the
 ,lamb who with love  unsearchable      
sacrificed ,his ,body1 making ,him our  
,purification and ,healing1  our ,food  
and ,raiment1 and the ,bed where we can 
rest4 ,he had no regard to  love of self
 nor fleshly joy1 but abased ,himself in
 pain1 enduring shames  and insults1    
seeking the honour of the ,father and   
our salvation4 ,it ill  befits that we  
poor miserable men should hold by       
another way than that  held by the      
,sweet ,primal ,truth4    ,you know that
 ,god is not found in luxuries and      
pleasures4 ,we perceive that  when ,our 
,saviour was lost in the ,temple1 going 
to the ,feast1 ,mary could  not find    
,him among friends or relatives1 but    
found ,him in the ,temple  disputing    
with the doctors4 ,and this ,he did to  
give us an example--for ,he  is our     
,rule1 and the ,way we should follow4   

,notice that it says that ,he was  lost 
when going to the ,feast4 ,know1 most   
beloved sister1 that1 as was  said1 ,god
 is not found at feasts or balls or     
games or weddings or places  of         
recreation4 ,nay1 going there is a very 
sure means of losing ,him1 and  falling 
into many sins and faults1 and          
inordinate frivolous self-  indulgence4 
,since this is the reason that has made 
us lose ,god by grace1  is there any way
 to find ,him again8 ,yes2 to accompany 
,mary4 ,let us seek  ,him with her1 in  
bitterness and pain and distaste for the
 fault committed  against our ,creator1 
to condescend to the will of men4 ,it   
befits us then  to go to the ,temple1   
and there ,he is found4 ,let our hearts1
 our minds1 and  desires be lifted up   
with this ,company of ,bitterness1 and  
let us go to the  ,temple of our soul1  
and there we shall know ourselves4 ,then
 the soul1  recognizing itself not to   
be1 will recognize the goodness of ,god 
towards  it1 who is ,he who is4 ,then   

the will shall be uplifted with zeal1   
and shall  love what ,god loves and hate
 what ,god hates4 ,then1 as it enters   
into  reason with itself1 it will rebuke
 the memory which has held in itself the
  gaieties and pleasures of the world1  
and has nor held nor retained the       
favours and gifts and great benefits of 
,god1 who has given ,himself to us  with
 so great fire of love4 ,it will rebuke 
the mind1 which has given  itself to    
understand the will of fellow-creatures1
 and the shows and  observances of the  
world1 rather than the will of its      
,creator1 and  therefore will and       
fleshly love have turned them to love   
and desire those  gross things of sense1
 which pass like the wind4 ,the soul    
should not do  thus1 but should note and
 know the will of ,god1 which seeks and 
wants  naught but our sanctification1   
and has therefore given us life4    ,god
 has not set you free from the world1   
for you are smothered and drowned  in   
the world by your affections and        

inordinate desires4 ,now1 have you more 
than one soul8 ,no4 ,if you had two1 you
 might give one to ,god and the other   
to the world4 ,nor have you more than   
one body1 and this gets tired over      
every little thing4    ,be a dispenser  
to the poor of your temporal substance4 
,submit you to the  yoke of holy and    
true obedience4 ,kill1 kill your own    
will1 that it may not  be so tied to    
your relatives1 and mortify your body1  
and do not so pamper  it in delicate    
ways4 ,despise yourself1 and have in    
regard neither rank nor  riches1 for    
virtue is the only thing that makes us  
gentlefolk1 and the  riches of this life
 are the worst of poverty when possessed
 with  inordinate love apart from ,god4 
,recall to memory what the glorious     
,jerome  said about this1 which one can 
never repeat often enough1 forbidding   
that  widows should abound in           
daintiness1 or keep their face anointed1
 or their  garments choice or delicate4 
,nor should their conversation be with  

vain or  dissolute young women1 but in  
the cell3 they should do like the       
turtle-  dove1 who1 when her companion  
has died1 mourns for ever1 and keeps to 
herself1 and wants no other company4    
,limit your intercourse1 dearest and    
most beloved ,sister1 to ,christ        
crucified2 set your affection and desire
 on  following ,him by the way of shame 
and true humility1 in gentleness1       
binding you to the ,lamb with the bands 
of charity4    ,this my soul desires1   
that you may be a true daughter1 and a  
bride  consecrated to ,christ1 and a    
fruitful field1 not sterile1 but full of
 the  sweet fruits of true virtues4     
,hasten1 hasten1 for time is short and  
the  road is long4 ,and if you gave all 
you have in the world1 time would not   
pause for you from running its course4  
,i say no more4 ,remain in the holy  and
 sweet grace of ,god4 ,pardon me if ,i  
have said too many words1 for the  love 
and zeal that ,i have for your salvation
 have made me say them4 ,know  that ,i  

would far rather do something for you   
than merely talk4 ,may ,god  fill you   
with ,his most sweet ,favour4 ,sweet    
,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4          ,,to     
,,brother ,,raimondo ,,of ,,capua  ,,of 
,,the ,,order ,,of ,,the ,,preachers    
,the following is one of the famous     
letters of the world4 ,the record in art
  and literature of the scene which it  
depicts has carried knowledge of        
,catherine to many who otherwise would  
have but the vaguest idea of her        
personality4 ,the letter has been       
frequently translated1 but most of the  
translators have avoided the opening and
 closing paragraphs1 with their         
amazing1 confused1 and to our modern    
taste almost shocking metaphors4        
,surely1 however1 we want the whole just
 as ,catherine poured it out2 full  of  
intense excitement1 her emotions clearer
 than her ideas1 lifted into a  region  
where taste and logic have no meaning1  
and using1 to convey the  inexpressible 
feelings quickened by the events she    

describes1 homeliest  figures of speech1
 such as her commercial surroundings    
naturally suggest  to her4 ,for the     
matter of that1 modern congregations    
sing with no  distress3      ,jesus let 
me still abide    ,in ,thy heart and    
,wounded ,side4    ,the reiteration of  
the figure of the ,blood is here        
psychologically  inevitable4 ,catherine 
writes still quivering from close       
contact with the  victim of a mediaeval 
execution4    ,a young gentleman from   
,perugia1 ,niccolo ,tuldo by name1 had  
been condemned  to death for speaking   
critically of the ,sienese ,government4 
,it does not  appear that he was a      
serious political conspirator1 but      
simply a young man  whose aristocratic  
sympathies led him thoughtlessly to the 
use of haughty  or bitter speech4 ,but a
 parvenu ,government is always          
sensitive4 ,we hear  of a man at this   
time being condemned and executed       
because he had not  invited one of the  
,riformatori to a feast6    ,death was  

lightly inflicted in those days3        
probably it was no more lightly         
suffered than in our own4 ,we have vivid
 accounts of the incredulity with  which
 ,niccolo ,tuldo received his           
sentence--incredulity leading to horror1
  to rage1 to rebellion1 to black       
despair4 ,then ,catherine went to him2  
her  own words tell the rest4 ,as one   
reads of the wonderful effect of her    
soothing presence1 as one sees the      
terrified youth becoming quiet and      
subdued1 clinging wistfully to the      
spiritual strength of this frail woman1 
and catching at the end not only her    
spirit of calm submission1 but even     
something of her exaltation1 one is     
irresistibly reminded of another        
scene--,george ,eliot's marvellous      
description in ,adam ,bede of ,dinah's  
ministry to ,hetty in the prison4 ,but  
this scene is real1 that only  imagined2
 and here no third person1 but the      
consoler herself1 reveals the  meaning  
of the experience to her own spirit4    

,in bringing ,niccolo ,tuldo to so      
illumined an end that he recognized the 
judgment-place as holy1 and died in full
 accord with the will of ,god1          
,catherine achieved a great marvel which
 only ,christianity can compass3 she    
lifted one of those seemingly           
purposeless and cruel accidents of      
destiny  which stagger faith1 into unity
 with the organic work of the world's   
redemption4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus
 ,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3  
,most beloved and dearest father and    
dear my son in ,christ ,jesus3 ,i       
,catherine1 servant and slave of the    
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to    
you1 commending myself to you in the    
precious ,blood of the ,son of ,god2    
with desire to see you inflamed and     
drowned in that ,his sweetest ,blood1   
which is blended with the fire of ,his  
most ardent charity4 ,this my soul      
desires1 to see you therein1 you and    
,nanni and ,jacopo my son4 ,i see no    
other remedy by which we may reach those

 chief virtues which are necessary  to  
us4 ,sweetest father1 your soul1 which  
has made itself food for me--7and  no   
moment of time passes that ,i do not    
receive this food at the table of  the  
sweet ,lamb slain with such ardent      
love7--your soul1 ,i say1 would not     
attain the little virtue1 true humility1
 were it not drowned in the ,blood4     
,this virtue shall be born from hate1   
and hate from love4 ,thus the soul is   
born with very perfect purity1 as iron  
issues purified from the furnace4    ,i 
will1 then1 that you lock you in the    
open side of the ,son of ,god1 which  is
 an open treasure-house1 full of        
fragrance1 even so that sin itself      
there becomes fragrant4 ,there rests the
 sweet ,bride on the bed of fire and    
blood4 ,there is seen and shown the     
secret of the heart of the ,son of ,god4
  ,oh1 flowing ,source1 which givest to 
drink and excitest every loving  desire1
 and givest gladness1 and enlightenest  
every mind and fillest every  memory    

which fixes itself thereon6 so that     
naught else can be held or  meant or    
loved1 save this sweet and good ,jesus6 
,blood and fire1  immeasurable ,love6   
,since my soul shall be blessed in      
seeing you thus  drowned1 ,i will that  
you do as he who draws up water with a  
bucket1 and  pours it over something    
else2 thus do you pour the water of holy
 desire on  the head of your brothers1  
who are our members1 bound to us in the 
body of  the sweet ,bride4 ,and beware1 
lest through illusion of the devils--who
 ,i  know have given you trouble1 and   
will give you--or through the saying of 
some fellow-creature1 you should ever   
draw back3 but persevere always in  the 
hour when things look most cold1 until  
we may see blood shed with  sweet and   
enamoured desires4    ,up1 up1 sweetest 
my father6 and let us sleep no more6    
,for ,i hear such news  that ,i wish no 
more bed of repose or worldly state4 ,i 
have just received a  ,head in my hands1
 which was to me of such sweetness as   

heart cannot think1  nor tongue say1 nor
 eye see1 nor the ears hear4 ,the will  
of ,god went on  through the other      
mysteries wrought before2 of which ,i do
 not tell1 for it  would be too long4 ,i
 went to visit him whom you know3 whence
 he received  such comfort and          
consolation that he confessed1 and      
prepared himself very  well4 ,and he    
made me promise by the love of ,god that
 when the time of the  sentence should  
come1 ,i would be with him4 ,so ,i      
promised1 and did4 ,then in  the        
morning1 before the bell rang1 ,i went  
to him3 and he received great           
consolation4 ,i led him to hear ,mass1  
and he received the ,holy ,communion1   
which he had never before received4 ,his
 will was accorded and submitted to  the
 will of ,god2 and only one fear was    
left1 that of not being strong at  the  
moment4 ,but the measureless and glowing
 goodness of ,god deceived him1         
creating in him such affection and love 
in the desire of ,god that he did  not  

know how to abide without ,him1 and     
said3 ,stay with me1 and do not  abandon
 me4 ,so it shall not be otherwise than 
well with me4 ,and ,i die  content4 ,and
 he held his head upon my breast4 ,i    
heard then the rejoicing1  and breathed 
the fragrance of his blood2 and it was  
not without the  fragrance of mine1     
which ,i desire to shed for the sweet   
,bridegroom ,jesus4  ,and1 desire waxing
 in my soul1 feeling his fear1 ,i said3 
,comfort thee1  sweet my brother2 since 
we shall soon arrive at the ,wedding    
,feast4 ,thou  shalt go there bathed in 
the sweet ,blood of the ,son of ,god1   
with the sweet  ,name of ,jesus1 which  
,i will never to leave thy memory4 ,and 
,i await thee at  the place of justice4 
,now think1 father and son1 his heart   
then lost all  fear1 and his face       
changed from sorrow to gladness2 and he 
rejoiced1 he  exulted1 and said3 ,whence
 comes such grace to me1 that the       
sweetness of  my soul will await me at  
the holy place of justice8 ,see1 that he

 had come  to so much light that he     
called the place of justice holy6 ,and  
he said3 ,i  shall go wholly joyous1 and
 strong1 and it will seem to me a       
thousand  years before ,i arrive1       
thinking that you are awaiting me there4
 ,and he  said words so sweet as to     
break one's heart1 of the goodness of   
,god4    ,i waited for him then at the  
place of justice2 and waited there with 
constant prayer1 in the presence of     
,mary and of ,catherine1 ,virgin and    
martyr4 ,but before ,i attained1 ,i     
prostrated me1 and stretched my neck    
upon  the block2 but my desire did not  
come there1 for ,i had too full         
consciousness of myself4 ,then up6 ,i   
prayed1 ,i constrained her1 ,i cried    
,mary6 for ,i wished this grace1 that at
 the moment of death she should  give   
him a light and a peace in his heart1   
and then ,i should see him reach  his   
goal4 ,then my soul became so full that 
although a multitude of people  were    
there1 ,i could see no human creature1  

for the sweet promise made to  me4      
,then he came1 like a gentle lamb2 and  
seeing me1 he began to smile1 and       
wanted me to make the sign of the       
,cross4 ,when he had received the sign1 
,i  said3 ,down6 ,to the ,bridal1       
sweetest my brother6 ,for soon shalt    
thou be in  the enduring life4 ,he      
prostrated him with great gentleness1   
and ,i  stretched out his neck2 and     
bowed me down1 and recalled to him the  
,blood  of the ,lamb4 ,his lips said    
naught save ,jesus6 and1 ,catherine6    
,and so  saying1 ,i received his head in
 my hands1 closing my eyes in the       
,divine  ,goodness1 and saying1 ,i will6
    ,then was seen ,god-and-,man1 as    
might the clearness of the sun be seen4 
,and  ,he stood wounded1 and received   
the blood2 in that blood a fire of holy 
desire1 given and hidden in the soul by 
grace4 ,he received it in the fire  of  
,his divine charity4 ,when ,he had      
received his blood and his desire1 ,he  
also received his soul1 which ,he put   

into the open treasure-house of ,his    
,side1 full of mercy2 the primal ,truth 
showing that by grace and mercy  alone  
,he received it1 and not for any other  
work4 ,oh1 how sweet and  unspeakable it
 was to see the goodness of ,god6 with  
what sweetness and  love ,he awaited    
that soul departed from the body6 ,he   
turned the eye of  mercy toward her1    
when she came to enter within ,his      
,side1 bathed in blood  which availed   
through the ,blood of the ,son of ,god4 
,thus received by ,god  through         
power--powerful is ,he to do6 the ,son  
also1 ,wisdom the ,word  ,incarnate1    
gave him and made him share the         
crucified love with which ,he  received 
painful and shameful death through the  
obedience which he showed  to the       
,father1 for the good of the human race4
 ,and the hands of the ,holy  ,spirit   
locked him within4    ,but he made a    
gesture sweet enough to draw a thousand 
hearts4 ,and ,i do not  wonder1 for     
already he tasted the divine sweetness4 

,he turned as does the  ,bride when she 
has reached the threshold of her        
bridegroom1 who turns back  her head and
 her look1 bowing to those who have     
accompanied her1 and with  the gesture  
she gives signs of thanks4    ,when he  
was at rest1 my soul rested in peace and
 in quiet1 in so great  fragrance of    
blood that ,i could not bear to remove  
the blood which had  fallen on me from  
him4    ,ah me1 miserable6 ,i will say  
no more4 ,i stayed on the earth with the
  greatest envy4 ,and it seems to me    
that the first new stone is already in  
place4 ,therefore do not wonder if ,i   
impose upon you nothing save to see     
yourselves drowned in the blood and     
flame poured from the side of the ,son  
of ,god4 ,now then1 no more negligence1 
sweetest my sons1 since the blood is    
beginning to flow1 and to receive the   
life4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      
,,to ,,gregory ,,xi      ,this is the   
first letter to ,gregory which has come 
down to us2 it may or  may not have been

 the first which ,catherine wrote him4  
,that she had had  relations with him   
earlier seems fairly certain4 ,as early 
as #acgb we find  her writing to ,gerard
 du ,puy1 a relative of the ,pope and   
,papal ,legate in  ,tuscany4 ,this      
letter is evidently a reply1 and        
contains passages which she  apparently 
expected du ,puy to share with ,gregory4
 ,perhaps ,gregory had made  approaches 
to her through his cousin4 ,there was   
nothing unlikely at that  time in such  
action on the part of a great churchman1
 who1 man of the  world though he was1  
retained a sincere reverence for humble 
men and  women4    ,be this as it may1  
,catherine in her letter to ,gerard du  
,puy writes  concerning the condition of
 the ,church in the strain of indignant 
sorrow  which she was to hold till her  
death3 ,in reply to the first of the    
three  things you ask me1 ,i will say   
that ,i believe that our sweet ,christ  
on  earth should do away entirely with  
two things which ravage the ,bride of   

,christ4 ,the first is the over-great   
tenderness and care for relatives1      
which ought to be entirely mortified4   
,the other is that over-great good      
nature which is founded on too great    
mercy4444 ,christ holds three vices as  
especially evil--impurity1 avarice1 and 
swollen pride1 which reign in the       
,bride of ,christ among the prelates1   
who care for nothing but luxuries and   
honours and vast riches4 ,a strong      
justice is needed to correct them1 for  
too great pity is the greatest cruelty4 
,as to the other question1 ,i say3      
,when ,i told you that you should toil  
for ,holy ,church1 ,i was not thinking  
only of the labours you should assume   
about temporal things1 but chiefly  that
 you and the ,holy ,father ought to toil
 and do what you can to get rid  of the 
wolfish shepherds who care for nothing  
but eating and fine palaces  and big    
horses4 ,oh me1 that which ,christ won  
upon the wood of the ,cross is  spent   
with harlots6 ,i beg that if you were to

 die for it1 you tell the  ,holy ,father
 to put an end to such iniquities4 ,and 
when the time comes to  make priests or 
cardinals1 let them not be chosen       
through flatteries or  moneys or simony2
 but beg him1 as far as you can1 that he
 notice well if  virtue and a good and  
holy fame are found in the man2 and let 
him not  prefer a gentleman to a        
tradesman1 for virtue is the thing that 
makes a  man gentle4 ,savonarola could  
hardly say more4    ,this present letter
 must date from #acge1 for the rebellion
 of the ,tuscan  cities was gathering   
when she wrote4 ,it is evident that     
,catherine at the  time had never met   
the ,pope personally4 ,she must1        
however1 have gained  from hearsay a    
fairly just idea of his character2 in   
the letter--one of  the most carefully  
composed which we have from her--we see 
her approaching  him with frankness1    
dignity1 and courage1 and also with a   
rare degree of  tact4 ,it was one thing 
to speak her mind out through ,gerard du

 ,puy3 it  must have been another to    
speak directly to the ,head of          
,christendom4 ,how  ,catherine acquits  
herself the reader may judge4 ,the hint 
that the sweet  ,christ on earth1 the   
father of the faithful1 lacks           
self-knowledge1 is  made so delicately  
that offence could not be taken2 yet as 
she proceeds  the indirect suggestion   
becomes unmistakable4 ,gregory is that  
weak prelate  in whom through           
self-indulgence holy justice is dead or 
dying2 the smooth1  peaceable man1 who  
to avoid incurring displeasure1 shuts   
his eyes to the  corruption of the      
,church and the sins of her priests2 he 
is the indolent  physician who anoints  
when he should cauterize4 ,as soon as   
she deems his  mind prepared1 comes the 
direct statement3 ,i hope by the        
goodness of ,god1  venerable father     
mine1 that you will quench this         
self-love in yourself1  and will not    
love yourself for your own sake1 nor    
your neighbour1 nor  ,god4 ,nor does she

 shrink from more specific mention of   
the dangers which  beset him1 in his    
devotion to the interests of friends and
 parents1 and  considerations of        
temporal policy4    ,it is with relief1 
here as ever1 that ,catherine passes    
from criticism  implied or explicit to a
 strain of high enthusiasm by which she 
tries to  rouse the soul to all of      
latent manhood it may possess4 ,she     
heartens  ,gregory with stirring appeal 
to the memories of his great            
predecessors--  yet more with           
impassioned reminder of that mystery of 
divine love and  sacrifice from which   
their strength was drawn4 ,all that was 
possible to  them is possible to him1   
for the same ,god is now that was then4 
,and if  up to this time we have not    
stood very firm1 she says--associating  
herself1 as usual1 with the weakness she
 would condemn--,i wish and pray  in    
truth that you deal manfully with the   
moment of time which remains1  following
 ,christ1 whose vicar you are4 ,gentle  

encouragement1 and a  curious tone of   
almost maternal tenderness1 pervade the 
rest of the  letter4 ,in dealing with   
the political situation which ,gregory  
confronted1  ,catherine speaks without  
reserve4 ,the suggestions concerning    
practical  matters with which the letter
 closes are lucid and to the point4     
,altogether1 it is a masterly document  
which the daughter of ,jacopo           
,benincasa despatches to the ,head of   
,christendom4 ,reading it1 one finds no 
difficulty in understanding the         
influence which1 as the sequel shows1   
she  established over the sensitive and 
religious if weak spirit of ,gregory    
,,xi4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus      
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,to you1 most reverend and beloved      
father in ,christ ,jesus1 your unworthy1
  poor1 miserable daughter ,catherine1  
servant and slave of the servants of    
,jesus ,christ1 writes in ,his precious 
,blood2 with desire to see you a        
fruitful tree1 full of sweet and mellow 

fruits1 and planted in fruitful         
earth--for if it were out of the earth  
the tree would dry up and bear no       
fruit--that is1 in the earth of true    
knowledge of yourself4 ,for the soul    
that knows itself humbles itself1       
because it sees nothing to be proud of2 
and ripens the sweet fruit of very      
ardent charity1 recognizing in itself   
the unmeasured goodness of ,god2 and    
aware that it is not1 it attributes  all
 its being to ,him who ,is4 ,whence1    
then1 it seems that the soul is         
constrained to love what ,god loves and 
to hate what ,he hates4    ,oh1 sweet   
and true knowledge1 which dost carry    
with thee the knife of  hate1 and dost  
stretch out the hand of holy desire1 to 
draw forth and kill  with this hate the 
worm of self-love--a worm that spoils   
and gnaws the  root of our tree so that 
it cannot bear any fruit of life1 but   
dries up1  and its verdure lasts not6   
,for if a man loves himself1 perverse   
pride1  head and source of every ill1   

lives in him1 whatever his rank may be1 
prelate or subject4 ,if he is lover of  
himself alone--that is1 if he loves     
himself for his own sake and not for    
,god--he cannot do other than ill1 and  
all virtue is dead in him4 ,such a one  
is like a woman who brings forth her    
sons dead4 ,and so it really is2 for he 
has not had the life of charity in      
himself1 and has cared only for praise  
and self-glory1 and not for the  name of
 ,god4 ,i say1 then3 if he is a prelate1
 he does ill1 because to  avoid falling 
into disfavour with his                 
fellow-creatures--that is1 through      
self-love--in which he is bound by      
self-indulgence--holy justice dies in   
him4 ,for he sees his subjects commit   
faults and sins1 and pretends not to    
see them and fails to correct them2 or  
if he does correct them1 he does it     
with such coldness and lukewarmness that
 he does not accomplish anything1  but  
plasters vice over2 and he is always    
afraid of giving displeasure or  of     

getting into a quarrel4 ,all this is    
because he loves himself4 ,sometimes    
men like this want to get along with    
purely peaceful means4 ,i say that  this
 is the very worst cruelty which can be 
shown4 ,if a wound when  necessary is   
not cauterized or cut out with steel1   
but simply covered with  ointment1 not  
only does it fail to heal1 but it       
infects everything1 and  many a time    
death follows from it4    ,oh me1 oh me1
 sweetest ,babbo mine6 ,this is the     
reason that all the  subjects are       
corrupted by impurity and iniquity4 ,oh 
me1 weeping ,i say it6  ,how dangerous  
is that worm we spoke of6 ,for not only 
does it give death to  the shepherd1 but
 all the rest fall into sickness and    
death through it4  ,why does that       
shepherd go on using so much ointment8  
,because he does not  suffer in         
consequence6 ,for no displeasure visits 
one and no ill will1 from  spreading    
ointment over the sick2 since one does  
nothing contrary to their  will2 they   

wanted ointment1 and so ointment is     
given them4 ,oh1 human  wretchedness6   
,blind is the sick man who does not know
 his own need1 and  blind the           
shepherd-physician1 who has regard to   
nothing but pleasing1 and  his own      
advantage--since1 not to forfeit it1 he 
refrains from using the  knife of       
justice or the fire of ardent charity6  
,but such men do as ,christ  says3 for  
if one blind man guide the other1 both  
fall into the ditch4 ,sick  man and     
physician fall into hell4 ,such a man is
 a right hireling shepherd1  for1 far   
from dragging his sheep from the hands  
of the wolf1 he devours  them himself4  
,the cause of all this is1 that he loves
 himself apart from  ,god3 so he does   
not follow sweet ,jesus1 the true       
,shepherd1 who has given  ,his life for 
,his sheep4 ,truly1 then1 this perverse 
love is perilous for  one's self and for
 others1 and truly to be shunned1 since 
it works too  much harm to every        
generation of people4 ,i hope by the    

goodness of ,god1  venerable father     
mine1 that you will quench this in      
yourself1 and will not  love yourself   
for yourself1 nor your neighbour for    
yourself1 nor ,god2 but  will love ,him 
because ,he is highest and eternal      
,goodness1 and worthy of  being loved2  
and yourself and your neighbour you will
 love to the honour  and glory of the   
sweet ,name of ,jesus4 ,i will1 then1   
that you be so true  and good a shepherd
 that if you had a hundred thousand     
lives you would be  ready to give them  
all for the honour of ,god and the      
salvation of ,his  creatures4 ,o ,babbo 
mine1 sweet ,christ on earth1 follow    
that sweet  ,gregory 7the ,great76 ,for 
all will be possible to you as to him2  
for he was  not of other flesh than you2
 and that ,god is now who was then3 we  
lack  nothing save virtue1 and hunger   
for the salvation of souls4 ,but there  
is a  remedy for this1 father3 that we  
flee the love spoken of above1 for      
ourselves and every creature apart from 

,god4 ,let no more note be given to     
friends or parents or one's temporal    
needs1 but only to virtue and the       
exaltation of things spiritual4 ,for    
temporal things are failing you from  no
 other cause than from your neglect of  
the spiritual4    ,now1 then1 do we wish
 to have that glorious hunger which     
these holy and  true shepherds of the   
past have felt1 and to quench in        
ourselves that fire  of self-love8 ,let 
us do as they1 who with fire quenched   
fire2 for so great  was the fire of     
inestimable and ardent charity that     
burned in their hearts  and souls1 that 
they were an-hungered and famished for  
the savour of  souls4 ,oh1 sweet and    
glorious fire1 which is of such power   
that it  quenches fire1 and every       
inordinate delight and pleasure and all 
love of  self2 and this love is like a  
drop of water1 which is swiftly consumed
 in  the furnace6 ,should one ask me how
 men attained that sweet fire and       
hunger--inasmuch as we are surely in    

ourselves unfruitful trees--,i say  that
 those men grafted themselves into the  
fruitful tree of the most holy  and     
sweet ,cross1 where they found the      
,lamb1 slain with such fire of love  for
 our salvation as seems insatiable4     
,still ,he cries that ,he is athirst1   
as if saying3 ,i have greater ardour and
 desire and thirst for your  salvation  
than ,i show you with ,my finished      
,passion4 ,o sweet and good  ,jesus6    
,let pontiffs shame them1 and shepherds1
 and every other creature1  for our     
ignorance and pride and self-indulgence1
 in the presence of so  great largess   
and goodness and ineffable love on the  
part of our ,creator6  ,he has revealed 
,himself to us in our humanity1 a ,tree 
full of sweet and  mellow fruits1 in    
order that we1 wild trees1 might graft  
ourselves in ,him4  ,now in this wise   
wrought that enamoured ,gregory1 and    
those other good  shepherds3 knowing    
that they had no virtue in themselves1  
and gazing upon  the ,word1 our ,tree1  

they grafted themselves in ,him1 bound  
and chained by  the bands of love4 ,for 
in that which the eye sees does it      
delight1 when  the thing is fair and    
good4 ,they saw1 then1 and seeing they  
so bound them  that they saw not        
themselves1 but saw and tasted          
everything in ,god4 ,and  there was     
neither wind nor hail nor demons nor    
creatures that could keep  them from    
bearing cultivated fruits3 since they   
were grafted in the  substance of our   
,tree1 ,jesus4 ,they brought forth their
 fruits1 then1 from  the substance of   
sweet charity1 in which they were       
united4 ,and there is no  other way4    
,this is what ,i wish to see in you4    
,and if up to this time1 we have not    
stood very firm1 ,i wish and pray in    
truth that the moment of time which     
remains be dealt with manfully1         
following ,christ1 whose vicar you are1 
like a strong man4 ,and fear not1       
father1 for anything that may result    
from  those tempestuous winds that are  

now beating against you1 those decaying 
members which have rebelled against you4
 ,fear not2 for divine aid is near4     
,have a care for spiritual things alone1
 for good shepherds1 good rulers1  in   
your cities--since on account of bad    
shepherds and rulers you have           
encountered rebellion4 ,give us1 then1 a
 remedy2 and comfort you in ,christ     
,jesus1 and fear not4 ,press on1 and    
fulfil with true zeal and holy what you 
have begun with a holy resolve1         
concerning your return1 and the holy and
  sweet crusade4 ,and delay no longer1  
for many difficulties have occurred     
through delay1 and the devil has risen  
up to prevent these things being  done1 
because he perceives his own loss4 ,up1 
then1 father1 and no more  negligence6  
,raise the gonfalon of the most holy    
,cross1 for with the  fragrance of the  
,cross you shall win peace4 ,i beg you  
to summon those who  have rebelled      
against you to a holy peace1 so that all
 warfare may be  turned against the     

infidels4 ,i hope by the infinite       
goodness of ,god that  ,he will swiftly 
send ,his aid4 ,comfort you1 comfort    
you1 and come1 come1 to  console the    
poor1 the servants of ,god1 your sons6  
,we await you with eager  and loving    
desire4 ,pardon me1 father1 that ,i have
 said so many words to  you4 ,you know  
that through the abundance of the heart 
the mouth speaketh4  ,i am certain that 
if you shall be the kind of tree ,i wish
 to see you1  nothing will hinder you4  
,i beg you to send to ,lucca and to     
,pisa with fatherly proposals1 as ,god  
shall instruct you1 supporting them so  
far as can be1 and summoning them  to   
remain firm and persevering4 ,i have    
been at ,pisa and at ,lucca1 up to  now1
 influencing them as much as ,i can not 
to make a league with the  decaying     
members that are rebelling against you3 
but they are in great  perplexity1      
because they have no comfort from you1  
and are constantly  urged to make it and
 threatened from the contrary side4     

,however1 up to the  present time1 they 
have not wholly consented4 ,i beg you   
also to write  emphatically to ,messer  
,piero3 and do it zealously1 and do not 
delay4 ,i say  no more4    ,i have heard
 here that you have appointed the       
cardinals4 ,i believe that it  would    
honour ,god and profit us more if you   
would take heed always to  appoint      
virtuous men4 ,if the contrary is done1 
it will be a great insult  to ,god1 and 
disaster to ,holy ,church4 ,let us not  
wonder later if ,god sends  us ,his     
disciplines and scourges2 for the thing 
is just4 ,i beg you to do  what you have
 to do manfully and in the fear of ,god4
    ,i have heard that you are to       
promote the ,master of our ,order to    
another  benefice4 ,therefore ,i beg    
you1 by the love of ,christ crucified1  
that if  this is so you will take pains 
to give us a good and virtuous ,vicar4  
,the  ,order has need of it1 for it has 
run altogether too wild4 ,you can talk  
of  this with ,messer ,niccola da ,osimo

 and the ,archbishop of ,tronto2 and ,i 
will  write them about it4    ,remain in
 the sweet and holy grace of ,god4 ,i   
ask you humbly for your  blessing4      
,pardon my presumption1 that ,i presume 
to write to you4 ,sweet  ,jesus1 ,jesus 
,love4          ,,to ,,gregory ,,xi     
,there is less formality here than in   
the first letter to ,gregory4           
,catherine in writing to the ,pope soon 
felt herself as much at home as a  child
 in her earthly father's house4 ,the    
little pet name1 ,babbo1 which  she     
habitually uses to him1 could be        
translated only by ,daddy--which  would 
sound so strange in ,english ears that  
it seems best to let the  ,italian      
stand4 ,there is something touching as  
well as entertaining in the  spirit of  
childlike freedom to which such a term  
bears witness4    ,the ,anti-,papal     
,league has become a grim reality4 ,the 
un-,christian pomp and  arrogance of    
ruling prelates1 the mean cruelty of    
,william of ,noellet in  refusing to    

allow corn to be imported from the      
,papal ,states in ,tuscany in  time of  
famine1 the harshness and lack of tact  
in the policy of ,gregory  toward his   
unsatisfactory children1 were all forces
 potent to destroy  among the rebels any
 strong sense of committing a religious 
crime in their  opposition to the       
,church4 ,catherine stands as mediator  
between the two  parties4 ,not for a    
moment condoning the sin of a rebellion 
heinous indeed  in her eyes1 she yet    
does not allow the ,pope to forget that 
the chief  cause of the trouble has been
 the unjust and iniquitous things which 
the  ,florentines have endured from the 
,legates--men whom you know yourself--  
so she writes with vigorous plebeian    
candour--whom you know yourself to  be  
incarnate demons6 ,let ,god's           
vicegerent1 then1 show forth the love of
  ,god1 and find in the divine attitude 
toward rebellious man an example for    
his own attitude toward his rebellious  
cities4 ,conciliation is to her mind    

the only wisdom4 ,there is practical    
sagacity in her remark in another       
letter3 ,on with benignity1 father6 ,for
 know that every rational creature  is  
more easily conquered by love and       
benignity than by anything else3 and    
especially these ,italians of ours in   
these parts4 ,i do not see any other    
way in which you can conquer them1 but  
if you do this you can do anything  you 
like with them4    ,the beautiful       
opening meditation on the ,love of ,god 
as shown in creation  and redemption is 
then no mere general exordium1 but in   
close dramatic  unity with the sequel of
 the letter4 ,the ,augustinian theology1
 however  alien to our modern modes of  
thought1 has1 as she puts it1 a nobility
 not  to be ignored4 ,as presented      
briefly here1 and more grandly by ,dante
 in the  seventh canto of the ,paradiso1
 it represents the supreme effort of the
  law-reverencing mind of the ,latin    
,church to formulate the methods of     
,infinite ,love4 ,in the curious figure 

of the ,tournament1 we have a           
characteristic play of mediaeval fancy4 
,as ,langland puts it1 a little         
differently3      ,then was ,faith in a 
fenestre1 and cryed3 ,ah6 ,fili ,david6 
,as doth an heraude of armes when       
adventrous cometh to jousts4    ,olde   
,jewes of ,jerusalem for joy they       
sungen1      ,benedictus qui venit in   
nomine ,domini4    ,then ,i fraynd at   
,faith what all that fare meant1    ,and
 who should joust in ,jerusalem3        
',jesus1' he said1    ',and fetch that  
the fiend claimeth3 ,piers' fruit the   
,plowman4'    ',is ,piers in this       
place8' quoth ,i3 and he winked at me1--
    ',this ,jesus of ,his gentrice will 
joust in ,piers' armes1    ,in his helme
 and in his habergeon1 humana natura4'  
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3    ,most  
holy and most reverend my father in     
,christ ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine your  poor
 unworthy daughter1 servant and slave of
 the servants of ,christ1 write  to you 

in ,his precious ,blood2 with desire to 
see you a good shepherd4 ,for  ,i       
reflect1 sweet my ,babbo1 that the wolf 
is carrying away your sheep1  and there 
is no one found to help them4 ,so ,i    
hasten to you1 our father and  our      
shepherd1 begging you on behalf of      
,christ crucified to learn from ,him1   
who with such fire of love gave ,himself
 to the shameful death of the most  holy
 ,cross1 to rescue that lost sheep1 the 
human race1 from the hands of  the      
demons2 because1 through man's rebellion
 against ,god1 they were  holding it for
 their own possession4    ,then comes   
the ,infinite ,goodness of ,god1 and    
sees the evil state and the  loss and   
the ruin of these sheep1 and sees that  
they cannot be won back by  wrath or    
war4 ,so1 notwithstanding that it has   
been wronged by them--since  man        
deserved an infinite penalty for his    
disobedient rebellion against           
,god--,highest and ,eternal ,wisdom will
 not do thus2 but finds an attractive   

way1 the most gentle and loving possible
 to find4 ,for it sees that the  heart  
of man is in no wise so drawn as by     
love1 because he was made by  love4     
,this seems to be the reason why he     
loves so much1 that he was made  by     
nothing but love1 both his soul and his 
body4 ,for by love ,god created  him in 
,his ,image and ,likeness1 and by love  
his father and mother gave him          
substance1 conceiving and bearing a son4
 ,god1 therefore1 seeing that man  is so
 ready to love1 throws the book of love 
straight at him1 giving him  the ,word  
,his ,only-,begotten ,son1 who takes our
 humanity1 to make a great  peace4 ,but 
justice wills that vengeance should be  
wrought for the wrong  that has been    
done to ,god3 so comes ,divine ,mercy   
and unspeakable ,charity1  and to       
satisfy justice and mercy condemns ,his 
,son to death1 having clothed  ,him in  
our humanity--that is1 with the clay of 
,adam1 who sinned4 ,so by ,his  death   
the wrath of the ,father is pacified1   

having wrought justice on the  person of
 ,his son3 so ,he has satisfied justice 
and has satisfied mercy1  releasing the 
human race from the hands of demons4    
,this sweet ,word jousted  in ,his arms 
upon the wood of the most holy ,cross1  
death making a  tournament with life1   
and life with death3 so that by ,his    
death ,he  destroyed our death1 and to  
give us life ,he sacrificed the life of 
,his  body4 ,so then with love ,he has  
drawn us1 and has conquered our malice  
with  ,his benignness1 in so much that  
every heart should be drawn to ,him3    
since  greater love one cannot show--and
 this ,he ,himself said--than to give   
one's  life for one's friend4 ,and if   
,he commends the love which gives one's 
life  for a friend1 what1 then1 shall we
 say of that most burning and complete  
love which gave its life for its foe8   
,for we through sin had been made  foes 
of ,god4 ,oh1 sweet and amorous ,word1  
who with love hast found thy  flock once
 more1 and with love hast given ,thy    

life for them1 and hast  brought them   
back into the fold1 restoring to them   
the ,grace which they  had lost6        
,holiest sweet ,babbo mine1 ,i see no   
other way for us1 and no other help  in 
winning back your sheep1 which have left
 the fold of ,holy ,church in           
rebellion1 not obedient nor subject to  
you1 their father4 ,i pray you          
therefore1 on behalf of ,christ         
crucified1 and ,i will that you do me   
this  grace1 to overcome their malice   
with your benignity4 ,yours we are1     
father6  ,i know and recognize that they
 all feel that they have done wrong2 but
  although they have no excuse for their
 evil deeds1 nevertheless it seemed  to 
them that they could not do otherwise on
 account of the many sufferings  and    
unjust and iniquitous things that they  
endured from bad shepherds and          
governors4 ,for1 breathing the stench of
 the life of many rulers whom you  know 
yourself to be incarnate demons1 they   
fell into the worst of fears1  so that  

they did like ,pilate1 who1 not to lose 
the government1 killed  ,christ2 so did 
they1 for not to lose the state1 they   
persecuted you4 ,i ask  you1 then1      
father1 to show them mercy4 ,do not have
 regard to the ignorance  and pride of  
your sons2 but with the food of love and
 of your benignity1  inflicting such    
sweet discipline and benign reproof as  
shall please your  ,holiness1 restore   
peace to us miserable children who have 
done wrong4 ,i  tell you1 sweet ,christ 
on earth1 on behalf of ,christ in       
,heaven1 that if  you do thus1 without  
any strife or tempest1 they will all    
come1 grieving  for the wrong they have 
done1 and will put their heads in your  
bosom4 ,then  you will rejoice1 and we  
shall rejoice1 because by love you have 
restored  the wandering sheep to the    
fold of ,holy ,church4 ,and then1 sweet 
my  ,babbo1 you will fulfil your holy   
desire and the will of ,god1 by making  
the holy ,crusade1 which ,i summon you  
in ,his ,name to do swiftly and without 

negligence4 ,they will turn to it with  
great eagerness2 they are ready to  give
 their life for ,christ4 ,ah me1 ,god1  
sweet ,love6 ,raise swiftly1  ,babbo1   
the gonfalon of the most holy ,cross1   
and you will see the wolves  become     
lambs4 ,peace1 peace1 peace1 that war   
may not delay this happy time6  ,but if 
you will wreak vengeance and justice1   
take them upon me1 poor  wretch1 and    
give me any pain and torment that may   
please you1 even to  death4 ,i believe  
that through the stench of my iniquities
 many evils have  happened1 and many    
misfortunes and discords4 ,on me1 then1 
your poor  daughter1 take any vengeance 
that you will4 ,ah me1 father1 ,i die of
 grief  and cannot die6 ,come1 come1 and
 resist no more the will of ,god that   
calls  you2 and the hungry sheep await  
your coming to hold and possess the     
place  of your predecessor and champion1
 ,apostle ,peter4 ,for you1 as the      
,vicar of  ,christ1 should rest in your 
own place4 ,come1 then1 come1 and delay 

no  more2 and comfort you1 and fear not 
for anything that might happen1 since   
,god will be with you4 ,i ask humbly    
your benediction1 for me and for all my 
sons2 and ,i beg you to pardon my       
presumption4 ,i say no more4 ,remain in 
the  holy and sweet grace of ,god4      
,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4            
,,to ,,gregory ,,xi        ,ahi1        
,constantin1 di quanto mal fu matre1    
,non la tua conversion1 ma quella dote  
,che da te prese il primo ricco patre6  
,for ever since ,holy ,church has aimed 
more at temporal than at spiritual      
things1 matters have gone from bad to   
worse4 ,catherine's sorrowful           
denunciations of the sins of the ,church
 recall the thought of ,dante1 the      
thought of ,petrarch--which is also the 
thought of all the great saints1  seers1
 and loyal ,catholics1 to whom through  
the ,christian ages the  shortcoming of 
their spiritual mother has meant grief  
beyond words4 ,the  lovely conception of
 ,holy ,church as a garden1 borrowed    

though it be from  ,holy ,writ1 she has 
made peculiarly her own by constant     
repetition4 ,we  recognize in it the    
womanly imagination which1 we are told1 
always found  refreshment in wreathing  
fragrant flowers and walking abroad     
through the  fields and woods4          
,catherine in this letter presents      
explicitly her threefold policy3 reform 
of the ,church1 return to ,rome1 the    
initiation of a ,crusade4 ,in her little
  letter to ,sir ,john ,hawkwood1 we    
have already seen her devotion to this  
last cause4 ,a ,crusade in the          
fourteenth century was not to be4       
,nevertheless1 ,catherine never showed  
more political wisdom than in this      
matter1 and it was the one aim of her   
life in which she wholly failed4 ,we    
have in the ,legenda ,minore a racy     
account of a personal interview with    
,gregory on the subject1 in which she   
presented cogent considerations to  him4
 ,she shrewdly suggested that the       
mercenary troops who ravaged ,italy1    

and were the very cause and nourishment 
of war1 would gladly turn their  arms   
against the infidel1 ,for there are few 
people so wicked that they  are not     
willing to serve ,god by indulging their
 taste3 all men would  gladly expiate   
their sins by doing what they enjoy4    
,behind all such  considerations of     
policy1 however1 lay1 as we clearly see1
 the intense  desire that the infidels  
should be saved4 ,and not for their own 
sake only4  ,desperate and desolate as  
she beheld the worldliness of ,christian
 folk1  and their remoteness from the   
faith and ardour of an earlier time1    
,catherine ventured to dream that new   
converts1 won from the peoples that  sat
 in darkness1 might revive the spiritual
 life of ,christendom by the  infusion  
of spiritual passion strong in young    
purity4 ,oh1 what joy it  would be1 she 
wrote to ,gregory1 could we see the     
,christian people  convert the ,infidel6
 ,for when they had once received the   
,light1 they might  reach great         

perfection1 like a young plant which has
 escaped the wintry  cold of            
faithlessness1 and expands in the warmth
 and light of the ,holy  ,spirit2 so    
they might bear flowers and fruits of   
virtue in the mystical  body of ,holy   
,church2 so that the fragrance of their 
virtue might help us  to drive away the 
sins and vice1 the pride and impurity1  
which abound to-  day among the         
,christian people1 and above all among  
those high in ,holy  ,church4    ,it was
 a strange dream1 and hopeless2 but it  
was the dream of a saint4      ,in the  
,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of
 sweet ,mary3    ,most holy and dear and
 sweet father in ,christ sweet ,jesus3  
,i your unworthy  daughter ,catherine1  
servant and slave of the servants of    
,jesus ,christ1  write to you in ,his   
precious ,blood4 ,with desire have ,i   
desired to see in  you the fulness of   
divine grace1 in such wise that you may 
be the means1  through divine grace1 of 
pacifying all the universal world4      

,therefore1 ,i  beg you1 sweet my       
father1 to use the instrument of your   
power and virtue1  with zeal1 and hungry
 desire for the peace and honour of ,god
 and the  salvation of souls4 ,and      
should you say to me1 father--,the world
 is so  ravaged6 ,how shall ,i attain   
peace8 ,i tell you1 on behalf of ,christ
  crucified1 it befits you to achieve   
three chief things through your power4  
,do you uproot in the garden of ,holy   
,church the malodorous flowers1 full of 
impurity and avarice1 swollen with      
pride3 that is1 the bad priests and     
rulers who poison and rot that garden4  
,ah me1 you our ,governor1 do you use   
your power to pluck out those flowers6  
,throw them away1 that they may have  no
 rule6 ,insist that they study to rule  
themselves in holy and good life4       
,plant in this garden fragrant flowers1 
priests and rulers who are true         
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 and care for
 nothing but the honour of ,god and  the
 salvation of souls1 and are fathers of 

the poor4 ,alas1 what confusion  is     
this1 to see those who ought to be a    
mirror of voluntary poverty1 meek  as   
lambs1 distributing the possessions of  
,holy ,church to the poor3 and  they    
appear in such luxury and state and pomp
 and worldly vanity1 more  than if they 
had turned them to the world a thousand 
times6 ,nay1 many  seculars put them to 
shame who live a good and holy life4    
,but it seems  that ,highest and        
,eternal ,goodness is having that done  
by force which is  not done by love2 it 
seems that ,he is permitting dignities  
and luxuries to  be taken away from ,his
 ,bride1 as if ,he would show that ,holy
 ,church should  return to her first    
condition1 poor1 humble1 and meek as she
 was in that  holy time when men took   
note of nothing but the honour of ,god  
and the  salvation of souls1 caring for 
spiritual things and not for temporal4  
,for  ever since she has aimed more at  
temporal than at spiritual1 things have 
gone from bad to worse4 ,see therefore  

that ,god1 in judgment1 has allowed     
much persecution and tribulation to     
befall her4 ,but comfort you1 father1   
and fear not for anything that could    
happen1 which ,god does to make her     
state perfect once more1 in order that  
lambs may feed in that garden1 and  not 
wolves who devour the honour that should
 belong to ,god1 which they  steal and  
give to themselves4 ,comfort you in     
,christ sweet ,jesus2 for ,i  hope that 
,his aid will be near you1 plenitude of 
divine grace1 aid and  support divine in
 the way that ,i said before4 ,out of   
war you will attain  greatest peace2 out
 of persecution1 greatest unity2 not by 
human power1  but by holy virtue1 you   
will discomfit those visible demons1    
wicked men1  and those invisible demons 
who never sleep around us4    ,but      
reflect1 sweet father1 that you could   
not do this easily unless you           
accomplished the other two things which 
precede the completion of the  other3   
that is1 your return to ,rome and       

uplifting of the standard of the  most  
holy ,cross4 ,let not your holy desire  
fail on account of any scandal  or      
rebellion of cities which you might see 
or hear2 nay1 let the flame of  holy    
desire be more kindled to wish to do    
swiftly4 ,do not delay1 then1  your     
coming4 ,do not believe the devil1 who  
perceives his own loss1 and so  exerts  
himself to rob you of your possessions  
in order that you may lose  your love   
and charity and our coming be hindered4 
,i tell you1 father in  ,christ ,jesus1 
come swiftly like a gentle lamb4        
,respond to the ,holy ,spirit  who calls
 you4 ,i tell you1 ,come1 come1 come1   
and do not wait for time1  since time   
does not wait for you4 ,then you will do
 like the ,lamb ,slain  whose place you 
hold1 who without weapons in ,his hand  
slew our foes1  coming in gentleness1   
using only the weapons of the strength  
of love1  aiming only at care of        
spiritual things1 and restoring grace to
 man who  had lost it through sin4      

,alas1 sweet my father1 with this sweet 
hand ,i pray you1 and tell you to  come 
to discomfit our enemies4 ,on behalf of 
,christ crucified ,i tell it  you3      
refuse to believe the counsels of the   
devil1 who would hinder your  holy and  
good resolution4 ,be manly in my sight1 
and not timorous4 ,answer  ,god1 who    
calls you to hold and possess the seat  
of the glorious ,shepherd  ,st4 ,peter1 
whose vicar you have been4 ,and raise   
the standard of the holy  ,cross2 for as
 we were freed by the ,cross--so ,paul  
says--thus raising this  standard1 which
 seems to me the refreshment of         
,christians1 we shall be  freed--we from
 our wars and divisions and many sins1  
the infidel people  from their          
infidelity4 ,in this way you will come  
and attain the  reformation1 giving good
 priests to ,holy ,church4 ,fill her    
heart with the  ardent love that she has
 lost2 for she has been so drained of   
blood by the  iniquitous men who have   
devoured her that she is wholly wan4    

,but comfort  you1 and come1 father1 and
 no longer make to wait the servants of 
,god1 who  afflict themselves in desire4
 ,and ,i1 poor1 miserable woman1 can    
wait no  more2 living1 ,i seem to die in
 my pain1 seeing ,god thus reviled4 ,do 
not1  then1 hold off from peace because 
of the circumstance which has occurred  
at ,bologna1 but come2 for ,i tell you  
that the fierce wolves will put their   
heads in your bosom like gentle lambs1  
and will ask mercy from you1  father4 ,i
 say no more4 ,i beg you1 father1 to    
hear and hark that which ,fra  ,raimondo
 will say to you1 and the other sons    
with him1 who come in the  ,name of     
,christ crucified and of me2 for they   
are true servants of ,god and  sons of  
,holy ,church4 ,pardon1 father1 my      
ignorance1 and may the love and  grief  
which make me speak excuse me to your   
benignity4 ,give me your  benediction4  
,remain in the holy and sweet grace of  
,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus  ,love4     
,,to ,,brother ,,raimondo ,,of ,,capua  

,,at ,,avignon      ,the last letter    
tells us that ,catherine had sent to the
 ,pope her beloved  ,confessor1 who was 
later to become her biographer--,fra    
,raimondo of ,capua4  ,it is evident    
that the simple ,italian priest and his 
companions have  become somewhat daunted
 by the conditions they have encountered
 at  ,avignon2 and1 indeed1 the subtlest
 temptations and most perplexing        
problems that ,europe could furnish were
 doubtless focussed at the ,papal       
,court4 ,just what the difficulties were
 which ,raimondo had confided to        
,catherine and which called forth this  
spirited answer1 we do not know1 but  we
 can easily imagine their nature4 ,a    
holy man of considerable learning1  ,fra
 ,raimondo was also of mild disposition1
 much inclined to sigh over  dangers and
 blench before exposure4 ,catherine1 on 
more than one occasion1  showed herself 
the better man of the two4 ,there was a 
militant strain in  her bright nature2  
she was really the ,happy ,warrior--    

,whose powers shed round him in the     
common strife    ,or mild concerns of   
ordinary life    ,a constant influence1 
a peculiar grace2    ,but who if he be  
called upon to face    ,some awful      
moment to which ,heaven has joined      
,great issues1 good or bad for human    
kind1    ,is happy as a ,lover2 and     
attired    ,with sudden brightness1 like
 a man inspired2    ,and1 through the   
heat of conflict1 keeps the law    ,in  
calmness made1 and sees what he foresaw4
    ,so1 in this letter1 we find the    
daughter encouraging the father1 with   
reflections much in the temper of       
,browning3            ,was the trial    
sore1    ,temptation sharp8 ,thank ,god 
a second time6    ,why come temptations 
but for man to meet1    ,and master1 and
 make crouch beneath his feet1    ,and  
so be pedestalled in triumph6      ,in  
the ,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified   
and of sweet ,mary3    ,reverend father 
in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 
servant and slave of  the servants of   

,jesus ,christ1 write to you in ,his    
precious ,blood3 with  desire to see you
 and the other sons clothed in the      
wedding garment that  covers all our    
nakedness4 ,that is a protection which  
does not let the  blows of our adversary
 the devil pierce our flesh with mortal 
wound1 but  makes us rather strengthened
 than weakened by every blow of         
temptation or  molesting of devils or   
fellow-creatures or our own flesh1      
rebellious to  the spirit4 ,i say that  
these blows not only do not hurt us1 but
 they shall  be precious stones and     
pearls placed on this garment of most   
burning  charity4    ,now suppose there 
should be a soul that did not have to   
endure many  labours and temptations1   
from whatever direction and in whatever 
wise ,god  may grant them4 ,no virtue   
would be tested in it2 for virtue is    
tested by  its opposite4 ,how is purity 
tested and won8 ,through the            
contrary--that is1  through the         
vexations of uncleanliness4 ,for were a 

man unclean already1  there would be no 
need for him to be molested by unclean  
reflections1 but  because it is evident 
that his will is free from all depraved 
consenting1  and purified from every    
spot by his holy and true desire to     
serve his  ,creator1 therefore the      
devil1 the world1 and the flesh molest  
him4 ,yes1  everything is driven out by 
its opposite4 ,see how humility is won  
through  pride4 ,when a man sees himself
 molested by that vice of pride1 at once
 he  humbles himself1 recognizing       
himself to be faulty--proud3 while had  
he not  been so molested he would not   
have known himself so well4 ,when he has
  humbled and seen himself1 he conceives
 hatred in such wise that he joys  and  
exults in every pain and injury that he 
bears4 ,such a one is like a  manful    
knight1 who does not avoid blows4 ,nay1 
he holds him unworthy of so  great      
grace1 as it seems to him to be1 to bear
 pain1 temptations and  vexations for   
,christ crucified4 ,all is through the  

hate he has for  himself1 and the love  
he has conceived for virtue4    ,so you 
see that we are not to flee nor to      
grieve in the time of darkness1  since  
from the darkness light is born4 ,o     
,god1 sweet ,love1 what sweet  doctrine 
,thou givest1 that through the contrary 
of virtue1 virtue is won6  ,out of      
impatience is won patience2 for the soul
 that feels the vice of  impatience     
becomes patient over the injury         
received1 and is impatient  toward the  
vice of impatience1 and is more hurt    
because it is hurt than  over anything  
else4 ,and so out of the very contrary  
its perfection comes  to be won4 ,it is 
not aware of this2 it finds itself      
become perfect in many  storms and      
temptations4 ,in no other wise does one 
ever arrive at the  harbour of          
perfection4    ,yea1 meditate on this3  
that the soul can never receive nor     
desire virtue1  unless it has cravings1 
vexations and temptations to endure with
 true and  holy patience for the love of

 ,christ crucified4 ,we ought1 then1 to 
joy and  exult in the time of conflicts1
 vexations and shadows1 since from them 
proceeds such virtue and delight4 ,oh   
me1 my son given me by ,mary that  sweet
 mother1 ,i do not want you to fall into
 weariness or confusion  through any    
vexations that you might feel in your   
mind2 but ,i want you to  keep that good
 and holy and true faithful will which  
,i know that ,god in  ,his mercy has    
given you4 ,i know that you would rather
 die than offend ,him  mortally4 ,yes1  
,i want that out of the shadows should  
issue knowledge of  yourself1 free from 
confusion2 out of your goodwill should  
issue knowledge  of the infinite        
goodness and unspeakable charity of     
,god2 and in this  knowledge may our    
soul abide and fatten4 ,reflect that    
through love ,he  keeps your will good1 
and does not let it run by its own      
consent or  pleasure after the          
suggestions of the devil4 ,and so1      
through love1 ,he has  permitted to you 

and me and ,his other servants1 the many
 vexations and  deceits of the devil and
 fellow-creatures and our own flesh1    
solely in  order that we might rise from
 negligence1 and reach perfect zeal1    
true  humility and most ardent charity3 
humility which comes from knowledge of  
self1 and charity which comes from      
knowledge of the goodness of ,god4      
,there  is the soul inspired and        
consumed by love4    ,joy1 father1 and  
exult2 and comfort you1 without any     
servile fear1 and  fear not1 for any    
thing that you should see happen4 ,but  
comfort you3 for  perfection is near    
you4 ,and answer the devil saying3 ,that
 power against  you did not work through
 me1 since it was not in me2 it works   
through  grace of the infinite pity and 
mercy of ,god4 ,yes1 through ,christ    
crucified you shall be able to do all   
things4 ,carry on all your works with   
living faith2 and do not wonder should  
you see some contrary circumstance      
present itself which seemed to oppose   

your work4 ,comfort you1 comfort you1   
because the ,sweet ,primal ,truth has   
promised to fulfil your and my desire   
for you4 ,slay yourself through your    
burning desire1 with the ,lamb that was 
slain2 rest you upon the ,cross with    
,christ crucified4 ,rejoice in ,christ  
crucified2 rejoice in pains2 steep      
yourself in shames for ,christ          
crucified2 graft your heart and your    
affection into the tree of the most     
holy ,cross with ,christ crucified1 and 
make in ,his wounds your habitation4    
,and pardon me1 cause and instrument    
that ,i am of your every pain and       
imperfection2 for were ,i an instrument 
of virtue1 you and others would  breathe
 the fragrance of virtue4 ,and ,i do not
 say these words because ,i  want you to
 suffer1 for your suffering would be    
mine2 but that you may  have compassion1
 you and the other sons1 upon my        
miseries4 ,i hope and  firmly hold1     
through the grace of the ,holy ,spirit1 
that ,he will put limit  and end to all 

those things that are apart from the    
will of ,god4    ,reflect that ,i1 poor 
miserable woman1 abide in the body1 and 
find me  through desire continually away
 from the body4 ,oh me1 sweet and good  
,jesus6 ,i die and cannot die1 my heart 
breaks and cannot break1 from the       
desire that ,i have of the renewal of   
,holy ,church1 for the honour of ,god   
and the salvation of every creature2 and
 to see you and the others arrayed  in  
purity1 burned and consumed in ,his most
 ardent charity6    ,tell ,christ on    
earth not to make me wait longer2 and   
when ,i shall see him1  ,i shall sing   
with ,simeon1 that sweet old man3 ,nunc 
dimittis servum tuum1  ,domine1 secundum
 verbum tuum1 in pace4 ,i say no more2  
for did ,i follow my  wish1 ,i should   
begin again at once4 ,make me see and   
feel you bound and  fastened into       
,christ sweet ,jesus1 in such wise that 
nor demon nor creature  can ever        
separate you from so sweet a bond4      
,love1 love1 love one another4  ,remain 

in the holy and sweet grace of ,god4    
,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4            
,,to ,,catarina ,,of ,,the ,,hospital   
,,and ,,giovanna ,,di ,,capo      ,from 
the comparative quiet of her home       
,catherine looks off to far  horizons1  
surveying the religious and political   
world4 ,she can encourage  ,fra         
,raimondo1 yet the sword has pierced her
 heart4 ,this letter is full of         
sickening recognition of evils that hold
 grave prevision of worse  disaster4    
,even now we see clearly formed in      
,catherine's mind that strange  sense of
 responsibility for the sins of her     
time1 so illogical to the  natural1 so  
inevitable to the spiritual vision4 ,i  
believe that ,i am the  wretched woman  
who is the cause of so great evils6     
,thus she cries1 not in  rhetorical     
figure of speech1 but in deep           
conviction4 ,it is a conviction         
destined to grow more intense till it   
leads direct to her spiritual           
martyrdom4    ,out of her pain she turns

 to the simple women1 her daughters and 
companions in faith1 calling on them to 
join her in the life of  intercession   
and expiation4 ,then her thought fastens
 on one little lamb of  the flock--one  
who had strayed and been rescued1 and   
was in danger of  straying again2 and in
 care for this one soul needing shelter 
and strength  she finds comfort4        
,catherine's sense of proportion is that
 of the  spiritual man so finely        
presented by ,browning in the person of 
,lazarus4  ,let ,andrea be saved1 and   
the corruption of the ,church will seem 
less  painful6 ,she can say as her last 
word1 ,sweet daughters1 now is the time 
for toils1 which must be our            
consolations in ,christ crucified4      
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3           
,dearest daughters in ,christ sweet     
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of  the servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to you in ,his precious ,blood1   
with  desire to see you established in  

true patience and deep humility1 so that
  you may follow the sweet and ,spotless
 ,lamb1 for you could not follow ,him   
in other wise4 ,now is the time1 my     
daughters1 to show if we have virtue1   
and if you are daughters or not4 ,it    
behoves you to bear with patience the   
persecutions and detractions1 slanders  
and criticisms of your fellow-          
creatures1 with true humility1 and not  
with annoyance or impatience2 nor  must 
you lift up your head in pride against  
any person whatever4 ,know well  that   
this is the teaching which has been     
given us1 that it behoves us to  receive
 on the ,cross the food of the honour of
 ,god and the salvation of  souls1 with 
holy and true patience4 ,ah me1 sweetest
 daughters1 ,i summon  you on behalf of 
the ,sweet ,primal ,truth to awaken from
 the sleep of  negligence and selfish   
love of yourselves1 and to offer humble 
and  continual prayers1 with many       
vigils1 and with knowledge of           
yourselves1  because the world is       

perishing through the crowding multitude
 of  iniquities1 and the irreverence    
shown to the sweet ,bride of ,christ4   
,well1  then1 let us give honour to     
,god1 and our toils to our neighbour4   
,ah1 me1  do not be willing1 you or the 
other servants of ,god1 that our life   
should  end otherwise than in mourning  
and in sighs1 for by no other means can 
be  appeased the wrath of ,god1 which is
 evidently falling upon us4    ,ah1 me1 
misfortunate6 ,my daughters1 ,i believe 
that ,i am the wretched woman  who is   
the cause of so many evils1 on account  
of the great ingratitude and  other     
faults which ,i have committed toward my
 ,creator4 ,ah1 me6 ah1 me6 ,who  is    
,god1 who is wronged by ,his creatures8 
,he is ,highest and eternal  ,goodness1 
who in ,his love created man in ,his    
image and likeness1 and re-  created him
 by grace1 after his sin1 in the ,blood 
of the immaculate and  enamoured ,lamb1 
,his ,only-,begotten ,son4 ,and who is  
mercenary and ignorant  man1 who wrongs 

his ,creator8 ,we are those who are not 
ourselves by  ourselves1 save in so far 
as we are made by ,god1 but by ourselves
 we are  full of every wretchedness4 ,it
 seems as if people sought nothing      
except in  what way they could wrong    
,god and their fellow-creatures1 in     
contempt of  the ,creator4 ,we see with 
our wretched eyes that ,blood which has 
given us  life persecuted in the holy   
,church of ,god4 ,then let our hearts   
break in  torment and grieving desire2  
let life stay in our body no more1 but  
let us  rather die than behold ,god so  
reviled4 ,i die in life1 and demand     
death  from my ,creator and cannot have 
it4 ,better were it for me to die than  
to  live1 instead of beholding such     
disaster as has befallen and is to      
befall  the ,christian people4    ,let  
us draw the weapons of holy prayer1 for 
other help ,i see not4 ,that  time of   
persecution has come upon the servants  
of ,god when they must hide  in the     
caves of knowledge of themselves and of 

,god1 craving ,his mercy  through the   
merits of the ,blood of ,his ,son4 ,i   
will say no more1 for if ,i  did        
according to my choice1 my daughters1 ,i
 should never rest until ,god  removed  
me from this life4    ,to thee now ,i   
say1 ,andrea1 that he who begins only   
never receives the  crown of glory1 but 
he who perseveres till death4 ,o        
daughter mine1 thou  hast begun to put  
thy hand to the plough of virtue1       
leaving the parbreak  of mortal sin2 it 
behoves thee1 then1 to persevere1 to    
receive the reward  of thy labour1 which
 thy soul endures1 choosing to bridle   
its youth1 that  it may not run to be a 
member of the devil4 ,ah me1 my         
daughter6 ,and hast  thou not reflection
 that thou wast once a member of the    
devil1 sleeping in  the filth of        
impurity1 and that ,god by ,his mercy   
drew thee from that great  misery in    
which thou wast1 thy soul and thy body8 
,it does not befit thee1  then1 to be   
ungrateful nor forgetful1 for evil would

 befall thee1 and the  devil would come 
back with seven companions stronger than
 at first4 ,then  thou shalt show the   
grace thou hast received by being       
grateful and  mindful1 when thou shalt  
be strong in battles with the devil1 the
 world1  and thy flesh1 which vexes     
thee2 thou must be persevering in       
virtue4  ,cling1 my daughter1 if thou   
wilt escape such vexations1 to the ,tree
 of the  most holy ,cross1 in bodily    
abstinence1 in vigil and in prayer1     
bathing  thee by holy desire in the     
blood of ,christ crucified4 ,so thou    
shalt attain  the life of grace1 and do 
the will of ,god1 and fulfil my desire1 
which  longs to have thee a true servant
 of ,christ crucified4 ,i beg thee      
therefore not to be a child any longer1 
and to choose for ,bridegroom  ,christ  
crucified1 who has bought thee with ,his
 ,blood4 ,if thou yet wishest  the life 
of the world1 it befits thee to wait    
long enough so that the way  can be     
found of giving it to thee in a way that

 shall be for the honour of  ,god and   
for thy good4 ,be subject and obedient  
till death1 and do not  contradict the  
will of ,catarina and ,giovanna1 who ,i 
know will never  counsel thee or tell   
thee anything that is not for the honour
 of ,god and  the salvation of thy soul 
and body4 ,if thou dost not behave so1  
thou wilt  displease me very much1 and  
do thyself little good4 ,i hope in the  
goodness  of ,god that thou wilt so act 
that ,he will be honoured1 and thou     
shalt have  thy reward and give me great
 consolation4    ,i tell thee1 ,catarina
 and ,giovanna1 to work till death for  
the honour of  ,god and her salvation4  
,sweet daughters1 now is the time for   
toils1 which  must be our consolations  
in ,christ crucified4 ,i say no more4   
,remain in the  holy and sweet grace of 
,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      
,,to ,,sister ,,daniella ,,of ,,orvieto 
,,clothed ,,with ,,the ,,habit ,,of     
,,saint ,,dominic ,,who ,,not ,,being   
,,able ,,to ,,carry ,,out  ,,her ,,great

 ,,penances ,,had ,,fallen ,,into ,,deep
 ,,affliction      ,catherine's beloved 
sister ,daniella is in trouble4 ,as     
happened to many  others leading the    
dedicated life in the middle ages1 she  
has carried her  scorn of the body past 
all bounds of reason1 has fallen ill and
 been  obliged to care for her poor     
physical nature4 ,catherine1 who is     
perpetually trying to raise ,fra        
,raimondo and others in her spiritual   
family to more heroic heights1          
recognizes the different needs of this  
over-eager soul4 ,she writes her friend1
 therefore1 a long and tender  letter1  
one of the most elaborate among her many
 analyses of the means  that lead to    
perfection1 urging upon her discretion  
and a sense of  proportion in spiritual 
things4 ,it is noteworthy that          
,catherine's  exhortations to           
impassioned sacrifice are almost always 
delivered in  connection with the claims
 of active service1 to the ,church or   
fellow-men4  ,when writing to           

contemplatives absorbed in the ecstasies
 and trials of  the interior life1 her  
habitual warnings are against excess1   
her constant  plea1 as here1 for a      
perception of relative values4 ,she     
ranks1 herself1  alike as a great       
contemplative and as a great woman of   
action3 both  phases of experience      
relate to something deeper4 ,her soul   
was athirst for  the ,infinite1 and well
 she knew that neither in deeds nor in  
ascetic  ecstasy1 but only in holy      
desire1 in the life of ceaseless        
aspiration  which prays for ever in the 
presence of ,god1 can our mortality     
attain to  untrammelled union with      
,infinite ,being4      ,in the ,name of 
,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet   
,mary3    ,dearest daughter and sister  
in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 
servant  and slave of the servants of   
,jesus ,christ1 write to thee in ,his   
precious  ,blood1 with desire to see in 
thee the holy virtue of discretion1     
which it  is necessary for us to have if

 we wish to be saved4 ,why is it so     
necessary8 ,because it proceeds from the
 knowledge of ourselves and of ,god2  in
 this house its roots are planted4 ,it  
is really an offspring of charity1      
which1 properly speaking1 is            
discretion--an illumined knowledge which
 the  soul has1 as ,i said1 of ,god and 
itself4 ,the chief thing it does is     
this3  having seen1 in a reasonable     
light1 what it ought to render and to   
whom1  it renders this with perfect     
discretion at once4 ,so it renders glory
 to  ,god and praise to ,his ,name2 the 
soul achieves all its works by this     
light  and to this end4 ,it renders to  
,god ,his due of honour--not like an    
indiscreet robber1 who wants to give    
honour to himself1 and1 seeking his  own
 honour and pleasure1 does not mind     
insulting ,god and harming his          
neighbour4 ,when the roots of           
inclination in the soul are rotted by   
indiscretion1 all its works1 relating to
 others or to itself1 are rotten4  ,all 

relating to others1 ,i say3 for it      
imposes burdens indiscreetly1 and  lays 
down the law to other people1 seculars  
or spiritual1 or of whatever  rank they 
may be4 ,if such a person admonishes or 
advises1 he does it  indiscreetly1 and  
wants to load everyone else with the    
burden which he  carries himself4 ,the  
discreet soul1 that sees its own need   
and that of  others reasonably1 does    
just the opposite4 ,when it has rendered
 to ,god ,his  due of honour1 it gives  
its own due to itself--that is1 hatred  
of sin and  of its own fleshliness4     
,what is the reason8 ,the love of       
virtue1 which it  loves in itself4 ,it  
renders its due to the neighbour with   
the same light  as to itself1 and       
therefore ,i said1 in relation to itself
 and to others4  ,so it gives goodwill  
to its neighbour1 as it is bound to do1 
loving virtue  in him and hating sin4   
,it loves him as a being created by the 
,highest  ,eternal ,father4 ,and it     
gives him loving charity more or less   

perfectly1  according as it has this in 
itself4 ,yes1 this is the principal     
result  which the virtue of discretion  
achieves in the soul3 it has seen       
clearly  what due it ought to render1   
and to whom4    ,these are three chief  
branches of that glorious discretion    
which springs  from the tree of charity4
 ,from this tree spring infinite fruits1
 all  mellow and very sweet1 which      
nourish the soul in the life of grace1  
when  it plucks them with the hand of   
free will1 and eats them with holy eager
  desire4 ,whatever condition a person  
may be in1 he tastes these fruits1 if   
he has the light of discretion1 in      
diverse ways1 according to his state4   
,he who is placed in the world1 and has 
this light1 gathers the fruit of        
obedience to the commands of ,god1 and  
distaste for the world1 of which he     
divests himself in mind1 although he may
 be clothed with it in fact4 ,if he  has
 children1 he plucks the fruit of the   
fear of ,god1 and nourishes them  with  

this holy fear4 ,if he is a nobleman1 he
 plucks the fruit of justice1           
discreetly wishing to render to everyone
 his due--so he punishes the  unjust man
 rigorously1 and rewards the just1      
tasting the fruit of reason1  and for no
 flatteries or servile fear deserts this
 way4 ,if he is a  subject1 he gathers  
the fruit of obedience and reverence    
toward his lord1  avoiding any cause or 
means by which he might offend him4 ,had
 he not seen  these things by the light1
 he would not have avoided them4 ,if men
 are  monks or prelates1 they get from  
the tree the sweet and pleasing fruit of
  observing their ,rule1 enduring one   
another's faults1 embracing shames and  
annoyances1 placing on their shoulders  
the yoke of obedience4 ,the prelate     
takes desire for the honour of ,god and 
the salvation of souls1 seeking to  win 
them by doctrine and exemplary life4 ,in
 what different ways and by  what       
different people these fruits are       
gathered6 ,it would take too long to    

tell them the tongue could not express  
it4    ,but let us see1 dearest daughter
 7now we will speak in particular1 and  
so  we shall be speaking in general     
too71 what rule that virtue of          
discretion  imposes on the soul4 ,that  
rule seems to me to apply both to the   
soul and  body of people who wish to    
live spiritually1 in deed and thought4  
,to be  sure1 it regulates every person 
in his rank and place3 but let us now   
talk  to ourselves4 ,the first rule it  
gives to the soul is that we have       
mentioned--to render honour to ,god1    
goodwill to one's neighbour1 and to     
oneself1 hatred of sin and of one's own 
fleshliness4 ,it regulates this  charity
 toward the neighbour2 for it is not    
willing to sacrifice the soul  to him1  
since1 in order to do him good or       
pleasure1 it is not willing to  offend  
,god2 but it flees from guilt           
discreetly1 yet holds its body ready    
for every pain and torment1 even to     
death1 to rescue a soul1 and as many    

souls as it can1 from the hands of the  
devil4 ,also1 it is ready to give up    
all its temporal possessions to help and
 rescue the body of its neighbour4      
,charity does this1 when enlightened    
with discretion2 for discretion should  
regulate one's charity to one's         
neighbour4 ,the indiscreet man does just
  the contrary1 who does not mind       
offending ,god1 or sacrificing his soul1
 to  serve or please his                
neighbour--sometimes by keeping him     
company in wicked  places1 sometimes by 
bearing false witness1 or in many other 
ways1 as  happens every day4 ,this is   
the rule of indiscretion1 which proceeds
 from  pride and perverse self-love and 
the blindness of not having known       
oneself  or ,god4    ,and when measure  
and rule have been found in regard to   
charity to the  neighbour1 discretion   
regulates also the matter which keeps   
the soul in  that charity1 and makes it 
grow--that is1 in faithful1 humble1 and 
continual prayer2 robing the soul in the

 cloak of desire for virtue1 that  it   
may not be injured by lukewarmness1     
negligence1 or self-love1 spiritual  or 
temporal3 therefore it inspires the soul
 with this desire for virtue1  that its 
desire may not be placed on anything by 
which it might be  deceived4    ,also1  
it rules and orders the creature        
physically1 in this way3 the soul  which
 is prepared to wish for ,god makes its 
beginning as we have said2 but  because 
it has the vessel of its body1          
enlightened discretion must impose  a   
rule on this1 as it has done upon the   
soul1 since the body ought to be a      
means for the increase of virtue4 ,the  
rule withdraws it from the  indulgences 
and luxuries of the world1 and the      
conversation of worldlings2  gives it   
conversation with the servants of ,god2 
takes it from dissolute  places1 and    
keeps it in places that stimulate       
devotion4 ,it imposes  restraint on all 
the members of the body1 that they be   
modest and  temperate3 let the eye not  

look where it should not1 but hold      
before  itself earth1 and heaven2 let   
the tongue flee idle and vain speech1   
and be  disciplined to proclaim the word
 of ,god for the salvation of the       
neighbour1 and to confess its sins3 let 
the ear flee agreeable1  flattering1    
dissolute words1 and any words of       
detraction that might be  said to it2   
and let it hearken for the word of ,god1
 and the need of the  neighbour1        
willingly listening to his necessity4   
,so let the hand be swift  in touching  
and working1 and the feet in going3 to  
all1 discretion gives a  rule4 ,and that
 the perverse law of the flesh that     
fights against the  spirit may not throw
 these tools into disorder1 it imposes a
 rule upon the  body1 mortifying it with
 vigil1 fast1 and the other exercises   
which are  all meant to bridle our body4
    ,but note1 that all this is done1   
not indiscreetly1 but with enlightened  
discretion4 ,how is this shown8 ,in     
this3 that the soul does not place its  

chief desire in any act of penance4     
,that it may not fall into such a fault 
as to take penance for its chief desire1
 enlightened discretion takes  pains to 
robe the soul in the desire for virtue4 
,penance to be sure must  be used as a  
tool1 in due times and places1 as need  
may be4 ,if the flesh1  being too       
strong1 kicks against the spirit1       
penance takes the rod of  discipline1   
and fast1 and the cilice of many buds1  
and mighty vigils2 and  places burdens  
enough on the flesh1 that it may be more
 subdued4 ,but if  the body is weak1    
fallen into illness1 the rule of        
discretion does not  approve of such a  
method4 ,nay1 not only should fasting be
 abandoned1 but  flesh be eaten2 if once
 a day is not enough1 then four times4  
,if one  cannot stand up1 let him stay  
on his bed2 if he cannot kneel1 let him 
sit  or lie down1 as he needs4 ,this    
discretion demands4 ,therefore it       
insists  that penance be treated as a   
means and not as a chief desire4        

,dost thou know why it must not be      
chief8 ,that the soul may not serve ,god
  with a thing that can be taken from it
 and that is finite3 but with holy      
desire1 which is infinite1 through its  
union with the infinite desire of  ,god2
 and with the virtues which neither     
devil nor fellow-creature nor  weakness 
can take from us1 unless we choose4     
,herein must we make our  foundation1   
and not in penance4 ,nay1 in weakness   
the virtue of patience  may be tested2  
in vexing conflicts with devils1        
fortitude and long  perseverance2 and in
 adversities suffered from our          
fellow-beings1  humility1 patience1 and 
charity4 ,so as to all other            
virtues--,god lets them  be tested by   
many contraries1 but never taken from   
us1 unless we choose4  ,herein must we  
make our foundation1 and not in penance4
 ,the soul cannot  have two foundations3
 either the one or the other must be    
overthrown4 ,let  the thing which is not
 the chief1 be used as a means4 ,if ,i  

find my chief  principle in bodily      
penance1 ,i build the city of my soul   
upon the sand1 so  that each little     
breeze throws it to the earth1 and no   
building can be  erected on it4 ,but if 
,i build upon the virtues1 founded upon 
the ,living  ,stone1 ,christ sweet      
,jesus1 there is no building so great   
that it will not  stand firmly1 nor wind
 so contrary that it can ever blow it   
down4    ,from these and many other     
difficulties that arise1 it has not been
 meant  that penance should be used     
otherwise than as a means4 ,i have      
already seen  many penitents who have   
been neither patient nor obedient1      
because they  have studied to kill their
 bodies1 but not their wills4 ,the rule 
of  indiscretion has wrought this4 ,dost
 thou know the result8 ,all their       
consolations and desires centre in      
carrying out their penance to suit      
themselves1 and not to suit anyone else4
 ,therein they nourish their will4      
,while they can fulfil their penance1   

they have consolation and gladness1  and
 seem to themselves full of ,god1 as if 
they had accomplished  everything2 and  
they do not perceive that they fall into
 a mere personal  estimate1 and into a  
judicial attitude4 ,for if all people do
 not walk in  the same way1 they seem to
 them in a state of damnation1 an       
imperfect  state4 ,they indiscreetly    
want to measure all bodies by one same  
measure1  by that with which they       
measure themselves4 ,and if one wants to
 withdraw  them from this1 either to    
break their will or from some necessity 
of  theirs1 they hold their will harder 
than a diamond2 living in such wise1    
that at the time of test by a temptation
 or injury1 they find themselves1  from 
indulgence in this wrong will1 weaker   
than straw4    ,indiscretion taught them
 that penance bridled wrath1 impatience1
 and the  other sinful impulses that    
come into the heart2 it is not so4 ,this
  glorious light teaches thee that thou 
shalt kill sin in thy soul1 and draw    

out its roots1 with hatred and          
displeasure against thyself1 loading thy
  fault with rebuke1 with the           
consideration of who ,god is whom thou  
wrongest1 and who thou art who wrongest 
,him1 with the memory of death and  the 
longing for virtue4 ,penance cuts off1  
yet thou wilt always find the  root in  
thee1 ready to sprout again2 but virtue 
pulls up4 ,earth in which  sins have    
been planted is always ready to receive 
them again if self-will  puts them there
 with free choice2 not otherwise1 when  
once the root is  pulled up4    ,it may 
happen that a sick body is obliged      
perforce to give up its habits  of life2
 then it falls at once into weariness   
and confusion of mind1  deprived of all 
gladness3 it thinks itself condemned and
 confounded1 and  finds no sweetness in 
prayer1 such as it seemed to have in the
 time of its  penance4 ,and whither is  
this sweetness gone8 ,lost1 with the    
personal will  on which it was built6   
,this cannot be gratified1 and so the   

soul suffers4  ,and why art thou fallen 
into such confusion and almost despair8 
,and where  is the hope which thou hadst
 in the ,kingdom of ,god8 ,all lost1 by 
means of  that very penance through     
which the soul hoped to have eternal    
life6  ,capable of this no more1 it     
thinks itself deprived of the other4    
,these are the fruits of indiscretion4  
,had the soul the light of  discretion1 
it would see that nothing but being     
without virtues deprived  it of ,god2   
and it has eternal life through virtue1 
by the ,blood of ,christ4  ,then let us 
rise above all imperfection1 and set our
 heart1 as ,i said1 on  true virtues1   
which are of such joy and gladsomeness  
as tongue could not  tell4 ,there is    
none who can give pain to the soul      
founded on virtue1 or  take from it the 
hope of heaven2 for it has put its      
self-will to death in  spiritual things 
as in temporal1 and its affections are  
not set on  penance1 or private         
consolations or revelations1 but on     

endurance through  ,christ crucified and
 the love of virtue4 ,so it is patient1 
faithful1 hopes  in ,god and not in     
itself or its works3 is humble and      
obedient1 believing  others rather than 
itself1 because it does not presume4 ,it
 stretches wide  the arms of mercy1 and 
thereby drives forth confusion of mind4 
,in shadows  and conflicts it uplifts   
the light of faith1 labouring manfully1 
with true  and profound humility2 and in
 gladness it enters into itself1 that   
the  heart may not fall into vain glee4 
,it is strong and persevering1 because  
it has put to death its own will1 which 
made it weak and inconstant4 ,all  times
 are the right time for it2 all places  
the right place4 ,if it is in a  season 
of penance1 this is a time of gladness  
and consolation to it1 using  penance as
 a means2 and if1 by necessity or       
obedience1 penance has to be  abandoned1
 it rejoices2 because its chief         
foundation1 in the love of  virtue1     
cannot be and is not taken from it2 and 

because it sees the  contradiction of   
its own will1 which it has been         
enlightened to perceive  must always be 
resisted with great diligence and zeal4 
,it finds prayer in every place1 for it 
bears ever with it the place  wherein   
,god lives by grace1 and where we ought 
to pray--that is1 the house  of our soul
 wherein holy desire prays constantly4  
,this desire is uplifted  by the light  
of the mind to be reflected in itself   
and in the immeasurable  flame of divine
 love1 which it finds in the ,blood shed
 for us1 which by  largess of love it   
finds in the vase of the soul4 ,this it 
cares and should  care to know1 that it 
may drink deep of the ,blood1 and       
therein consume its  self-will--and not 
simply to accomplish the count of many  
paternosters4 ,so  we shall make our    
prayer continuous and faithful2 because 
in the fire of  ,his love we know that  
,he is powerful to give us what we ask4 
,he is ,highest  ,wisdom1 who knows how 
to give and discern what we need2 ,he is

 a most  piteous and gracious ,father1  
who wishes to give us more than we      
desire1  and more than we know how to   
ask for our need4 ,the soul is humble1  
for it  has recognized its own defects  
and that in itself it is not4 ,this is  
the  kind of prayer through which we    
attain virtue1 and preserve in our souls
  the longing for it4    ,what is the   
beginning of so great good8 ,discretion1
 the daughter of  charity1 as ,i said4  
,and it presents straightway to its     
neighbour the good  which it has itself4
 ,so it seeks to present to its         
fellow-creature the  foundation it has  
found1 and the love and the teaching it 
has received1  and shows these by       
example of life and doctrine1 advising  
when it sees  need or when advice were  
asked of it4 ,it comforts the soul of   
its  neighbour1 and does not confound   
him by leading him into despair when he 
has fallen into some fault2 but tenderly
 it makes itself ill with that  soul1   
giving him what healing it can1 and     

enlarging in him hope in the  ,blood of 
,christ crucified4    ,the virtue of    
discretion gives this and infinitely    
many other fruits to  the neighbour4    
,then1 since it is so useful and        
necessary1 dearest and most  beloved    
daughter and sister mine in ,christ     
sweet ,jesus1 ,i summon thee and  me to 
do what in past time ,i confess not to  
have done with that perfection  which ,i
 should4 ,it has not happened to thee as
 to me1 to have been and to  be very    
faulty1 or over-lax and easy-going in my
 life1 instead of strict1  through my   
fault2 but thou1 as one who has wished  
to subdue her youthful  body that it be 
not rebel to the soul1 hast chosen a    
life so extremely  strict that          
apparently it is out of all bounds of   
discretion2 in so much  that it seems to
 me that indiscretion is trying to make 
thee feel some of  its results1 and is  
quickening thy self-will in this4 ,and  
now that thou  art leaving what thou art
 accustomed to do1 the devil apparently 

is trying  to make it seem to thee that 
thou art damned4 ,i am very much        
distressed at  this1 and ,i believe that
 it is a great offence against ,god4    
,therefore ,i  will and ,i beg thee that
 our beginning and foundation be in the 
love of  virtue1 as ,i said4 ,kill thy  
self-will1 and do what thou art made to 
do2  pay attention rather to how things 
look to others than to thyself4 ,thou   
dost feel thy body weak and ill2 take   
every day the food that is needed to    
restore nature4 ,and if thy illness and 
weakness are relieved1 undertake a      
regular life in moderation1 and not     
intemperately4 ,do not consent to let   
the little good of penance hinder the   
greater2 nor array thyself therein  as  
thy chief affection--for thou wouldst   
find thyself deceived3 but wish  that we
 may haste in sincerity upon the beaten 
road of virtue1 and that we  may guide  
others on this same road1 breaking and  
shattering our own wills4  ,if we have  
the virtue of discretion in us1 we shall

 do it2 otherwise1 not4    ,therefore ,i
 said that ,i desired to see in thee the
 holy virtue of  discretion4 ,i say no  
more4 ,remain in the holy and sweet     
grace of ,god4  ,forgive me should ,i   
have talked too presumptuously2 the love
 of thy  salvation1 through the honour  
of ,god1 is my reason4 ,sweet ,jesus1   
,jesus  ,love4          ,,to ,,brother  
,,raimondo ,,of ,,capua  ,,of ,,the     
,,order ,,of ,,the ,,preachers    ,,and 
,,to ,,master ,,john ,,iii4  ,,of ,,the 
,,order ,,of ,,the ,,hermit ,,brothers  
,,of ,,st4 ,,augustine    ,,and ,,to    
,,all ,,their ,,companions  ,,when      
,,they ,,were ,,at ,,avignon            
,catherine's interest in public affairs 
is rising and widening4 ,this letter    
marks an inner crisis4 ,her thoughts and
 deeds have1 as we have seen1 been      
already busied for some time with the   
dissension between the ,pope and his    
rebellious ,tuscan people3 now the hour 
has come when she is to feel  herself   
solemnly dedicated1 by a divine command1

 to the great task of  reconciliation4  
,we overhear her1 as it were1 thinking  
out in her ,master's  presence and with 
,his aid the deepest questions which the
 situation  suggests3 and as we listen  
to that colloquy1 so natural1 so sweetly
  familiar1 so deeply reverent1 we feel 
that no problems1 however sorrowful  and
 perplexing1 could be hopeless there4   
,from communion with her ,lord1 she     
went forth strong and reassured into the
 stormy action of her time4 ,christ     
,himself1 so she tells us1 placed the   
,cross upon her shoulder and the olive  
in her hand1 changed her mourning into a
 high and rapturous hope1 and bade  her 
go1 strong in the faith1 to bear ,his   
message of joy to one and the  other    
people4 ,thus she should be shown in    
art--,cross-bearer like her  ,lord1 and 
holding to the world the sign of        
reconciliation4 ,thus did she  start    
upon the ,via ,dolorosa of the          
peace-maker2 from now on we shall       
follow her in her letters1 as she treads

 that way of sorrows which was  also the
 way of life4    ,the experience here   
described fell on the first of ,april1  
#acgf4 ,early in  ,may1 the             
,florentines1 knowing of her holy fame1 
sent for her to come to  their city and 
give them counsel4 ,for to defy the     
,vicar of ,christ was a  fearsome thing1
 and many hearts were uneasy in the     
rebellious town4      ,in the ,name of  
,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet   
,mary3    ,dearest my sons in ,christ   
,jesus4 ,i your poor mother have longed 
passionately to see your hearts and     
affections nailed to the ,cross1 held   
together by the bond which grafted ,god 
into man and man into ,god4 ,so my  soul
 longs to see your affections grafted   
into the ,incarnate ,word ,christ       
,jesus1 in such wise that nor demons nor
 creatures can divide you4 ,for if  you 
are held and enkindled by sweet ,jesus1 
,i do not fear that all the  devils of  
hell with all their wiles can separate  
you from so sweet love  and union4 ,so  

,i wish1 because there is mighty need1  
that you should never  cease from       
throwing fuel on the fire of holy       
desire--the fuel of the  knowledge of   
yourselves4 ,for that is the fuel which 
feeds the fire of  divine charity3      
charity which is won by knowledge of the
 inestimable love  of ,god1 and then    
unites the soul with its neighbour4 ,and
 the more material  one gives to the    
flame--that is1 the more fuel of        
self-knowledge--the more  the warmth of 
the love of ,christ and one's neighbour 
increases4 ,abide1  then1 hidden in the 
knowledge of yourselves1 and do not live
  superficially1 lest ,devil ,malatasca 
catch you with many illusions and       
reflections against one another3 this he
 would do to take from you your  union  
in divine charity4 ,so ,i will and      
command you that the one be subject  to 
the other1 and each bear the faults of  
the other2 learning from the  ,sweet    
,primal ,truth1 who chose to be the     
least of men1 and humbly bore all  our  

faults and iniquities4 ,so ,i will that 
you do1 dearest sons2 love1  love1 love 
one another4 ,and joy and exult1 for the
 summer-tide draws near4    ,for the    
first of ,april1 especially in the      
night1 ,god opened ,his secrets1        
showing ,his marvellous things in such a
 wise that my soul did not seem to  be  
in the body1 and received such joy and  
plenitude as the tongue does not        
suffice to tell4 ,he explained and made 
clear part by part the mystery of  the  
persecution which ,holy ,church is now  
enduring1 and of her renewal and        
exaltation1 which shall be in time to   
come3 saying that the present crisis  is
 permitted to restore her to her true   
condition4 ,the ,sweet ,primal ,truth   
quoted two words which are in the ,holy 
,gospel--,it must needs be that         
offences come into the world3 and then  
added3 ,but woe to him by whom the      
offence cometh4 ,as if ,he said3 ,i     
permit this time of persecution1 to     
uproot the thorns1 with which ,my bride 

is wholly choked2 but ,i do not  permit 
the evil thoughts of men4 ,dost thou    
know what ,i do8 ,i am doing as ,i  did 
when ,i was in the world1 when ,i made  
the scourge of cords1 and drove  out    
those who sold and bought in the        
,temple1 not choosing that the ,house   
of ,god should be made a den of thieves4
 ,so ,i tell thee that ,i am doing  now4
 ,for ,i have made a scourge out of     
human beings1 and with that scourge  ,i 
drive out the impure traffickers1       
greedy1 avaricious1 and swollen with    
pride1 who buy and sell the gifts of the
 ,holy ,spirit4 ,yes1 ,he was driving   
them forth with the scourge of the      
persecutions of their fellow-beings--   
that is1 by force of tribulation and    
persecution ,he put an end to their     
disorderly and immodest living4    ,and1
 the fire growing in me1 ,i gazed and   
saw the ,christian people and the       
infidel enter into the side of ,christ  
crucified2 and ,i passed through the    
midst of them1 by my loving and longing 

desire1 and entered with them into      
,christ ,sweet ,jesus1 accompanied by my
 father ,st4 ,dominic1 and ,john the    
,single1 with all my sons together4     
,then ,he placed the ,cross on my       
shoulder  and the olive in my hand1     
almost as if ,i had asked for them1 and 
said that  thus ,i should bear them1 to 
the one and to the other people4 ,and   
,he said  to me3 ,tell them1 ,i bring   
you tidings of great joy4 ,then my soul 
became  more full2 it was lost to itself
 among the true believers who feed upon 
the ,divine ,substance1 by the uniting  
force and longing of love4 ,and so      
great was the delight of my soul1 that  
it no longer realized its past          
affliction from seeing ,god wronged2    
nay6 ,i said3 ,o blessed and fortunate  
wrong6 ,then sweet ,jesus smiled1 and   
said3 ,is sin fortunate1 which is       
nothing at all8 ,dost thou know what    
,st4 ,gregory meant when he said1       
',blessed and fortunate fault'8 ,what   
element is it that thou holdest as      

fortunate and blessed1 and that ,gregory
 calls so8 ,i replied as ,he made me    
reply1 and said3 ,i see well1 sweet my  
,lord1 and well ,i know1 that sin is    
not worthy of good fortune1 and is not  
fortunate nor blessed in itself2  but   
the fruit may be1 which comes from sin4 
,it seems to me that ,gregory  meant    
this3 that through the sin of ,adam1    
,god gave us the ,word1 ,his only-      
begotten ,son1 and the ,word gave ,his  
,blood1 so that1 giving ,his life1 ,he  
restored life with a great fire of love4
 ,so1 then1 sin is fortunate1 not       
through the sin itself1 but from the    
fruit and the gift we receive by that   
sin4 ,now1 so it is4 ,thus from the     
wrong done by the wicked ,christians who
  persecute the ,bride of ,christ1      
spring her exaltation1 her light1 and   
the  fragrance of her virtues4 ,this was
 so sweet that there seemed no          
comparison between the wrong1 and the   
unsearchable goodness and benignity  of 
,god1 which ,he showed toward ,his      

,bride4 ,then ,i rejoiced and exulted1  
and  was so arrayed in assurance of the 
time to come that ,i seemed to possess  
and taste it4 ,and ,i said then with    
,simeon3 ,nunc dimittis servum tuum1    
,domine1 secundum verbum tuum1 in pace4 
,so many mysteries were wrought in  me  
as tongue cannot suffice to tell nor    
heart to think nor eye to see4    ,now1 
what tongue could suffice to tell the   
wonderful things of ,god8 ,not  mine1   
poor wretch that ,i am4 ,therefore ,i   
choose to keep silence1 and to  give me 
wholly to seeking the honour of ,god and
 the salvation of souls and  the renewal
 and exaltation of ,holy ,church1 and   
through grace and power of  the ,holy   
,spirit to persevere even unto death4   
,with this desire ,i called  our ,christ
 on earth1 and ,i will call him1 with   
great love and compassion1  and you1    
father1 and all my dear sons2 ,i made   
and was granted your  petition4         
,rejoice1 then1 rejoice and exult4 ,o   
sweet ,god our ,love1 fulfil  quickly   

the desires of thy servants6 ,i will say
 no more--and ,i have said  nothing4 ,i 
die1 delayed in my desires4 ,have       
compassion on me4 ,pray the  divine     
,goodness and ,christ on earth that     
there be no more loitering4  ,remain in 
the holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,drown
 you in the ,blood of  ,christ          
crucified2 and on no account faint1 but 
rather take comfort4  ,rejoice1 rejoice1
 in your sweet labours4 ,love1 love1    
love one another4  ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus
 ,love4          ,,to ,,sister          
,,bartolomea ,,della ,,seta  ,,nun ,,in 
,,the ,,convent ,,of ,,santo ,,stefano  
,,at ,,pisa      ,the conflicts of the  
cloister and of the court are not       
dissimilar2 and the  first1 to          
,catherine1 are as real and significant 
as the second4 ,she writes  in a        
familiar strain to ,sister ,bartolomea4 
,the truths on which she is  insisting  
have been reiterated in every age by    
guides to the spiritual  life4 ,but     
whenever1 as here1 they come from the   

depths of personal  experience1 they    
possess peculiar freshness and force2   
and1 indeed1 this  ,colloquy of the     
,saint of ,siena with her ,lord has     
become a locus  classicus in the        
literature of the interior life4    ,one
 likes to note1 in passing1 how         
frequently ,catherine urges frail1      
cloistered women1 sheltered from all the
 din and storm of outer life1 to        
manfulness4 ,virile1 virilmente--they   
are among her especial words4  ,and1    
indeed1 they well befit her own spirit1 
singularly vigorous and  fearless for a 
woman whose feminine sensitiveness is   
evident in every  letter she writes4    
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3           
,dearest daughter in ,christ ,jesus4 ,i 
,catherine1 servant and slave of the    
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to you
 in ,his precious ,blood3 with desire   
to see you a true bride1 consecrated to 
the eternal ,bridegroom4 ,it belongs  to
 a bride to make her will one with that 

of her bridegroom2 she cannot  will more
 than he wills1 and seems unable to     
think of anything but him4  ,now do you 
so think1 daughter mine1 for you1 who   
are a bride of ,christ  crucified1 ought
 not to think or will anything apart    
from ,him--that is1  not to consent to  
any other thoughts4 ,that thoughts      
should not come1 this  ,i do not tell   
thee--because neither thou nor any      
created being couldst  prevent them4    
,for the devil never sleeps2 and ,god   
permits this to make ,his  bride reach  
perfect zeal and grow in virtue4 ,this  
is the reason why ,god  sometimes       
permits the mind to remain sterile and  
gloomy1 and beset by many  perverse     
cogitations1 so that it seems unable to 
think of ,god1 and can  hardly remember 
,his ,name4    ,beware1 when thou mayest
 feel this in thyself1 lest thou fall   
into  weariness or bewildered confusion1
 and do not give up thy exercises nor   
the act of praying1 because the devil   
may say to thee3 ,how does this  prayer 

uplift thee1 since thou dost not offer  
it with any feeling or  desire8 ,it     
would be better for thee not to make it4
 ,yet do not give up1  nor fall for this
 into confusion1 but reply manfully3 ,i 
would rather  exert myself for ,christ  
crucified1 feeling pain1 gloom and      
inward  conflicts1 than not exert myself
 and feel repose4 ,and reflect1 that    
this  is the state of the perfect2 if it
 were possible for them to escape ,hell1
  and have joy in this life and joy     
eternal beside1 they do not want it1    
because they delight so greatly in      
conforming themselves to ,christ        
crucified2 nay1 they want to live rather
 by the way of the ,cross and pain1     
than without pain4 ,now what greater joy
 can the bride have than to be          
conformed to her bridegroom1 and clothed
 with like raiment8 ,so1 since  ,christ 
crucified in ,his life chose naught but 
the ,cross and pain1 and  clothed ,him  
in this raiment1 ,his bride holds       
herself blessed when she is  clothed in 

this same raiment2 and because she sees 
that the ,bridegroom has  loved her so  
beyond measure1 she loves and receives  
,him with such love and  desire as no   
tongue can suffice to tell4 ,therefore  
the ,highest and ,eternal  ,goodness1 to
 make her attain most perfect love and  
possess humility1  permits her many     
conflicts and a dry mind1 that the      
creature may know  itself and see that  
it is not4 ,for were it anything1 it    
would free itself  from pain when it    
chose1 but being naught it cannot4 ,so1 
knowing itself1  it is humbled in its   
non-existence1 and knows the goodness of
 ,god1 which1  through grace1 has given 
it being1 and every grace that is       
founded upon  being4    ,but thou wilt  
say to me3 ,when ,i have so much pain1  
and suffer so many  conflicts and such  
gloom1 ,i can see nothing but confusion2
 and it does not  seem as if ,i could   
take any hope1 ,i see myself so         
wretched4 ,i reply to  thee1 my         
daughter1 that if thou shalt seek1 thou 

shalt find ,god in thy  goodwill4       
,granted that thou feel many conflicts1 
do thou not therefore  feel thy will    
deprived of wishing ,god4 ,nay1 this is 
the reason why the  soul mourns and     
suffers1 because it fears to offend     
,god4 ,it ought then to  joy and exult1 
and not to fall into confusion through  
its conflicts1  seeing that ,god keeps  
its will good1 and gives it hatred of   
mortal sin4    ,i remember that ,i heard
 this said once to a servant of ,god1   
and it was  said to her by the ,sweet   
,primal ,truth1 when she was abiding in 
very great  pain and temptation1 and    
among other things1 felt the greatest   
confusion1  in so much that the devil   
said3 ,what wilt thou do8 for all the   
time of  thy life thou shalt abide in   
these pains1 and then thou shalt have   
hell4  ,she then answered with manly    
heart1 and without any fear1 and with   
holy  hatred of herself1 saying3 ,i do  
not avoid pains1 for ,i have chosen     
pains  for my refreshment4 ,and if at   

the end ,he should give me hell1 ,i will
 not  therefore abandon serving my      
,creator4 ,for ,i am she who am worthy  
of  abiding in hell1 because ,i wronged 
the ,sweet ,primal ,truth2 so1 did ,he  
give  me hell1 ,he would do me no wrong1
 since ,i am ,his4 ,then our ,saviour1  
in  this sweet and true humility1       
scattered the shadows and torments of   
the  devil1 as it happens when the cloud
 passes that the sun remains2 and       
suddenly came the ,presence of ,our     
,saviour4 ,thence she melted into a     
river  of tears1 and said in a sweet    
glow of love3 ,o sweet and good ,jesus1 
where  wast thou when my soul was in    
such affliction8 ,sweet ,jesus1 the     
,spotless  ,lamb1 replied3 ,i was beside
 thee4 ,for ,i move not1 and never leave
 ,my  creature1 unless the creature     
leave ,me through mortal sin4 ,and that 
woman  abode in sweet converse with     
,him1 and said3 ,if ,thou wast with me1 
how did  ,i not feel ,thee8 ,how can it 
be that being by the fire1 ,i should not

 feel  the heat8 ,and ,i felt nothing   
but freezing cold1 sadness1 and         
bitterness1  and seemed to myself full  
of mortal sins4 ,he replied sweetly1 and
 said3  ,dost thou wish ,me to show     
thee1 daughter mine1 how in those       
conflicts  thou didst not fall into     
mortal sin1 and how ,i was beside thee8 
,tell me1  what is it that makes sin    
mortal8 ,only the will4 ,for sin and    
virtue  consist in the consent of the   
will2 there is no sin nor virtue1 unless
  voluntarily wrought4 ,this will was   
not in thee2 for had it been1 thou      
wouldst have taken joy and delight in   
the suggestions of the devil2 but  since
 the will was not there1 thou didst     
grieve over them1 and suffer for  fear  
of doing wrong4 ,so thou seest that sin 
and virtue consist in choice--          
wherefore ,i tell thee that thou        
shouldst not1 on account of these       
conflicts1 fall into disordered         
confusion4 ,but ,i will that from this  
darkness thou derive the light of       

self-knowledge1 in which thou mayest    
gain the virtue of humility1 and joy and
 exult in a good will1 knowing  that    
then ,i abide in thee secretly4 ,the    
will is a sign to thee that ,i am       
there2 for hadst thou an evil will1 ,i  
should not be in thee by grace4 ,but    
knowest thou how ,i thus abide in thee8 
,in the same way in which ,i hung  upon 
the wood of the ,cross4 ,and ,i take the
 same way with you that my  ,father took
 with ,me4 ,reflect1 daughter mine1 that
 upon the ,cross ,i was  blessed and was
 sorrowful2 blessed ,i was by the union 
of the divine and  the human nature1 and
 nevertheless the flesh endured pain1   
because the  ,eternal ,father withdrew  
,his power to ,himself1 letting ,me     
suffer2 but ,he  did not withdraw the   
union in which ,he was for ever united  
with ,me4  ,reflect that in this way ,i 
abide in the soul2 for often ,i withdraw
 to  myself feeling1 but do not withdraw
 grace1 since grace is never lost1      
except by mortal sin1 as ,i said4 ,but  

knowest thou why ,i do this8 ,only to   
make the soul reach true perfection4    
,thou knowest that the soul cannot be   
perfect unless borne on these two wings1
 humility and charity4 ,humility is  won
 through the knowledge of itself1 into  
which it enters in the time of          
darkness2 and charity is won by seeing  
that ,i1 through love1 have kept its    
will holy and good4 ,wherefore1 ,i tell 
thee1 that the wise soul1 seeing  that  
from this experience proceeds such      
profit1 reassures itself 7and for  no   
other cause do ,i permit the devil to   
give you temptations71 and will  hold   
this time dearer than any other4 ,now ,i
 have told thee the way ,i take4  ,and  
reflect1 that such experience is very   
necessary to your salvation2 for  if the
 soul were not sometimes pressed by many
 temptations1 it would fall  into very  
great negligence1 and would lose the    
exercise of continual  desire and       
prayer4 ,because in the hour of battle  
it is more alert1 through  fear of its  

foes1 and provisions the rock of its    
soul1 having recourse to  ,me who am its
 ,fortitude4 ,but this is not the       
intention of the devil--for  ,i permit  
him to tempt you that he may make you   
attain virtue1 though he1  on his part1 
tempts you to make you attain despair4  
,reflect that the devil  will tempt a   
person who is dedicated to ,my service1 
not because he  believes that the man   
may actually fall into that sin1 for he 
sees at once  that he would choose death
 rather than actually to do wrong4 ,but 
what does  he do8 ,he exerts himself to 
make the man fall into confusion1       
saying3 ',no  good is of any use to you1
 on account of these thoughts and       
impulses that  come to you4' ,now thou  
seest how great is the malice of the    
devil2 for1  not being able to conquer  
in the first battle1 he often conquers  
in the  second1 under guise of virtue4  
,wherefore ,i do not want thee ever to  
follow  his malicious will2 but ,i want 
thee to assume ,my will1 as ,i have told

  thee4 ,this is the rule which ,i give 
thee1 and which ,i wish thee to teach   
others when there is need4    ,now thus 
,i tell thee1 dearest my daughter1 that 
,i want thee to do4 ,and be  for me a   
mirror of virtue1 following the         
footsteps of ,christ crucified4  ,bathe 
thee in the ,blood of ,christ crucified1
 and so live1 as is my will1  that thou 
nor seek nor will aught but the         
,crucified1 like a true bride1  bought  
with the ,blood of ,christ crucified4   
,well seest thou that thou art a  bride1
 and that ,he has wedded thee and every 
creature1 not with a ring of  silver1   
but with the ring of ,his ,flesh4 ,o    
depth and height of ,love  unspeakable1 
how didst ,thou love this ,bride1 the   
human race6 ,o ,life  through which all 
things do live1 ,thou hast plucked it   
from the hands of  the devil1 who       
possessed it as his own2 from his hands 
,thou hast plucked  it1 catching the    
devil with the hook of ,thy humanity1   
and hast wedded it  with ,thy flesh4    

,thou hast given ,thy ,blood for a      
pledge1 and at the last1  sacrificing   
,thy body1 ,thou hast made the payment4 
,now drink deep1 my  daughter1 and fall 
not into negligence1 but arise with true
 zeal1 and by  this ,blood may the      
hardness of thy heart be broken in such 
wise that it  never may close again1 for
 any ignorance or negligence1 nor for   
the speech  of any creature4 ,i say no  
more4 ,remain in the holy and sweet     
grace of ,god4  ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus   
,love4          ,,to ,,gregory ,,xi     
,catherine1 sent by the ,florentines as 
their representative to the ,pope1  has 
reached ,avignon and seen the ,holy     
,father4 ,far from being overawed in    
his presence1 she has evidently felt    
toward him a mingling of sympathy and   
tenderness not untouched by compassion4 
,she is impressed by the  sensitiveness 
of the man--by the strength of the      
adverse influences  continually playing 
upon him from his own household2 above  
all1 by his  extreme timidity4 ,the     

gentle1 reassuring tone of this letter  
is almost  like that of a mother        
encouraging a dear but weak-spirited    
child to make  his own decisions and to 
abide by them4 ,catherine's sweetness of
 nature  preserves her from viewing     
,gregory with any tinge of contempt2 but
 we  cannot help feeling the contrast   
between this frail woman of heroic soul 
and the hesitating figure of the ,pope4 
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3    ,most  
holy and blessed father in ,christ sweet
 ,jesus3 your poor unworthy  little     
daughter ,catherine comforts you in ,his
 precious ,blood1 with desire  to see   
you free from any servile fear4 ,for ,i 
consider that a timorous man  cuts short
 the vigour of holy resolves and good   
desire1 and so ,i have  prayed1 and     
shall pray1 sweet and good ,jesus that  
,he free you from all  servile fear1 and
 that holy fear alone remain4 ,may      
ardour of charity be in  you1 in such   
wise as shall prevent you from hearing  

the voice of incarnate  demons1 and     
heeding the counsel of perverse         
counsellors1 settled in self-  love1    
who1 as ,i understand1 want to alarm    
you1 so as to prevent your  return1     
saying1 ,you will die4 ,and ,i tell you 
on behalf of ,christ  crucified1 most   
sweet and holy father1 not to fear for  
any reason  whatsoever4 ,come in        
security3 trust you in ,christ sweet    
,jesus3 for1 doing  what you ought1 ,god
 will be above you1 and there will be no
 one who shall  be against you4 ,up1    
father1 like a man6 ,for ,i tell you    
that you have no  need to fear4 ,you    
ought to come2 come1 then4 ,come gently1
 without any  fear4 ,and if any at home 
wish to hinder you1 say to them bravely1
 as  ,christ said when ,st4 ,peter1     
through tenderness1 wished to draw ,him 
back  from going to ,his passion2       
,christ turned to him1 saying1 ,get thee
 behind  ,me1 ,satan2 thou art an       
offence to ,me1 seeking the things which
 are of men1  and not those which are of

 ,god4 ,wilt thou not that ,i fulfil the
 will of ,my  ,father8 ,do you likewise1
 sweetest father1 following ,him as ,his
 vicar1  deliberating and deciding by   
yourself1 and saying to those who would 
hinder you1 ,if my life should be spent 
a thousand times1 ,i wish to fulfil  the
 will of my ,father4 ,although bodily   
life be laid down for it1 yet  seize on 
the life of grace and the means of      
winning it for ever4 ,now  comfort you  
and fear not1 for you have no need4 ,put
 on the armour of the  most holy ,cross1
 which is the safety and the life of    
,christians4 ,let talk  who will1 and   
hold you firm in your holy resolution4  
,my father1 ,fra  ,raimondo1 said to me 
on your behalf that ,i was to pray ,god 
to see whether  you were to meet with an
 obstacle1 and ,i had already prayed    
about it1  before and after ,holy       
,communion1 and ,i saw neither death nor
 any peril4  ,those perils are invented 
by the men who counsel you4 ,believe1   
and trust  you in ,christ sweet ,jesus4 

,i hope that ,god will not despise so   
many  prayers1 made with so ardent      
desire1 and with many tears and sweats4 
,i say  no more4 ,remain in the holy and
 sweet grace of ,god4 ,pardon me1 pardon
 me4  ,jesus ,christ crucified be with  
you4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4       
,,to ,,the ,,king ,,of ,,france         
,catherine's letters to great personages
 whom she did not know are1 as  would be
 expected1 less searching and fresh than
 the many written with a  more personal 
inspiration1 but they afford at least an
 interesting  testimony to the breadth  
of her interests4 ,this letter to       
,charles ,v4 was  evidently written     
during her stay at ,avignon1 where she  
formed relations  with the ,duke of     
,anjou1 and received his promise to lead
 in the  prospective ,crusade4 ,avignon 
was a centre of intellectual life and of
  ,european politics1 and ,catherine    
must have been quickened there to think 
more than ever before in large terms and
 on great issues4 ,to think of a  matter

 is always1 for her1 to feel a sense of 
responsibility toward it2  she writes1  
accordingly1 to ,charles ,v41 urging him
 to make peace with his  brother        
monarch3 ,for so1 says the maid of      
,siena serenely to the great  ,king--,so
 you will fulfil the will of ,god and   
me4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ
 crucified and of sweet ,mary3          
,dearest lord and father in ,christ     
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and
  slave of the servants of ,jesus       
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood3  with desire to see you observe 
the holy and sweet commands of ,god1    
since ,i  consider that in no other way 
can we share the fruit of the ,blood of 
the  ,spotless ,lamb4 ,sweet ,jesus1 the
 ,lamb1 has taught us the ,way3 and thus
 ,he  said3 ,ego sum ,via1 ,veritas et  
,vita4 ,he is the sweet ,master who has 
taught us the doctrine1 ascending the   
pulpit of the most holy ,cross4         
,venerable father1 what doctrine and    
what way does ,he give us8 ,his way is  

this3 pains1 shames1 insults1 injuries1 
and abuse2 endurance in true  patience1 
hunger and thirst2 ,he was satiate with 
shame1 nailed and held  upon the ,cross 
for the honour of the ,father and our   
salvation4 ,with ,his  pains and shame  
,he gave satisfaction for our guilt1 and
 the reproach in  which man had fallen  
through the sin committed4 ,he has made 
restitution1  and has punished our sins 
on ,his own ,body1 and this ,he has done
 of love  alone and not for debt4       
,this sweet ,lamb1 our ,way1 has        
despised the world1 with all its        
luxuries  and dignity1 and has hated    
vice and loved virtue4 ,do you1 as son  
and  faithful servant of ,christ        
crucified1 follow ,his footsteps and the
 way  which ,he teaches you3 bear in    
true patience all pain1 torment1 and    
tribulation which ,god permits the world
 to inflict on you4 ,for patience is    
not overcome1 but overcomes the world4  
,be1 ah6 be a lover of virtue1  founded 
in true and holy justice1 and despise   

vice4 ,i beg you1 by love of  ,christ   
crucified1 to do in your state three    
especial things4 ,the first is1  to     
despise the world and yourself and all  
its joys1 possessing your  kingdom as a 
thing lent to you1 and not your own4    
,for well you know that  nor life nor   
health nor riches nor honour nor dignity
 nor lordship is your  own4 ,were they  
yours1 you could possess them in your   
own way4 ,but in such  an hour a man    
wishes to be well1 he is ill2 or living1
 and he is dead2 or  rich1 and he is    
poor2 or a lord1 and he is made a       
servant and vassal4 ,all  this is       
because these things are not his own1   
and he can only hold them in  so far as 
may please ,him who has lent them to    
him4 ,very simple-minded1  then1 is the 
man who holds the things of another as  
his own4 ,he is really  a thief1 and    
worthy of death4 ,therefore ,i beg you  
that1 as ,the ,wise1 you  should act    
like a good steward1 made ,his steward  
by ,god2 possessing all  things as      

merely lent to you4    ,the other matter
 is1 that you maintain holy and true    
justice2 let it not  be ruined1 either  
for self-love or for flatteries1 or for 
any pleasing of  men4 ,and do not       
connive at your officials doing         
injustice for money1 and  denying right 
to the poor3 but be to the poor a       
father1 a distributer of  what ,god has 
given you4 ,and seek to have the faults 
that are found in your  kingdom punished
 and virtue exalted4 ,for all this      
appertains to the divine  justice to do4
    ,the third matter is1 to observe the
 doctrine which that ,master upon the   
,cross gives you2 which is the thing    
that my soul most desires to see in     
you3 that is1 love and affection with   
your neighbour1 with whom you have  for 
so long a time been at war4 ,for you    
know well that without this root  of    
love1 the tree of your soul would not   
bear fruit1 but would dry up1  abiding  
in hate and unable to draw up into      
itself the moisture of grace4  ,alas1   

dearest father1 the ,sweet ,primal      
,truth teaches it to you1 and leaves    
you for a commandment1 to love ,god     
above everything1 and one's neighbour   
as one's self4 ,he gave you the example1
 hanging upon the wood of the most  holy
 ,cross4 ,when the ,jews cried ,crucify6
 ,he cried with meek and gentle  voice3 
,father1 forgive those who crucify ,me1 
who know not what they do4  ,behold ,his
 unsearchable love6 ,for not only does  
,he pardon them1 but  excuses them      
before ,his ,father6 ,what example and  
teaching is this1 that  the ,just1 who  
has in ,him no poison of sin1 endures   
from the unjust the  punishment of our  
iniquities6    ,oh1 how the man should  
be ashamed who follows the teaching of  
the devil  and his own lower nature1    
caring more to gain and keep the riches 
of this  world1 which are all vain1 and 
pass like the wind1 than for his soul   
and  his neighbour6 ,for while abiding  
in hate with his neighbour1 he has hate 
by his side1 since hate deprives him of 

divine charity4 ,surely he is  foolish  
and blind1 for he does not see that with
 the sword of hate to his  neighbour he 
is killing himself4    ,therefore ,i beg
 you1 and will that you follow ,christ  
crucified1 and love  your neighbour's   
salvation3 proving that you follow the  
,lamb1 who for  hunger of ,his ,father's
 honour and the salvation of souls chose
 bodily  death4 ,so do you1 my lord6    
,care not if you lose from your worldly 
substance2 for loss will be gain to you1
 provided that you can reconcile  your  
soul with your brother4 ,i marvel that  
you are not willing to devote  to this1 
not only temporal things1 but even1 were
 it possible1 life  itself3 considering 
how great destruction of souls and      
bodies there has  been1 and how many    
,religious and women and children have  
been injured and  exiled by this war4   
,no more1 by love of ,christ crucified6 
,do you not  reflect of how great harm  
you are cause1 if you fail to do what   
you can8  ,harm to the ,christians1 and 

harm to infidels4 ,for your strife has  
obstructed the mystery of the ,holy     
,crusade1 and is doing so still4 ,if no 
other harm than this followed1 it seems 
to me that we ought to expect the       
divine judgment4 ,i beg you that you be 
no longer a worker of so great harm  and
 an obstructer of so great good as the  
recovery of ,holy ,land and of  those   
poor wretched souls who do not share in 
the ,blood of the ,son of ,god4  ,of    
which thing you ought to be ashamed1 you
 and the other ,christian  rulers3 for  
this is a very great confusion in the   
sight of men and  abomination in the    
sight of ,god1 that war should be made  
against one's  brother1 and the enemy   
left alone1 and that a man should want  
to take away  another person's          
possessions and not to win his own back 
again4 ,no more  such folly and         
blindness6 ,i tell you1 on behalf of    
,christ crucified1 that  you delay no   
longer to make this peace4 ,make peace1 
and direct all your  warfare to the     

infidels4 ,help to encourage and uplift 
the standard of the  most holy ,cross1  
which ,god shall demand from you and    
others at the point  of death--demanding
 also from you account for such         
ignorance and  negligence as has been   
committed and is committed every day4   
,sleep no  more1 for love of ,christ    
crucified1 and for your own profit1     
during the  little time that remains to 
us3 for time is short1 and you are to   
die1 and  know not when4    ,may the    
flame of holy desire to follow this holy
 ,cross and to be  reconciled with your 
neighbour1 increase in you6 ,in this    
wise you will  follow the way and       
doctrine of the ,lamb slain and         
abandoned on the ,cross1  and you will  
observe the commandments4 ,you will     
follow the way1 enduring  with patience 
the injuries that have been offered you2
 the doctrine1 being  reconciled with   
your neighbour2 and the love of ,god1   
which you will  manifest by following   
the most holy ,cross in the holy and    

sweet ,crusade4  ,as to this matter1 ,i 
think that your brother1 ,messer the    
,duke of ,anjou1  will undertake the    
labour of this holy enterprise1 for the 
love of ,christ4  ,there would be reason
 for self-reproach did so sweet and holy
 a mystery  remain unfulfilled through  
you4 ,now in this wise you will follow  
the  footsteps of ,christ crucified1 you
 will fulfil the will of ,god and me1   
and  ,his commands3 as ,i told you that 
,i wished to see you observe the holy   
commands of ,god4 ,i say no more4       
,pardon my presumption4 ,remain in the  
holy  and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet   
,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4          ,,letters
 ,,to ,,florence      ,the ,florentines 
played with ,catherine as history shows 
that subtle folk to  have played with   
more than one of the friends whose      
services they  accepted2 the story of   
their dealings with her strongly recalls
 the  situation in ,browning's ,luria4  
,having been despatched ostensibly with 
full powers as harbinger of the formal  

embassy to be sent later1 ,catherine    
carried through her part of the         
negotiations with expedition1 prudence  
and  entire success4 ,it shows how such 
unconventional democracy and matter-of- 
fact respect for spiritual values       
existed in the later middle ages1 that  
no one seems to have been surprised at  
the situation4 ,apparently it was       
considered quite natural that a powerful
 republic should send as its            
representative to the papal court a     
young woman1 the daughter of simple     
tradespeople1 whose life had been       
quietly passed in her father's house4   
,gregory bore himself to ,catherine with
 compunctious deference4 ,on the  third 
day after her arrival she spoke in full 
consistory1 pleading the  cause of      
peace4 ,the result she records in this  
letter3 the ,pope put the  whole matter 
in her hands4 ,to the young ,dominican  
were left the terms of  reconciliation  
between the two rival powers4    ,all   
now depended upon the arrival of the    

,florentine ambassadors2 but these      
gentlemen failed to appear1 while       
,florence continued to pursue a         
contumacious policy4 ,the insult1 alike 
to the ,pope and to ,catherine1 was     
obvious4 ,avignon jested1 shrugged      
shoulders1 finally sneered4 ,gregory    
gently told ,catherine the truth--that  
her friends had played her false4  ,few 
more mortifying situations than that in 
which she found herself could  be       
conceived4    ,the spirited letter which
 follows was written ten days after her 
arrival4  ,she speaks1 as usual1 without
 reserve1 but it is noteworthy that the 
letter contains no word of personal     
reproof beyond the quiet statement3     
,you might bring great shame and        
reproach upon me4 ,for nothing but shame
  and confusion could result if ,i told 
the ,pope one thing and you another4    
,when at last the ambassadors arrived1  
they brought small comfort1 for they    
refused to confer with ,catherine4 ,in  
the second letter1 written after they   

had come to a personal friend in        
,florence1 she tells the situation      
frankly1 and with dignity1 but still    
with remarkable freedom from personal   
bitterness4 ,in this time of test1 no   
lower element than sorrow for the       
failure of her cause appears to have    
been present in her mind4          ,,to 
,,the ,,eight ,,of ,,war ,,chosen ,,by  
,,the ,,commune ,,of ,,florence1  ,,at  
,,whose ,,instance ,,the ,,saint ,,went 
,,to ,,pope ,,gregory ,,xi      ,in the 
,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of
 sweet ,mary3    ,dearest fathers and   
brothers in ,christ ,jesus3 ,i          
,catherine1 servant and  slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to you
 in ,his precious ,blood3  with desire  
to see you true sons1 humble and        
obedient to your father in  such wise   
that you may never look back1 but feel  
true grief and bitterness  over the     
wrong that you have done to your father4
 ,for if he who does wrong  does not    
rise in grief above the wrong he has    

done1 he does not deserve to  receive   
mercy4 ,i summon you to true humiliation
 of your hearts2 not  looking back1 but 
going forward1 following up the holy    
resolutions which  you began to take1   
and growing stronger in them every day1 
if you wish to  be received in the arms 
of your father4 ,as sons who have been  
dead1 do you  ask for life2 and ,i hope 
by the goodness of ,god that you shall  
have it1 if  you are willing really to  
humble yourselves and to recognize your 
faults4    ,but ,i complain strongly of 
you1 if it is true what is said in these
 parts1  that you have imposed a tax    
upon the clergy4 ,if this is so1 it is a
 very  great evil for two reasons4 ,the 
first is that you are wronging ,god by  
it1  for you cannot do it with a good   
conscience4 ,but it seems to me that you
  are losing your conscience and        
everything good2 it seems as if you     
cared  for nothing but transitory things
 of sense1 that pass like the wind4 ,do 
you not see that we are mortal1 and must

 die1 and know not when8 ,therefore  it 
is great folly to throw away the life of
 grace1 and to bring death on  one's own
 self4 ,i do not wish you to do so any  
more1 for if you did you  would be      
turning back1 and you know that it is   
not he who begins who  deserves glory1  
but he who perseveres to the end4 ,so ,i
 tell you that you  would never reach an
 effective peace1 unless by perseverance
 in humility1  no longer insulting or   
offending the ministers and priests of  
,holy ,church4    ,this is the other    
thing that ,i was telling you was       
harmful and bad4 ,for  beside the evil  
,i spoke of that comes from wronging    
,god1 ,i tell you that  such action is  
ruin to your peace4 ,for the ,holy      
,father1 if he knew it1  would conceive 
greater indignation against you4        
,that is what some of the cardinals have
 said1 who are seeking and eagerly      
desiring peace4 ,now1 hearing this      
report1 they say3 ,it doesn't seem true 
that the ,florentines want to have peace

 made2 for if it were true1 they  would 
beware of any least action that was     
against the will of the ,holy  ,father  
and the habits of ,holy ,church4 ,i     
believe that sweet ,christ on  earth    
himself may say these and like words1   
and he has excellent reason to  say them
 if he does4    ,i tell you1 dearest    
fathers1 and ,i beg you1 not to choose  
to hinder the  grace of the ,holy       
,spirit1 which by no merits of yours ,he
 by ,his clemency  is disposed to give  
you4 ,you might bring great shame and   
reproach upon me4  ,for nothing but     
shame and confusion could result if ,i  
told the ,holy ,father  one thing and   
you did another4 ,i beg you that it may 
not be so any more4  ,nay1 do you exert 
yourselves to show in word and deed that
 you wish peace  and not war4    ,i have
 talked to the ,holy ,father4 ,he heard 
me graciously1 by ,god's  goodness and  
his own1 showing that he had a warm love
 of peace2 like a  good father1 who does
 not consider so much the wrong the son 

has done to  him1 as whether he has     
become humble1 so that he may be shown  
full mercy4  ,what peculiar joy he felt 
my tongue could not tell4 ,having       
discussed with  him a good length of    
time1 at the end of our talk he said    
that if your  case were as ,i presented 
it to him1 he was ready to receive you  
as sons1  and to do what seemed best to 
me4 ,i say no more here4 ,it seems to me
 that  absolutely no other answer ought 
to be given to the ,holy ,father until  
your  ambassadors arrive4 ,i marvel that
 they are not here yet4 ,when they shall
  have come1 ,i shall talk to them1 and 
then to the ,holy ,father1 and as ,i    
shall find things disposed ,i will write
 you4 ,but you1 with your taxes and     
frivolities1 are spoiling all that is   
sown4 ,do so no more1 for the love of   
,christ crucified and for your own      
profit4 ,i say no more4 ,remain in the  
holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet    
,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4    ,given in      
,avignon1 the #bhth day of ,june1 #acgf4

          ,,to ,,buonaccorso ,,di ,,lapo
 ,,in ,,florence  ,,written ,,when ,,the
 ,,saint ,,was ,,at ,,avignon      ,in  
the ,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified   
and of sweet ,mary3    ,dearest brother 
in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 
servant and slave of  the servants of   
,jesus ,christ1 write to you in ,his    
precious ,blood3 with  desire to see you
 and the others your lords1 pacify your 
heart and soul in  ,his most sweet      
,blood1 wherein all hate and warfare is 
quenched1 and all  human pride is       
lowered4 ,for in the ,blood man sees    
,god humbled to his own  level1 assuming
 our humanity1 which was opened and     
nailed and fastened on  the ,cross1 so  
that it flows from the wounds of the    
,body of ,christ  crucified1 and pours  
over us the ,blood which is ministered  
to us by the  ministers of ,holy        
,church4 ,i beg you by the love of      
,christ crucified to  receive the       
treasure of the ,blood given you by the 
,bride of ,christ4 ,be  reconciled1 be  

reconciled to her in the ,blood2        
recognize your sins and  offences       
against her4 ,for he who recognizes his 
sin1 and shows that he  does so by his  
deeds1 and humbles him1 always receives 
mercy4 ,but he who  shows repentance    
only in speech1 and goes no further in  
works1 never finds  it4 ,i do not say   
this so much for you as for others who  
might fall into  this fault4    ,oh me1 
oh me1 dearest brother6 ,i mourn over   
the methods which have  prevailed in    
asking the ,holy ,father for peace4 ,for
 words have been more in  evidence than 
deeds4 ,i say this because when ,i came 
yonder into the  presence of you and    
your lords1 they seemed by their words  
to have  repented for their wrong1 and  
to be willing to humble themselves and  
to  ask mercy from the ,holy ,father4   
,and when ,i said to them3 ,see1        
gentlemen1  if you intend to show all   
possible humility in deed and speech1   
and wish  me to offer you like dead     
children to your father1 ,i will take   

all the  trouble you wish in this       
matter1 otherwise ,i will not go yonder1
 they  answered me that they were       
content4 ,alas1 alas6 dearest brothers1 
this was  the way and the door by which 
you ought to have entered1 and there is 
no  other4 ,had this way been followed  
in deed as in word1 you would have had  
the most glorious peace that anyone ever
 gained4 ,and ,i do not say this        
without reason1 for ,i know what the    
,holy ,father's disposition was2 but    
since we began to leave that path1      
following the astute ways of the world1 
doing differently from what our words   
had previously implied1 the ,holy       
,father has had reason1 not for peace1  
but for more disturbance4 ,for when     
your ambassadors came into these parts1 
they did not hold to the right way      
which the servants of ,god indicated to 
them4 ,you went on in your own ways4    
,and ,i never had a chance to confer    
with them1 as you told me that you      
would direct when ,i asked for a letter 

of credentials1 so that we might  confer
 together about everything1 and you     
said3 ,we do not believe that  this     
thing will ever be accomplished by any  
other hands than those of the  servants 
of ,god4 ,exactly the contrary has been 
done4 ,all is because we  have not yet  
true recognition of our faults4 ,i      
perceive that those humble  words       
proceeded rather from fear and policy   
than from a real impulse of  love and   
virtue2 for had the wrong done really   
been recognized1 deeds  would have      
corresponded to the sound of words1 and 
you would have trusted  your needs and  
what you wished from the ,holy ,father  
to the hands of the  true servants of   
,god4 ,they would so have conducted your
 affairs and those  of the ,holy ,father
 that you would have reached a good     
understanding4 ,you  have not done it2  
wherefore ,i have felt great bitterness1
 over the wrong  done to ,god and over  
our loss4    ,but you do not see what   
evil and what great misfortunes come    

from your  obstinacy1 and clinging fast 
to your resolution6 ,oh me1 oh me6 loose
  yourselves from the bond of pride1 and
 bind you to the humble ,lamb2 and do   
not scorn or oppose ,his ,vicar4 ,no    
more thus6 ,for the love of ,christ     
crucified6 ,hold not ,his ,blood cheap6 
,that which has not been done in past   
time1 do it now4 ,do not feel bitter or 
scornful should it seem to you that  the
 ,holy ,father demanded what appeared   
very hard and impossible to do4         
,nevertheless he will not wish anything 
but what is possible to you4 ,but he    
does as a true father1 who beats his son
 when he does wrong4 ,he reproves  him  
very severely1 to make him humble1 and  
cognizant of his fault2 and the  true   
son does not grow angry with his father1
 for he sees that whatever he  does is  
done for love of him2 therefore the more
 the father drives him  off1 the more he
 returns to him1 ever asking for mercy4 
,so ,i tell you1 on  behalf of ,christ  
crucified1 that the more times you      

should be spurned by  our father ,christ
 on earth1 so many times you are to flee
 to him4 ,let him  do as he will1 for he
 is right4    ,behold that now he is    
coming to his bride1 that is to hold the
 seat of ,st4  ,peter and ,st4 ,paul4   
,do you run to him at once1 with true   
humility of heart  and amendment of your
 sins1 following the holy principle with
 which you  began4 ,so doing1 you shall 
have peace1 spiritual and bodily4 ,and  
if you do  in any other way1 our        
ancestors never had so many woes as we  
shall have1  for we shall call down the 
wrath of ,god upon us1 and shall not    
share in  the ,blood of the ,lamb4    ,i
 say no more4 ,be as urgent as you can1 
now that the ,holy ,father is to be  at 
,rome4 ,i have done1 and shall do1 what 
,i can1 until death1 for the  honour of 
,god and for your peace1 in order that  
this obstacle may be  removed1 for it   
hinders the holy and sweet ,crusade4 ,if
 no other ill should  come from it1 we  
are worthy of a thousand hells4 ,comfort

 you in ,christ our  sweet ,jesus1 for  
,i hope by ,his goodness that if you    
will keep in the way  you should you    
will have a good peace4 ,remain in the  
holy and sweet grace  of ,god4 ,sweet   
,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4          ,,to     
,,gregory ,,xi      ,the attempt to     
reconcile ,gregory with the ,florentines
 miscarried through  their own fault4   
,catherine1 far from being daunted by   
mortification or  failure1 bent herself 
with new energy to the cause which she  
had even more  deeply at heart--the     
return of the ,pope to ,rome4 ,the      
ascendency which she  obtained over his 
sensitive spirit was soon evident to    
everyone1 and no  sooner was it realized
 than counter influences were set to    
work4 ,other  people beside this woman  
of ,siena could write letters1 and1     
since ,gregory  proved superstitious and
 susceptible to the influence of holy   
fools1 why1  there were ecstatics enough
 in ,europe6 ,the ,pope1 as is obvious  
from this  reply of ,catherine's1 had   

received an anonymous epistle1 craftily 
wrought1  purporting to come from a man 
of ,god1 working on his well-known love 
for  his family and timidity of nature1 
warning him of poison should he venture 
to return to ,rome4 ,whether            
,catherine's surmise that the letter was
 a  forgery proceeding from the papal   
court was justified we do not know2 the 
episode is of interest to us now chiefly
 because it called forth a reply  which 
shows how sardonic the meek of the earth
 can be4 ,catherine's  trenchant        
exposure of the weakness of the         
anonymous correspondent shows  her in a 
new aspect4 ,terrible is the scorn of   
the gentle4 ,he who wrote it  does not  
seem to me to understand his trade very 
well2 he ought to put  himself to       
school1 writes she1 and proceeds with   
analysis so convincing  and exhortation 
so invigorating that even the           
vacillating ,gregory must  have been    
magnetized afresh with power to resolve4
 ,one feels in the letter  that         

,catherine is as near impatience with   
him and with the situation as is        
permitted to a saint4 ,gregory must have
 felt the sting in her words when  she  
tells him plainly that his correspondent
 treats him like a coward or a          
frightened child1 and adds on her own   
part1 ,i pray you on behalf of  ,christ 
crucified that you be no longer a       
timorous child1 but manly4 ,open  your  
mouth1 and swallow down the bitter for  
the sake of the sweet4 ,if  anyone could
 hold a weak nature true to its better  
self1 it would be this  woman1 endued as
 she was with a vitality that tingles   
through her words  down the centuries4  
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3    ,most  
holy and reverend sweet father in       
,christ sweet ,jesus3 your poor         
unworthy daughter ,catherine1 servant   
and slave of the servants of ,jesus     
,christ1 writes to your ,holiness in    
,his precious ,blood1 with desire to see
  you so strong and persevering in your 

holy resolve that no contrary wind  can 
hinder you1 neither devil nor creature4 
,for it seems that your enemies  are    
disposed to come1 as ,our ,saviour says 
in ,his holy gospel1 in sheeps'         
raiment1 looking like lambs1 while they 
are ravening wolves4 ,our ,saviour  says
 that we should be on our guard against 
such4 ,apparently1 sweet  father1 they  
are beginning to approach you in        
writing2 and beside writing1  they      
announce to you the coming of the       
author1 saying that he will arrive  at  
your door when you know it not4 ,the man
 sounds humble when he says1 ,if  it is 
open to me1 ,i will enter and we will   
reason together2 but he puts  on the    
garment of humility only that he may be 
believed4 ,and the virtue in  which     
pride cloaks itself is really boastful4 
,so far as ,i have understood1 this     
person has treated your ,holiness in    
this  letter as the devil treats the    
soul1 who often1 under colour of virtue 
and  compassion1 injects poison into it4

 ,and he uses this device especially    
with the servants of ,god1 because he   
sees that he could not deceive them     
with open sin alone4 ,so it seems to me 
that this incarnate demon is doing  who 
has written you under colour of         
compassion and in holy style1 for the   
letter purports to come from a holy and 
just man1 and it does come from  wicked 
men1 counsellors of the devil1 who      
cripple the common good of the          
,christian congregation and the reform  
of ,holy ,church1 self-lovers1 who  seek
 only their own private good4 ,but you  
can soon discover1 father1  whether it  
came from that just man or not4 ,and it 
seems to me that1 for  the honour of    
,god1 you must investigate4    ,so far  
as ,i can understand1 ,i do not think   
the man a servant of ,god1 and  his     
language does not so present him--but   
the letter seems to me a  forgery4 ,nor 
does he who wrote it understand his     
trade very well4 ,he ought  to put      
himself to school--he seems to have     

known less than a small child4          
,notice1 now1 most ,holy ,father3 he has
 made his first appeal to the  tendency 
that he knows to be the chief frailty in
 man1 and especially in  those who are  
very tender and pitiful in their natural
 affections1 and  tender to their own   
bodies--for such men as these hold life 
dearer than  any others4 ,so he fastened
 on this point from his first word4 ,but
 ,i hope1  by the goodness of ,god1 that
 you will pay more heed to ,his honour  
and the  safety of your own flock than  
to yourself1 like a good shepherd1 who  
ought  to lay down his life for his     
sheep4    ,next1 this poisonous man     
seems on the one hand to commend your   
return to  ,rome1 calling it a good and 
holy thing2 but1 on the other hand1 he  
says  that poison is prepared for you   
there2 and he seems to advise you to    
send  trustworthy men to precede you1   
who will find the poison on the tables--
  that is1 apparently1 in bottles1 ready
 to be administered by degrees1  either 

by the day1 or the month1 or the year4  
,now ,i quite agree with him  that      
poison can be found--for that matter1 as
 well on the tables of  ,avignon or     
other cities as on those of ,rome3 and  
prepared for  administration slowly1 by 
the month1 or the year1 or in large     
quantities1  as may please the          
purchaser3 it can be found everywhere4  
,so he would think  it well for you to  
send1 and delay your return for this    
purpose he  proposes that you wait till 
divine judgment fall by this means on   
those  wicked men who1 it would seem1   
according to what he says1 are seeking  
your  death4 ,but were he wise1 he would
 expect that judgment to fall on        
himself1  for he is sowing the worst    
poison that has been sown for a long    
time in  ,holy ,church1 inasmuch as he  
wants to hinder you from following      
,god's call  and doing your duty4 ,do   
you know how that poison would be sown8 
,if you did  not go1 but sent1 as the   
good man advises you1 scandal and       

rebellion1  spiritual and temporal1     
would be stirred up--men finding a lie  
in you1 who  hold the ,seat of ,truth4  
,for since you have decided on your     
return and  announced it1 the scandal   
and bewilderment and disturbance in     
men's hearts  would be too great if they
 found that it did not happen4          
,assuredly he says  the truth3 he is as 
prophetic as ,caiphas when he said3 ,it 
is necessary  for one man to die that   
the people perish not4 ,he did not know 
what he  was saying1 but the ,holy      
,spirit1 who spoke the truth by his     
mouth1 knew  very well--though the devil
 did not make him speak with this       
intention4 ,so  this man is likely to be
 another ,caiphas4 ,he prophesies that  
if you send1  men will find poison4     
,truly so it is2 for were your sins so  
great that you  stayed and they went1   
your confidants will find poison bottled
 in their  hearts and mouths1 as was    
said4 ,and not only enough for one day1 
but it  would last the month and the    

year before it was digested4 ,much ,i   
marvel at  the words of this man1 who   
commends an act as good and holy and    
religious1  and then wants this holy act
 to be given up from bodily fear6 ,it is
 not  the habit of the servants of ,god 
ever to be willing to give up a         
spiritual  act or work on account of    
bodily or temporal harm1 even should    
life itself  be spent3 for had they done
 thus1 none of them would have reached  
his  goal4 ,for the perseverance of holy
 and good desire into good works1 is the
  thing which is crowned1 and which     
merits glory and not confusion4         
,therefore ,i said to you1 ,reverend    
,father1 that ,i desired to see you firm
  and stable in your good resolution    
7since on this will follow the          
pacification of your rebellious sons and
 the reform of ,holy ,church7 and  also 
to see you fulfil the desire felt by the
 servants of ,god1 to behold  you raise 
the standard of the most holy ,cross    
against the infidels4 ,then  can you    

minister the ,blood of the ,lamb to     
those wretched infidels3 for you  are   
cupbearer of that ,blood1 and hold the  
keys of it4    ,alas1 father1 ,i beg    
you1 by the love of ,christ crucified1  
that you turn  your power to this       
swiftly1 since without your power it    
cannot be done4  ,yet ,i do not advise  
you1 sweet father1 to abandon those who 
are your  natural sons1 who feed at the 
breasts of the ,bride of ,christ1 for   
bastard  sons who are not yet made      
lawful by holy baptism4 ,but ,i hope1 by
 the  goodness of ,god1 that if your    
legitimate sons walk with your          
authority1  and with the divine power of
 the sword of holy ,writ1 and with human
 force  and virtue1 these others will   
turn to ,holy ,church the ,mother1 and  
you will  legalize them4 ,it seems as if
 this would be honour to ,god1 profit to
  yourself1 honour and exaltation to the
 sweet ,bride of ,christ ,jesus1 rather 
than to follow the foolish advice of    
this just man1 who propounds that it    

would be better for you and for other   
ministers of the ,church of ,god to     
live among faithless ,saracens than     
among the people of ,rome and ,italy4   
,i am pleased by the commendable hunger 
that he has for the salvation of  the   
infidels1 but ,i am not pleased that he 
wishes to take the father from  his     
lawful sons1 and the shepherd from the  
sheep gathered in the fold4 ,i  think he
 wants to treat you as the mother treats
 the child when she wants  to wean him3 
she puts something bitter on her bosom1 
that he may taste the  bitterness before
 the milk1 so that he may abandon the   
sweet through fear  of the bitter2      
because a child is more easily deluded  
by bitterness than  by anything else4   
,so this man wants to do to you1        
suggesting to you the  bitterness of    
poison and of great persecution1 to     
delude the childishness  of your weak   
sensuous love1 that you may leave the   
milk through fear3 the  milk of grace1  
which follows on your sweet return4 ,and

 ,i beg of you1 on  behalf of ,christ   
crucified1 that you be not a timorous   
child1 but manly4  ,open your mouth1 and
 swallow down the bitter for the sweet4 
,it would not  befit your holiness to   
abandon the milk for the bitterness4 ,i 
hope by the  infinite and inestimable   
goodness of ,god1 that if you choose ,he
 will show  favour to both us and to    
you2 and that you will be a firm and    
stable man1  unmoved by any wind or     
illusion of the devil1 or counsel of    
devil  incarnate1 but following the will
 of ,god and your good desire1 and the  
counsel of the servants of ,jesus       
,christ crucified4    ,i say no more4 ,i
 conclude that the letter sent to you   
does not come from  that servant of ,god
 named to you1 and that it was not      
written very far  away2 but ,i believe  
that it comes from very near1 and from  
the servants of  the devil1 who have    
little fear of ,god4 ,for in so far as  
,i might believe  that it came from that
 man1 ,i should not hold him a servant  

of ,god unless  ,i saw some other proof4
 ,pardon me1 father1 my                 
over-presumptuous speech4  ,humbly ,i   
ask you to pardon me and give me your   
benediction4 ,remain in the  holy and   
sweet grace of ,god4 ,i pray ,his       
infinite ,goodness to grant me the      
favour soon1 for ,his honour1 to see you
 put your feet beyond the threshold  in 
peace1 repose1 and quiet of soul and    
body4 ,i beg you1 sweet father1 to      
grant me audience when it shall please  
your ,holiness1 for ,i would find       
myself in your presence before ,i       
depart4 ,the time is short3 therefore1  
wherever it may please you1 ,i wish that
 it might be soon4 ,sweet ,jesus1       
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,monna     
,,lapa ,,her ,,mother  ,,before ,,she   
,,returned ,,from ,,avignon             
,catherine succeeded in her great aim4  
,in ,september1 #acgf1 ,gregory actually
  started for ,rome4 ,her mission being 
ended1 ,catherine set forth on her      
homeward journey on the same day as the 

,pope1 though by a different route4     
,but her progress was interrupted at    
,genoa1 where1 owing to illness among   
her companions1 she was detained for a  
month in the house of ,madonna  ,orietta
 ,scotta4 ,her prolonged absence seems  
to have been too much for the  patience 
of ,monna ,lapa1 who was always unable  
to understand in the least  the actions 
of her puzzling though beloved child4   
,catherine1 though lifted  into the     
region of great anxieties and great     
triumphs1 was yet always  tenderly      
mindful of the claims of home4 ,very    
daughterly1 very gently wise1  is this  
little letter to the lonely and fretful 
mother1 written when the  saint had just
 passed through those exciting and      
decisive months at the  ,papal court4   
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3           
,dearest mother in ,christ sweet ,jesus3
 ,your poor1 unworthy daughter          
,catherine comforts you in the precious 
,blood of the ,son of ,god4 ,with       

desire have ,i desired to see you a true
 mother1 not only of my body but of  my 
soul2 for ,i have reflected that if you 
are more the lover of my soul  than of  
my body1 all disordinate tenderness will
 die in you1 and it will  not be such a 
burden to you to long for my bodily     
presence2 but it will  rather be a      
consolation to you1 and you will wish1  
for the honour of ,god1  to endure every
 burden for me1 provided that the honour
 of ,god be wrought4  ,working for the  
honour of ,god1 ,i am not without the   
increase of grace and  power in my soul4
 ,yes1 indeed1 it is true that if you1  
sweetest mother1  love my soul better   
than my body1 you will be consoled and  
not  disconsolate4 ,i want you to learn 
from that sweet mother1 ,mary1 who1 for 
the honour of ,god and for our          
salvation1 gave us her ,son1 dead upon  
the  wood of the most holy ,cross4 ,and 
when ,mary was left alone1 after ,christ
  had ascended into ,heaven1 she stayed 
with the holy disciples2 and although   

,mary and the disciples had great       
consolation together1 and to separate   
was  sorrow1 nevertheless1 for the glory
 and praise of her ,son1 for the good of
  the whole universal world1 she        
consented and chose that they should go 
away4 ,and she chose the burden of their
 departure rather than the  consolation 
of their remaining1 solely through the  
love that she had for  the honour of    
,god and for our salvation4 ,now1 ,i    
want you to learn from  her1 dearest    
mother4 ,you know that it behoves me to 
follow the will of  ,god2 and ,i know   
that you wish me to follow it4 ,his will
 was that ,i should  go away2 which     
going did not happen without mystery1   
nor without fruit of  great value4 ,it  
was ,his will that ,i should come1 and  
not the will of man2  and whoever might 
say the opposite1 it is not the truth4  
,and thus it will  behove me to go on1  
following ,his footsteps in what way and
 at what time  shall please ,his        
inestimable goodness4 ,you1 like a good1

 sweet mother1  must be content1 and not
 disconsolate1 enduring every burden for
 the  honour of ,god1 and for your and  
my salvation4 ,remember that you did    
this  for the sake of temporal goods1   
when your sons left you to gain temporal
  wealth2 now1 to gain eternal life1 it 
seems to you such an affliction that    
you say that you will go and run away if
 ,i do not reply to you soon4 ,all  this
 happens to you because you love better 
that part which ,i derived from         
you--that is1 your flesh1 with which you
 clothed me--than what ,i have  derived 
from ,god4 ,lift up1 lift up your heart 
and mind a little to that  sweet and    
holiest ,cross where all affliction     
ceases2 be willing to bear a  little    
finite pain1 to escape the infinite pain
 which we merit for our  sins4 ,now1    
comfort you1 for the love of ,christ    
crucified1 and do not think  that you   
are abandoned either by ,god or by me4  
,yet shall you be comforted1  and       
receive full consolation2 and the pain  

has not been so great that the  joy     
shall not be greater4 ,we shall come    
soon1 by the mercy of ,god2 and we      
should not have delayed our coming now1 
were it not for the obstacle we  have   
had in the serious illness of ,neri4    
,also ,master ,giovanni and ,fra        
,bartolommeo have been ill4444 ,i say no
 more4 ,commend us4444 ,remain in the   
holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet    
,jesus1 ,jesus ,love6          ,,to     
,,monna ,,giovanna ,,di ,,corrado       
,,maconi      ,monna ,lapa was evidently
 not the only mother in ,siena who      
fretted over the  long absence from home
 of ,catherine and her spiritual        
children4 ,monna  ,giovanna1 of the     
noble family of the ,maconi1 longed for 
the presence of  ,catherine's secretary1
 her beloved son ,stefano4 ,this is the 
second letter  which ,catherine wrote in
 the effort to reconcile her4 ,we cannot
 be  surprised if she murmured4 ,stefano
 had known ,catherine for a few months  
only when she bore him off with her to  

,avignon4 ,their relations dated from   
,january1 #acgf1 when at his entreaty   
she healed a feud of long standing      
between the ,maconi and the rival house 
of the ,tolomei4 ,from this time he     
attached himself to her person1 and his 
devotion to her made him an object  of  
ridicule to his bewildered former       
friends4 ,he was1 by all accounts1 a    
singularly attractive and lovable young 
man--sunny1 light-hearted1 and  popular 
wherever he went4 ,catherine from the   
first loved him1 as she avows  in this  
letter1 with especial tenderness4 ,she  
made him her trusted  intimate1 and from
 now until shortly before her death he  
was in almost  constant attendance upon 
her1 or when away was still occupied in 
her  affairs4 ,catherine was evidently  
on intimate and affectionate terms with 
the rest of the ,maconi family also2 but
 it is not strange if ,monna  ,giovanna 
developed a little motherly jealousy1 as
 she saw her brilliant  son not only    
absorbed by this new friendship1 but    

borne away to distant  lands4           
,catherine's letter is as applicable    
to-day as then1 to all parents  whose   
misguided tenderness would seek to      
hinder their children in a high         
vocation4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus  
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,to you1 dearest sister and daughter in 
,christ ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant  
and slave of the servants of ,jesus     
,christ1 write in ,his precious ,blood1 
with desire to see you clothed in the   
wedding garment4 ,for ,i consider that  
without this garment the soul cannot    
please its ,creator1 nor take its  place
 at the ,marriage ,feast in the enduring
 life4 ,i wish you1 therefore1  to be   
clothed in it2 and in order that you may
 clothe you the better1 ,i  wish you to 
divest yourself of all self-love        
according to nature and the  senses1    
which you feel for yourself1 your       
children1 and any other created  thing4 
,you ought to love neither yourself nor 
anything else apart from  ,god2 for it  

is impossible that a man can serve two  
masters2 if he serve  the one1 he does  
not give satisfaction to the other4 ,and
 there is no one  who can serve both    
,god and the world1 for they have no    
harmony with each  other4 ,the world    
seeks honour1 rank1 wealth1 sons in high
 place1 good  birth1 sensuous pleasure  
and indulgence1 all rooted in perverted 
pride2  but ,god seeks and wants exactly
 the opposite4 ,he wants voluntary      
poverty1  a humbled heart1 disparagement
 of self and of every worldly joy and   
grace2  that personal honour be not     
sought1 but the honour of ,god and the  
salvation of one's neighbour4 ,let a man
 seek only in what way he may  clothe   
him in the fire of most ardent charity  
with the ornament of sweet  and sincere 
virtue1 with true and holy patience2 let
 him take no revenge  on another for any
 injury his neighbour may show him1 but 
endure all in  patience1 seeking only to
 pass sentence on himself1 because he   
sees that  he has wronged the ,sweet    

,primal ,truth4 ,and what he loves1 let 
him love in  ,god1 and apart from ,god  
love nothing4    ,and did you say to me1
 ,in what way should ,i love8 ,i answer 
you that  children and everything else  
should be loved for love of ,him who    
created  them1 and not for love of one's
 self or the children2 and that ,god    
should  never be wronged for their sake 
or any other4 ,that is1 do not love     
through  regard to any utility1 nor as  
your own thing1 but as a thing lent to  
you3  since whatever is given us in this
 life is given for use1 as a loan1 and  
is left to us so long only as pleases   
the ,divine ,goodness which gave it  us4
 ,you should use everything1 then1 as a 
steward of ,christ crucified1  spending 
your temporal substance so far as is    
possible to you for the  poor1 who stand
 in the place of ,god2 and so you ought 
to spend your  children1 nourishing and 
educating them ever in the fear of ,god1
 and  wishing that they should die      
rather than wrong their ,creator4 ,oh1  

make a  sacrifice of yourself and them  
to ,god6 ,and if you see that ,god is   
calling  them1 offer no resistance to   
,his sweet will3 but if they welcome it 
with  one hand1 do you reach out both   
like a true loving mother1 who loves    
their  salvation2 do not desire to shape
 their lives to suit yourself--for this 
would be a sign that you loved them     
apart from ,god--but with any state to  
which ,god calls them1 with that be you 
content4 ,for a mother who loves her    
children according to the wickedness of 
the world1 says many a time3 ,it        
pleases me well that my children should 
please ,god2 they can serve ,him in  the
 world as well as anywhere else4 ,but it
 happens often to these simple  mothers1
 who want to plunge their children in   
the world1 that later they  possess     
those children neither in the world nor 
in ,god4 ,and it is a just  thing that  
they should be deprived of them1 spirit 
and body1 since such  ignorance and     
pride reigns in them that they want to  

lay down law and rule  to the ,holy     
,spirit1 who is calling them4 ,such     
people do not love their  children in   
,god1 but with sensuous self-love apart 
from ,god1 for they love  their bodies  
more than their souls4 ,never1 dearest  
sister and daughter in  ,christ sweet   
,jesus1 could he clothe himself in      
,christ crucified who had  not first    
divested him of this4 ,i hope by the    
goodness of ,god that all  this will not
 apply to you1 but that you will give   
yourself and them to  the honour and    
glory of the ,name of ,god1 like a true 
good mother1 and so  shall you be       
clothed in the ,wedding ,garment4 ,but  
in order that you may  clothe you the   
better1 ,i want that you should lift    
your desire and heart  above the world  
and all its doings1 and that you should 
open the eye of  the mind to know what  
love ,god bears to you1 who has given   
you1 for love1  the ,word1 ,his         
,only-,begotten ,son2 and the ,son in   
burning love has given you  life1 and   

has sacrificed ,his ,body that ,he might
 cleanse us with ,his ,blood4  ,ignorant
 are we and wretched who nor know nor   
love so great a benefit6 ,but  all this 
is because our eyes are closed2 for were
 they open1 and had they  fastened      
themselves on ,christ crucified1 they   
would not be ignorant nor  ungrateful in
 presence of so great grace4 ,therefore 
,i say to you1 keep  your eyes ever     
open1 and fasten them fixedly on the    
,lamb that was slain1  in order that you
 may never fall into ignorance4    ,up1 
sweetest daughter1 let us delay no more6
 ,let us recover the time we  have lost1
 with true and perfect love2 so that1   
clothing ourselves in this  life with   
the garment ,i spoke of1 we may joy and 
exult at the ,marriage  ,feast in the   
enduring life--you and your husband and 
your children  together4 ,and comfort   
you sweetly1 and be patient1 and do not 
grow  disturbed because ,i have kept    
,stefano so long3 for ,i have taken good
 care  of him1 for by love and          

tenderness ,i have become one thing with
 him1  therefore ,i have treated your   
things as if they were my own4 ,i think 
you  have not taken this in bad part4 ,i
 wish to do whatever ,i can for him and 
for you1 even to death4 ,you1 mother1   
bore him once2 and ,i wish to bear him  
and you and all your family1 in tears   
and sweats1 by continual prayers and    
desire for your salvation4    ,i say no 
more4 ,commend me to ,currado1 and bless
 all the rest of the  family1 and       
especially my little new plant1 that has
 just been planted  anew in the ,garden 
of ,holy ,church4 ,be it commended to   
you1 and do you  bring it up for me     
virtuously1 so that it may shed         
fragrance among the  other flowers4 ,god
 fill you with ,his most sweet favour4  
,remain in the holy  and sweet grace of 
,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      
,,to ,,messer ,,ristoro ,,canigiani     
,apart from her relations with          
,religious seeking to follow the        
,counsels1  ,catherine directed the life

 of a number of devout laymen4 ,among   
these was  ,ristoro ,canigiani1 an      
honourable citizen of ,florence1 whose  
younger  brother1 ,barduccio1 became one
 of her secretaries1 and was with her at
 her  death4 ,in the first letter to    
,ristoro here given1 we see that he had 
already become ,catherine's disciple4   
,he had evinced his sincerity by        
forgiving his enemies--a feat more      
practical and difficult for most men in 
those days than now--by withdrawing in a
 measure from society--                 
7ecclesiastical1 one notes1 as well as  
secular7--and by embracing the  simple  
life1 selling his superfluous           
possessions4 ,in the second letter      
given1 he has evidently advanced in     
experience4 ,like many religious souls  
since his day1 he suffers from scruples 
lest he be unworthy to receive the      
,holy ,communion4 ,catherine handles his
 difficulties tenderly and wisely1 in   
words which all anxious souls would do  
well to take to heart4 ,she has no      

reproofs for this excellent man1 only   
applause and encouragement4 ,it is      
noteworthy that neither in these letters
 nor in any others does she seek  to    
induct ,ristoro into that region of     
ecstatic mystery where she herself      
lived1 and whither she was wont to      
expect--often in vain--certain of her   
friends to follow her4 ,the standard    
which she sets for this devout layman   
could not be better summed up than in   
the familiar words3 ,a sober1 godly1    
and righteous life4    ,in other letters
 to ,ristoro she seeks to inspire him   
with a fervour of  charity by very      
beautiful meditations1 in which she     
presents the love of  friends and family
 as sanctified and glorified by its     
relation to the all-  enfolding ,love   
from which all pure human affection must
 proceed4 ,in her  attitude toward the  
natural world and its claims1 ,catherine
 again recalls  ,st4 ,bernard1 who1 in  
naming the degrees of love1 starts from 
an hypothesis  which sets forth natural 

things1 not as evil and destroying1 but 
good1 and  waiting their                
transfiguration4 ,like poor ,francesca1 
but with a conception  more pure1       
,catherine rings the changes on the     
words amore1 amare4  ,perocche1         
condizione  del' amore d' amare quando  
si sente amare1 d'  amare tutte le cose 
che ama colui ch' egli ama4 ,e per1     
mano che l'  anima ha conosciuto l'     
amore del suo ,creatore verso di lui1 l'
 ama3 e  amandolo1 ama tutte quelle cose
 che ,dio ama4 ,for it is of the nature 
of  love1 to love when it feels itself  
loved1 and to love all things loved of  
its beloved4 ,so when the soul has by   
degrees known the love of its ,creator  
toward it1 it loves ,him1 and1 loving   
,him1 loves all things whatsoever that  
,god loves4 444 ,as we read1 we         
recognize once more how far is this     
great  ,mystic from the cold asceticism 
that has sometimes been attributed to   
her4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus       
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   

,dearest brother in ,christ sweet       
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of  the servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to you in ,his precious ,blood1   
with  desire to see you constant and    
persevering in virtue2 for it is not he 
who  begins who is crowned1 but only he 
who perseveres4 ,for ,perseverance is   
the  ,queen who is crowned2 she stands  
between ,fortitude and true ,patience1  
but  she alone receives a crown of      
glory4 ,so ,i want you1 dearest brother1
 to be  constant and persevering in     
virtue1 that you may receive the reward 
of  your every labour4 ,i hope in the   
great goodness of ,god that ,he will    
fortify you in such wise that neither   
demon nor fellow-creature can make  you 
look back to your vomit4    ,you seem1  
according to what you write me1 to have 
made a good beginning1  in which ,i     
rejoice greatly for your salvation1     
seeing your holy desire4  ,first1 you   
say that you have forgiven every man who
 had wronged you or  wished to wrong    

you4 ,this is a thing which is very     
necessary1 if you wish  to have ,god in 
your soul through grace1 and to be at   
rest even according  to the world4 ,for 
he who abides in hate is deprived of    
,god and is in a  state of condemnation1
 and has in this life the foretaste of  
hell2 for he  is always gnawing at      
himself1 and hungers for vengeance1 and 
abides in  fear4 ,believing to slay his 
enemy1 he has first killed himself1 for 
he has  slain his soul with the knife of
 hate4 ,such men as these1 who think to 
slay their enemy1 slay themselves4 ,he  
who truly forgives through the love  of 
,christ crucified1 has peace and quiet1 
and suffers no perturbation2 for  the   
wrath that perturbs is slain in his     
soul1 and ,god the ,rewarder of  every  
good gives him ,his grace and at the    
last eternal life4 ,what joy the  soul1 
then1 receives1 and gladness and rest in
 its conscience1 the tongue  could never
 tell4 ,and even according to the world1
 very great honour is  given to the man 

who through love of virtue and          
magnanimity does not  greedily desire to
 wreak vengeance on his enemy4 ,so ,i   
summon you and  comfort you1 to         
persevere in this holy resolution4      
,to demand and obtain your own in a     
reasonable way1 this you can do with    
good conscience2 whoever wants to can do
 it3 for a man is not bound to  abandon 
his possessions more than he chooses2   
but he who would choose to  abandon them
 would reach a much greater perfection4 
,it is well and  excellent not to go to 
the ,bishop's house nor to the palace1  
but to stay  peaceably at home4 ,for if 
other people get excited1 we are weak1  
and often  we find our own soul excited1
 and doing unjust and irrational things1
 one  to show that he knows more than   
another1 and one from appetite for      
money4  ,yes1 it is better to keep away 
from the place4    ,but ,i add one      
thing3 that when such poor men and women
 as are clearly in  the right1 and have 
no one to help them1 show us the reason 

why they have  no money1 it would be    
greatly to the honour of ,god for you to
 undertake  their cause1 from the       
impulse of charity1 like ,st4 ,ives1 who
 in his time  was the lawyer of the     
poor4 ,consider that the deed of pity1  
and  ministering to the poor with those 
faculties which ,god has given you1 is  
very pleasing to ,god1 and salvation to 
your soul4 ,therefore ,st4 ,gregory     
says that it is impossible that a       
pitiful man should perish with an evil1 
that is1 an eternal death4 ,this1 then1 
pleases me much1 and ,i beg you to  do  
it4    ,in all your works put ,god      
before your eyes1 saying to yourself    
when  intemperate appetite would lift   
its head against the resolution you have
  made3 ,consider1 my soul1 that the eye
 of ,god is upon thee1 and sees the     
secret of thy heart4 ,thou art mortal1  
for thou must die1 and knowest not      
when2 and it shall befit thee to render 
account before the highest ,judge  of   
what thou shalt do--a ,judge who        

punishes every fault and rewards every  
good deed4 ,in this wise1 if you put on 
the bit it will not slip off1           
separating from the will of ,god4       
,you ought to give satisfaction to your 
soul as soon as you can1 and  unburden  
your conscience of what you feel it     
burdened with4 ,give it  satisfaction1  
either for the trouble it has felt in   
giving up temporal  possessions1 or for 
the other annoyances that others have   
given it4 ,and  have pardon asked fully 
from everyone1 in order that you may    
always remain  in the joy of charity    
with your neighbour4 ,as for selling the
 goods which  you have over and above1  
and the showy garments 7which are very  
harmful1  dearest brother1 and a means  
of penetrating the heart with vanity1   
and  nourishing it with pride1 since    
they make a man seem to be more and     
bigger  than others1 boasting of what   
one ought not to boast of2 so it is     
great  shame to us1 false ,christians1  
to see our ,head tormented1 and to abide

  ourselves in such luxuries3 so ,st4   
,bernard says1 that it is not fitting   
for limbs to be delicate beneath a      
thorn-crowned ,head71--,i say that you  
do  very well to find a remedy for this4
 ,but clothe you as you need1 modestly1 
at no immoderate price1 and you will    
greatly please ,god4 ,and1 so far as    
you can1 make your wife and your sons do
 the same2 so that you may be to  them  
example and teacher1 as the father      
should be1 who should educate his  sons 
with the words and deeds of virtue4     
,i add one thing2 that you abide in the 
state of marriage1 with fear of  ,god1  
and treat it with reverence as a        
sacrament1 and not with intemperate     
desire4 ,hold in due reverence the days 
ordered by ,holy ,church1 like a        
reasonable man1 and not a brute beast4  
,then from yourself and her1 like  good 
trees1 you will bring forth good fruits4
    ,you will do very well to refuse    
offices2 for a man seldom fails to give 
offence in them4 ,it ought to weary you 

simply to hear them mentioned4 ,let  the
 dead1 then1 bury themselves1 and do you
 exert yourself1 in liberty of  heart1  
to please ,god1 loving ,him above       
everything in the desire of virtue1  and
 your neighbour as yourself1 fleeing the
 world and its delights4  ,renounce your
 sins and your own fleshly instincts1   
ever bringing back to  memory the       
favours of ,god1 and especially the     
favour of the ,blood1 shed  for us with 
such fire of love4    ,again1 it is     
needful for you1 if you wish your soul  
to preserve grace and  grow in virtue1  
to make your holy confession often for  
your joy1 that you  may wash your soul's
 face in the ,blood of ,christ4 ,at     
least once a month1  since indeed we    
soil it every day4 ,if more1 more2 but  
less it seems to me  ought not to be    
done4 ,and rejoice in hearing the ,word 
of ,god4 ,and when the  season shall    
come that we are reconciled with our    
,father1 do you  communicate on the     
solemn ,feasts1 or at least once a year3

 rejoicing in  the ,office1 and hearing 
,mass every day2 and if you cannot every
 day1 at  least you must make an effort1
 just as far as you can1 on the days    
which  are ordered by ,holy ,church1 to 
which we are bound4    ,prayer must not 
be far from you4 ,nay1 on the due and   
ordered hours1 so far  as you can1 seek 
to withdraw a little1 to know yourself1 
and the wrongs  done to ,god1 and the   
largess of ,his goodness1 which has     
worked and is  working so sweetly in    
you2 opening the eye of your mind in the
 light of  most holy faith1 to behold   
how beyond measure ,god loves us2 love  
which ,he  shows us through the means of
 ,his only-begotten ,son4 ,and ,i beg   
that1 if  you are not saying it already1
 you should say every day the office of 
the  ,virgin1 that she may be your      
refreshment and your advocate before    
,god4 ,as  to ordering your life1 ,i beg
 you to do it4 ,fast on ,saturday1 in   
reverence  for ,mary4 ,and never give up
 the days commanded by ,holy ,church1   

unless of  necessity4 ,avoid being at   
intemperate banquets1 but live          
moderately1 like  a man who does not    
want to make a god of his belly4 ,but   
take food for  need1 and not for the    
wretched pleasure it gives4 ,for it is  
impossible  that any man who does not   
govern himself in eating should keep    
himself  innocent4    ,but ,i am sure   
that the infinite goodness of ,god1 as  
regards this and all  the rest1 will    
make you yourself adopt that rule which 
will be needful for  your salvation4    
,and ,i will pray1 and will make others 
pray1 that ,he grant  you perfect       
perseverance until death1 and illumine  
you concerning that  which you have to  
do for your salvation4 ,i say no more to
 you4 ,remain in  the holy and sweet    
grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus    
,love4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus     
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest son in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i
 ,catherine1 servant and slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to you

 in ,his precious ,blood3 with desire   
to see you free from every particle of  
self-love1 so that you may not lose  the
 light and knowledge which come from    
seeing the unspeakable love which  ,god 
has for you4 ,and because it is light   
which makes us know this1 and  false    
love is what takes light from us1       
therefore ,i have very great desire  to 
see it quenched in you4 ,oh1 how        
dangerous this self-love is to our      
salvation6 ,it deprives the soul of     
grace1 for it takes from it the love of 
,god and of its neighbour1 which makes  
us live in grace4 ,it deprives us of    
light1 as we said1 because it darkens   
the eye of the mind1 and when the  light
 is taken away we walk in darkness1 and 
do not know what we need4    ,what do we
 need to know8 ,the great goodness of   
,god1 and ,his unspeakable  love toward 
us2 the perverse law which always fights
 against the ,spirit1  and our own      
wretchedness4 ,in this knowledge the    
soul begins to render ,his  due to ,god2

 that is1 glory and praise to ,his      
,name1 loving ,him above  everything1   
and the neighbour as one's self1 with   
eager desire for virtue2  and the soul  
bestows hate and displeasure on itself1 
hating in itself  vice1 and its own     
sensuousness1 which is the cause of     
every vice4 ,the soul  wins all virtue  
and grace in the knowledge of itself1   
abiding therein with  light1 as was     
said4 ,where shall the soul find the    
wealth of contrition for  its sins1 and 
the abundance of ,god's mercy8 ,in this 
,house of ,self-  ,knowledge4    ,now   
let us see whether we find it in        
ourselves or not4 ,let us talk  somewhat
 about it4 ,for1 as you wrote me1 you   
have a desire to feel  contrition for   
your sins1 and not being able to feel   
it1 you give up for  this reason ,holy  
,communion4 ,now we shall see whether   
you ought to give it  up for this4      
,you know that ,god is supremely good1  
and loved us before we were3 and is     
,eternal ,wisdom1 and ,his ,power in    

virtue is immeasurable3 so for this     
reason we are sure that ,he has power1  
knowledge1 and will to give us what  we 
need4 ,well we see1 in proof1 that ,he  
gives us more than we know how to  ask1 
and that which was not asked by us4 ,did
 we ever ask ,him that ,he  should      
create us reasonable creatures1 in ,his 
own image and likeness1  rather than    
brute beasts8 ,no4 ,or that ,he should  
create us by ,grace by the  ,blood of   
the ,word1 ,his only-begotten ,son1 or  
that ,he should give us  ,himself for   
food1 perfect ,god and perfect ,man1    
flesh and blood1 body and  soul1 united 
to ,deity8 ,beyond these most high      
gifts1 which are so great1  and show    
such fire of love toward us1 that there 
is no heart so hard that  its hardness  
and coldness would not melt by          
considering them at all3  infinite are  
the gifts and graces which we receive   
from ,him without  asking4    ,then1    
since ,he gives so much without our     
asking--how much the more will ,he      

fulfil our desires when we shall desire 
a just thing of ,him8 ,nay1 who  makes  
us desire and ask it8 ,only ,he4 ,then1 
if ,he makes us ask it1 it is a  sign   
that ,he means to fulfil it1 and give us
 what we seek4    ,but you will say to  
me3 ,i confess that ,he is what thou    
sayest4 ,but how  comes it that many a  
time ,i ask1 both contrition and other  
things1 and  they seem not to be given  
me8 ,i answer you3 ,it may be it is     
through a  defect in him who asks1      
asking imprudently1 with words alone and
 not with  his whole heart--and of such 
as these ,our ,saviour said that they   
call ,him  ,lord1 ,lord1 but shall not  
be known of ,him--not that ,he does not 
know them1  but for their fault they    
shall not be known of ,his mercy4 ,or1  
the man who  prays asks for something   
which1 if he had it1 would be injurious 
to his  salvation4 ,so that1 when he    
does not have what he asks1 he really   
has it1  because he asks for it thinking
 that it would be for his good2 but if  

he  had it1 it would be to his harm1 and
 it is for his good not to have it2 so  
,god has satisfied the intention with   
which he asked it4 ,so that on ,god's   
side we always have our prayer2 but this
 is the case1 that ,god knows the       
secret and the open1 and is aware of our
 imperfection2 so ,he sees that if  ,he 
gave us the grace at once as we ask it1 
we should do like an unclean  creature1 
who1 rising from the sweetest honey1    
does not mind afterwards  lighting on a 
fetid object4 ,god sees that we do so   
many a time4 ,for1  receiving ,his      
graces and benefits1 sharing the        
sweetness of ,his charity1  we do not   
mind afterward alighting on miserable   
things1 turning back to  the filth of   
the world4 ,therefore1 ,god sometimes   
does not give us what we  ask as soon as
 we should like1 to make us increase in 
the hunger of our  desire1 because ,he  
rejoices and pleases ,himself in seeing 
the hunger of  ,his creatures toward    
,him4    ,sometimes ,he will do us the  

grace by giving it to us in effect      
though not  in feeling4 ,he uses this   
means with foresight1 because ,he knows 
that if a  man felt himself to possess  
it1 either he would slacken the pull of 
desire1 or would fall into presumption2 
therefore ,he withdraws the  feeling1   
but not the grace4 ,there are others who
 both receive and feel1  according as it
 pleases the sweet goodness of our      
,physician to give to us  sick folk2 and
 ,he gives to everyone in the way that  
our sickness needs4  ,you see1 then1    
that in any case the yearning of the    
creature1 with which  it asks of ,god1  
is always fulfilled4 ,now we see what we
 ought to seek1 and  how prudently4     
,it seems to me that the ,sweet ,primal 
,truth teaches us what we ought to  seek
 when in the holy ,gospel1 reproving man
 for the intemperate zeal which  he     
bestows on gaining and holding the      
honours and riches of the world1 ,he    
said3 ,take no thought for the morrow4  
,its own care suffices for the day4     

,here ,he shows us that we should       
consider prudently the shortness of     
time4  ,then ,he adds3 ,seek first the  
,kingdom of ,heaven2 for your heavenly  
,father  knows well that you have need  
of these lesser things4 ,what is this   
kingdom1 and how is it sought8 ,it is   
the kingdom of eternal life1 and the    
kingdom of our own soul1 for this       
kingdom of the soul1 unless it is       
possessed through reason1 never becomes 
part of the kingdom of ,god4 ,with  what
 is it sought8 ,not only with words--we 
have already said that such as  these   
are not recognized by ,god--but with the
 yearning of true and real  virtues4    
,virtue is what seeks and possesses this
 kingdom of heaven2  virtue1 which makes
 a man prudent1 so that he works for the
 honour of ,god  and the salvation of   
himself and his neighbour1 with prudence
 and  maturity4 ,prudently he endures   
his neighbour's faults2 prudently he    
rules  the impulse of charity1 loving   
,god above everything1 and his neighbour

 as  himself4 ,this is the rule3 that he
 hold him ready to give bodily life for 
the salvation of souls1 and temporal    
goods to help the body of his           
neighbour4 ,such a rule is set by       
prudent charity4 ,were he imprudent1 it 
would be just the opposite as with many 
who use a foolish and crazy sort  of    
charity1 who many a time1 to help their 
neighbour--,i speak not of his  soul1   
but of his body--are ready to betray    
their own souls1 by publishing  abroad  
lies1 giving false witness4 ,such men as
 these lose charity1 because  it is not 
built upon prudence4    ,we have seen   
that we must seek the kingdom of ,heaven
 prudently3 now ,i  answer you about the
 attitude we should hold toward the     
,holy ,communion1  and how it befits us 
to take it4 ,we should not use a foolish
 humility1 as  do secular men of the    
world4 ,i say1 it befits us to receive  
that sweet  ,sacrament1 because it is   
the food of souls without which we      
cannot live in  grace4 ,therefore no    

bond is so great that it cannot and must
 not be  broken1 that we may come to    
this sweet ,sacrament4 ,a man must do on
 his  part as much as he can1 and that  
is enough4 ,how ought we to receive it8 
,with the light of most holy faith1 and 
with the mouth of holy desire4 ,in  the 
light of faith you shall contemplate all
 ,god and all ,man in that ,host4  ,then
 the impulse that follows the           
intellectual perception1 receives with  
tender love and holy meditation on its  
sins and faults1 whence it arrives  at  
contrition1 and considers the generosity
 of the immeasurable love of  ,god1 who 
in so great love has given ,himself for 
our food4 ,because one does  not seem to
 have that perfect contrition and       
disposition which he himself  would     
wish1 he must not therefore turn away2  
for goodwill alone is  sufficient1 and  
the disposition which on his part       
exists4    ,again ,i say1 that it befits
 us to receive as was imaged in the ,old
  ,testament1 when it was commanded that

 the ,lamb should be eaten roasted and  
not seethed2 whole and not in part2     
girded and standing1 staff in hand2  and
 the blood of the ,lamb should be placed
 on the stone of the threshold4  ,thus  
it befits us to receive this ,sacrament3
 to eat it roasted1 and not  seethed2   
for were it seethed there would be      
interposed earth and water--  that is1  
earthly affections and the water of     
self-love4 ,therefore it must  be       
roasted1 so that there shall be nothing 
between4 ,we take it so when we  receive
 it straight from the fire of divine    
charity4 ,and we ought to be  girt with 
the girdle of conscience1 for it would  
be very shocking that one  should       
advance to so great cleanliness and     
purity with mind or body  unclean4 ,we  
ought to stand upright1 that is1 our    
heart and mind should be  wholly        
faithful and turned toward ,god2 with   
the staff of the most holy  ,cross1     
where we find the teaching of ,christ   
crucified4 ,this is the staff  on which 

we lean1 which defends us from our foes1
 the world1 the devil1  and the flesh4  
,and it befits us eat it whole and not  
in part3 that is1 in  the light of      
faith1 we should contemplate not only   
the ,humanity in this  sacrament1 but   
the body and soul of ,christ crucified1 
wrought into unity  with ,deity1 all    
,god and all ,man4 ,we must take the    
,blood of this ,lamb and  put it upon   
our forehead--that is1 confess it to    
every rational being1  and never deny   
it1 for pain or for death4 ,thus sweetly
 it befits us to  receive this ,lamb1   
prepared in the fire of charity upon the
 wood of the  ,cross4 ,thus we shall be 
found signed with the seal of ,tau1 and 
shall never  be struck by the avenging  
angel4    ,i said that it did not befit 
us1 nor do ,i wish you1 to do as many   
imprudent laymen1 who pass over what is 
commanded them by ,holy ,church1        
saying3 ,i am not worthy of it4 ,thus   
they spend a long time in mortal sin    
without the food of their souls4 ,oh1   

foolish humility6 ,who does not see     
that thou art not worthy8 ,at what time 
dost thou await worthiness8 ,do not     
await it2 for thou wilt be just as      
worthy at the end as at the beginning4  
,for with all our just deeds1 we shall  
never be worthy of it4 ,but ,god is ,he 
who is worthy1 and makes us worthy with 
,his worth4 ,his worth grows never      
less4 ,what ought we to do8 ,make us    
ready on our part1 and observe ,his     
sweet commandment4 ,for did we not do   
so1 giving up communion1 in such wise   
believing to flee from fault1 we should 
fall into fault4    ,therefore ,i       
conclude1 and will that such folly be   
not in you2 but that you  make you      
ready1 as a faithful ,christian1 to     
receive this ,holy ,communion as  ,i    
said4 ,you will do it just as perfectly 
as you are in true knowledge of         
yourself2 not otherwise4 ,for if you    
abide in that knowledge1 you will see   
everything clearly4 ,do not slacken your
 holy desire1 for pain or loss1 or      

injury or ingratitude of those whom you 
have served2 but manfully1 with  true   
and long perseverance you shall         
persevere till death4 ,thus ,i beg you  
to do by the love of ,christ crucified4 
,i say no more4 ,remain in the holy  and
 sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1    
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,the       
,,anziani ,,and ,,consuls ,,and         
,,gonfalonieri ,,of ,,bologna           
,catherine lays down admirable political
 principles1 for the fourteenth or  for 
the twentieth century4 ,yet times have  
changed1 and we can hardly  imagine a   
modern city council giving serious      
welcome to such a letter as  this4 ,it  
is a fair specimen of the letters which 
she was in the habit of  sending to the 
governments of the ,italian             
towns--direct1 simple1 high-  minded    
presentations of the fundamental virtues
 on which the true  prosperity of a     
,state must rest4 ,she was capable1 as  
she showed during the  ,schism1 of      
detailed political sagacity3 but she    

never lost the womanly  conviction that 
moral generalizations would convict men 
of sin and point  them to the path of   
holiness4 ,nor was she wholly wrong4    
,her letters seem  to have been received
 with respect1 and not to have failed in
  effectiveness4 ,on the present        
occasion1 the authorities of ,bologna   
have  evidently sent asking her prayers4
 ,these she promises gladly1 but adds   
that the ,bolognese must not expect the 
servants of ,god to do all their  work  
for them4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus  
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest brothers in ,christ sweet      
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of  the servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to you in ,his precious ,blood3   
with  desire to see you divested of the 
old man and clothed with the new--      
divested1 that is1 of the world and the 
fleshly self-love which is the old  sin 
of ,adam1 and clothed with the new      
,christ sweet ,jesus1 and ,his tender   
charity4 ,when this charity is in the   

soul1 it seeks not its own1 but is      
liberal and generous to render ,his due 
to ,god3 to love ,him above  everything 
else1 and to hate its own lower nature2 
and to love itself for  ,god1 rendering 
praise and glory to ,his ,name3 to      
render its neighbour  benevolence1 with 
fraternal charity and well-ordered love4
 ,for charity  ought to be regulated3   
that is1 a man must not wrong himself by
 sinning1  in order to rescue one       
soul--nay more1 in order1 were it       
possible1 to save  the whole world2     
since it is not lawful to commit the    
least fault to  achieve a great virtue4 
,and our body should not be sacrificed  
to rescue  the body of our neighbour2   
but we ought surely to sacrifice our    
bodily  life for the salvation of souls1
 and temporal possessions for the       
welfare  and life of our neighbour4 ,so 
you see that this charity should be and 
is  regulated in the soul4    ,but those
 who are deprived of charity and full of
 self-love do just the  opposite2 and as

 they are extravagant in their          
affections1 so they are in  all their   
works4 ,thus we see that men of the     
world serve and love their  neighbour   
without virtue1 and in sin2 and to serve
 and please them1 they  do not mind     
disserving and displeasing ,god1 and    
injuring their own souls4  ,this is that
 perverted love which often kills soul  
and body--robs us of  light and casts us
 into darkness1 robs us of life and     
condemns us to  death1 deprives us of   
the conversation of the ,blessed and    
leads us to that  of ,hell4 ,and if a   
man does not correct himself while he   
has time1 he  destroys the shining      
pearls of holy justice1 and loses the   
warmth of true  charity and obedience4  
,now on whatever side we turn1 we see   
every kind of rational creature  lacking
 in all virtue1 and arrayed in this evil
 fleshly self-love4 ,if we  turn to the 
prelates1 they devote themselves so much
 to their own affairs  and live so      
luxuriously1 that they do not seem to   

care when they see their  subjects in   
the hands of demons4 ,as to the         
subjects1 it is just the same1  they do 
not care to obey either the civil law or
 the divine1 nor do they  care to serve 
one another unless for their own profit4
 ,and yet this kind  of love1 and the   
union of those who are united by natural
 love and not by  true charity1 does not
 suffice2 such friendship suffices and  
lasts only so  long as pleasure and     
enjoyment lasts1 and the personal profit
 derived from  it4    ,so1 when a man is
 lord1 he fails in holy justice4 ,and   
this is the reason3  that he fears to   
lose his dignity1 and1 so as not to     
excite annoyance1 he  goes about        
cloaking and hiding men's faults1       
spreading ointment over a  wound at the 
time when it ought to be cauterized4    
,oh1 miserable my soul6  ,when the man  
ought to apply the flame of divine      
charity1 and burn out the  fault with   
holy punishment and correction inflicted
 by holy justice1 he  flatters and      

pretends that he does not see4 ,he      
behaves thus toward those  who he sees  
might impair his dignity2 but as to the 
poor1 who count for  little and whom he 
does not fear1 he shows very great zeal 
for justice1  and without any mercy or  
pity imposes most severe punishment for 
a little  fault4 ,what causes such      
injustice8 ,self-love4 ,but the wretched
 men of the  world1 because they are    
deprived of truth1 do not recognize     
truth1 either  as regards their         
salvation or as regards the true        
preservation of their  lordship4 ,for   
did they know the truth1 they would see 
that only living in  the fear of ,god   
preserves their state and the city in   
peace3 they would  preserve holy        
justice1 rendering his due to every     
subject1 they would show  mercy on whoso
 deserved mercy1 not by passionate      
impulse1 but by regard  for truth2 and  
justice they would show on whoso        
deserved it1 built upon  mercy1 and not 
on passionate wrath4 ,nor would they    

judge by hearsay1 but  by holy and true 
justice2 and they would heed the common 
good1 and not any  private good1 and    
would appoint officials and those who   
are to rule the  city1 not by party or  
prejudice1 not for flatteries or        
bribery1 but with  virtue and reason    
alone2 and they would choose men mature 
and excellent1  and not mere            
children--such as fear ,god and love the
 ,commonwealth and not  their own       
particular advantage4 ,now in this way1 
their state and the city  is preserved  
in peace and unity4 ,but unjust deeds1  
and living in cliques1  and the         
appointment to rule and government of   
men who do not know how to  rule        
themselves or their families--unjust and
 violent1 passionate lovers  of         
themselves--these are the methods that  
make them lose both the state of        
spiritual grace and their temporal      
state4 ,to such as these it may be said3
  ,in vain thou dost labour to guard thy
 city if ,god guard it not3 if thou     

fear not ,god1 and hold ,him not before 
thee in thy works4    ,so you see1      
dearest brothers and lords1 that        
self-love ruins the city of  the soul1  
and ruins and overturns the cities of   
earth4 ,i will that you  know that      
nothing has so divided the world into   
every kind of people as  self-love1 from
 which injustice is for ever born4      
,apparently1 dearest brothers1 you have 
a desire to increase and preserve  the  
welfare of your city2 and this desire   
moved you to write to me1 poor  wretch  
that ,i am1 full of faults4 ,i heard and
 saw that letter with tender  love1 and 
with wish to satisfy your desires1 and  
to exert me1 with what  grace ,god shall
 give me1 to offer you and your city    
before ,god with  continual prayer4 ,if 
you shall be just men1 and carry on your
 government  as ,i said above1 not in   
passion nor for self-love or your       
private good1  but for the universal    
good founded on the ,rock ,christ sweet 
,jesus1 and if  you do all your works in

 ,his fear1 then by means of prayer you 
shall  preserve the state1 the peace and
 unity of your city4 ,therefore ,i beg  
you  by the love of ,christ             
crucified--for there is no other        
way--that since you  have the help of   
the prayers of the servants of ,god1 you
 should not fail  on your side in what  
is needful4 ,for did you fail you might 
to be sure be  helped a little by the   
prayers1 but not so much that it would  
not soon  come to nothing2 because you  
ought to help1 on your part1 to bear    
this  weight4    ,so1 considering that  
if you were clothed in fleshly and      
personal love1 you  could not help the  
servants of ,god1 and that he who does  
not help himself  with virtue and holy  
zeal for justice1 cannot help his       
brothers' city1 ,i  say that it is      
needful for you to be clothed with the  
,new ,man1 ,christ  sweet ,jesus1 and   
,his immeasurable charity4 ,but we      
cannot be clothed  therein unless first 
we divest us--nor could ,i divest me    

unless ,i see how  harmful it is to me  
to hold my old sin1 and how useful the  
new garment of  divine charity4 ,for    
when man has seen his sin1 he hates it1 
and strips it  off2 and loves1 and in   
love arrays him in the garment of virtue
 woven with  the love of the ,new ,man4 
,now this is the ,way4 ,therefore ,i    
said to you that  ,i desired to see you 
divested of the old man and clothed with
 the ,new ,man1  ,christ crucified2 and 
in this way you shall win and keep the  
state of  grace and the state of your   
city1 and you will never fail in the    
reverence  due to ,holy ,church1 but    
with pleasing manner will render your   
due and keep  your state4 ,i say no     
more4 ,remain in the holy and sweet     
grace of ,god4  ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus   
,love4          ,,to ,,nicholas ,,of    
,,osimo      ,ardour is the first trait 
which one feels in approaching the      
character of  ,catherine2 but the second
 is fidelity4 ,neither the one nor the  
other  flagged till the hour of her     

death4 ,in the grave and tranquil words 
of  this letter we can see1 yet more    
clearly1 perhaps1 than in the fervid    
utterances of hours of excitement or    
crisis1 how profound was her  conception
 of the ,church1 how fixed her          
resolution to sacrifice herself  for    
that sweet ,bride4 ,gregory has returned
 to ,italy1 and ,catherine is  knowing a
 brief respite from public              
responsibilities in the comparative     
retirement of ,siena4 ,but peace is not 
yet made with ,florence1 nor is the     
reform of the ,church even begun4 ,her  
heart1 however1 refuses to harbour      
discouragement1 and seeking as ever to  
hold others to the same steady  pitch of
 faith and consecration which she       
herself maintained1 she writes  to the  
secretary of the ,pope4 ,he appears to  
have been a holy man who  shared her    
aspirations1 but he was evidently       
disheartened by the apparent  failure of
 his efforts and by the necessary       
absorption in external things  of a life

 dedicated to public affairs4           
,catherine's keen analysis leaves       
,nicholas of ,osimo no excuse for       
indolence4 ,her letter1 especially in   
the  earlier portion1 reads like a      
paraphrase of ,newman's fine verses on  
,sensitiveness3--      ,time was1 ,i    
shrank from what was right      ,for    
fear of what was wrong3    ,i would not 
mingle in the fight      ,because the   
foe was strong3      ,but now ,i cast   
that finer sense      ,and sorer shame  
aside3    ,such dread of sin was        
indolence1      ,such aim at heaven was 
pride4      ,so1 when my ,saviour calls1
 ,i rise1      ,and calmly do my best1  
,leaving to ,him1 with silent eyes      
,of hope and fear1 the rest4      ,i    
step1 ,i mount1 where ,he has led2      
,men count my haltings o'er2    ,i know 
them2 yet1 though self ,i dread1      ,i
 love ,his precept more4      ,in the   
,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of
 sweet ,mary3    ,dearest and most      
reverend father in ,christ sweet ,jesus3

 ,i ,catherine1  servant and slave of   
the servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to
 you in ,his  precious ,blood3 with     
desire to see you a firm pillar1 that   
shall never  move1 except in ,god2 never
 avoiding or refusing the toils and     
labours laid  on you in the mystical    
body of ,holy ,church1 the sweet ,bride 
of ,christ--  neither for the           
ingratitude and ignorance you found     
among those who feed  in that garden1   
nor from the weariness that might       
afflict us from seeing  the affairs of  
the ,church get into a disorderly state4
 ,for it often  happens that when a man 
is spending all his efforts on          
something1 and it  does not come about  
in the way or to the end that he wants1 
his mind falls  into weariness and      
sadness1 as if he reflected and said3   
,it is better for  thee to give up this 
enterprise which thou hast begun and    
worked on so  long1 and it is not yet   
come to an end3 and to seek peace and   
quiet in thy  own mind4 ,then the soul  

ought to reply boldly1 hungering for the
 honour  of ,god and the salvation of   
souls1 and decline personal consolation1
 and  say3 ,i will not avoid or flee    
from labour1 for ,i am not worthy of    
peace  and quiet of mind4 ,nay1 ,i wish 
to remain in that state which ,i have   
chosen1 and manfully to give honour to  
,god with my labour1 and my labour  to  
my neighbour4 ,yet sometimes the devil1 
to make our enterprises weary  us1 when 
we feel little peace of mind1 will make 
a suggestion to the man1  saying in his 
thought3 ,i am doing more harm in this  
thing than ,i am  deserving good4 ,so ,i
 would gladly run away from it1 not on  
account of the  labour1 but because ,i  
do not want to do harm4 ,oh1 dearest    
father1 do not  yield either to yourself
 or the devil1 nor believe him1 when he 
puts such  thoughts into your heart and 
mind2 but embrace your labour with      
gladness  and ardent desire1 and without
 any servile fear4    ,and do not be    
afraid to do wrong in this2 for wrong is

 shown to us in a  disordered and       
perverse will4 ,for when the will is not
 settled in ,god1  then one does wrong4 
,the time of the soul is not lost       
because it may be  deprived of          
consolations1 and of saying its office  
and many psalms1 and  cannot say them at
 the right time or place1 or with that  
peace of mind  which it would itself    
wish4 ,nay1 it is occupied wholly for   
,god4 ,so it  ought not to feel pain in 
its mind--especially when it is         
labouring and  working for the ,bride of
 ,christ4 ,for in whatever way or       
concerning  whatever matter we are      
labouring for her1 it is so deserving   
and gives  such pleasure to ,god1 that  
our intellect does not suffice to see or
  imagine it4    ,i recall1 dearest     
father1 a servant of ,god to whom it was
 shown how  pleasing this service is to 
,him2 ,i tell this that you may be      
encouraged to  bear labours for ,holy   
,church4 ,this servant of ,god1 as ,i   
understood1 having  one time among      

others an intense desire to shed her    
blood and her life and  annihilate her  
very consciousness for ,holy ,church1   
the ,bride of ,christ1  lifted the eye  
of her mind to know that she had no     
being in herself1 and  to know the      
goodness of ,god toward her--that is1 to
 see how ,god through  love had given   
her being and all gifts and graces that 
follow from being4  ,so1 seeing and     
tasting such love and such depths of    
mercy1 she saw not how  she could       
respond to ,god except by love4 ,but    
because she could be of no  use to ,him1
 she could not show her love2 therefore 
she gave herself to  considering whether
 she found anyone to love through ,him1 
by whom she  might show love4 ,so she   
saw that ,god loved supremely ,his      
rational  creatures1 and she found the  
same love to all that was given to      
herself1  for all are loved of ,god4    
,this was the means she found 7which    
showed  whether she loved ,god or not7  
by which she could be of use4 ,so then  

she  rose ardently1 full of charity to  
her neighbours1 and conceived such love 
for their salvation that she would      
willingly have given her life for it4   
,so the service which she could not     
render to ,god she desired to render to 
her neighbour4 ,and when she had        
realized that it befitted her to respond
  by means of her neighbour1 and thus to
 render ,him love for love--as ,god by  
means of the ,word1 ,his ,son1 has shown
 us love and mercy--so1 seeing that  by 
means of desire for the salvation of    
souls1 giving honour to ,god and  labour
 to one's neighbour1 ,god was well      
pleased--she looked then to see in  what
 garden and upon what table the         
neighbour might be enjoyed4    ,then    
,our ,saviour showed her1 saying3       
,dearest daughter1 it befits thee to    
eat in the garden of my ,bride1 upon the
 table of the most holy ,cross1  giving 
thy suffering1 and crucified desire1 and
 vigils and prayers1 and  every activity
 that thou canst1 without negligence4   

,know that thou canst  not have desire  
for the salvation of souls without      
having it for ,holy  ,church2 for she is
 the universal body of all creatures who
 share the light  of holy faith1 who can
 have no life if they are not obedient  
to ,my ,bride4  ,therefore1 thou        
oughtest to desire to see thy ,christian
 neighbours1 and  the infidels and every
 rational creature1 feeding in this     
garden1 under  the yoke of holy         
obedience1 clothed in the light of      
living faith1 and with  good and holy   
works--for faith without works is dead4 
,this is the common  hunger and desire  
of that whole body4 ,but now ,i say and 
will that thou  grow yet more in hunger 
and desire1 and hold thee ready to lay  
down thy  life1 if need be1 in especial1
 in the mystical body of ,holy ,church1 
for  the reform of ,my ,bride4 ,for when
 she is reformed1 the profit of the     
whole  world will follow4 ,how8 ,because
 through darkness1 and ignorance1 and   
self-  love1 and impurities1 and swollen

 pride1 darkness and death are born in  
the souls of her subjects4 ,so ,i summon
 thee and my other servants to  labour  
in desire1 in vigils1 and prayer1 and   
every other work1 according  to the     
skill which ,i give you2 for ,i tell    
thee that the labour and service        
offered her are so pleasing to me1 that 
not only they shall be rewarded in  ,my 
servants who have a sincere and holy    
intention1 but also in the  servants of 
the world1 who often serve her through  
self-love1 though also  many a time     
through reverence for ,holy ,church4    
,wherefore ,i tell thee that  there is  
no one who serves her reverently--so    
good ,i hold this service--  who shall  
not be rewarded2 and ,i tell thee that  
such shall not see eternal  death4 ,so1 
likewise1 in those who wrong and serve  
ill and irreverently ,my  ,bride1 ,i    
shall not let that wrong go unpunished1 
by one way or another4    ,then1 as she 
saw such greatness and generosity in the
 goodness of ,god1 and  perceived what  

ought to be done to please ,him more1   
the flame of desire so  increased that  
had it been possible for her to give her
 life for ,holy  ,church a thousand     
times a day1 and from now till the final
 judgment day1  it seemed to her that it
 would be less than a drop of wine in   
the sea4 ,and  so it really is4    ,i   
wish you1 then1 and summon you1 to      
labour for her as you have always  done2
 yea1 you are a pillar1 who have placed 
yourself to support and help  this      
,bride4 ,so you ought to be1 as ,i      
said--so that neither tribulation nor   
consolation should ever stir you4 ,nor  
because many contrary winds are  blowing
 to hinder those who walk in the way of 
truth1 ought we for any  reason to look 
back4 ,therefore ,i said that ,i desired
 to see you a firm  pillar4 ,up1 then1  
dearest and sweetest father3 because it 
is our hour to  give for that ,bride    
honour to ,god and labour to her4 ,i beg
 you1 by the  love of ,christ crucified1
 to pray the holy father that he adopt  

zealously1  without negligence1 every   
remedy which can be found consistent to 
his  conscience for the reform of ,holy 
,church and peace to this great war     
which  is damning so many souls1 since  
for all negligence and lukewarmness ,god
  will rebuke ,him most severely1 and   
will demand the souls who through this  
are perishing4 ,commend me to him2 and  
,i ask him humbly for his  benediction4 
,i say no more4 ,remain in the holy and 
sweet grace of ,god4  ,sweet ,jesus1    
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,misser    
,,lorenzo ,,del ,,pino ,,of ,,bologna1  
,,doctor ,,in ,,decretals 7,,written    
,,in ,,trance7      ,the familiar but   
ever-noble theology with which this     
letter opens1 leads  first to a severe  
description of the unworthy and         
mercenary man1 which is  followed by a  
temperately wise discussion of the true 
use of worldly  pleasures and goods4    
,whatever ,god has made is good and     
perfect1 says  ,catherine--except sin1  
which was not made by ,him1 and so is   

not worthy of  love4 ,the modern        
religious ,epicureanism which would     
applaud this  sentiment would1 however1 
be less contented with the sequel2 for  
,catherine  never forgets the           
anti-modern position that1 though       
possession be  legitimate to the        
,christian1 it is1 after all1 more      
perfect to renounce  than to possess1   
and that the man who has preserved true 
detachment of  mind towards this world's
 goods will1 by inevitable logic1 come  
to hunger1  sooner or later1 for        
detachment in deed4    ,it is a         
curiously tranquil letter to have been  
written in trance4 ,whatever  the       
mysterious condition may have been1 it  
evidently did not rob ,catherine  of her
 mental sanity and sobriety4 ,the       
,doctor of ,laws to whom it was         
addressed was a person of considerable  
importance in the public and legal  life
 of his time4 ,one cannot help          
suspecting a personal bearing in the    
severe description of the hard          

man--evidently a lawyer--who makes the  
poor  wait before giving them counsel3  
yet1 perhaps1 the suspicion is          
unwarranted1 and the letter carried to  
,misser ,lorenzo nothing more  searching
 than a general account of the          
temptations to which his  profession was
 subject4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus  
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest brother and son in ,christ     
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and
  slave of the servants of ,jesus       
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood3  with desire to see you a lover 
and follower of truth and a despiser of 
falsehood4 ,but this truth cannot be    
possessed or loved if it is not known4  
,who is ,truth8 ,god is the ,highest and
 ,eternal ,truth4 ,in whom shall we know
  ,him8 ,in ,christ sweet ,jesus1 for   
,he shows us with ,his ,blood the truth 
of  the ,eternal ,father4 ,his truth    
toward us is this1 that ,he created us  
in ,his  image and likeness to give us  
life eternal1 that we might share and   

enjoy  ,his ,good4 ,but through man's   
sin this truth was not fulfilled in him1
 and  therefore ,god gave us the ,word  
,his ,son1 and imposed this obedience on
 ,him1  that ,he should restore man to  
grace through much endurance1 purging   
the  sin of man in ,his own ,person1 and
 manifesting ,his truth in ,his ,blood4 
,so  man knows1 by the unsearchable love
 which he finds shown to him through    
the ,blood of ,christ crucified1 that   
,god nor seeks nor wills aught but our  
sanctification4 ,for this end we were   
created2 and whatever ,god gives or     
permits to us in this life1 ,he gives   
that we may be sanctified in ,him4 ,he  
who knows this truth never jars with it1
 but always follows and loves it1       
walking in the footsteps of ,christ     
crucified4 ,and as this sweet loving    
,word1 for our example and teaching1    
despised the world and all delights1    
and chose to endure hunger and thirst1  
shame and reproach1 even to the         
shameful death on the ,cross1 for the   

honour of the ,father and our           
salvation1 so does he who is the lover  
of the truth which he knows in the      
light of most holy faith1 follow this   
way and these footsteps4 ,for without   
this light it could not be known2 but   
when a man has the light1 he knows  it1 
and knowing it1 loves it1 and becomes a 
lover of what ,god loves1 and  hates    
what ,god hates4    ,there is this      
difference between him who loves the    
truth and him who hates  it4 ,he who    
hates the truth1 lies in the darkness of
 mortal sin4 ,he hates  what ,god loves1
 and loves what ,god hates4 ,god hates  
sin1 and the  inordinate joys and       
luxuries of the world1 and such a man   
loves it all1  fattening himself on the 
world's wretched trifles1 and corrupting
 himself  in every rank4 ,if he has an  
office in which he ought to minister in 
some  way to his neighbour1 he serves   
him only so far as he can get some good 
for himself out of it1 and no farther1  
and becomes a lover of himself4  ,christ

 the ,blessed gave ,his life for us1 and
 such a man will not give one  word to  
serve his neighbour unless he sees it   
paid1 and overpaid4 ,if the  neighbour  
happens to be a poor man who cannot pay1
 he makes him wait  before telling him  
the truth1 and often does not tell it to
 him at all1  but makes fun of him2 and 
where he ought to be pitiful and a      
father of the  poor1 he becomes cruel to
 his own soul because he wrongs the     
poor4 ,but the  wretched man does not   
see that the ,highest ,judge will return
 to him  nothing else than what he      
receives from him1 since every sin is   
justly  punished and every good         
rewarded4 ,christ embraced voluntary    
poverty and  was a lover of continence2 
the wretched man who has made himself a 
follower and lover of falsehood does    
just the contrary2 not only does he     
fail to be content with what he has1 or 
to refrain through love of virtue1  but 
he robs other people4 ,nor does he      
remain content in the state of          

marriage1 in which1 if it is observed as
 it should be1 a man can stay with  a   
good conscience2 but he plunges into    
every wretchedness1 like a brute  beast1
 without moderation1 and as the pig     
rolls in filth1 so does he in  the filth
 of impurity4    ,but we might say3     
,what shall ,i do1 who have riches1 and 
am in the state  of marriage1 if these  
things bring damnation to my soul8      
,dearest brother1  a man can save his   
soul and receive the life of grace into 
himself1 in  whatever condition he may  
be2 but not while he abides in guilt of 
mortal  sin4 ,for every condition is    
pleasing to ,god1 and ,he is the        
acceptor1 not  of men's conditions1 but 
of holy desire4 ,so we may hold to these
 things  when they are held with a      
temperate will2 for whatever ,god has   
made is  good and perfect1 except sin1  
which was not made by ,him1 and         
therefore is  not worthy of love4 ,a man
 can hold to riches and worldly place if
 he  likes1 and he does not wrong ,god  

nor his own soul2 but it would be       
greater  perfection if he renounced     
them1 because there is more perfection  
in  renunciation than in possession4 ,if
 he does not wish to renounce them in   
deed1 he ought to renounce and abandon  
them with holy desire1 and not to  place
 his chief affections upon them1 but    
upon ,god alone2 and let him keep  these
 things to serve his own needs and those
 of his family1 like a thing  that is   
lent and not like his own4 ,so doing1 he
 will never suffer pain  from any       
created thing2 for a thing that is not  
possessed with love is  never lost with 
sorrow4 ,so we see that the servants of 
the world1 lovers  of falsehood1 endure 
very great sufferings in their life1 and
 bitter  tortures to the very end4 ,what
 is the reason8 ,the inordinate love    
they  have for themselves and for       
created things1 which they love apart   
from  ,god4 ,for the ,divine ,goodness  
has permitted that every inordinate     
affection  should be unendurable to     

itself4    ,such a man as this always   
believes falsehood1 because there is no 
knowledge of truth in him4 ,and he      
thinks to hold to the world and abide in
  delights1 to make a god of his body1  
and of the other things that he loves   
immoderately a god1 and he must leave   
them all4 ,we see that either he  leaves
 them by dying1 or ,god permits that    
they be taken from him first4  ,every   
day we see it4 ,for now a man is rich1  
and now poor2 to-day he is  exalted in  
worldly state1 and to-morrow he is cast 
down2 now he is well1  and now ill4 ,so 
all things are mutable1 and are taken   
from us when we  think to clasp them    
firmly2 or we are snatched away from    
them by death4    ,so you see that all  
things pass4 ,then1 seeing that they    
pass1 they should  be possessed with    
moderation in the light of reason1 loved
 in such wise as  they should be loved4 
,and he who holds them thus will not    
hold them with  the help of sin1 but    
with grace2 with generosity of heart1   

and not with  avarice2 in pity for the  
poor1 and not in cruelty2 in humility1  
not in  pride2 in gratitude1 not in     
ingratitude3 and will recognize that his
  possessions come from his ,creator1   
and not himself4 ,with this same        
temperate love he will love his         
children1 his friends1 his relatives1   
and  all other rational beings4 ,he will
 hold the condition of marriage as      
ordained1 and ordained as a ,sacrament2 
and will have in respect the days       
commanded by ,holy ,church4 ,he will be 
and live like a man1 and not a beast2   
and will be1 not indeed ascetic1 but    
continent and self-controlled4 ,such a  
man will be a fruitful tree1 that will  
bear the fruits of virtue1 and will  be 
fragrant1 shedding perfume although     
planted in the earth2 and the seed  that
 issues from him will be good and       
virtuous4    ,so you see that you can   
have ,god in any condition2 for the     
condition is  not what robs us of ,him1 
but the evil will alone1 which1 when it 

is set on  loving falsehood1 is         
ill-ordered and corrupts a man's every  
work4 ,but if  he loves truth1 he       
follows the footsteps of truth2 so he   
hates what truth  hates and loves what  
truth loves1 and then his every work is 
good and  perfect4 ,otherwise it would  
not be possible for him to share the    
life of  grace1 nor would any work of   
his bear living fruit4    ,so1 knowing  
no other way1 ,i said that ,i desired to
 see you a lover and  follower of truth 
and despiser of falsehood2 hating the   
devil the father  of lies1 and your own 
lower nature1 that follows such a       
parent2 and loving  ,christ crucified1  
who is ,way1 ,truth and ,life4 ,for ,he 
who walks in ,him  reaches the ,light1  
and is clothed in the shining garment of
 charity1  wherein are all virtues      
found4 ,which charity and love          
unspeakable1 when it  is in the soul1   
holds itself not content in the common  
state1 but desires  to advance further4 
,thus from mental poverty it desires to 

advance to  actual1 and from mental     
continence to actual2 to observe the    
,counsels as  well as the ,commandments 
of ,christ2 for it begins to feel       
aversion for the  dunghill of the world4
 ,and because it sees the difficulty of 
being in  filth and not defiled1 it     
longs with breathless desire and burning
 charity  to free itself by one act from
 the world so far as possible4 ,if it is
 not  able to escape in deed1 it studies
 to be perfect in its own place4 ,at    
least1 it does not lack desire4         
,then1 dearest brother1 let us sleep no 
more1 but awaken from slumber4 ,open    
the eye of the mind in the light of     
faith1 to know1 to love1 to follow  that
 truth which you shall know through the 
,blood of the humble and loving  ,lamb4 
,you shall know that ,blood in the      
knowledge of yourself1 that the  face of
 your soul may be washed therein4 ,and  
it is ours1 and none can take  it from  
us unless we choose4 ,then be negligent 
no more2 but like a vase1  fill yourself

 with the ,blood of ,christ crucified4  
,i say no more4 ,remain in  the holy and
 sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1    
,jesus ,love4          ,,letters        
,,written ,,from ,,rocca ,d',,orcia     
,these informal little notes were       
written probably in the autumn of #acgg 
while ,catherine was making a visit to  
the feudal stronghold of the  ,salimbeni
 family1 about twenty-three miles from  
,siena1 among the foothills  of ,monte  
,amiata4 ,the young populana was        
admitted to the intimate  counsels of   
these great nobles1 leaders of the      
opposition to the popular  government   
with which her own sympathies would     
naturally have lain4 ,it  must have been
 a new experience to the town-bred      
girl--life in this  castle-eyrie among  
the hills1 where mercenary troops and   
rude peasants  thronged the courtyard1  
and manners1 one surmises1 must have    
been at once  more artful and more      
brutal than among her bourgeois friends4
 ,we hear of  picturesque scenes1 where 

men and women afflicted of demons are   
brought  writhing into her presence1 to 
be welcomed1 cared for1 and healed4 ,she
 had  the comfort of the company of     
several confessors2 the first of these  
letters shows them labouring with homely
 eagerness1 quaintly expressed1  for the
 religious welfare of the wild soldiery4
 ,absorbed1 as ever1 in the  inward     
life1 ,catherine was as tranquilly at   
home here in the mountains1  among the  
great ladies of the ,salimbeni family1  
as in ,siena or in the  papal court4    
,meantime1 good ,monna ,lapa grumbled as
 of old over the separation from her    
daughter2 and evidently ,catherine's    
sister mantellate were also             
disconsolate4 ,she writes them very     
gently1 very simply1 trying to          
reconcile them by the reminder of like  
sorrows borne by that first group  of   
disciples to whom she and her friends   
loved to compare themselves4 ,to  her   
beloved ,alessa she expresses herself   
more freely1 giving just the  details of

 health and mental state that intimate  
love would crave4 ,these  were sad days 
in her private life2 for she had parted 
from ,fra ,raimondo1  who had been      
called to other service4 ,her words to  
,alessa reflect her  sadness1 and also  
her entire submission4 ,it is noticeable
 that she  respects the secrets of her  
hosts with dignity1 giving no hint on   
the  matters that occupied her beyond   
the reticent statement to her mother3 ,i
  believe that if you knew the          
circumstances you yourself would send me
  here4    ,this is not the only time by
 any means that ,catherine had to meet  
similar  complaints4 ,wherever she bore 
her strong vitality1 limitless sympathy 
and  peculiar charm1 new friends        
gathered around her and clung to her    
with an  unreasoning devotion that cried
 out in exacting hunger for her         
presence1  and often proved to her a    
real distress4 ,for ,catherine1 swiftly 
responsive  as she was to individual    
affections1 perfect in loyalty as she   

always  showed herself1 moved1          
nevertheless1 in a region where         
unswerving service  of a larger duty    
might at any moment force her to refuse 
to gratify1 at  least in outward ways1  
the personal claim4 ,this was very hard 
for her  friends to understand2 one is  
sorry for them4 ,at the same time1 one  
feels  more than a little pathos in her 
efforts to bring these simpler minds    
into  understanding sympathy with that  
high sense of vocation which underlay   
all  her doings3 ,know1 dearest mother1 
that ,i1 your poor little daughter1 am  
not put on earth for anything else than 
this2 to this my ,creator has  chosen   
me4 ,i know you are content that ,i     
should obey ,him4 ,but ,monna ,lapa     
never was quite content--not to the very
 end4        ,,to ,,monna ,,lapa ,,her  
,,mother ,,and ,,to ,,monna ,,cecca     
,,in ,,the ,,monastery ,,of ,,saint     
,,agnes ,,at ,,montepulciano1 ,,when    
,,she ,,was ,,at ,,rocca      ,in the   
,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of

 sweet ,mary3    ,dearest mother and    
daughter in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i    
,catherine1 servant  and slave of the   
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to you
 in ,his precious  ,blood3 with desire  
to see you so clothed in the flames of  
divine charity  that you may bear all   
pain and torment1 hunger and thirst1    
persecution and  injury1 derision1      
outrage and insult1 and everything else1
 with true  patience2 learning from the 
,lamb suffering and slain1 who ran with 
such  burning love to the shameful death
 of the ,cross4 ,do you then keep in    
companionship with sweetest ,mother     
,mary1 who1 in order that the holy      
disciples might seek the honour of ,god 
and the salvation of souls1  following  
the footsteps of her sweet ,son1        
consents that they should leave  her    
presence1 although she loved them       
supremely3 and she stays as if  alone1 a
 guest and a pilgrim4 ,and the          
disciples1 who loved her beyond         
measure1 yet leave her joyously1        

enduring every grief for the honour of  
,god1 and go out among tyrants1 enduring
 many persecutions4 ,and if you ask     
them3 ,why do you carry yourselves so   
joyously1 and you are going away  from  
,mary8 they would reply3 ,because we    
have lost ourselves1 and are  enamoured 
of the honour of ,god and the salvation 
of souls4 ,well1 dearest  mother and    
daughter1 ,i want you to do just so4 ,if
 up to now you have not  been1 ,i want  
you to be now1 kindled in the fire of   
divine charity1 seeking  always the     
honour of ,god and the salvation of     
souls4 ,otherwise you would  fall into  
the greatest grief and tribulation1 and 
would drag me down into  them4 ,know1   
dearest mother1 that ,i1 your poor      
little daughter1 am not put  on earth   
for anything else2 to this my ,creator  
has elected me4 ,i know you  are content
 that ,i should obey ,him4 ,i beg you   
that if ,i seemed to stay  away longer  
than pleased your will1 you will be     
contented2 for ,i cannot do  otherwise4 

,i believe that if you knew the         
circumstances you yourself would  send  
me here4 ,i am staying to find help if  
,i can for a great scandal4 ,it  is no  
fault of the ,countess1 though2         
therefore do you all pray ,god and  that
 glorious ,virgin to send us a good     
result4 ,and do you1 ,cecca1 and        
,giustina1 drown yourselves in the      
,blood of ,christ crucified2 for now is 
the time to prove the virtue in your    
soul4 ,god give ,his sweet and eternal  
benediction to you all4 ,i say no more4 
,remain in the holy and sweet grace  of 
,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      
,,to ,,monna ,,catarina ,,of ,,the      
,,hospital ,,and ,,to ,,giovanna ,,di   
,,capo ,,in ,,siena      ,in the ,name  
of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet
 ,mary3    ,dearest daughters in ,christ
 sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant   
and slave of  the servants of ,jesus    
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood3 with  desire to see you obedient
 daughters1 united in true and perfect  

charity4  ,this obedience and love will 
dissipate all your suffering and gloom2 
for  obedience removes the thing which  
gives us suffering1 that is our own     
perverse will1 which is wholly destroyed
 in true holy obedience4 ,gloom is      
scattered and consumed by the impulse of
 charity and unity1 for ,god is  true   
charity and highest eternal light4 ,he  
who has this true light for his  guide1 
cannot miss the road4 ,therefore1       
dearest daughters1 ,i want1 since  it is
 so necessary1 that you should study to 
lose your own will and to  gain this    
light4    ,this is the doctrine which ,i
 remember has always been given you1    
although  you have learned little of it4
 ,that which is not done1 ,i beg you to 
do1  dearest daughters4 ,if you did not1
 you would abide in continual           
sufferings1 and would drag poor me1 who 
deserve every suffering1 into them  too4
    ,we must do for the honour of ,god  
as the holy apostles did4 ,when they had
  received the ,holy ,spirit1 they      

separated from one another1 and from    
that  sweet mother ,mary4 ,although it  
was their greatest delight to stay      
together1 yet they gave up their own    
delight1 and sought the honour of ,god  
and the salvation of souls4 ,and        
although ,mary sends them away from her1
  they do not therefore hold that love  
is diminished1 or that they are         
deprived of the affection of ,mary4     
,this is the rule that we must take to  
ourselves4 ,i know that my presence is a
 great consolation to you4              
,nevertheless1 as truly obedient1 you   
should not seek your own consolation1   
for the honour of ,god and the salvation
 of souls3 and do not give place to  the
 devil1 who makes it look to you as if  
you were deprived of the love  and      
devotion which ,i bear to your souls and
 bodies4 ,were it otherwise1  true love 
would not be built on you4 ,i assure you
 that ,i do not love you  otherwise than
 in ,god4 ,why do you fall into such    
unregulated suffering  over things which

 must necessarily be so8 ,oh1 what shall
 we do when it  shall befit us to do    
great deeds if we fail so in the little 
ones8 ,we  shall have to be together or 
separated according as things shall     
befall4  ,just now our sweet ,saviour   
wills and permits that we be separated  
for ,his  honour4    ,you are in ,siena1
 and ,cecca and ,grandma are in         
,montepulciano4 ,frate  ,bartolomeo and 
,frate ,matteo will be there and have   
been there4 ,alessa and  ,monna ,bruna  
are at ,monte ,giove1 eighteen miles    
from ,montepulciano2 they  are with the 
,countess and ,monna ,lisa4 ,frate      
,raimondo and ,frate ,tommaso and       
,monna ,tomma and ,lisa and ,i are at   
,rocca among the ,free-lances4 ,and so  
many  incarnate demons are being eaten  
up that ,frate ,tommaso says that his   
stomach aches over it6 ,with all this   
they cannot be satisfied1 and they  are 
hungry for more1 and find work here at a
 good price4 ,pray the ,divine          
,goodness to give them big1 sweet and   

bitter mouthfuls6 ,think that the       
honour of ,god and the salvation of     
souls is being sweetly seen4 ,you ought 
not to want or desire anything else4    
,you could do nothing more pleasing to  
the highest eternal will of ,god1 and to
 mine1 than feeling thus4 ,up1 my       
daughters1 begin to sacrifice your own  
wills to ,god6 ,don't be ready always   
to stay nurselings--for you should get  
the teeth of your desire ready to  bite 
hard and musty bread1 if needs be4    ,i
 say no more4 ,bind you in the sweet    
bands of love1 so you will show that    
you are daughters--not otherwise4       
,comfort you in ,christ sweet ,jesus1   
and  comfort all the other daughters4   
,we will come back as soon as we can1   
according as it shall please the ,divine
 ,goodness4 ,remain in the holy and     
sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1     
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,monna     
,,alessa  ,,clothed ,,with ,,the ,,habit
 ,,of ,,saint ,,dominic1 ,,when ,,she   
,,was ,,at ,,rocca      ,in the ,name of

 ,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet  
,mary3    ,dearest daughter in ,christ  
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and
 slave of  the servants of ,jesus       
,christ1 write to thee in ,his precious 
,blood3 with  desire to see thee follow 
the doctrine of the ,spotless ,lamb with
 a free  heart1 divested of every       
creature-love1 clothed only with the    
,creator1 in  the light of most holy    
faith4 ,for without the light thou      
couldst not walk  in the straight way of
 the ,slain and ,spotless ,lamb4        
,therefore my soul  desires to see thee 
and the others clean and virile1 and not
 blown about  by every wind that may    
befall4 ,beware of looking back1 but go 
on steadily1  holding in mind the       
teaching that has been given thee4 ,be  
sure to enter  every day anew into the  
garden of thy soul with the light of    
faith to pull  up every thorn that might
 smother the seed of the teaching given 
thee1 and  to turn over the earth2 that 
is1 every day do thou divest thy heart4 

,it is  necessary to divest it over and 
over2 for many a time ,i have seen      
people  who seemed to have divested     
themselves1 whom ,i have found clothed  
in sin1  by evidence rather of deed than
 of words4 ,the opposite might appear by
  their words1 but deeds showed their   
affections4 ,i want1 then1 that thou    
shouldst divest thy heart in truth1     
following ,christ crucified4 ,and let   
silence abide on thy lips4 ,i have taken
 note2 for ,i believe that the other    
woman holds to it very little4 ,i am    
very sorry for that4 ,if it is so1 as   
it seems to me1 my ,creator wills that  
,i should bear it1 and ,i am content  to
 do so3 but ,i am not content with the  
wrong done to ,god4    ,thou didst write
 me that ,god seemed to constrain thee  
in thy orisons to  pray for me4 ,thanks 
be to the ,divine ,goodness1 who shows  
such unspeakable  love to my poor soul6 
,thou didst tell me to write thee if ,i 
were suffering  and had my usual        
infirmities at this time4 ,i reply that 

,god has cared for  me marvellously1    
within and without4 ,he has cared very  
much for my body  this ,advent1 causing 
the pains to be diverted by writing2 it 
is true that1  by the goodness of ,god1 
they have been worse than they used to  
be4 ,if ,he  made them worse1 ,he saw to
 it that ,lisa was cured as soon as     
,frate ,santi  fell ill--for he has been
 at the point of death4 ,now1 almost    
miraculously1  he has grown so much     
better that he can be called cured4 ,but
 apparently my  ,bridegroom1 ,eternal   
,truth1 has wished to put me to a very  
sweet and  genuine test1 inward and     
outward1 in the things which are seen   
and those  which are not--the latter    
beyond count the greater4 ,but while ,he
 was  testing us1 ,he has cared for us  
so gently as tongue could not tell4     
,therefore ,i wish pains to be food to  
me1 tears my drink1 sweat my  ointment4 
,let pains make me fat1 let pains cure  
me1 let pains give me  light1 let pains 
give me wisdom1 let pains clothe my     

nakedness1 let pains  strip me of all   
self-love1 spiritual and temporal4 ,the 
pain of lacking  consolations from my   
fellow-creatures has called me to       
consider my own  lack of virtue1        
recognizing my imperfection1 and the    
very perfect light of  ,sweet ,truth1   
who gives and receives1 not material    
things1 but holy  desires3 ,him who has 
not withdrawn ,his goodness toward me   
for my little  light or knowledge1 but  
has had regard only to ,himself1 the    
,one supremely  ,good4    ,i beg thee by
 the love of ,jesus ,christ crucified1  
dearest my daughter1 do  not slacken in 
prayer3 nay1 redouble it--for ,i have   
greater need thereof  than thou         
seest--and do thou thank the ,goodness  
of ,god for me4 ,and pray  ,him to give 
me grace that ,i may give my life for   
,him1 and to take away1 if  so please   
,him1 the burden of my body4 ,for my    
life is of very little use to  anyone   
else2 rather is it painful and          
oppressive to every person1 far and     

near1 by reason of my sins4 ,may ,god by
 ,his mercy take from me such great     
faults1 and for the little time that ,i 
have to live1 may ,he make me live      
impassioned by the love of virtue6 ,and 
may ,i in pain offer before ,him my     
dolorous and suffering desires for the  
salvation of all the world and the      
reformation of ,holy ,church6 ,joy1 joy 
in the ,cross with me6 ,so may the      
,cross be a bed where the soul may rest3
 a table where may be tasted  heavenly  
food1 the fruit of patience with        
quietness and assurance4    ,thou didst 
send to me saying 444 ,i was consoled by
 this thing1 both by her  life1 hoping  
that she is correcting herself and      
living with less vanity of  heart than  
she has done till now1 and also by the  
children's having been  brought to the  
light of ,holy ,baptism4 ,may ,god give 
them ,his sweetest  grace1 and grant    
them death if they are not to be good6  
,bless them1 and  comfort her1 in       
,christ sweet ,jesus3 and tell her to   

live in the holy and  sweet fear of     
,god1 and to recognize the grace she has
 received from ,god1  which has not been
 small but very great4 ,were she to be  
ungrateful1 it  would much displease    
,god1 and perhaps ,he would not leave   
her unpunished4    ,i commend to thee   
444 ,i have had no news at all of them1 
,i do not know  why4 ,the will of ,god  
be done6 ,our ,saviour has put me on the
 ,island1 and  the winds beat from every
 side4 ,let everyone rejoice in ,christ 
crucified1  however far one from the    
other4 ,shut thee into the house of     
self-  knowledge4 ,i say no more4       
,remain in the holy and sweet grace of  
,god4 ,sweet  ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4     
,,to ,,gregory ,,xi      ,there is no   
evidence as to the date of this letter1 
but the tone is such  that ,catherine's 
latest editor is probably right in      
placing it after the  return of the     
,pope to ,italy4 ,it suggests that a    
long relation is drawing  to a close1   
and closing1 so far as ,catherine is    

concerned1 in  disappointment4 ,never1  
in her earlier relations with ,gregory1 
would she  have gone such lengths as    
here1 in her amazing hint that he would 
better  resign the ,papacy if he finds  
himself unable to sustain the moral     
burdens  it imposes4 ,the ,pope is at   
,rome1 but he has changed his sky and   
not his  mind4 ,catherine's letter is a 
brief and powerful summary of           
oft-reiterated  pleas4 ,in the solemnity
 and authority of its adjurations1 in   
the  distinctness of its accusations1 it
 is surely one of the most surprising   
epistles ever written by a devout and   
wholly faithful subject to her          
acknowledged head4 ,such a letter       
proceeds1 indeed1 from a spiritual      
region  where all earthly               
distinctions--ecclesiastical as well as 
intellectual or  social--are lost to    
sight1 and the illiterate daughter of   
the dyer can  rebuke and exhort as by   
her natural right him whom with         
unwavering faith  she believed to be the

 ,god-appointed father of all ,christian
 people4  ,catherine's patience1 one    
feels1 is near the breaking point3 and  
heart-  break for her is in truth not   
many years away4      ,in the ,name of  
,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet   
,mary3    ,most holy and sweet father1  
your poor unworthy daughter ,catherine  
in  ,christ sweet ,jesus1 commends      
herself to you in ,his precious ,blood3 
with  desire to see you a manly man1    
free from any fear or fleshly love      
toward  yourself1 or toward any creature
 related to you in the flesh2 since ,i  
perceive in the sweet ,presence of ,god 
that nothing so hinders your holy1  good
 desire and so serves to hinder the     
honour of ,god and the exaltation  and  
reform of ,holy ,church1 as this4       
,therefore1 my soul desires with        
immeasurable love that ,god by ,his     
infinite mercy may take from you all    
passion and lukewarmness of heart1 and  
re-form you another man1 by forming  in 
you anew a burning and ardent desire2   

for in no other way could you  fulfil   
the will of ,god and the desire of ,his 
servants4 ,alas1 alas1  sweetest ,babbo 
mine1 pardon my presumption in what ,i  
have said to you  and am saying2 ,i am  
constrained by the ,sweet ,primal ,truth
 to say it4 ,his  will1 father1 is this1
 and thus demands of you4 ,it demands   
that you  execute justice on the        
abundance of many iniquities committed  
by those who  are fed and pastured in   
the garden of ,holy ,church2 declaring  
that brutes  should not be fed with the 
food of men4 ,since ,he has given you   
authority  and you have assumed it1 you 
should use your virtue and power3 and if
 you  are not willing to use it1 it     
would be better for you to resign what  
you  have assumed2 more honour to ,god  
and health to your soul would it be4    
,another demand that ,his will makes is 
this3 ,he wills that you make peace     
with all ,tuscany1 with which you are at
 strife2 securing from all your  wicked 
sons who have rebelled against you      

whatever is possible to secure  without 
war--but punishing them as a father     
ought to punish a son who has  wronged  
him4 ,moreover1 the sweet goodness of   
,god demands from you that you  give    
full authority to those who ask you to  
make ready for the ,holy  ,crusade--that
 thing which appears impossible to you1 
and possible to the  sweet goodness of  
,god1 who has ordained it1 and wills    
that so it be4  ,beware1 as you hold    
your life dear1 that you commit no      
negligence in this1  nor treat as jests 
the works of the ,holy ,spirit1 which   
are demanded from  you because you can  
do them4 ,if you want justice1 you can  
execute it4 ,you  can have peace1       
withdrawing from the perverse pomps and 
delights of the  world1 preserving only 
the honour of ,god and the due of ,holy 
,church4  ,authority also you have to   
give peace to those who ask you for it4 
,then1  since you are not poor but      
rich--you who bear in your hand the keys
 of  ,heaven1 to whom you open it is    

open1 and to whom you shut it is        
shut--if  you do not do this1 you would 
be rebuked by ,god4 ,i1 if ,i were in   
your  place1 should fear lest divine    
judgment come upon me4 ,therefore ,i beg
 you  most gently on behalf of ,christ  
crucified to be obedient to the will of 
,god1 for ,i know that you want and     
desire no other thing than to do ,his   
will1 that this sharp rebuke fall not   
upon you3 ,cursed be thou1 for the  time
 and the strength entrusted to thee thou
 hast not used4 ,i believe1  father1 by 
the goodness of ,god1 and also taking   
hope from your holiness1  that you will 
so act that this will not fall upon you4
    ,i say no more4 ,pardon me1 pardon  
me2 for the great love which ,i bear to 
your salvation1 and my great grief when 
,i see the contrary1 makes me speak  so4
 ,willingly would ,i have said it to    
your own person1 fully to unburden  my  
conscience4 ,when it shall please your  
,holiness that ,i come to you1 ,i  will 
come willingly4 ,so do that ,i may not  

appeal to ,christ crucified from  you2  
for to no other can ,i appeal1 for there
 is no greater on earth4  ,remain in the
 holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,i ask   
you humbly for your  benediction4 ,sweet
 ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4          ,,to    
,,raimondo ,,of ,,capua  ,,of ,,the     
,,order ,,of ,,the ,,preachers          
,this letter confirms what history      
elsewhere indicates--that ,gregory1     
after  his return to ,italy1 turned     
against ,catherine4 ,she no longer      
addresses her  dear ,babbo personally1  
with the old happy familiarity2 rather1 
she sends  through ,fra ,raimondo formal
 and almost tremulous messages to his   
,holiness1 the ,vicar of ,christ4       
,raimondo1 apparently from his          
connection  with her1 is evidently      
included in the papal displeasure4      
,catherine writes  to give him courage  
and comfort2 in her touching advice as  
to the best way  of preparing one's self
 to meet contentions and injustice1 we  
may  recognize the secret source of her 

own rare self-control4    ,catherine's  
attitude toward the angered ,pope is a  
compound of contrition  and firmness4   
,no words could express swifter         
readiness to accept rebuke or  a more   
passionate humility3 none could more    
vigorously maintain the  unwelcome      
convictions which had given offence4    
,there are various surmises  as to the  
exact occasion of the misunderstanding  
to which this letter  refers3 were we to
 add one1 we might suspect that the     
audacity of the  preceding letter had   
been too much1 even for ,gregory4 ,but  
the general  situation speaks for       
itself4 ,gregory was strong enough1     
under her  inspiration1 to make the     
great physical and moral effort of      
returning to  ,italy3 he was1 as we have
 seen1 not strong enough to cope with   
what he  found there4 ,enfeebled by     
ill-health1 hampered by his lack of     
knowledge of  ,italian1 rendered        
desperate by the difficulties he        
encountered1 it is  small wonder that1  

as many another weak nature would have  
done1 he turned  in rage or cold        
displeasure against the instrument of   
his return4 ,there is  a story that     
,gregory on his deathbed warned the     
bystanders against  ,catherine1 and     
whether it be true or not1 it suggests  
the contemporary  impression as to his  
tone toward her during his last days4   
,here is sad  ending to a relation that 
during its earlier phases possessed a   
singular  beauty4 ,how sorely ,catherine
 must have been hurt we may well        
imagine4 ,her  brief triumph was all    
turned to bitterness3 less1 we may be   
sure1 from her  personal loss of the    
,pope's confidence--though she was human
 enough to  feel this keenly--than from 
the utter failure of the hopes she had  
built  on his return4    ,in this letter
 her genuine self-abasement before      
,gregory's displeasure  changes with    
dramatic suddenness to another tone4    
,the accuser becomes the  judge once    
more1 and speaks with the old authority3

 ,god demands that you  do this--as you 
know that you were told4 ,her personal  
feeling for the man  breaks forth in the
 appeal3 ,to whom shall ,i have recourse
 should you  abandon me8 ,who would help
 me8 ,but in the same breath comes her  
magnificent assurance1 that though she  
may offend ,christ's ,vicar1 the ,head  
of the ,church1 she may yet flee with   
confidence to ,christ ,himself1 and     
rest secure upon the bosom of ,his      
,bride4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus    
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest and sweetest father in ,christ 
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant    
and slave of the servants of ,jesus     
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood3 with desire to see you a true   
combatant against the wiles and         
vexations of the devil1 and the malice  
and persecution of men1 and against     
your own fleshly self-love1 which is an 
enemy that1 unless a man drives it  away
 by virtue and holy hate1 prevents him  
from ever being strong in the  other    

battles which we encounter every day4   
,for self-love weakens us1 and          
therefore it is imperative that we drive
 it away with the strength of  virtue1  
which we shall gain in the unspeakable  
love that ,god has shown us1  through   
the ,blood of ,his only-begotten ,son4  
,this love1 drawn from the  divine love1
 gives us light and life2 light1 to know
 the truth when  necessary to our       
salvation and to win great perfection1  
and to endure with  true patience and   
fortitude and constancy until death--for
 by such  fortitude1 won from the light 
that makes us know the truth1 we win the
  life of divine grace4 ,drink deep1    
then1 in the ,blood of the ,spotless    
,lamb1  and be a faithful servant1 not  
faithless1 to your ,creator4 ,and fear  
not1  nor turn back1 for any battle or  
gloom that may come upon you1 but       
persevere in faith till death2 for well 
you know that perseverance will  give   
you the fruit of your labours4    ,i    
have understood from a certain servant  

of ,god who holds you in continual      
prayer before ,him1 that you have met   
very great battles1 and that gloom  has 
fallen upon your mind through the crafts
 and wiles of the devil1 who  wishes to 
make you see wrong as right and right as
 wrong2 this he does in  order that you 
may fail in your going and not reach the
 goal4 ,but comfort  you1 for ,god has  
provided and shall provide1 and ,his    
providence shall not  be lacking4 ,be   
sure that in all things you have        
recourse to ,mary1  embracing the holy  
,cross1 and never let yourself fall into
 confusion of  mind1 but sail in a      
stormy sea in the ship of divine mercy4 
,i understand3  if from men religious or
 secular1 even in the mystical body of  
,holy  ,church1 you have suffered       
persecution or displeasure1 or have been
 visited  with the indignation of the   
,vicar of ,christ1 either on your own   
account1  or if you have had something  
to bear on my account with all these    
people--  you are not to resist1 but    

bear it patiently1 leaving at once1 and 
going  into your cell1 there to know    
yourself in holy meditation2 reflecting 
that  ,god is making you worthy to      
endure for the love of truth1 and to be 
persecuted for ,his ,name1 deeming      
yourself in true humility worthy of     
punishment and unworthy to gain results4
 ,and do all the things that you  have  
to do prudently1 holding ,god before    
your eyes2 do and say what you  have to 
say and do in the ,presence of ,god and 
of your own thought with the  help of   
holy prayer4 ,there shall you find the  
,master1 the ,holy ,spirit1  rich in    
clemency1 who shall pour upon you a     
light of wisdom that shall  make you    
discern and choose what shall be to his 
honour4 ,this is the  doctrine given to 
us by the ,sweet ,primal ,truth1 caring 
for our need with  measureless love4    
,if it happened1 dearest father1 that   
you found yourself in the presence of   
his ,holiness the ,vicar of ,christ1 our
 very sweet and holy father1 humbly     

commend me to him4 ,i hold myself in    
fault before his ,holiness for much     
ignorance and negligence which ,i have  
committed against ,god1 and for         
disobedience against my ,creator1 who   
summoned me to cry aloud with           
passionate desire1 and to cry before    
,him in prayer1 and to put myself in    
word and in bodily presence close to    
,his ,vicar4 ,in all possible ways ,i   
have committed measureless faults1 on   
account of which1 yes1 on account of  my
 many iniquities1 ,i believe that he has
 suffered many persecutions1 he  and    
,holy ,church4 ,wherefore if he         
complains of me he is right1 and right  
in  punishing me for my defects4 ,but   
tell him that up to the limits of my    
power ,i shall strive to correct my     
faults1 and to fulfil more perfectly    
his obedience4 ,so ,i trust by the      
divine goodness that ,he will turn the  
eyes of ,his mercy upon the ,bride of   
,christ and ,his ,vicar1 and upon me1   
freeing me from my defects and          

ignorance2 but upon ,his ,bride1 by     
giving  her the refreshment of peace and
 renewal1 with much endurance 7for in no
  way without toils can be uprooted the 
many thorny faults that choke the       
garden of ,holy ,church71 and that ,god 
will give him grace in those parts      
where he wants to be a manly man1 and   
not to look back1 for any toil or       
persecution that may befall him from his
 wicked sons2 constant and  persevering1
 let him not avoid weariness1 but let   
him throw himself like a  lamb into the 
midst of the wolves1 with hungry desire 
for the honour of  ,god and the         
salvation of souls1 putting far from him
 care for temporal  things1 and watching
 over spiritual things alone4 ,if he    
does so1 as divine  goodness demands of 
him1 the lamb will lord it over the     
wolves1 and the  wolves will turn into  
lambs2 and thus we shall see the glory  
and praise of  the name of ,god1 the    
good and peace of ,holy ,church4 ,in no 
other way can  these be won2 not through

 war1 but through peace and benignity1  
and such  holy spiritual punishment as a
 father should inflict on a son who does
  wrong4    ,alas1 alas1 alas1 most holy
 father6 ,the first day that you came to
 your  own place1 you should have done  
so4 ,i hope in the goodness of ,god and 
in  your holiness that what is not done 
you will do4 ,in this way both          
temporalities and spiritualities are won
 back4 ,god demanded that you do        
this--as you know that you were         
told--that you care for the reformation 
of  ,holy ,church1 punishing its sins   
and establishing good shepherds2 and    
that  you make holy peace with your     
wicked sons in the best way and most    
pleasing to ,god that could be done2 so 
that then you might see to  uplifting   
with your arms the standard of the most 
holy ,cross against the  infidels4 ,i   
believe that our negligence and our not 
doing what could be  done--not cruelly  
nor quarrelsomely1 but in peace and     
benignity--7always  punishing a man who 

has done wrong1 not in proportion to his
 deserts1 for  he could not endure what 
he deserves1 but in proportion to what  
the sick  man is in a condition to      
bear7--are1 perhaps1 the reason why such
  disaster and loss and irreverence     
toward ,holy ,church and her ministers  
has  befallen4 ,and ,i fear that unless 
a remedy is found by doing what has been
  left undone1 our sins may deserve so  
much that we shall see greater          
misfortunes2 such ,i say as would grieve
 us much more than to lose temporal     
possessions4 ,of all these evils and    
sorrows1 wretched ,i am the cause1      
through my little virtue and my great   
disobedience4    ,most holy father1 look
 in the light of reason and truth at    
your  displeasure against me1 not as    
punishment1 but as displeasure4 ,to whom
  shall ,i have recourse should you     
abandon me8 ,who would help me8 ,to whom
 do  ,i flee1 should you cast me out8   
,my persecutors pursue me1 and ,i flee  
to  you1 and to the other sons and      

servants of ,god4 ,should you abandon   
me1  assuming displeasure and wrath     
against me1 ,i will hide me in the      
wounds of  ,christ crucified1 whose     
,vicar you are3 and ,i know that ,he    
will receive me1  for ,he wills not the 
death of a sinner4 ,and1 when ,i am     
received by ,him1  you will not drive me
 out2 nay1 we shall abide in our own    
place to fight  manfully with the       
weapons of virtue for the sweet ,bride  
of ,christ4 ,in her  ,i wish to end my  
life1 with tears1 with sweats1 with     
sighs1 giving my  blood and the marrow  
of my bones4 ,and should all the world  
drive me out1 ,i  will not care1        
reposing with plaints and great         
endurance on the breast of  that sweet  
,bride4 ,pardon1 most holy father1 all  
my ignorance1 and the  wrong that ,i    
have done to ,god and to your ,holiness4
 ,it is ,truth that  excuses me and sets
 me free2 ,truth ,eternal4 ,humbly ,i   
ask your benediction4    ,to you1       
dearest father 7,raimondo71 ,i say3 when

 it is possible to you1 keep  a manly   
heart in the presence of his ,holiness1 
without any pain or servile  fear2      
remain first a while in your cell1 in   
the presence of ,mary and of  the most  
holy ,cross1 in holy and humble prayer1 
in true knowledge of  yourself1 with    
living faith and will to endure2 and    
then go 7to the ,pope7  in security4    
,and do what you can for the honour of  
,god and the salvation  of souls1 to the
 point of death4 ,announce to him what  
,i write you in this  letter as the     
,holy ,spirit shall guide you4 ,i say no
 more4 ,remain in the  holy and sweet   
grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus    
,love4          ,,to ,,urban ,,vi       
,in ,march1 #acgh1 ,gregory died1 and   
was succeeded by the ,archbishop of     
,bari1  who took the name of ,urban     
,,vi4 ,the sensitive1 cultured1         
vacillating  ,frenchman gave place to a 
,neapolitan of coarse physique--a man   
personally  virtuous1 but1 as history   
shows us1 extraordinarily harsh and     

violent in  disposition4 ,it seems1 the 
,prior of the ,island of ,gorgona wrote 
with  alarming candour to ,catherine1   
that our new ,christ on earth is a      
terrible  man4    ,catherine was at     
,florence at the time--having been sent 
thither by  ,gregory1 who1 however      
alienated from her personally1 seems    
till the end to  have valued her        
services4 ,the following is the first   
letter from her to  ,urban which we     
possess4 ,it is evident that she has as 
yet little knowledge  of the new ,pope  
at first hand4 ,she writes to him in    
much the same strain  as that in which  
she was accustomed to address his       
predecessor2 only the  sense of a new   
hearer inspires her1 after the rather   
dull opening of the  letter1 with fresh 
fervour in recapitulating the sins and  
woes of the  ,church4 ,possibly1 also1  
there is a little more insistence than  
usual on  the plea that mercy temper    
justice1 in the case of the rebellious  
,tuscan  cities4 ,the sensible policy   

for such a situation could hardly be    
better  summed up than in her concise   
phrase3 ,receive from a sick man what he
 can  give you4      ,in the ,name of   
,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet   
,mary3    ,most holy and dear father in 
,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1    
servant and  slave of the servants of   
,jesus ,christ1 write to you in ,his    
precious ,blood3  with desire to see you
 founded upon true and perfect charity1 
so that1  like a good shepherd1 you may 
lay down your life for your sheep4 ,and 
truly1 most holy father1 only he who is 
founded upon charity is ready to  die   
for the love of ,god and the salvation  
of souls3 because he is free  from      
self-love4 ,for he who abides in        
self-love is not ready to give his      
life2 and not to speak of his life1     
apparently he is not willing to bear    
the least little pain3 for he is always 
afraid for himself1 lest he lose  his   
bodily life and his private             
consolations4 ,so he does whatever he   

may  do imperfectly and corruptly1      
because his chief impulse1 through which
 he  acts1 is corrupt4 ,in whatever     
state he may be1 shepherd or subject1 he
  shows little virtue4 ,but the shepherd
 who is established in true charity     
does not do so2 his every work is good  
and perfect1 because his impulse is     
absolutely one with the perfection of   
divine charity4 ,such a man as this     
fears neither the devil nor his         
fellow-beings1 but only his ,creator2 he
  does not mind the detractions of the  
world1 nor shames1 nor insults1 nor     
jests1 nor the criticisms of his        
subordinates2 who take offence1 and turn
  to criticizing when they are reproved 
by their prelate4 ,but like a manly     
man1 clothed in the fortitude of        
charity1 he does not care4    ,nor1     
therefore1 does he suppress the flame of
 holy desire1 nor cast from  him the    
pearl of justice1 lucid and one with    
mercy1 which he bears upon  his breast4 
,were justice without mercy1 it would   

abide in the shadows of  cruelty1 and   
would turn into injustice4 ,and mercy   
without justice toward  one's           
subordinate would be like ointment on a 
wound that ought to be  cauterized3 if  
ointment is applied without cauterizing 
it rots more than  it heals4 ,but when  
both are joined they give life to the   
prelate who uses  them1 and health to   
the subject if he is not a member of the
 devil1  entirely unwilling to correct  
himself4 ,however1 if the subject failed
 to  correct himself a thousand times   
over1 the prelate ought not to give up  
correcting him1 and his virtue will be  
none the less because that wicked  man  
does not profit by it4 ,in this way     
works the pure and clean charity of  a  
soul that cares for itself not for its  
own sake1 but for ,god1 and seeks  ,god 
for the glory and praise of ,his name1  
in so far as it sees that ,he is  worthy
 of being loved for ,his infinite       
goodness--nor seeks its neighbour  for  
its own sake1 but for ,god1 wishing to  

render him that service which it  cannot
 render to ,god4 ,for it recognizes that
 ,he is our ,god1 who has no  need of   
us4 ,therefore it studies with great    
zeal to be useful to its  neighbour1 and
 especially to the subjects committed to
 it4 ,and it does not  draw back from   
pursuing the salvation of their souls   
and bodies for any  ingratitude found in
 them1 nor for the threats or flatteries
 of man2 but1  in truth1 clothed in the 
wedding garment1 follows the doctrine of
 the  ,spotless ,humble ,lamb1 that     
gentle and good ,shepherd who1 as one   
enamoured1  ran for our salvation to the
 shameful death of the most holy ,cross4
 ,the  unspeakable love which the soul  
has conceived for ,christ crucified does
  all this4 ,most holy father1 ,god has 
placed you as a shepherd over all ,his  
sheep who belong to the whole ,christian
 religion2 ,he has placed you as the    
minister of the ,blood of ,christ       
crucified1 whose ,vicar you are2 and ,he
  placed you in a time in which         

wickedness abounds more among your      
inferiors  than it has done for a long  
time1 both in the body of ,holy ,church1
 and in  the universal body of the      
,christian religion4 ,therefore it is   
extremely  necessary for you to be      
established in perfect charity1 wearing 
the pearl  of justice1 as ,i said2 that 
you may not mind the world1 nor poor    
people  used to evil1 nor any injuries  
of theirs2 but manfully correct them1   
like  a true knight and just shepherd1  
uprooting vices and implanting virtues1 
ready to lay down your life if needs be4
 ,sweetest father1 the world cannot     
bear any more2 vices are so abundant1   
especially among those who were put  in 
the garden of ,holy ,church to be       
fragrant flowers1 shedding the          
fragrance of virtue2 and we see that    
they abound in wretched1 hateful  vices1
 so that they make the whole world reek6
 ,oh me6 where is the purity  of heart  
and perfect charity which should make   
the incontinent continent  by contact   

with them8 ,it is quite the contrary3   
many a time the continent  and the pure 
are led by their impurities to try      
incontinence4 ,oh me6 where  is the     
generosity of charity1 and the care of  
souls1 and distribution to  the poor and
 to the good of the ,church1 and their  
necessities8 ,you know  well that men do
 quite the contrary4 ,oh me miserable6  
,with grief ,i say it  --your sons      
nourish themselves on the wealth they   
receive by ministering  the ,blood of   
,christ1 and are not ashamed of being as
 money-changers1  playing with those    
most sacred anointed hands of yours1 you
 ,vicar of  ,christ3 without speaking of
 the other wretched deeds which they    
commit4 ,oh  me6 where is that deep     
humility with which to confound that    
pride of  sensuality of theirs1 by which
 in their great avarice they commit     
simonies1 buying benefices with gifts1  
or flatteries1 or money1 dissolute  and 
vain adornments1 not as clerics1 but    
worse than seculars6 ,oh me1 sweet  my  

,babbo1 bring us a remedy6 ,and give    
refreshment to the desperate desires  of
 the servants of ,god1 who die and      
cannot die4 ,they wait with great       
desire that you as a true shepherd      
should put your hand to correcting      
these things1 not only with words but   
with deeds1 while the pearl of  justice1
 joined to mercy1 shines on your breast2
 correcting in truth1  without any      
servile fear1 those who nourish them at 
the breast of the  sweet ,bride of      
,christ1 the ministers of the ,blood4   
,but truly1 most holy father1 ,i do not 
see how this can be well done if you  do
 not make over anew the garden of your  
,bride1 stocking it with good  virtuous 
plants2 taking pains to choose a troop  
of very holy men1 in whom  you find     
virtue and no fear of death4 ,do not aim
 at grandeur1 but let them  be shepherds
 who rule their flocks with zeal4 ,and a
 troop of good  cardinals1 who may be   
upright columns of yours1 helping you to
 bear the  weight of many burdens1 with 

divine help4 ,oh1 how blessed will be my
 soul  then1 when ,i shall see that     
which is hers given back to the ,bride  
of  ,christ1 and those nourished at her 
breast regarding not their own good1    
but the glory and praise of the ,name of
 ,god1 and feeding on the food of  souls
 at the table of the holy ,cross4 ,i    
have no question that then your  lay    
subjects will correct themselves--for   
they will not be able to help  it1      
constrained by the holy and pure life of
 the clergy4 ,we are not1 then1  to     
sleep over it1 but manfully and without 
negligence to do what you can1  even    
unto death1 for the glory and praise of 
the ,name of ,god4    ,next ,i beg you1 
and constrain you by the love of ,christ
 crucified1 as to  those sheep who have 
left the fold--,i believe1 for my       
sins--that by the  love of that ,blood  
of which you are made minister1 you     
delay not to  receive them in mercy1 and
 with your benignity and holiness force 
their  hardness2 give them the good of  

bringing them back into the fold1 and if
  they do not ask it in true and perfect
 humility1 let your ,holiness fulfil    
their imperfection4 ,receive from a sick
 man what he can give you4 ,oh me1  oh  
me1 have mercy on so many souls that    
perish6 ,do not consider the  scandal   
which occurred in this city1 in which   
surely the devils of hell  busied       
themselves1 to hinder the peace and     
quiet of souls and bodies3 but  ,divine 
,goodness saw to it that no great harm  
came from the great evil1 but  your sons
 pacified themselves1 and now ask of you
 the oil of mercy4 ,grant  that it seems
 to you1 most holy father1 that they do 
not ask it in those  conciliatory ways  
nor with that heartfelt distaste for the
 sin they  committed which they should1 
as it would please your ,holiness to    
have  them--yet1 oh me1 do not give up6 
,for they will make better sons than    
other people4 ,oh me1 ,babbo mine1 ,i do
 not want to stay here any longer6 ,do  
with me then what you will4 ,show me    

this grace and favour1 poor wretch  that
 ,i am1 knocking at your door4 ,do not  
deny me the easy little things  that ,i 
ask you for your sons2 so that1 having  
made peace1 you may raise  the standard 
of the most holy ,cross4 ,for you see   
well that the infidels  have come to    
summon you4 ,i hope by the sweet        
goodness of ,god that ,he will  fill you
 with ,his burning charity1 so that you 
shall know the loss of  souls1 and how  
much you are bound to love them3 and so 
you shall increase  in eager zeal to set
 them free from the hands of the devil1 
and shall seek  to heal the mystical    
body of ,holy ,church1 and the body of  
the universal  ,christian religion2 and 
especially to reconcile your sons1      
winning them  with benignity1 with as   
much use of the rod of justice as they  
are fit to  bear1 and no more4 ,i am    
certain that unless we have the virtue  
of charity1  this will not be done2 and 
therefore ,i said that ,i wished to see 
you  established in true and perfect    

charity4 ,not that ,i do not believe    
that  you are in charity1 but because we
 can grow in the perfection of charity  
since we are always pilgrims and        
strangers in this life1 ,i said that ,i 
wished this perfection in you1 that you 
feed it constantly with the flame  of   
holy desire1 and shed it upon your      
subjects1 like a good shepherd4 ,i  beg 
you to do so4 ,and ,i will stay1 and    
labour till ,i die1 in prayer and in    
whatever way ,i can1 for the honour of  
,god and for your peace and that of     
your sons4    ,i say no more to you4    
,remain in the holy and sweet grace of  
,god4 ,pardon my  presumption1 most holy
 father2 but love and grief are my      
excuse before  your ,holiness4 ,i ask   
you humbly for your benediction4 ,sweet 
,jesus1 ,jesus  ,love4          ,,to    
,,her ,,spiritual ,,children ,,in       
,,siena      ,catherine turned without  
difficulty from public cares to the     
needs and  problems of the little group 
of disciples in the restricted life of  

,siena4  ,to her eyes1 there was no     
great nor small2 the one drama was as   
important  as the other1 since both were
 ,god's appointed schools of character4 
,she  was1 as we have already seen1 wise
 in the lore of ,christian friendship4  
,how thoroughly she understood the      
tendencies likely to appear in a limited
  group of good people1 bound closely   
together in faith and life1 these       
letters1 among others1 bear witness4    
,not only in religious communities1  but
 wherever such a group exists1 similar  
conditions arise4 ,the life of  the     
affections becomes of leading           
importance2 too often it is unregulated1
  and runs to morbid extremes2 on the   
other hand1 the peculiarly provincial   
temptation to carping mutual scrutiny as
 well as to overwrought  sensitiveness1 
is sure to be at play4 ,all her life    
long ,catherine combated  these dangers1
 in the strength at once of a large mind
 and of a gentle  heart4 ,the first of  
these letters puts in beautiful form the

 ideal of a  truly consecrated          
affection4 ,the second repeats her      
familiar warning  against a critical    
temper1 and her favourite plea for that 
generous  tolerance which puts the      
highest possible construction on one's  
neighbour's conduct4 ,tolerance1 one    
surmises1 was to her peculiarly swift   
and lofty spirit one of the most        
difficult among the virtues4 ,yet1 or   
rather therefore1 no one has ever       
presented more emphatically the relief  
afforded by the great permission and    
command1 ,judge not4          ,,to      
,,brother ,,william ,,and ,,to ,,messer 
,,matteo  ,,of ,,the ,,misericordia     
,,and ,,to ,,brother ,,santi ,,and ,,to 
,,her ,,other ,,sons      ,in the ,name 
of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet
 ,mary3    ,dearest sons in ,christ     
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and
 slave of the  servants of ,jesus       
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood1 with desire  to see you bound in
 the bands of charity1 for ,i consider  

that without this  bond we cannot please
 ,god4 ,this is the sweet sign by which 
the servants  and sons of ,christ are   
recognized4 ,but think1 my sons1 that   
this bond must  be clean1 and not       
spotted by self-love4 ,if thou lovest   
thy ,creator1 love  and serve ,him in so
 far as ,he is highest and eternal good1
 worthy of being  loved1 and not for    
thine own profit1 for that would be a   
mercenary love1  like a miser who loves 
money because of his avarice4 ,so let   
your love for  your neighbour be clean4 
,love1 love one another2 you are        
neighbours one of  the other4 ,but be on
 your guard1 for if your love were      
founded in your own  profit or in the   
private affection which you might have  
for one another1  it would not endure1  
but would fail1 and your soul would find
 itself  empty4 ,the love which is      
founded in ,god must be of such a sort  
that it has  to love with regard to     
virtue1 and inasmuch as the friend is a 
creature  made in the image of ,god4    

,for while delight in him whom ,i love1 
or profit  from him may grow less1 if   
one abides in ,god love does not fail1  
because  one loves with regard to virtue
 and the honour of ,god1 and not to     
one's  own personality4 ,i say that if  
one abides in ,god1 even if virtue      
should  fail in him who loves1 yet love 
does not turn away4 ,the love of the    
virtue  which is not there fails to be  
sure2 but it does not fail in so far as 
a  man is a creature of ,god1 ,his      
member1 bound in the mystical body of   
the  ,holy ,church4 ,nay1 there grows   
within one a love made up of great and  
true  compassion1 and with desire he    
brings his friend to the birth1 with    
tears  and sighs and continual prayers  
in the sweet ,presence of ,god4 ,now    
this is  the affection which ,christ    
left to ,his disciples1 which never     
lessens or  grows languid1 and is not   
impatient for any injury it receives2   
there is  no spirit of criticism in it  
nor displeasure1 because it loves the   

friend1  not for himself1 but for ,god4 
,it does not judge nor want to judge the
 will  of men1 but the will of its      
,creator1 which seeks and wills naught  
but our  sanctification4 ,and it joys in
 what ,god permits1 of whatsoever kind  
it be1  since it seeks naught but the   
honour of its ,creator and the salvation
 of  its neighbour4 ,truly may we say   
that such men are bound in the bond of  
charity with the band which held        
,god-and-,man fast and nailed on the    
wood  of the most holy and sweet ,cross4
    ,but think1 sons mine1 that you     
would never reach this perfect union did
  you not hold as your object ,christ   
crucified1 and follow ,his footsteps4   
,for in ,him you will find this love1   
who has loved you by grace and not by   
duty4 ,and because ,he loves by grace1  
,he has never grown languid in ,his     
love1 neither for our ingratitude nor   
ignorance nor pride nor vanity1 but     
ever persevering1 even to the shameful  
death of the ,cross1 freeing us from    

death and giving us life4 ,now so do    
you1 my sons1 learn--learn from ,him4   
,love1 love one another1 with pure and  
holy love1 in ,christ sweet ,jesus4 ,i  
say no more1 because ,i hope to see you 
again soon1 when it shall please  the   
divine goodness4 ,remain in the holy and
 sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet  ,jesus1   
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,sano ,,di 
,,maco ,,and ,,all ,,her ,,other ,,sons 
,,in ,,siena      ,in the ,name of      
,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet   
,mary3    ,dearest sons in ,christ sweet
 ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and     
slave of the  servants of ,jesus        
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood3 with desire  to see you strong  
and persevering till the end of your    
life4 ,for ,i  consider that without    
perseverance no one can please ,god1 or 
receive the  crown of reward4 ,he who   
perseveres is always strong1 and        
fortitude makes  him persevere4    ,we  
have absolute need of the gift of       
fortitude1 for we are besieged by  many 

foes4 ,the world1 with its delights and 
deceits2 the devil1 with many  vexing   
temptations1 who lights upon the lips of
 men1 making them say  insulting and    
critical things1 and who often makes us 
lose our worldly  goods--and this he    
does solely to recall us from devoted   
charity to our  neighbour2 the flesh1   
astir in our own senses1 seeking to war 
against the  spirit4 ,yes1 truly1 all   
these foes of ours have besieged us2 yet
 we need  feel no servile fear1 because 
they are discomfited through the ,blood 
of  the ,spotless ,lamb4 ,we ought      
bravely to reply to the world and resist
 it1  disparaging its delights and      
honours1 judging it to have in itself no
  abiding stability whatever4 ,it shows 
us long life1 with youth a-blossom  and 
great riches2 and they are all seen to  
be vanity1 since from life we  come to  
death1 from youth to age1 from wealth to
 poverty2 and thus we are  always       
running toward the goal of death4       
,therefore we need to open the eye  of  

the mind1 to see how miserable he is who
 trusts in the world4 ,in this  wise one
 will come to despise and hate what     
first he loved4 ,to the wiles  of the   
devil we can reply manfully1 seeing his 
weakness2 for he can  conquer no one who
 does not wish to be conquered4 ,one can
 reply to him  then with lively faith   
and hope1 and with holy hatred of one's 
self4 ,for  in such hate one will become
 patient toward every tempting vexation 
and  tribulation of the world1 and will 
bear these things with true patience1   
from what side soever they come1 if one 
shall hate one's own fleshliness  and   
love to abide on the ,cross with ,christ
 crucified4    ,from living faith one   
will derive a will in accord with that  
of ,god1 and  will quench in heart and  
mind the human instinct of judging4 ,the
 will of  ,god alone shall judge1 which 
seeks and wills naught but our          
sanctification4 ,in this wise one is not
 shocked at his neighbour and does  not 
criticize him4 ,nor does he pass        

judgment on a man who talks against     
him3 he condemns himself alone1 seeing  
that it is the will of ,god which       
permits such men to vex him for his     
good4 ,ah1 how blessed is the soul      
which clothes itself in a judgment so   
gentle6 ,he does not condemn the        
servants of this world who do him       
injury2 nor does he condemn the servants
  of ,god1 wishing to drive them in his 
own way1 as many presumptuous1 proud    
men do1 who under cloak of the honour of
 ,god and the salvation of souls1  are  
shocked by the servants of ,god1 and    
assume a critical attitude under  cover 
of this cloak1 saying3 ,such words do   
not please me4 ,and so a man  becomes   
disturbed in himself1 and also makes    
others disturbed with his  tongue1      
claiming that he speaks through the     
force of love--and so he  thinks he     
does4 ,but if he will open his eyes1 he 
will find the serpent of  presumption   
under a false aspect1 which plays the   
judge1 judging in its  own fashion1 and 

not according to the mysteries and the  
holy and diverse  ways in which ,god    
works with ,his creatures4 ,let human   
pride be ashamed1  and consent to see   
that in the ,house of the ,eternal      
,father are many  mansions4 ,let it not 
seek to impose a rule upon the ,holy    
,spirit3 for ,he is  the ,rule itself1  
,giver of the ,rule3 nor let it measure 
,him who cannot be  measured4 ,the true 
servant of ,god1 arrayed in ,his highest
 eternal will1  will not do thus2 nay1  
he will hold in reverence the ways and  
deeds and  habits of ,god's servants1   
since he judges them fixed not by man1  
but by  ,god4 ,for1 just because things 
are not pleasing to us and do not go    
according to our habits1 we ought to be 
predisposed to believe that they  are   
pleasing to ,god4 ,we ought not to judge
 anything at all1 nor can we1  except   
what is manifest and open sin4 ,and even
 this the soul enamoured of  ,god and   
lost to itself does not assume to judge1
 except in displeasure for  the sin and 

wrong done to ,god2 and with great      
compassion for the soul of  him who     
sins1 eagerly willing to give itself to 
any torture for the  salvation of that  
soul4    ,now ,i summon you to this     
perfection1 dearest sons2 do you study  
with true  and holy zeal to acquire it4 
,and reflect that every stage in        
perfection  which you reach will advance
 you in this holy and true judgment1    
free from  offence or pain4 ,so1 on the 
contrary1 false judgment betrays you    
into  every sort of pain1 and           
fault-finding and ruinous faithlessness 
toward the  servants of ,god4 ,all this 
proceeds from the personal passion and  
rooted  pride which impels us to judge  
the will of our fellow-man4 ,so such a  
man  is always looking back1 and does   
not persevere in gracious love of his   
neighbour1 and never has strong and     
persevering love4 ,nay1 his is like the 
imperfect love felt by the disciples of 
,christ before the ,passion2 for  they  
loved ,him1 rejoicing much in ,his      

presence2 but because their love was    
not founded in truth1 but pleasure and  
self-indulgence were in it1 it  failed  
when ,his presence was taken away2 and  
they did not know how to bear  pain with
 ,christ1 but fled in fear4 ,beware1    
beware1 lest this happen to  you4 ,you  
rejoice much in the presence of a       
friend1 and in absence you make  a fire 
of straw2 for when the presence is taken
 away1 every little wind  and rain      
quenches it1 and nothing remains except 
the black smoke of a dark  conscience4  
,all this happens because we have made  
ourselves judges of the  will of our    
fellows1 and the habits and ways of the 
servants of ,god1 not  according to ,his
 sweet will4 ,now no more thus1 for love
 of ,christ  crucified6 but be faithful 
sons1 strong and persevering in ,christ 
sweet  ,jesus4 ,thus shall you discomfit
 the temptation of the devil1 and the   
words  which he says1 lighting on the   
lips of men4    ,our last enemy--that   
is1 our miserable flesh with its        

sense-appetites--is  overcome by the    
flesh of ,christ1 scourged and nailed on
 the wood of the  most holy ,cross1 by  
mastering it with fast and vigil and    
continuous  prayer1 with burning sweet  
and loving desire4 ,thus sweetly shall  
we  conquer and discomfit our foes by   
the power of the ,blood of ,christ4     
,thus  shall you fulfil ,his will and my
 desire1 which grieves when it beholds  
your imperfection4 ,i hope by ,his      
infinite goodness that ,he will console 
my  desire in you4 ,therefore ,i beg    
that you be not negligent1 but zealous2 
do  not shift about in the wind like a  
leaf1 but be firm1 stable1 and          
constant2 loving one another with true  
brotherly charity1 bearing one          
another's faults4 ,by this ,i shall     
perceive whether you love ,god and me1  
who desire naught but to see you in true
 unity4 ,drown you in the ,blood of     
,christ crucified and hide you in ,his  
sweetest ,wounds4 ,i say no more4       
,let the convent of ,santa ,maria degli 

,angeli be commended to you4 ,and never 
mind because ,i am not there1 for good  
sons do more when the mother is not     
present than when she is1 because they  
want to show the love they have for     
her1 and to enter more fully into her   
favour4    ,i beg you1 ,sano1 to read   
this letter to all the children4 ,and do
 you all  pray ,god for us1 that ,he    
grant us to complete what is begun to   
,his honour  and the salvation of souls2
 for we wish no other desire nor work1  
in  despite of any who may wish to      
hinder it4 ,remain in the holy and sweet
  grace of ,god4 ,may ,god fill you with
 ,his sweetest favour4 ,sweet ,jesus1   
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,brother   
,,raimondo ,,of ,,capua  ,,of ,,the     
,,order ,,of ,,the ,,preachers          
,with all her longing to suffer for her 
faith1 ,catherine was only once1 so  far
 as we know1 exposed to physical        
violence4 ,this was on the occasion of  
which she is here speaking4 ,she is     
still in ,florence1 faithful under the  

new ,pope as under the old to her       
efforts to bring about the passionately 
desired peace4 ,in a tumult in the      
disordered city1 it came to pass that   
her life was threatened1 and she took   
refuge with her famiglia1 in a  garden  
without the walls4 ,hither her enemies  
pursued her1 but as they drew  near1    
fell back of a sudden1 awestruck1 as she
 herself here tells us1 by  her words   
and bearing4 ,the danger was averted1   
and ,catherine had met one  of the      
disappointments of her life4 ,footnote3 
,as she herself expresses  it1 ,the     
,eternal ,bridegroom played a great joke
 on me4 ,there is an  almost childlike  
simplicity in her account of the inner  
side of the  experience4 ,nothing could 
be more genuine than her grief that the 
crown of  martyrdom was not granted     
her--few things more lovely than her    
confiding  account of the fine joys     
which the mere hope of martyrdom1 brief 
and  frustrated though it were1 awakened
 in her spirit4 ,nor can she know even  

so supremely isolated an experience     
without insisting that it be shared by  
those she loves1 and returning thanks   
for the great mercy which her dear  sons
 and daughters have received4      ,in  
the ,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified   
and of sweet ,mary3    ,dearest father  
in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 
servant and slave of  the servants of   
,jesus ,christ1 write to you in ,his    
precious ,blood3 with  desire to see you
 a faithful servant and bridegroom of   
truth1 and of sweet  ,mary1 that we may 
never look back for any reason in the   
world1 nor for any  tribulations which  
,god might send you3 but with firm hope1
 with the light  of most holy faith1    
pass through this stormy sea in all     
truthfulness2 and  let us rejoice in    
endurance1 not seeking our own glory1   
but the glory of  ,god and the salvation
 of souls1 as the glorious martyrs did1 
who for the  sake of truth made them    
ready for death and for all torments1 so
 that with  their blood1 shed for love  

of the ,blood1 they built the walls of  
,holy  ,church4 ,ah1 sweet ,blood1 that 
dost raise the dead6 ,thou givest life1 
thou  dost dissolve the shadows that    
darken the minds of reasonable          
creatures1  and dost give us light6     
,sweet ,blood1 thou dost unite those who
 strive1  thou dost clothe the naked1   
thou dost feed the hungry and give to   
drink to  those who thirst for thee1 and
 with the milk of thy sweetness thou    
dost  nourish the little ones who have  
made themselves small by true humility1 
and innocent by true purity4 ,oh1 holy  
,blood1 who shall receive thee amiss8   
,the lovers of themselves1 because they 
do not perceive thy fragrance4    ,so1  
dearest and sweetest father1 let us     
divest us and clothe us in truth1  so we
 shall be faithful lovers4 ,i tell you  
that today ,i will to begin  again1 in  
order that my sins may not hold me back 
from such a good as it  is to give one's
 life for ,christ crucified4 ,for ,i see
 that in the past1  through my faults1  

this has been denied me4 ,i had desired 
very much1 with  a new intensity1       
increased in me beyond all custom1 to   
endure without  fault for the honour of 
,god and the salvation of souls and the 
reformation  and good of ,holy ,church1 
so that my heart was melting from the   
love and  desire ,i had to lay down my  
life4 ,this desire was blessed and      
grievous2  blessed it was for the union 
that ,i felt with truth1 and grievous it
 was  for the oppression which ,i felt  
from the wrong against ,god1 and the    
multitude of demons who overshadowed all
 the city1 dimming the eye of the  mind 
in human beings4 ,almost it seemed that 
,god was letting them have  their way1  
through justice and divine discipline4  
,therefore my life could  not but       
dissolve in weeping1 fearful for the    
great evil which seemed on  the point of
 coming1 and because peace was hindered 
for this reason4 ,but  in this great    
evil1 ,god1 who despises not the desire 
of ,his servants1 and  that sweet mother

 ,mary1 whose name was invoked with     
pained and dolorous  and loving desires1
 granted that in all the tumult and the 
great upheaval  that occurred1 we may   
almost say that there were no human     
deaths1 except  those which justice     
inflicted4 ,so the desire ,i had that   
,god would show ,his  providence and    
destroy the power of the demons that    
they might not do so  much harm as they 
were ready to do1 was fulfilled2 but my 
desire to give  my life for the ,truth  
and the sweet ,bride of ,christ was not 
fulfilled4 ,but  the ,eternal           
,bridegroom played a great joke on me1  
as ,christopher will tell  you more     
fully by word of mouth4 ,so ,i have     
reason to weep1 because the  multitude  
of my iniquities was so great that ,i   
did not deserve that my  blood should   
give life1 or illumine darkened minds1  
or reconcile the sons  with the father1 
or cement a stone in the mystical body  
of ,holy ,church4  ,nay1 it seemed that 
the hands of him who wanted to kill me  

were bound4 ,my  words1 ,i am she4 ,take
 me1 and let this family be1 were a     
sword that  pierced straight through his
 heart4 ,o ,babbo mine1 feel a wonderful
 joy in  yourself1 for ,i never         
experienced in myself such mysteries1   
with so great  joy6 ,there was the      
sweetness of truth in it1 the gladness  
of a clean and  pure conscience2 there  
was the fragrance of the sweet          
providence of ,god2  there was the      
savour of the times of new martyrs1     
foretold as you know by  the ,eternal   
,truth4 ,tongue would not suffice to    
tell how great the good is  that my soul
 feels4 ,i seem to be so bound to my    
,creator that if ,i gave my  body to be 
burned ,i could not satisfy the great   
mercy which ,i and my  cherished sons   
and daughters have received4    ,all    
this ,i tell you that you may not       
conceive bitterness2 but may feel an    
unspeakable delight1 with softest       
gladness2 and that you and ,i may begin 
to sorrow over my imperfection1 because 

so great a good was hindered by my  sin4
 ,how blessed my soul would have been   
had ,i given my blood for the  sweet    
,bride1 and for love of the ,blood and  
the salvation of souls6 ,now let  us    
rejoice and be faithful lovers4    ,i   
will not say more on this subject2 ,i   
let ,christopher tell this and other    
things4 ,only ,i want to say this3 do   
you pray ,christ on earth not to delay  
the peace because of what has happened1 
but make it all the more promptly1  so  
that then the other great deeds may be  
wrought which he has to do for  the     
honour of ,god and the reformation of   
,holy ,church4 ,for the condition of    
things has not been changed by          
this--nay1 for the present the city is  
pacified suitably enough4 ,pray him to  
act swiftly2 and ,i ask him this in     
mercy1 for infinite wrongs against ,god 
which happen through the situation  will
 thus be put an end to4 ,tell him to    
have pity and compassion on these  souls
 which are in great darkness3 and tell  

him to release me from prison  swiftly2 
for unless peace is made it does not    
seem as if ,i could get out2  and ,i    
would wish then to come where you are1  
to taste the blood of the  martyrs1 and 
to visit his ,holiness1 and to find     
myself with you once more1  telling of  
the admirable mysteries which ,god has  
wrought at this time2  with gladness of 
mind1 and joyousness of heart1 and      
increase of hope1 in  the light of most 
holy faith4 ,i say no more to you4      
,remain in the holy and  sweet grace of 
,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      
,,to ,,urban ,,vi      ,by this time    
,catherine has evidently more than an   
inkling of the character  of the man she
 is addressing4 ,gregory had been1 if   
anything1 only too  susceptible to      
influences from varying quarters3       
,urban's arbitrary and  headstrong      
nature resented any interference4 ,he   
was making extraordinary  blunders in   
tact and policy2 but woe to the         
audacious person who sought to  point   

them out6    ,catherine's letters to    
this new ,pope1 if less familiarly      
affectionate than  those to the old1    
show the same amazing combination of    
candour and  reverence4 ,true to her    
constant principles in the              
interpretation of  character1 she       
insists on putting the best possible    
construction on his  actions1 ascribing 
his impatient vehemence and bad temper  
to a noble and  partially impersonal    
cause4 ,one suspects that ,urban had    
lost his temper  with poor ,fra         
,bartolomeo because the friar had used  
too great freedom of  speech rather than
 too little1 as ,catherine suggests4    
,despite her  generosity1 however1 she  
can rebuke pungently enough1 as this    
letter  shows4 ,on another occasion1 we 
find her sending to ,urban a tangible   
allegory in the form of bitter oranges1 
candied within and gilded without1      
doubtless by her own hands1 with a      
pretty letter to point the moral4 ,and  
again she wrote3 ,mitigate a little1 for

 the love of ,christ crucified1  those  
sudden impulses which nature forces on  
you4 ,in holy virtue1 throw  nature     
aside4 ,as ,god has given you a great   
heart naturally1 so ,i beg and  want you
 to make it great supernaturally3 with  
zealous desire for virtue  and the      
reform of ,holy ,church1 do you         
establish the manly heart you have      
gained in true humility4 ,in this way   
you will have both natural and          
supernatural gifts--for the one without 
the other would avail little1 but  would
 rather inspire us with wrath and pride3
 and when it came to  correcting our    
intimates it would slacken its pace and 
become cowardly4      ,in the ,name of  
,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet   
,mary3    ,most holy and sweet father in
 ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1   
servant and  slave of the servants of   
,jesus ,christ1 write to you in ,his    
precious ,blood3  with desire to see you
 a true and royal ruler of your flock1  
whom you have  to nourish with the      

,blood of ,christ crucified4 ,your      
,holiness has to see to  it with great  
diligence to whom you administer that   
,blood1 and by what  means it is given2 
that is1 ,i say1 most holy father1 that 
when shepherds  are to be appointed in  
the garden of ,holy ,church1 let them be
 people who  seek ,god1 and not         
benefices3 and let the means of asking  
for the post be  such as act openly in  
the truth and not in falsehood4    ,most
 holy father1 have patience when you are
 talked to about these things4  ,for    
they are only said to you for the honour
 of ,god and for your  salvation1 as a  
son ought to speak who loves his father 
tenderly1 and  cannot bear that anything
 should be done which should turn to the
 loss or  shame of his father2 but      
watches constantly1 with intent         
earnestness1  because he sees well that 
his father1 who has to rule a large     
family1 can  see no more than one man   
sees4 ,so if his lawful sons were not   
earnest in  caring for his honour and   

welfare1 he would be deceived many a    
time and  oft4 ,so it stands1 most holy 
father4 ,you are father and lord of the 
universal body of the ,christian        
religion2 we are all under the wings of 
your ,holiness3 as to authority1 you can
 do everything1 but as to seeing1  you  
can do no more than one man2 so your    
sons must of necessity watch and  care  
with clean hearts and without any       
servile fear over what may be for  the  
honour of ,god and the safety and honour
 of you and the flocks that are  beneath
 your crook4 ,and ,i know that your     
,holiness is very desirous of  having   
people to help you2 but you must be     
patient in listening to them4    ,i am  
certain that two things must give you   
pain and make your mind angry1  and ,i  
am not in the least surprised4 ,the one 
is that when you hear that  sins are    
committed1 it hurts you that ,god should
 be wronged1 for the wrong  and the     
faults displease you1 and you experience
 a piercing of your heart4  ,in this    

case we ought not to be patient1 or to  
refrain from grieving over  the wrongs  
that are shown to ,god4 ,no2 for so it  
would seem as if we  conformed us to    
these same vices4 ,the other thing that 
might hurt you is  when the son who     
comes to tell you what he feels to be   
turning into wrong  against ,god and    
loss to souls and little honour to your 
holiness1 commits  such ignorance that  
he conscientiously obliges himself1 in  
the presence of  your ,holiness1 not to 
tell you clearly the absolute truth as  
it is2 for  nothing should be secret nor
 hidden from you4    ,i beg you1 holy   
father1 that when your ignorant son     
offends in this point1  your pain should
 be without any excitement on your part3
 correct him in  his ignorance4 ,i say  
this1 because according to what ,master 
,giovanni told  me of ,brother          
,bartolomeo1 he annoyed you and made you
 angry by his faults  and his scrupulous
 conscience2 for which he and ,i have   
been extremely  sorry1 since he thought 

that he had offended your ,holiness4 ,i 
beg you1 by  the love of ,christ        
crucified1 to punish in me every pain   
that he may have  given you2 ,i am ready
 for any discipline and correction which
 shall please  your ,holiness4 ,i       
believe that my sins were the reason why
 he showed  himself so ignorant1        
therefore ,i ought to bear the penalty2 
and he is very  desirous to come        
penitently to you wherever it might     
please your ,holiness4  ,have patience  
to bear his faults and mine4 ,bathe you 
in the ,blood of  ,christ crucified2    
comfort you in the sweet flame of ,his  
charity4 ,pardon my  ignorance4    ,i   
ask you humbly for your benediction4 ,i 
thank the ,divine ,goodness and  your   
,holiness for the favour that you       
granted me on the day of ,st4 ,john4    
,remain in the holy and sweet grace of  
,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      
,,to ,,don ,,giovanni ,,of ,,the ,,cells
 ,,of ,,vallombrosa      ,catherine has 
missed her chance at martyrdom4 ,schism 

is threatening1 and  she knows it3 ,i   
seem to have heard that discord is      
arising yonder between  ,christ on earth
 and his disciples3 from which thing ,i 
receive an  intolerable grief4444 ,for  
everything else1 like war1 dishonour1   
and other  tribulations1 would seem less
 than a straw or a shadow in comparison 
with  this4 ,think6 ,for ,i tremble only
 to think of it 444 ,i tell you1 it     
seemed  as if my heart and life would   
leave their body through grief4 ,so she 
writes1 out of trance1 to the ,cardinal 
,pietro di ,luna--himself destined to   
become later the antipope ,benedict     
,,xiii4    ,the present sorrowful letter
 is to a hermit who had sinned violently
 in  youth1 and repented passionately   
through many years of strictest         
discipline4 ,catherine pours out her    
heart to him4 ,the words in which       
,shelley's ,fury drives home to the     
agonizing ,prometheus the apparent      
tragedy of existence were fulfilled     
before her eyes3      ,hypocrisy and    

custom make their minds    ,the fanes of
 many a worship now outworn3            
99         99         99         99     
,the good want power but to weep barren 
tears1    ,the powerful goodness        
want--worse need for them3    ,the wise 
want love2 and those who love want      
wisdom2    ,and all best things are thus
 confused to ill4    ,with unflinching  
clear-sightedness she presents the      
situation1 turning in  vain to every    
quarter whence help might come4 ,to the 
whole body of the  priesthood2 to the   
timid monastic orders2 to pious laymen  
honestly devout1  yet touched by no     
flame of sacrificial passion such as she
 felt might  bring salvation4 ,it is    
never the sins of the world that most   
torture  ,catherine3 always1 as here1   
the sins of the ,church4 ,she does not  
pause  till she comes to the terrible   
climax3 ,i see the ,christian religion  
lying  like a dead man1 and ,i neither  
mourn nor weep over him4 ,it is the very
  light of most holy faith that has     

confused the vision of men4 ,and again  
we  hear the familiar refrain1 ,i       
believe that my iniquities are the cause
 of  it4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus   
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest father in ,christ sweet ,jesus3
 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave of    
the servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to
 you in ,his precious ,blood3 with      
desire to see you an hungered for souls1
 on the table of the most holy  ,cross1 
in company with the humble and          
immaculate ,lamb4 ,i do not see1        
father1 that this sweet food can be     
eaten anywhere else4 ,why not8 ,because 
we cannot eat it truly without enduring 
much2 it must be eaten with the  teeth  
of true patience and the lips of holy   
desire1 on the ,cross of many           
tribulations1 from whatsoever side they 
may come--complaints1 or the  scandals  
in the world2 and we must endure all    
things till death4 ,now is  the time1   
dearest father1 to show whether we are  
lovers of ,christ  crucified and rejoice

 in this food or not4 ,it is time to    
give honour to  ,god and our toils to   
our neighbour3 toils1 ,i say1 of the    
body1 with much  endurance1 and toils of
 the mind1 with grief and bitterness    
offering tears  and sweats1 humble and  
continual prayer1 and suffering desire1 
before ,god4  ,for ,i do not see that in
 any other way the wrath of ,god may be 
pacified  toward us1 and ,his mercy     
inclined1 and through ,his mercy the    
many sheep  recovered who are perishing 
in the hands of devils1 unless in the   
way ,i  said1 through great grief and   
compassion of heart1 and the very       
greatest  devotion in prayer4           
,therefore ,i invite you1 dearest       
father1 on behalf of ,christ crucified1 
to  begin anew with me to lose          
ourselves1 and to seek only the honour  
of ,god  in the salvation of souls1     
without any slavish fear3 never to      
slacken our  steps either on account of 
our sufferings1 or in order to please   
our  fellow-creatures1 or because we    

might have to bear death1 or for any    
other  reason2 but let us run1 as       
inebriate with love and grief over the  
persecution that is wrought upon the    
,blood of ,christ crucified4 ,for on    
whatever side we turn we see it         
persecuted4 ,if ,i turn me toward       
ourselves1  rotten members that we are1 
we are persecuting it with our many     
faults1  and such stench of mortal sins 
and empoisoned self-love as poisons the 
whole world4 ,and if ,i turn me to the  
ministers of the ,blood of the sweet    
and humble ,lamb1 my tongue cannot even 
narrate their faults and sins4 ,if ,i   
turn me to the ministers who are under  
the yoke of obedience1 ,i see them  so  
imperfect--the accursed root of         
self-love not being yet dead in them--  
that not one has come to the point of   
wishing to give his life for ,christ    
crucified2 but they have encouraged fear
 of death and pain rather than  holy    
fear of ,god and reverence for the      
,blood4 ,and if ,i turn me to the       

secular people who have already released
 their affections from the world1  they 
have not exercised virtue enough to     
leave the place where they were1  or    
suffer death rather than to do that     
which ought not to be done4 ,they  have 
behaved so through imperfection1 or else
 they are doing so through  prudence4   
,if ,i had to teach them prudence1 ,i   
should advise them that if  they wanted 
to reach perfection they should rather  
choose death1 and if  they felt         
themselves weak1 they should flee the   
place and cause of sin1  just as far as 
we can4 ,this same counsel1 if any      
chance came in your way1  ,i should     
think that you and every servant of ,god
 ought to give4 ,for you  know that it  
is never lawful for us to commit a      
little sin in any way1  surely not for  
fear of suffering or death1 since not   
even for  accomplishing some great good4
 ,so1 then1 on whatever side we turn us1
 we  find nothing but faults4 ,for ,i do
 not doubt that if one single person had

  had perfection enough to give his     
life1 during the events which have      
happened and are happening every day1   
the ,blood would have called for  mercy1
 and bound the hands of divine justice1 
and broken those ,pharaoh-  hearts which
 are hard as diamond stone2 and ,i see  
no way in which they can  break other   
than through blood4    ,ah me1 ah me1   
misfortunate my soul6 ,i see the        
,christian religion lying a  dead man1  
and ,i neither weep nor mourn over him4 
,i see darkness invading  the light1 for
 by the very light of most holy faith1  
received in the ,blood  of ,christ1 ,i  
see men's sight become confused and the 
pupil of their eye  dried up2 so that we
 see them fall as blind men into the    
ditch1 into the  mouth of the wolf of   
,hell1 stripped of virtue and dead by   
cold2 being  stripped of the love of    
,god and their neighbour1 and released  
from the  bond of love1 and lost to all 
reverence for ,god and for the ,blood4  
,ah me6  ,i believe that my iniquities  

have been the cause of it4    ,so ,i beg
 you1 dearest father1 to pray ,god for  
me1 that ,he take from me so  great     
iniquities1 and that ,i be not the cause
 of so great ill3 or may ,he  give me   
death4 ,and ,i beg you to lift these    
sons of ours as dead up to the  table of
 the most holy ,cross1 and there do you 
eat this food1 bathed in  the ,blood of 
,christ crucified4 ,i tell you that if  
you and the other  servants of ,god1 and
 all of us1 do not persuade ourselves   
with many  prayers1 and others1 to      
correct themselves of evils so great1   
divine  judgment will come1 and divine  
justice will draw forth its rod4        
,indeed1 if  we open our eyes1 one of   
the greatest judgments that we can know 
in this  life is already befallen--that 
is1 that we are deprived of light1 and  
do  not see the loss and ill of soul and
 body4 ,he who does not see cannot      
correct himself1 because he does not    
hate evil or love true good4 ,so1 not   
correcting himself1 he falls from bad to

 worse4 ,so it seems to me that we  are 
doing1 and we are at a worse point now  
than the first day4 ,it is  essential1  
then1 that we should never stop1 if we  
are true servants of  ,god1 in our much 
endurance and true patience1 and in     
giving our toils to  our neighbour1 and 
honour to ,god1 with many prayers and   
grieving desire2  let sighs be food to  
us and tears our drink1 upon the table  
of the ,cross2  for another way ,i do   
not see4 ,therefore ,i said to you that 
,i desired to  see you an hungered for  
souls upon the table of the most holy   
,cross4    ,i beg that your and my      
dearest sons be commended to you--those 
yonder1 and  those here4 ,nourish them  
and make them grow in great perfection1 
so far as  your power goes4 ,and let us 
strive to run1 dead to all self-will1   
spiritual and temporal2 that is1 not    
seeking our own spiritual  consolations1
 but only the food of souls1 rejoicing  
in the ,cross with  ,christ crucified   
and giving our life1 if need be1 for the

 glory and  praise of ,his ,name4 ,i for
 my part die and cannot die1 hearing and
 seeing  the insults to my ,lord and    
,creator2 therefore ,i ask an alms from 
you1 that  you pray ,god for me1 you and
 the others4 ,i say no more to you4     
,remain in  the holy and sweet grace of 
,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      
,,letters ,,announcing ,,peace          
,amid the horrors which darkened ,europe
 during her last years1 one episode  of 
pure joy was vouchsafed to ,catherine4  
,the decisiveness of ,urban brought  to 
an end the vacillating negotiations of  
the ,papal ,see with the  ,florentines1 
and peace was proclaimed at last4       
,the first of these notes announces the 
first step toward a satisfactory        
end--the observance of the ,interdict1  
placed by ,gregory upon the city1 and   
contumaciously broken by the rebels4 ,in
 the second1 the news of the            
establishment of peace has just been    
brought4 ,catherine's first impulse is  
to bid the friends at home rejoice with 

her in news great in itself1 and        
greater because it may clear the way for
 the realization of wider hopes4  ,it is
 noteworthy that the instant the end for
 which she has long been  straining is  
achieved1 her loyal and aspiring spirit 
reverts to her old  dreams1 and summons 
her companions to resume prayer for a   
,crusade4    ,the arrival of the olive  
of peace1 of which ,catherine sends a   
portion to  her friends1 is the fit     
close to the long drama which had opened
 when  ,christ placed the ,cross on her 
shoulder and the olive in her hand1 and 
sent her to bear ,his command of        
reconciliation to one and to the other  
people4          ,,to ,,monna ,,alessa  
,,when ,,the ,,saint ,,was ,,at         
,,florence      ,in the ,name of ,jesus 
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest daughter in ,christ sweet      
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of  the servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to thee in ,his precious ,blood3  
with  desire to see thee and the others 

brides and faithful servants of ,christ 
crucified1 that you may constantly renew
 your wailing for the honour of  ,god1  
the salvation of souls1 and the reform  
of ,holy ,church4 ,now is the  time for 
you to shut yourselves within           
self-knowledge1 with continual  vigil   
and prayer that the sun may soon rise2  
for the aurora has begun to  dawn4 ,the 
aurora has come in that the dusk of     
great mortal sins which were  committed 
in the office being said and heard      
publicly1 is now scattered1  despite    
whoso would have hindered3 and the      
interdict is observed4 ,thanks1  thanks 
be to our sweet ,saviour1 who despises  
not humble prayer1 nor the  tears and   
burning desires of ,his servants6       
,since1 then1 ,he despises them  not1   
nay1 but accepts them1 ,i summon you to 
pray and to have prayer  offered to the 
,divine ,goodness that ,he send us peace
 swiftly2 that ,god may  be glorified   
and so great an evil ended1 and that we 
may find ourselves  united1 to tell the 

wonderful things of ,god4    ,up6 ,and  
sleep no more6 ,awaken1 all of you1 from
 the sleep of negligence6  ,have special
 prayers offered at such and such       
monasteries1 and tell our  ,prioress to 
have all those daughters of hers offer  
special prayers for  peace1 that ,god   
may show mercy on us1 and that ,i may   
not return without  it4 ,and for me1 her
 poor daughter1 that ,god will give me  
grace ever to  love and to proclaim the 
truth1 and that for that truth ,i may   
die4 ,i say  no more4 ,remain in the    
holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet    
,jesus1 ,jesus  ,love4          ,,to    
,,sano ,,di ,,maco ,,and ,,to ,,the     
,,other ,,sons ,,in ,,christ  ,,while   
,,she ,,was ,,in ,,florence      ,in the
 ,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and  
of sweet ,mary3    ,dearest sons in     
,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1    
servant and slave of the  servants of   
,jesus ,christ1 write to you in ,his    
precious ,blood3 with desire  to see you
 true sons1 really serving our sweet    

,saviour1 that you may give  more       
zealously thanks and praise to ,his     
name4    ,oh1 dearest sons1 ,god has    
heard the cry of ,his servants1 who for 
so long  have cried aloud before ,his   
face1 and the lamentable cry which they 
have  raised so long over the sons who  
were dead4 ,now are they risen          
again--from  death they have come to    
life1 and from blindness to light4      
,dearest sons1  the lame walk1 and the  
deaf hear1 the blind eye sees and the   
dumb speak1  crying aloud with a loud   
voice3 ,peace1 peace1 peace6 with great 
gladness--seeing themselves return as   
sons into the obedience and favour  of  
their father1 their minds being         
reconciled4 ,as people who now begin to 
see1 they say3 ,thanks be to ,thee1     
,lord1 who hast reconciled us with our  
holy father4 ,now the ,lamb of ,god1    
sweet ,christ on earth1 is called holy1 
while before he was called a heretic and
 a ,patarin4 ,now they receive him  for 
a father1 where before they refused him4

 ,i do not wonder1 for the  cloud is    
passed1 and fair weather has come4      
,rejoice1 rejoice1 dearest  sons1 with  
very sweet weeping for thanksgiving1    
before the ,highest ,eternal  ,father1  
not calling yourselves content with     
this1 but praying ,him that  soon may be
 raised the gonfalon of the most holy   
,cross4 ,rejoice1 exult1 in  ,christ    
sweet ,jesus2 let our hearts break1     
seeing the largess of the  infinite     
goodness of ,god4 ,now peace is made1   
despite him who would hinder  it4       
,discomfited is the devil of hell4      
,saturday evening one olive came at one 
o'clock at night2 and to-day at  vespers
 came the other4 ,and ,saturday evening 
that friend of ours was  caught with a  
companion1 so that at one time heresy   
was thoroughly put an  end to and peace 
came2 now he is in prison4 ,pray ,god   
for him1 that ,he give  him true light  
and knowledge4 ,drown you and bathe you 
in the ,blood of  ,christ crucified4    
,love1 love one another4 ,i send you    

some of the olive of  peace4 ,remain in 
the holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet
 ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4          ,,to    
,,three ,,italian ,,cardinals           
,catherine had ardently wished to see in
 the ,seat of ,peter a reformer1 who    
should have courage to apply surgery to 
the festering wounds of the  ,church4   
,she had her desire2 ,urban began at    
once a drastic policy of ,church        
reform4 ,but his domineering asperity   
proved unbearable to the ,college of    
,cardinals1 and schism broke upon a     
horrified world4    ,this was the       
situation3--,after the death of         
,gregory1 the cardinals1 of  whom a     
large majority were ,french1 when       
assembled in conclave in what was  to   
them the barbarous city of ,rome1 had   
been terrified by the shouts of  the    
populace demanding a ,roman1 or at least
 an ,italian1 for ,pope4  ,resorting to 
stratagem1 they reported as their choice
 the old ,roman  cardinal of ,san       
,pietro1 who repudiated the false rumour

 with distress4  ,meantime1 agreeing on 
compromise and finding a dark horse1 the
 ,sacred  ,college elected with all due 
solemnity the ,archbishop of ,bari1 and 
by the  usual formalities notified the  
,christian world of the election4 ,they 
soon1  as has been said1 rebelled       
against the man of their choice1 and1   
announcing that the election had been   
invalid because occasioned by fear1     
proceeded to appoint an                 
antipope--,robert of ,geneva1 a man of  
personal  charm but of evil life1 known 
in history as ,clement ,,vii4 ,the      
impudence of  the reasons alleged by the
 cardinals for their action is well     
pointed out  by ,catherine4 ,but ,europe
 became divided in its allegiance1 and  
war of  words was soon followed by war  
of swords4    ,catherine rose to the    
occasion4 ,the rest of her tempestuous  
life was spent  in the desperate defence
 of the cause of ,urban--a man whom she 
rightly  believed to be the lawful      
successor of ,peter1 yet concerning     

whose  unlovely character she was1 as we
 have already seen1 under no illusions4 
,the many letters which she wrote with  
the aim of convincing important         
personages of the validity of ,urban's  
claims1 are historical documents of     
high value4 ,one feels in them all the  
amazement with which a woman whose      
native air was the mystical conception  
of an infallible ,church1 faced the     
realities of the ecclesiastical machine4
 ,but loyalty stood the test1 and  while
 never leaving the highest ground1      
,catherine proved herself capable  of a 
statesmanlike treatment of the actual   
situation4 ,the present letter  is      
addressed to the three ,italian members 
of the ,sacred ,college1 who1  after    
holding at first by their countryman1   
were induced by the ,frenchmen  to      
betray him3 it is a tissue of telling   
and convincing representations1         
interwoven with indignant rebuke and    
eloquent pleadings4    ,this was not the
 first time that a great ,italian       

patriot had remonstrated  with the      
churchmen of ,italy4 ,catherine's letter
 invites inevitable  comparison with    
that noble letter to ,italian cardinals 
written by ,dante on  the occasion of   
the impending papal election that       
followed the death of  ,clement ,v4     
,dante1 like ,catherine1 appealed to the
 cardinals on behalf of  ,rome and      
,italy3 his plea1 that they put an end  
to the ,babylonian ,captivity  in       
,avignon and return to the ,seat of     
,peter4 ,that letter marked an early    
stage in the disgraceful abandonment of 
the ,holy ,city2 this of ,catherine     
treats of the outcome of that great     
wrong4 ,yet the wound will be healed1   
wrote ,dante2 7though it cannot be      
otherwise than that the scar and brand  
of infamy will have burned with fire    
upon the ,apostolic ,see and will       
disfigure her for whom heaven and earth 
had been reserved7--if ye who were  the 
authors of this transgression will all  
with one accord fight manfully  for the 

,bride of ,christ1 for the ,throne of   
the ,bride which is ,rome1 for  our     
,italy1 and that ,i may speak more      
fully1 for the whole commonwealth of    
pilgrims upon this earth4444 ,over sixty
 years had passed since ,dante  wrote   
thus2 they had been years of sin and    
shame4 ,the words of ,catherine1  as she
 confronts a situation yet darker than  
he had faced1 breathe a less  assured   
courage4 ,but her patriotism and her    
,christianity are of like  temper with  
his own4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus   
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest brothers and fathers in ,christ
 sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant   
and slave of the servants of ,jesus     
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood3 with desire to see you turn back
 to the true and most perfect  light1   
leaving the deep shadows of blindness   
into which you are fallen4  ,then you   
shall be fathers to me2 otherwise not4  
,yes1 indeed1 ,i call you  fathers in so
 far as you shall leave death and turn  

back to life 7for1 as  things go now1   
you are parted from the life of grace1  
limbs cut off from  your head from which
 you drew life71 when you shall stand   
united in faith1  and in that perfect   
obedience to ,pope ,urban ,,vi41 in     
which those abide who  have the light1  
and in light know the truth1 and knowing
 it love it4 ,for  the thing that is not
 seen cannot be known1 and he who knows 
not loves  not1 and he who loves not and
 fears not his ,creator loves himself   
with  fleshly love1 and whatever he     
loves1 joys or honours and dignities of 
the  world1 he loves according to the   
flesh4 ,since man is created through    
love1  he cannot live without love2     
either he loves ,god1 or he loves       
himself and  the world with the love    
that kills1 fastening the eye of his    
mind darkened  by self-love on those    
transitory things that pass like the    
wind4 ,in this  state he can recognize  
no truth nor goodness2 he recognizes    
naught but  falsehood1 because he has   

not light4 ,for truly had he the light1 
he would  recognize that from such a    
love as this naught can result but pain 
and  eternal death4 ,it gives him a     
foretaste of hell in this life2 for he  
who  immoderately loves himself and the 
things of this world1 becomes           
unendurable to himself4    ,oh1 human   
blindness6 ,seest thou not1 unfortunate 
man1 that thou thinkest  to love things 
firm and stable1 joyous things1 good and
 fair8 and they are  mutable1 the sum of
 wretchedness1 hideous1 and without any 
goodness2 not  as they are created      
things in themselves1 since all are     
created by ,god1  who is perfectly good1
 but through the nature of him who      
possesses them  intemperately4 ,how     
mutable are the riches and honours of   
the world in him  who possesses them    
without ,god1 without the fear of ,him6 
for to-day is he  rich and great1 and   
to-day he is poor4 ,how hideous is our  
bodily life1  that living we shed stench
 from every part of our body6 ,simply a 

sack of  dung1 the food for worms1 the  
food of death6 ,our life and the beauty 
of  youth pass by1 like the beauty of   
the flower when it is gathered from the 
plant4 ,there is none who can save this 
beauty1 none who can preserve it1  that 
it be not taken1 when it shall please   
the highest ,judge to gather  this      
flower of life by death2 and none knows 
when4    ,oh1 wretched man1 the darkness
 of self-love does not let thee know    
this  truth4 ,for didst thou know it1   
thou wouldst choose any pain rather than
  guide thy life in this way2 thou      
wouldst give thee to loving and desiring
  ,him who ,is2 thou wouldst enjoy ,his 
truth in firmness1 and wouldst not move 
about like a leaf in the wind2 thou     
wouldst serve thy ,creator1 and wouldst 
love everything in ,him1 and apart from 
,him nothing4 ,oh1 how will this        
blindness be reproved at the last moment
 in every rational being1 and much  the 
more in those whom ,god has taken from  
the filth of the world1 and  assigned to

 the greatest excellence that can be1   
having made them  ministers of the      
,blood of the humble and spotless ,lamb6
 ,oh me1 oh me6 what  have you come to  
by not having followed up your dignities
 with virtue8 ,you  were placed to      
nourish you at the breasts of ,holy     
,church2 you were flowers  planted to   
breathe forth the fragrance of virtue in
 that garden2 you were  placed as masts 
to strengthen this ship1 and the ,vicar 
of ,christ on earth2  you were placed as
 lights in a candlestick1 to give light 
to faithful  ,christians1 and to spread 
the faith4 ,well you know if you have   
done that  for which you were created4  
,surely no2 for self-love has prevented 
you  from knowing that in truth alone1  
to fortify men and give a shining       
example of good and holy life1 you were 
put in this garden4 ,had you known  this
 you would have loved it1 and clothed   
you in that sweet truth4 ,where  is the 
gratitude which you ought to have for   
the ,bride who has nourished  you at her

 breast8 ,i see in us naught but such   
ingratitude as dries up the  fountain of
 pity4 ,what shows me that you are      
ungrateful1 coarse1 and  mercenary8 ,the
 persecution which you1 together with   
others1 are inflicting  on that sweet   
,bride1 at a time when you ought to be  
shields1 to ward off  the blows of      
heresy4 ,in spite of which1 you clearly 
know the truth1 that  ,pope ,urban ,,vi4
 is truly ,pope1 the highest ,pontiff1  
chosen in orderly  election1 not        
influenced by fear1 truly rather by     
divine inspiration than  by your human  
industry4 ,and so you announced it to   
us1 which was the  truth4 ,now you have 
turned your backs1 like poor mean       
knights2 your shadow  has made you      
afraid4 ,you have divided you from the  
truth which strengthens  us1 and drawn  
close to falsehood1 which weakens soul  
and body1 depriving  you of temporal and
 spiritual grace4 ,what made you do     
this8 ,the poison of  self-love1 which  
has infected the world4 ,that is what   

has made you pillars  lighter than      
straw4 ,flowers you who shed no perfume1
 but stench that makes  the whole world 
reek6 ,no lights you placed in a        
candlestick1 that you  might spread the 
faith2 but1 having hidden your light    
under the bushel of  pride1 and become  
not extenders1 but contaminators of the 
faith1 you shed  darkness over          
yourselves and others4 ,you should have 
been angels on earth1  placed to release
 us from the devils of hell1 and        
performing the office of  angels1 by    
bringing back the sheep into the        
obedience of ,holy ,church1 and  you    
have taken the office of devils4 ,that  
evil which you have in  yourselves you  
wish to infect us with1 withdrawing us  
from obedience to  ,christ on earth1 and
 leading us into obedience to           
antichrist1 a member of  the devil1 as  
you are too1 so long as you shall abide 
in this heresy4    ,this is not the kind
 of blindness that springs from         
ignorance4 ,it has not  happened to you 

because people have reported one thing  
to you while  another is so4 ,no1 for   
you know what the truth is3 it was you  
who  announced it to us1 and not we to  
you4 ,oh1 how mad you are6 ,for you told
  us the truth1 and you want yourselves 
to taste a lie6 ,now you want to        
corrupt this truth1 and make us see the 
opposite1 saying that you chose  ,pope  
,urban from fear1 which is not so2 but  
anyone who says it--speaking to  you    
without reverence1 because you have     
deprived yourselves of reverence--  lies
 up to his eyes4 ,for it is evident to  
anyone who wished to see1 who it  is    
that you presented as your choice       
through fear--that was ,messer di       
,santo ,pietro4 ,you might say to me1   
,why do you not believe us8 ,we know the
  truth as to whom we chose better than 
you4 ,and ,i reply1 that you  yourselves
 have shown me that you deserted the    
truth in many ways1 so that  ,i ought   
not to believe you1 that ,pope ,urban   
,,vi4 is not the true ,pope4 ,if ,i     

turn to the beginnings of your life1 ,i 
do not recognize in you so good and     
holy a life that you would shrink from a
 lie for conscience' sake4 ,what  shows 
me that your life is badly governed8    
,the poison of heresy4 ,if ,i turn  to  
the election ordained by your lips1 we  
knew that you chose him  canonically and
 not through fear4 ,we have already said
 that he whom you  presented to the     
people through fear was ,messer di      
,santo ,pietro4 ,what  proves to me the 
regular election with which you chose   
,messer ,bartolommeo1  ,archbishop of   
,bari1 who to-day is made in truth ,pope
 ,urban ,,vi48 ,in the  solemnity with  
which his coronation was observed1 this 
truth is clear to  us4 ,that the        
solemnity was carried out in good faith 
is shown by the  reverence which you    
gave him and the favours asked from him1
 which you  have used in all sorts of   
ways4 ,you cannot deny this truth except
 with  plain lies4    ,ah1 foolish men1 
worthy of a thousand deaths6 ,as blind1 

you do not see  your own wrong1 and have
 fallen into such confusion that you    
make of your  own selves liars and      
idolaters4 ,for even were it true 7which
 it is not2  nay1 ,i assert again that  
,pope ,urban ,,vi4 is the true ,pope71  
but were it  true what you say1 would   
you not have lied to us when you told us
 that he  was the highest pontiff1 as he
 is8 ,and would you not falsely have    
shown  him reverence1 adoring him for   
,christ on earth8 ,and would you not    
have  practised simony1 in trying for   
favours and using them unlawfully8 ,yes1
  indeed4 ,now they1 and you with them1 
have made an antipope1 as far as your   
action and outward appearance go1 since 
you consented to remain on the  spot1   
when the incarnate demons chose the     
demon6    ,you might say to me3 ,no1 we 
did not choose him4 ,i do not know how  
,i can  believe that4 ,for ,i do not    
believe that you could have borne to    
stay there  otherwise1 had you given    
your life for it2 at least the fact that

 you  suppressed the truth1 and did not 
burst out with it--for this would not   
have been within your power--makes me   
inclined to think so4 ,although1        
perhaps1 you did less wrong than the    
others in your intention1 yet you did   
do wrong with all the rest4 ,what can ,i
 say8 ,i can say that he who is not  for
 the truth is against the truth2 he who 
was not at that time for ,christ  on    
earth1 ,pope ,urban ,,vi41 was against  
him4 ,therefore ,i tell you that you    
did wrong1 with the antipope3 and ,i may
 say that he was chosen a member of  the
 devil2 for had he been a member of     
,christ1 he would have chosen death     
rather than consent to so great an evil1
 for he well knows the truth1 and       
cannot excuse himself through ignorance4
 ,now you have committed all these      
faults in regard to this devil3 that is1
 to confess him as ,pope1 which he      
surely is not1 and to show reverence to 
whom you should not4 ,you have  deserted
 the light1 and gone into darkness3 the 

truth1 and joined you to a  lie4 ,on    
what side soever1 ,i find nothing but   
lies4 ,you are worthy of  torture1      
which1 ,i tell you in truth and unburden
 my conscience thereof1  unless you     
return to obedience with true humility1 
will fall upon you4    ,o misery upon   
misery1 and blindness upon blindness1   
which does not let its  wrong be seen   
nor the loss to soul and body6 ,for had 
you seen it1 you  would not have        
deserted the truth so lightly1 in       
servile fear1 passionate  all1 like     
proud people and arbitrary1 accustomed  
to pleasant and soft  dealings from men6
 ,you could not endure1 not only an     
actual correction  indeed1 but even a   
harsh word of reproof made you lift up  
rebellious  heads4 ,this is the reason  
why you changed4 ,and it clearly reveals
 the  truth to us2 for1 before ,christ  
on earth began to sting you1 you        
confessed  him and reverenced him as the
 ,vicar of ,christ that he is4 ,but this
 last  fruit that you bear1 which brings

 forth death1 shows what kind of trees  
you are2 and that your tree is planted  
in the earth of pride1 which  springs   
from the self-love that robs you of the 
light of reason4    ,oh me1 no more thus
 for the love of ,god6 ,take refuge in  
humbling you  beneath the mighty hand of
 ,god1 in obedience to ,his ,vicar1     
while you have  time2 for when the time 
is passed there will be no more help for
 us4  ,recognize your faults1 that you  
may be humble1 and know the infinite    
goodness of ,god1 who has not commanded 
the earth to swallow you up1 nor  beasts
 to devour you2 nay1 but has given you  
time1 that you may correct  your soul4  
,but if you shall not recognize this1   
what ,he has given you as a  grace shall
 turn to your great judgment4 ,but if   
you will return to the  fold1 and feed  
in truth at the breast of the ,bride of 
,christ1 you shall be  received in      
mercy1 by ,christ in heaven and by      
,christ on earth1 despite the  iniquity 
you have wrought4 ,i beg that you delay 

no more1 nor kick against  the prick of 
conscience that ,i know is perpetually  
stabbing you4 ,and let  not confusion of
 mind1 over the evil that you have      
wrought1 so overcome  you1 that you     
abandon your salvation in weariness and 
despair1 as seeming  unable to find     
help4 ,not so must you do2 but in living
 faith1 hold firm  hope in your         
,creator1 and return humbly to your     
yoke2 for the last sin of  obstinacy and
 despair would be the worst1 and most   
hateful to ,god and the  world4 ,arise1 
then1 into the light6 ,for without light
 you would walk in  darkness1 as you    
have done up to now4    ,my soul        
considering this1 that we can neither   
know nor love the truth  without light1 
,i said and say that ,i desire intensely
 to see you arisen  from darkness1 and  
one with the light4 ,this desire reaches
 out to all  rational beings1 but much  
more to you three1 concerning whom ,i   
have had  the greatest sorrow1 and      
marvel more at your fault than at all   

the others  who have shared it4 ,for did
 all desert their father1 you should    
have been  such sons as strengthened the
 father1 showing the truth4             
,notwithstanding  that the father might 
have treated you with nothing but       
reproof1 you ought  not therefore to    
have assumed the lead1 denying his      
holiness in any way4  ,speaking entirely
 in the natural sense--for according to 
virtue we ought  all to be              
equal--speaking humanly1 ,christ on     
earth being an ,italian1 and  you       
,italian1 ,i see no reason but self-love
 why passion for your country  could not
 move you as it did the ,ultramontanes4 
,cast it to earth now1 and  do not wait 
for time1 since time does not wait for  
you--trampling such  selfishness        
underfoot1 with hate of vice and love of
 virtue4    ,return1 return1 and wait   
not for the rod of justice1 since we    
cannot  escape the hands of ,god6 ,we   
are in ,his hands either by justice or  
by  mercy2 better it is for us to       

recognize our faults and to abide in the
  hands of mercy1 than to remain in     
fault and in the hands of justice4 ,for 
our faults do not pass unpunished1      
especially those that are wrought       
against ,holy ,church4 ,but ,i wish to  
bind myself to bear you before ,god with
  tears and continual prayer1 and to    
bear with you your penitence1 provided  
that you choose to return to your       
father1 who like a true father awaits   
you with the open wings of mercy4 ,oh   
me1 oh me1 avoid and flee it not1 but   
humbly receive it1 and do not believe   
evil counsellors who have given you     
over to death6 ,oh me1 sweet brothers6  
,sweet brothers and fathers you shall   
be to me1 in so far as you draw close to
 truth4 ,make no more resistance to  the
 tears and sweats which the servants of 
,god shed for you1 but wash you  in them
 from head to foot4 ,for did you despise
 them1 and the eager sweet  and grieving
 desires which are offered by them for  
you1 you would receive  much greater    

rebuke4 ,fear ,god1 and ,his true       
judgment4 ,i hope by ,his  infinite     
goodness that ,he will fulfil in you the
 desire of ,his servants4    ,let it not
 seem hard to you if ,i pierce you with 
the words which the love  of your       
salvation has made me write3 rather     
would ,i pierce you with my  living     
voice1 did ,god permit me4 ,his will be 
done4 ,and yet you deserve  rather deeds
 than words4 ,i come to an end1 and say 
no more2 for did ,i  follow my will ,i  
should not yet pause1 so full is my soul
 of grief and  sorrow to see such       
blindness in those who were placed for a
 light3 no  lambs they1 who feed on the 
food of the honour of ,god and the      
salvation of  souls1 and the reform of  
,holy ,church2 but as thieves they steal
 the honour  which they ought to give to
 ,god1 and give it to themselves1 and as
 wolves  they devour the sheep1 so that 
,i have great bitterness4 ,i beg you by 
love  of that precious ,blood shed with 
such fiery love for you1 that you give  

refreshment to my soul1 which seeks your
 salvation4 ,i say no more to you4      
,remain in the holy and sweet grace of  
,god3 bathe you in the ,blood of the    
,spotless ,lamb1 where you shall lose   
all servile fear1 and enlightened1 you  
shall abide in holy fear4 ,sweet ,jesus1
 ,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,giovanna 
,,queen ,,of ,,naples      ,giovanna of 
,naples was one of the most depraved1 as
 well as one of the  most romantic1     
figures of her time4 ,in fascination1 as
 in evil1 she  anticipates the type of  
the women of the renascence4 ,her many  
crimes had  never prevented ,catherine  
,benincasa from yearning over her with a
 peculiar  tenderness1 and we have many 
letters written by the daughter of the  
dyer  of ,siena to the great ,neapolitan
 queen4 ,some of the earlier among these
  letters seem1 curiously enough1 not to
 have been without effect2 for          
,giovanna not only replied to them1 but 
gave her promise to join in a  ,crusade4
    ,now that the ,great ,schism had    

broken forth1 the adhesion of ,giovanna 
to  the cause of ,urban1 who was        
politically her subject1 was of prime   
importance2 and ,catherine wrote her    
about the matter1 not once1 but many    
times4 ,in her varied correspondence at 
this period1 these letters have a       
peculiar interest1 from the passionate  
personal feeling which pervades  them4  
,it is not only for the sake of the     
truth that ,catherine pleads and        
argues1 but for the sake of ,giovanna's 
salvation2 one would think that  even   
the hardened old ,queen must have been  
touched with the intense and  tender    
solicitude of the following letter1 even
 if she were not convinced  by its      
irrefutable reasoning4 ,as a matter of  
fact1 ,giovanna1 after having  for a    
time sided with ,clement1 did           
temporarily change her base and espouse 
the cause of ,urban4 ,soon1 however1 she
 reverted to her former position4 ,it   
is probable that for her1 as for many   
,european sovereigns1 the matter was    

decided by considerations with which the
 naif question of the legitimacy  of a  
papal election had little or nothing to 
do4      ,dearest mother in ,christ     
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and
 slave of  the servants of ,jesus       
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood3 with  desire to see you grounded
 in the truth which we must know and    
love for  our salvation4 ,he who shall  
be grounded in the knowledge of the     
,truth1  ,christ sweet ,jesus1 shall win
 and enjoy peace and quiet of soul1 in  
the  ardour of that charity which       
receives the soul into this knowledge4  
,we should know this truth in two chief 
ways--although it befits us to know  it 
in everything--that is1 everything which
 exists should love itself in  ,god and 
through ,god1 who is ,truth itself1 and 
there is nothing without  ,him2         
otherwise it would escape from truth and
 would walk in falsehood1  following the
 devil1 who is the father thereof4 ,i   
was saying that we ought  to recognize  

truth especially in two ways4 ,the first
 is1 we should  recognise the truth     
about ,god4 ,he loves us unspeakably1   
and loved us  before we were2 nay1 by   
love ,he created us--this was and is the
 truth--in  order that we might have    
life eternal and enjoy ,his highest     
eternal good4  ,what shows us that this 
is truly so8 ,the ,blood1 shed for us   
with such fire  of love4 ,in the sweet  
,blood of the ,word1 the ,son of ,god1  
we shall know the  truth of ,his        
doctrine1 which gives life and light1   
scattering every shadow  of fleshly love
 and human self-indulgence1 but knowing 
and following with  pure heart the      
doctrine of ,christ crucified1 which is 
grounded in the  truth4 ,the second and 
last way is1 that we ought to recognize 
the truth  about our neighbour1 whether 
he be great or humble1 subject or lord4 
,that  is1 when we see that men are     
doing some deed in which we might invite
 our  neighbour to join1 we ought to    
perceive whether it is grounded in truth

 or  not1 and what foundation he has who
 is impelled to do this deed4 ,he who   
does not do this1 acts as one mad and   
blind1 who follows a blind guide1       
grounded in falsehood1 and shows that he
 has no truth in himself1 and  therefore
 seeks not the truth4 ,sometimes it     
happens that people are so  insane and  
brutal that they see themselves lose    
through such a deed the  life of soul   
and body and their temporal possessions2
 and they do not  care1 for they are    
blinded1 and do not know what they ought
 to know2 they  walk in darkness1 with a
 feminine nature that lacks any firmness
 or  stability4    ,dearest mother1--in 
so far as you are a lover of truth and  
obedient to  ,holy ,church ,i call you  
mother1 but in no otherwise1 nor do ,i  
speak to you  with reverence1 because ,i
 see a great change in your person4 ,you
 who were  a lady have made yourself a  
servant1 and slave of that which is not1
  having submitted yourself to          
falsehood1 and to the devil1 who is its 

father2 abandoning the counsels of the  
,holy ,spirit and accepting the         
counsels of incarnate demons4 ,you who  
were a branch of the true vine1 have    
cut yourself off from it with the knife 
of self-love4 ,you who were a           
legitimate daughter1 tenderly beloved of
 her father1 the ,vicar of ,christ  on  
earth1 ,pope ,urban ,,vi41 who is really
 the ,pope the highest pontiff1 have    
divided yourself from the bosom of your 
mother1 ,holy ,church1 where for so     
long a time you have been nourished4 ,oh
 me6 oh me6 one can mourn over you  as  
over a dead woman1 cast off from the    
life of grace2 dead in soul and  dead in
 body1 if you do not escape from such an
 error4 ,it appears that you  have not  
known ,god's truth in the way ,i spoke  
of2 for had you known it1  you would    
have chosen death rather than to offend 
,god mortally4 ,nor have  you known     
truth about your neighbour2 but in great
 ignorance1 moved by  your own passion1 
you have followed the most miserable and

 insulting  counsel--having acted       
according to it--that ,i ever heard of4 
,what greater  shame can be incurred    
than that one who was a ,christian1 held
 to be a  ,catholic and virtuous woman1 
should act like a ,christian who denies 
her  faith1 and depart from good and    
holy customs and the due reverence she  
has  observed8 ,oh me6 open the eye of  
your mind1 and sleep no more in so great
  misery4 ,do not await the moment of   
death--after which it will not help you 
to make excuses1 nor to say3 ,i thought 
to do good4 ,for you know that you  do  
ill1 but like a sick and passionate     
woman1 you let yourself be guided  by   
your passions4    ,i am quite sure that 
the counsel came from someone beside    
yourself4 ,will1  will to know the      
truth2 who those men are1 and why they  
make you see  falsehood for truth1      
saying that ,pope ,urban ,,vi4 is not   
true ,pope1 and  making you consider    
that the antipope1 who is simply an     
antichrist1 member  of the devil1 is    

,christ on earth4 ,with what truth can  
they say that to  you8 ,not with any2   
but they say it with entire falsity1    
lying over their  heads4 ,what can those
 iniquitous men say8--not men1 but      
incarnate demons  --since1 on whatever  
side they turn1 they must see that they 
have done  nothing but ill4 ,even were  
it true--as it is not--that ,pope ,urban
 ,,vi4 was  not the ,pope1 they would   
merit a thousand deaths for this alone1 
as liars  discovered in their untruth2  
for had they chosen him through fear in 
the  beginning1 and not honestly with a 
regular election1 and had presented him 
to us as a true ,pope1 see6 they would  
have shown us a lie for truth1  making  
us1 and themselves at the same time1    
obey and reverence him whom we  ought   
not4 ,for they did do him reverence1 and
 asked favours from him1 and  profited  
by them1 as if they came from the       
highest pontiff1 as they did4 ,i  say1  
that were it true that he was not the   
,pope--7which is not the case1  by the  

great goodness of ,god1 who has had     
mercy upon us7--for this reason  alone  
they could not be too severely          
disciplined2 but they deserve a         
thousand thousand deaths to pretend that
 they elected the ,pope through  fear1  
when it was not so4 ,but they cannot    
speak the truth1 being men  founded in  
falsehood1 for they cannot so hide it   
that its darkness and  stench cannot be 
seen and felt4 ,what they pretended is  
perfectly true3  they did elect a ,pope 
through fear after they had elected the 
true ,pope1  ,messer ,bartolomeo1       
,archbishop of ,bari1 who to-day is     
,pope ,urban ,,vi43 that  was1 ,messer  
di ,santo ,pietro4 ,but he1 like a good 
man and just1 confessed  that he was not
 the ,pope1 but ,messer ,bartolomeo1    
,archbishop of ,bari1 who  to-day is    
called ,pope ,urban ,,vi41 and revered  
by faithful ,christians as  highest     
pontiff and most just man1 despite      
wicked men--not ,christians1 for  they  
bear the name of ,christ neither on     

their lips nor on their heart--but      
infidels who have deserted the faith and
 obedience of ,holy ,church and the     
,vicar of ,christ on earth1 branches cut
 off from the ,true ,vine1 sowers of    
schism and of greatest heresy4    ,open1
 open the eye of your mind1 and sleep no
 more in such blindness4 ,you  should   
not be so ignorant nor so separated from
 the true light as not to  know the     
wicked life1 with no fear of ,god1 of   
those who have led you into  so great   
heresy3 for the fruits which they bear  
show you what kinds of  trees they are4 
,their life shows you that they do not  
tell the truth2 so  do the counsellors  
they have about them1 without and       
within1 who may be  men of knowledge1   
but they are not men of virtue1 nor men 
whose life is  praiseworthy1 but rather 
to be blamed for many faults4 ,where is 
the just  man whom they have chosen for 
antipope1 if indeed our highest pontiff1
  ,pope ,urban ,,vi41 were not the true 
,vicar of ,christ8 ,what man have they  

chosen8 ,a man of holy life8 ,no1 but an
 iniquitous man1 a demon--and  therefore
 he does the works of demons4 ,the devil
 exerts himself to  withdraw us from the
 truth1 and he does the very same thing4
 ,why did they  not choose a just man8  
,because they knew well enough that a   
just man would  have chosen death rather
 than to have accepted the papacy1 since
 he would  have seen no colour of truth 
in them4 ,therefore the demons took the 
demon1  and the liars the lie4 ,all     
these things show that ,pope ,urban     
,,vi4 is truly  ,pope1 and that they are
 without truth1 lovers of the lie4      
,if you said to me1 ,my mind is not     
clear as to all these things1 why do    
you not at least stay neutral8 although 
it is as clear as can possibly be  said4
 ,and if you are not willing to help the
 ,pope with your temporal  substance    
until you have more illumination--7help 
which you are in duty  bound to give1   
because the sons ought to help the      
father when he is in  need7--at least   

obey him in spiritual things1 and in    
other things remain  neutral4 ,but you  
are behaving like a passionate woman2   
and hate1 and  spite1 and the fear of   
losing him of whom you deprived         
yourself1 which you  caught from a      
cursed teller of tales1 has robbed us of
 light and  knowledge2 for you do not   
know the truth1 obstinately persevering 
in this  evil2 and in this obstinacy you
 do not see the judgment which is coming
  upon you4    ,oh me6 ,i say these     
words with heartfelt grief1 because ,i  
tenderly love  your salvation4 ,if you  
do not change your ways1 and correct    
your life1 by  abandoning this great    
error1 and in regard to everything else1
 the highest  ,judge1 who does not let  
sins pass unpunished unless the soul    
purifies them  with contrition of heart 
and confession and satisfaction1 will   
give you  such a punishment that you    
will become a signal instance to cause  
anyone  to tremble who should ever lift 
his head against the ,holy ,church4     

,wait not  for this rod2 for it will be 
hard for you to kick against the divine 
justice4 ,you are to die1 and know not  
when4 ,not riches1 nor position1        
however great1 nor worldly dignity1 nor 
barons1 nor people who are your         
subjects as to the body1 shall be able  
to defend you before the highest        
,judge1 nor hinder the divine justice4  
,but sometimes ,god works through       
rascally men1 in order that they may    
execute justice on ,his enemy4 ,you     
have invited and invite the people and  
all your subjects to be rather  against 
you than with you2 for they have found  
little truth in your  character--not the
 quality of a man with virile heart1 but
 that of a woman  without any firmness  
or stability1 a woman who changes like a
 leaf in the  wind4    ,they have well  
in mind that when ,pope ,urban ,,vi41   
true ,pope1 was created by  a great and 
true election1 and crowned with great   
solemnity1 you held a  great and high   
festival1 as the child should do over   

the exaltation of the  father1 and the  
mother over that of the son4 ,for he was
 both son and  father to you2 father1   
through his dignity to which he had     
come1 son  because he was your          
subject--that is to say1 of your        
kingdom4 ,therefore  you did well4      
,further1 you commanded everyone to obey
 his ,holiness as the  highest pontiff4 
,now ,i see that you have turned about1 
like a woman who  has no decision1 and  
you will them to do the contrary4 ,oh1  
miserable  passion6 ,that evil which you
 have in yourself you wish to impart to 
them4  ,how do you suppose that they can
 love you and be faithful to you1 when  
they see that you are responsible for   
separating them from life and  leading  
them into death1 and casting them from  
truth into falsehood8 ,you  separate    
them from ,christ in heaven and from    
,christ on earth1 and seek to  bind them
 to the devil1 and to antichrist--lover 
and prophet of lies that  he is1 he and 
you and the others who follow him4      

,no more thus for the love of ,christ   
crucified6 ,you are in every way        
calling down the divine judgment4 ,i    
grieve for it4 ,if you do not hinder    
the ruin that is coming upon you1 you   
cannot escape from the hands of ,god4   
,either by justice or by mercy1 you are 
in ,his hands4 ,correct your life1  that
 you may escape the hands of justice1   
and remain in those of mercy4  ,and do  
not wait for the time1 for an hour comes
 when you shall wish and  cannot4 ,o    
sheep1 return to your fold2 let you be  
governed by the ,shepherd3  else the    
wolf of hell shall devour you6 ,take    
back for your guards the  servants of   
,god1 who love you in truth more than   
you yourself1 and good1  mature and     
discreet counsellors4 ,for the counsel  
of incarnate demons1 with  the          
inordinate fear into which they have    
thrown you through terror of  losing    
your temporal state--7which passes like 
the wind with no  permanence1 for either
 it leaves us1 or we it through         

death7--has brought  you where you are4 
,you shall yet weep1 if you change not  
your ways1  saying3 ,alas1 alas6 ,i am  
one who has robbed herself1 on account  
of the  fear into which ,i was thrown by
 villainous counsellors6 ,but there is  
yet  time1 dearest mother1 to avert the 
judgment of ,god4 ,return to the        
obedience of ,holy ,church3 know the ill
 that you have wrought3 humble you      
under the mighty hand of ,god2 and ,god1
 who has regard to the humility of  ,his
 handmaid1 shall show mercy upon us3 ,he
 will placate ,his wrath over  your     
faults2 through the mediation of the    
,blood of ,christ1 you shall be  grafted
 and bound in ,him with the chain of    
that charity in which you shall  know   
and love the truth4 ,the truth shall set
 you free from lie3 it shall  scatter   
all shadows1 giving you light and       
knowledge in the mercy of ,god4  ,in    
this truth you shall be freed2 in other 
wise1 never4    ,and because the truth  
sets us free1 ,i1 having desire for your

 salvation1  said that ,i desired to see
 you established in the truth1 that it  
be not  wronged by falsehood4 ,i beg    
you1 fulfil in yourself the will of ,god
 and  the desire of my soul1 for with   
all the depth and all the strength of my
  soul ,i desire your salvation4 ,and1  
therefore1 constrained by the ,divine   
,goodness which loves you unspeakably1  
,i have moved me to write to you with   
great sorrow4 ,another time1 also1 ,i   
wrote you on this same matter4 ,have    
patience if ,i burden you too much with 
words1 and if ,i speak with you  boldly1
 irreverently4 ,the love which ,i bear  
to you makes me speak with  boldness3   
the fault which you have committed makes
 me depart from due  reverence1 and     
speak irreverently4 ,i could wish far   
rather to tell you the  truth by speech 
than by writing1 for your salvation1 and
 chiefly for the  honour of ,god2 and ,i
 would far rather deal in deeds than in 
words with him  who is to blame for it  
all1 although the blame and the reason  

is in  yourself1 since there is no one1 
neither demon nor creature1 who can     
force  you to the least fault unless you
 choose4 ,therefore ,i said to you that 
you  are the cause of it4 ,bathe you in 
the ,blood of ,christ crucified4 ,there 
are  scattered the clouds of self-love  
and servile fear1 and the poison of hate
  and self-scorn4 ,i say no more to you4
 ,remain in the holy and sweet grace  of
 ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4     
,,to ,,sister ,,daniella ,,of ,,orvieto 
,sister ,daniella has found herself in  
straits again2 constrained1 it would    
seem1 by the ,spirit1 to action not     
endorsed by her religious superiors4    
,possibly she wished1 following the     
example of ,catherine1 to leave her     
cloister and take part in the public    
life of her time4 ,catherine herself    
had been in like straits during much of 
her early life4 ,well she knew1 as  ,st4
 ,francis knew before her1 the suffering
 of that inward conflict1 when  the     
,voice of ,god summons one way1 and the 

voices of men1 reinforced by  that      
instinct of humility and obedience which
 the middle ages held so  dear1 insist  
upon another4 ,she writes to her friend 
with comprehending  sympathy4 ,daniella1
 as we have already seen1 was a woman   
who understood  her and whom she        
understood4 ,and it must have been a    
relief to ,catherine1  at this point in 
her career1 for once to encourage ardour
 instead of  rebuking sin or seeking to 
inspire timidity4 ,our saint is so      
constantly on  the side of obedience1   
when1 as not infrequently happens1 some 
weak  brother or sister is restless     
under the yoke of vows1 that we are sure
 she  must know her woman when she      
writes3 ,fear and serve ,god1           
disregarding  yourself2 and then do not 
care what people say unless it is to    
feel  compassion for them4    ,we see at
 the end of the letter that ,catherine  
is on the point of going to  ,rome4 ,in 
fact1 ,urban had summoned her thither1  
being evidently alive to  the advantages

 of the support of one so famed for     
sanctity4 ,in ,rome the  remainder of   
her life was to be passed4      ,in the 
,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of
 sweet ,mary3    ,dearest daughter in   
,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1    
servant and slave of  the servants of   
,jesus ,christ1 write to you in ,his    
precious ,blood3 with  desire to see    
thee in true and very perfect light1    
that thou mayest know  the truth in     
perfection4 ,oh1 how necessary this     
light is to us1 dearest  daughter6 ,for 
without it we cannot walk in the ,way of
 ,christ crucified1 a  shining ,way that
 brings us to life2 without it we shall 
walk among shadows  and abide in great  
storm and bitterness4 ,but1 if ,i       
consider aright1 it  behoves us to      
possess two orders of this light4 ,there
 is a general light1  that every        
rational creature ought to have1 for    
recognizing whom he ought  to love and  
obey--perceiving in the light of his    
mind by the pupil of most  holy faith1  

that he is bound to love and serve his  
,creator1 loving ,him  directly1 with   
all his heart and mind1 and obeying the 
commandments of the  law to love ,god   
above everything1 and our neighbour as  
ourselves4 ,these  are the principles by
 which all men beside ourselves are     
held4 ,this is a  general light1 which  
we are all bound by2 and without it we  
shall die1 and  shall follow1 deprived  
of the life of grace1 the darkened way  
of the  devil4 ,but there is another    
light1 which is not apart from this1 but
 one  with it--nay1 by this first1 one  
attains to the second4 ,there are those 
who1 observing the commandments of ,god1
 grow into another most perfect  light2 
these rise from imperfection with great 
and holy desire1 and attain  unto       
perfection1 observing both commandments 
and counsels in thought and  deed4 ,one 
should use this light with hungry desire
 for the honour of ,god  and the        
salvation of souls1 gazing therewith    
into the light of the sweet  and loving 

,word1 where the soul tastes the        
ineffable love which ,god has to  ,his  
creatures1 shown to us through that     
,word1 who ran as enamoured to the      
shameful death of the ,cross1 for the   
honour of the ,father and for our       
salvation4    ,when the soul has known  
this truth in the perfect light1 it     
rises above  itself1 above its natural  
instincts2 with intense1 sweet and      
loving  desires1 it runs1 following the 
footsteps of ,christ crucified1 bearing 
pains1 bearing shame1 ridicule and      
insult with much persecution1 from the  
world1 and often from the servants of   
,god under pretext of virtue4  ,hungrily
 it seeks the honour of ,god and the    
salvation of souls2 and so  much does it
 delight in this glorious food1 that it 
despises itself and  everything else3   
this alone it seeks1 and abandons       
itself4 ,in this perfect  light lived   
the glorious virgins and the other      
saints1 who delighted only  in receiving
 this food with their ,bridegroom1 on   

the table of the ,cross4  ,now to us1   
dearest daughter and sweet my sister in 
,christ sweet ,jesus1 ,he  has shown    
such grace and mercy that ,he has placed
 us in the number of  those who have    
advanced from the general light to the  
particular--that is1  ,he has made us   
choose the perfect state of the         
,counsels3 therefore we  ought to follow
 that sweet and straight way perfectly1 
in true light1 not  looking back for any
 reason whatever2 not walking in our own
 fashion but  in the fashion of ,god1   
enduring sufferings without fault even  
unto death1  rescuing the soul from the 
hands of devils4 ,for this is the ,way  
and the  ,rule that the ,eternal ,truth 
has given thee2 and ,he wrote it on ,his
 body1  not with ink1 but with ,his     
,blood1 in letters so big that no one is
 of such  low intelligence as to be     
excused from reading4 ,well thou seest  
the  initials of that ,book1 how great  
they are2 and all show the truth of the 
,eternal ,father1 the ineffable love    

with which we were created--this is the 
truth--only that we might share ,his    
highest and eternal good4 ,this our     
,master is lifted up on high upon the   
pulpit of the ,cross1 in order that we  
may better study it1 and should not     
deceive ourselves1 saying3 ,he teaches  
this to me on earth1 and not on high4   
,not so3 for ,he ascended upon the      
,cross1 and uplifted there in pain1 ,he 
seeks to exalt the honour of the        
,father1 and to restore the beauty of   
souls4 ,then let us read heartfelt      
love1 founded in truth1 in this ,book of
 ,life4 ,lose thyself wholly2 and the   
more thou shalt lose the more thou shalt
 find2 and ,god will not despise  thy   
desire4 ,nay1 ,he will direct thee1 and 
show thee what thou shouldst do2  and   
will enlighten him to whom thou mightest
 be subject1 if thou dost  according to 
,his counsel4 ,for the soul that prays  
ought to have a holy  jealousy1 and let 
it always rejoice to do whatever it does
 with the help  of prayer and counsel4  

,thou didst write me1 and as ,i         
understood from thy letter it seems that
  thou art troubled in heart4 ,and this 
is not a slight feeling2 nay1 it is     
mighty1 stronger than any other1 when on
 the one side thou dost feel  thyself   
called by ,god in new ways1 and ,his    
servants put themselves on the  contrary
 side1 saying that this is not well4 ,i 
have a very great  compassion for thee2 
for ,i know not what burden is like     
that1 from the  jealousy the soul has   
for itself2 for it cannot offer         
resistance to ,god1  and it would also  
fulfil the will of ,his servants1       
trusting more in their  light and       
knowledge than in its own2 and yet it   
does not seem able to4 ,now  ,i reply to
 thee simply according to my low and    
poor sight4 ,do not make up  thy mind   
obstinately1 but as thou feelest thyself
 called without thine own  doing1 so    
respond4 ,so1 if thou dost see souls in 
danger1 and thou canst  help them1 do   
not close thine eyes1 but exert thyself 

with perfect zeal to  help them1 even to
 death4 ,and never mind about thy past  
resolutions to  silence or anything     
else--lest it be said to thee later3    
,cursed be thou1  that thou wast silent4
 ,our every principle and foundation is 
in the love  of ,god and our neighbour  
alone2 all our other activities are     
instruments  and buildings placed on    
this foundation4 ,therefore thou        
shouldst not1 for  pleasure in the      
instrument or the building1 desert the  
principal  foundation in the honour of  
,god and the love of our neighbour4     
,work1 then1  my daughter1 in that field
 where thou seest that ,god calls thee  
to work2  and do not get distressed or  
anxious in mind over what ,i have said  
to  thee1 but endure manfully4 ,fear and
 serve ,god1 with no regard to thyself2 
and then do not care for what people may
 say1 except to have compassion on      
them4    ,as to the desire thou hast to 
leave thy house and go to ,rome1 throw  
it  upon the will of thy ,bridegroom1   

and if it shall be for ,his honour and  
thy  salvation1 ,he will send thee means
 and the way when thou art thinking     
nothing about it1 in a way that thou    
wouldst never have imagined4 ,let ,him  
alone1 and lose thyself2 and beware that
 thou lose thee nowhere but on the      
,cross1 and there thou shalt find       
thyself most perfectly4 ,but this thou  
couldst not do without the perfect      
light2 and therefore ,i said to thee    
that ,i desired to see thee in the true 
and most perfect light1 beyond the      
common light we talked of4    ,let us   
sleep no more6 ,let us wake from the    
slumber of negligence1 groaning  with   
humble continual prayers1 over the      
mystical ,body of ,holy ,church1 and    
over the ,vicar of ,christ6 ,cease not  
to pray for him1 that ,christ may give  
him light and fortitude to resist the   
strokes of incarnate demons1 lovers  of 
themselves1 who seek to contaminate our 
faith4 ,it is a time for  weeping4      
,as to my coming thy way1 pray the      

highest eternal ,goodness of ,god to do 
what may be for ,his honour and the     
salvation of the soul1 and pray         
especially1 for ,i am on the point of   
going to ,rome1 to fulfil the will of   
,christ crucified and of ,his ,vicar4 ,i
 do not know what way ,i shall take4    
,pray ,christ sweet ,jesus to send us by
 that way which is most to ,his  honour1
 in peace and quiet of our souls4 ,i say
 no more to thee4 ,remain in  the holy  
and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,stefano   
,,maconi      ,to ,stefano di ,corrado  
,maconi1 her ignorant and most          
ungrateful son3 ,to  ,stefano ,maconi1  
her most ungrateful and unworthy son1   
when she was at  ,rome3 so run the      
superscriptions to these letters4       
,doubtless1 they headed  copies made by 
the hand of ,stefano himself4 ,we have  
seen in connection  with ,catherine's   
letters to his mother how constantly    
after their first  meeting this young   
disciple had been with her4 ,long before

 this1 he had  become the best-beloved  
of the ,famiglia1 and next to herself   
its most  important member4 ,he did not1
 however1 for some reason1 accompany her
 to  ,rome1 and ,catherine's heart      
yearned over him during the last weary  
months4  ,from the first1 she had       
perceived in his frank and joyous       
temperament the  germs of high spiritual
 perfection1 and had sought to draw him 
to the  monastic life4 ,cut the bonds   
that hold thee1 and do not merely loosen
  them1 she wrote in one of the first   
letters to ,stefano that we possess3    
,resist no longer the ,holy ,spirit that
 is calling thee--for it will be  hard  
for thee to kick against ,him4 ,do not  
let thyself be withheld by thine  own   
lukewarm heart1 or by a womanish        
tenderness for thyself1 but be a man1   
and enter the battlefield manfully4     
,stefano1 however1 despite his  personal
 devotion to ,catherine1 felt for a long
 time no vocation for the  cloister4    
,she continued1 as we see in these      

letters1 to urge him with  increasing   
insistence3 but his hesitation was ended
 only by her death4 ,he  hastened to    
,rome at the last1 urgently summoned1 in
 time to see her living  and to receive 
her last words4 ,her dying request did  
what her entreaties  during life had    
failed to do2 the brilliant young noble 
became a  ,carthusian monk4 ,at a later 
time he was made ,general of the ,order4
  ,devotion to the memory of ,catherine 
was the inspiration of his life after   
she left him4    ,the letters in this   
group were all written after ,catherine 
had reached  ,rome4 ,they form a strong 
contrast to the more formal and         
elaborate  documents which she was at   
this time despatching to dignitaries1   
concerning the ecclesiastical situation4
 ,their serene spiritual fervour  bears 
witness to the central peace subsisting 
at the heart of the  endless agitation  
of her active life4 ,in their intimate  
messages1  moreover1 to home friends and
 disciples1 they throw a charming light 

on  what may be called the domestic side
 of her character4      ,in the ,name of
 ,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet  
,mary3    ,dearest son in ,christ sweet 
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of the  servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to thee in ,his precious ,blood3  
with desire  to see thee a true guardian
 of the city of thy soul4 ,oh1 dearest  
son1 this  city has many gates6 ,they   
are three--,memory1 ,intellect1 and     
,will1 and our  ,creator allows all of  
them to be battered1 and sometimes      
opened by  violence1 except one--that   
is1 ,will4 ,so it happens at times that 
the  intellect sees nothing but shadows2
 the memory is occupied with vain and   
transitory things1 with many and varied 
reflections and impure thoughts2  and   
likewise all the sensations of the body 
are ill-regulated and  ravaging4 ,so it 
is perfectly clear that no one of these 
gates is in our  own free possession1   
except only the ,gate of ,will4 ,this   
belongs to our  liberties1 and has for  

its ,watch ,free-will4 ,and this gate is
 so strong  that nor demon nor creature 
can open it if the watch does not       
consent4 ,and  while this gate is not   
open--that is1 while it does not consent
 to what  ,memory and ,intellect and the
 other gates experience--our city keeps 
its  free privileges for ever4 ,let us1 
then1 recognize1 my son1 let us         
recognize so excellent a benefit and so 
unmeasured a largess of charity as  we  
have received from the ,divine          
,goodness1 that has put us in free      
possession of so noble a city4    ,let  
us strive to hold good and zealous      
watch1 keeping at the side of our       
,watch ,free-will1 the dog ,conscience1 
who when anyone comes at the gate  must 
awake ,reason by its barking1 that she  
may discern whether it be  friend or    
foe3 so that the watch may let friends  
enter1 ordering good and  holy          
inspirations to do their work1 and may  
drive away the foes1 locking  the ,gate 
of ,will1 that it consent not to admit  

the evil thoughts that come  to the gate
 every day4 ,and when thy city shall be 
demanded of thee by the  ,lord1 thou    
canst give it up1 sound1 and adorned    
with true and royal  virtues1 thanks to 
,his grace4 ,i say no more here4    ,as 
,i wrote on the first day of the month  
to all the sons in common1 we  arrived  
here on the first ,sunday in ,advent    
with much peace4 ,remain in the  holy   
and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 
,jesus ,love4      ,in the ,name of     
,jesus ,christ crucified and of sweet   
,mary3    ,dearest son in ,christ sweet 
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of the  servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to thee in ,his precious ,blood3  
with desire  to see thee risen above    
childishness1 and become a manly man2   
risen from  enjoying the milk of        
consolations1 mental and actual1 and set
 to eat the  hard musty bread of many   
tribulations in mind and body1 of       
conflicts with  devils and injuries from
 thy fellows1 and of any other kind that

 ,god might  be pleased to grant thee4  
,i desire to see thee rejoicing in such1
 and  hasting to meet them with kindling
 desire and sweet gratitude to the      
divine goodness1 when it may please ,him
 to show thee such great gifts--  which 
will be whenever ,he shall see thee fit 
to receive them4 ,rouse thee1  my son1  
rouse thee from thy lukewarmness of     
heart2 steep it in the ,blood1  that it 
may burn in the furnace of divine       
charity1 so that it may attain  to      
abominate all childish deeds1 and be on 
fire to be all manful1 to enter  on the 
battlefield to do great works for       
,christ crucified1 fighting  manfully4  
,for ,paul says that none shall be      
crowned save such as have  manfully     
fought4 ,so he who sees himself abide   
away from the ,field has  cause for     
weeping4 ,now ,i say no more here4    ,i
 had thy letter1 and saw it gladly4     
,concerning the affair of the           
,proposal1 ,i reply that thy disposition
 pleases me much2 and we must be  glad  

of the sweet games that our sweet ,god  
plays with ,his creatures1 to  persuade 
them to the end for which we were all   
created3 so that when the  sweet        
medicine and ointment of consolations   
does not help1 ,he sends us             
tribulations1 cauterizing the wound that
 it may not suppurate4 ,i will          
willingly take pains about thy affair1  
for the love of ,god and thy  salvation1
 as soon as these festivals and holy    
days are past4    ,i will try to obtain 
the ,indulgences that thou askest me for
 with the  first ,i shall demand4 ,i do 
not know when--for ,i have worn out the 
clerks  of the court4 ,one must hold    
one's self a little back4    ,i am      
writing a letter to ,matteo3 give it to 
him4 ,and comfort him1 and go  to find  
him sometimes1 to warm him up to the    
enterprise that is begun4 ,i  have heard
 of the illness which ,god has sent 444 
and1 considering his  need1 ,i beg and  
constrain thee as much as ,i can that   
thou and thy brothers  bring it about   

that the ,company of the ,virgin ,mary  
give him aid1 as much  as thou canst    
get4 ,catarina is very much to be       
pitied1 to find herself  alone and poor 
without any refuge2 so be zealous to    
show this charity4 ,i  am writing of    
this to ,pietro1 too4 ,let me perceive  
that you have not shown  any negligence4
    ,i say no more to thee4 ,remain in  
the holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,all  
this  family comfort thee in ,christ1   
and be the negligent and ungrateful     
writer  commended to thee4 ,sweet       
,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4      ,in the ,name
 of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of     
sweet ,mary3    ,dearest son in ,christ 
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and
 slave of the  servants of ,jesus       
,christ1 write to thee in ,his precious 
,blood3 with desire  to see thee cut thy
 bonds1 and not simply set thyself to   
loosening them1  for it takes some time 
to loosen1 and this thou art not sure of
 having1 so  swiftly it passes from     
thee4 ,it is better1 then1 to cut them  

thoroughly1  with a true and holy zeal4 
,oh1 how blessed my soul will be when ,i
 shall  see that thou hast cut thyself  
off from the world in deed and thought1 
and  from thy own fleshly instincts1 and
 hast united thyself to life eternal3 a 
union that is of such joy and sweetness 
and suavity that it quenches all        
bitterness and renders light every heavy
 weight6 ,who1 then1 shall hold us  from
 drawing the sword of hate and love1 and
 cutting self from self with  the hand  
of free will8 ,as soon as this sword has
 cut1 it is of such virtue  that it     
unites4 ,but thou wilt say to me1       
dearest son3 ,where is this sword  found
 and wrought8 ,i reply to thee1 ,thou   
findest it in the cell of self-         
knowledge1 where thou dost conceive     
hatred of thine own sin and frailty1    
and love of thy ,creator and thy        
neighbour1 with true and sincere        
virtues4  ,where is it wrought8 ,in the 
fire of divine charity1 on the anvil of 
the  ,body of the sweet and loving      

,word1 the ,son of ,god4 ,then ignorant 
indeed1  and worthy of great rebuke1 is 
he who has weapons in his possession to 
defend himself with1 and who throws them
 away4    ,i do not want thee to be of  
these ignorant people1 but ,i want thee 
to  hasten in thy whole manhood1 and    
respond to ,mary1 who calls thee with   
greatest love4 ,the blood of these      
glorious martyrs1 buried here in ,rome  
as  to the body1 who gave blood and life
 with so fiery love for the love of     
,life1 is hot with longing1 summoning   
thee and the others that you come to    
suffer1 for glory and praise of the     
,name of ,god and ,holy ,church1 and for
  the trial of your virtues4 ,for to    
this ,holy ,land1 wherein ,god revealed 
,his  dignity1 calling it ,his garden1  
,he has called ,his servants1 saying3   
,now  is the time for them to come1 to  
test the gold of virtue4 ,now let us not
  play the deaf man4 ,were our ears     
stopped by cold1 let us cleanse us in   
the  ,blood1 hot because it is mingled  

with fire1 and all deafness shall be    
taken away4 ,hide thee in the ,wounds of
 ,christ crucified2 flee before the     
world1 leave thy father's house2 flee   
into the refuge of the ,side of  ,christ
 crucified1 that thou mayest come to the
 ,land of ,promise4 ,this same  thing ,i
 say also to ,pietro4 ,place you at the 
table of the ,cross1 and  there1        
refreshed by the ,blood1 take the food  
of souls1 enduring pains and  shames1   
insults1 ridicule1 hunger1 thirst1 and  
nakedness3 glorying1 with  that sweet   
,paul the ,chosen ,vessel1 in the shame 
of ,christ crucified4 ,if  thou shalt   
cut thee free1 as ,i said1 endurance    
shall be thy glory1  otherwise not1 but 
it shall be a pain to thee1 and thy     
shadow will make  thee afraid4    ,my   
soul1 considering this1 as an hungered  
for thy salvation4 ,i desire to  see    
thee cut thyself free1 and not set      
thyself to loosen1 that thou mayest  run
 thee more swiftly4 ,clothe thee in the 
,blood of ,christ crucified4 ,i say  no 

more to thee4 ,remain in the holy and   
sweet grace of ,god4    ,i had thy      
letters1 and had great consolation from 
them1 over ,battista's  being healed1   
because ,i have hope that he will yet be
 a good plant1 and  for the compassion  
,i felt for ,monna ,giovanna4 ,but ,i   
rejoiced very much  more that ,god has  
sent thee a way of extricating thyself  
from the world1  and also over the good 
disposition of which thou writest me1   
that the  ,lords and our other citizens 
have toward our sweet ,babbo1 ,pope     
,urban ,,vi4  ,may ,god by ,his infinite
 mercy preserve it1 and increase ever   
their  reverence and obedience toward   
him4 ,while thou and the others shall be
  there1 be zealous to sow the truth and
 confound falsehood as far as your      
power extends4    ,commend me closely to
 ,monna ,giovanna and ,currado4 ,comfort
 also ,battista  and the rest of the    
family4 ,comfort all those sons of mine1
 and tell them  also particularly to    
pardon me if ,i do not write to them1   

because it seems  somewhat difficult4   
,comfort ,messer ,matteo3 tell him to   
send us word of  what he wants1 first1  
because ,i have forgotten it1 and ,fra  
,raimondo went  away so soon that we    
could not get it from him4 ,then ,i will
 zealously do  all ,i can4 ,and tell    
,frate ,tommaso that ,i do not write to 
him because ,i do  not know whether he  
is there1 but if he is there1 comfort   
him1 and tell  him to give me his       
blessing4 ,our ,lisa and all the family 
commend  themselves to thee4 ,neri does 
not write thee because he has been at   
the  point of death2 but now he is      
cured4    ,may ,god give thee ,his sweet
 eternal blessing4 ,tell ,pietro to come
 here if  he can1 for something that is 
of importance4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus    
,love6    ,give all these letters1 or   
have them given4 ,and pray ,god for us4 
,as to  these few letters bound by      
themselves1 give them just as they are  
to ,monna  ,catarina di ,giovanni1 and  
let her distribute them4      ,in the   

,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of
 sweet ,mary3    ,dearest son in ,christ
 sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant   
and slave of the  servants of ,jesus    
,christ1 write to thee in ,his precious 
,blood3 with desire  to see thee arise  
from the lukewarmness of thy heart1 lest
 thou be spewed  from the mouth of ,god1
 hearing this rebuke1 ,cursed are ye1   
the lukewarm6  ,would you had at least  
been ice-cold6 ,this lukewarmness       
proceeds from  ingratitude1 which comes 
from a faint light that does not let us 
see the  agonizing and utter love of    
,christ crucified1 and the infinite     
benefits  received from ,him4 ,for in   
truth1 did we see them1 our heart would 
burn  with the flame of love1 and we    
should be famished for time1 using it   
with  great zeal for the honour of ,god 
and the salvation of souls4 ,to this    
zeal  ,i summon thee1 dearest son1 that 
now we begin to work anew4    ,i send   
thee a letter that ,i am writing to the 
,lords1 and one to the  ,company of the 

,virgin ,mary4 ,see and understand them1
 and then give them2  and then 444 ,and 
talk to them fully concerning this      
matter that is  contained in the        
letters1 begging each of them1 on behalf
 of ,christ  crucified and me1 that they
 deal zealously1 just so far as they    
can1 with  the ,lords and whoever has to
 do with it1 that the right thing may be
 done  in regard to ,holy ,church1 and  
the ,vicar of ,christ1 ,urban ,,vi4 ,it 
weighs  upon me very much1 for my part1 
that it should please them to have      
confidence in this matter1 for the      
honour of ,god1 and the spiritual and   
temporal profit of the city4 ,do thou be
 fervent and not tepid in this          
activity1 and in quickening thy brothers
 and elders of the ,company to do  all  
they may in the affair of which ,i      
write4 ,if you are what you ought to    
be1 you will set fire to all ,italy1 and
 not only yonder4    ,i say no more to  
thee4 ,remain in the holy and sweet     
grace of ,god4 ,comfort  444 all these1 

thy brothers1 and thy sister1 comfort   
thee in ,christ1 and  all are waiting   
for thee4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4  
,,to ,,certain ,,holy ,,hermits  ,,who  
,,had ,,been ,,invited ,,to ,,rome ,,by 
,,the ,,pope      ,from early years1    
,catherine had cherished the            
simple-hearted desire that  the affairs 
of ,christ's people be put in the hands 
of ,his truest  followers4 ,now1 in this
 last period of her life1 surrounded by 
the  corruption and intrigue of the     
papal court1 her thoughts turned more   
and  more wistfully to the reserves of  
spiritual passion and insight that      
lingered in the hearts of obscure       
servants of ,god living in monasteries  
or in hermits' cells4    ,to invite     
these holy men to ,rome--to gather them 
around ,urban1 and so show  by          
triumphant witness of those in nearest  
fellowship with ,god on which  side lay 
,god's truth--was doubtless the         
political idea of a very unworldly      
saint4 ,nevertheless1 it commended      

itself to the ,pope4 ,at his request1   
then1 though probably by her own        
suggestion1 ,catherine wrote to sundry  
of  those eremites with whom she had    
long held spiritual converse1 summoning 
them to the ,holy ,city4 ,her letters   
were a thrilling call to the champions  
of ,christ1 to cast off timidity and    
indolence1 and betake them swiftly to   
the field where difficulties and        
troubles1 and it might be a martyr's    
death1 was waiting them4    ,in the     
third of the letters that follow1       
,catherine gives a touching  picture of 
two bewildered hermits--,dominican dogs 
of the lord from the  gentle ,umbrian   
plain--who obeyed the call4 ,old men1   
and far from well1  who have lived such 
a long time in their peace1 they have   
made the  laborious journey1 and are now
 valiantly suppressing their            
homesickness1  and unsaying their       
involuntary complaints4 ,but not all the
 hermits  summoned were equally docile4 
,visionary raptures could hardly be     

looked  for in the streets of the       
metropolis3 dear was the seclusion of   
wood and  cell4 ,father ,william ,flete1
 whom ,catherine had always persisted in
  admiring1 despite his failings1 flatly
 declined to stir2 so did his  comrade1 
,brother ,antonio4 ,the ,abbot of ,st4  
,antimo1 another person for whom  she   
had always entertained a deep respect1  
although he came1 appears from  her     
letters to have played the part of a    
coward4    ,we cannot be surprised if   
peaceable ,religious who had lived their
 long  days in unbroken quiet objected  
to enter the unpleasant whirlpool of    
,roman  politics4 ,a similar attitude on
 the part of eremites of culture is not 
unknown to-day4 ,but their refusal was a
 blow to ,catherine4 ,she could  hardly 
have drawn the natural conclusion that a
 recluse life unfitted men  to fight for
 practical righteousness1 but she did   
feel deeply troubled4  ,from early youth
 she had been1 as we have repeatedly    
seen1 alive to the  dangers of          

selfishness and indolence peculiarly    
incident to the  contemplative life2 at 
the same time she had firmly believed   
that1 did the  flame of intercession    
only burn bright enough1 this life might
 be  profoundly sacrificial4 ,now her   
best-beloved recluses did not stand the 
test in the hour of trial1 and their    
naif egotism disappointed her           
unspeakably4 ,her grief1 her amaze1 her 
all but scathing contempt for a         
religion that declined to forego its    
inward comforts even at the dramatic    
summons of a crisis in the ,church1 find
 expression in these letters4           
,doubtless the great refusal thus       
offered by men whom she had trusted     
helped to darken her last months4 ,not  
even in the hearts of her intimates1    
not even among the elect of ,god1 was   
,catherine to find here on earth a      
continuing city4          ,,to ,,brother
 ,,william ,,of ,,england ,,and         
,,brother ,,antonio ,,of ,,nizza  ,,at  
,,lecceto      ,in the ,name of ,jesus  

,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest sons in ,christ sweet ,jesus3  
,i ,catherine1 servant and slave of the 
servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to you
 in ,his precious ,blood3 with desire   
to see you so lose yourselves that you  
shall seek nor peace nor quiet          
elsewhere than in ,christ crucified1    
becoming an-hungered upon the table of  
the ,cross1 for the honour of ,god1 the 
salvation of souls1 and the  reformation
 of ,holy ,church1 whom to-day we see in
 so great need that to  help her one    
must come out from one's wood and       
renounce one's self4 ,if one  sees that 
he can bear fruit in her1 it is no time 
to stay still nor to  say1 ,i should    
forfeit my peace4 ,for now that ,god has
 given us the grace  of providing ,holy 
,church with a good and just shepherd1  
who delights in  the servants of ,god1  
and wishes them near him1 and expects to
 be able to  purify the ,church and     
uproot vices and plant virtues1 without 
any fear of  man1 since he bears himself

 like a just and manly man1 we others   
ought to  help him4 ,i shall perceive   
whether we have in truth conceived love 
for the  reformation of ,holy ,church2  
for if it is really so1 you will follow 
the  will of ,god and of ,his ,vicar1   
will come out of your wood1 and make    
haste  to enter the battlefield4 ,but if
 you do not do it1 you will be in       
discord  with the will of ,god4         
,therefore ,i pray you1 by the love of  
,christ  crucified1 that you respond    
swiftly without delay to the request    
that the  ,holy ,father makes of you4   
,and do not hesitate because of not     
having a  wood1 for there are woods and 
forests here4 ,up1 dearest sons1 and    
sleep no  more1 for it is time to watch6
 ,i say no more to you4 ,remain in the  
holy  and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet   
,jesus1 ,jesus ,love6 ,in ,rome1 on the 
fifteenth  day of ,december1 #acgh4     
,,to ,,brother ,,andrea ,,of ,,lucca    
,,to ,,brother ,,baldo ,,and ,,to       
,,brother ,,lando  ,,servants ,,of ,,god

 ,,in ,,spoleto1 ,,when ,,they ,,were   
,,summoned ,,by ,,the ,,holy ,,father   
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3           
,dearest fathers in ,christ sweet       
,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave
 of  the servants of ,jesus ,christ1    
write to you in ,his precious ,blood3   
with  desire to see you eager and ready 
to do the will of ,god1 in obedience to 
,his ,vicar1 ,pope ,urban ,,vi41 in     
order that by you and the other servants
 of  ,god help may be brought to ,his   
sweet ,bride4 ,for we see her in such   
bitter  straits that she is attacked on 
every side by contrary winds2 and you   
see  that she is especially attacked by 
wicked men1 lovers of themselves1 by    
the perilous and evil wind of heresy and
 schism1 which can contaminate our      
faith4 ,was she ever in so great a need 
as now1 when those who ought to  help   
her have attacked her1 and darkness is  
shed abroad by those whose  task it is  
to enlighten8 ,they should nourish us   

with the food of souls1  ministering the
 ,blood of ,christ crucified which gives
 the life of grace2  and they drag it   
from men's mouths1 ministering eternal  
death1 like wolves  who feed not the    
flock1 but devour them4 ,and what shall 
the dogs do--the  servants of ,god1 who 
are placed in the world as guardians1   
that they may  bark when they see the   
wolf come1 to awaken the chief shepherd8
 ,what are  they to bark with8 ,with    
humble and continual prayer1 and with   
the living  voice4 ,in this way they    
shall terrify the demons1 visible and   
invisible1  and the heart and mind of   
our chief ,shepherd1 ,pope ,urban ,,vi41
 shall  awaken2 and when he shall be    
wakened1 we do not doubt that the       
mystical  body of ,holy ,church and the 
universal body of the ,christian        
religion shall  be helped1 and the flock
 recovered1 and saved from the hands of 
devils4  ,you ought not to draw back for
 any reason3 not for suffering that you 
expected1 nor for shames nor            

persecution1 nor ridicule that might be 
cast  at you2 not for hunger1 thirst1 or
 death a thousand times were it         
possible2 not for desire of quiet1 nor  
of your consolations1 saying3 ,i  wish  
my soul's peace1 and ,i can cry out in  
prayer before the face of ,god  7without
 going to ,rome72 nay1 by the love of   
,christ crucified4 ,for it is  not now  
the hour to seek one's self for one's   
self1 nor to flee pains in  order to    
possess consolations2 nay1 it is the    
hour to lose one's self1  since the     
,infinite ,goodness and ,mercy of ,god  
has seen to the necessity of  ,holy     
,church1 and given her a just and good  
shepherd1 who wishes to have  these dogs
 around him1 which shall bark constantly
 for the honour of ,god2  fearing lest  
he sleep1 and not trusting in his vigil1
 unless they are  always ready to bark  
to waken him4 ,you are among those whom 
he has chosen4  ,therefore ,i beg and   
constrain you in ,christ sweet ,jesus1  
that you come  swiftly1 to fulfil the   

will of ,god1 who wills thus1 and the   
holy will of  the ,vicar of ,christ1    
that is calling you and the others4     
,you need not be afraid of luxuries or  
of great consolations2 for you are      
coming to endure1 and not to enjoy      
yourselves1 except with the joy of the  
,cross4 ,lean your head out1 and come   
forth into the ,field1 to fight         
genuinely for truth2 holding before the 
eye of your mind the persecution        
wrought to the ,blood of ,christ1 and   
the damnation of souls2 in order that   
we may be more inspired for the battle1 
so that we may look back for no         
possible cause4 ,come1 come6 and do not 
linger1 waiting for the hour1 for  the  
hour does not wait us4 ,i am sure that  
the ,infinite ,goodness of ,god  will   
make you know the truth4 ,and yet ,i    
know that many1 even among those  who   
are servants of ,god1 will go to you and
 oppose this holy and good  work1       
thinking to speak well1 in saying3 ,you 
will go1 and nothing will be  done4 ,and

 ,i1 like a presumptuous woman1 say that
 something will be done2  if our        
principal desire is not now to be       
fulfilled1 at least the way will  be    
cleared4 ,and even if nothing at all    
should be done1 we have shown in  the   
sight of ,god and our fellow-men that we
 have done what we could2 our  own      
conscience has been aroused and         
unburdened4 ,so that it is well in any  
case4 ,the more opposition you shall    
have1 the clearer sign it is to you     
that this is a good and holy work2 since
 as we have seen1 and continue to  see  
constantly1 great1 holy1 and good works 
meet more opposition than  little ones1 
because they have larger results2 and   
therefore the devil  hinders them in    
every way he can1 especially by means of
 the servants of  ,god1 through obscure 
deceits1 under colour of virtue4 ,i have
 said this to  you in order that you    
should not give up coming for any       
reason1 but should  present yourselves  
with prompt obedience at the feet of his

 ,holiness4    ,drown you in the ,blood 
of ,christ1 and may our own will die in 
all things4  ,i say no more to you4     
,remain in the holy and sweet grace of  
,god4 ,commend  me to all the servants  
of ,god near you1 that they may pray the
 ,divine  ,goodness to give me grace to 
lay down my life for ,his ,truth4 ,sweet
 ,jesus1  ,jesus ,love4          ,,to   
,,brother ,,antonio ,,of ,,nizza  ,,of  
,,the ,,hermit ,,brothers ,,of ,,saint  
,,augustine ,,at ,,the ,,convent ,,of   
,,lecceto  ,,near ,,siena      ,in the  
name of ,jesus ,christ crucified and of 
sweet ,mary3    ,dearest son in ,christ 
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant and
 slave of the  servants of ,jesus       
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood3 with desire  to see you founded 
upon the ,living ,rock1 ,christ sweet   
,jesus1 so that the  building you shall 
raise on it may never be overthrown by  
any contrary  wind that may strike you1 
but may endure wholly solid1 firm1 and  
stable1  even till your death upon the  

,way of ,truth4 ,oh1 how we need this   
true and  royal foundation--not known of
 my ignorance6 for did ,i truly know it1
 ,i  should not build upon myself1 who  
am worse than sand1 but upon that       
,living  ,rock ,i spoke of4 ,following  
,christ upon the way of shame and       
outrage and  insult1 ,i should deprive  
me of every consolation from whatever   
source1  within or without1 to conform  
myself with ,him4 ,i would not seek     
myself for  my own sake1 but would care 
only for the honour of ,god1 the        
salvation of  souls1 and the reform of  
,holy ,church1 whom ,i see in so great  
need6 ,me  miserable1 who am doing quite
 the contrary6 ,but though ,i do wrong1 
dearest  son1 ,i would not that you and 
the others did2 nay1 ,i desire to see   
you  founded on this ,rock4 ,now the    
hour is come that proves who is a       
servant of  ,god1 and whether men shall 
seek themselves for their own sake1 and 
,god for  the private consolation they  
find in ,him1 and their neighbours for  

their  own sake in so far as they see   
consolations in them--yes1 or no1 and   
whether we are to believe that ,god may 
be found only in one place and not  in  
another4 ,i do not see that this is     
so--but find that to the true  servant  
of ,god every place is the right place  
and every time is the right  time4 ,so  
when the time comes to abandon his own  
consolations and embrace  labours for   
the honour of ,god1 he does it2 and when
 the time comes to flee  the wood for   
need of the honour of ,god1 he does it1 
and betakes him to  public places1 as   
did the blessed ,st4 ,antony1 who       
although he supremely  loved solitude1  
yet deserted it many times to comfort   
the ,christians4 ,and  so ,i might tell 
of many other saints4 ,this has always  
been the habit of  the true servants of 
,god1 to emerge in time of need and     
adversity1 but not  in the time of      
prosperity--nay1 that they flee4 ,there 
is no need to flee  just now1 through   
fear lest our great prosperity make our 

hearts sail away  in the wind of pride  
and vainglory2 for there is no one who  
can glory now  otherwise than in        
labours4 ,but light seems to be failing 
us1 dazzled as we  are by our           
consolations and the hope we place in   
special revelations--  things which do  
not let us know the truth rightly1      
though we act in good  faith4 ,but ,god1
 who is highest and eternal ,goodness1  
gives us perfect and  true light4 ,i    
enlarge no more on this matter4    ,it  
appears1 from the letter which ,brother 
,william has sent me1 that  neither he  
nor you is coming here4 ,i do not intend
 to reply to this  letter3 but ,i grieve
 much over his simplicity1 for little   
honour to ,god or  edification to his   
neighbour results from it4 ,for if he is
 unwilling to  come from humility and   
fear of forfeiting his peace1 he ought  
to exercise  the virtue of humility1 by 
asking permission from the ,vicar of    
,christ  humbly and with gentleness1    
entreating his ,holiness graciously to  

permit  him to stay in his wood1 for his
 greater peace1 nevertheless1 as one    
truly  obedient1 submitting the matter  
to his will4 ,thus he would be more     
pleasing to ,god1 and would secure his  
own good4 ,but he seems to have done    
just the contrary1 alleging that a      
person who is bound to divine obedience 
ought not to obey his fellow-creatures4 
,as to other people1 ,i should care     
very little2 but that he should include 
the ,vicar of ,christ1 this does  grieve
 me much1 to see him so discordant with 
truth4 ,for divine obedience  never     
prevents us from obedience to the ,holy 
,father3 nay1 the more perfect  the one1
 the more perfect is the other4 ,and we 
ought always to be subject  to his      
commands and obedient unto death4       
,however indiscreet obedience to  him   
might seem1 and however it should       
deprive us of mental peace and          
consolation1 we ought to obey2 and ,i   
consider that to do the opposite is a   
great imperfection1 and deceit of the   

devil4 ,it appears from what he  writes 
that two servants of ,god have had a    
great revelation1 to the effect  that   
,christ on earth1 and whoever advised   
him to send for these servants  of ,god1
 followed human and not divine counsel1 
and that it was rather the  instigation 
of the devil than the inspiration of    
,god that made them wish  to drag their 
servants from their peace and           
consolations3 adding that if  you and   
the others came you would lose your     
spiritual life1 and thus would  be of no
 help in prayer1 and unable to stand by 
the ,holy ,father in spirit4  ,now      
really1 the spiritual life is quite too 
lightly held if it is lost by  change of
 place4 ,apparently ,god is an acceptor 
of places1 and is found  only in a wood1
 and not elsewhere in time of need6     
,then what shall we say  --we who1 on   
the one hand1 wish that the ,church of  
,god be reformed1 the  thorns uprooted1 
and the fragrant flowers the servants of
 ,god planted  there2 and1 on the other 

hand1 we are told that to send for them1
 and drag  them from their mental peace 
and quiet in order that they may come to
 help  that little ,ship is a wile of   
the devil8 ,at least1 let a man speak   
for  himself1 and not speak of the other
 servants of ,god--for among the        
servants of the world we are not to     
count ourselves4 ,not thus have done    
,brother ,andrea of ,lucca1 nor ,brother
 ,paolina1 those great servants of ,god1
  old men and far from well1 who have   
lived such a long time in their peace3  
but at once1 with all their weariness   
and disabilities they put themselves  on
 the road1 and have come1 and fulfilled 
their obedience3 and although  desire   
constrains them to return to their      
cells1 they are not therefore  willing  
to throw off the yoke1 but say3 ,what ,i
 have said1 be it unsaid6               
--disregarding their self-will and their
 personal consolations4 ,one comes  here
 to endure3 not for honours1 but for the
 dignity of many labours1 with  tears1  

vigils and continual prayers2 thus      
should one do4 ,now let us not  weigh   
ourselves down with more words4 ,may    
,god by ,his mercy send us clear        
vision1 and guide us in the way of      
truth1 and give us true and perfect     
light1 that we may never walk among     
shadows4 ,i beg you1 you and the        
,bachellor1 and the other servants of   
,god1 to pray the ,humble ,lamb that ,he
  make me walk in ,his ,way4 ,remain in 
the holy and sweet grace of ,god4 ,sweet
  ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4        ,,to     
,,queen ,,giovanna ,,of ,,naples        
7,,written ,,in ,,trance7               
,giovanna1 recalcitrant1 has failed to  
respond to the entreaties of            
,catherine4 ,her temporary espousal of  
the cause of ,urban has made only more  
painful her reversion to the side of    
,clement4 ,you see your subjects  pitted
 against each other like beasts through 
this unhappy division1  writes          
,catherine in another letter4 ,oh me6   
how is it that your heart does  not     

burst1 to endure that they should be    
divided by you1 and one hold to  the    
white rose and one the red1 one to truth
 and one to falsehood8  ,misfortunate my
 soul6 ,do you not see that they are all
 created in that  very pure rose1 the   
eternal will of ,god1 and re-created by 
grace in that  very burning rose1       
crimson with the ,blood of ,christ1 in  
which we were  washed from sin in       
,baptism8 ,consider that nor you nor    
another ever so  bathed them or gave    
them that glorious rose1 but only our   
,mother1 ,holy  ,church1 through the    
highest ,pontiff who holds the keys1    
,pope ,urban ,,vi4 ,how  can your soul  
bear to take from them that which you   
cannot give8 ,if this  does not move    
you1 are you not at least moved by the  
shame into which you  are fallen in the 
sight of the world8 ,this much more     
since your change  than before2 for     
lately you confessed the truth and your 
wrong1 and showed  yourself willing to  
throw yourself like a daughter upon the 

mercy of your  father2 and since then   
you have wrought worse than ever1       
whether because  your heart was not     
pure1 and feigned what was not there1 or
 because  justice willed that ,i should 
anew do penance for my ancient sins1    
that ,i  do not merit to see you in     
peace and quiet1 feeding at the breasts 
of ,holy  ,church4 ,it is such a pain to
 me1 that ,i cannot bear a greater cross
 in  this life1 when ,i consider the    
letter which ,i received from you1 in   
which  you confessed that ,pope ,urban  
was the true highest father and priest1 
and  said that you were willing to be   
obedient to him1 and now ,i find the    
contrary4    ,in the present letter     
,catherine pours forth to the yet living
 woman a  sorrowful elegy over the dead 
soul4 ,she argues no longer2 the        
political  aspect of the situation is   
for the time being overshadowed by the  
grief  with which she contemplates the  
hardened sin and coming doom of the     
woman  to whom her heart had from her   

youth up gone out with an especial      
tenderness1 and in whom she had hoped at
 one time to see a true ,defender  of   
the ,faith4 ,it will be noticed that she
 writes in trance4 ,whatever may  have  
been the nature of that mysterious      
state1 we may be sure that  thoughts    
then uttered came from the depths of her
 being which lie below  consciousness1  
and we may so gain an additional        
evidence of the intensity  of her       
feeling concerning ,giovanna4      ,in  
the ,name of ,jesus ,christ crucified   
and of sweet ,mary3    ,dearest mother  
in ,christ sweet ,jesus3 ,i1 ,catherine1
 servant and slave of  the servants of  
,jesus ,christ1 write to you in ,his    
precious ,blood1 with  desire to see you
 compassionate to your own soul and     
body4 ,for if we are  not merciful to   
our own souls1 the mercy and pity of    
others would avail us  little4 ,the soul
 treats itself with great cruelty when  
of its own accord  it puts the knife    
with which it can be killed in the hands

 of its foe4 ,for  our foes have no     
weapons with which they can hurt us4    
,they would be very  glad to1 but they  
cannot1 because will alone can hurt us2 
and as for the  will1 neither demon nor 
creature can move it1 nor force it to   
one least  fault more than it chooses4  
,so the perverse will which consents to 
the  malice of our foes is a knife which
 kills the soul that gives it into the  
hand of these foes with its own free    
choice4 ,which shall we call the more   
cruel--the foes or the very person who  
receives the blow8 ,it is we who are    
more cruel1 for we consent to our own   
death4    ,we have three chief foes4    
,first1 the devil1 who is weak if ,i do 
not make  him strong by consenting to   
his malice4 ,he loses his strength in   
the power  of the ,blood of the humble  
and spotless ,lamb4 ,the world with all 
its  honours and delights1 which is our 
foe1 is also weak1 save in so far as we 
strengthen it to hurt us by possessing  
these things with intemperate love4  ,in

 the gentleness1 humility1 poverty1 in  
the shame and disgrace of ,christ       
crucified1 this tyrant the world is     
destroyed4 ,our third foe1 our own      
frailty1 was made weak2 but reason      
strengthens it by the union which ,god  
has made with our humanity1 arraying the
 ,word with our humanity1 and by  the   
death of that sweet and loving ,word1   
,christ crucified4 ,so we are  strong1  
and our foes are weak4    ,it is very   
true1 then1 that we are more cruel to   
ourselves than our foes  are4 ,for      
without our help they cannot kill nor   
hurt us1 since ,god has not  given them 
to us that we might be vanquished1 but  
that we might vanquish  them4 ,then our 
fortitude and constancy are proved4 ,but
 ,i do not see that  we can avoid such  
cruelty and become merciful without the 
light of most  holy faith1 opening the  
eye of the mind to behold how           
displeasing it is to  ,god and harmful  
to soul and body1 and how pleasing to   
,god and useful to  our salvation is    

mercy4    ,dearest mother--mother ,i say
 in so far as ,i see you to be a        
faithful  daughter of ,holy ,church--it 
seems to me that you have no mercy on   
yourself4 ,oh me6 oh me6 because ,i love
 you ,i grieve over the evil state of   
your soul and body4 ,i would willingly  
lay down my life to prevent this        
cruelty4 ,many times ,i have written you
 in compassion1 showing you that  what  
is shown you for truth is a lie2 and the
 rod of divine justice1 which  is ready 
for you if you do not flee so great     
wrong4 ,it is a human thing to  sin1 but
 perseverance in sin is a thing of the  
devil4 ,oh me6 there is none  who tells 
you the truth1 nor do you seek among the
 servants of ,god those  who might tell 
it you1 that you should not stay in a   
state of  condemnation4 ,oh1 how blessed
 my soul would be could ,i come into    
your  parts1 and lay down my life to    
restore to you the good of heaven and   
the  good of earth2 to take from you the
 knife of cruelty1 with which you have  

killed yourself1 and help to give you   
that of mercy1 which kills vice2 so     
that you should clothe you in the holy  
fear of ,god and love of truth1 and     
bind you in ,his sweet will6    ,oh me1 
do not await the time which you are not 
sure of having6 ,do not  choose that my 
eyes should have to shed rivers of tears
 over your wretched  soul and body--a   
soul which ,i hold as my own6 ,if ,i    
consider that soul1 ,i  see that it is  
dead1 because separated from its body2  
it persecutes1 not  ,pope ,urban ,,vi41 
but our truth and faith4 ,i expected1   
mother and daughter  mine1 as you used  
to write to me1 that through you these  
should be spread  among the infidels by 
means of divine grace1 and declared and 
helped among  us1 defended when we      
should see a taint appear1 from those   
who have been  or were contaminated4    
,now ,i see quite the contrary appear in
 you1 through  the evil counsel which   
has been given you for my sins4 ,you    
have received  it as one merciless      

toward your salvation2 and ,i see that  
there will be no  human creature who can
 restore your loss1 but you yourself    
must render  this account before the    
highest ,judge4 ,you did not offend     
through  ignorance1 not knowing the     
right1 for the truth was shown to you2  
but you  do not know how to turn back   
from that which you have begun1 because 
the  knife of perverse and selfish will 
destroys knowledge and choice1 making   
you hold that as shame which is your    
greatest honour4 ,for perseverance in   
fault and in such an evil is greatest   
disgrace1 and displays one as a sign  of
 shame before the eyes of one's         
fellow-creatures2 but to escape from    
them is greatest honour2 and by honour  
and the odour of virtue1 shame is       
escaped and the stench of vice          
extinguished4    ,and if ,i consider    
your condition as to those temporal and 
transitory goods  that pass like the    
wind--you yourself have deprived        
yourself of them by  right4 ,you have   

only to receive the last sentence of    
being deprived of  them by deed1 and    
published a heretic4 ,my heart breaks   
and cannot break1  from the fear that ,i
 have lest the devil so obscure the eye 
of your mind  that you endure that loss1
 and such shame and confusion as ,i     
should repute  greater than the loss    
that you would suffer4 ,and you cannot  
hide it with  saying1 ,this would be    
done to me unjustly1 and the thing which
 is  unjustly inflicted casts no shame4 
,that cannot be said2 for it would be   
done justly1 both because of the fault  
you have committed1 and because he  can 
do it as highest and true pontiff that  
he is1 chosen by the ,truth in  truth4  
,for were he not so1 you would not have 
offended4 ,so that it would  be just4   
,but he has refrained from doing this   
through love1 as a benignant  father who
 waits for his son to correct himself4  
,yet ,i fear that he may do  it1        
constrained by justice1 and by your long
 perseverance in evil4 ,and ,i  do not  

say this as one who does not know what  
she is saying4    ,and if you said to   
me1 ,i do not care about this1 for ,i am
 strong and  mighty1 and ,i have other  
lords who will help me1 and ,i know that
 he is  weak--,i reply to you that he   
wearies himself in vain who will guard  
the  city with force and with great     
zeal1 if ,god guard it not4 ,and can you
 say  that you have ,god with you8 ,we  
cannot say it1 for you have put ,him    
against  you for putting yourself       
against truth2 you have put you against 
,him1 and  it is truth that sets him    
free who holds thereto1 and none there  
is who  can confound it4 ,therefore you 
have reason to fear1 and not to trust in
  your strength and power1 had you yet  
more of them than you have4 ,and he  has
 reason to comfort his weakness in      
,christ sweet ,jesus1 whose place he    
holds1 trusting in ,his strength and    
aid1 who shall send him aid from such  a
 side as we cannot imagine4 ,and you    
know that if ,god is for you1 none      

shall be against you4    ,then let us   
fear ,god1 and tremble beneath the rod  
of ,his justice4 ,let us  correct us1   
and advance no further4 ,be merciful to 
yourself1 and you shall  call down the  
mercy of ,god upon you4 ,have compassion
 on the many souls who  are perishing   
through you2 of whom you will have to   
render account before  ,god at the last 
extremity of death4 ,there is yet       
healing for us1 and time  wherein we can
 return2 and ,he will receive you with  
great benignity4 ,i am  sure that if you
 will be merciful and not cruel to your 
soul and also to  your body1 you will do
 this1 and will have pity upon your     
subjects3 in  otherwise1 no4 ,therefore 
,i said that ,i desired to see you      
merciful and not  cruel to your soul4   
,and thus ,i pray you1 through the love 
of ,christ  crucified1 that at least you
 hold and will to be held1 the truth    
which was  announced to you and to the  
other lords of the world4 ,and if you   
should  say1 ,it is still doubtful to   

me1 stay neutral till it is made clear  
to  you1 and do not do what you should  
not4 ,desire illumination and counsel   
from those whom you see to fear ,god1   
and not from members of the devil1  who 
would counsel you ill in that which they
 do not hold for themselves4  ,fear1    
fear ,god1 and place ,him before your   
eyes1 and think that ,god sees  you1 and
 ,his eye is upon you1 and ,his justice 
wills that every fault be  punished and 
every good rewarded4 ,be merciful1 ah1  
be merciful to  yourself6 ,i say naught 
else to you4 ,remain in the holy and    
sweet grace of  ,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1    
,jesus ,love4          ,,to ,,brother   
,,raimondo  ,,of ,,the ,,preaching      
,,order ,,when ,,he ,,was ,,in ,,genoa  
,in more grievous ways than any yet     
noted1 ,catherine was to be wounded in  
the house of her friends4 ,the letters  
already given have shown us how         
tenderly intimate1 on the human as well 
as on the spiritual side1 were her      
relations with the father of her soul1  

given her by that sweet mother1  ,mary4 
,one shares her affection for good      
,father ,raimondo as one reads the      
legend4 ,his figure might well have     
belonged to the trecento rather than to 
the more strenuous age that followed4   
,he was the simplest1 the most modest   
of men--albeit by no means lacking in   
homely shrewdness2 he was also one  of  
the least heroic4 ,catherine1 like most 
uplifted natures1 demanded  heroism from
 those dear to her1 as a matter of      
course4 ,others wish for  their beloved 
ease1 delights1 the gratification of    
ambition and desire2  ,catherine sought 
for them sorrow1 hardships1 the         
opportunity to offer  their lives in    
exalted sacrifice for the sins of the   
,church and the world4  ,she craved for 
them only less passionately than for    
herself1 the crowning  grace of         
martyrdom4 ,now ,fra ,raimondo had no   
affinity whatever for  martyrdom4 ,his  
chance at it came1 in the fortunes of   
those stern times1  and was promptly    

rejected4 ,urban1 perhaps at            
,catherine's instigation1 had           
despatched him to the ,king of ,france1 
and ,raimondo had bidden his  spiritual 
daughter and mother a solemn farewell1  
surmising doubtless that  he was to see 
her face no more4 ,he proceeded to the  
port of ,genoa1  planning thence to set 
sail for ,france4 ,but the galleys of   
the antipope  sought to debar the       
passage2 and ,raimondo1 accepting the   
obstacle 7one  imagines with much ease71
 allowed himself to give up the         
expedition4    ,catherine wrote him two 
letters on the matter4 ,the first is    
brief1 and  half-playful in tone3 ,oh my
 naughty father 7cativello padre mio7   
she  says1 ,how blessed your soul and   
mine would have been could you have     
sealed with your blood a stone in ,holy 
,church6 ,i do wish ,i could see you    
risen above your childishness--see you  
shed your milk teeth and eat bread1  the
 mustier the better6 ,evidently         
,raimondo had answered this letter1     

writing1 one imagines1 in a deprecating 
tone1 fearing lest ,catherine may  love 
him the less for his failure1 yet after 
all assuming--so strong is  our         
expectation of finding our own attitude 
in our friends--that she will  rejoice  
in his escape4 ,in this her reply she   
tells her whole heart4  ,surely1 few    
more pathetic revelations of            
disappointed yet faithful  affection    
have drifted to us on the tide of the   
ages4 ,catherine was at  this time far  
advanced upon her own ,via ,dolorosa4   
,one of the stations of  her sorrow had 
been the parting with her friend3 ,and  
you have left me  here1 and have gone   
away with ,god4 ,here was another       
station1 marked by a  deeper pain3      
,faithful obedience would have done more
 in the sight of ,god  and men than all 
human prudence2 my sins have prevented  
me from seeing it  in you4 ,with a glad 
suffering she had given ,raimondo up to 
the service of  ,god2 with a suffering  
that was bitterly shamed1 she saw him   

false to his  calling4 ,she utters no   
vain reproaches4 ,in her own way she    
begins with  earnest self-accusations1  
and proceeds to comfort the weakness of 
the man  who should have been her guide 
with tender and subtly-reasoned         
assurances  of her unchanged affection4 
,at the same time she does not flinch   
from  uncondoning1 scathing statement of
 his sin and of her disillusion4        
,considerate1 delicate1 even courteous  
to a degree1 the letter yet reveals  in 
every line the sense of solitude which  
the action of ,raimondo had  caused her4
 ,there is no rebellion in her spirit3  
,i hold me none the less  in peace1     
because ,i am certain that nothing      
happens without mystery1 she  sighs4    
,but we grieve with a new1 awestruck    
perception of the loneliness of  her    
great soul1 as we realize that to       
,raimondo was to be given perforce  her 
deepest confidence in the passion upon  
which she was even now  entering4       
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         

crucified and of sweet ,mary3           
,dearest father in ,christ sweet ,jesus3
 ,i ,catherine1 servant and slave of    
the servants of ,jesus ,christ1 write to
 you in ,his precious ,blood3 with      
desire to see in you the light of most  
holy faith4 ,this is a light which      
shows us the way of truth1 and without  
it no activity1 or desire1 or work  of  
ours would come to fruition1 or to the  
end for which we began it2 but          
everything would become imperfect--slow 
we should be in the love of ,god  and of
 our neighbour4 ,this is the reason3    
seemingly love is as great as  faith1   
and faith is as great as love4 ,he who  
loves is always faithful to  him whom he
 loves1 and faithfully serves him till  
death4 ,by this ,i  perceive that in    
truth ,i do not love ,god1 nor the      
creatures through ,god3  for if in truth
 ,i loved ,him1 ,i should be faithful in
 such wise that ,i  should give myself  
to death a thousand times a day1 were it
 needful and  possible1 for the glory   

and praise of ,his ,name1 and faith     
would not fail  me1 since for the love  
of ,god and of virtue and of ,holy      
,church ,i should  set myself to endure4
 ,so ,i should believe that ,god was my 
help and my  defender1 as ,he was of    
those glorious martyrs who went with    
gladness to  the place of martyrdom4    
,were ,i faithful ,i should not fear1   
but ,i should  hold for sure that the   
same ,god is for me who was for them2   
and ,his power  to provide for my       
necessities is not weakened as to       
capacity1 knowledge1  or will4 ,but     
because ,i do not love1 ,i do not really
 trust myself to ,him1  but the sensuous
 fear in me shows me that love is       
lukewarm1 and the light  of faith is    
darkened by faithlessness toward my     
,creator1 and by trusting  in myself4 ,i
 confess and deny not that this root of 
evil is not yet  uprooted from my soul1 
and therefore those works are hindered  
which ,god  wants to do or puts in my   
way1 so that they do not reach the lucid

 and  fruitful end for which ,god had   
them begun4 ,ah me1 ah me1 my ,lord6    
,woe to  me miserable6 ,and shall ,i    
find myself thus every time1 in every   
place1 and  in every state8 ,shall ,i   
always close with my faithlessness the  
way to ,thy  providence8 ,yes1 truly1 if
 indeed ,thou by ,thy mercy do not      
unmake me1 and  make me anew4 ,then1    
,lord1 unmake me1 and break the hardness
 of my heart1  that ,i be not a tool    
which spoils ,thy works6    ,and ,i beg 
you1 dearest father1 to pray earnestly  
that ,i and you both  together may drown
 ourselves in the ,blood of the humble  
,lamb1 which will  make us strong and   
faithful4 ,we shall feel the fire of the
 divine charity3  we shall be co-workers
 with ,his grace1 and not undoers or    
spoilers of it4  ,so we shall show that 
we are faithful to ,god1 and trust in   
,his help1 and  not in our knowledge nor
 in that of men4    ,with this same     
faith we shall love the creature2 for as
 love of the  neighbour proceeds from   

love of ,god1 so with faith1 in general 
and in  particular2 as there is a       
general faith corresponding to the love 
which we  ought to feel in general to   
every creature1 so there is a special   
faith  belonging to those who love one  
another more intimately3 like this1     
which  beyond the common love has       
established between us two a close      
particular  love1 a love which faith    
manifests4 ,so much love does it        
manifest that it  cannot believe nor    
imagine that one of us wishes anything  
else than the  other's good2 and it     
believes earnestly1 for it seeks this   
with great  insistence in the sight of  
,god and men1 seeking ever in the other 
the  glory of the name of ,god and the  
profit of his soul2 constraining ,divine
  ,help1 that as it adds burdens it may 
add fortitude and long perseverance4    
,such faith bears he who loves1 and     
never lessens it for any reason1        
neither for speech of man nor illusion  
of the devil1 nor change of place4  ,if 

anyone does otherwise1 it is a sign that
 he loves ,god and his neighbour        
imperfectly4    ,apparently1 as ,i      
understood by your letter1 many diverse 
battles befell  you1 and troubled       
reflections1 through the deceit of the  
devil and through  your own sensuous    
passion1 it seeming to you that a burden
 was imposed on  you greater than you   
can bear4 ,you did not seem to yourself 
strong enough  for me to measure you    
with my measure1 and on this account you
 were in  doubt lest my affection and   
love to you were diminished4 ,but you   
did not  see aright1 and it was you who 
showed that ,i had grown to love more1  
and  you less2 for with the love with   
which ,i love myself1 with that ,i love 
you1 in the lively faith that all which 
is lacking on your part1 ,god will      
complete by ,his goodness4 ,but this is 
not done yet1 for you have known how  to
 find ways to throw your load down to   
earth4 ,you present us many scraps  of  
excuses to cover up your faithless      

frailty1 but not in such wise that ,i   
do not see it quite enough now1 and good
 it will seem to me if it is not        
perceived by anyone but me4 ,yes1 yes1  
,i show you a love increased in me      
toward you1 and not waning4 ,but what   
shall ,i say8 ,how could your ignorance 
give place to one of the least of those 
thoughts8 ,could you ever believe  that 
,i wished anything else than the life of
 your soul8 ,where is the faith  that   
you always used to have and ought to    
have1 and the certainty that you  have  
had1 that before a thing is done1 it is 
seen and determined in the  sight of    
,god--not only this1 which is so great a
 deed1 but every least  thing8 ,had you 
been faithful1 you would not have gone  
about vacillating  so1 nor fallen into  
fear toward ,god and toward me2 but like
 a faithful  son1 ready for obedience1  
you would have gone and done what you   
could4 ,and  if you could not have gone 
upright1 you would have gone on all     
fours2 if  you could not have gone as a 

,frate1 you would have gone as a        
pilgrim2 if  there is no money for us1  
one would have gone begging4 ,this      
faithful  obedience would have          
accomplished more in the sight of ,god  
and in the  hearts of men than all human
 prudences4 ,my sins have prevented me  
from  seeing it in you4    ,nevertheless
 ,i am quite sure1 that although selfish
 passion was there1 you  yet had and    
have holy and good regard to fulfil     
better the will of ,god and  that of    
,christ on earth1 ,pope ,urban ,,vi4    
,not that ,i would have had you  stay1  
though2 nay1 but take to the road at    
once1 in whatever fashion and  by       
whatever way had been open to you4 ,day 
and night ,i was constrained by  ,god   
concerning many other things also2      
which1 through the carelessness of  him 
who has to do them1 but chiefly through 
my sins which hinder every  good1 are   
all coming to nothing4 ,and thus1 ah me6
 we see ourselves  drowning1 and        
offences against ,god increasing1 with  

many torments2 and ,i  live in an agony 
of delay4 ,may ,god1 in ,his mercy1 soon
 take me from this  life of shadows6    
,we see in the kingdom of ,naples that  
this last disaster is worse than the    
first2 and so many evils are likely to  
happen there1 that may ,god remedy      
them6 ,but ,he in ,his pity showed the  
disaster1 and the remedies that ought   
to be applied4 ,but1 as ,i said1 the    
abundance of my faults hinders all      
good4 ,i shall have a great deal to say 
to you about these matters1 should  ,i  
not receive the greatest grace1 that of 
release from earth before ,i see  you   
again4    ,yes1 as ,i say1 ,i do        
entirely wish that you had gone4        
,nevertheless ,i hold  me in peace1     
because ,i am certain that nothing      
happens without mystery2  and also      
because ,i unburdened my conscience1    
doing what ,i could that a  messenger   
should be sent to the ,king of ,france4 
,may the clemency of the  ,holy ,spirit 
achieve it6 ,for we by ourselves are bad

 workmen4    ,as for going quickly to   
the ,king of ,hungary1 it is clear that 
the ,holy  ,father would be well enough 
pleased1 and he had planned that you    
should go  with other companions4 ,now1 
,i do not know why1 he has changed his  
mind1  and wishes you to stay where you 
are1 and do what good you can4 ,i beg   
you  to be zealous about it4    ,abandon
 yourself1 and every personal pleasure  
and consolation2 and let  turfs be      
thrown upon those who are dead1 and with
 the cords of humble  desire and holy   
prayer let the hands of divine justice  
be bound1 the  devil1 and fleshly       
appetite4 ,we are offered dead in the   
garden of ,holy  ,church1 and to ,christ
 on earth1 the lord of that garden4     
,then let us do  the works of the dead4 
,the dead man does not see nor hear nor 
feel4 ,be  strong to slay yourself with 
the knife of hate and love1 that you may
 not  hear the derision1 the insults1   
the reproaches of the world1 which the  
persecutors of ,holy ,church would offer

 you4 ,let not your eyes see things  as 
impossible to do1 nor the torment that  
may follow2 but let them see  with the  
light of faith that through ,christ     
crucified you can do all  things1 and   
that ,god will not impose a greater     
burden than can be borne4  ,why1 we are 
to rejoice in great burdens1 because    
then ,god gives us the  gift of         
fortitude4 ,with the love of endurance1 
fleshly sensitiveness is  lost2 and thus
 dead1 dead1 we may nourish ourselves in
 this garden4 ,when ,i  see this1 ,i    
shall account my soul as blessed4 ,i    
tell you1 sweetest father1  that whether
 we will or no1 the times to-day summon 
us to die4 ,then be no  more alive6 ,end
 pains in pain1 and increase the joy of 
holy desire in the  pain2 that our life 
may pass no otherwise than in crucified 
desire1 and  that we may give our bodies
 willingly to be eaten by beasts2 that  
is1 for  the love of virtue let us      
willingly fling ourselves upon the      
tongues and  hands of bestial men1 as   

did those others who have worked1 dead1 
in this  sweet garden1 and watered it   
with their blood1 but first with their  
tears  and sweats4 ,and ,i--7grievous my
 life67--because ,i have not given      
enough  water to it1 was refused        
permission to give it my blood4 ,i will 
it to be  no more thus1 but be our life 
renewed and the fire of desire          
increased6    ,you ask me to pray the   
,divine ,goodness to give you the fire  
of ,vincent1 of  ,lawrence1 and of sweet
 ,paul1 and that of the charming        
,john--saying that  then you will do    
great things4 ,and so ,i shall be glad4 
,surely ,i say the  truth1 that without 
this fire you would not do anything1    
neither little  nor big1 nor should ,i  
be glad in you4    ,therefore1          
considering that it is so1 and that ,i  
have seen it proved1 an  impulse has    
grown in me1 with great zeal in the     
sweet sight of ,god4 ,were  you near me 
in the body1 truly ,i would show you    
that it is so1 and would  give you other

 than words4 ,i rejoice1 and ,i want you
 to rejoice2 for1  since this desire    
grows1 ,he will fulfil it in you and me1
 because ,he  accepts holy and true     
desires2 provided that you open the eye 
of your mind  in the light of holiest   
faith1 that you may know the truth of   
the will of  ,god4 ,knowing it you will 
love it1 and loving it you will be      
faithful1 and  your heart will not be   
overshadowed by any wile of the devil4  
,being  faithful1 you will do every     
great thing in ,god3 what ,he puts into 
your  hands will be fulfilled perfectly2
 that is1 it will not be hindered on    
your part from coming to perfection4    
,with this light you will be cautious1  
modest1 and weighty in speech and       
conversation and in all your works and  
way2 but without it you would do quite  
the contrary in your ways and  habits1  
and everything else would turn out      
contrary for you4    ,so1 knowing that  
this is the case1 ,i desired to see in  
you the light of  most holy faith2 and  

so ,i want you to have it4 ,and because 
,i want this1  and love you immeasurably
 for your salvation1 and desire with    
great desire  to see you in the state of
 the perfect1 therefore ,i pray you with
 many  words--but ,i would do so more   
willingly in deed2 and ,i use reproaches
 with  you1 in order that you may return
 continually to yourself4 ,i have done  
my  best1 and ,i shall do so1 to make   
you assume the burden of the perfect for
  the honour of ,god1 and ask ,his      
goodness to make you reach the last     
state  of perfection2 that is1 to shed  
your blood for ,holy ,church1 whether   
your  servant the flesh will it or no4  
,lose you in the ,blood of ,christ      
crucified1 and bear my faults and words 
with good patience4 ,and whenever  your 
faults may be shown you1 rejoice1 and   
thank the ,divine ,goodness1  which has 
assigned someone to labour over you1 who
 watches for you in ,his  sight4    ,as 
to what you write me1 that antichrist   
and his members seek diligently  to have

 you1 do not fear2 for ,god is strong to
 take away their light and  their force1
 that they may not fulfil their desires4
 ,beside1 you ought to  think that you  
are not worthy of so great a good1 and  
so you need not  fear4 ,take confidence2
 for sweet ,mary and the ,truth will be 
for you  always4    ,i1 vile slave1 who 
am placed in the ,field1 where blood was
 shed for the  love of ,blood--7and you 
have left me here1 and gone away with   
,god7--shall  never pause from working  
for you4 ,i beg you so to do that you   
give me no  matter for mourning1 nor for
 shaming me in the sight of ,god4 ,as   
you are a  man in promising the will to 
do and bear for the honour of ,god1 do  
not  then turn into a woman when we come
 to the shutting of the lock2 for ,i    
should appeal against you to ,christ    
crucified and to ,mary4 ,beware lest it 
happen later to you as to the abbot of  
,st4 ,antimo1 who1 through fear and     
under colour of not tempting ,god1 left 
,siena and came to ,rome1 supposing     

that he had escaped his prison and was  
safe2 and he was thrown into  prison1   
with the punishment that you know4 ,so  
are pusillanimous hearts  cured4 ,be1   
then1 be all a man3 that death may be   
granted you4    ,i beg you to pardon me 
whatever ,i might have said that was not
 honour to  ,god and due reverence to   
yourself3 let love excuse it4 ,i say no 
more to  you4 ,remain in the holy and   
sweet grace of ,god4 ,i ask your        
benediction4  ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus     
,love6          ,,to ,,urban ,,vi       
,this is the last letter to ,urban that 
we possess4 ,if1 as seems likely1 it  is
 also the last that ,catherine wrote to 
him1 it must have been written on  the  
,monday after ,sexagesima1 #achj1 under 
circumstances which she describes  for  
us in the next letter to be given4 ,she 
had already at the time entered  upon   
the mystical agony which preceded her   
transitus4    ,the letter alludes to    
historic details of which we have no    
knowledge and  for which we do not care4

 ,yet it has rare interest4 ,that       
exquisite  sweetness which often blends 
in so unique a way with ,catherine's    
authoritative tone1 was never more      
evident4 ,urban's impetuous             
inconsistencies1 and the irrational     
gusts of anger which were by this time  
alienating even his friends1 could not  
be more clearly nor more gently         
rebuked4 ,one's heart aches at the      
thought of what manner of man he was to 
whom this sensitive and high-minded     
woman was forced by her faith to give   
not only allegiance but championship4   
,not once during ,catherine's active    
life was she allowed to fight in a clear
 cause1 or at least in a cause in  which
 sympathies could be undivided2 the     
pathos of the situation is  evident in  
the meek and patient firmness of her    
tone4 ,but the letter has a  deeper     
interest1 if it is really the last she  
wrote to him4 ,knowing the              
circumstances of its composition1 we    
must be amazed at the lucidity of her   

thought and words1 at the steady and    
definite wisdom with which she          
discusses the movement of events in the 
outer world4 ,it is surely  significant 
to the psychologist that a woman in the 
throes of such an  experience as the    
next letters present1 could write in    
such a strain4 ,the  whole life of      
,catherine1 indeed1 refutes the popular 
opinion that mystics  cannot be trusted 
to sane judgment or sustained wisdom of 
action in the  confused affairs of this 
world4      ,in the ,name of ,jesus     
,christ crucified and of sweet ,mary3   
,dearest and sweetest father in ,christ 
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 your poor  
unworthy daughter1 write to you with    
great desire to see a prudence and      
sweet light of truth in you1 in such    
wise that ,i may see you follow the     
glorious ,st4 ,gregory1 and govern ,holy
 ,church with such prudence that it  may
 never be necessary to take back        
anything which may be ordered or done   
by your ,holiness2 even the least word2 

so that your firmness grounded in  the  
truth may be evident in the sight of    
,god and men1 as ought to be the  case  
with the true holy ,high ,priest4 ,i    
pray the inestimable charity of ,god    
that ,he clothe your soul in this2 for  
it seems to me that light and  prudence 
are very necessary indeed to us1 and    
especially to your ,holiness  and to    
anyone else who might be in your place2 
most chiefly in these  current times4   
,because ,i know that you have a desire 
to find these in  yourself1 ,i remind   
you of them1 showing you the desire of  
your own soul4    ,i have heard1 holy   
father1 of the reply which the violence 
of the ,prefect  made2 surely in        
violence of wrath and irreverence toward
 the ,roman  ambassadors4 ,on which     
reply it seems that they are to hold a  
,general  ,council1 and then the heads  
of the wards and certain other good men 
are to  come to you4 ,i beg you1 most   
holy father1 that as you have begun so  
you  will continue to meet with them    

often1 and to bind them prudently with  
the  bands of love4 ,so ,i beg you that 
now1 as to what they will say to you    
when  the ,council is held1 you will    
receive them with as much gentleness as 
you  can1 showing them what your        
,holiness thinks must be done4 ,pardon  
me--for  love makes me say what perhaps 
there is no need of saying1 since ,i    
know  that you must understand the      
temperament of your ,roman sons1 who are
 drawn  and held more with gentleness   
than with any force or asperity of      
words2  and also you recognize the great
 necessity in which you are1 and ,holy  
,church1 to keep this people in         
obedience and reverence toward your     
,holiness2 because the head and         
beginning of our faith is here4 ,and ,i 
humbly beg you1 that you will aim       
prudently always to promise that which  
it ought to be possible to you fully to 
perform1 so that loss1 shame1 and       
confusion may not follow later4 ,pardon 
me1 most sweet and holy father1 for     

saying these words to you4 ,i am        
confident that your humility and        
benignity  are content that they should 
be said1 and will not feel distaste or  
scorn  for them because they come from  
the mouth of a most despicable woman2   
for  the humble man does not consider   
who speaks to him1 but pays note to the 
honour of ,god1 and to truth and his own
 salvation4    ,comfort you1 and do not 
fear on account of any bad reply which  
this rebel  against your ,holiness may  
have made or may make1 for ,god will    
care for  this and for everything else1 
as ,ruler and ,helper of the ship of    
,holy  ,church1 and of your ,holiness4  
,be you manful for me1 in the holy fear 
of  ,god2 wholly exemplary in your      
words1 your habits1 and all your deeds4 
,let  all shine clear in the sight of   
,god and men2 as a light placed in the  
candlestick of ,holy ,church1 to which  
looks and should look all the           
,christian people4    ,also ,i beg you  
that you should bring us some help for  

what ,leo told you2  for this scandal   
grows greater every day1 not only       
through the thing that  was done to the 
,sienese ambassador1 but also through   
the other things  which are seen day by 
day1 which are enough to provoke to     
wrath the feeble  hearts of men4 ,you do
 not need this person now1 but someone  
who shall be a  means of peace1 and not 
of war4 ,although he may act with a good
 zeal for  justice1 there are many who  
do so with such disorder and such       
impulse of  wrath that they depart from 
all reason and measure4 ,therefore ,i   
earnestly  beg your ,holiness to        
condescend to the infirmity of men1 and 
provide a  physician who shall know how 
to cure the infirmity better than he4   
,and do  not wait so long that death    
shall follow3 for ,i tell you that if no
 other  help is found1 the infirmity    
will grow4    ,then recall to yourself  
the disaster that fell upon all ,italy1 
because bad  rulers were not guarded    
against1 who governed in such wise that 

they were  the cause of the ,church of  
,god being despoiled4 ,i know that you  
are aware  of this3 now let your        
,holiness see what is to be done4       
,comfort you1  comfort you sweetly2 for 
,god does not despise your desire1 nor  
the prayer  of ,his servants4 ,i say no 
more to you4 ,remain in the holy and    
sweet ,grace  of ,god4 ,humbly ,i ask   
your benediction4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus 
,love4          ,,letters ,,describing  
,,the ,,experience ,,preceding ,,death  
,fightings and fears within1 without1   
had long been ,catherine's portion4     
,now the end was at hand4 ,from girlhood
 she had confronted a great             
contradiction4 ,the sharpest trial to   
,christian faith throughout the ages  is
 probably the spectacle presented by the
 visible ,church of ,christ4 ,this      
abiding parable of the contrast between 
ideal and actual was perhaps never  more
 painful to the devout soul than in     
,catherine's time1 and perhaps we  are  
safe in saying that no one ever suffered

 from it more than she4 ,her  whole life
 was an ,act of ,faith3 faith the more  
heroic because maintained  against the  
recurrent attacks of spiritual doubt and
 despair4 ,at more than  one point in   
her career we see her1 overwhelmed by   
the seeming failure of  the divine      
purpose1 lifting her whole being into   
the ,presence of ,god1  there to receive
 reassurance1 none the less satisfying  
to her vigorous  intellect because      
conveyed through the channel of mystic  
ecstasy4    ,one such experience may be 
quoted here4 ,it dates apparently from  
the time  of her greatest disappointment
 in ,gregory2 we can judge of its       
significance and depth from the fact    
that she afterward recorded it more     
fully1 and used it as the basis for the 
first book of her ,dialogue4  ,comfort  
you1 dearest father1 she writes to      
,raimondo3 ,concerning the  sweet ,bride
 of ,christ3 for the more she abounds in
 tribulations and  bitterness1 so much  
the more ,divine ,truth promises to make

 her abound in  sweetness4444 ,when ,i  
had thoroughly understood your letters1 
,i begged a  servant of ,god to offer   
tears and sweats before ,god1 for the   
,bride and  because of the ',babbo's'   
weakness4    ,whence instantly1 by      
divine grace1 there grew in her a desire
 and  gladness beyond all measure4 ,she 
waited for the morning to have ,mass1 it
  being the ,day of ,mary2 and when the 
hour of ,mass had come1 took her place  
with true self-knowledge1 abasing       
herself before ,god for her             
imperfection4  ,and rising above herself
 with eager desire1 and gazing with the 
eye of her  mind into ,eternal ,truth1  
she made four petitions there1 holding  
herself  and her father in the ,presence
 of the ,bride of ,truth4    ,first1 the
 reform of ,holy ,church4 ,then ,god1   
letting ,himself be  constrained by     
tears and bound by the cords of her     
desire1 said3 ',sweetest  ,my daughter1 
thou seest how she has soiled her face  
with impurity and  self-love1 and become

 swollen by the pride and avarice of    
those who feed  at her bosom4 ,but take 
thy tears and sweat1 drawing them from  
the fountain  of ,my divine charity1 and
 cleanse her face4 ,for ,i promise thee 
that her  beauty shall not be restored  
to her by the sword1 nor by cruelty or  
war1  but by peace1 and humble continual
 prayers1 tears and sweats1 poured forth
  from the grieving desires of ,my      
servants4 ,so thy desire shall be       
fulfilled  in long abiding1 and ,my     
providence shall in no wise fail you4'  
,although the salvation of all the whole
 world was contained in this1           
nevertheless the prayer reached out more
 in particular1 entreating for the      
whole world4 ,then ,god showed in how   
great love ,he had created man1 and ,he 
said3 ',now thou seest that every one is
 striking at ,me4 ,see1 daughter1  with 
what diverse and many sins they strike  
at ,me1 and especially with  their      
wretched abominable self-love1 whence   
issues every evil1 with which  they have

 poisoned the whole world4 ,do you then1
 ,my servants1 adorn you in  ,my        
,presence with many prayers1 and so you 
shall mitigate the wrath of  divine     
justice4 ,and know that no one can      
escape from ,my ,hands4 ,open the  eye  
of thy mind and gaze upon ,my ,hand4'   
,and lifting her eyes she saw held  in  
,his grasp all the universal world4     
,then ,he said3 ',i will that thou know 
that no one can be taken from ,me2 for  
all are under either justice or  mercy2 
therefore all are ,mine4 ,and because   
they came forth from ,me1 ,i love  them 
unspeakably1 and shall show them mercy  
by means of ,my servants4'  ,then1 the  
flame of desire increasing1 that woman  
abode as one blessed and  grieving1 and 
gave thanks to the ,divine ,goodness3 as
 perceiving that ,god  had showed her   
the faults of ,his creatures that she   
might be constrained  to arise with more
 zeal and greater desire4 ,and so       
greatly increased the  holy fire of     
love1 that she despised the sweat of    

water she poured forth1  through her    
great desire to see a sweat of blood    
pour from her body3 and  she said to    
herself1 ',soul mine1 thou hast wasted  
thy whole life4  ,therefore have so     
great losses and evils fallen on the    
world and on ,holy  ,church1 in general 
and in particular4 ,so now ,i wish thee 
to atone with  sweat of blood4' ,then   
that soul1 spurred on by holy desire1   
arose much  higher1 and opened the eye  
of her mind1 and gazed into the ,divine 
,charity3  where she saw and felt how   
much we are bound to seek the glory and 
praise  of the ,name of ,god in the     
salvation of souls4    ,in this         
remarkable passage we see ,catherine's  
high and increasing sense of            
responsibility4 ,her tears and sweats   
are to cleanse the face of the  ,church1
 and through the grieving desire of the 
servants of ,god1 redemption  is to be  
accomplished4 ,she was never1 as we     
know1 one of those ,christian  fatalists
 whose optimism leads them to inaction4 

,from the day when1  reluctant1 she left
 her little cell1 she threw her power   
with unwearied  constancy and courage   
into the life of her day1 repugnant     
though its  problems might be to her    
natural temper4 ,catherine was1 however1
  profoundly convinced that social      
salvation was to be wrought1 not by work
  alone1 but also by prayer2 or rather1 
for the antithesis is false1 that  the  
forces which re-create society are set  
in motion in the invisible  sphere4     
,constant intercession1 and the         
uplifting of that holy desire  which is 
the watchword of her teaching into a    
sacrificial passion--these  are the     
means from which she hoped for reform   
and purification4 ,in younger  life1 she
 is said to have prayed that she might  
be made a stopper in the  mouth of ,hell
 to prevent other souls from entering2  
through the quaint  mediaeval figure one
 reads the prevailing impulse of her    
life4    ,the longer ,catherine lived1  
the darker became the religious         

prospect4 ,she  saw her aims in         
practical politics realized one by one1 
only to mock her  by spiritual failure4 
,those whom she best loved disappointed 
her ideal4  ,she witnessed iniquity in  
high religious places1 violence and     
corruption  enlisted in the defence of  
truth4 ,as she watched these things1 the
 sense  of an inward expiation to be    
accomplished became overpowering4 ,it   
summoned  her to death1 and at the same 
time offered her a unique consolation4  
,these letters must now speak for       
themselves4 ,they were written shortly  
before her death to ,fra ,raimondo1 who1
 sadly though he had failed her1        
remained her most trusted friend4 ,we   
have impressive accounts from other     
sources of ,catherine's slow            
transitus--of the long weeks during     
which  she was literally dying1 and by  
her own choice1 of a broken heart4 ,they
  corroborate many of the details here  
given4 ,but of still higher value is    
this transcript by the woman            

herself--minutely painstaking1 while yet
  obviously composed under strong       
excitement--of the experience in the    
secret places of her soul4 ,the first of
 these letters is written under  stress 
of emotion so intense that coherence is 
hardly possible4 ,the mind  is baffled  
in seeking to find human speech which   
shall even adumbrate  reality4 ,what    
,catherine has to describe is the       
culmination of her earthly  life3 the   
final triumph of faith over despair1 the
 final offering of  herself as a        
sacrificial victim1 in obedience1 as she
 believes1 to the  express ,voice of    
,god4 ,the second letter is more calm4  
,the sacrifice has  been accepted4 ,she 
is dying1 not indeed by the violence of 
men1 like the  martyrs for whose fate   
she has yearned1 but by the agony of her
 own heart1  breaking for the sins of   
,holy ,church4 ,i in this way1 she      
writes  exulting1 as the holy martyrs   
with blood4 ,and her agony is serene and
  joyous2 her last thoughts are for     

others2 her soul is full of the victory 
of peace4 ,outwardly1 all was confusion 
around her2 but her own life--the  only 
region in which unity is within our     
reach--was rounded into a  harmonious   
whole4 ,to read the expression of that  
life in her letters is to  follow one of
 those tragedies that are the salvation 
of the world4          ,,to ,,master    
,,raimondo ,,of ,,capua      444 ,i was 
breathless with grief from the crucified
 desire which had been  newly conceived 
in the sight of ,god4 ,for the light of 
the mind had  mirrored itself in the    
,eternal ,trinity2 and in that abyss was
 seen the  dignity of rational being1   
and the misery into which man falls by  
fault of  mortal sin1 and the necessity 
of ,holy ,church1 which ,god revealed to
 ,his  servant's bosom2 and how no one  
can attain to enjoy the beauty of ,god  
in  the abyss of the ,trinity but by    
means of that sweet ,bride2 for it      
befits  all to pass by the door of      
,christ crucified1 and this door is not 

found  elsewhere than in ,holy ,church4 
,she saw that this ,bride brought life  
to  men1 because she holds in herself   
such life that there is no one who can  
kill her2 and that she gave fortitude   
and light1 and that there is no one  who
 can weaken her1 in her true self1 or   
cast her into darkness4 ,and she  saw   
that her fruit never fails1 but         
increases for ever4    ,then said       
,eternal ,god3 ,all this dignity1 which 
your intellect could not  compass1 is   
given you men by ,me4 ,consider1        
therefore1 in grief and  bitterness1 and
 thou shalt see that people are         
approaching this ,bride only  for her   
outer raiment--that is1 for temporal    
possessions4 ,but thou seest  her wholly
 deserted by those who seek her very    
essence--that is1 the  fruit of ,blood4 
,he who pays not the price of charity   
with true humility  and the light of    
most holy faith1 would share this1 not  
unto life1 but  unto death2 he would do 
like the thief1 who takes what is not   

his4 ,for the  fruit of ,blood is for   
those who pay the price of love1 because
 she is  founded in love1 and is ,very  
,love itself4 ,and ,i will1 said        
,eternal ,god1  that every one give to  
her through love1 according as ,i give  
to ,my  servants to minister in diverse 
ways1 even as they have received4 ,but  
,i  grieve that ,i find none who        
ministers there4 ,nay1 it seems that    
every one  has abandoned her4 ,but ,i   
will be the ,mediator once more4    ,and
 the pain and fire of her desire        
increasing1 she cried in the sight of   
,god1 saying3 ,what can ,i do1 ,o       
unsearchable ,fire8 ,and ,his benignity 
replied3 ,do thou offer thy life anew4  
,thou canst refrain from ever giving    
thyself repose4 ,to this work ,i have   
appointed thee--thee and all who  follow
 thee or are to follow4 ,take ye then   
heed never to relax1 but always  to     
increase in desires2 for ,i1 impelled by
 love1 am taking good heed to  aid you  
with ,my bodily and spiritual grace4    

,and in order that your minds  may not  
be occupied by anything else1 ,i have   
made provision1 arousing her  whom ,i   
have appointed to govern you1 and ,i    
have led her1 and put her to  this work 
by mysteries and in new ways2 so that   
she serves ,my ,church with  temporal   
substance1 and you with continual humble
 faithful prayer1 and  with what        
activities shall be needed1 which shall 
be appointed to thee and  to them by ,my
 ,goodness1 to each according to his    
rank4 ,devote1 then1 thy  life and heart
 and mind wholly to that ,bride1 for    
,me1 with no regard to  thyself4        
,contemplate ,me1 and behold the        
,bridegroom of this ,bride1 that is  the
 highest ,pontiff1 and see his holy and 
good intention--an intention  without   
reserves4 ,and as the ,bride is alone1  
so also is the bridegroom4 ,i  permit   
him to cleanse ,holy ,church by methods 
which he applies  immoderately1 and by  
fear1 with which he inspires his        
subjects4 ,but  another shall come1 who 

shall draw close to her in love1 and    
shall fulfil  her4 ,it shall befall this
 ,bride as it befalls the soul2 for     
first fear  possesses her1 but when she 
is divested of sins1 then love fills her
 and  clothes her with virtue4 ,all this
 it shall do1 with sweet sustaining1    
sweet and suave1 of those who shall     
nourish them at her breast in truth4    
,but do thou this3 ,say to ,my ,vicar   
that he pacify himself to the extent of 
his power1 and grant peace to whosoever 
will receive it4 ,and to the  columns of
 ,holy ,church say that if they wish to 
remedy great disasters  they are to do  
thus3 let them unite1 and form a cloak  
to cover the methods  of their father   
that may seem faulty4 ,and let them     
adopt a well-ordered  life1 close to    
those who fear and love ,me1 and cling  
together1 casting  their lower natures  
aside4 ,if they do thus1 ,i who am      
,light will give them  the light needful
 to ,holy ,church4 ,and seeing that     
there is something which  ought to be   

done among them1 let them refer it to   
,my ,vicar in true unity1  quickly1     
boldly1 and after much reflection4 ,he  
then will be constrained  not to resist 
their goodwills2 for he really has a    
holy and good  intention4    ,the tongue
 does not suffice to narrate such       
mysteries1 nor what intellect  saw and  
affection conceived4 ,and the day       
passing by1 full of marvel1 the  evening
 came4 ,and ,i1 feeling that the heart  
was so drawn by the force of  love that 
,i could offer no resistance to going to
 the place of prayer1 and  feeling that 
disposition come upon me which was at   
the time of my death1  prostrated me    
with great compunction because ,i had   
served the ,bride of  ,christ with much 
ignorance and negligence1 and had been  
cause that others  had done the same4   
,and rising1 with the impression of what
 ,i have said  before the eye of my     
mind1 ,god placed me before             
,himself--not but that ,i am  always    
before ,him1 because ,he contains       

everything in ,himself--but in a new    
way1 as if memory1 intellect1 and will  
had nothing whatever to do with my      
body4 ,and this ,truth was reflected in 
me with such light that in that  abyss  
were then renewed the mysteries of ,holy
 ,church1 and all the graces  received  
in my life1 past and present1 and the   
day in which my soul was  wedded to     
,him4 ,all which then vanished from me  
through the increase of the  inward     
fire3 and ,i paid heed only to what     
should be done1 that ,i should  make a  
sacrifice of myself to ,god for ,holy   
,church and for the sake of  removing   
ignorance and negligence from those whom
 ,god had put into my  hands4 ,then the 
devils called out havoc upon me1 seeking
 to hinder and  slacken with their      
terrors my free and burning desire4 ,so 
these beat upon  the shell of the body2 
but desire became the more kindled1     
crying1 ,o  ,eternal ,god1 receive the  
sacrifice of my life in this mystical   
body of  ,holy ,church6 ,i have naught  

to give save what ,thou hast given to   
me4 ,take  then my heart1 and may ,thy  
,bride lean her face upon it6 ,then     
,eternal ,god1  turning the eyes of ,his
 mercy1 removed my heart1 and offered it
 to ,holy  ,church4 ,and ,he had drawn  
it to ,himself with such force that had 
,he not at  once bound it about with    
,his strength--not wishing that the     
vessel of my  body should be broken--my 
life would have gone4 ,then the devils  
cried  much more clamorously1 as if they
 had felt an intolerable pain2 forcing  
themselves to leave terror with me1     
threatening me so to disport them that  
such an act as this could not be        
wrought4 ,but because ,hell cannot      
resist  the virtue of humility with the 
light of most holy faith1 the spirit    
became more single1 and worked with     
tools of fire1 hearing in the sight of  
the ,divine ,majesty words most         
charming1 and promises to give gladness4
 ,and  because in truth it was thus in  
so great a mystery1 the tongue          

henceforth  can suffice to speak of it  
no more4    ,now ,i say3 ,thanks1 thanks
 be to the ,highest ,god ,eternal1 who  
has placed us  in the battlefield as    
knights1 to fight for ,his ,bride with  
the shield of  holiest faith4 ,the field
 is left free to us by that virtue and  
power which  routed the devil who       
possessed the human race2 who was       
routed1 not in the  strength of         
humanity1 but of ,deity4 ,thus the devil
 neither is nor shall be  routed by the 
suffering of our bodies1 but by strength
 of the fire of  divine1 most ardent1   
and immeasurable love4          ,,to    
,,master ,,raimondo ,,of ,,capua ,,of   
,,the ,,order ,,of ,,the ,,preachers    
,in the ,name of ,jesus ,christ         
crucified and of sweet ,mary3           
,dearest and sweetest father in ,christ 
sweet ,jesus3 ,i ,catherine1 servant    
and slave of the servants of ,jesus     
,christ1 write to you in ,his precious  
,blood2 with the desire to see you a    
pillar newly established in the garden  

of ,holy ,church1 like a faithful       
bridegroom of truth1 as you ought to be2
  and then shall ,i account my soul as  
blessed4 ,therefore ,i do not wish you  
to look back for any adversity or       
persecution1 but ,i wish you to glory in
  adversity4 ,for by endurance and in no
 other wise we show our love and        
constancy1 and give glory to ,god's     
,name4 ,now is the time1 dearest father1
  wholly to lose one's self1 not to     
think of one's self an atom3 as the     
glorious workmen did who were ready with
 such love and desire to give  their    
life1 and watered this garden with      
blood1 with humble continual  prayer1   
and with endurance unto death4 ,beware  
lest ,i see you timid2 let  not your    
shadow make you afraid2 but be a manly  
fighter1 and never desert  that yoke of 
obedience which the highest pontiff has 
placed on you4  ,moreover1 in the ,order
 do what you see to be to the honour of 
,god2 for the  great goodness of ,god   
demands this of us1 and ,he has         

appointed us for  nothing else4         
,behold what necessity we see in ,holy  
,church2 for we see her left utterly    
alone6 ,thus the ,truth showed1 as ,i   
write you in another letter4 ,and as the
  ,bride has been left solitary1 so is  
her bridegroom4 ,oh1 sweetest father1 ,i
  will not be silent to you of the great
 mysteries of ,god1 but ,i will tell    
them the most briefly that ,i can1 so   
far as the frail tongue can express     
them by telling4 ,and further1 ,i say to
 you what ,i want you to do4 ,but       
receive what ,i say to you without pain1
 for ,i do not know what the ,divine    
,goodness will do with me1 whether ,it  
will have me remain here1 or will  call 
me to ,itself4    ,father1 father and   
sweetest son1 wonderful mysteries has   
,god wrought1 from  the ,day of the     
,circumcision till now2 such that no    
tongue could suffice to  tell them4 ,but
 let us pass over all that time1 and    
come to ,sexagesima  ,sunday1 when      
occurred1 as ,i am writing you briefly1 

those mysteries which  you shall hear3  
never have ,i seemed to bear anything   
like them4 ,for the  pain in my heart   
was so great1 that the tunic which      
clothed me burst1 as  much as ,i could  
clasp of it2 and ,i circled around in   
the chapel like a  person in spasms4 ,he
 who had held me had surely taken away  
my life4 ,then1  ,monday coming1 in the 
evening ,i was constrained to write to  
,christ on  earth and to three          
cardinals4 ,so ,i had myself helped1 and
 went into the  study4 ,and when ,i had 
written to ,christ on earth1 ,i had no  
way of writing  more1 the pains had so  
greatly increased in my body4 ,and1     
waiting a  little1 the terror of demons 
began1 in such wise that they stunned me
  entirely2 raging against me as if ,i1 
worm that ,i am1 had been the means of  
taking from their hands what they had   
possessed a long time in ,holy  ,church4
 ,so great was the terror1 with the     
bodily pain1 that ,i wanted to  fly from
 the study and go to the chapel--as if  

the study had been the  cause of my     
pains4 ,so ,i rose up1 and not being    
able to walk1 ,i leaned on  my son      
,barduccio4 ,but suddenly ,i was thrown 
down2 and lying there1 it  seemed to me 
as if my soul were parted from my body2 
not in such wise as  when it really was 
parted1 for then my soul tasted the good
 of the  ,immortals1 receiving that     
,highest ,good together with them2 but  
this now  seemed like a special case1   
for ,i did not seem to be in the body1  
but ,i  saw my body as if it had been   
someone else4 ,and my soul1 seeing the  
grief  of him who was with me1 wished to
 know if ,i had any power over the body1
  to say to him3 ,son1 do not fear2 and 
,i saw that ,i could not move the       
tongue or any member of it1 any more    
than a body quite dead4 ,then ,i let    
the body stay just as it was2 and the   
intellect was fixed on the abyss of  the
 ,trinity4 ,memory was full of          
recollection of the need of ,holy       
,church  and of all the ,christian      

people2 and ,i cried before ,his ,face1 
and demanded  divine help with          
assurance1 offering to ,him my desires1 
and constraining  ,him by the ,blood of 
the ,lamb and the pains that had been   
borne4 ,and so  eager was the demand    
that it seemed to me sure that ,he would
 not deny that  petition4 ,then ,i asked
 for all you others1 praying ,him that  
,he would  fulfil in you ,his will and  
my desires4 ,then ,i asked that ,he     
would save me  from eternal             
condemnation4 ,and while ,i stayed thus 
for a very long time1  so that the      
,family was mourning me as dead1 at this
 point all the terror  of the demons was
 gone away4 ,then the ,presence of the  
,humble ,lamb came  before my soul1     
saying3 ,fear not3 for ,i will fulfil   
thy desires1 and  those of ,my other    
servants4 ,i will that thou see that ,i 
am a good master1  who plays the potter1
 unmaking and remaking vessels as ,his  
pleasure is4  ,these ,my vessels ,i know
 how to unmake and remake2 and therefore

 ,i take the  vessel of thy body1 and   
remake it in the garden of ,holy        
,church1 in  different wise than in past
 time4 ,and as this ,truth held me      
close1 with  ways and words most        
charming1 which ,i pass over1 the body  
began to breathe  a little1 and to show 
that the soul was returned to its       
vessel4 ,then ,i was  full of wonder4   
,and such pain remained in my heart that
 ,i have it there  still4 ,all pleasure 
and all refreshment and all food was    
then taken away  from me4 ,being carried
 afterward into a place above1 the room 
appeared  full of devils3 and they began
 to wage another battle1 the most       
terrible  that ,i ever had1 trying to   
make me believe and see that ,i was not 
she who  was in the body1 but an impure 
spirit4 ,i1 having invoked the divine   
help  with a sweet tenderness1 refusing 
no labour1 yet said3 ,god1 listen for my
  help6 ,lord1 haste ,thee to help me6  
,thou hast permitted that ,i be alone in
  this battle1 without the refreshment  

of the father of my soul1 of whom ,i  am
 deprived for my ingratitude4    ,two   
nights and two days passed in these     
tempests4 ,it is true that mind and     
desire received no break1 but remained  
ever fixed on their object2 but the     
body seemed almost to have failed4      
,afterward1 on the ,day of the          
,purification of ,mary1 ,i wished to    
hear ,mass4 ,then all the mysteries were
  renewed2 and ,god showed the great    
need that existed1 as later appeared2   
for ,rome has all been on the point of  
revolution1 backbiting  disgracefully1  
and with much irreverence4 ,only that   
,god has poured oil on  their hearts1   
and ,i think the thing will have a good 
end4 ,then ,god imposed  this obedience 
on me1 that during the whole of this    
holy season of ,lent ,i  should offer in
 sacrifice the desires of all the       
,family1 and have ,mass  celebrated     
before ,him with this one intention     
alone--that is1 for ,holy  ,church--and 
that ,i should myself hear a ,mass every

 morning at dawn--a  thing which you    
know is impossible to me2 but in        
obedience to ,him all  things have been 
possible4 ,and this desire has become so
 much a part of my  flesh1 that memory  
retains nothing else1 intellect can see 
nothing else1  and will can desire      
nothing else4 ,not so much that the soul
 turns aside  from things here below for
 this reason--but1 conversing with the  
,true  ,citizens1 it neither can nor    
will rejoice in their joy1 but in their 
hunger1 which they still feel1 and which
 they felt while pilgrims and  wayfarers
 in this life4    ,in this way1 and many
 others which ,i cannot tell1 my life is
 consumed and  shed for this sweet      
,bride3 ,i by this road1 and the        
glorious martyrs with  blood4 ,i pray   
the ,divine ,goodness soon to let me see
 the redemption of ,his  people4 ,when  
it is the hour of terce1 ,i rise from   
,mass1 and you would see  a dead woman  
go to ,st4 ,peter's2 and ,i enter anew  
to labour in the ship of  ,holy ,church4

 ,there ,i stay thus till near the hour 
of vespers3 and from  this place ,i     
would depart neither day nor night until
 ,i see this people at  least a little  
steadily established in peace with their
 father4 ,this body  of mine remains    
without any food1 without even a drop of
 water3 in such  sweet physical tortures
 as ,i never at any time endured2       
insomuch that my  life hangs by a       
thread4 ,now ,i do not know what the    
,divine ,goodness will do  with me3 as  
far as my feelings go1 ,i do not say    
that ,i perceive ,his will  in this     
matter2 but as to my physical           
sensations1 it seems to me that this    
time ,i am to confirm them with a new   
martyrdom in the sweetness of my        
soul--that is1 for ,holy ,church2 then1 
perhaps1 ,he will make me rise again    
with ,him4 ,he will put so an end to my 
miseries and to my crucified  desires4  
,or ,he may employ ,his usual ways to   
strengthen my body4 ,i have  prayed and 
pray ,his mercy that ,his will be       

fulfilled in me1 and that ,he  leave not
 you or the others orphans4 ,but may ,he
 ever guide you in the way  of the      
doctrine of ,truth1 with true and very  
perfect light4 ,i am sure that  ,he will
 do it4    ,now ,i pray and constrain   
you1 father1 and son given by that sweet
 ,mother1  ,mary1 that you feel that if 
,god is turning the eye of ,his mercy   
upon me1  ,he wills to renew your life2 
and as dead to all fleshly impulse do   
you  cast yourself into that ship of    
,holy ,church4 ,and be always discreet  
in  your conversations4 ,you will be    
able to have the actual cell little2 but
 ,i  wish you to have the cell of the   
heart always1 and always carry it with  
you4 ,for as you know1 while we are     
locked therein enemies can do us no     
wrong4 ,then every act you shall do will
 be guided and ordered of ,god4  ,also1 
,i beg you that you ripen your heart    
with holy and true prudence2 and  that  
your life be an example to worldly men  
by your never conforming to  the world's

 customs4 ,may that generosity toward   
the poor and that  voluntary poverty    
which you have always practised1 be     
renewed and  refreshed in you with true 
and perfect humility4 ,do not slacken in
 these1  for any dignity or exaltation  
that ,god may give you1 but descend more
 deep  into that ,valley of ,humility1  
rejoicing in the table of the ,cross4   
,there  receive the food of souls3      
embracing the ,mother1 humble1 faithful1
 and  continual prayer1 and holy vigil3 
celebrating every day1 unless for some  
special reason4 ,flee idle and light    
talking1 and be and show yourself       
mature in your speech and in every way4 
,cast from you all tenderness for       
yourself and all servile fear2 for the  
sweet ,church has no need of such  folk1
 but of persons cruel to themselves and 
compassionate to her4 ,these  are the   
things which ,i beg you to study to     
observe4 ,also ,i beg you that  you and 
,brother ,bartolomeo and ,brother       
,tommaso and the ,master should  gather 

together in your hands the book1 and any
 writing of mine that you  might find1  
and do with them what you see will be   
most to the honour of  ,god3 you and    
,misser ,tommaso too--things in which ,i
 found some recreation4  ,i beg you     
also1 that so far as shall be possible  
to you1 you be a shepherd  and ruler to 
this ,family1 as a father1 keeping them 
in the joy of charity  and in perfect   
union2 that they be not scattered as    
sheep without a  shepherd4 ,and ,i think
 to do more for them and for you after  
my death than  in my life4 ,i shall pray
 the ,eternal ,truth that ,he pour forth
 upon you  others all plenitude of grace
 and gifts which ,he may have given to  
my  soul1 so that you may be lights     
placed in a candlestick4 ,i beg you to  
pray  the ,eternal ,bridegroom that ,he 
make me manfully fulfil ,his obedience1 
and  pardon me the multitude of my      
iniquities4 ,and ,i beg you that you    
pardon me  every disobedience1          
irreverence1 and ingratitude which ,i   

showed to you or  committed against you1
 and all pain and bitterness which ,i   
may have caused  you3 and the slight    
zeal which ,i have had for our          
salvation4 ,and ,i ask you  for your    
blessing4    ,pray earnestly for me1 and
 have others pray1 for the love of      
,christ  crucified4 ,pardon me1 that ,i 
have written you words of bitterness4 ,i
 do  not write them1 however1 to cause  
you bitterness1 but because ,i am in    
doubt1 and do not know what the         
,goodness of ,god will do with me4 ,i   
wish to  have done my duty4 ,and do not 
feel regret because we are separated one
  from the other in the body2 although  
you would have been the very greatest   
consolation to me1 greater are my       
consolation and gladness to see the     
fruit that you are bearing in ,holy     
,church4 ,and now ,i beg you to labour  
yet  more zealously1 for she never had  
so great a need3 and do you never depart
  for any persecution without permission
 from our lord the ,pope4 ,comfort you  

in ,christ sweet ,jesus1 without any    
bitterness4 ,i say no more to you4      
,remain in the holy and sweet grace of  
,god4 ,sweet ,jesus1 ,jesus ,love4