The Letters of St. Catherine of Siena

[Shin]

Less well known than the famous Dialogue, are the letters of St. Catherine of Siena.. Here follows some of them for our enjoyment and inspiration.

From what I have read she tended to dictate her letters, so they can sound like she is speaking to a person rather than writing.

TO THE VENERABLE RELIGIOUS, BROTHER ANTONIO OF NIZZA, OF THE ORDER OF THE HERMIT BROTHERS OF SAINT AUGUSTINE AT THE WOOD OF THE LAKE

In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of sweet Mary:

To you, most beloved and dearest father and brother in Christ Jesus: I Catherine, servant and slave of the servants of Jesus Christ, write and commend me in the Precious Blood of the Son of God, 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 therein.

Let us open our eyes, dearest brother, for we have two wills--one of the senses, which seeks the things of sense, and the other the self-will of the spirit, which, under aspect and colour of virtue, holds firm to its own way. And this is clear when it wants to choose places and seasons and consolations to suit itself, and says: "Thus I wish in order to possess God more fully." This is a great cheat, and an illusion of the devil; 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 spirit. So many a time the soul receives consolation, and then later feels itself deprived thereof by God; and another experience will harrow it, which will give less consolation and more fruit. Then the soul, which is inspired by what gives sweetness, suffers when deprived of it, and feels annoyance. And why annoyance? Because it does not want to be deprived; for it says, "I seem to love God more in this way than in that. From the one I feel that I bear some fruit, and from the other I perceive no fruit at all, except pain and ofttimes many conflicts; and so I seem to wrong God."

Son and brother in Christ Jesus, I say that this soul is deceived by its self-will. For it would not be deprived of sweetness; with this bait the devil catches it. Frequently men lose time in longing for time to suit themselves, for they do not employ what they have otherwise than in suffering and gloominess.

Once our sweet Saviour said to a very dear daughter of His, "Dost thou know how those people act who want to fulfil My will in consolation and in sweetness and joy? When they are deprived of these things, they wish to depart from My will, thinking to do well and to avoid offence; but false sensuality lurks in them, and to escape pains it falls into offence without perceiving it. But if the soul were wise and had the light of My will within, it would look to the fruit and not to the sweetness. What is the fruit of the soul? Hatred of itself and love of Me. This hate and love are the issue of self-knowledge; then the soul knows its faulty self to be nothing, and it sees in itself My goodness, which keeps its will good; and it sees what a person I have made it, in order that it may serve Me in greater perfection, and judges that I have made it for the best, and for its own greatest good.

Such a man as this, dearest daughter, does not wish for time to suit himself, because he has learned humility; knowing his infirmity, he does not trust in his own wish, but is faithful to Me. He clothes him in My highest and eternal will, because he sees that I neither give nor take away, save for your sanctification; and he sees that love alone impels Me to give you sweetness and to take it from you. For this cause he cannot grieve over any consolation that might be taken from him within or without, by demon or fellow-creature--because he sees that, were this not for his good, I should not permit it. Therefore this man rejoices because he has light within and without, and is so illumined that when the devil approaches his mind with shadows to confuse him, saying, 'This is for thy sins,' he replies like a person who shrinks not from suffering, saying, 'Thanks be to my Creator, who has remembered me in the time of shadows, punishing me by pain in finite time. Great is this love, which will not punish me in the infinite future.'

Oh, what tranquillity of mind has this soul, because it has freed itself from the self-will which brings storm! But not thus does he whose self-will is lively within, seeking things after his own way! For he seems to think that he knows what he needs better than I.

Many a time he says, 'It seems to me that I am wronging God in this: free me from wrong, and let what He wills be done.' This is a sign that you are freed from wrong, when you see in yourself goodwill not to want to wrong God, and displeasure with sin; thence ought you to take hope. Although all external activities and inward consolations should fail, let goodwill to please God ever remain firm. Upon this rock is founded grace. If thou sayest, I do not seem to have it, I say that this is false, for if thou hadst it not, thou wouldst not fear to wrong God. But it is the devil who makes things look so, in order that the soul may fall into confusion and disordered sadness, and hold firm its self- will, by wanting consolations, times and seasons in its own way. Do not believe him, dearest daughter, but let your soul be always ready to endure sufferings in howsoever God may inflict them. Otherwise you would do like a man who stands on the threshold with a light in his hand, who reaches his hand out and casts light outside, and within it is dark. Such is a man who is already united in outward things with the will of God, despising the world; but within, his spiritual self-will is living still, veiled in the colour of virtue." Thus spoke God to that servant of His spoken of above.

Therefore I said that I wished and desired that your will should be absorbed and transformed in Him, while we hold ourselves always ready to bear pains and toils howsoever God chooses to send them to us. So we shall be freed from darkness and abide in light. Amen. Praised be Jesus Christ crucified and sweet Mary.

[Shin]

I found this particularly timely reading, waiting on God as I am for help with finding a house. 

[odhiambo]

Let us open our eyes, dearest brother, for we have two wills--one of the senses, which seeks the things of sense, and the other the self-will of the spirit, which, under aspect and colour of virtue, holds firm to its own way. And this is clear when it wants to choose places and seasons and consolations to suit itself, and says: "Thus I wish in order to possess God more fully." This is a great cheat, and an illusion of the devil; 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 spirit. So many a time the soul receives consolation, and then later feels itself deprived thereof by God; and another experience will harrow it, which will give less consolation and more fruit. Then the soul, which is inspired by what gives sweetness, suffers when deprived of it, and feels annoyance. And why annoyance? Because it does not want to be deprived; for it says, "I seem to love God more in this way than in that. From the one I feel that I bear some fruit, and from the other I perceive no fruit at all, except pain and ofttimes many conflicts; and so I seem to wrong God."

Okay, let's do this piece meal.
What does the Saint mean. I really cannot follow.

[Shin]

It appears to me she is speaking of concupiscence and material things and our desires for them, such as desire for food, drink, etc.

And then she is speaking of our desire for spiritual things, which comes especially once we have tasted the supernatural life as Christians.

But we desire the latter in our own way, rather than in God's way, ie. our own timing, place, amount, etc.

When God knows best how and when to console us and how and when to let us journey unsupported by sweet things so as to show and gain virtue.
 
In her letters she talks about patience and surrender to God's Providence in all. For example, in another letter yet to be shared, to a lady whose only daughter died she wrote:

'It seems that God is calling you to great perfection. And I perceive it by this, that He takes away from you every tie that might hinder it in you. For as I have heard, it seems that He has called to Himself your daughter, who was your last tie with the outer world. For which thing I am deeply content, with a holy compassion, that God should have set you free, and taken her from her labours. Now then, I want that you should wholly destroy your own will, that it may cling to nothing but Christ crucified.'

And..

'Dearest daughter in Christ sweet Jesus : I Catherine, servant and slave of the servants of Jesus Christ, write to you in His Precious Blood, with the desire to see you established in true patience, since I consider that without patience we cannot please God.'

[odhiambo]

Thanks. I have understood now you have explained.
I do find it a little " meandering"; I know it is just my own ignorance because she clearly has a great mind, being a Doctor of the Church and all and with so much literary works to her name.
Do we know the background of the letter. Why she felt compelled  to write to this Brother Antonio?

[Shin]

Hmm. I don't know. This particular letter isn't given an explanatory introduction. But she certainly corresponded to some widely different people.

The book of her letters is being prepared for Saints' Books. Hopefully finished shortly. It has a timeline of history and her life.

We have a version of the Dialogue on Saints' Books already. Sadly it's abridged but that's the only public domain version available. Thankfully at least we have that much! 

[odhiambo]

Thankfully!
Better abridged than none at all 

[Gemma]

It appears to me she is speaking of concupiscence and material things and our desires for them, such as desire for food, drink, etc.

And then she is speaking of our desire for spiritual things, which comes especially once we have tasted the supernatural life as Christians.

But we desire the latter in our own way, rather than in God's way, ie. our own timing, place, amount, etc.

When God knows best how and when to console us and how and when to let us journey unsupported by sweet things so as to show and gain virtue.
 
In her letters she talks about patience and surrender to God's Providence in all. For example, in another letter yet to be shared, to a lady whose only daughter died she wrote:

'It seems that God is calling you to great perfection. And I perceive it by this, that He takes away from you every tie that might hinder it in you. For as I have heard, it seems that He has called to Himself your daughter, who was your last tie with the outer world. For which thing I am deeply content, with a holy compassion, that God should have set you free, and taken her from her labours. Now then, I want that you should wholly destroy your own will, that it may cling to nothing but Christ crucified.'

And..

'Dearest daughter in Christ sweet Jesus : I Catherine, servant and slave of the servants of Jesus Christ, write to you in His Precious Blood, with the desire to see you established in true patience, since I consider that without patience we cannot please God.'

Thanks I had no idea what she was going on about either! Did you study these texts in a class or you just naturally have a facility for medieval texts? I wish there were Cliff Notes on these texts and its not only these spiritual ones I find difficult. I tried reading some of the Stoic philosophers and encountered the same problem! In fact I did find a study guide for Boethius' "The Consolation of Philosophy" which really helped. Ever read that one?

[Shin]

I'd say it's the latter, due to excessive reading when I was a boy. I also continue to work a lot with them.

I like to think anyone can pick them up if they just spend enough time at it.

I've only read a little of the Consolation, perhaps I will pick it up again someday.

What was the first book by a saint you read?

[Gemma]

I'd say it's the latter, due to excessive reading when I was a boy. I also continue to work a lot with them.

I like to think anyone can pick them up if they just spend enough time at it.

I've only read a little of the Consolation, perhaps I will pick it up again someday.

What was the first book by a saint you read?

I think the first one I tried to read was St. Teresa of Avila's autobiography. I still haven't finished that one. I preferred St. Therese's "Autobiography of a Soul."
Work with them? Are you a professor?

[Shin]

St. Teresa of Avila's autibiography is a deep plunge for the start if very helpful!  Have you tried St. Francis de Sale's 'Introduction to the Devout Life' yet? That's a great beginning book.

I don't recall what my first book was, though I read a good deal of St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori's books and still do. I started out with everything from St. John of the Cross to St. Catherine of Genoa and St. Catherine of Siena.

No, my father's the professor, I'm just an ordinary fellow. But from the work on these websites helping provide works for Saints' Books I am constantly dealing with older texts. Also we have an ongoing project here to provide the original Douai-Rheims Bible in online searchable form. We have a PDF of it available already, but providing a copy of it that isn't a facsimile requires a lot of proofreading of the text.


One of the benefits of using older works is that they are more literal and precise. So as you learn about the spiritual life you gain a more exact appreciation of a lot of topics.

If you pick up St. Catherine of Siena's Dialogues, we have to use the public domain version here for extracts, but you'll probably find more contemporary English in the newer and unabridged paperback. I have to pick up that version myself to see how it is and read the full unabridged work, I am a little surprised I haven't yet. Well there are always more books to acquire, one never runs out.

I think some of the book studies we've had here in the past have had trouble because the books are too deep for folks to easily jump in and comment on. If we do a new one we might want to try to find the easiest and easiest to read work possible.

Not sure what that is though!

Still, the Dialogues aren't the longest work, they have some good potential to do at least a few portions of, one doesn't have to do a whole book at a time, one can share the highlights too.

Right now Poche is posting Ascent of Mount Carmel chapter by chapter! It hasn't received much comment but one can jump in any time.  

[Gemma]

I am in the middle of "Introduction to the Devout Life" by St. Francis. I'm also reading "The Ways of Mental Prayer."

[Shin]

Then you must thank God very much. Not too many people come to read the saints and recognize their value! It is a priceless gift he has given you! 

[Gemma]

Then you must thank God very much. Not too many people come to read the saints and recognize their value! It is a priceless gift he has given you! 

I do thank the Saints. They have brought me closer to God. Their main theme is that surrendering to the Divine Will brings us closer to God.

[Shin]

Here is another letter from the book of her letters with an introduction this time.

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 friends. She seems, as often happens with the chosen companion of a fervent and powerful nature, to have been a person simple, lovable, and quietly wise. Having after her husband's death assumed the habit of St. Dominic, she distributed her possessions to the poor by Catherine's advice, but she evidently retained her home in Siena. This became a constant refuge for the saint from the overcrowded Benincasa household, and the scene of more than one charming episode in her life as told by the legend. For the Mantellate, or tertiaries of St. Dominic, were not cloistered, nor did they take the monastic vows; they simply lived in their own homes a life of special devotion. To Alessa, Catherine left on her deathbed the care of her spiritual family. This intimate little letter dates from an early period in their friendship. In its homely, practical wisdom, as in the gentle loftiness of its tone, 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 salvation. The tests she proposes are as penetrating to-day as they were then.

In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of sweet Mary:

Dearest daughter in Christ sweet Jesus: I Catherine, thy poor unworthy mother, want thee to attain that perfection for which God has chosen thee.

It seems to me that one wishing so to attain should walk with and not without moderation. And yet every work of ours ought to be done both without and with moderation: it befits us to love God without moderation, putting to that love neither limit nor measure nor rule, but loving Him immeasurably. And if thou wish to reach the perfection of love, it befits thee to set thy life in order.

Let thy first rule be to flee the conversation of every human being, in so far as it is simply conversation, except as deeds of charity may demand; but to love people very much, and talk with few of them. And know how to talk in moderation even with those whom thou lovest with spiritual love; reflect that if thou didst not do this, thou wouldst place a limit before perceiving it to that limitless love which thou oughtest to bear to God, by placing the finite creature between you: for the love which thou shouldst place in God thou wouldst place in the creature, loving it without moderation; and this would hinder thy perfection. Therefore thou shouldst love it spiritually, in a disciplined way.

Be a vase, which thou fillest at the source and at the source dost drink from. Although thou hadst drawn thy love from God, who is the Source of living water, didst thou not drink it continually in Him thy vase would remain empty. And this shall be the sign to thee that thou dost not drink wholly in God: when thou sufferest from that which thou lovest, either by some talk thou didst hold, or because thou wast deprived of some consolation thou wast used to receiving, or for some other accidental cause. If thou sufferest, then, from this or anything else except wrong against God, it is a clear sign to thee that this love is still imperfect, and drawn far from the Source. What way is there, then, to make the imperfect perfect? This way: to correct and chastise the movements of thy heart with true self-knowledge, and with hatred and distaste for thy imperfection, that thou art such a peasant as to give to the creature that love which ought to be given wholly to God, loving the creature without moderation, and God moderately.

For love toward God should be without measure, and that for the creature should be measured by that for God, and not by the measure of one's own consolations, either spiritual or temporal. So do, then, that thou lovest everything in God, and correct every inordinate affection.

Make two homes for thyself, my daughter. One actual home in thy cell, that thou go not running about into many places, unless for necessity, or for obedience to the prioress, or for charity's sake; and another spiritual home, which thou art to carry with thee always—the cell of true self-knowledge, where thou shalt find within thyself knowledge of the goodness of God. These are two cells in one, and when abiding in the one it behoves thee to abide in the other, for otherwise the soul would fall into either confusion or presumption. For didst thou rest in knowledge of thyself, confusion of mind would fall on thee; and didst thou abide in the knowledge of God alone, thou wouldst fall into presumption. The two, then, must be built together and made one same thing; if thou dost this, thou wilt attain perfection.

For from selfknowledge thou wilt gain hatred of thine own fleshliness, and through hate thou wilt become a judge, and sit upon the seat of thy conscience, and pass judgment; and thou wilt not let a fault go without giving sentence on it. From such knowledge flows the stream of humility; which never seizes on mere report, nor takes offence at anything, but bears every insult, every loss of consolation, and every sorrow, from whatever direction they may come, patiently, with joy. Shames appear glory, and great persecutions refreshment; and it rejoices in all, seeing itself punished for that perverse law of self-will in its members which for ever rebels against God; and it sees itself conformed with Christ Jesus crucified, the way and the doctrine of truth. In the knowledge of God thou shalt find the fire of divine charity. Where shalt thou rejoice? Upon the Cross, with the Spotless Lamb, seeking His honour and the salvation of souls, through continual, humble prayer. Now herein is all our perfection.

There are many other things also, but this is the chief, from which we receive so much light that we cannot err in the lesser works that follow. Rejoice, my daughter, to conform thee to the shame of Christ. And watch over the impulse of the tongue, that the tongue may not always respond to the impulse of the heart; but digest what is in thy heart, with hatred and distaste for thyself. Do thou be the least of the least, subject in humility and patience to every creature through God; not making excuses, but saying: the fault is mine. Thus are vices conquered in thy soul and in the soul of him to whom thou shouldest so speak: through the virtue of humility. Order thy time: the night to vigil, when thou hast paid the debt of sleep to thy body; and the morning in church with sweet prayer; do not spend it in chatting until the appointed hour. Let nothing except necessity, or obedience, or charity, as I said, draw thee away from this or anything else. After the hour of eating, recollect thyself a little, and then do something with thy hands, as thou mayest need. At the hour of vespers, do thou go and keep quiet; and as much as the Holy Spirit enjoins on thee, that do. Then go back and take care of thy old mother without negligence, and provide what she needs; be thine this burden.

More when I return. So do that thou mayest fulfil my desire. I say no more. Remain in the holy and sweet grace of God. Sweet Jesus, Jesus Love.