The Catechetical Review - Communicating Christ for a New Evangelization

Loving the Church with St. Catherine of Siena

Authored by Sr. Mary Michael Fox, OP in Issue #30.3 of The Sower
Teaching on St Catherine of Siena can be a powerful and inspiring way to teach a love for the Church. ‘Be certain of this…if I die, the cause of my death is the zeal which burns and consumes me for the Church. I suffer gladly, and am ready to die for her, if need be.'[i] Saint Catherine of Siena When was the last time you headed off to your RCIA class or Religious Education class with such bold desire to sacrifice your life for your lesson on ecclesiology?! Yet, is this not the fire that every catechist is called to have for Holy Mother Church? While St. Catherine of Siena may not be your average ‘catechist,’ nevertheless, this fiery woman of Tuscany has a lesson or two to teach us about catechesis and loving the Church. We should not be surprised that they are the same lessons, on the nature and mission of the Church, which we find in the Church’s magisterial documents.

The rest of this online article is available for current subscribers.

Start your subscription today!


This article is from The Sower and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of Maryvale Institute. Contact [email protected]

Articles from the Most Recent Issue

Editor's Reflections— The Gift of the Jubilee Year
By Dr. James Pauley
It was a predictably hot August day. We stood, tightly packed and shoulder-to-shoulder, in the blazing afternoon sun in the square outside the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican City. It was the Great Jubilee year 2000, and I had helped lead a group of young people to World Youth Day. It was the largest gathering ever in St. Peter’s Square, which... Read more
Jesus and the Jubilee: Reflections for the Jubilee Year 2025
By Dr. John Bergsma
On May 9, 2024, Pope Francis announced to the world that the following year, 2025, would be a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church worldwide. The Jubilee Year would begin on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, and last until Epiphany, January 6, 2026. This holy year would be marked by special liturgical celebrations, greater availability of the... Read more
Pilgrims of Hope
By Joan Watson
One of the hallmarks of a Jubilee Year is a pilgrimage to the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome. But what is a pilgrimage? It is harder to define than one might think. Throughout history, men, women, and children have traveled for a variety of reasons, often for motivations other than simple relocation or practical needs. We can see a type of... Read more

Pages