Though Catherine lived centuries ago, we can learn much from her writings.  Catherine was not a scholar, being a woman of her class and in the fourteenth century education was typically not an option.  From and early age Catherine wanted to learn how to read so that she could join in the liturgical praise of the Lord.  Reading and writing would be some of the grace’s that God would bestow upon her.  In fact she would be thirty years old before learning to write.  The writings that we have  today were dictated by her to secretaries who wrote down her thoughts and who were available at a moments notice to record what she had to say.  They in fact would even hear her petitions and prayers before God, and record them.  This is why we have what we know of her today.

     It is through  her writings that we can learn much about her life and interactions.  But these letters also tell us much about the theology of Catherine.  In 1970 the pope, Paul VI, declared Catherine of Siena, Doctor of Ecclesiae, Doctor of the Church.  This title has been conferred on relatively few Christian theologians in the course of Church history, and on no woman before 1970.  The pope in his speech, goes on to say much about the profound assimilation of truths and how God through the power of the Spirit, gave Catherine the ability to share this wisdom with others.  Historically, we know that she was not formally educated, but she is said to have been an intelligent, perceptive person and a great listener.

     We know that she had many conversations with Dominican Friars at the church close to her home.  And as Suzzane Noffke writes, ”she never wrote what could be called theology reduced to a system, in fact, it is her lack of an established system that lends her writings their marvelous if sometimes frustrating and tiring style of  layer one layer of interwoven development.”  It is her quest for self-knowledge which becomes the filter for her theology.  Mary O’Driscoll states, “Self knowledge is really a double knowledge: it is a knowledge of ourselves acquired by looking at God, and a knowledge of God acquired by reflecting on God’s goodness towards us.  It is through self knowledge we come to appreciate both our dignity and our nothingness.  Catherine asks us to hold together both these perspectives on ourselves for we need them in order to know who we are and who God is.”

     Catherine’s theology as expressed above, would definitely work its way into how she conducted herself as a spiritual guide.  This lens along with the times in which she lived and the love that she showed forth, certainly would guide her as she interacted with others.

Quotes:  Suzanne Noffke, OP., Catherine of Siena: The Dialogue. pgs. 9-10

                 Mary O’Driscoll, OP., Catherine of Siena: Passion for Truth, Compassion for Humanity. pgs. 14-15