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| St. Catherine of Siena by Simon Vouet |
Welcome: Katy
Presider: In the name of God Holy One, Jesus our brother, and Sofia courage for liberation, we begin our worship together All: Amen
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| Elena Garcia ARCWP and Katy Zatsick ARCWP, Co-Presiders |
Opening Song: #414 “All are Welcome in this Place” Verses 1, 2, 5
Gathering Prayer All: Oh Father all-powerful, eternal God, Oh Boundless most gentle Charity! I see in you and know in my heart that you are the way, the truth and the life by which everyone must travel who is destined to come to you---The way, truth and life which your unutterable love establishes and fashions out of the true knowledge that is the Wisdom that is your only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Catherine, Genoa, October 1376)
*see end note
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| Cheri McDonagh cantors at MMOJ liturgy |
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| Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community in Sarasota, Florida |
Healing our souls and spirit this Easter season
Presider: As we celebrate the feast of your daughter Catherine and the rising of your son Jesus, may we be the face of God in our world by living Gospel compassion and justice. Jesus, you are compassion. All: Jesus, we will live compassion and do justice.
Presider: Jesus, your death reminds us that we must be willing to suffer the consequences of living truth to power. Jesus, you walk with us to give us courage. All: Jesus, we will walk with others as they face challenges as St Catherine did and stand against systemic injustice in our communities, nation and world.
Presider: Jesus, in your rising, you show us the path to liberation from structures of domination, Jesus, you are liberator. All: Jesus, we will live your vision of liberation and justice, one with your peoples, your planet and all creation.
Presider: Let us pause now for reflection. Place your hand over your heart and breathe in God’s compassionate love for you…be aware that God forgives, frees and heals us…Let us let go of guilt, live justly, and love tenderly. Let us ask for healing of our soul wounds, mind and spirit. We are the face of God in our world…
(Extend hands and recite prayer of General Absolution and prayer for healing)
All: God, Mother-Father of mercies who through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, have reconciled the world and sent Sofia your Holy Spirit among us so that we might live and be Jesus in our time and place. May we live to bring to its fruition the kindom of God on Earth. God give us pardon, healing and peace always; we only need to be open to God’s reconciliation and peace. We forgive ourselves for the times when we were closed to your healing and we forgive others when they were not, as well. Amen.
Today’s Readings
First Reading: Acts 2: 14, 22-33 …The word of God. All: Thanks be to God.
Psalm: Response #16 Sung All: “You will show us the path that leads to life”
Second Reading: From The Dialogue by St Catherine. In this teaching, she describes our relationship to the Trinity as God revealed to her:
“It was with providence that I created you, and when I contemplated my creature in myself I fell in love with the beauty of my creation. It pleased me to create you in my image and likeness with great providence. I provided you with the gift of memory so that you might hold fast my benefits and be made a sharer in my own, the eternal Father’s power. I gave you understanding so that in the wisdom of my only-begotten Son you might comprehend and know what I the eternal Father want, I who gave you graces with such burning love. I gave you a will to love, making you a sharer in the Holy Spirit’s mercy, so that you might love what your understanding sees and knows. All this my gentle providence did, only that you might be capable of understanding and enjoying me and rejoicing in my goodness by seeing me eternally.” (p 277) The inspired word of St Catherine of Siena All: Thanks be to God.
Sung: “Alleluia” before and after Gospel
Gospel: Luke 24:13-35 …The Good News of Salvation! Response All: Glory and praise to our Savior Jesus Christ!
Shared Homily
Have you felt God’s love as St Catherine did? Have you experienced God’s presence as the disciples did on the Way to Emmaus? When have you brought God’s love to others-family, friends, community as St Catherine did? What words of St Catherine, the Acts of the Apostles or the Gospel speak to you today?
Profession of Faith All: We believe in Love Creator of the universe who calls us to be the compassion of God in our world. We believe in Jesus; whose death and resurrection reveals that God’s liberating love overcomes all oppression including death and evil. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of Wisdom Sophia, who energizes and guides us to live Gospel equality in inclusive communities where all are welcome everywhere in our nation and world. We believe in the communion of saints our heavenly friends who inspire us to live holy lives. We believe in the love that does justice and heals our world. Amen
Prayers of the Community
Presider: We come before you as St Catherine did every day to pray for her family, her community, the Pope, the Roman Catholic Church and problems in her world, so much like our own time. We the community of Mary Mother of Jesus you gathered here today, bring our prayers to you.
Presider: That you may free us of our doubts of who you are and who we are beloved daughters and sons of God. May we trust in your Love for our world and each of us, we pray. Response: Loving God and St Catherine, hear our prayer.
Presider: That we may live compassion and mutuality, letting go of all selfishness and self-interest; reaching out to refugees, to immigrants, those without health care, those who are homeless and needing education we pray. Response: Loving God and St Catherine, hear our prayer.
Presider: That we will do all we can to save all life on earth, we pray. Response: Loving God and St Catherine, hear our prayer.
Presider: That the sick may be healed and all those who are suffering in mind, body or spirit, especially (mention names either aloud or in your heart), we pray. Response: Loving God and St Catherine, hear our prayer.
Presider: For what else shall we pray?
Presider: O Holy One, we walk in faith that nothing is impossible as we care for others. As St Catherine prayed and acted; may we ask for others, seek justice for others, knock on doors for others in need through the power of your Spirit Sophia working in us to heal each other and the world. All: Amen
PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS
Offertory Song: #463 “Eye hath not Seen” Verses 3, 4 (replace “him” “Lord” with God)
Presider: Blessed are you, O God, Seeker of all. This bread is your MMOJ community seeking to speak truth to power with the courage of St. Catherine. Through your divine providence, we have this bread to offer, it will become for us the Bread of Life. ALL: Blessed be God forever.
Presider: Blessed are you, O God, Father and Mother of all. This wine is our asking and seeking to be in solidarity, with peace and justice makers for all those who suffer in our country and our planet. Through your divine providence, we have this wine to offer, it will become our spiritual drink. ALL: Blessed be God forever.
All: Blessed are you, God of all life, through your goodness we have this bread and this wine, the whole of creation, and our own lives to offer as St Catherine offered hers to you. Through this sacred meal may we become your new creation. Amen.
Liturgy of the Eucharist (Please join us around the altar, front seat for those who sit)
ALL: We are gathered as a community to celebrate the gift of life pulsating in the glories of Nature everywhere and remembering the life and times of St Catherine of Siena.
Eucharistic Prayer
Presider: Holy One, You stirred the waters of creation, and you dwell in us. ALL: And in every living being.
Presider: Lift up your hearts. ALL: We lift them up to our Creator who loves us unconditionally in whom all are One.
Presider: Let us give thanks for the Breath of life in all forms throughout the Universe.
ALL: As St Catherine taught, it is right to give glory to God present everywhere and in everything, with our thanks and praise.
ALL (sing): We are holy (3x); You are holy (3x); I am holy (3x); We are holy (3x). (Karen Drucker.)
ALL: Sofia, Holy Spirit, we bring you these gifts that they may become the Christ Presence. Fill us with reverence for all creatures, great and small.
ALL: (extend arms): On the night before Jesus died, while at supper with his friends, he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to them saying: Take this all of you, and eat. Do this in memory of me.
(Pause)
All: In the same way, Jesus took the cup of wine. He said the blessing, gave the cup to his friends and said: Take this all of you and drink. Do this in memory of me.
Presider: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith. ALL: This bread is you; this bread is me. We are one body of Christ in communion with all creation.
Voice 1: Christ of the Cosmos, we thank you that our bodies are made of stardust and that every place we turn, you are present, loving us. You invite us to join the dance of creation in a mystical celebration of our oneness with all living things in your divine love.
Voice 2: Risen Christ, we remember that it was you who said: “Anything I have done in the name of the Creator, you can do too…and even more.” So we remember all those in our world who are working for environmental healing, human rights and justice for all.
Voice 3: Christ of the Cosmos, we remember Mary, mother of Jesus, faithful disciple. We remember Catherine of Siena, teacher, advisor to Popes, healer of those who were ill, peacemaker amongst City States and comforter of those condemned to die. May we praise you in union with them and live your compassion now. (You may add names of those living or deceased either aloud or in the silence of your heart.)
All: Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in unity with the Holy Spirit, all glory, honor and praise to you, loving God, forever and ever. (sung): Amen
ALL (sung): Our Father and Mother, who are in heaven….
Sign of Peace
Presider: Risen Jesus, you said to your disciples, “My peace I leave you, my peace I give you.” Look on the faith of all those gathered here as we journey to Emmaus with you. ALL: Grant us your peace. Help us to spread your peace throughout the world, always and everywhere, no exceptions. Amen
Presider: May the peace of God be always with us, and we will start by offering a sign of that peace among ourselves. Let us experience Christ’s Easter Peace in a group hug.
Peace song: “Peace is Flowing Like a River” joy is…, love is…, Alleluia, Alleluia – #501
Litany for the Breaking of the Bread
ALL: Christ of the Cosmos, may we live our oneness with you and all creation…may we work for the healing of your earth…may we celebrate justice rising up in global communion everywhere. Amen.
Communion
Co-Presiders: This is the Cosmic Christ in whom all creation lives and moves and has its being. All are invited to share in this banquet of love and celebrate our Oneness with all living beings on the planet and the universe. ALL: We are the Body of Christ.
Communion: Instrumental-Linda
ALL (sing): You are the face of God; I hold you in my heart. You are my family; you are the face of God. 3 times (Chant by Karen Drucker)
Prayer after Communion, Presider: “We were enclosed, O eternal Father, within the garden of your bosom. You drew us out of your holy mind like a flower petaled with our soul’s three powers…You gave us memory so that we might be able to hold your blessings and so bring forth the flower of glory to your name and the fruit of profit to ourselves. You gave us understanding to understand your truth and your will---your will that wants only that we be made holy—so that we might bear first the flower of glory and then the fruit of virtue. And you gave us our will so that we might be able to love what our understanding has seen and what our memory has held. For this, we praise and thank you.”
ALL: Amen, Amen, Amen. (from Catherine’s Prayers, pp187-188)
Prayers of Gratitude, Announcements, Introduction of visitors
Concluding Rite
Co-Presiders: The Risen Christ is with us, loving us. ALL: and loves through us.
Closing Community Blessing-from St Catherine’s prayers.
All (with arms extended): “Eternal Trinity, mystery as deep as the sea. You could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which consumes all that selfish love that fills my being. You are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates the mind with its light, and causes me to know your truth. You are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, You gave yourself to man in the fire of your love.
Amen” (Catherine of Siena “The Prayers” ca 1378-1380 in Rome)
Co-presiders: Knowing we are created, sustained and received by the Holy who loves us unconditionally, let us go forth in peace and share the good news: The Risen Jesus is with us today and for all time. ALL: Thanks be to God. Let it be so!
Closing hymn: #384 “The Summons” verses 1, 2, 5
End Note:
*language was left exclusive to render translation accurate to Catherine’s writing.
Biography of St Catherine of Siena
from Praying with Catherine of Siena by Patricia Mary Vinje
"Catherine of Siena wrote scores of letters to popes and nobles, monks and merchants. She told Pope Gregory to be a “manly man” and return the papacy to Rome. In a letter to Sir John Hawkwood, an English Soldier-of-fortune, she pleaded with him to join a crusade to the Holy Land instead of stirring up trouble in Italy. Catherine accompanied a notorious criminal to the moment of his beheading. She nursed victims ravaged by the plague. Assassins tried to kill her as she arbitrated a dispute between the pope and the citizens of Florence.
Mystic, peacemaker, theologian, preacher, nurse, and doctor of the church –all these titles apply to this unschooled woman who lived only thirty-three years. In the 14thcentury talking of visions, expressing passionate love for God, and living solely to pray and serve other people were better understood, admired, and seen as signs of true holiness. Catherine’s life and teaching present practical instruction for people of any age who are serious about their relationship with God, ‘the holy.”
Catherine’s Early Years
She was born in 1347, the last child of 24 to Giacomo and Lapa Benincasa of Siena Italy. At the age of five she experienced a vision of Jesus above the church with gold vestments and a papal tiara sitting on a throne. St Peter, Paul and John the Evangelist stood beside him. Jesus looked directly at Catherine, approached her, and made the sign of the cross over her. A year later Catherine saw a vision of Mary and Jesus. Mary presented Catherine to her son, and Catherine considered this a sign that she should consecrate herself solely to Jesus.
She was born in 1347, the last child of 24 to Giacomo and Lapa Benincasa of Siena Italy. At the age of five she experienced a vision of Jesus above the church with gold vestments and a papal tiara sitting on a throne. St Peter, Paul and John the Evangelist stood beside him. Jesus looked directly at Catherine, approached her, and made the sign of the cross over her. A year later Catherine saw a vision of Mary and Jesus. Mary presented Catherine to her son, and Catherine considered this a sign that she should consecrate herself solely to Jesus.
When Catherine turned twelve, she was now old enough to marry and her family began to search for a suitable husband for her. Catherine announced her commitment to Jesus and her refusal to marry anyone, ever. Her newly ordained cousin, Tommaso instead of dissuading her from the single life, supported Catherine and suggested she cut off her hair to prove her determination not to marry. The family made Catherine their scullery maid until one day her father saw her praying instead of working. Suddenly a white dove appeared over her head. And so her father decided to help Catherine keep her vow to God. He gave Catherine her room back.
At thirteen Catherine could not read so she spent her time in her room with a little crucifix on the wall. She experienced God’s love for her flowing from the crucifix. Catherine asked for the black-and-white Dominican habit, which she received at the age of 18. Although she belonged to the lay order of Dominican Mantellate, Catherine pronounced vows and practiced the life of the cloister in her room for three years. After this time in deep prayer and meditation experiencing the inflow of God’s wisdom she began her public ministry.
Catherine could not read and her answer after becoming frustrated that she could not teach herself to do so was to ask God’s help. “She soon began to read fluently, although she still could not write. The ability to read changed her prayer because she could now recite the Divine Office.
Catherine in her Public Ministry
On Shrove Tuesday 1367 when Catherine was 20, in a vision Jesus united himself to her in mystical marriage. Before long Catherine felt the call to leave the solitude of her cell to share what she had learned there and to serve the poor and sick people of Siena.
She had two Dominicans who were her companions: Tommaso Caffarini a scholar at the University of Siena and Fr. Bartolomeo Dominic who became her confessor. Both recorded Catherine’s earliest teachings from their conversations with her. These men also wrote letters for her and eventually took dictation for her book, “The Dialogue” conversations between Catherine and God.
Catherine and other Dominican laywomen tended the terminally ill at the Siena hospital. During a time of political turmoil a new faction seized control of Sienna and put her brothers in peril. The whole family would be threatened if they stayed at home so one night Catherine escorted her brothers to La Scala hospital. A hostile crowd threatened to attack the Benincasa men but pulled back at the sight of Catherine.
Soon after this incident Catherine, while visiting a friend, heard screams outside the window. Criminals were being carted to their execution. Told they were not prepared for death, Catherine soon began ministering to the imprisoned, even accompanying the notorious Andrea de Bellanti to the gallows.
Catherine: Spiritual Guide and Powerful Preacher
Even though Catherine lacked formal education by age 24 scholarly men accepted her spiritual direction. Her directees called her “Mother” or more affectionately “dearest Mamma” However many women from the Mantellate disapproved of men treating Catherine as an equal. In the Spring of 1374 the Dominican general chapter requested Catherine address the charges against her character. She was not censured instead the Father General sent the well known Dominican Raymond of Capua, to be her confessor and spiritual director. Raymond’s affiliation gave her greater credibility, not only in Siena, but in the wider church circle.
While Catherine was in Florence the Black Death hit Siena, killing one-third of the population before the end of the summer of 1374. Upon her return, Catherine tended to those suffering from the plague.
In the following year with Raymond’s approval and encouragement, Catherine began preaching a message of repentance. She was so well received the church had to call for more priests to hear confessions of numerous converts. At Pisa, she encouraged the Pisans to take part in a crusade to the Holy Land. She also encouraged the citizens of Pisa and Lucca to decline membership in the group of city-states that opposed the pope.
While Catherine was in Pisa Jesus spoke to her from the cross in the Church of Santa Christina. The wounds of Christ were impressed upon her hands and feet. Henceforth, she shared more intimately in the sufferings of Jesus.
Catherine’s role as Peacemaker and Reformer
At the same time, A French pope ruled the Roman Catholic Church from the royal palaces of Avignon, France instead of residing in Rome. Due to political squabbles between the Italians and the French the pope put the city of Florence under an interdict, meaning that no sacraments could be administered within the city limits and no commerce could be transacted between Florentines and the people of other cities, under penalty of excommunication for the parties involved.
In 1376 Catherine volunteered to speak to Pope Gregory XI on Florence’s behalf. She traveled to Florence to meet with the pope and interceded for release from the interdict. Corruption permeated the papal palaces in France. Although Catherine failed in getting the interdict lifted she did manage to strengthen Pope Gregory’s resolve to return to Rome. The following year he did re-establish residence in Rome and died shortly thereafter.
Catherine returned to Siena and founded a monastery of cloistered Dominican Sisters at the fortress at Belcaro. Soon after trouble began to brew between Florence and the new pope, Urban VI who sent Catherine back to Florence to mediate. During this time Catherine dictated her book, “The Dialogue” in the evenings after her political ministry during the day. Violence flared constantly and on June 18, 1378 an assassin tried to take Catherine’s life. She expressed her disappointment at not being a martyr to Raymond. By August of the same year Florence was released from the interdict and she completed her book “The Dialogue” in October.
A cabal of schismatic cardinals, displeased with the election of Urban to the pontificate, elected a rival pope named Clement VII, thereby instigating the Great Western Schism. Pope Urban called Catherine to Rome and asked Catherine to address the papal curia in his support. She had moral authority based on ding God’s will and following the dictates of her conscience. If Catherine believed that something needed saying or doing, she said it or did it. Determining her effectiveness is difficult as the corruption in the papal court and the schism in the church continued long after her death. However the tangible outcome of Catherine’s years in Rome was a book of prayers that she wrote during this time (selections used in our liturgy for her feast). She remained in Rome with her followers until her death.
Catherine became increasingly ill at the beginning of 1380. She could not eat or drink. She spent her entire day in St Peter’s praying for church unity and reform. In April friends overheard praying that God would take her heart and use it for the church. Then God showed her a vision in which he took her heart and blessed the church with her blood. Catherine thanked God for letting her take part in the struggle for unity and healing, and declared, “The victory is ours.” On April 29, 1380 Catherine exclaimed, “Into your hands I entrust my spirit,” and died.
Catherine of Siena’s Spirituality
Catherine’s active life and her mystical experience cannot actually be separated. What she experienced in her prayer led her to reach out to s sick and sinful people, to arbitrate disputes, and to seek reform in the church. She often prayed in the middle of what she was doing or saying.
Catherine experienced the reality that union with God affects every fiber of our being and every action of our life. Episodes in Catherine’s life and in our own lives are vessels that contain the presence and actions of God. The stuff of life is the meeting ground between humanity and divinity. Hearing the story of Catherine is like entering into her spirit, a spirit wrapped in God and knit to the world…When we read Catherine’s words, we need to be aware of the mystical experiences that impelled her to, for example, spend time with men on death row and to seek unity in the church.
Catherine of Siena’s Theology
Catherine wove together several motifs in her texts. The result of this is seen in The Dialogue, which is like a fabric carefully interwoven from several distinguishable threads. Such recapitulation mirrors life. Everyday life is full of scenes that keep repeating themselves. Catherine gave layers of meaning to images such as the cell, the bridge and the fountain. Everytime Catherine used an image she tended to include all that she had previously said about the image before presenting new meanings for that symbol in this way, she developed the theological meaning of her experience.
Major Themes of Catherine’s Theology: Truth, Obedience, Love and the Trinity.
TRUTH Catherine considered truth which she also called humility, to be the root of spiritual life. She took the Dominican motto, “Veritas, “ or truth, as her own.
OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WILL If truth is the foundation of Catherine’s theology, what is its culmination? From her Dominican heritage, obedience to God’s will is essential in Catherine’s teaching. In fact, Dominicans take only the vow of obedience. By obeying God’s will, a person imitates Jesus, who emptied himself first of divinity and then of humanity in order to express his love to the Creator and all creatures. The Dominican charisms of truth and obedience are scriptural themes. John’s gospel and Paul’s epistles are two of the major sources emphasized in Dominican spirituality.
LOVE Truth and obedience are faces of Love. Love, truth and obedience form a triad of virtues reflecting the Trinity. Love creates. Truth is the wisdom that came to earth clothed in flesh. Obedience to God’s will in the heart of Jesus and in the heart of all creatures indicates the presence of the Spirit. "
See also:
Noffke, Suzanne OP Translator and Introduction, “Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue” Paulist Press, NY 1980.
Noffke, Suzanne OP 2nd Edition, Translator and Editor, “The Prayers of Catherine of Siena” Authors Choice Press, Lincoln NE, 2001. Originally published by Paulist Press.
Thorold, Algar translation of the “Dialogue of the Seraphic Virgin, Catherine of Siena,” 1370. San Bernadino CA.
Wright, Darrell, editor “The Letters of Saint Catherine of Siena” translated by Vida D. Scudder, 1905.
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