The Seven Spiritual Weapons, Saint Catherine Of Bologna, Full Catholic Audiobook
One can think of the spiritual weapons as weapons not only for the battles of faith, but as weapons for the battles of depression: to intend solicitude and not be misled by the vagaries of mood, to keep steady hold on one’s life by not giving into the swings of feeling, to rest in the love of God, however inexperienced, to hold to the humanity and suffering of Christ as something close and not far away, to remember that death will come in its own sweet time without any need to hurry it along, to avoid the vain pleasures of dissolving troubles in chemicals, to keep passages of Scripture alive in one’s heart so they are available in time of need. What Catherine reveals to chronically depressed people, is that the interior voices that rage might be stilled by the interior voices that occasionally console. They might be able to choose interior voices, not always, but occasionally, if they don’t let the angry voices go on for too long before attending to them, pretending that they are not there, that they are not hearing, “Wicked, sinful, toad talking, worthless nothing, less than horrible … ” as a constant background to their every thought. With divine hope, they can follow the examples of St. Catherine and other holy men and women who have kept themselves faithful in the observances of their monastic lives, rising with their confreres, praying on the days when prayer is impossible and hard, making works of charity a habit of the body if not of the soul and persevering in spite of doubt and suffering, knowing that, whatever the final and scientific explanation of depression, one can honor one’s own life and live it out in faith and holiness. St. Catherine of Bologna, Virgin (Patroness of Artists) Feast – March 9th Born in 1413, Catherine de Vigri was the daughter of a diplomatic agent of the Marquis of Ferrara. At the age of eleven, she was appointed maid of honor to the daughter of the Marquis and shared her training and education. When the daughter eventually married, she wanted Catherine to remain in her service, but Catherine left the court and became a Franciscan Tertiary at the age of fourteen. Catherine had determined to live a life of perfection, and was admired by her companions for her holiness. Eventually her Community became part of the Poor Clares. She soon began to experience visions of Christ and Satan, and wrote of her experiences, one of which occurred one Christmas. Through her efforts with Pope Nicholas V, the Poor Clare convent at Ferrara erected an enclosure, and Catherine was appointed Superioress. The reputation of the Community for its holiness and austerity became widespread. She then was appointed Superioress of a new convent in Bologna. In Lent of 1463, Catherine became seriously ill, and she died on March 9th. Buried without a coffin, her body was exhumed eighteen days later because of cures attributed to her and also because of the sweet scent coming from her grave. Her body was found to be in-corrupt and remains so today in the Church of the Poor Clare convent in Bologna. She was canonized in 1712.
Born 8 September 1413
Bologna, Italy
Died 9 March 1463 (aged 49)
Bologna, Italy
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church
Beatified 1524, Old Saint Peter’s Basilica, Papal States by Pope Clement VII
Canonized 22 May 1712, Saint Peter’s Basilica, Papal States by Pope Clement XI
Feast 9 March
Attributes Religious habit
Patronage
Bologna
Against temptations
Artists
Liberal arts
Nelson MCBS 