Pridie Kalen. Maji: S. Catharinae Sinensis, V.O.P.

Pridie Kalen. Maji: S. Catharinae Sinensis, V.O.P.

Virginis, Ecclesiae Doct.
Duplex

Proprium Missae ex Missale O.P. cum lectionibus variis

Sideribus cunctis fulgentior est Catharina...

Officium (sive Introitus):

Oratio:

Deus, qui beatae Catharinae, virginitatis et patientiae speciali privilegio decoratae, malignantium spirituum certamina vincere, et in amore tui nominis inconcusse permanere tribuisti; concede quaesumus, ut ejus imitatione calcata mundi nequitia, et omnium hostium superatis insidiis, ad tuam secure gloriam transeamus. Per Dominum.

Lectio Epistolae S. Pauli ad Galatas (6:14-18):

Fratres: Mihi autem absit gloriári, nisi in cruce Dómini nostri Jesu Christi: per quem mihi mundus crucifíxus est, et ego mundo. In Christo enim Jesu neque circumcísio áliquid valet, neque præpútium, set nova creatúra. Et quicúumque hanc régulam secúti fúerint, pax super illos, et misericórdia, et super Israël Dei. De cétero nemo mihi moléstus sit: ego enim stígmata Dómini Jesu in córpore meo porto. Grátia Dómini nostri Jesu Christi cum spíritu vestro, fratres. Amen.

Alleluia:

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum (13:31-34):

In illo tempore: Dixit Jesus turbis parabolam hanc: grano sinapis, quod accipiens homo seminavit in agro suo: quod minimum quidem est omnibus seminibus: cum autem creverit, majus est omnibus oleribus, et fit arbor, ita ut volucres cæli veniant, et habitent in ramis ejus. Aliam parabolam locutus est eis: Simile est regnum cælorum fermento, quod acceptum mulier abscondit in farinæ satis tribus, donec fermentatum est totum. Hæc omnia locutus est Jesus in parabolis ad turbas: et sine parabolis non loquebatur eis: ut impleretur quod dictum erat per prophetam dicentem: Aperiam in parabolis os meum; eructabo abscondita a constitutione mundi.

Acta Sanctae Catharinae Sienensis, ex II Nocturno:

Catharína, virgo Senénsis, piis orta paréntibus, beáti Domínici hábitum quem soróres de Pœniténtia gestant, impetrávit. Summa ejus fuit abstinéntia et admirábilis vitæ austéritas. Invénta est aliquándo a die Cínerum usque ad Ascensiónem Dómini jejúnium perduxísse, sola Eucharístiæ communióne conténta. Luctabátur quam frequentíssime cum dæmónibus, multísque illórum moléstiis vexabátur ; æstuábat fébribus, nec aliórum morbórum cruciátu carébat. Magnum et sanctum erat Catharínæ nomen, et úndique ad eam ægróti et malígnis vexáti spirítibus deducebántur. Languóribus et fébribus in Christi nómine imperábat, et dæmones cogébat ab obséssis abíre corpóribus.

Catherine was a maiden of Siena, and was born of godly parents. She took the habit of the Third Order of St. Dominic. Her fasts were most severe, and the austerity of her life wonderful. It was discovered that on some occasions she took no food at all from Ash Wednesday till Ascension Day, receiving all needful strength by taking Holy Communion. She was engaged oftentimes in a wrestling with devils, and was sorely tried by them with divers assaults : she was consumed by fevers, and suffered likewise from other diseases. Great and holy was the name of Catherine, and sick folk, and such as were vexed with evil spirits were brought to her from all quarters. Through the Name of Christ, she had command over sickness and fever, and forced the foul spirits to leave the bodies of the tormented.

Cum Pisis immorarétur, die Domínico, refécta cibo cælésti et in éxtasim rapta, vidit Dóminum crucifíxum magno cum lúmine adveniéntem, et ex ejus vúlnerum cicatrícibus quinque rádios ad quinque loca sui córporis descendéntes ; ideóque, mystérium advértens, Dóminum precáta ne cicatríces apparérent, contínuo rádii colórem sanguíneum mutavérunt in spléndidum, et in formam puræ lucis pervenérunt ad manus, pedes et cor ejus ; ac tantus erat dolor, quem sensibíliter patiebátur, ut nisi Deus minuísset, brevi se créderet moritúram. Hanc ítaque grátiam amantíssimus Dóminus nova grátia cumulávit, ut sentíret dolórem illápsa vi vúlnerum, et cruénta signa non apparérent. Quod ita contigísse cum Dei fámula confessário suo Raymúndo retulísset, ut óculis étiam repræsentarétur, rádios in imagínibus beátæ Catharínæ ad dicta quinque loca pertingéntes, pia fidélium cura pictis colóribus expréssit.

While she dwelt at Pisa, on a certain Lord's Day, after she had received the Living Bread which came down from heaven, she was in the spirit ; and saw the Lord nailed to the Cross advancing towards her. There was a great light round about him, and five rays of light streaming from the five marks of the Wounds in his Feet, and Hands, and Side, which smote her upon the five corresponding places in her body. When Catherine perceived this vision, she besought the Lord that no marks might become manifest upon her flesh, and straightway the five beams of light changed from the colour of blood into that of gold, and touched in the form of pure light her feet, and hands, and side. At this moment the agony which she felt was so piercing, that she believed that if God had not lessened it, she would have died. Thus the Lord in his great love for her, gave her this great grace, in a new and twofold manner, namely, that she felt all the pain of the wounds, but without there being any bloody marks to meet the gaze of men. This was the account given by the handmaiden of God to her Confessor Raymund, and it is for this reason that when the godly wishes of the faithful lead them to make pictures of the blessed Catherine, they paint her with golden rays of light proceeding from those five places in her body which correspond to the five places wherein our Lord was wounded by the nails and spear.

Doctrína ejus infúsa, non acquisíta fuit ; sacrárum litterárum professóribus difficíllimas de divinitáte quæstiónes proponéntibus respóndit. Nemo ad eam accéssit, qui non mélior abíerit : multa exstínxit ódia, et mortáles sedávit inimicítias. Pro pace Florentinórum, qui cum Ecclésia dissidébant et interdícto ecclesiástico suppósiti erant, Aveniónem ad Gregórium undécimum Pontíficem máximum profécta est. Cui étiam votum ejus de peténda Urbe, soli Deo notum, sese divínitus cognovísse monstrávit : deliberavítque Póntifex, ea étiam suadénte, ad Sedem suam Románam personáliter accédere ; quod et fecit. Eídem Gregório et Urbáno sexto ejus successóri acceptíssima fuit, adeo ut legatiónibus eórum funderétur. Dénique post innúmera virtútum insígnia, dono prophetíæ et plúribus clara miráculis, anno ætátis suæ tértio círciter et trigésimo, migrávit ad Sponsum. Quam Pius secúndus Póntifex máximus sanctárum Vírginum número adscrípsit.

The learning which Catherine had was not acquired but inspired. She answered Professors of Divinity upon the very hardest questions concerning God. No one was ever in her company without going away better. She healed many hatreds, and quieted the most deadly feuds. To make peace for the Florentines, who had quarrelled with the Church, and under an Ecclesiastical Interdict, she travelled to Avignon to to see the Supreme Pontiff Gregory XI. To him she shewed that she had had revealed to her from heaven his secret purpose of going back to Rome, which had been known only to God and himself. It was at her persuasion, as well as by his own judgment, that the Pope did in the end return to his own See. She was much respected by this Gregory, as well as by his successor Urban VI, who even employed her in their embassies. The Bridegroom took her home, when she was about thirty-three years old, after she had given almost countless proofs of extraordinary Christian graces, and manifestly displayed the gifts of Prophecy and miracles. Pope Pius II enrolled her among the Virgin Saints.

Offertorium:

Secreta:

Munera, quaesumus Domine, quae tibi in honorem beatae Catharinae virginis offerimus, benigno suscipe vultu; et nos ejus meritis ac intercessione, ad tuam facito propitius pervenire laetitiam. Per Dominum.

Communio:

Postcommunio:

Sumptis, Domine, divinae gratiae sacramentis, quaesumus, ut intercedente beata Catharina virgine tibi acceptissima, hostiles superemus incursus: et ad aeternae redemptionis augmenta proficiscentes, tuis semper oculis placeamus. Per Dominum.

Hymnus:

Haec tuae virgo monumenta laudis
quae tuis laeti Catharina sacris
Hoc quidem pacto modulamur omnes
Perfer Olympo.

Si satis digne nequeant referri,
Annuas nobis veniam, precamur:
Non sumus tanti ingenii, fatemur
Optima Virgo.

Quis fuit dignas modulatus unquam
Virginis laudes? Quis in orbe toto
Feminae invictae peritura nunquam
Carmina pandet?

Praedita exemplis Catharina claris,
Moribus praestans, sapiens abunde,
Temperans, fortis, pia, justa, prudens,
Aethera scandis.

Quem latet virtus facinusque clarum,
Quo nequit dici sanctius per orbem?
Vulnerum formam miserata Christi
Exprimis ipsa.

Nam brevis, maestae miseraeque vitae
Et malis cunctis penitus refertae
Fortiter spernens pretiosa quaeque
Sidera adisti.

Gratias summas habeamus omnes
Filio magni Genitoris almo:
Spiritum sanctum veneremur, et sit
Laus tamen una. Amen.

Nexus:

• Breviarium Romanum: Officium S. Catharinae Sienensis (Eng/Lat).
• Edmund Gardner, "Catherine of Siena" in The Catholic Encyclopedia.
• Pope Pius II, Bull of Canonization (1461).
• Pope Paul VI, Mirabilis in Ecclesia Deus (Apostolic Letter of October 4, 1970, declaring St. Catherine of Siena a Doctor of the Church.)
• "La sacra testa," the relic of the head of St. Catherine.
• The Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena.