Letters of St. Catherine of Siena: Catherine Extols Mary Magdalene

I recently acquired new three of the four volumes of Suzanne Nofke’s wonderfully edited The Letters of Catherine of Siena at the ridiculously low price of $10 each.  These are each 600 hundred page scholarly, hardcovers for research libraries.  They should easily go ten or twelve times that each.  I have Volumes I, III, and IV.  I am missing Volume II.  Oh I would love to complete the set.  Right now Amazon lists available one used copy of Volume II for $250, and it is only in an “acceptable” condition.  I’m holding out for something more affordable, or at least in better condition.  You can read about Sr. Susan Nofke O.P. and her translation of the letters here.  

In honor of today, St. Catherine of Siena’s feast day—and bear in mind, she’s my patron saint—I want to post something from them.  Here’s is a paragraph from the very first letter, identified as “Letter T61/G183/DT2,” dated “Before May 1374” but one scholar dates this as early as 1365 or 1366.  That would make Catherine eighteen or nineteen years old. 

Some context to the letter.  The letter is addressed to Mona Agnesa Malavolti, a widow and a member of one of the leading families of Siena.  She is also a Montellate, which was a group of Dominican tertiaries which Catherine herself was a member.  The letter’s intent is to bring her order into unison with St. Mary Magdalene, who, as one of the first Resurrection preachers of Christ, holds a special place in the Dominican Order. 

Catherine in her letters has a habit of breaking into dialogue with a saint or God, and so the italicized sections of this paragraph are actually addressing the Blessed Virgin or Magdalene herself.

Oh sweet virgin, how well you imitated that devoted disciple Magdalen.  See, dearest daughters, how Magdalen knew herself, and humbled herself.  With what great love she sat at our gentle Savior’s feet.  And speaking of showing him love, we surely see it at the holy cross.  She wasn’t afraid of the Jews, nor did she fear for herself.  No, like a passionate lover she ran and embraced the cross.  Indeed, in order to see her Master she was bathed in blood.  Surely you were drunk with love, oh Magdalen!  As a sign that she was drunk with love for her Master, she showed it in her actions toward his creatures, when after his holy resurrection she preached in the city of Marseille.  And, I tell you, she had the virtue of perseverance.  You showed this, dearest Magdalen, when you were seeking your beloved Master after not finding him in the place where you had laid him.  So, oh Magdalen, love, you were beside yourself; you had no heart, since it was buried with your dearest Master and our dear Savior.  But you took it upon yourself to find your dear Jesus.  You didn’t give up; you didn’t stop grieving.  How commendably you acted!  For you found out by your persevering you were able to find your Master.

Legend has it that Mary Magdalene, after the Gospel accounts, traveled to southern France (Marseille) to preach and convert.  That’s part of why the Dominican order hold her as one of their patronesses. 

In many ways Magdalene is almost a stand in for Catherine herself here.  She seems to be projecting herself into Magdalene’s situation.  It’s Catherine who is always embracing Christ crucified and his blood.  I am also amazed that a eighteen or nineteen year old girl speaks in this manner to someone above her in experience and station.  My dear Catarina was not shy.

Today, April 29^th, is the feast day of St. Catherine of Siena, my patroness.  Pray for us St. Catherine of Siena.