Saint Catherine of Bologna

St. Catherine of Bologna was born to an aristocratic family in Italy in 1413. When still a young girl, she was sent to court to serve as a lady-in-waiting, and there, she received an education in writing, Latin, painting, singing, and dancing.

Despite her comfortable surroundings, Catherine felt called to religious life, and while still a young teenager, she entered the convent of Corpus Domini in Ferrera and became a Franciscan Tertiary. She would then join other young women in becoming a member of the Poor Clares, a contemplative order founded by St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare of Assisi. She was known to do some of the humblest of tasks at the convent, including serving as the laundress and the caretaker of animals.

Later in life, in 1456, she and 15 other sisters were sent to establish a Poor Clare monastery in Bologna, where she served as abbess.

Throughout her life, Catherine continued to express her faith through her art. She painted pictures of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and the saints and wrote spiritual guides and poetry. She is the patron saint of artists as well as liberal arts.

St. Catherine of Bologna also experienced spiritual visions throughout her life of both Jesus and Satan, including a frightening vision of the Last Judgement, which led her to increase her prayers for the salvation of sinners. She shared some of her experiences in Spiritual Weapons Necessary for Spiritual Warfare.

St. Catherine of Bologna died in 1463 and was canonized in 1712.