Catherine of Racconigi
Encyclopedia
The Blessed Catherine of Racconigi, T.O.S.D., (1487, – 1574, Racconigi
) was a member of the Dominican Order
of the Roman Catholic Church
. She is recognized for being a mystic
and a stigmatic.
region of Northwest Italy
in 1487 into an impoverished household. The name of the location where she was born and raised is not recorded in the annals, other than it was in the Province of Cuneo
. Her father was an unemployed locksmith while her mother was a weaver who was the one able to support the family through her labors. As is common in that situation, her father was often depressed
and quarrelsome, thus the family environment was usually one of conflict.
At the age of 5 she began to have visions of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. She would also begin to have visions of other saints such as the Dominican
s Catherine of Siena
and Peter Martyr
. The Virgin told her that Jesus wanted to have her as his Bride, as a token of which she was given a wedding ring
, which she had all her life--but which only she could see. She began to have frequent ecstasies
and visions of Jesus, who always appeared to her as the same age she was at the time of the vision.
Many miracles would result from her visions: a broken dish was made whole again, and money and food would be provided when the family’s poverty was extreme. In times of trial the heavenly host
s came to comfort the girl, who received great consolation from the aspiration, "Jesus, my hope!"
Blessed Catherine eventually joined the Dominican Order
herself, but, like St. Catherine, she was opposed in this wish by her family. As a result, instead of entering a monastery of the cloister
ed nun
s of the Order, she became a tertiary of the Order, continuing to live with her family. As the visions increased she received the stigmata
, although, like her ring, her wounds were concealed until after her death.
Her mystical experiences roused a storm of gossip among her neighbors, who were terrified at the lights and sounds that came from her home; even the Dominican friar
s began to ostracize her. Eventually she was forced out of the town and settled in the city of Racconigi. During her lifetime, Catherine was sought for counsel and prayer. She would keep in her prayers in a special way the salvation of soldiers who were dying in battle.
was approved in 1810 by Pope Pius VII.
Racconigi
Racconigi is a town and comune in Piedmont, Italy. It is located in the province of Cuneo, south of Turin, and north of Cuneo by rail.The economy is mostly based on agriculture, production of milk and meat, and industrial working of metal sheets....
) was a member of the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. She is recognized for being a mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
and a stigmatic.
Biography
Catherine Mattei was born in the PiedmontPiedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
region of Northwest Italy
Northwest Italy
Northwest Italy is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics , a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency...
in 1487 into an impoverished household. The name of the location where she was born and raised is not recorded in the annals, other than it was in the Province of Cuneo
Province of Cuneo
ayr is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ....
. Her father was an unemployed locksmith while her mother was a weaver who was the one able to support the family through her labors. As is common in that situation, her father was often depressed
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
and quarrelsome, thus the family environment was usually one of conflict.
At the age of 5 she began to have visions of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. She would also begin to have visions of other saints such as the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
s Catherine of Siena
Catherine of Siena
Saint Catherine of Siena, T.O.S.D, was a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the papacy of Gregory XI back to Rome from its displacement in France, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. She was proclaimed a Doctor...
and Peter Martyr
Peter of Verona
Saint Peter of Verona O.P. , also known as Saint Peter Martyr, was a 13th century Italian Catholic priest. He was a Dominican friar and a celebrated preacher...
. The Virgin told her that Jesus wanted to have her as his Bride, as a token of which she was given a wedding ring
Wedding ring
A wedding ring or wedding band is a metal ring indicating the wearer is married. Depending on the local culture, it is worn on the base of the right or the left ring finger. The custom of wearing such a ring has spread widely beyond its origin in Europe...
, which she had all her life--but which only she could see. She began to have frequent ecstasies
Religious ecstasy
Religious ecstasy is an altered state of consciousness characterized by greatly reduced external awareness and expanded interior mental and spiritual awareness which is frequently accompanied by visions and emotional/intuitive euphoria...
and visions of Jesus, who always appeared to her as the same age she was at the time of the vision.
Many miracles would result from her visions: a broken dish was made whole again, and money and food would be provided when the family’s poverty was extreme. In times of trial the heavenly host
Heavenly host
Heavenly host refers to an army of good angels mentioned in the Bible. It is led either by the Archangel Michael, Jesus, or by God himself. Most descriptions of angels in the Bible describe them in military terms, such as encampment , command structure , and combat...
s came to comfort the girl, who received great consolation from the aspiration, "Jesus, my hope!"
Blessed Catherine eventually joined the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
herself, but, like St. Catherine, she was opposed in this wish by her family. As a result, instead of entering a monastery of the cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
ed nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s of the Order, she became a tertiary of the Order, continuing to live with her family. As the visions increased she received the stigmata
Stigmata
Stigmata are bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus, such as the hands and feet...
, although, like her ring, her wounds were concealed until after her death.
Her mystical experiences roused a storm of gossip among her neighbors, who were terrified at the lights and sounds that came from her home; even the Dominican friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
s began to ostracize her. Eventually she was forced out of the town and settled in the city of Racconigi. During her lifetime, Catherine was sought for counsel and prayer. She would keep in her prayers in a special way the salvation of soldiers who were dying in battle.
Veneration
Many miracles took place before and after her death and her detractors came to acknowledge the holiness of her life. Her cultCult (religious practice)
In traditional usage, the cult of a religion, quite apart from its sacred writings , its theology or myths, or the personal faith of its believers, is the totality of external religious practice and observance, the neglect of which is the definition of impiety. Cult in this primary sense is...
was approved in 1810 by Pope Pius VII.