What do you think?
Rate this book
Saint Catherine of Siena
One of the greatest, most interesting, most influential and most popular saints in Church history. She was a stigmatist, miracle-worker, Doctor of the Church, Patroness of Italy, she brought the Papacy back to Rome from France, lived many years without eating, and brought thousands of souls to Christ, yet she died at only 33--an amazing story!
215 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 1980
7 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Alice Curtayne
42 books12 followersShe was an Irish author and lecturer. She was born on 6 November 1898, 2 Upper Castle St, Tralee, Co. Kerry. She was a daughter of John Curtayne, carriage builder, or coach builder, of Castle St, Tralee, by his wife Bridget Mary O'Dwyer.
She was educated at St. Anne's, Southampton. Married Stephen Rynne with two sons and two daughters.
Her first book was St Catherine of Siena (1929). After Catherine of Siena she wrote several works of nationalist history including a life of Patrick Sarsfield (1934). The novel House of Cards (1940) concerns an Irish girl who marries an Italian industrialist.
Alice lectured extensively in the US including at least three trans-American tours.
She gave the Medora A. Feehan Lectures in Irish History and Literature at Anna Maria College, Paxton, Massachusetts, USA in the Spring semester of 1959. The College awarded her an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters and she was presented with the Key to Worcester City by Mayor James D. O'Brien.
In December 1954 The Irish Press sent her to Rome to write daily reports on the close of The Marian Year. She went to Rome again for the final session of the Second Vatican Council. She was commissioned to send weekly reports to the local newspapers The Carlow Nationalist and The Kerryman. She also sent a series of profiles of outstanding personages of this Vatican Council to The Universe and an article for Hibernia journal.
She was educated at St. Anne's, Southampton. Married Stephen Rynne with two sons and two daughters.
Her first book was St Catherine of Siena (1929). After Catherine of Siena she wrote several works of nationalist history including a life of Patrick Sarsfield (1934). The novel House of Cards (1940) concerns an Irish girl who marries an Italian industrialist.
Alice lectured extensively in the US including at least three trans-American tours.
She gave the Medora A. Feehan Lectures in Irish History and Literature at Anna Maria College, Paxton, Massachusetts, USA in the Spring semester of 1959. The College awarded her an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters and she was presented with the Key to Worcester City by Mayor James D. O'Brien.
In December 1954 The Irish Press sent her to Rome to write daily reports on the close of The Marian Year. She went to Rome again for the final session of the Second Vatican Council. She was commissioned to send weekly reports to the local newspapers The Carlow Nationalist and The Kerryman. She also sent a series of profiles of outstanding personages of this Vatican Council to The Universe and an article for Hibernia journal.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 31, 2023
After Blessed Raymond's Life, Curtayne's take on St. Catherine gives a fresh view on the great mystic's earthly journey.
This book is a historical study of St. Catherine. It is well-researched and well-written. Subjectively speaking, it can be awesome or just okay, depending on your aim. If you want to get deeply spiritual and profoundly mystical, go read Blessed Raymond's work. But if you like history, or you want to understand the historical and political situations that prompted St. Catherine to do what she did, then please, read this book. You won't be disappointed :)
I personally think understanding the history cannot be separated from understanding the saint. One can only appreciate St. Catherine more fully if he acknowledges the political and ecclesial turmoils that took place. The book is also honest about St. Catherine being a controversial figure during her time—she was either a mad woman, a witch, or a saint.
But one thing for sure—and this book made it crystal clear—Catherine wasn't a girly girl goody two shoes churchgoing lady; she was a feisty, fiery, sometimes ironic and even sarcastic, servant of God and peacemaker between kingdoms. Oh and she also supported the Crusades.
This book is a historical study of St. Catherine. It is well-researched and well-written. Subjectively speaking, it can be awesome or just okay, depending on your aim. If you want to get deeply spiritual and profoundly mystical, go read Blessed Raymond's work. But if you like history, or you want to understand the historical and political situations that prompted St. Catherine to do what she did, then please, read this book. You won't be disappointed :)
I personally think understanding the history cannot be separated from understanding the saint. One can only appreciate St. Catherine more fully if he acknowledges the political and ecclesial turmoils that took place. The book is also honest about St. Catherine being a controversial figure during her time—she was either a mad woman, a witch, or a saint.
But one thing for sure—and this book made it crystal clear—Catherine wasn't a girly girl goody two shoes churchgoing lady; she was a feisty, fiery, sometimes ironic and even sarcastic, servant of God and peacemaker between kingdoms. Oh and she also supported the Crusades.
March 2, 2018
This was the third book by Alice Curtayne that I have read in the last few weeks. I first came across a new reprint edition of Twenty Tales of Irish Saints, and it was a wonderful read. Then I read the currently out of print More Tales of Irish Saints. And now this volume. My research to date indicates that she has 19 books that were published, and another that she edited. And I believe that only 3 of the 20 are currently in print. And it looks like I have some work cut out tracking down the others. For I have loved all three of Curtayne's books that I have read so far. But back to this specific book.
This was the first book I have read dedicated just to Catherine of Siena. But I have read extensive selections from her writings during my academic career. Unlike her two collections of stories about saints, that were written for a younger audience. This book was written for the more mature reader. First published in 1929 this edition was first released in 1980, just a year before she passed away. I loved this book. And it made me want to learn more about Catherine and read more of Curtayne's writings as well.
This book is very well researched. With an extensive bibliography and end notes sections. The first part of the book is called Crusading and the chapters in that part of the bookare:
I An Unusual Vocation
II The Re-Ordering Of A Life
III In The Public Eye
IV The School Of Mystics
V Dieu Le Veult
VI The Divine Seal
VII The Tuscan League
VIII In Exitu Israel
IX The Peace-Maker
X The Mystery Of Failure
The section part of the book is called Schism and the chapters are:
I In Die Nubis Et Caliginis
II Disillusionment
III The Hour Of Vigil
IV The Martyr By Desire
V The End
VI The Cult Of Saint Catherine Of Siena
The book begins with a historical perspective. Beginning with the plague ravaging Europe beginning when Catherine was only a year old. In setting the stage Alice states:
"The effects of this catastrophe came slowly of course. The immediate survivors did not perceive any great change in the world about them. It was at least a quarter of a century before the results began to tell. They were, therefore, becoming obvious when Catherine Benincasa was grown up. Change was then apparent everywhere. After the Black Death, the feudal system was no more; the vernacular languages sprang up (England emerged from it, speaking English). Dante and Boccaccio illustrate the transition: on one side of the bridge of death, Dante almost apologizes for using the vernacular; he has to defend the novelty. But in Catherine's day, Boccaccio takes such use for granted. The Renaissance began to stir, making tense this epoch of transition."
She also states:
"The effect on the Church concerns us most. The Black Death shook it at a moment when it was ill-prepared. The Papacy had already lost prestige."
And this is the environment that Catherine was born and lived. And from reading this story she spent a great deal of her time and effort restoring the papacy some of it's prestige.
I do not know how someone could read this book and not have their faith challenged. Like many who encountered Catherine in real life if they are not a believer they will be challenged to believe. And if they are a believer they will be challenged. Reading about this woman's faith and devotion, to God, to the church and to her friends and family is incredibly inspiring. This book helped me fall in love with this saint, and the author of her story.
I am very thankful to have read this book and encourage you to do so also!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by alice Curtayne.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2018 Catholic Reading Plan!
This was the first book I have read dedicated just to Catherine of Siena. But I have read extensive selections from her writings during my academic career. Unlike her two collections of stories about saints, that were written for a younger audience. This book was written for the more mature reader. First published in 1929 this edition was first released in 1980, just a year before she passed away. I loved this book. And it made me want to learn more about Catherine and read more of Curtayne's writings as well.
This book is very well researched. With an extensive bibliography and end notes sections. The first part of the book is called Crusading and the chapters in that part of the bookare:
I An Unusual Vocation
II The Re-Ordering Of A Life
III In The Public Eye
IV The School Of Mystics
V Dieu Le Veult
VI The Divine Seal
VII The Tuscan League
VIII In Exitu Israel
IX The Peace-Maker
X The Mystery Of Failure
The section part of the book is called Schism and the chapters are:
I In Die Nubis Et Caliginis
II Disillusionment
III The Hour Of Vigil
IV The Martyr By Desire
V The End
VI The Cult Of Saint Catherine Of Siena
The book begins with a historical perspective. Beginning with the plague ravaging Europe beginning when Catherine was only a year old. In setting the stage Alice states:
"The effects of this catastrophe came slowly of course. The immediate survivors did not perceive any great change in the world about them. It was at least a quarter of a century before the results began to tell. They were, therefore, becoming obvious when Catherine Benincasa was grown up. Change was then apparent everywhere. After the Black Death, the feudal system was no more; the vernacular languages sprang up (England emerged from it, speaking English). Dante and Boccaccio illustrate the transition: on one side of the bridge of death, Dante almost apologizes for using the vernacular; he has to defend the novelty. But in Catherine's day, Boccaccio takes such use for granted. The Renaissance began to stir, making tense this epoch of transition."
She also states:
"The effect on the Church concerns us most. The Black Death shook it at a moment when it was ill-prepared. The Papacy had already lost prestige."
And this is the environment that Catherine was born and lived. And from reading this story she spent a great deal of her time and effort restoring the papacy some of it's prestige.
I do not know how someone could read this book and not have their faith challenged. Like many who encountered Catherine in real life if they are not a believer they will be challenged to believe. And if they are a believer they will be challenged. Reading about this woman's faith and devotion, to God, to the church and to her friends and family is incredibly inspiring. This book helped me fall in love with this saint, and the author of her story.
I am very thankful to have read this book and encourage you to do so also!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by alice Curtayne.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2018 Catholic Reading Plan!
April 27, 2020
Written by an Irishwoman and meticulously researched, this not only gives one insight into a singularly influential woman, but also the political environment in which she worked to prevent the great schism in the Catholic Church. Her work was to end in failure in her lifetime, but she is remarkable as a mystic, without formal education, who had the ear of two popes. The book is a compelling read.
April 12, 2020
The inspiring story of St. Catherine of Siena. The text was originally written in 1929 and it shows. Catherine starts off front and center of this biography, but is increasingly moved to the background as the author explains complicated political events that her subject participated in. It is remarkable that such a young woman had such weighty influence during her life.
August 18, 2023
Very good biography; very intense. Compared with other biographies that I've read of her, it gave me a different understanding of Catherine: a much more exceptional one. I was left speechless more than once. She was passionate & fervent beyond anything I could have imagine.
August 23, 2013
I read this a few years ago and I think I found it a little too flowery... I actually preferred Louis de Wohl's biographical novel.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews