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St Catherine of Siena: Mystic of Fire, Preacher of Freedom: Mystic of Fire, Preacher of Freedom
Paul Murray OP examines the depth and range of Catherine's vision of freedom, claiming that until now her understanding of freedom has received surprisingly little attention from readers and scholars. Murray demonstrates that a preoccupation with freedom is the 'fire' behind almost every page and paragraph she writes, and as a result freedom becomes her veritable obsession.
He explores the liberating character of Catherine's teaching, with particular attention given to her understanding of fear as one of greatest enemies of freedom. Murray highlights the importance of self-knowledge in the journey from bondage of freedom, and employs the rubric of the Dominican motto, To Praise, to Bless, to Preach; as a benchmark to examine the remarkable freedom of Catherine's life and thought.
He explores the liberating character of Catherine's teaching, with particular attention given to her understanding of fear as one of greatest enemies of freedom. Murray highlights the importance of self-knowledge in the journey from bondage of freedom, and employs the rubric of the Dominican motto, To Praise, to Bless, to Preach; as a benchmark to examine the remarkable freedom of Catherine's life and thought.
160 pages, Hardcover
Published July 9, 2020
121 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Paul Murray
32 books13 followersPaul Brendan Murray, O.P. (born 26 November 1947) is an Irish Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, poet, writer, and professor.
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 10, 2024
The booked helped me learn more about Catherine of Siena - and also increased my desire to read the Dialogues, but the format was an absolute drag. It was far more a scholarly essay than a book, and looking from paragraph to footnotes over 120 times per chapter gets awfully tiresome, and interrupted the flow of writing way too much.
Just give me some paragraphs of her own writing/her literal interactions with God rather than quoting a word or two in order to make sure you’re not plagiarizing! It didn’t honor its own concluding statement - that she is “well able to preach herself.” It’s a 2 and not a 1 star simply because it makes me want to read more of her work…but really not my cup of tea in terms of my preferred mode of reading the writings of/about a saint.
Just give me some paragraphs of her own writing/her literal interactions with God rather than quoting a word or two in order to make sure you’re not plagiarizing! It didn’t honor its own concluding statement - that she is “well able to preach herself.” It’s a 2 and not a 1 star simply because it makes me want to read more of her work…but really not my cup of tea in terms of my preferred mode of reading the writings of/about a saint.
May 15, 2020
Honestly, I don't know how to put into words how beautiful this book was. It was my intro to St. Catherine and while it's not a biography per se, I think it's a great place to start for anyone who wants to get to know this incredible saint! What stood out to me especially is how she held everyone she knew to the highest of standards and made no excuses (especially for herself), but was able to couple that with a profound compassion to those she saw trapped in sin. She was very harsh in her admonitions of others (and again, herself) not to judge others, though she admitted that she herself struggled with this. A few passages that stood out to me:
~On judgement: "Leave this and every other kind of judgment to me, because it is my prerogative, not yours. Give up judgment, which belongs to me, and take up compassion."
~On God's love and human love: "'I ask you to love me with the same love with which I love you. But for me you cannot do this, for I have loved you without being loved.' This thought is then developed a further step: 'Whatever love you have for me you owe me, so you love me not gratuitously. So you cannot give me the kind of love I ask of you.' What then is the solution? Is there a way in which infinite love can be answered by mere finite human love? The reply Catherine hears at this point in the Dialogue is startling and yet familiar. It contains both the surprise and the authority of the Gospel: 'This is why I have put you among your neighbors: so that you can do for them what you cannot do for me--that is, love them without any concern for thanks and without looking for any profit for yourself. And whatever you do for them I will consider done for me.'"
~"Do not be satisfied with little things for God expects big ones."
~"Learn from the Master of truth, who preached virtue only after he had practiced it."
~On mercy: "The Father makes clear to Catherine in the Dialogue that the greatest mistake we can make in life is to imagine that human wretchedness is somehow greater than divine mercy. That conviction can all too easily lead to despair, and even to 'the refusal, the scorning of mercy.' Over and over again we hear repeated in Catherine's writings the core message of the Gospel: 'God's mercy (which we discover in the blood) is greater than our misery.'"
~on preaching the Good News!: "Becoming a preacher is more than learning to speak about God. It is discovering the art of praising and blessing all that is good. There is no preaching without celebration. We cannot preach unless we celebrate and praise the goodness of what God has made. Sometimes the preacher must confront and denounce injustice, but only so that life may have the victory over death, and resurrection over the tomb, and praise over accusation."
~On judgement: "Leave this and every other kind of judgment to me, because it is my prerogative, not yours. Give up judgment, which belongs to me, and take up compassion."
~On God's love and human love: "'I ask you to love me with the same love with which I love you. But for me you cannot do this, for I have loved you without being loved.' This thought is then developed a further step: 'Whatever love you have for me you owe me, so you love me not gratuitously. So you cannot give me the kind of love I ask of you.' What then is the solution? Is there a way in which infinite love can be answered by mere finite human love? The reply Catherine hears at this point in the Dialogue is startling and yet familiar. It contains both the surprise and the authority of the Gospel: 'This is why I have put you among your neighbors: so that you can do for them what you cannot do for me--that is, love them without any concern for thanks and without looking for any profit for yourself. And whatever you do for them I will consider done for me.'"
~"Do not be satisfied with little things for God expects big ones."
~"Learn from the Master of truth, who preached virtue only after he had practiced it."
~On mercy: "The Father makes clear to Catherine in the Dialogue that the greatest mistake we can make in life is to imagine that human wretchedness is somehow greater than divine mercy. That conviction can all too easily lead to despair, and even to 'the refusal, the scorning of mercy.' Over and over again we hear repeated in Catherine's writings the core message of the Gospel: 'God's mercy (which we discover in the blood) is greater than our misery.'"
~on preaching the Good News!: "Becoming a preacher is more than learning to speak about God. It is discovering the art of praising and blessing all that is good. There is no preaching without celebration. We cannot preach unless we celebrate and praise the goodness of what God has made. Sometimes the preacher must confront and denounce injustice, but only so that life may have the victory over death, and resurrection over the tomb, and praise over accusation."
June 29, 2021
Father Murray (not the Irish novelist that this app identifies as the author) once again demonstrates his superior ability as a theological writer. He has a marvelous way of communicating the insights of this medieval mystic to contemporary readers, in turn drawing us back into the drama and depth of Saint Catherine’s life and era. This work demonstrates the best of Dominican preaching, both scholarly and contemplative.
May 22, 2020
Another hard book to get into. I decided to just read her letters. As boring otherwise. Not a very good book to understand and a lot of repeating of words, would not recommend. Boring and long.
October 11, 2024
Read this during Covid. Astounded by the simplicity of expressed profound truth.
Her words move me - and the world when it listens.
Need to reread it
Her words move me - and the world when it listens.
Need to reread it
March 21, 2025
“A joyous, a sweet fire of love and light of the Holy Spirit, a heart brave and not fearful.”
Super inspiring, and I love how she saw the world, not a let down but something to nurture and improve. I aspire to be like St Catherine of Siena and set the world on fire. (Not literally, but with my fervor for what I believe in)
Super inspiring, and I love how she saw the world, not a let down but something to nurture and improve. I aspire to be like St Catherine of Siena and set the world on fire. (Not literally, but with my fervor for what I believe in)
July 4, 2025
Book was structured in a way that felt pieced together/unorganized, but taught me so much about St Catherine of Siena!! She slays
July 7, 2021
I will admit that I knew nothing of St. Catherine of Siena before reading this book. This book was suggested to me by a Bible Study. I took it up as a challenge and I was pleasantly suprised. (I should note that I am reading through the Dialogue).
St. Catherine of Siena is one of the Doctors of the Church…which is remarkable considering that she had no formal education…being a laywoman in the 1300s. Yet as Paul Murray relays in Saint Catherine of Siena: Mystic of Fire, Preacher of Freedom, Catherine was a force to be reckoned with. After receiving her initial calling from God at age 6, she went on to be able to guide thousands on the spiritual pilgrimage. Along the way she called attention to injustice and even lambasted a Pope or two. (Talk about gutsy!)
I was expecting a book that was mostly hagiography and devoid of critical or historical examinations of Catherine’s life and work. However, this book is very balanced in its presentation. While being ‘pro’ Catherine, they do talk about some of the issues concerning her life (her temper being one). I appreciated Murray’s willingness to really try to engage with her writings to show what she meant and where she falls short.
An interesting point of the book was comparing Catherine and Carl Jung on the issue of self knowledge. The two, separated by more than 500 years and coming from very different theological positions, come to interesting parallels concerning the self.
The book is very easy to read and not technical at all. Murray is an engaging writer who seeks to help the reader understand Catherine’s signficance and major points without presenting a nuanced and detailed appraisal of her work. I find that this volume is a very nice companion to the writings of St. Catherine herself.
I highly recommend this book for pastors or Christians who want to grow in their Christian faith.
Grade: B+
St. Catherine of Siena is one of the Doctors of the Church…which is remarkable considering that she had no formal education…being a laywoman in the 1300s. Yet as Paul Murray relays in Saint Catherine of Siena: Mystic of Fire, Preacher of Freedom, Catherine was a force to be reckoned with. After receiving her initial calling from God at age 6, she went on to be able to guide thousands on the spiritual pilgrimage. Along the way she called attention to injustice and even lambasted a Pope or two. (Talk about gutsy!)
I was expecting a book that was mostly hagiography and devoid of critical or historical examinations of Catherine’s life and work. However, this book is very balanced in its presentation. While being ‘pro’ Catherine, they do talk about some of the issues concerning her life (her temper being one). I appreciated Murray’s willingness to really try to engage with her writings to show what she meant and where she falls short.
An interesting point of the book was comparing Catherine and Carl Jung on the issue of self knowledge. The two, separated by more than 500 years and coming from very different theological positions, come to interesting parallels concerning the self.
The book is very easy to read and not technical at all. Murray is an engaging writer who seeks to help the reader understand Catherine’s signficance and major points without presenting a nuanced and detailed appraisal of her work. I find that this volume is a very nice companion to the writings of St. Catherine herself.
I highly recommend this book for pastors or Christians who want to grow in their Christian faith.
Grade: B+
September 5, 2024
The head of Catherine of Siena is preserved in the Basilica of San Domenico in Siena, Italy. I saw this relic while I visited Siena in 2011. I knew she was a great saint and a Doctor of the Church. But, I really didn't know much about her, so I read this book.
God chooses the humble and lowly to spread His message to the world and Saint Catherine fits the bill. She was of humble origins and not educated, which makes her life that more remarkable. She professed a doctrine of freedom and she believed it was a lack of freedom, including the freedom of will that led people to sin.
One of the more interesting parts of this book is the comparison of Catherine with that of Jung. Jung has a concept of the psychological shadow which is the hidden, repressed and guilt-laden personality within us. For self-knowledge, we need to acknowledge this fact. Jung states "nobody can dodge his own shadow". Catherine agrees on the importance of self-knowledge. Jung was hostile to religion while Catherine believes "in a God of unimaginable goodness". The author goes into great detail on the differences and similarities of their perspectives of the "the shadow". It's a great contrast of the secular and the divine.
This humble woman was able to not only get an audience with the Pope, but also convinced him to move back to Rome from Avignon. This book encapsulates the many beliefs she fostered that clarified many Catholic doctrines.
God chooses the humble and lowly to spread His message to the world and Saint Catherine fits the bill. She was of humble origins and not educated, which makes her life that more remarkable. She professed a doctrine of freedom and she believed it was a lack of freedom, including the freedom of will that led people to sin.
One of the more interesting parts of this book is the comparison of Catherine with that of Jung. Jung has a concept of the psychological shadow which is the hidden, repressed and guilt-laden personality within us. For self-knowledge, we need to acknowledge this fact. Jung states "nobody can dodge his own shadow". Catherine agrees on the importance of self-knowledge. Jung was hostile to religion while Catherine believes "in a God of unimaginable goodness". The author goes into great detail on the differences and similarities of their perspectives of the "the shadow". It's a great contrast of the secular and the divine.
This humble woman was able to not only get an audience with the Pope, but also convinced him to move back to Rome from Avignon. This book encapsulates the many beliefs she fostered that clarified many Catholic doctrines.
September 15, 2020
What a woman. What a writer. This is not the first book on St. Catherine of Siena I've read, but it is the best. My deepest bow to Father Paul Murray for masterfully creating an 8- course meal from the deep mysticism of this saint that not only satiates the hungry soul, but somehow manages to do so in digestible bite-sized pieces. A magnificent fete.
Few pages escaped being underlined as he shows us how this laywoman, perceived as "feeble and of no account," taught how to attain a level of serene freedom. From her explanation of "how the Evil One can put into people's heads certain negative thoughts about the lives of their neighbors that have no basis in reality" (p.21) to the greatest mistake we can make in life (p.166), Catherine's wisdom and skill at leadership and counsel comes alive at a perfect time to help us face discouragement and evil in our present darkness.
The miracle of how she learned to read in order to pray the Divine Office was new to me. Murray excels at organizing the writings of this Doctor of the Church and illuminating the light she shines on the loveliness of a human soul.
Few pages escaped being underlined as he shows us how this laywoman, perceived as "feeble and of no account," taught how to attain a level of serene freedom. From her explanation of "how the Evil One can put into people's heads certain negative thoughts about the lives of their neighbors that have no basis in reality" (p.21) to the greatest mistake we can make in life (p.166), Catherine's wisdom and skill at leadership and counsel comes alive at a perfect time to help us face discouragement and evil in our present darkness.
The miracle of how she learned to read in order to pray the Divine Office was new to me. Murray excels at organizing the writings of this Doctor of the Church and illuminating the light she shines on the loveliness of a human soul.
May 19, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Profound but accessible. It is not a biography but rather expounds on certain aspects of the teaching of this Doctor of the Church.
The book is divided into three sections: Bondage into Freedom, Fire and Shadow (Catherine's Vision of the Self), and "To Praise, to Bless, To Preach" (Catherine's Three Remarkable Freedoms). For me, the best section was the first -- I found many memorable passages here. The second section was most heavily philosophical but I managed my way through and gained some insight. The third section is the most "Dominican" section and really highlights how Catherine espoused prayer, blessing, and preaching.
Whether or not one knows Catherine's bio, this book is worthwhile on its own. For Dominicans it is a must-read.
The book is divided into three sections: Bondage into Freedom, Fire and Shadow (Catherine's Vision of the Self), and "To Praise, to Bless, To Preach" (Catherine's Three Remarkable Freedoms). For me, the best section was the first -- I found many memorable passages here. The second section was most heavily philosophical but I managed my way through and gained some insight. The third section is the most "Dominican" section and really highlights how Catherine espoused prayer, blessing, and preaching.
Whether or not one knows Catherine's bio, this book is worthwhile on its own. For Dominicans it is a must-read.
March 29, 2024
Father Murray pulls from a wide variety of sources and structures his writing so that the reader gets a good feel for her thought which stems from her love of the Lord. In some ways, this isn't the typical biography that begins with when she is born and describes the context in which she lived until she died. While it does touch on some of those things, her life as a narrative wasn't really the aim of the book. Rather, Father Murray does an excellent job of showing how seeking to understand Saint Catherine is suited for our time. TL;DR Saint Catherine is a baller.
August 8, 2021
An exceptional work! The research was phenomenal. It was, however, very deep and I struggled to keep focused for very long. St. Catherine was such an outstanding woman, especially in her time (mid-1300s) when women were for the most part disregarded for anything that they might say. She was a woman dedicated to her Lord, and wanted to make sure that EVERYONE else was too.
July 29, 2020
This is a truly beautiful book. I was recommended this book my my local priest. I had no knowledge of St. Catherine previously. This is a well written, easy to read book which gives a great introduction to this Doctor of the Church.
July 30, 2020
I know I liked Catherine of Siena, she’s long been one of “my” saints.... but this perspective on her writing and life made me love her even more. She was a bold woman ahead of her time while being so very much of her time.
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October 6, 2020Very interesting take on the Life of Catherine of Siena. She did a lot in a very short life!
January 5, 2021
Quotes from Catherine's letters an her Dialogue are grouped around themes that she spoke on.
Reflection for prayer.
Reflection for prayer.
January 27, 2023
Solid effort, more of an overview of the letters. Best chapter is the comparison to Jung. If the whole book really dug into that it would be much better.
August 8, 2023
A wonderful book about St. Catherine. This makes me want to read more about her and her life.
July 6, 2025
Entralling
Never knew Catherine as she was described in this book. What a marvelous saint we can hope to learn from
Never knew Catherine as she was described in this book. What a marvelous saint we can hope to learn from
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews