Saint catherine de ricci biography of albert

When she was between six and seven years old, her father placed her in the Convent of Monticelli, near the gates of Florence, where her aunt, Louisa de Ricci, was a nun. This place was to her a paradise: at a distance from the noise and tumult of the world, she served God without impediment or distraction. After some years her father took her home.

She continued her usual exercises in the world as much as she was able; but the interruptions and dissipation, inseparable from her station, gave her so much uneasiness that, with the in consent of her father, which she obtained, though with great difficulty, in the yearthe fourteenth of her age, she received the religious veil in the convent of Dominicanesses at Prat, in Tuscany, to which her uncle, F.

Timothy de Ricci, was director. God, in the merciful design to make her the spouse of his crucified Son, and to imprint in her soul dispositions conformable to his, was pleased to exercise her patience by rigorous trials For two years she suffered inexpressible pains under a complication of violent distempers, which remedies themselves served only to increase.

These sufferings she sanctified by the interior dispositions with which she bore them, and which she nourished principally by assiduous meditation on the passion of Christ, in which she found an incredible relish and a solid comfort and joy. After the recovery of her health, which seemed miraculous, she studied more perfectly to die to her senses, and to advance in a penitential life and spirit, in which God had begun to conduct her, by practicing the greatest austerities which were compatible with the obedience she had professed; she fasted two or three days a week on bread and water, and sometimes passed the whole day without taking any nourishment, and chastised her body with disciplines and a sharp iron chain which she wore next her skin.

Her obedience, humility, and meekness were still more admirable than her spirit of penance. The least shadow of distinction or commendation gave her inexpressible uneasiness and confusion, and she would have rejoiced to be able to lie hid in the centre of the earth, in order to be entirely unknown to and blotted out of the hearts of all mankind, such were the sentiments of annihilation and contempt of herself in which she constantly lived.

It was by profound humility and perfect interior self-denial that she learned to vanquish in her heart the sentiments or life of the first Adam—that is, of corruption, sin, and inordinate self-love. But this victory over herself, and purgation of her affections, was completed by a perfect spirit of prayer; for by the union of her soul with God, and the establishment of the absolute reign of his love in her heart, she was dead to and disengaged from all earthly things.

And in one act of sublime prayer she advanced more than by a hundred exterior practices in the purity and ardour of her desire to do constantly what was most agreeable to God, to lose no occasion of practicing every heroic virtue, and of vigorously resisting all that was evil. Prayer, holy meditation, and contemplation were the means by which God imprinted in her soul sublime ideas of his heavenly truths, the strongest and most tender sentiments of all virtues, and the most burning desire to give all to God, saint catherine de ricci biography of albert an incredible relish and affection for suffering contempt and poverty for Christ.

The fame of it was bringing so many people of every rank and calling to Prato that the peace and strict observance of the convent were suffering. Charles Borromeo, St. Philip Neri, and St. Magdalen de Pazzi. With the two last-named she is said to have held, in different ways, miraculous intercourse, never having met them in a natural way. She was beatified in by Clement XIIafter many delays in the process, and canonized by Benedict XIV in on both occasions amid great rejoicings at Pratowhere her memory is always kept fresh.

The lineal descendants of her community still inhabit the convent of San Vincenzio now commonly called Santa Caterinaand there her body still reposes. Her feast is kept on the 13th of February. For the original sources see the Letters of Catherine de' Ricci, ed. Gherardi Florence, ; also two old Italian lives by Razzi and Guidi with documents mentioned.

A number of her letters with full details of her life may be found in Capes, Life of St. Catherine de' Ricci London, APA citation. Capes, F. Catherine de' Ricci. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. After a short time outside the monastery, at the age of thirteen she entered the Convent of St Vincent in PratoTuscanya cloistered community of the Third Order of St.

They were disciples of the noted Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarolawho followed the strict regimen of life she desired. In May she received the religious habit from the hands of her uncle, Timoteo de' Ricci, who was confessor to the convent, and the religious name Catherinethe name of her deceased mother. De' Ricci's novitiate was a time of trial.

She is reported to have been experienced visions of Mary and the Christ child. Eventually the other sisters became aware of the spiritual basis for her behavior. By the age of 25 Catherine had been elected prioress.

Saint catherine de ricci biography of albert

As prioress, de' Ricci developed into an effective and greatly admired administrator. She was an advisor on various topics to princes, bishops and cardinals. She corresponded with three men who later became popes: Marcello Cervini degli SpannocchiIppolito Aldobrandiniand Alessandro Ottaviano de' Medici. Catherine's advice was widely sought; she gave counsel both in person and through exchanging letters.

It is reported that she was extremely effective and efficient in her work, managing her priorities very well. It is claimed that de' Ricci's meditation on the Passion of Christ was so deep that she spontaneously bled, as if scourged and bore the stigmata. During times of deep prayer, like Catherine of Sienaher patron sainta ring-shaped stigm, representing her marriage to Christ, appeared on her finger.

It is reported that de' Ricci wore an iron chain around her neck and engaged in extreme fasting and other forms of penance and sacrifice, especially for souls in purgatory. One of the miracles that was documented for her canonization was her appearance many hundreds of miles away from where she was physically located in a vision to Philip Neria resident of Romewith whom she had maintained a long-term correspondence.