Saint Catherine de Ricci

"Look down, we beseech Thee, O Lord, on this Thy family for which Our Lord Jesus Christ did not hesitate to be delivered into the hands of the wicked, and suffer the torments of the Cross."
- Saint Catherine de Ricci (1522 - 1589)

Today is the feast day of Saint Catherine de Ricci. Catherine was born Alexandrina in 1522 in Florence, Italy. From a very early age she showed a great love for prayer. At the age of six, her father placed her in the convent of Monticelli in Florence with her aunt, Louisa de Ricci, who was a nun there. After a return home, Catherine entered a convent at Prat in Tuscany when she was fourteen. She soon became mistress of novices, then sub prioress, and when she was twenty-five she became perpetual prioress. Catherine became known for her great sanctity, and was visited by many people. Among these people, there were three men who all later became pope and Saint Philip Neri, who she corresponded with. She is known especially for her "Ecstasy of the Passion, which she experienced  from noon on Thursday till four o'clock on Friday. After a long illness, Catherine died in 1589. 

Saint Catherine de Ricci, pray for us!

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Picture Of And Information About Saint Catherine Taken From:

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=587

http://catholicfire.blogspot.com/2009/02/st-catherine-de-ricci-mystic-and.html

http://www.chillyguess.com/2012/02/saint-of-day-st-catherine-de-ricci.html