My saints for the year

Angela has offered to draw patron saints again this year. Originally, I had St. Matthew, which was perfect because we were studying his gospel in bible study. I had St. Luke this year. Now, she's set me up with....

[drum roll please!]

Swissmiss - St. Catherine of Siena
Hubby - St. Michael
Son - St. Francis Xavier
Daughter - St. Clare
and she drew one for my brother who is serving in Iraq - St. Matthew

It will be interesting to have a Dominican patron for the year since I have Carmelite leanings. Now I WILL have to read some of her work.

Check out Angela's blog to get a patron saint for yourself.

A bit about St. Catherine from Wiki, click on the link to read more:

Saint Catherine of Siena, O.P. (March 25, 1347 – April 29, 1380) was a Tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the Papacy back to Rome from its displacement in France, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states.

Saint Catherine was born Catherine Benin in Siena, Italy, to Giacomo di Benincasa, a clothdyer, and Lapa Piagenti, possibly daughter of a local poet. Born in 1347, she was the 24th out of 25 children, h, she took the habit of the Dominican Tertiaries after vigorous protests from the Tertiaries themselves.

In about 1366, St Catherine experienced what she described in her letters as a "Mystical Marriage" with Jesus. Her biographer Raymond of Capua also records that she was told by Christ to leave her withdrawn life and enter the public life of the world. Catherine dedicated much of her life to helping the ill and the poor, where she took care of them in hospitals or homes. Her early pious activities in Siena attracted a group of followers, both women and men, while they also brought her to the attention of the Dominican Order, which called her to Florence in 1374 to interrogate her for possible heresy. After this visit, in which she was deemed sufficiently orthodox, she began travelling with her followers throughout northern and central Italy advocating reform of the clergy and the launch of a new crusade and advising people that repentance and renewal could be done through "the total love for God."