Additional information
by Paul Murray (Author)
Catherine of Siena is one of the most intriguing and explosive saints in Church history. A young laywoman with almost no education, she became renowned for her intense mystical experiences, inspired preaching, and scathing criticism of corrupt political and ecclesial authorities. She is even recognized today as a Doctor of the Church--the only layperson to ever receive the title--yet comes across to us more as an apostle than an intellectual. Her work is like Aquinas' Summa set on fire.
But for all the fascination with Catherine, the distinguishing feature of her life has received surprisingly little attention: her preoccupation with freedom. Catherine had a keen sense of the "unspeakably crazy" love of God and the liberating power of his mercy. But she also knew the terrible bondage of sin--and the necessity of facing our own inner darkness if we are to overcome it. She had a passion for leading those enslaved by fear and oppression to self-knowledge in God--and ultimately, to true freedom. It is this "fire" that inflames almost every page she writes.
In this profound book, the Irish Dominican poet and writer Fr. Paul Murray draws us into the fire of this great mystic's love for God and humanity, reading her life and teaching not only in light of Dominican spirituality, but also the writings of Renaissance philosopher Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and the modern psychologist Carl Jung. What results is a portrait of a preacher of freedom who speaks to us, even today, with compelling authority.
Front Jacket
St. Catherine of Siena is well-known for her mysticism, preaching, and piercing intellect""she's the only layperson to ever be named a Doctor of the Church""but her work is written with a fiery passion that is not common to theological works.
But for all the attention to St. Catherine, surprisingly little has been said about her understanding of freedom. While she knew well the "unspeakably crazy" love of God, she also recognized the slavery of sin and the necessity of facing our own inner darkness. Her passion, the passion that inflamed almost all of her works, was to lead those enslaved by sin to freedom and self-knowledge in God.
In this profound new book from the Word on Fire Institute, the Irish Dominican poet and writer Fr. Paul Murray, OP, draws us into the fire of St. Catherine's love for God and humanity. This unique book looks at her life through not only the lens of Dominican spirituality but also the work of Renaissance philosopher Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and the modern psychologist Carl Jung. Murray ultimately draws a compelling portrait of a saint and thinker whose writing still speaks to us forcefully.
Author Biography
Fr. Paul Murray, OP, an Irish Dominican friar, lives in Rome, where he teaches courses on the literature of the Western mystical tradition at the Angelicum University. He is a Fellow of the Word on Fire Institute and has published many books, including St. Catherine of Siena: Mystic of Fire, Preacher of Freedom; A Journey with Jonah: The Spirituality of Bewilderment; Scars: Essays, Poems, and Meditations on Affliction; Aquinas at Prayer: The Bible, Mysticism, and Poetry; and God's Spies: Michelangelo, Shakespeare, and Other Poets of Vision.
