St. Catherine of Siena

Catherine was the 25th child of a wool dryer in Italy. She began having mystical experiences at the age of 6. She was gifted with the ability to see Guardian angels, as clearly as the people they protected. She became a Dominican tertiary at the age of 16, and from that time on, she had usual visions of Christ, Mary and the saints. Catherine had no formal education, however, her theological knowledge astounded many. Among her greatest accomplishments was that she persuaded the pope to go back to Rome from Avignon in 1377. St Catherine was granted the Stigmata, which was made visible only after her death. Just before her death Catherine was attempting to heal the Great Schism of the West. Catherine died at the early age of 33. When her body was exhumed in 1430 it was found to be incorrupt. Her feast day is celebrated on April 29th.