Prayerof Saint the Holy Spirit Catherine of Siena

Prayerof Saint the Holy Spirit Catherine of Siena

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your divine love.

Grant us the gifts of wisdom and understanding, counsel and fortitude, knowledge and piety, and fill us with the fear of the Lord.

O Holy Spirit, guide us in all truth, strengthen our faith, enlighten our minds, and inflame our hearts with love for God and neighbor.

Teach us to pray, to serve, and to persevere in holiness, that we may glorify the Father, the Son, and Yourself, forever and ever.

Amen.

St. Catherine of Siena, born Caterina Benincasa in Siena, Italy, in 1347, was a prominent figure in the 14th century, known for her profound spiritual life, writings, and significant influence on the Catholic Church. She was the 25th child in a large family and experienced her first mystical vision at the age of five, leading her to vow a chaste life at seven. Despite her parents' wishes for her to marry, she joined the Mantellate, the female branch of the Dominicans of the Third Order, at 16, following a vision of St. Dominic.

St. Catherine of Siena's "Holy Spirit" prayer is a heartfelt plea for divine guidance and love. The prayer begins: "Holy Spirit, come into my heart; draw it to Thee by Thy power, O my God, and grant me charity with filial fear. Preserve me, O beautiful Love, from every evil thought; warm me, inflame me with Thy dear love, and every pain will seem light to me. My Father, my sweet Lord, help me in all my actions. Jesus, love, Jesus, love. Amen." This prayer reflects her deep desire for spiritual transformation and alignment with God's will, emphasizing charity, freedom from evil thoughts, and an inflamed love for God that makes all suffering seem light.

Catherine's life was marked by intense prayer, asceticism, and service to the poor and sick, particularly those suffering from contagious diseases during the plague. Her dedication to caring for the marginalized led to her being recognized as the patron saint of nurses. She received private revelations from God the Father, recorded in "The Dialogues," which include teachings on reverence for the clergy, not for their personal merits but for the divine authority entrusted to them,

A significant achievement of St. Catherine was her role in persuading Pope Gregory XI to return the papacy to Rome from Avignon in 1377, after nearly 70 years, earning her the title "Doctor of Unity." She was canonized in 1461 by Pope Pius II and later declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970 by Pope Paul VI, making her one of only four female Doctors of the Church. In 1999, Pope John Paul II named her a co-patroness of Europe. Her feast day is celebrated on April 29, the anniversary of her death in 1380 at the age of 33.