Word to the Wise
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 - 2nd Week of Easter - Tues
[Acts 4:32-37 and John 3:7b-15]The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own but they had everything in common. With great power the Apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. [Acts] (The scriptures for the day may vary at Dominican locations.)
APRIL 29 ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA, O.P.
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The fundamental "rule" (way of life) of the Dominican Order is the Rule of St. Augustine, dating from around 400 A.D. That rule quotes the description of the earliest Christian community in the Acts of the Apostles as living with "one heart and mind." The Rule of St. Augustine is printed as the first article of the Constitutions of the Dominican friars. It is also part of the life of the Dominican Laity. St. Catherine of Siena [1347-1380] was a laywoman who joined a group associated with the friars in Siena, Italy. Her efforts in reaching out to serve the poor and sick became widely known and her advice and counsel were sought by the friars and even the Pope, who was living in exile in Avignon, France. Her personal way of living out her vocation was rather extreme in physical terms and she died young! But no history of Europe in the 14th century, especially in Italy, could exclude her! Her political efforts were not very successful but her service to the poor was inspiring. Her spiritual work, The Dialogues, and her letters are still influential.
The group that she joined, known as the mantellate because of their widows' clothing, were united by her inspiration and lived the ideal of "one mind and one heart in God." All Dominicans - friars, sisters, nuns, laity, and other branches of the Order - take inspiration from her life and writings. We celebrate her today. AMEN