In his Proclamation of Saint Bridget of Sweden,St Catherine of Siena and St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross the Co-Patronesses of Europe (1999), Pope John Paul IIwrote that when he“declared Co-Patrons of Europe, along with Saint Benedict, the brothers Cyril and Methodius, pioneers of the evangelization of the East”, he decided to add to this group “three great Saints, three women who at different times were outstanding for their fruitful love of Christ's Church and their witness to his Cross”.
Saint Bridget of Sweden (Feast Day July 23)
Birgitta Birgersdotter (St Bridget, 1303 – 1373) was born to a wealthy family at Finsta Castle, city of Uppsala, Sweden. Her father, Birger Persson, belonged to the Sweden’s landowning aristocracy. And besides, he was the governor and judge of the province of Uppland. Her mother, Ingeborg Bengtsdotter, was of the Folkkunda line, close to the royal family, as well as to St Ingrid of Sweden. Ingeborg was widely known for her deep piety. She died when Birgitta was 12 years old. A year later, Birgitta married to the 18-year-old Prince Ulf Gudmursson. Although it was an arranged marriage, the couple was blessed with love, happiness and eight children. One of their daughters was St Catherine of Sweden.
The serious religious training, which Birgitta received in her childhood, influenced her entire life, but after her husband’s death in 1344, she pursued a religious life. Due to numerous divine revelations, which she received and wrote down, Birgitta gained wide popularity and became one of the most influential women in European politics.Her contemporaries called her "lovesick widow", "plotting noblewoman", "greedy for power" and "the Seeress from the North". At the end of her life, she founded a new congregation – the Order of the Most Holy Savior (the Bridgettines), which still exists. St. Bridget was canonized by Pope Boniface IX in 1391. St Bridget is the patron saint of Sweden.
Saint Catherine of Siena (Feast Day April 29)
Caterina Benincasa (St Catherine, 1347 – 1380) was born to a middle-class family in Siena, Italy. Her father, Giacomo, was a cotton-dyer and her mother, Lapa, was the daughter of a poet. Lapa gave birth to 25 children and Caterina was the youngest but one. At the age of 6 she experienced a powerful religious vision which convinced her to consecrate her virginity to God. Ten years later, she became a Dominican tertiary. The Rule of St Dominic’s Order allowed women to put the black and white habit on and live out of the convent. So, Caterina remained at her home where she had lived like a hermit for three years.
After she experienced a vision of spiritual espousal, she rejoined the family life and began to help the poor and the sick. Caterina’s activity influenced even the European politics which were seriously affected by the crisis of the Western Church. She worked at restoring the papacy to Rome and was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church (1970). Caterina’s writings, including a number of letters and a treatise called “A Dialogue”, remain a masterpiece of spiritual wisdom. Caterina Benincasa died of a mysterious illness at the age of 33. She was canonized by Pope Pius II in 1461. St Catherine is the patron saint of Italy together with Franciscus of Assisi.
Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Feast Day August 9)
Edith Stein (St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, 1891 – 1942) was born to a Jewish family in Breslaw, Germany (present-day Wroclaw, Poland). She attended the universities of Breslau and Goettingen where shehad studied philology and philosophy. After the World War I, Edith Stein received her doctorate in philosophy at the University of Freiburg.Subsequently, Professor Husserl, the famous founder of phenomenology, appointed her as hisassistant and collaborator.
While searching for Truth itself, Edith came upon the autobiography of Saint Teresa of Avila. She was deeply moved by the writing and shortly afterwards she converted to Catholicism. She went on lecturing and writing until 1935 when she took the Habit of Carmel and the religious name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. However, the Nazi anti-Semitism forced her to flee to Holland. Later, when the Nazis occupied the country, she was captured and transported to the death camp of Auschwitz. She died in the gas chamber on August 9, 1942.
Edith Stein was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1987.
Sources:
The Revelations of St. Birgitta of Sweden by Bridget Morris, Oxford University Press, 2006
Mystics and Miracles: True Stories of Lives Touched by God by Bert Ghezzi, Loyola Press, 2004
Edith Stein: St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross by Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing,2001
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