Daily Saint

St. Catherine of Sweden, also known as St. Catherine of Vadstena, wrote a devotional work called Sielinna Troëst (Consolation of the Soul). However, no copies of this manuscript have survived to the present day. The devotional contained Scripture and devotional extracts. She is better known for promoting her mother, St. Brigid of Sweden, and her revelations, and for leading the Bridgettine Order. She is credited with compiling and editing portions of St. Brigid’s Revelations. St. Catherine worked to organize and preserve her mother’s mystical writings, which played a significant role in shaping medieval spirituality. Her careful stewardship ensured that St. Brigid’s visions were transmitted accurately and recognized by the Church, contributing to their lasting spiritual influence.

St. Catherine of Sweden and St. Catherine of Siena shared a significant friendship in Rome during the late 14th century. Both saints were in Rome during a tumultuous period when the papacy was contested. Both saints collaborated to ensure Pope Urban VI remained the legitimate Pope in Rome, a cause St. Catherine of Sweden’s mother, St. Brigid, had also championed. They collaborated closely to support Pope Urban VI and advocate for the Church’s presence in Rome during the Western Schism. Their efforts were crucial in the fight against the Avignon Papacy, as they stood with Pope Urban VI against the rival antipope, Clement VII. In addition, they united in efforts to promote the Bridgettine Order, solidified by St. Catherine of Siena’s efforts to help canonize St. Brigid and by St. Catherine of Sweden’s work to ratify the Bridgettine Rule, which St. Catherine of Siena actively supported.