Saint of the Month - April 2014: Saint Catalina Thomas

St. Catalina Thomas

Spiritual Warrior Supreme

Feast Day: April 1st

Having lived her entire life in Palma de Majorca, Spain, this obscure female Saint was born on May 1st, 1533, and died on April 5th, 1574. From her earliest years, her life was marked with suffering which she bore with incredible faith and resignation for the love of God and in reparational atonement; a "victim soul" for the benefit of sinners. Catalina Thomas was orphaned as a child and adopted by an uncle who was less than fit to be her guardian. The uncle neglected her and put her to work in the fields, shepherding his flock. Being often alone outdoors the youngster developed a deep respect for nature that eventually grew into a loving awareness and appreciation of God, our Supreme Creator.

At 15, Catalina experienced her first mystical experience during which she received a visit from her two Patron Saints - St. Anthony of Padua and St. Catherine of Siena - who encouraged her to dedicate herself completely to the Lord. When the girl expressed her desire to enter a convent, her uncle ridiculed her and attempted to dissuade her from following through with her vocation. At the advice of a local hermit who befriended her, she abruptly left home and was employed as a maid by a sympathetic, pious family. Catalina stayed with this family until her 20th year after which she bid them farewell to enter the local Augustinian convent.

St. Catalina, as a young shepherdess

Almost immediately after the start of her religious life, the mystical phenomena that began in Catalina’s childhood escalated into terrifying experiences - outright spiritual warfare - that lasted until her final years. The devil apparently began harassing her not just spiritually, but also physically, through no fault of her own other than her desire to faithfully serve the Lord. Her companions, suspicious at first, were quickly convinced after witnessing many of the diabolic assaults during which the young nun was inexplicably thrown across rooms, or battered and left with frightful wounds by unseen forces.  On a few occasions, she would simply vanish from their midst and later be found trapped under heavy furniture, or even in the monastery well, where she required rescuing.

Sr. Catalina, on her part, maintained incredible tranquility despite the supernatural attacks and she constantly assured her sisters that they had nothing to fear from the Demon. On the other end of the spiritual spectrum, she was miraculously assisted by the likes of Sts. Cosmos and Damian - the brothers and physician-Saints - in treating wounds she received from dark spirits and consoled by heavenly visions; the holy maiden utilized her ordeal as a way of uniting herself to the Passion of Christ - in fact, she was also reported to bear on her limbs the wounds of the Stigmata - and quickly ascended the ladder of holiness. Towards the latter part of Sr. Catalina's life, the hellish assaults became less common and the nun's cell was instead frequented by more and more blessed Angels and Saints rather than demonic entities. She was often rapt in sublime ecstasies that sometimes lasted for days at a time, the awe of which brought much edification to her companion nuns.

The body of St. Catalina Thomas

Near the end of her life, Sr. Catalina was given a prophetic forewarning of her death, which peacefully occurred in 1574. Remarkable favors and cures were reported at her tomb, confirming her sanctity to the people of Palma. Incidentally, her body was later found fragrantly incorrupt and it continues to remain so up to this very day. The precious relic is elaborately enshrined and venerated in the Augustinian Monastery in which the holy woman prayed, atoned, and died (right photo). Her annual Feast Day celebration is a large, integral event ingrained in the lives of the locals of Palma de Mallorca.

St. Catalina Thomas was Canonized on June 22, 1930, by Pope Pius XI. May she intercede for us in these troubled times, especially against the blatant attacks of the devil towards our Holy Mother Church.

A Reflection

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me," says the Lord.

~ Isaiah 54:17

A Short Prayer

Lord, through the intercession of your valiant spouse, St. Catalina Thomas, assist and defend us in our personal battles against the forces of evil.  Amen.