Letters of Catherine Benincasa

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Catherine, of Siena, Saint, 1347-1380

Contributor:

Scudder, Vida Dutton, 1861-1954

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Letters of Catherine Benincasa" by Saint Catherine of Siena is a collection of personal letters and writings created during the 14th century. This work serves as a profound reflection on the spiritual and political issues of Catherine's time, showcasing her dynamic role in advocating for reform within the Church and her deep mystical insights. Throughout her letters, she addresses various individuals from different walks of life, from nobility to common people, conveying messages of love, exhortation, and spiritual guidance. The opening of the text introduces readers to Catherine's unrefined yet passionate writing style, emphasizing her genuine, heartfelt expressions rather than literary finesse. It captures her intent to communicate directly with the human experience-her letters range from personal correspondence with family and friends to significant treatises on morality and religious duty. The beginning highlights her as both a visionary mystic and an active participant in social and ecclesiastical reform, encouraging readers to appreciate the immediacy and accessibility of her words while considering the historical and spiritual context from which they arose. Throughout the initial passages, we see Catherine grappling with the complexities of her society, as well as her deep commitment to addressing the spiritual needs of her time. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Anne Soulard, Charles Franks, Robert Shimmin, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

Notes:

Reading ease score: 70.0 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 2005-02-01