Catherine of Siena and Julian of Norwich: Mysticism Compared

Introduction: Mysticism and Spirituality

The relationship between mysticism and spirituality is a question that often arises in the modern study of spirituality. In broad terms, most modern Western approaches tend to treat mysticism and spirituality as synonyms. Spirituality means the exploration of the depth of human existence, the main purpose of life, and the search for deeper wisdom. Understood this way, spirituality is the larger concept, and Christian mysticism is only one aspect of it — a way of intensifying the spiritual path of Christianity. It is important to note that the precise roles of mysticism and spirituality remain somewhat ambiguous. Most Christian traditions, such as Western Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, value these aspects greatly (Sheldrake 8–9).

Catherine of Siena: Devotional Practices

Catherine, who lived between 1347 and 1380, created a part of the culture of spiritual history under which women shaped by mystical experiences became significant forces in the politics of the time and in the spiritual supervision of church officials. These women also gained considerable influence over the main spiritual issues of their day. Women within this culture included Hildegard of Bingen, who lived in the 12th century; Mechthild of Magdeburg, who lived in the 13th century; and Birgitta of Sweden, who lived in the 14th century (Villegas 22).

By the time she turned 18, Catherine had become known as a Dominican Mantellata. The mantellate were a group of widows affiliated with the Dominicans who provided support for the poor and sick of Siena. While still living at home, the next three years of her life were mostly spent in prayer and solitude. Through her meditative experience, she felt a stronger calling to participate in the work of the mantellate. Following the guidance she received through prayer, she became increasingly involved with more people and with a wide range of issues touching on spirituality, politics, and social matters. She served as a spiritual mother to the numerous people who gathered in her room in her father's house; she acted as a mediator between rival families; she made efforts to influence city-state leaders; and she offered counsel to highly placed church leaders, including the pope, cardinals, and other church officials (Villegas 22).

In examining what Catherine's writings require for recognition as a Doctor of the Church, Suzanne Noffke offers a valuable rubric for assessing Catherine's theological contributions. The prerequisites for such recognition involve righteousness, the testimony of popes or general councils, and renowned teaching. Examining Catherine's natural gifts, Noffke reveals the character of her theology: she was not academic, though her ideas were heavily incorporated into academic developments; she was far more imagistic than most writers of her era; and she remained within the teaching of the magisterium. The tone of her letters and the manner in which she conveyed her messages were driven by the imagistic nature of her relationship with God — she drew on the imagery she encountered in the Bible and Christian culture to shape the advice she gave (Dickens 161).

Catherine delivered many sermons, including penitential sermons said to have stirred repentance in all who heard her. Pope Gregory XI issued special apostolic letters allowing Raimondo da Capua and two fellow priests to grant absolution to those who visited Catherine and wished to confess. In her letters, Catherine emphasized the need for every Christian to engage in works of charity, which she exemplified by caring for the sick, particularly during the plague years of 1374 and 1375 (Allen 224–230).

Works Cited

Allen, Prudence. "A History of Women Philosophers, Volume II." The Review of Metaphysics 44.3 (1991): 660–662.

Bernard, McGinn. "Julian of Norwich, 'Revelations of Divine Love.'" In The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, edited by McGinn. New York: The Random House Publishing Group, 2006. 242.

Dickens, Andrea Janelle. Female Mystic: Great Women Thinkers of the Middle Ages. Vol. 60. IB Tauris, 2009.

Fanning, Steven. Mystics of the Christian Tradition. New York: Routledge, 2006.

Marshall, Caroline T. "Catherine of Siena." 1991.

Michael Gore. "Sin Will Be No Shame: Julian of Norwich's Theology of Sin." Spiritual Life 46.3 (Fall 2000): 146.

Pangle, Hayley E. "Christian Mysticism as a Threat to Papal Traditions." Grand Valley Journal of History 1.1 (2012): 3.

Sheldrake, Philip. Spirituality: A Brief History. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.

Villegas, Diana L. "Discernment in Catherine of Siena." Theological Studies 58.1 (1997): 19.

Zehringer, William. "Words Formed in My Understanding: Speech and Thought in Julian of Norwich's Showings." The American Benedictine Review 61.4 (2010): 347–359.