St. Catherine of Siena Image: Wikimedia Commons
It’s a common misconception that St. Catherine of Siena was a Dominican nun. In fact, she was a Dominican tertiary – a laywoman who followed the Rule of St. Dominic. At age 21, she had a vision in which she experienced a “mystical marriage to Christ” and was instructed to leave her self-imposed isolation, re-enter public life, to help the poor and sick. She did so and eventually began to travel, became involved in politics, worked toward Church reform, and helped start a crusade to the Holy Land. In 1377, she established a monastery for women and wrote more than 400 letters of instruction, later known as her Dialogue. Her influential writings earned her the title Doctor of the Church and she has become one of the most influential and popular saints in the Church.
This week I had the joy of interviewing a modern-day Dominican tertiary, author and blogger, Justin Vanlee McClain, O.P. for my Simply Holy series, “Springtime in the Church.” Justin is a husband, father of four, and a High School Theology and Spanish teacher who has made his temporary promises as a Lay Dominican and chatted with me about how his Catholic faith is complemented and his life enriched by his Dominican spirituality.
You can listen to the episode below.
What is a Lay Dominican? A Chat with author and Lay Dominican Justin Vanlee McClain, O.P.
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