TO BENINCASA HER BROTHER WHEN HE WAS IN FLORENCE
TO MONNA AGNESE WHO WAS THE WIFE OF MESSER ORSO MALAVOLTI
TO SISTER EUGENIA, HER NIECE AT THE CONVENT OF SAINT AGNES OF MONTEPULCIANO
TO NANNA, DAUGHTER OF BENINCASA A LITTLE MAID, HER NIECE, IN FLORENCE
TO BROTHER WILLIAM OF ENGLAND OF THE HERMIT BROTHERS OF ST. AUGUSTINE
TO DANIELLA OF ORVIETO CLOTHED WITH THE HABIT OF ST. DOMINIC
TO MONNA AGNESE WIFE OF FRANCESCO, A TAILOR OF FLORENCE
LETTERS IN RESPONSE TO CERTAIN CRITICISMS
TO A RELIGIOUS MAN IN FLORENCE WHO WAS SHOCKED AT HER ASCETIC PRACTICES
TO BROTHER BARTOLOMEO DOMINICI OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS WHEN HE WAS BIBLE READER AT FLORENCE
TO BROTHER MATTEO DI FRANCESCO TOLOMEI OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS
TO A MANTELLATA OF SAINT DOMINIC CALLED CATARINA DI SCETTO
LETTERS TO NERI DI LANDOCCIO DEI PAGLIARESI
TO MONNA GIOVANNA AND HER OTHER DAUGHTERS IN SIENA
TO MESSER JOHN THE SOLDIER OF FORTUNE AND HEAD OF THE COMPANY THAT CAME IN THE TIME OF FAMINE
TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS
TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA AT AVIGNON
TO CATARINA OF THE HOSPITAL AND GIOVANNA DI CAPO
TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS
AND TO MASTER JOHN III. OF THE ORDER OF THE HERMIT BROTHERS OF ST. AUGUSTINE
AND TO ALL THEIR COMPANIONS WHEN THEY WERE AT AVIGNON
TO SISTER BARTOLOMEA DELLA SETA NUN IN THE CONVENT OF SANTO STEFANO AT PISA
TO BUONACCORSO DI LAPO IN FLORENCE WRITTEN WHEN THE SAINT WAS AT AVIGNON
TO MONNA LAPA HER MOTHER BEFORE SHE RETURNED FROM AVIGNON
TO MONNA GIOVANNA DI CORRADO MACONI
TO THE ANZIANI AND CONSULS AND GONFALONIERI OF BOLOGNA
TO MISSER LORENZO DEL PINO OF BOLOGNA, DOCTOR IN DECRETALS (WRITTEN IN TRANCE)
TO MONNA CATARINA OF THE HOSPITAL AND TO GIOVANNA DI CAPO IN SIENA
TO MONNA ALESSA CLOTHED WITH THE HABIT OF SAINT DOMINIC, WHEN SHE WAS AT ROCCA
TO RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS
TO HER SPIRITUAL CHILDREN IN SIENA
TO BROTHER WILLIAM AND TO MESSER MATTEO OF THE MISERICORDIA
AND TO BROTHER SANTI AND TO HER OTHER SONS
TO SANO DI MACO AND ALL HER OTHER SONS IN SIENA
TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF CAPUA OF THE ORDER OF THE PREACHERS
TO DON GIOVANNI OF THE CELLS OF VALLOMBROSA
TO MONNA ALESSA WHEN THE SAINT WAS AT FLORENCE
TO SANO DI MACO AND TO THE OTHER SONS IN CHRIST WHILE SHE WAS IN FLORENCE
TO CERTAIN HOLY HERMITS WHO HAD BEEN INVITED TO ROME BY THE POPE
TO BROTHER WILLIAM OF ENGLAND AND BROTHER ANTONIO OF NIZZA AT LECCETO
TO QUEEN GIOVANNA OF NAPLES (WRITTEN IN TRANCE)
TO BROTHER RAIMONDO OF THE PREACHING ORDER WHEN HE WAS IN GENOA
In the Name of Jesus Christ crucified and of sweet Mary:
Dearest and most beloved father in Christ sweet Jesus: I Catherine, a useless servant of Jesus Christ, commend me to you: with the desire to see us united and transformed in that sweet, eternal and pure Truth which destroys in us all falsity and lying. I thank you cordially, dearest father, for the holy zeal and jealousy which you have toward my soul: in that you are apparently very anxious over what you hear of my life. I am certain that nothing affects you except desire for the honour of God and for my salvation, which makes you fear the assaults and illusions of devils. As to your special fear, father, concerning my behaviour about eating, I am not surprised; for I assure you, that not only do you fear, but I myself tremble, for fear of devilish wiles. Were it not that I trust in the goodness of God, and distrust myself, knowing that in myself I can have no confidence. For you sent, asking me whether or no I believed that I might be deceived, saying that if I did not believe so, that was a wile of the devil. I answer you, that not only about this, which is above the nature of the body, but about all my other activities also, I am always afraid, on account of my frailty and the astuteness of the devil, and think that I may be deceived; for I am perfectly well aware that the devil lost beatitude, but not wisdom, with which wisdom, as I said, I recognized that he might deceive me. But then I turn me, and lean against the Tree of the Most Holy Cross of Christ crucified, and there will I fasten me; and I do not doubt that if I shall be nailed and held with Him by love and with profound humility, the devils will have no power against me--not through my virtue, but through the virtue of Christ crucified.
You sent me word to pray God particularly that I might eat. I tell you, my father, and I say it in the sight of God, that in all ways within my power I have always forced myself once or twice a day to take food. And I have prayed constantly, and do pray God and shall pray Him, that in this matter of eating He will give me grace to live like other creatures, if it is His will--for it is mine. I tell you, that often enough, when I have done what I could, I enter within myself, to recognize my infirmity, and God, who by most special grace has made me correct the sin of gluttony. I grieve much that I have not corrected that miserable fault of mine through love. I for myself do not know what other remedy to adopt, except that I beg you to pray that Highest Eternal Truth, that He give me grace, if it is more for His honour and the salvation of my soul, to enable me to take food if it please Him. And I am sure that the goodness of God will not despise your prayers. I beg you that if you see any remedy you will write me of it; and provided it be for the honour of God, I will accept it willingly. Also I beg you not to be light in judging, if you are not clearly illumined in the sight of God. I say no more to you. Remain in the holy and sweet grace of God. Sweet Jesus, Jesus Love.