St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi

Their story

Caterina de' Pazzi was born in Florence in 1566 to one of the city's leading noble families. She was a prayerful child who taught the catechism to the children of the servants. She made her First Communion at ten and soon after promised to give her life to God. Her family hoped she would marry, but at sixteen she entered a Carmelite convent in Florence, taking the name Mary Magdalene. Shortly after her profession she became gravely ill, and during this time she began to experience long periods of deep prayer and ecstasy, in which she seemed to speak with God. Her sisters wrote down her words, which filled several volumes. She spoke especially of God's love, of the Holy Spirit and of the need for the Church to be renewed in holiness, and she dictated letters to the pope and other Church leaders urging reform. Mary Magdalene also knew great darkness. For about five years she endured severe temptations and a feeling that God was far away, yet she kept praying and serving. She became novice mistress and was a wise, loving guide to the younger sisters. In her last years she suffered a painful illness with great patience, saying she wished "to suffer, not to die," so that she could offer more to God. She died on May 25, 1607, at the age of 41, and was canonized in 1669.