The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena is the only spiritual work she wrote. As she is only one of three women honored by the title Doctor of the Catholic Church, we should place great importance on this instructive work. ??About two years before her death, such a clarity of Truth was revealed to her from Heaven that Catherine was constrained to spread it abroad by means of writing, asking her secretaries to stand ready to take down whatever came from her mouth as soon as they noticed that she had gone into ecstasy? (Life of St. Catherine by Capua). This passage from St. Catherine?s most notable biography displays the importance of The Dialogue, claiming it inspired from Heaven. St. Catherine describes this work as follows:
?Now this soul?s will was to know and follow truth more courageously. So she addressed four petitions to the most high and eternal Father, holding up her desire for herself first of all ? for she knew that she could be of no service to her neighbors in teaching or example or prayer without first doing herself the service of attaining and possessing virtue.? (The Dialogue p. 26)
The Dialogue consists of God?s answers to St. Catherine?s questions. Included in the work is a vivid and instructive image of Christ as the bridge to Heaven. There are three steps leading up to the bridge that correspond with the three spiritual stages. The bridge has walls of stone which are the stones of true solid virtue. The stones were built into the walls with Christ as the foundation. ?He perfected the virtues and planted them as living stones built into the walls with His blood. So now all the faithful can walk without hindrance and with no cringing fear of the rain of divine justice?so you see the bridge has walls and a roof of mercy. And the hostelry of holy Church is there to serve the bread of life and the blood lest the journeying pilgrims, my creatures, grow weary and faint on the way.? (The Dialogue p. 66)
In addition to the beautiful description of Christ as the bridge to Heaven, The Dialogue contains much instruction on charity for one?s neighbors, the need for ?constant and humble prayer? and the process of perfection in the soul. This last is addressed constantly throughout the book with particular detail in the section on Divine Providence. This work of revelation, bequeathed to us from St. Catherine, will be inspiring and helpful to everyone, from the student of theology to the religious, to the layperson; both ordinary and extraordinary souls.
