24th May - S MARY MAGDALENE DE PAZZI (1566-1607)

 Catherine de’ Pazzi was born into a noble family in Florence in 1566. The normal course would have been for her to have married into wealth and enjoyed comfort, 

    but Catherine chose to follow her own path. At 9, she learned to meditate from the family confessor. She made her first Communion at the then-early age of 10, 

    and made a vow of virginity one month later. At 16, Catherine entered the Carmelite convent in Florence because she could receive Communion daily there. 

    She had taken the name Mary Magdalene and had been a novice for a year when she became critically ill. Death seemed near, so her superiors let her make her profession of vows 

    in a private ceremony from a cot in the Chapel. Immediately after, Mary Magdalene fell into an ecstasy that lasted about two hours. This was repeated after Communion 

    on the following 40 mornings. These ecstasies were rich experiences of union with God and contained marvellous insights into divine truths. 

    She read the thoughts of others and predicted future events. During her lifetime, Mary Magdalene appeared to several persons in distant places and cured a number of sick people.

    It would be easy to dwell on the ecstasies and pretend that Mary Magdalene only had spiritual highs. She had violent temptations and endured great physical suffering. 

    Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi died at age 41, and was canonized in 1669.




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