Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church

In 1970, the year Catherine was proclaimed Doctor, Fr. D’Urso wrote his magnum opus, a 113-page article, in the form of notes, on the life and teaching of the Sienese saint in the review Temi di Predicazione published by the Dominicans in Naples. It was only in this article, a translation of which is the book you are now holding, that he ever attempted a comprehensive exposition of her teaching. D’Urso brought to this work a classical theological training, knowledge of mysticism in general, his Dominican vocation, and an ardent love of Catherine. He is careful and thorough in his summaries and analyses; his conclusions are balanced and reliable. His style is literary, succinct, and dense. Most important, his scholarship reveals new depths to Catherine’s thought, making for a new appreciation of her on the 40th anniversary of Paul VI’s proclamation.Thomas McDermott, OPAuthor, Catherine of Siena. Spiritual Development in Her Life and Teaching