Saint Catherine of Siena

I was born in Italy, in 1347. From an early age, I loved to pray. At the age of seven, I already knew that I wanted to remain chaste and unmarried. My parents wanted me to get married at the age of 16, but I firmly refused. I became a lay Dominican (Tertiary) and lived a life of prayer and meditation. During my lifetime, I helped the prisoners, worked in hospitals to nurse the sick, and cared for the poor. I told people to grow in holiness through their words, actions and choices. When I was 20 years old, I was called by the Lord to a more public life and I established correspondences with many influential personalities, including the Pope himself.