Saint Catherine of Siena

Not only did her fasting not cause her to lose energy, but became a source of extraordinary strength, she becoming stronger in the afternoon, after having received our Lord in His Eucharist. One of the only sufferings she found almost intolerable, was to be denied Her Lord in the Eucharist. Neither the Priests at the Basilica of St. Dominic, nor Catherine’s Superior in the Mantellate approved of her receiving the Eucharist daily. They tried to discourage Catherine, unsuccessfully. The Priests flatly refused, insisting she receive solely from her Confessor; it didn’t matter if he was out of town. At that time, Catherine would seek comfort looking at the Priest during the Mass. After all, through his consecrated hands, he was bringing her Lord to her on the altar where she could adore Him, even if she could not receive Him. Catherine endured the worst anguish over this until Raymond came to Siena and she was able to receive Communion daily. When he was in town, he would only have to hear her plea, "Father, I hunger," and, if at all possible, he would celebrate Holy Mass.

Catherine had Visions during the consecration of the Mass, sometimes seeing Jesus dressed as a Priest, repeating the words He spoke at the Last Supper. Other times, when she gazed upon the raised Host, instead of seeing the Consecrated Host, she saw the Baby Jesus in the Priest’s hands. When we hear some people say they do not need Miracles of the Eucharist to believe in the Lord truly Present in the Consecrated Host, I can’t help recall Catherine, who was strengthened in her belief in Him when she saw the Host in this miraculous form. She did not need the miracle to believe, but she did not refuse the help it gave her when she needed strength, or maybe as Mother Angelica said, the grace to believe.

Like with Jesus, there are those always putting His chosen ones to the test, possibly, as with Jesus to trick them? One day, a Priest who did not believe in Catherine’s Visions and her special relationship with the Eucharist, gave her an unconsecrated host, under the guise it was Holy Communion. Her angry words lashed out at the Priest for trying to cheat and delude someone who hungered for Jesus, in His Body and Blood.

Priests were touched by happenings during Holy Mass with Catherine. One reported he saw the Host go to her without him moving his arm. Other Priests said they saw the Host nod to her, almost as if in recognition. There were those who could feel their arms being pulled toward her, with the Host. Raymond of Capua reported he saw a Host travel clear across the church to Catherine. It was as if the Lord desired her as much as she longed for Him. There was a magnet between them and that Magnet was the Eucharist.

At the moment of receiving Communion, her face would become transfixed, as if glorified, surrounded by an aura. Catherine often went into ecstasy at that time, levitating. Her friends remained with her so they could assist her home, as even from childhood, Catherine was always left weakened after an ecstasy.

Reference: Saints and Other Powerful Women in the Church."