of St. Catharine; and the restoration to the Holy City of the residence of the Papacy in his person, and by the continuation of his successors, may in no small degree justify the assertion, that to the inspired wisdom of the wool dyer's daughter, Rome was indebted for the return and perpetuity of the successors of St. Peter.
A word may here be said regarding her biographer, the Blessed Raymond of Capua. Ample opportunity was afforded him, for years, as her Confessor, to become acquainted not only with her actions and mode of thinking, but also of most perfectly understanding her motives, and the sincerity of her conduct. He was himself, moreover a man of sober thought, of respectable theological knowledge, and of no rash and precipitate judgment. His frequent reference to the testimony of living witnesses and his own not unfrequent difficulty of belief, sufficiently testify his appreciation of the responsibility he was assuming in narrating facts open to the doubts and startling to the faith of many. It was beside mainly from the facts mentioned by him, and by reference to the testimony which he so often, and so urgently quoted, that the act of her Canonization was produced. That he states many things of a most wonderful character upon the sole testimony or conviction of St. Catharine is true, but matters though bearing strong interior evidence of their truth, by no means constitute subjects of divine faith, and may be taken or set aside, as their evidence will appear sustainable or otherwise to the judgment of the reader. And yet, perhaps, it would savor of rashness, if not of deep presumption to reject as unfounded, facts that have been thought worthy of credit by many wise and prudent men, possessing means of forming judgment which are not now at our command
The pious reader will find in her life much to console and strengthen his conviction, that the providence of God deals wonderfully in his Church, with the actions and integrity of her
