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B. CATHERINE 159 that God would avert from the Brigi^ tmes the pestiferous bite of detraction. In accordance with the wishes of the whole community, Catherine went to Borne to procure the canonization of her mother. She set ofif in Easter week, between April 22 and 29, 1375, and travelled to that city. She also went to Naples to collect evidence about her mother's miracles. Gregory XI., Urban YI., the magnates of Sweden, and all the grandees and cardinals who had known Brigid in Borne, favoured her efforts. But in those troubled times there were so many affairs in the eccle- siastical world more pressing than the canonization of the noble Swede, that it could not be carried on at once, and Catherine saw that it must be left until the future. Accordingly, she decided to return home. All the way she was treated as a person of great sanctity, and her progress was again marked by miracles. She was taken ill when she left Bome, and gradually became worse. She arrived at Wadstein in July, 1380, and died March 24, 1381. She could not take the last sacraments because of the state of her stomach, and could not speak, but she silently prayed, and made an act of devotion to the sacrament, and so departed. Instantly a wonderfully bright star appeared above the house, and remained there, hanging like a flame over the bier, and, as soon as she was buried, it disappeared. To her funeral came all the bishops and abbots of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, also Eric, son of Albert, king of Sweden, and many barons. Catherine wrought miracles. She twice cured servants who had dangerous £ftlls — one from a cart, and one from the top of the house at Wadstein. A woman who had had seven dead children begged her help, as she was expecting another, and feared it would also be bom dead. Catherine prayed for her, gave her a piece of a dress that Brigid had worn, told her to keep it about her constantly until her confinement, and promised to come if she would send for her as soon as she was taken ill. Accordingly, she went at the critical time, and prayed with the mother until she was delivered of a living daughter, who was called Brigid in recognition of the assistance of the two holy women. For about a hundred years after her death her festival was kept on March 23 in Poland and Sweden. As it often fell in Holy Week, Leo X., in 1512, changed it to Jane 25. She compiled a devotional book called Sielinna Troest (Consolation of the Soul) ; it is written on vellum. B.M., March 22. AA.8S. Fant and Annerstet, Script Serum Suecicarum Medii JEvi, iii. 244, etc. Butler. Bail- let. Yillegas. Mrs. Jameson. Cahier. B. Catherine (5) Colombini, Oct. 20. 1 1387. First nun of the Order of Jesuates of St Jerome, and fbunder of their first convent at Yalpiatta. When, about 1365, St. John Colom- bini of Siena had founded the Order of Apostolic Clerks or Jesuates of St. Jerome for men, he wished to establish a congregation of women to serve GK)d in poverty as great as that he imposed on his disciples. He looked around for a pious woman to begin the undertaking,, and chose his cousin Catherine, daughter of Thomas Colombini, a knight of the Order of the Holy Virgin Mother of God, popularly called the Jovial Bro* thers, because they were married and lived in considerable splendour. Cathe- rine was willing to be a virgin nun, but, accustomed to wealth, she did not like the idea of poverty, privation, and beg- ging barefooted from door to door. However, St. John Columbini soon persuaded her to follow his example. She began by giving away all she had, and making herself a plain coarse serge gown. She was joined by several widows and single-women, who hod been much impressed by his preaching. He gave them the habit of his order, with the addition of a white veil. They lived in the house of Catherine, and when, about 1368, she built the convent of Yalpiatta,, they chose her for their superior. They lived by the work of their hands, and admitted no member who had not first divested herself of all her worldly goods. Catherine set an example of the utmost humility, asceticism^ and all other virtues for twenty-two years, and died