Do you feel as if God is calling you to do something special with your life and no one understands? Then maybe you should learn about Saint Catherine of Siena.

Saint Catherine of Siena was born in 1347, the youngest of 23 children. As a teenager, she was deeply religious. She had visions when she was as young as 7 years old. She spent much time in prayer and meditation, and wanted to become a nun. Her mother disagreed, and insisted that she marry. Catherine finally joined, at age sixteen, the Third Dominican order. For three years, she never left her room except to go to Mass and confession. Afterwards, she and her friends, a group of priests and deeply religious people began to meet. They were made fun of, and since then have been given the noble title "School of Mystics." On the 4th Sunday of Lent in 1375 she recieved stigmata, which remained invisible for the rest of her life.

But Saint Catherine`s crowning achievement was with Pope Gregory XI. She went to Avignon with 23 members of the "School of Mystics." There, she succeeded in convincing Pope Gregory XI to return the papacy to Rome. She had gone to stop a war, and there recieved the stigmata. She convinced Pope Gregory XI to leave Avignon, which he did forever on September 13, 1376.

St. Catherine had two strokes, one while in Saint Peter`s Basilica, and died three weeks later on April 29, 1380. Her feast day is April 29. She is a doctor of the church and a patron saint of Italy.

So if you find that no one understands the mission of God has given you, follow Saint Catherine of Siena`s example. In doing this, you will be doing God`s will, and will be rewarded richly in heaven.