Although we do not observe this memorial this year because it falls on a Sunday, I want to make some comments about St. Catherine.  She lived from 1347-1380 and from a very young age, approximately 7 years old, she had extraordinary experiences of God.  She lived during the period of Church history referred to as "The Avignon Papacy" because a series of popes were living in Avignon rather than Rome and were not fulfilling their duties.  St. Catherine challenged them to return to Rome and become more diligent in carrying out their responsibilities.  Even though St. Catherine had no official authority she possessed great moral authority.  Within the Church there are two different sorts of authority: one which comes from an official position, for example a pastor, and one which is based on a person's moral stature.  Ideally of course a person with official authority also has personal authority but that is not always the case.  In the example of St. Catherine of Siena she had no official authority but greater moral authority than the pope.  In more recent times St. Teresa of Calcutta is an example of someone whose personal authority was far greater than any official position she held.  It is healthy for the Church when both sorts of authority are at work.