Wisdom and Wonder · Week 4 · Grades 3–5
Guided Notes: St. Catherine of Siena
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
St. Catherine of Siena
A girl from Siena
Catherine Benincasa was born in Siena, Italy, in blank 1. She was one of the youngest children in a very large family. Her father dyed wool for a living.
From the time she was small, Catherine loved to pray. As a teenager she decided to give her whole life to blank 2.
She joined a group of blank 3 laywomen. They wore a white habit and a black cloak, but they lived at home instead of in a convent.
Words to know
Write what each word means.
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pope | Write your answer |
| Dominican | Write your answer |
| Dictate | Write your answer |
| Canonized | Write your answer |
| Doctor of the Church | Write your answer |
Letters to the Pope
After some years of quiet prayer at home, Catherine went out to serve. She nursed sick people and helped the poor of Siena.
People began asking her for advice. She dictated hundreds of letters to friends, rulers and popes. About blank 4 of them still exist.
At that time the popes lived in blank 5, in France, instead of Rome. Catherine traveled there in 1376. She urged Pope Gregory XI to go back to Rome, and he did.
Catherine died in Rome on April 29, blank 6. She was 33 years old.
Quick check
What did Catherine urge Pope Gregory XI to do? Circle one.
- A Build a new church in Siena
- B Return from Avignon to Rome
- C Write a letter to her family
- D Move from Rome to Avignon
Send it or fix it?
Catherine’s letters were true and loving at the same time. Sort each message: would you send it, or fix it first? Check one box for each.
| Item | True and kind: send it | Fix it first |
|---|---|---|
| “I think that was unfair. Can we talk about it?” | ||
| Sharing a rumor about a classmate in a group chat | ||
| “I am sorry I left you out at recess.” | ||
| Typing an insult because you are angry | ||
| Telling a friend the truth gently when they ask | ||
| Posting something you are not sure is true |
Quick check
How did Catherine send most of her letters? Circle one.
- A She copied them from books
- B She asked the Pope to write them
- C She printed them on a press
- D She spoke and helpers wrote
Think, pair, share
Catherine told the truth to powerful people, and she did it with respect and love. When is it hard to be both honest and kind in a text, a game chat or a comment?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “It is hard to be honest when ...”“One way to say a hard thing kindly is ...”“Before I send a message, I could ask myself ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, you are the truth.
Help us speak honestly and kindly, in person and online.
St. Catherine of Siena, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
Catherine was canonized in 1461. In 1970 she was named a Doctor of the Church. Her feast day is April 29.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
Challenge: Write a real note or message this week that is both true and kind. Thank someone, say sorry, or encourage a friend.