Saint Catherine of Siena was a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She is one of the two patron saints of Italy, together with St. Francis of Assisi. St. Catherine was one of the most brilliant theological minds of her day, although she never had any formal education. Catherine dedicated much of her life to helping the ill and the poor, where she took care of them in hospitals or homes. St, Catherine's letters, and a treatise called "a dialogue" are considered among the most brilliant writings in the history of the Catholic Church.
