Liturgical living simplified: Feasting with St. Catherine of Siena
- August Walkowski
- Apr 17
- 5 min read
As a new Catholic in 2019, I found the world of Catholicism to be a puzzle, with so many pieces and elements converging to produce the breathtaking image that is our faith. I was eager and enthralled, and I quickly discovered a great love for the Church’s liturgical year, finding myself in charge of the liturgical environment for the parish that was leading me through RCIA. This opportunity was a wonderful introduction to my relationship with the sacred calendar.
In her wisdom, the Church has a prescribed time for everything: a time to feast and a time to fast; a time for penitential self-reflection and a time of jubilation. When observed, these seasons provide a prepossessing rhythm to life that offers the comfort of ordered expectation.
Beginning to incorporate liturgical intentionality does not have to be difficult, elaborate, or time-consuming, and as you continue to develop your own way of embracing the Church’s seasons, you can add or subtract observances and traditions. A simple way to start is to incorporate seasonally appropriate colors or decor into your home. Advent and Lent are marked by a deep purple, Christmas and Easter are marked with the celebratory elegance of white (and gold), Ordinary Time is symbolized by green, and the Triduum (which is made up of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday) highlights white, red, and white (respectively). Additional feasts and memorials are marked by white or red.
In her wisdom, the Church has a prescribed time for everything: a time to feast and a time to fast; a time for penitential self-reflection and a time of jubilation.
Choosing the saint
That brings us to our focus: the memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, virgin and Doctor of the Church, on April 29. St. Catherine has special significance to my family. When I wanted to get serious about incorporating some liturgical observances into our domestic church (apart from the usual Christmas, Easter, etc.), I went through a mental checklist of the saints who held a special place in the hearts of the members of my family: patron saints, namesake saints, special intercessors, etc. That list provided twelve names that I would start with. As their feast days neared, I would meal plan and look into other interesting traditions associated with the saint. As an added touch, my dear husband researched the kinds of foods that would have been prominent in each saint’s region during their time on this side of heaven, giving me a springboard in deciding what foods to make. There are so many wonderful resources for helping you make your feast day decisions, one of which I will be using for our main course in celebrating St. Catherine!
St. Catherine of Siena was born in northern Italy in 1347 as the twenty-third of twenty-five children (not all of whom survived infancy, including Catherine’s twin, Giovanna). She was a mystic, Third Order Dominican, and preacher, who helped bring the pope back to Rome and was recognized as a Doctor of the Church after her canonization in 1461. Her piety, simplicity, love for the poor, and fervor for justice shaped her exciting thirty-three years of life and have been of particular inspiration to me, especially since taking her as my patroness when being received into the Dominican Laity myself. Given all of her accolades, there is much to celebrate. Here is how I plan to do it as a busy wife and mother.
Planning the menu
First, plan your day and your meal. We are a feasting people, so there should always be great food when there is a feast day, particularly during our current liturgical season of Easter! When deciding what to make, I strive for balance. If there’s a certain recipe associated with your saint or one you just really want to try that is a bit time-consuming, make the rest of your meal easy and utilize convenience items as you see fit. Also, be sure to account for your skill level; your feast day preparations should be prayerful and joyous, so don’t dampen your spirits with too difficult a recipe or too many elements.
After you’ve selected your menu, determine how you’ll incorporate prayer, decor, and any other traditions you’ve decided on. For St. Catherine, I suggest praying the day’s Mass readings prior to your meal and adorning the table with white cloth and lilies to symbolize her purity. Below is a suggested menu, but add or subtract based on the needs of your family.
Main course: Fiery Tomato Risotto, courtesy of Word on Fire’s “The Catholic Kids’ Cookbook.” This is just one of the many resources you can add to your arsenal. (I’ll list some others at the end of this article.)
Sides: Crusty artisan bread (from scratch or store bought) and charred corn summer salad.
Dessert: Torta della Nonna.
This lineup of recipes includes dishes that can be store-bought or made ahead and are a celebration of the foods and flavors that St. Catherine would have enjoyed herself (should she have allowed herself the luxury!). Any of the courses can be swapped out with your family’s favorites and adjusted based on time or skill level.
Celebrating our favorite saints should be quirky, fun, and, most importantly, a time to reflect on their incredible witness and example of those who have gone before us in faith. I pray that, with these simple steps to beginning your liturgical-living journey, you foster an even deeper love for the Church, her seasons, and her saints.
“You are rewarded not according to time or work, but according to the measure of your love.” — St. Catherine of Siena
Additional resources for liturgical living
“The Year and Our Children” by Mary Reed Newland
“The Catholic All Year Compendium” by Kendra Tierney
“A Continual Feast: A Cookbook to Celebrate the Joys of Family & Faith Throughout the Christian Year” by Evelyn Vitz
“The Saints and Our Children” by Mary Reed Newland