When she returned to Siena, Catherine dictated to her
secretaries while in ecstasy what has become known as
The Dialogue, a book that gives an account of her
conversations with God the Father about various spiritual
topics and concerns, such as the way of spiritual
perfection, obedience, prayer, and Divine Providence, as
well as other matters of importance to the Church and
society of her time. Blessed Raymond of Capua was to
remark, “She occupied herself actively in the composition
of a book which she dictated under the inspiration of the
Holy Ghost.” This was her crowning work, and it has rightly
been regarded as one of the great spiritual classics and
inspirational works of all time. In it she repeatedly refers to
God as “First Gentle Truth”, who is the “Essence of Charity”
– A God in love with mankind. A dominant theme
throughout The Dialogue is the portrayal of the Son of God,
Jesus Christ, as the sure way of Truth – a Bridge provided
by God the father between heaven and earth. “His doctrine
is true”, God the Father says to Catherine, “and has
remained like a lifeboat to draw the soul out of the
tempestuous sea to conduct her to the port of salvation …
He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. That is, the Bridge
which leads you to the height of Heaven.”
Continuum from bulletin dated March 30, 2008
From: Sermon in a Sentence
A Treasury of Quotations on the Spiritual Life
Volume 3 – St. Catherine of Siena