Holy Women's History Month: Saint Catherine of Siena

I’ve always wanted to be a strong woman, the kind of woman who wasn’t afraid of anything and stood strong in what she believed. Unfortunately, I was the girl who was scared to get her driver’s license, the girl who was scared to take risks, trying always to keep the peace and not make waves. When I left home for college, I made a plan that would help me achieve my strong woman goals. In my 18-year-old eyes, a strong woman had a college education. A strong woman had her own job, lived on her own, and could support herself financially. I worked hard my first two years of college toward these goals. 

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Not My Will but Yours Lord 

When I met my husband, I was 19 years old and on my way towards being that “strong woman.” In one night spent talking with him and sharing stories, I knew he was the one set apart for me and I was so frustrated. The timing was off! This was not how I was going to become stronger. I needed to stand on my own and check off my list.

After marching down to the local village church and having a whispered shouting match with Our Lord in the tabernacle, I surrendered and said, “Fine. You have always kept me safe. I’ll go your way. I’ll trust your plan.” Getting married while in college and starting a family so young taught me that strength comes with surrendering your will. 

Flash forward 30 years, and 28 of those are married, and eight kids have a variety of needs, some you see and some you do not. My definition of what it means to be a strong woman has significantly changed. When our last daughter was born, we named her after Saint Catherine of Siena, a bold, devout, fierce, deep woman of prayer who gave generously and lived bravely for the Lord.

We knew our daughter would have to have a strong spirit, being the youngest of eight, and her survival was tenuous as she was my 6th C-section. I had a bilateral uterus with multiple windows in my uterus attached to my bladder and stomach. Should she kick one of those, both lives were at risk. Praise God that we both made it. We entrusted her to Saint Catherine of Siena and her courageous spirit.  

Saint Catherine is quoted as saying, “If you are what you ought to be, you will set fire to all Italy” (from a letter to her friend Stefano Maconi). It is commonly quoted as, “If you are who God created you to be, you will set the world on fire.” This mantra, written in my heart and that of my daughter's, has taught me that true strength is following God’s will for your life. Each of us has our own unique calling to live out. True strength means placing your trust in God, who created you, and living fully in that identity when you face challenges you couldn’t dream of.  

Strength Became Synonymous with Trust

Our third son was born with severe bone and joint deformities, where his legs were crossed behind him touching his neck, and his right ear touching his thigh. He had no use of his arms or legs. How very little my prior description of strength mattered when it came to the needs of being this child’s mother. Now forced to travel out of state on my own, carrying an infant son and heavy medical equipment through airports, sitting through surgery after surgery with only the hope of a successful outcome, strength became synonymous with trust. The more I trusted, the more I became capable of fulfilling the calling ahead of me.  

Four children later, we were asked to adopt an eight-year-old girl from Armenia who had the same condition. When we brought her home, she, too, required multiple life-threatening surgeries, and her level of care was intense. There were moments my husband and I balanced two children in different hospitals in different states while caring for the other six. Strength looked like asking for help when we needed it.  

Strength Looks Like Mercy Lived Out in Challenging Circumstances

As surgeries settled and children grew older, we faced more typical stresses of teenagers pushing hard against the boundaries we had set, our own health scares that shook our long-term plan of our marriage. Strength continued to be redefined through it all. It was strong to choose to forgive. Strength looked like mercy lived out in the challenging circumstances of raising a family and married life. 

Young me longed to set the world on fire in a way that sought accolades and acknowledgment. I now look at the mirror most mornings and marvel at the woman standing before me. I look at the stories written out in each line and wrinkle upon her body and marvel at the strength hewn in those fires. I am in awe of the strong wife, mother, and daughter of the King who has learned to surrender each day to the Lord and walk in His plan trusting her witness is setting off sparks for every soul she encounters. 

During Women's History Month, Catholic Mom writers are celebrating the women who have inspired their faith journeys — whether canonized saints, saints in progress, or beloved women from Scripture. Through personal reflections and heartfelt stories, they share how these holy women have touched their lives, offering wisdom, strength, and a deeper connection to God. Join us as we honor the spiritual legacy of these remarkable women and the lasting impact they continue to have on our hearts and souls. 

Copyright 2025 MaryBeth Eberhard
Images: Holy Cross Family Ministries