St Catherine of Vadstena.
1331-1381. ~ Catherine was born in Ulfasa in Sweden, daughter of St Bridget of Sweden She was married at fourteen to Eggard and managed to persuaded him to take the vow of chastity. Eggard respected her wishes, but died the following year. Catherine refused the many offers of marriage by willing suitors and she became her mother’s companion for the next twenty-five years in Rome. When her mother died, Catherine went back to Sweden and took over the order of nuns, the “Bridgetines”, her mother had founded. After five years, she was given papal approval of her organisation. She died in Vadstena and was canonised by Pope Innocent VIII.