e. There she was for many years
at the head of a prosperous convent belonging to the nuns of the Order
of Clarissa, and there it was that she had her wonderful visions and
dreamed the wonderful dreams, which she carefully wrote down with her
own hand in the year 1438. For more than threescore years after this
period of illumination she continued in her position, where she was ever
an example of godliness and piety. Her death came on March 9, 1463; and
although her great services to the cause of religion were recognized at
this time, and openly commended by the pope, it was not until May 22,
1712, that she was finally canonized by Clement IX.

The second Catherine was Catherine of Pallanza, which is a little town
near Novara in Piedmont, some thirty miles west of Milan. During the
year of the great pest, her immediate family was completely wiped away,
and she was left homeless and with few friends to guide her with words
of counsel. Her nearest relatives were in Milan, and to them she went at
first, until the first bitterness of her great grief had passed away.
Then, acting upon a decision which had long been made, and in spite of
the determined opposition of her friends, she took the veil. It was not
her intention, however, to enter one of the convents of Milan and live
the religious life in close contact with others of the same inclination,
for she was a recluse by disposition and desired, for at least a time,
to be left alone in her meditations. So she went outside the city walls
and established herself there upon a hillside, in a lonely place,
sheltered by a rude hut constructed in part by her own hands. Living in
this hermit fashion, she was soon an object of comment, and, moved by
her obvious goodness, many went to consult her from time to time in
regard to their affairs. She soon developed a gift of divination and
prophecy which was remarkable even for that time of easy credulity in
such matters, and was soon able to work wonders which, if the traditions
be true, were little short of miracles. As an illustration of her
wonderful power, it may be stated that it was commonly believed that by
means of her prayers children might be born in families where hitherto a
marriage had been without fruit. Also, she was able by means of her
persuasions to compel thieves to return stolen goods. In spite of the
seclusion of her life, the fame of Catherine of Pallanza was soon so
great that other women came to live about her; even