St. Catherine of Sweden was born in the 14th century to Ulfo and St. Bridget of Sweden. When she was seven, Catherine was sent to the Abbey at Risburgh, and placed under the care of the abbess. It was here that she built the foundation for her spiritual life.
At 13, Catherine was given in marriage to Egard, a German nobleman. When she met him, Catherine persuaded her new husband to make a mutual vow of perpetual chastity with her. They dedicated themselves to the service of God, encouraging each other in works of mortification, prayer, and charity.
After her father died, around 1349, Catherine accompanied her mother on a pilgrimage to Rome to visit the relics of the Roman martyrs. Bridget and Catherine spent several years living in Rome. In 1373, Bridget died, and Catherine returned to Sweden to bury her mother.
Catherine went back to Rome in 1375, to promote the cause for her mother’s canonization, and to gain approval for a religious group of women. Her Rule was approved, and Catherine returned to Sweden to become the abbess of Vadzstena, a position she held until her death in 1381.
In the final years of her life, Catherine was known for her austere lifestyle and her practice of making a daily confession.
St. Catherine was canonized in 1484 by Pope Pius II.
