A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of watching Sister Nancy Murray, O.P. perform her one-woman show on St. Catherine of Siena. It was probably one of the best programs I’ve ever seen.
Murray, a native of Chicago and the biological sibling of comedian Bill Murray, is an Adrian Dominican Sister and St. Catherine of Siena is the patroness of their order, which traces its roots back to St. Dominic in the 13th century. She has been performing as St. Catherine of Siena for about 20 years and has taken her show around the world.
In a 2019 interview for the Adrian Dominican Sisters, “A Sister’s Story,” Murray said she was drawn to Catherine’s story because she was from a big family and had a “strong mamma with a lot of opinions.” Her performance as the 14th century mystic and saint certainly embodied those traits and many more.
Murray brought her one-woman show to St. Mary’s in Adrian May 7. The performance took place inside the 19th century church off Division Street, with a small audience of 50-60 people. Murray, clad in the white and black habit of the 14th century Dominican, her head wrapped in the traditional veil of the time that leaves only the face exposed, entered through the rear of the church, making her way down the aisle, and at the front, she turned and said, “We’re going on a journey. Did you bring your imagination?” Of course, we all answered, “Yes!” Then, bringing the audience further into the story, she said, “Today is my birthday! It is March 25, 1347. It’s also a special feast in the church, who knows what it is?” She looked around. We made eye contact. “The Annunciation,” I said. “That’s right, the Annunciation.” As she morphed into Catherine and told her story, we became her family, her friends, patients in the hospital, companions on her journey.
We learned how Catherine was the 24th of 25 children born to the Benincasa family in Siena, Italy, where the acceptable and expected course for women was either as a wife or a cloistered nun. Murray, who wrote the play based on meticulous research and study, brought the audience into the life of the young Catherine, who was constantly asking questions of her parish priest at San Domenico, the basilica where some of her relics are today. She described her first vision of Christ at age 5, and then became the 12-year-old Caterina who wanted to live her life for God, and who, when confronted with the news that her parents planned a marriage for her, she cut off all her hair in order to make herself less attractive.
We learned how life was for the Senese in the 14th century through Murray’s masterful storytelling, we followed her to the hospital where she visited the sick and the dying, Murray bringing those in the pews into the story, blessing them with a hand on the head and speaking words of faith and encouragement to them as young Catherine who only wanted to serve God by serving others.
And we went with her to Avignon to convince Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome, and finally to her deathbed in Rome, where she died at 33 from a series of strokes. We even learned how her head became separated from her body, which is buried in Rome at Santa Maria sopra Minerva, and ended up in a reliquary at San Domenico, while some of her other body parts were scattered in churches around Venice and Milan.
Throughout the hourlong performance, as we were pulled into 14th century Italy, I was struck by how much Catherine’s story resonates with our world today. Not much has changed in 700 years.
Murray said the aim of her show is to show the history of the 14th century with some of its struggles, troubles, wars, and plagues and show how it parallels our 21st century. She said she also wanted to show how this young girl born in Italy without any education was able to be “such a good vessel for God, to be a peacemaker, a healer, a mystic, to show to so many people that all things are possible with God.” The inspiration and power of Catherine, Murray said, is when people are immersed in her life and find themselves in that story.
“I’ve done the program for grade school, high school, seminaries, church groups, women’s groups,” Murray said. “Everyone finds themselves in her story.”
SQUIBS 