Katerina wa Genoa

na Giovanni Agostino Ratti.]]
**Katerina wa Genoa** (kwa Kiitalia **Caterina Fieschi Adorno**; aliishi Genova, Italia, 5 Aprili 1447 - 15 Septemba 1510) alikuwa mjane maarufu kwa kudharau malimwengu, kufunga mara nyingi, kumpenda Mungu na kuhudumia wagonjwa na wenye shida nyingine. Anajulikana hasa kwa kitabu chake kuhusu Purgatorio, alichokiandika kutokana na mang'amuzi yake katika kuwaombea marehemu wa toharani.

Anaheshimiwa na Kanisa Katoliki kama mtakatifu tangu tarehe 23 Aprili 1737, alipotangazwa na Papa Klementi XII; kabla ya hapo aliheshimiwa kama mwenye heri kuanzia tarehe 6 Aprili  1675.

Sikukuu yake huadhimishwa tarehe 15 Septemba kila mwaka.

## Maisha 
Katerina alikuwa binti Giacomo Fieschi, sharifu wa Genova aliyewahi kuwa naibu mfalme wa Napoli na ndugu wa Papa Inosenti IV. Mama yake aliitwa Francesca di Negro.

Alilelewa kadiri ya masharti ya wakati ule kwa watu wa koo bora, akisoma fasihi za Kilatini, Kigiriki na Kiitalia, pamoja na vitabu vya dini ya Ukristo.

Tarehe 13 Januari 1463, aliolewa na sharifu Giuliano Adorno; lengo la ndoa lilikuwa kumaliza mgogoro kati ya koo zao kuhusu kutawala mji huo. Hivyo mwenendo wao haukuwa wa familia bora, wala hawakupata watoto.

Baada ya miaka 10 Katerina aliongoka kutokana na njozi aliyojaliwa tarehe 24 Machi 1473; baada yake hata mumewe aliongoka, hivyo maisha yao yalibadilika kabisa, wakaenda kuishi katika nyumba duni karibu na hospitali, walipohudumia wagonjwa. Hatimaye yeye akawa mkurugenzi wake, wakati mumewe alijiunga na Utawa wa Tatu wa Mt. Fransisko.

Kazi yake ikaleta uamsho mkubwa katika Kanisa Katoliki ulioenea kote nchini Italia.

Katerina aliendelea kujaliwa karama za pekee akaandika vitabu viwili juu ya maisha ya kiroho aliyokuwanayo, *Dialogo spirituale* na *Trattato del Purgatorio*.

Katika kuhudumia waliopatwa na tauni mwaka 1493 aliambukizwa lakini akapona.

## Mafundisho 
Katerina alisisitiza umuhimu wa kupambana na umimi. Kwake Mungu ni wa kupendwa kwa ajili yake, si kwa kuogopa adhabu yake wala kwa kutamani tuzo lake. Lengo ni kufikia kumpenda hivyo kikamilifu tu. Ili atusaidie kufikia hatua hiyo, Mungu anaruhusu tupatwe na mateso hapa duniani na toharani.

## Maandishi
* *Trattato del Purgatorio*  su PagineCattoliche.it
* Caterina da Genova (santa), *Trattato del purgatorio e altri scritti*, Curatore: Giuggia T., Gribaudi, 1996
* Caterina Freschi Adorno, ''Dialoghi dell'anima e del corpo'', Edizioni L'Arca Felice, Salerno 2008
*Catherine of Genoa, *Purgation and purgatory; The spiritual dialogue*, translated by Serge Hughes, Classics of Western Spirituality, (New York: Paulist Press, 1979)
*Catherine of Genoa, *Treatise on purgatory; The dialogue*, translated by Charlotte Balfour and Helen Douglas Irvine, (London: Sheed & Ward, 1946)

## Tazama pia
*Watakatifu wa Agano la Kale
*Orodha ya Watakatifu Wakristo
*Orodha ya Watakatifu wa Afrika
*Orodha ya Watakatifu Wafransisko

## Tanbihi
## Marejeo
* B.M Tomatis, *Santa Caterina da Genova*, Salani, Firenze 1943
* Luca Ponte, *Le genovesi*, Fratelli Frilli Editori, Genova 2008
* Umile Bonzi, *S. Caterina Fieschi Adorno*, vol 1 *Teologia mistica di S. Caterina da Genova*, vol 2,*Edizione critica dei manoscritti Cateriniani*, (Genoa: Marietti, 1960, 1962). [Modern edition in Italian]
* Carpaneto da Langasco, ''Sommersa nella fontana dell'amore: Santa Caterina Fiescho Adorno*, vol 1, *La Vita*, vol 2, *Le opere*, (Genoa: Marietti, 1987, 1990) [Modern edition in Italian]
* Thomas Coswell Upham, *Life of Madam Catharina Adorno*, (New York: Harper, 1858)
* Mrs G Ripley, *Life and Doctrine of Saint Catherine of Genoa*, (New York: Christian Press Association, 1896). [This is the most recent English translation of the *Life* of Catherine – but is, like the 1858 translation, made from the inferior A manuscript.]
* Friedrich von Hügel, *The Mystical Element of Religion as Studied in Saint Catherine of Genoa and Her Friends*, (London: J Dent & Sons, 1908)
* Bernard McGinn, *The Varieties of Vernacular Mysticism*, (New York: Herder & Herder, 2012), pp306–329

## Viungo vya nje
* Encyclopædia Britannica Online: article *Saint Catherine of Genoa*
* Catherine Adorni  at the Brooklyn Museum Dinner Party Database of Notable Women. Accessed March 2008.
* Saint Catherine of Genoa: Life in the Spiritual Borderlands
* Catherine of Genoa, *Treatise on Purgatory'', Sheed & Ward, New York 1946