Situated among these 37 remarkable saints are four women Doctors of the Church, the sole females in Church history to achieve this honor.

Who are these women?

It was not until 1970 that the initial women were recognized as Doctors of the Church. The distinction was awarded to St. Catherine of Siena and St. Teresa of Ávila, who were included in the list by Pope Paul VI just a week apart.

In 1997, Pope John Paul II granted the title to St. Thérèse of Lisieux on the 100th anniversary of her passing. Lastly, to complete the group of four, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed St. Hildegard of Bingen as a Doctor of the Church in 2012.

It’s not feasible to provide a comprehensive overview of their lives within the confines of one article. Each woman has inspired numerous biographies and extensive studies. However, I hope that offering a concise outline of their lives and achievements will motivate you to explore one of those biographies or, even more ideally, their original works.

St. Hildegard of Bingen

St. Hildegard of Bingen came into the world as a member of an aristocratic family in 1098. From a young age, she experienced divine visions of the Lord, though it was only later in life that she grasped their significance. In her youth, she embraced a life of faith, and it was during this period that her abilities flourished remarkably. St. Hildegard was a remarkable woman who accomplished various tasks with excellence.

At the age of 43, she consulted her spiritual advisor regarding her visions, which were validated by a group of theologians from the Church. This validation inspired her to document these experiences and their interpretations in her significant mystical piece, “The Scivias.” It also enabled her to obtain authorization from the pope to journey and spread the Gospel, positioning her as one of the few women of her era permitted to preach in public. A lasting motif in St. Hildegard’s theology is the capacity to encounter God through our sensory experiences.

Additionally, the prolific Hildegard created the first recorded morality play, lyrical verses, a culinary book, medical writings (she functioned as the equivalent of a physician during her era), and even devised her own language. She also crafted exquisite music, which orchestras globally continue to perform to this day.

St. Hildegard passed away in 1179. She was canonized in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI and recognized as a Doctor of the Church in the same year.

St. Catherine of Siena

St. Catherine of Siena was born in 1347 into a highly regarded family. She was the youngest among 25 siblings, although many of her brothers and sisters did not reach adulthood. Catherine dedicated herself to Christ at an early age and declined marriage, even severing her hair to thwart a proposal.

She secured hesitant approval from her parents to reaffirm her commitment to virginity and join the third-order Dominicans, which would permit her to continue living with her family.

Catherine’s influence on the Church

For numerous years, St. Catherine resided as a recluse in her family’s residence, but she eventually started to explore the outside world, and her ministry expanded across the seas. She journeyed widely at the request of both popes and civic authorities, taking an active part in the Church and Italian politics, which were quite intricate during her era. St. Catherine had a clear understanding of the sins and shortcomings of the Church’s leaders, yet her foremost priority was obedience to the Lord and the Church. She consistently endeavored to draw more individuals to Christ her bridegroom, even as she sought to foster peace among conflicting factions. Indeed, St. Catherine is acknowledged with concluding the Avignon Papacy and bringing the Pope back to Rome.

She composed extensively, primarily in the format of letters, providing straightforward yet affectionate guidance to her spiritual offspring as well as to the bishops and cardinals who approached her for her insight. Almost four hundred of her letters still exist today.

During a moment of euphoria, St. Catherine recorded a succession of discussions she engaged in with the Lord, which were subsequently released under the title “The Dialogue.” Deeply personal, yet rich in guidance relevant to everyone, this work effortlessly intertwines theology with individual prayer. St. Catherine’s spiritual life was profound and immersed in the mystical, and she was granted the stigmata by the Lord when she turned 28.

St. Catherine passed away at a young age, merely 33 years old. She was declared a saint in 1461.

St. Teresa of Ávila

The lady we recognize now as St. Teresa of Ávila was born Teresa Sanchez de Cepeda y Ahumada on March 28, 1515. Coming from a lineage of Spanish nobility, Teresa absorbed lessons of faith and integrity from her mother. The stories of the saints, shared with all the children in their household, had a significant impact on her early years, inspiring her and her brother Rodrigo to escape from home, pledging to become martyrs.

At the age of 20, Teresa joined the nearby Carmelite convent. This specific convent was recognized for its relaxed approach to religious practices, which led the outgoing and well-liked Teresa to devote considerable time to socializing in the parlor with guests. In fact, for many years she faced significant internal conflict, caught between the secular and the spiritual.

St. Teresa’s transformation

It was only when she turned 40 that she experienced a complete transformation and the certainty that God demanded more from her. This profound spiritual enlightenment within her initiated what would become the significant revival of the Carmelite order overall and led to the establishment of the Discalced Carmelites. Teresa’s efforts to return the order to its initial rigor faced considerable opposition from both internal and external sources, yet she successfully established and supported 16 new convents.

Alongside this impressive endeavor, Teresa extensively corresponded, mainly with the sisters she resided with and guided, to assist them in attaining deeper closeness with God. Her most famous work is “The Interior Castle,” which outlines the journey a soul embarks on towards Christ. While it delves deeply into significant theological concepts, it remains surprisingly accessible for the average reader and showcases a substantial part of the author’s character, making it highly relatable and captivating.

Teresa of Ávila passed away at the age of 67 in 1582. She was declared a saint only 40 years following her death in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

St. Thérèse of Lisieux was born the smallest of nine siblings (five who lived past infancy) to Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin and was, as widely acknowledged, a cherished member of the family. Following her mother’s passing at the age of four, Thérèse was brought up by her father and elder sisters.

She realized that God was beckoning her towards a life of faith when she was quite young and was so resolute in her desire to emulate several of her older sisters and join the Carmelite order that, during a papal audience while on a pilgrimage to Rome with her father, she requested the pope to allow her to take her vows ahead of time. Unfazed by his refusal, she entered Carmel at the tender age of 15 and never turned back.

Thérèse grappled with scrupulosity and melancholy, yet throughout her trials, she held on to a profound and innocent faith in the Father’s love for her, which would serve as the foundation of her significant theological contributions. At the request of her prioress, Thérèse documented her beliefs in “Story of a Soul.” It is this work, which advocates for holiness through the commonplace alongside an unwavering faith characterized by complete trust and submission to God, that ultimately propelled her to become the youngest of all the Doctors of the Church.

Thérèse passed away at the young age of 24 due to tuberculosis. She was declared a saint in 1925.

What accounts for the scarcity of female Physicians?

While it is evident that not every saint meets the standards for Doctor of the Church, the limited number of women recognized highlights their underrepresentation. This suggests that either women are not naturally equipped to achieve the necessary level, making the four who have exceptions, or that numerous deserving women have been disregarded by the Church. In my opinion, it is the latter, particularly when taking into account the criteria, the historical prejudice of the Curia, and contemplating the lives and contributions of other remarkable female saints.

Exemplary holiness

Initially, the title demands exceptional holiness. One might contend that every saint has attained those levels, yet it is important to note that, concerning female saints, the definition of holiness was quite limited for an extended period in Church history. For many years, there were two paths to being recognized as a holy woman: to be a secluded (and reserved) religious sister or to dutifully engage in the responsibilities of home and family.

The women who did not conform to this standard frequently faced disdain and were sometimes scrutinized by the Church throughout their lives. Even in future generations, the majority of men were not prepared to recognize these revolutionary and paradigm-altering women as exemplars of sanctity. Pope St. John Paul II’s idea of the feminine genius is a fairly recent theological notion. This also applies to women assuming roles of authority within the Church (and in the broader society).

Teresa, Catherine, and Hildegard were hardly paragons of traditional femininity during their eras, considering their notable assertiveness (among various traits), and this perception persisted in the years that followed. Thérèse was seen as gentle and modest, yet as an unlearned young woman, she was disregarded as a theologian.

Contributions to theology

This leads us to the second criterion: that the saint has made significant contributions to Church theology and has aided the Church collectively in achieving a richer comprehension of the Faith through their writings and speeches. Once more, it is not surprising that recognition for women has been delayed. Consider that, for many centuries, numerous women were denied the opportunity to learn to read and write, thereby disqualifying most of them from the writing requirement. Additionally, not every woman possessed the resources that St. Catherine had, which allowed her to dictate letters to secretaries. Would more women have impacted the Church’s theology if they had been given the opportunity? Unfortunately, we will never find out.

Even women capable of reading and writing were not frequently regarded as intellectual equals by the male leaders of the Church. Examining the different styles of writing from the four women Doctors of the Church reveals a contrast with many of their male counterparts. While equally strong in doctrine and dogma, the works of Hildegard, Catherine, Teresa, and Thérèse possess a more relational and conversational tone compared to those of their male peers. Notably, these four women Doctors often penned their writings for a female audience, perhaps providing yet another explanation for why their insights were dismissed as wisdom beneficial to the entire Church.

Papal decree

It was not a certain outcome that the title of Doctor of the Church would one day be bestowed upon a woman, irrespective of her credentials in the initial two areas. Indeed, in his apostolic letter elucidating the choice to elevate St. Teresa of Ávila to the status of Doctor of the Church, and after detailing her extensive contributions to theology, Pope Paul VI remarked that he had requested the bishops gathered in the Ordinary Assembly to examine the possibility that a woman could be granted the title before conferring it on her. This occurred in 1967. Prior to this, it had not even been regarded as a possibility within the Church leadership.

Are there additional women who meet this classification?

In my modest view, there are certainly other women worthy of receiving this honor. And I am not the only one who believes this.

In 2015, the Marian Helpers compiled a well-crafted and extensively researched petition directed to the Holy See advocating for St. Faustina’s inclusion in the group. Through her visions and writings, the Church has gained a profound understanding of Christ’s merciful love, and her revelations regarding the Divine Mercy of Our Lord have transformed the Church’s landscape. Penned just before the onset of World War II, it is clear that St. Faustina’s message was pressing during her era, and anyone who has participated in Mass on the Sunday following Easter, now recognized globally as Divine Mercy Sunday, cannot dispute the widespread and lasting impact of her message.

The Carmelites have similarly initiated a request on behalf of St. Edith Stein, a woman who genuinely possessed a Ph.D. Her doctoral thesis focused on empathy, a theme she would revisit in subsequent works following her conversion to Catholicism. Among her 28 volumes of writings, there is a wealth of theological wisdom that holds significance for the entire Church.

And who could dispute that the works of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque have not affected the whole Church? While her name may be less recognizable to numerous individuals than that of other saints, the devotion to the Sacred Heart, which we attribute to her, certainly is.

These are merely three instances. There are additional women to be discovered throughout our Church’s past and, I am confident, more women Doctors of the Church will emerge in the times ahead.

Why is it significant if there are just four?

Some individuals may wonder why it’s significant that there are merely four women Doctors of the Church. In response, I would say that it matters a great deal.

It is significant because women possess a distinct voice compared to men and have unique encounters with God that should be recognized not only by women but by everyone. Pope Saint John Paul II was correct when he spoke of the feminine genius — women influence our Catholic Church daily in both major and minor ways.

Recognizing additional women with this title is significant because, in reality, over four women have significantly impacted our Church’s theology throughout the last two thousand years, and we openly acknowledge and celebrate that fact.

As a mother of young daughters, it is important because my girls require role models — women who were both devoted and pioneers, individuals of strength and intellect, of bravery and insight. It is significant because my daughters are equal participants in the future of the Catholic Church and they have the right to witness what can be achieved.

Colleen Pressprich is the author of “The Women Doctors of the Church” (OSV, $16.95). She writes from Michigan.