Coached by Catherine
What if one of the Church's most fiery mystics could mentor you in prayer, charity, and holiness, right where you are?
Walk alongside St. Catherine of Siena as she teaches you how to grow in love of God, neighbor, and the Church. Drawing deeply from her letters and prayers, this book brings Catherine's bold wisdom into your daily life—not as a distant mystic to admire, but as a spiritual coach who meets you in your struggles and calls you to rise above them.
Catherine doesn't ask you to levitate or to live on nothing but the Eucharist. She asks you to begin. Again and again. Through daily prayer, honest self-knowledge, and sacrificial love, she shows how every Christian, no matter how weak or ordinary, can become a saint.
Whether you're battling distraction, discouragement, pride, or sloth, Catherine has been there—and she will not let you stay stuck. She speaks with authority, tenderness, and with a burning desire for your holiness.
Let her coach you. And let God, through her and out of complete love for you, make you new.
“We can all admit that Catherine is in another league, whether we look at her mystical prayer, her intellectual understanding of the mysteries, her fortitude in preaching, or her “final martyrdom” for the Church. The danger in this admiration is that we dismiss all these things as impossible for us, rather than seeing ways we can learn from her, imitate her, and grow in holiness. “
-from the Introduction to Coached by Catherine
A Pilgrim’s guide to everywhere.
"Don't even think about making a pilgrimage without reading this book. It's that good, and pilgrimage is that important.
Watson packs her pages with fascinating history, theology, spiritual counsel, and the good practical advice of a seasoned traveler.
But wear your seatbelt for her chapter on the pilgrimage of the Eternal Word. It will take you to depths and heights you never knew existed. Making a Pilgrimage will change your experience of any destination you choose, and all for the better."
-Mike Aquilina
Award-winning writer and host of The Way of the Fathers podcast
Making a Pilgrimage urges readers to seek out the holy places that remind us of all we believe: that God entered into our world and desires us to seek and find him.
Explore first the biblical roots of pilgrimage, then discover the wisdom of pilgrim saints, spiritual writers, and the author's own travels as a guide to the Holy Land, Rome, and other sites of significance. Making a Pilgrimage offers invaluable advice for those planning pilgrimages, including a list of Catholic pilgrimage sites throughout the world.
All of life is a pilgrimage. This book can help you learn to make the most of it.
Not just for the Jubilee.
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“Joan has so much knowledge and understanding of Holy Scripture, tradition, and history, she can take Scripture that I’ve heard 100 times and still teach me something new about it. She has deep insight but still makes the knowledge accessible to an ordinary person like me, searching for more in the Bible and beyond. She has spent literally years studying and learning from the best, and has done the work for those of us who can’t.
It’s such a gift to be able to share in her thoughts and knowledge. I will gladly read any book she publishes, and this one is perfect for even beyond 2025.”
-Elizabeth,
a real life person in the pew
In Opening the Holy Door, Scripture teacher and veteran tour guide Joan Watson examines sixteen panels of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, guiding readers to pray and reflect upon the deeper meaning of these images by contemplating them through the lens of Scripture. With a unique combination of an attentive gaze and imaginative prayer, Watson guides you to experience, panel by panel, each image as a focal point in the Scripture narratives.
This book is not for a single year; it’s a spiritual companion for anyone seeking answers and hope in a fractured world.