The 25 November is St Catherine’s day. It’s not a date I have to look up: it’s etched on my memory like a family birthday.
St Catherine (or Catharine, as they spell her in some places) of Alexandria came into my life in 2003, when I matriculated at St Catharine’s College Cambridge to read Philosophy. It was there that I found I was living under her patronage in a number of ways: she was patron saint of my college; of scholars; of philosophers.
Now, in 2024, I find myself once again under the aegis of St Catherine, sitting as I am in a Haberdashers’ School. The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers has her as its patron saint, and in consequence, St Catherine’s day is celebrated here in Elstree.
In a diverse community such as Habs, it is natural to find oneself questioning the relevance of a 4th century Christian saint to our community today. But on reflection, her story still has so much to say to us about what it means to learn, and what scholarship is all about.
First, it is worth saying that her story captures more about diversity and concomitant discrimination than we might think. Catherine was actually a convert to Christianity. She was living in Alexandria, was of Greek origin, and was committed to a worldview that brought her into conflict with those in power. She was part of a religious minority. She is thought to have been executed in 307CE. In Church history, this makes her very early. She is killed before the first formal creed, the statement of what Christians believe, was formulated. The Christian Bible as it is now known was not set until 393-7CE. Catherine was very much an ‘early adopter’. She espoused this faith far before its equation for some with power and establishment.
This leads us to why it is that she gets to be patron saint of scholars and philosophers. Her worldview brought her into conflict with those in power, but the weapons in her armory were precise argument, reasoned views and flawless logic. She had no problem ‘speaking truth to power’ and used her honed philosophical skills to advocate for herself and for her view.
It is a model of scholarship that I find very appealing. First, it gives us such a powerful picture of learning. This is not scholarship found quietly cowering over a book in a corner: it is learning that has force. More than this, her scholarship had impact. No one could hear the story of Catherine and think that she belonged in some ivory tower doing something of no relevance to the ‘real world’. Her story shows us that scholarship can be a powerful force for change.
For this reason, I think her story has depth to add when we at Habs talk about profound impact, courage and curiosity. We want our students to love learning and pursue deep scholarship. Just as in the story of Catherine, we think scholarships empowers students to make a profound impact in the world.
