Catholic Saints Podcast – St. Paula the Elder
Augustine Institute | January 26, 2026
Host: Mary McGhehan
Guest: Dr. Elizabeth Klein
Episode Overview
This episode explores the life and significance of St. Paula the Elder, an often-overlooked yet profoundly influential female saint from the fourth century. Dr. Elizabeth Klein and host Mary McGhehan delve into Paula’s wealthy Roman background, her embrace of monastic life, her intellectual and financial contributions to St. Jerome and the Vulgate, and her lasting legacy for modern Catholics. The discussion highlights Paula as both a model of radical generosity and an example of flexible, adaptive vocation.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. St. Paula’s Historical Context and Background
- Dates: Paula lived from 347–404 AD.
(03:28) Dr. Klein: “St. Paula dates are 347 to 404…a wealthy Roman woman with a very storied lineage…” - Married at a young age (typical for Roman upper-class women), widowed by 32, mother of five.
- Her story parallels other prominent early Christian women like St. Marcella and St. Macrina, who also turned to the monastic life following widowhood or loss.
2. Her Entrance into Monasticism and Relationship with St. Jerome
- St. Jerome as Mentor: Met Jerome in Rome; he became her spiritual director. (03:31–04:36)
- Founding a Monastery: Followed Jerome to Bethlehem, where she established one of the first female monastic communities in the West—a cloistered life of prayer and service.
- (04:36) Dr. Klein: “She’s actually considered to be…maybe the first nun in the West…”
- Wealth and Status: Paula’s prestigious Roman lineage made her renunciation of wealth and status particularly noteworthy.
- (05:49) “She comes from status. What would be the equivalent now? Like she’s a Kennedy.”
3. Sources on Her Life
- Primary Sources: Most information comes from the biography and letters St. Jerome wrote, especially a lengthy letter to Paula’s daughter Iustochium.
(06:52) Dr. Klein: “All we know about her life basically comes from the life that Jerome wrote about her after she died.”
4. Paula’s Contributions to the Church and St. Jerome
- Financial Backer: Funded Jerome’s biblical translations and commentary, notably the Latin Vulgate.
- (07:25) “She also bankrolled all of Jerome’s projects, including the Vulgate…she gives away her money in such large amounts that Jerome is, like, concerned about it…”
- Intellectual Partner: Read and discussed scripture with Jerome; learned Hebrew and could recite Psalms in Hebrew.
- (08:12) “Paula learned Hebrew and could say the Psalms in Hebrew, which is pretty impressive.”
- Benefactor and Encourager: Encouraged, challenged, and supported Jerome in his scholarly works, functioning as his key collaborator and encourager.
5. Personality & Perception by Contemporaries
- Jerome’s Admiration:
- (10:34) Dr. Klein reading Jerome’s biography: “If all my bodily limbs were turned into tongues, and if every limb could speak with a human voice, I would still be unable to give a proper account of the virtues of the holy Paula.”
- Contemporary Wit: Historian Palladius’ tongue-in-cheek comment about Paula outliving Jerome’s difficult personality:
- (09:08) Quoting Palladius: “Paula, who looks after Jerome, will die first and be set free at last from his meanness. Because of him, no holy person will live in those parts. His bad temper would drive out even his own brother.”
6. Pilgrimages, Legacy, and Death
- Pilgrimage: Paula journeyed with Jerome and other women throughout the Holy Land, visiting significant Christian sites and ultimately settling in Bethlehem.
- *(13:10) “She goes on pilgrimage with Jerome and a bunch of other women…kind of like her emotional experience and her…conversion at each of these sites.”
- Burial Place: Interred at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem—her tomb is still there, a potential pilgrimage site for modern Catholics.
- Spiritual Reflections: Her journey and reflections are recounted by Jerome and recommended as spiritual reading for those visiting the Holy Land. (14:26–14:34)
7. Impact and Relevance for Today
- Model of Flexibility: Paula exemplifies responding to God’s call through life’s changing circumstances—first as wife and mother, then as monastic founder.
- (16:16) Dr. Klein: “We end up living a life we never expected we would live…Paula is a good patroness: you can do and be different things if God calls you.”
- Radical Generosity: Paula stands as a challenging example of detachment from wealth and trusting providence, even while caring for a family.
- (19:39) “We can often err too much in the other direction and…be too easy on ourselves with the Lord’s call to poverty…She can be really inspiring for us to grow in detachment from wealth, even if we are managing a family.”
- Feminine Leadership: Dr. Klein and Mary highlight Paula’s role in fostering intellectual, spiritual, and practical leadership in the early Church.
- (20:53) “She exemplifies great feminine leadership…supporting St. Jerome both intellectually, financially, generously, in friendship…”
8. Family and Descendants
- Daughter: Iustochium, who became abbess after Paula and was her close collaborator.
- Granddaughter: Paula the Younger, also a nun.
- Son: Toxocius, remained secular but had a family; baptized late in life.
- (17:17) “Her granddaughter, Paula the younger…she also enters the monastery after.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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Jerome’s Hyperbolic Praise (10:34)
“If all my bodily limbs were turned into tongues, and if every limb could speak with a human voice, I would still be unable to give a proper account of the virtues of the holy Paula.”
— St. Jerome -
On Paula’s Generosity (07:25)
“[Paula] gives away her money in such large amounts that Jerome is, like, concerned about it and is like, you need to stop being so generous. And she’s just like, I’m determined to die with nothing.”
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Paula’s Adaptable Vocation (16:16)
“We end up living a life we never expected we would live…Paula is a good sort of patroness: you can do and be different things if God calls you. And God can give you the grace to live in different states according to what happens in life. Cause life is crazy and things happen.”
-
Palladius on Jerome’s Temperament (09:08)
“Paula, who looks after Jerome, will die first and be set free at last from his meanness. Because of him, no holy person will live in those parts. His bad temper would drive out even his own brother.”
Important Timestamps
- 01:28–03:25: Life and sociocultural context of St. Paula
- 03:31–04:36: Relationship with St. Jerome, establishment of the first female monastery
- 05:49–06:46: Impact of Paula’s lineage and parallels to modern wealthy converts
- 07:25–08:12: Paula’s funding and intellectual contributions to the Vulgate
- 10:34: Jerome’s effusive, poetic praise of Paula
- 13:10–14:34: Paula’s pilgrimage in the Holy Land and her burial site
- 16:16–17:11: Paula as a model for adapting to God’s call and vocation
- 19:39–20:53: Paula’s radical generosity and leadership
Final Reflection
St. Paula the Elder emerges as a hidden gem—a courageous woman who transformed privilege into service, scholarship, and spiritual leadership. Her life is a testament to living with open hands: radically generous, intellectually vibrant, and open to God’s call through every season—making her an enduring inspiration for both women and men discerning their path in faith.