Catherine McAuley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids VenerableCatherine McAuley RSM |
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A picture of Venerable Mary Catherine McAuley (around 1840)
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| Born | 29 September 1778 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 11 November 1841 (aged 63) Dublin, Ireland |
Catherine Elizabeth McAuley (29 September 1778 – 11 November 1841) was an Irish Catholic religious sister who started the Sisters of Mercy in 1831. This group of women, also called a congregation, became famous for teaching.
In Ireland, the Sisters of Mercy taught both Catholic and sometimes Protestant children. This was very important because, at the time, a good education was often only available to members of the official Church of Ireland.
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A Challenging Childhood
Catherine Elizabeth McAuley was born in 1778 in Dublin, Ireland. Her father, James, died when she was only five years old. Her mother, Elinor, died in 1798, when Catherine was twenty.
After her parents died, Catherine went to live with her uncle. Later, she moved in with her brother James and sister Mary at the home of a Protestant relative named William Armstrong.
A Life of Helping Others
In 1803, Catherine became a helper and friend to William and Catherine Callaghan. They were an older, wealthy couple with no children who lived near Dublin. For 20 years, she managed their home. She also spent her time teaching religion and other subjects to the servants and poor children in the village.
Mrs. Callaghan died in 1819, and Mr. Callaghan died in 1822. Since they had no children, they left all their money and property to Catherine McAuley.
Building the House of Mercy
Catherine inherited a large fortune and decided to use it to help others. She wanted to build a special house where she and other kind women could care for and educate homeless women and children.
She chose a spot in Dublin on Baggot Street. The first stone for the building was laid in June 1824. While the house was being built, Catherine studied the best ways to teach children.
On September 24, 1827, the "House of Mercy" opened. It was a school for poor children and a safe home for women and girls who needed help. Catherine and two of her friends started the work there.
Catherine never planned to start a group of nuns. She just wanted to create a team of Catholic social workers. In 1828, the archbishop allowed the women to wear a special outfit, or habit, and to visit sick people in public. They chose the name "Sisters of Mercy" for their group.
While doing all this, Catherine was also raising nine of her young relatives who had lost their parents.
Founding the Sisters of Mercy
The Archbishop of Dublin encouraged Catherine to officially form a religious institute, which is a community recognized by the church. In 1830, Catherine and two other women began their formal training to become nuns.
On December 12, 1831, they took their official vows. This is the date the Sisters of Mercy consider their founding day. The archbishop then made Catherine the leader, or Mother Superior, of the new community.
In 1832, a serious disease called cholera spread through Dublin. Catherine and her sisters bravely agreed to run a hospital to care for the sick.
Between 1831 and her death in 1841, Catherine founded many more communities in other towns in Ireland and England.
Catherine McAuley died of tuberculosis on November 11, 1841, at the House of Mercy on Baggot Street. She was sixty-three years old.
A Lasting Legacy
When Catherine died in 1841, there were 100 Sisters of Mercy in ten different communities. Her idea spread around the world. Soon, small groups of sisters left Ireland to start new communities in the United States, Britain, Newfoundland, Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina.
Today, there are about 6,000 Sisters of Mercy worldwide. They continue Catherine's work of teaching and helping people in need. The Mercy International Centre in Dublin is the main headquarters for the Sisters of Mercy.
Honored by the Church
The Catholic Church has honored Catherine for her life of service. In 1978, the process to make her a saint began. In 1990, Pope John Paul II declared her Venerable. This title is given to a person who has lived a holy life. It is an important step toward becoming a saint.
See also
- List of people on the postage stamps of Ireland
- Series C banknotes
- Mary Frances Xavier Warde
