Margaret Aylward facts for kids

Margaret Aylward was an amazing Irish woman who lived a long time ago. She was a nun, which means she dedicated her life to God and helping others. She was also a philanthropist, someone who gives a lot of time and money to help people in need. Margaret started a special group of nuns called the Sisters of the Holy Faith, who still do good work today.

Margaret Aylward's Early Life

Margaret Louisa Aylward was born on November 23, 1810. Her family lived in Waterford, Ireland, and they were quite wealthy. Margaret went to school with the Ursuline nuns in Thurles, County Tipperary.

When she was younger, Margaret did a lot of charity work in Waterford. In 1834, she tried to become a nun with the Sisters of Charity, like her sister. But she left after two years. She went back to Waterford to keep helping people in her community. In 1846, she tried again to join a religious group, the Ursulines, but she left after only two months.

Helping People in Dublin

By 1851, Margaret Aylward had moved to Dublin. There, she became very active in a group called the Ladies' Association of St Vincent de Paul. This group helped poor people.

Around this time, many people from the countryside moved to cities like Dublin because of the Irish Famine. This meant there were many more poor people who needed help. Margaret and her group worked hard to support them. They especially wanted to help Catholic families. Some people tried to make poor Catholic families change their religion by offering them food or other help. This was sometimes called "Souperism." Margaret's group wanted to protect these families and help them keep their faith.

St Brigid's Orphanage

In 1856, the Ladies' Association of St Vincent de Paul opened St Brigid's Orphanage. This orphanage aimed to "rescue" Catholic children. They wanted to make sure these children were not forced to change their religion by other groups.

The women at St Brigid's Orphanage formed their own society called the Daughters of St. Brigid. Margaret Aylward wanted to create a community of women who shared strong religious beliefs. However, at first, she wasn't planning for them to become a formal group of nuns.

Starting the Sisters of the Holy Faith

Group picture of nuns from Convent of the Holy Faith Ireland 1915.

In the 1800s, more groups of nuns and religious sisters started in Ireland. This happened because old laws against Catholics, called Penal Laws, became less strict. Important leaders like Archbishop Cullen of Dublin encouraged women's religious groups to become official orders. This helped them continue their important charity work.

Margaret Aylward was unsure about this idea for a while. But eventually, she agreed. In 1857, her group officially became the Sisters of the Holy Faith. In 1869, Pope Pius IX approved their order.

A Difficult Time

In 1860, Margaret Aylward faced a difficult situation. A child named Mary Matthews had been living with a foster family after her father died and her mother moved away. When Mary's mother returned, there was a disagreement about who should care for the child and what her religious upbringing should be. Margaret was involved in trying to ensure Mary was raised in the Catholic faith.

Margaret was asked by the court to bring Mary Matthews forward. She did not do so, and because of this, she was found to be in contempt of court. This meant she didn't follow the court's order. She was sentenced to six months in jail. After her release, Margaret continued her important work.

Margaret Aylward's Legacy

Margaret Aylward, who was now known as Sister Mary Agatha, passed away on October 11, 1889. Even after becoming a nun, she often wore her own clothes and traveled to help people.

Margaret Aylward had a special belief. She thought that poverty wasn't caused by people doing wrong. Instead, she believed that God saw poor people as special because of the hard lives they faced. She called them the "Elect of God."

Today, the Sisters of the Holy Faith continue their work around the world, following Margaret Aylward's example of helping those in need.