Catherine McAuley

Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy

          Dedicated to the poor of Ireland, Catherine not only gave her wealth to the poor, but her life as well (Gannon). She lived among them, ultimately giving the poor, sick, and uneducated everything inside of her. In giving her life, she found God in the faces that surrounded her, even amidst the severe social desolation of the time. Her story is rooted in pain and loss, affection and tenderness, and a deep spirituality that continues to affect the circle of Mercy today.   

“A Call”

            Catherine McAuley found God within the world around her. She saw Him in nature and the people that surrounded her (Regan). She did not have to search far for Him, even though she was not permitted to show any visible signs of her belief in Catholicism. After the death of her parents, and the loss of her relatives’ financial support, the Callahans took Catherine into their home. The Callahans were a childless couple, and they treated Catherine as their own. No longer a child, but a young woman, Catherine managed their home and estate. It was in their home that Catherine was able to do good deeds for the poor. Secretly, Catherine read scripture, the writings of saints, and prayed with the servants under the stairs. Although the Callahan’s had an immense love for Catherine, they would not allow her to practice her faith because they themselves were Quakers (Regan).

            William Callahan saw Catherine’s ability to care for others and her desire to spread charity to all she encountered. Aftert his death, he left Catherine a million dollar fortune, which defined her as an heiress within her society (Regan). Mr. Callahan commented once that he knew the great good Catherine would do with whatever money she had (Regan). Catherine took seriously her responsibility to do good with her fortune because, after all, that is what Mr. Callahan had intended. Despite the anti-Catholic atmosphere Catherine lived in, she began to search for a way to bring God’s love and Jesus’ compassion into the world. Catherine felt a “call” growing deep within her that eventually enabled her to reach out to Ireland’s poor, sick, and uneducated.

Pain and Loss

            Catherine “brought her heart to misery,” (Regan) in order to root herself in a true love for the poor. Out of her misery grew concerns she worked diligently to change. The misery she unveiled inspired others to share in her efforts. Through the pain and loss, she transformed her misery into works of Mercy.

 This devotion to the poor was instilled in her early on by her father. Despite the anti-Catholicism that surrounded their lives, her father James McAuley was a devout Catholic. He passed the faith onto Catherine and her two siblings, even against his own wife’s wishes. Not only did James McAuley give Catherine the gift of faith, but he also modeled the behavior that ultimately helped shape the woman she became. James McAuley invited the poor of Dublin, Ireland into his house where he cared for them and brought religious education into their lives. Catherine’s father died when she was only five years old, and it was during this difficult time that she held tight to her Catholic heritage that her father passed down to her. Catherine’s father opened her eyes to the desperation around her. From that awareness grew a great love for all of God’s people.

            Suffering was not a stranger to young Catherine. After the death of her father, her mother drove the comfortably wealthy family into bankruptcy, dying herself a short time later (Regan). Subsequently, the three children were left with nothing. Catherine’s brother James, and her sister Mary, were sent to live with Protestant relatives. The teenage Catherine was left in the care of her mother’s brother, Dr. Owen Conway, a practicing Catholic. It was in this environment that Catherine was allowed to practice her faith and work with others. Despite the stable atmosphere of the Conway home, loss crept in once again when the Conways lost all their money. The Conways were left broke and Catherine learned what it was like to live amongst the poor. She felt the emptiness of her own stomach, and endured the dead of winter without the warmth of any heat. Eventually after being shuffled from house to house, experiencing loss after loss, Catherine ended up in the arms of the Quaker couple, Mr. and Mrs. Callahan.

“The Walking Nuns”

            Catherine bought property in an elite Dublin neighborhood with her inheritance from Mr. Callahan (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas). She purposely purchased land in this wealthy area because she wanted Mercy to be a visible force in the community. At that time Dublin was stricken with severe poverty that was ignored by the rich. Education was only provided to the upper class, creating an endless cycle the poor couldn’t escape. Catherine had a vision to break that cycle by providing education and healthcare to the poor.

It was in that elite neighborhood that the House of Mercy was built, that still stands today. The building contained classrooms, dormitories, various workrooms to train young woman in, and a chapel. Catherine was shocked when she first laid eyes on the finished product because the building looked like a convent. Surprisingly, this was not Catherine’s intention because her plan was never to found a religious community. Catherine’s strategy was to organize a group of Catholic social service workers. This would contain women from upper social levels that could contribute financially and physically help carry out Catherine’s vision. The church urged Catherine to establish the group as a religious order, but she refused (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas).

            Her stubbornness emerged because nuns at this point in history were not free to work among the people. Nuns lived cloistered lives behind the walls of the convent, spending most of their time in prayer and contemplation. Although Catherine had a close relationship with God, she took her cues from Jesus and what His mission brought to the world. Catherine felt that the poor of Dublin needed more than prayer; they needed care, love, and support. Catherine said, “the proof of love is deed,” she felt action was needed in order for change to occur (Mercy Quotes). As a result of her demand to not live a cloistered life, permission from the Vatican was granted that assured Catherine of this freedom (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas). Above all, Catherine wasn’t concerned with the official status of the group, but more so “that the works of Mercy be done and that they be done by deeply religious women” (Regan). The House of Mercy on Baggot Street became a religious community on December 12, 1831, when Catherine and two of her friends made their final vows, becoming the very first Sisters of Mercy (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas).

            Women came in waves to Baggot Street to join Catherine McAuley and become Sisters of Mercy. Catherine describes this epidemic stating, “we now have gone beyond 100 in number and the desire to join seems to increase rather than decrease…it is here that we can see most clearly the designs of God” (Regan). As more women arrived and their numbers grew, the sisters became well known around Dublin. Led by Catherine, these courageous women were the first to actually leave their convent in order to care for the sick and poor. The sisters were constantly canvassing Dublin searching for orphans, homeless women, and the poor. Eventually, because of this faithful walking, the Sisters of Mercy were nicknamed the “walking nuns” (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas).

            The sisters’ services were requested throughout all of Ireland, and in the next ten years twelve other convents were established. The works of Mercy were endless, and Catherine had a difficult time turning people away. Catherine often said, “God knows I would rather be cold and hungry than that the poor should be deprived of anything in my power to give” (Mercy Quotes). The work was extremely difficult and had a huge impact on her deteriorating health. Catherine died on November 11, 1841 around the age of 63 (Catherine McAuley).

Affection and Tenderness

            Catherine is described to have “felt life;” she “felt the joy of it and danced in it” (Regan). The joy she had for life drew people close to her because “they wanted to share in the source of her strength, goodness, and tender courage” (Regan). Catherine had the ability to bring the presence of God into the lives of countless people. Those who encountered Catherine felt the energy of that “source” which surrounded her, drawing them closer to the heart of Mercy. Without affection and love, the sisters would not be able to reach out to those in need. Catherine said, “love must be there before it can be exercised” (Healy). Love is the “bedrock of her ministry,” that the sisters who continue to follow her have kept alive and well in Mercy (Healy).

            Among the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine is known for her playful spirit. Even in times of turmoil Catherine had the ability to “cast the experiences in a humorous light” (Burns, Carney). Throughout her letters and poems, Catherine’s humor and wit emerge, providing comfort and a smile. In one of her prayers Catherine writes, “and when you seriously complain, let it be known to give you pain” (Regan). Her meaning and sense of humor was clear: When the sisters really do complain, let it be known, so someone can really give them some pain to complain about! In addition to her fun-loving spirit, Catherine had an amazing attitude and outlook on life, especially considering the stresses that she encountered and the difficult work she was involved with. Still she advised her sisters to “dance every evening,” “turn what you can into a jest (joke),” and to have “a cheerful countenance” (Little Book of Catherine of Dublin). Ultimately, Catherine is described as affectionate, tender, funny, graceful, confiding, wise, and concise (Regan). The Sisters of Mercy are rooted in those qualities, trying to live out the characteristics that Catherine modeled. 

            The day that Catherine McAuley died, she personally said goodbye to every sister at her bedside (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas). As she was dying she did not think of herself, rather she thought only of the sisters she was leaving behind. From her deathbed she insisted that “the sisters are tired; be sure they have a comfortable cup of tea when I am gone, and to comfort one another” (Little Book of Catherine of Dublin). Catherine died only ten years after she professed her perpetual vows (Catherine McAuley).

Deep Spirituality

            Catherine’s loving spirit stems from her deep relationship with God. From that relationship evolved her great appreciation for the Mercy that she believed God constantly provided. Often she said, “Put your whole confidence in God. He will see that you want for nothing” (Healy). Jesus is described as being Catherine’s model, the center and passionate love of her life (Regan). She drew strength from his ministry and mission. “The Sisters of Mercy were founded on Calvary,” said Catherine, “there to serve a crucified Christ” (Healy, 6). When Catherine saw a need she went after it with every fiber of her being because she believed that she was a servant of the crucified Christ and God the Father. During times of action she placed her trust strictly in God because through Him she knew she could accomplish the impossible (Regan).

            Catherine is often thought of as someone who stepped out and did something unique for a woman during that period in history. She didn’t think of herself as different because she was focused on simply doing the will of God. Catherine did not challenge the church, but adapted the Gospel message (Regan). This adaptation of the Gospel and scripture was done at a time when most religious groups only read pious books (Healy, 7). Some of Catherine’s favorite prayers were: The Thirty Days’s Prayer, The Psalter of Jesus, and The Seven Penitential Psalms (Sullivan). Catherine read scripture daily and encouraged her sisters to do the same (Healy, 7), “Catherine and the community used to gather at eight o’clock in the evening to pray night prayers with the women in the House of Mercy and the people of the neighborhood” (Sullivan). Catherine felt that in prayer, the sisters would gain a new zest for their ministry (Sullivan).

The fervent style of prayer Catherine possessed deepened her spirituality, and that has been passed on to her sisters. The Sisters of Mercy are rooted in the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God through Catherine McAuley. They have come to recognize Catherine’s understanding of Mercy as “a gratuitous process of giving and forgiving” (Mercy Quotes). For over a hundred and seventy-five years sisters have followed her path of “courage, daring, and risk-taking for Christ” (Healy, 8). The spirituality of Mercy that has been passed down from their foundress is the belief that Mercy is a gift given to them by God (Healy, 8). Therefore Catherine would risk anything to live the life that Mercy required of her. She dedicated herself fully to God. In one of her most beloved prayers she wrote, “My God, I am yours for time an eternity. Teach me to cast myself entirely into the arms of your loving Providence” (Burns & Careney, 39). In this prayer, which the sisters continue to recite today, Catherine is speaking of her deep devotion to God.

Endless Circle

            The ten-year period that Catherine lived as a Sister of Mercy is known as the “seeding time” (Catherine McAuley). Not until after her death did her vision fully bloom into an endless circle of mercy for not only Ireland, but also the world. Within a hundred years the Sisters of Mercy reached 30,000, becoming the largest congregation in the world established by an English-speaking founder (Healey, 8). Today there are over 10, 000 Sisters of Mercy world-wide who work in various ministries: teachers, doctors, nurses, librarians, CEO’s, legal advisors, lawyers, counselors, etc. (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas). Sisters of Mercy are found where charity is needed. They are advocates for the poor providing justice to the world, “we undertake the work of justice in light of Catholic social teaching, and our Constitutions, Direction Statement, and Action Plan” (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas). They continue to mix contemplative prayer with service of “the poor, sick, and ignorant” (Healy, 9). Catherine created an endless circle of love and faith that the sisters continue to live out through their ministries, within their schools, hospitals, shelters, and housing programs.

I had the privilege of attending the Sisters of Mercy Assembly in March where a little over a hundred sisters gathered together. There I witnessed the sisters’ love, constant humility, Christian hearts, playfulness, and Catherine McAuley, through their eyes and words. They sang a song that contained this phrase, “for the circle of Mercy is timeless…and holds us in God’s loving care.” Listening, I could see in them that they truly believe that God will continue to hold the world up in this circle of Mercy, and that together they continue to expand and reshape the circle.

For this Christian leader, love of God and one another was her guide and still remains an essential focus for the Sisters of Mercy. Everyday, unified sisters across the globe are constantly stripping away the layers of evil, sin, poverty, and sickness that exist in our world, ultimately searching for the deeper meaning of love, so they can bestow Mercy on all they serve.