On November 11, 1841, one hundred and seventy-nine years ago, our beloved Foundress, Catherine McAuley, left this earth and returned to the House of her Father. In a eulogy preached by the Reverend Myles Gaffney, Pastor and dear friend, he said, “Few left in this world in 1841 can with more confidence than the revered foundress of the Sisters of Mercy expect to hear, ‘Come you blessed of my Father… enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Catherine McAuley began the Sisters of Mercy in 1831, and died in 1841. During those ten short years, she founded 14 Convents of Mercy in Ireland and England, in service of the poor, sick and ignorant. At that time hundreds of young women had joined her ranks of Mercy. At the time of her death, Bishop Michael Blake of Dublin told the Sisters of Mercy, “Your Foundress was holy, she was eminently holy,” and further, “…a more zealous, more prudent, more useful, more successful benefactress of human nature has never existed in Ireland since the days of Saint Brigid. She has been taken from us after bestowing incalculable services and benefits on her fellow creatures here below.” (Positio)
It has been thirty years this year since Pope St. John Paul II issued this decree:
“Catherine McAuley, Servant of God, Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, is adjudged to have practiced in heroic degree the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity -towards God and towards neighbor -as also the Cardinal Virtues of Prudence, Justice, Temperance and Fortitude.”
By this decree, our Foundress was awarded this title:
Venerable Catherine McAuley
“Venerable” is the title given by the Church to a candidate for sainthood whose cause has not yet reached the beatification stage but whose heroic virtue has been declared by the Pope (USCCB). It is the first step in becoming recognized as a saint. The next step in the process is an approved miracle through her intercession, which is studied and authenticated by the Church. Usually this happens when the candidate for sainthood is petitioned through prayer to intercede for someone in need of healing, a healing which is understood to be medically impossible. At this time, a miracle attributed to Venerable Catherine has been submitted to Rome, and is awaiting discernment.
Let us pray for one another through the intercession of Venerable Catherine, that we will live lives of holiness and complete generosity, as she did, for the sake of all whom we are called to serve.
