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The lifestyle set by Catherine for the congregation outlined the ideal of “combining contemplation with apostolic love”. Mother Catherine desired her sisters acquired a well ordered, well-disciplined life nourished by prayer and productive of the holiness. She believed in living a common life which included charity and religious dedication, rather than a life full of intense ritual practices. Mother Catherine was kind, dignified and reserved, reflecting the constant presence of God in her. She treated the poor with tenderness and compassion, and her sisters with maternal affection. Furthermore, Mother Catherine possessed qualities of mind and heart. Qualities that were brought forth through her daily actions. They were qualities that reflected more than being just an ''aesthetic mother superior''.

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Catherine McAuley was joyful, kind, and very human, not just a holy figure. She believed that happiness was meant to be shared and that laughter, friendship, and music were important in life and in the convent. She encouraged unity among the sisters but never demanded strict uniformity, and she made each sister feel that she mattered. Catherine even suggested having a piano in the community room to make everyone’s life more pleasant. She used her cheerful personality to lift the spirits of everyone around her and combined playfulness with gentle lessons about living a good and faithful life. Her way of making recreation meaningful showed that she wanted happiness and growth to go hand in hand.

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Catherine often taught lessons through simple examples, like comparing holiness to a lamp that burns quietly when the oil is pure. She believed silence was important for inner peace and reflection, but she also balanced this with kindness and gentle leadership. She expected obedience but made sure to follow the same rules herself, asking younger sisters to correct her if needed. In 1832, tragedy struck when Sister Mary Aloysius died, and soon after a cholera outbreak hit Dublin. Despite the danger, Catherine and her sisters worked courageously to care for the sick, showing true courage and compassion in the face of fear.

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During the cholera outbreak, Catherine organized the sisters to work in the Townsend Street depot, creating a schedule so patients were cared for all day. She personally made sure that those declared dead were really gone before burial, which helped calm people’s fears. The sisters became well known in Dublin as the “Walking Nuns” tirelessly caring for the sick without getting sick themselves. Catherine even rescued a newborn baby during the epidemic, showing her dedication and love in every action. Her work during this time proved the sisters’ commitment to helping others even when the conditions were exhausting and dangerous.

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Even with so much loss, Catherine remained strong and hopeful. She was deeply affected by the death of Sister Elizabeth Harley, but she responded with faith rather than despair. She believed that God’s will should be accepted with love, both in giving and in taking. Catherine trusted that blessings would follow hardships, which allowed her to continue leading the community with courage. Her ability to accept tragedy with grace inspired the Sisters and strengthened the congregation during difficult times.

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Mother Catherine’s spirit was sweet and full of love to everyone who approached her. Her day began from 5.30am to 10.00pm, consisting of various tasks. She believed that the common life granted more happiness than extreme penitential practices. Her deep appreciation of the liturgy was shown through her spiritual exercises. She avoided long drawn prayers and the accumulation of devotions. The act of dressing however, she had to place great importance towards it, with aspirations accompanying each article. The first mass was followed by a second mass which was usually lead by Mother Catherine who read a spiritual lecture, nonetheless; her illness and severe coughing led her to appoint another reader shortly before her death. The day's daily activities ended with a long recreation time being the only time Mother Catherine approved to take a break.

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Mother Catherine strongly believed that sharing the lot of the poor meant trying to be like the poor which encompassed not giving one’s self the pleasure of relaxation until the daily duties were accomplished. Her first lecture as mother superior was the tenth chapter of Rodriguez, On Obedience. She believed this vow compromised all the discipline of the spiritual life. During difficult circumstances, Mother Catherine sought for guidance through prayer. This was reflected through her leadership which assured the sisters that she instilled the holy will of God. She read in a very delightful manner, or so everyone assumed.  She considered that it was more effective to adhere to a few solid religious books and read them over, instead of reading many in a haste manner. Before the end of 1931, Dr Michael Blake was appointed Parish priest and was responsible for the construction of a new church for the parish which he now served.

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Dr. Michael Blake’s leadership was only a temporary measure. Meanwhile, the fight against the Sisters in Baggot Street remained. Despite the opposition, Mother Catherine’s congregation was successfully established. However, this also came with tough trials such as expenses related to the Baggot street house and novitiate fees  which had taken part of her inheritance. The rest of her inheritance was placed in trusteeship. During this economic struggle, Mother Catherine addressed a letter to Archbishop Murray where she expresses her worries. In this letter, she petitioned for her nephew’s desires to further his studies to become a priest. Later on, she instructed the remodelling of the postulants garments; hence, only a few new clothes were provided.

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Catherine McAuley and her community were with constant money problems. Seeing all of this Catherine started a laundry business, which became very successful over time. The business even paid for an expansion of their "House of Mercy" building.

She mentions that a new "Poor Law Tax" made it even harder to get donations, leaving them at the edge of a hill. They sometimes couldn't even afford to feed hungry people who came for help. The sisters had to rely on fundraising events like bazaars to survive. By this time, the group had grown to include six fully professed Sisters and five trainees, making it an official religious community.

The new priest, Dean Meyler, disliked Catherine McAuley and the Sisters. To pay off a church debt that he had, he tried to stop their main charity fundraiser, although he failed at that, he did succeed in cutting off their Sunday collection money.

He ordered all parishioners to attend a different church instead of the Sisters' chapel. Unfortunately, the Archbishop allowed this to happen, which was confusing because he had previously given the Sisters special permission to have their own chapel. Later Dean also prohibited the second mass that was held every Sunday. after Fr. Daniel went on a mission Mr. Meyler didn't hesitate to leave a successor.

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Catherine set high expectations for the sisters of Mercy. She wanted them to be devoted to God and genuinely care for the poor, sick, and dying. She valued compassion, patience, and good judgment, and she accepted women of all ages as long as they had the right qualities. She refused to let money or lifestyle block someone from joining, though she also understood the importance of managing resources wisely. Catherine combined faith, mercy, and practical thinking to guide the sisters in both spiritual and real world matters, showing that leadership requires both heart and sense.

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Mother Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy. She was deeply committed to providing for the spiritual and physical well-being of young women, aiming to keep them safe and off the streets.

Despite her noble goals, she faced significant difficulties, including demands and a compulsory dispute with church authorities like Dean Meyer and Archbishop John Hamilton. This conflict was a source of great personal grief for her, as she never wanted to appear antagonistic towards the clergy. However, she handled these hardships with a positive and faithful attitude, viewing them as "the Cross of Christ" and maintaining her charity and humility.

Throughout these trials, her congregation continued to grow and expand. Her work eventually received formal recognition from the highest levels of the Catholic Church, receiving an indulgence and the apostolic benediction from Pope Pius VIII in 1830.

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There were also further modifications made to the sisters’ crucifixes, where only cheap brass ones were allowed. The rejection of outsiders attending the ceremony brought forth anger to many and a great lesson to Mother Catherine. She displayed her willingness to learn from her mistakes and her flexibility to adjust to different situations. In addition, the sisters were expected to be mindful during times of poverty and difficulty. The sick always received Mother Catherine's tender spirit and care. Her motherly affection to her sisters was displayed through her efforts to improve their health and comfort. For instance, she purchased a house in kingstown to serve as a home for sick sisters. With the aid of a surgeon, she sought to improve their diet as well.

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Catherine McAuley, with the help of Father Gaffney, prepared formal documents for her new religious group. The documents outlined their work,she presented these plans to her local archbishop, Archbishop Murray, in January 1833.

To gain official recognition from the highest levels of the Catholic Church, Catherine sent her petition to Rome. The application included not only the rules of the group but also a powerful description of their charitable work. It highlighted that they had already cared for 722 poor women, instructed hundreds of girls, and served as a place for the poor to bring their disputes.

Archbishop Murray strongly endorsed Catherine's cause.

After consideration, the Vatican responded positively. In an official decree from March 1835, Cardinal Fransoni expressed the Church's full approval. The letter stated that both the Sacred Congregation and the Pope himself highly approved of Catherine McAuley's resolution to establish the Society of Ladies of Mercy.

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After receiving initial approval from Rome, Catherine McAuley's next task was to write the formal Rule (the governing document) for her Sisters of Mercy.

She did this by adapting the existing Rule of the Presentation Sisters, modifying it to fit her community's specific mission of active service.

A draft of this new Rule was sent to Archbishop Murray for review. He made edits and suggestions, and then gave his official approval to this temporary version on January 23, 1837. Breaking the Rule was not automatically a sin, unless the action itself was sinful or broke their vows.

The Sisters lived by this temporary Rule for two years. In December 1839, Catherine took the final step: she formally petitioned the Pope in Rome to confirm the Rule permanently. This petition package included strong letters of support from her own sisters, Archbishop Murray, and other bishops whose dioceses the Sisters of Mercy were now working. Catherine was hopeful that this official confirmation would inspire new energy and fervor in her growing congregation.

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A high-ranking consultant for the Vatican, Paul Gavino Secchi Muro, had already reviewed the Rule and submitted a fully positive report.

His report highlighted that the spirit and mission of the Sisters of Mercy had already earned the highest praise from the Church and the Pope himself. The only remaining step was the formal approval of the Rules themselves.

By October, the approval had still not been finalized, leading her to write a second, follow-up petition to the Cardinal in Rome. In her letter, she reminded him of their first successful petition and the promising response they had received, which had given hope to church authorities in England who were waiting to open new houses.

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Based on a letter from October 1840, Mary Catherine McAuley reported that her religious order, the Sisters of Mercy, was growing. She stated there were 14 houses and 142 sisters, and she was requesting official approval from the Vatican, believing it would help the order expand further in Ireland with the full support of the clergy.

The request was successful, as Pope Gregory XVI officially approved the order's Rule in June 1841. However, there was a delay in getting the official documents to Dublin. Even by August 1841, the founder had not yet received the formal paperwork, learning from others that the approval had already been granted.

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Although there were some minor errors in the Italian-to-English translation, fortunately this was a small issue. The most important outcome was that Pope Gregory XVI had given full and unconditional approval to Catherine McAuley's work and the Rule of the Sisters of Mercy.

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The video What’s Your Vision? talks about the importance of having a clear purpose in life and using that vision to guide your choices and actions. It shows how focusing on something meaningful can inspire us to make a positive difference. This connects to the chapter on Catherine McAuley because her vision of serving the poor and caring for the sick gave direction to everything she did. Just like the video explains that vision shapes who we are and what we leave behind, Catherine’s vision of faith, kindness, and service continues to inspire people even today.

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Summary 28 pts.

Reflection (recorded audio per person using I statements) 18 pts.

Video 8 pts

Organization and creativity 10 pts

Instructions 10 pts.

Punctuality 10 pts.

Grammar and mechanics 8 pts

Total: 92 pts. A Excellent (Test # 1)

I was expecting that you speak on her role as legislator on your reflection and video.

Mrs. P. Luna

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V. Good Summaries and Reflection!

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Excellent Summaries and Reflection!

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Excellent Summaries and reflection!