Catherine's Canonisation Cause

Meeting Catherine Today

The following are stories of faith and confidence in the intercession of Catherine McAuley:

View 2007 Meeting Catherine Today

March 26, 2010

The following account of a favour received was sent to me by Alison who attends Holy Trinity Church, Newcastle-under-Lyme and where she came to hear of Catherine through two local Sisters of Mercy, Sr. Bridie and Sr. Betty

“My name is Alison Jones and I live in Staffordshire, England. I am a paediatric student nurse. However, before this I was a singer for many years. Since I have been studying I have continued to write music, although I no longer perform in public. I often find myself questioning the new career I have chosen and wondering if it is the right one for me, as I still love music and singing so much. I miss it a great deal and I have often asked the Lord for a sign, if possible, that would show me one way or the other which path I should take.

Around September last year I started asking Catherine’s intercession in prayer that I might be given some sort of sign that may show me whether I should say goodbye to my music or convince me that nursing is the right path. In November I had the shock of my life when I received an e-mail from a literary organisation who, after hearing one of my songs and being offered the use of it if they so wished, contacted me to say they absolutely loved it and would like to adopt it as their ‘theme tune’. I would perform the song at one of their book signings where their patron Dame Vera Lynn would be present. It has since received a lot of positive feedback and I will be performing the song this Saturday at the Grand Hotel, Brighton. I am absolutely thrilled and so grateful for Catherine’s prayers and while I won’t be giving up nursing, I take this as a sign that I can continue with my music alongside my studying.

I continue to ask Catherine for her prayers for certain family members and I am in no doubt that she is praying for them as I see a big difference in their lives. I have also asked her to pray for me for this Saturday.

Thank you for your time Sr. Anne and glory to God for granting me this favour through Catherine”.

Yours faithfully,
Alison Jones
26 March, 2010

August 3, 2009

I teach religion at Red Bank Catholic in Red Bank New Jersey.  As you know, we pray school-wide every Thursday morning for Catherine's cannonization.   I wanted to share an answer to prayer through the intercession of Sr. McAuley.
My daughter  had moved from Maryland in November 2008 to come back to New Jersey. She graduated from Loyola College in 2005 and had an excellent job as a financial analyst in Maryland. When she left Maryland she thought she would be able to find a job quickly in New Jersey. By January she was still unemployed. I felt very led to pray to Sr. McAuley, asking for her intervention in this matter. I wanted to further her cause for canonization and I wanted my daughter to find a job. I have to say, I felt very confident this prayer was going to be answered through the intercession of Sr. McAuley. I also thought the prayer would have to be very specific and well documented for it to be used. Below are the dates and particulars taken from my journal.

January 7th 2009 – Went into chapel and prayed to Sr. McAuley that my daughter would find a job. Specifically, that she would get a call from one of the many companies she had applied to the next day, Jan. 8th, and that a job offer would be extended in two weeks.
January 8th – When I got home from school, my daughter told me she had received a call from a bank asking her to come in for an interview on Jan 14th. I continued to pray and praise, giving the prayer request over to the intercession of Catherine McAuley. I knew then this prayer would be answered.
January 14th – My daughter had an interview with the man who would be her immediate supervisor. She received an email and a phone call later in the day asking her to return for a second interview with the vice-president on January 21.
January 21st – Second interview with the vice-president
Janurary 22nd – She received an email from Human Resources informing her that the interview went very well, and to expect to be contacted very soon to tell her “what the next steps were” for her employment with the bank.

My daughter is now employed at the bank and I know this is through the intercession of Sr. McAuley.

Just a note to thank you for your prayers for our grandson, Zachary (2009)

Today our son had a meeting with our doctor who had sent Zachary’s medical records to several brain specialists throughout Canada and the United States.  The consensus now seems to be that they are able to take necessary actions to reduce the large “artero venus malformation” in the centre of his brain.

The recommended treatment seems to be some focused type of radiation as surgery is unadvisable.  The specialist in Toronto has assembled a team to look after treatment strategies.  Knowing that the coming days will necessitate a lot of crucial decisions, we would appreciate your continous prayers.

Your prayers have meant so much not only for Zachary but for all the family.  Thank you and God bless you all.

Gerry and Ruth Benson

From St John’s, Newfoundland (2009)

I met a patient at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital. Fred is not of the Roman Catholic faith, but he seemed very happy to tell me this story:

Two years ago Fred’s twenty-year old grandson had a very serious motor vehicle accident in another province of Canada requiring that he lose his spleen and gall bladder. Also his liver has been severed. He was in critical condition. Fred happened to meet one of our sisters who was visiting the hospital and told her the story of his grandson and of his great worry about him. That sister promised him to put his grandson’s name on a prayer list and Sisters of Mercy around the world would pray for him.

Fred told me that he attributes his grandson’s healing to these prayers and to those of others. He is very grateful for this worldwide circle of prayer. His grandson has recovered and is a proud daddy. The baby’s mother was in the truck with him and was pregnant at the time of the accident – another miracle!

From Maryland, USA (2008)

My first encounter with Catherine McAuley was through hearing about her from my dear friend, Sister Frances Demarco RSM, who I met when we were both working at the same parish back in 1976.

On one of my first visits to the sisters’ home I remember seeing on the wall a plaque that contained a quote from Catherine as she was dying:  “Be sure you have a comfortable cup of tea for them when I am gone.”  Those words struck me as being exceptionally compassionate for a dying person; to be more concerned about the comfort of her sisters who may come to her funeral than for herself touched me deeply.  Through these many years, I have heard much about Catherine’s life from the Mercy Sisters who I have had the joy of meeting and knowing.  And so when in August of 2003 our parish sponsored a pilgrimage to Ireland—with a visit to the shrine of Our Lady of Knock particularly in mind—it occurred to me that I should visit the home of Mother McAuley while in Dublin.  So one free afternoon I went alone looking for her home on Lower Baggot Street.  When I arrived I simply rang the door bell and a wonderful Sister of Mercy greeted me with exceptional kindness and hospitality even though I had made no prior arrangements.  She showed me through the house and shared many details about Catherine’s life.  When we visited Catherine burial site, it was my intention to simply pray for my Mercy friends but there was something about that experience that drew me closer to her.  I asked if I could return the next day to celebrate Mass in the chapel and the immediate response was a resounding “yes.” 

The next day I returned accompanied by the entire bus load of 45 pilgrims.  We celebrated Mass on that day—August 25th—which happens to be the feast day of Saint Louis, the patron saint of our parish!  Since it was not planned, and since it had not occurred to me until I prepared for the Mass and since I do not believe in coincidence, I saw it as the Lord’s hand at work introducing all of us to Catherine.  To our great surprise, several of the Sisters of Mercy joined us at Mass and provided beautiful organ and vocal accompaniment. It was a most memorable celebration of the Eucharist as we prayed through the intercession of Catherine.  We were further surprised by and touched that after Mass all of us—all 45 persons—were invited to the dining room for tea and scones.  Many remarked later that the highlight of the entire two week pilgrimage to Ireland was the visit to the International House of Mercy. In our visit we literally experienced Catherine’s charism of welcoming the stranger and providing hospitality through her sisters.

The following year Sister Francis Demarco won the local Mercy Community’s annual lottery which  enabled her and another friend, Sister Kate Bell RSM, to travel to Ireland and to the home of Mother McAuley for the purpose of attending a retreat entitled: “Walking with Catherine.”   They invited me to join them—an invitation I readily accepted.  I believe I became the first (and perhaps only) priest that has joined the sisters for this unique retreat.  Though I stayed in a nearby hotel, I still participated in all the activities including visiting the places in Dublin which were part of Catherine’s life.  Each day I had the privilege of joining the sisters in a variety of prayer experiences and being able to celebrate Mass with them in Catherine’s home.  Through that experience, my love for Catherine and my appreciation for her life deepened considerably.

Since then, I begin each day with Catherine’s prayer called The Suscipe:  “My God I am yours for time and eternity.  Lord I am Yours forever.”  I keep her prayer card  in my breviary.  I also have that prayer set to music on a CD that I use at priest retreats and meetings.  In addition I often speak about Catherine at parish liturgies.  She has become a member of our parish-family.

On April 23, 2006 our parish celebrated the dedication of our new church.  I requested and received a relic of Catherine McAuley that was placed in our new altar.  Often as I celebrate Mass and kiss the altar my thoughts turn to this incredible woman of faith.

In fact she continues to inspire us to this day.  I credit our parish Hospitality Ministry to her example and intercession.  It had always been my prayer and hope that in our large parish of over 4500 families we would be able to offer hospitality to those who visit us.  Through Catherine’s intercession that prayer has been realized with hospitality ministers greeting everyone at each of our seven weekend liturgies as congregants enter our parish church.  In addition our Bereavement Committee offers hospitality to all families that celebrate the funeral of a loved one by providing a reception for all guests either at the family home or in our pastoral center.  These wonderful parishioners go to the home of the grieving family, while they are attending the funeral, and there prepare and then serve a marvelous buffet luncheon.  In addition they make certain that everything is cleaned and returned to the way it was before the reception so the family can greet and welcome their guests with no worries.  If a family prefers, the reception is  held in our lovely social hall.  A typical reception will serve 100 people; and it is not unusual for that number to be even higher.

These are small but important ways that I personally and our parish together follow in the footsteps of Catherine and carry her memory in our hearts.  Though she has yet to be formally canonized, I believe her to be one of our Church’s great women of faith.  I pray that I may live to see the day when the Universal Church recognizes her as Saint Catherine McAuley.

Rev. Msgr. Joseph L. Luca
Saint Louis Church
12500 Clarksville Pike
Clarksville, MD 21029

410-531-6040
www.stlouisparish.org

From New Jersey (2008)

I first learned about Catherine McAuley in my grammar school, in New York, USA, which was taught by the Sisters of Mercy.  Even as a young child I found her story of compassion, especially for children, endearing.  The title “Mother” seemed appropriate as it summed up her life’s work. Through my experiences with her sisters in the parish I witnessed her chrism and this helped me begin my relationship with this remarkable woman of God.

Later in life I married and moved into a parish in New Jersey that included what is now a Mercy University.  In that same university that I received my Masters of Theology. Once again I found myself surrounded by the Mercy tradition.  I left my position in New York and accepted a position at a high school as Campus Minister.  Our high school was founded in the Mercy tradition and I am privileged to work with her sisters.

It seems that Catherine has been a part of my life and with every experience I have come to know and appreciate her wonderful teachings. I have recently undergone an illness that has been trying.  I turned to Catherine at this time and ask for her intercession for healing.  Although this time has been challenging, I found a special comfort and peace as I asked Catherine to be with me.  I truly felt her presence. 

I look forward in continuing my work at the high school and with the intercession of Catherine, I am sure that wonderful times lie ahead.  I am grateful for the support of her Mercy community and I grow in respect and love each day for life of Mother Catherine McAuley, my intercessor and friend.

From Scotland (2008)

I am writing to enquire about a prayer card that the priest gave to my family to say for me as I was seriously ill with a mystery virus and a high temperature and couldn't say it for myself.   One night I could see a face in between the statue of Our Lady that was on my fireplace and a picture of St. Teresa on the wall.   It was a lady with a black face.   I was telling my family about it and I think they thought it was the high temperature.   When I came round after a week or so I was given the prayer card of Catherine McAuley and at the side was the face that I had described.   I asked the priest if he knew anything about her and he told me to write to you.