Mother Catherine McAuley used her restless Spirit to drive herself and others closer to Jesus. From a very young age she knew she wanted to become Catholic, even thought that was frowned upon from her distant family and friends. In that time period religious persecution was in full effect. Mother Catherine stood strong on her convictions and eventually opened a home for poor, homeless, sick, dying and uneducated women and children. She would go on to proclaim her vows and after her death was named Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1990. (Sullivan, 1995, pg. 3) At a young age Catherine experienced great loss, the loss of her beloved parents. Catherine’s father died when she was only 5 years old in 1783, and her mother passed in 1798 when Catherine was 17 years old. Following her mother’s death Catherine and her siblings moved in with Protestant relatives. Even though she lived with Protestant relatives she stood strong in her Catholic faith. In 1803 Catherine moved in with and helped care for William and Catherine Callaghan. Even thought they were also Protestants, she was allowed to follow her Catholic faith as long as she didn’t bring it into their household. Following their deaths she was left Williams estate and with that money she…show more content… They both knew that service to the Lord was the “fundamental principle of Christianity; without it there is no true religion, for only he ‘who loves his neighbor fulfills the law’.” (The Spirit of Mary Catherine McAuley, 1922, pg. 8) In one of Mother Catherine McAuley’s Rules she says, “No work of charity can be more conductive of good to society, or more conductive to the happiness of the poor, than the careful training of women.” (The Spirit of Mary Catherine McAuley, 1922, pg. 9) It was to this training, service and charity that she dedicated her life to because Mother Catherine knew that service to others was the best proof of our love for