The Pathway Appears

Catherine McAuley was born in Dublin in 1778. Her father James earned a comfortable living through the building trade, and provided well for his two daughters and his son. His compassionate spirit and charitable work for poor in Dublin set an example for Catherine that remained with her throughout her life. His death in 1783 began a long period of instability for his survivors; his wife Elinor was not as financially astute as her husband and the family gradually declined into a state of poverty, becoming dependent on the goodness of relatives. Elinor was deeply affected by her husband's death: she stopped practising her faith, and when she died in 1798, she faced death consumed by fear and anxiety which had a profound affect on Catherine, remaining with her until late in life. Catherine, along with her brother James and sister Mary, lived with William Armstrong and his Family; there, under the strong influence of the Armstrong's Protestant faith, Mary and James stopped practising their Catholic faith, yet Catherine held steadfastly to it despite the limitations of her religious education and regular questioning and ridicule.

SUSCIPE

My God,
I am yours for time and eternity.
teach me to cast myself entirely
into the arms of Your loving
providence with the most lively,
unlimited confidence in Your
compassionate, tender pity.

Grant me,
O most merciful Redeemer,
that whatever You ordain or
permit may be acceptable to me.

Take from my heart
all the painful anxiety;
suffer nothing to sadden me but sin,
nothing to delight me but the hope
of coming to the possession of You,
my God and my all,
in your everlasting kingdom.
Amen.