5
Mother Catherine Aurelie
And The
Sisters
Adorers
Of The
Precious
Blood
HOW the
DEVOTION
to Jesus,
Mary and
Joseph
brought our cloistered community of
Sisters Adorers into being is told in
the life of Mother Foundress Catherine
Aurelie of the Precious Blood, who was
born in St. Hyacinth, Canada on July 11,
1833 and died there on July 6, 1905.
IN a play at graduation, young Aurelie
as St. Catherine was inspired to devote
her life to the Precious Blood. “I feel
in me all the energy of the Divine
Blood. It is a generous Blood which
aspires only to be shed.”
FOR 11 years, she walked a sorrowful
way; her spiritual directors unable to
decide what religious community she
should enter. “I thirst,” the cry of
Christ on Calvary, ever called within
her heart. “I thirst” for souls. “I also
thirst,” repeated Aurelie. “I am ready
to sacrifice all, to show You how
much I love You, and how much I
desire to see You loved by others.”
SHE was sent to leading theologians,
finally to the Archbishop of Montreal.
He advised: “Go into a small, secluded
dwelling and establish a new
cloistered community of Adorers of
the Precious Blood, Daughters of
Mary Immaculate.”
HESITATION for two years by the new
Bishop of St. Hyacinth ... then on the
Feast of St. Joseph, he prayed that, as
an indication of God’s Will, his doubts
might be replaced by confidence. His
petition was granted. In 1861, the decree
went forth, establishing this new
cloistered community. In 1896, it was
finally approved by Pope Leo XIII as a
worldwide Institute.
IN thanksgiving to Jesus, Mary and
Joseph, the first three sisters were
called Mother Catherine Aurelie of the
PRECIOUS BLOOD, Sister Elizabeth
of the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
and Sister Euphrasia of ST. JOSEPH.
MOTHER Aurelie’s faith and holiness
grew unto marvels and miracles. “I
would be as a magnet to attract all
hearts to myself in order to give them
all to Jesus Christ.” Heroic young women
were attracted to her work. Thirty-one
Monasteries have since been established
in Canada, United States, Italy, Cuba,
China and Japan.
Prayers for the Beatification of
Mother Catherine Aurelie
O JESUS, Who didst inflame the soul
of Thy servant, Catherine Aurelie, with
an ardent zeal for the glory of Thy
Precious Blood, grant, we beseech Thee,
that the halo of “BLESSED” may soon be
placed upon her brow and the favors
we receive through her intercession,
may show forth the power of Thy
Adorable Blood, draw all souls to Its
worship, and fill them with a spirit of
love and reparation.
O MARY, Immaculate Virgin and Mother
of the Word made Flesh, intercede for
us with Thy Divine Son, and obtain for
us from Him, the favors we implore,
through His humble servant, Catherine
Aurelie. Amen.