Catherine Aurélie of the Precious Blood
Foundress of the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood in Canada, declared Venerable by Pope Francis in 2016.
Contemporaries
Figures and markers around the normalized period for this entry.
Guided reading
5 reading sections
Biography
Youth and early vocation of Aurélie Caouette in Saint-Hyacinthe, marked by deep piety and mystical experiences.
Aurélie Caouette was born on July 11, 1833, in Saint-Hyacinthe, Lower Canada (present-day Quebec, Canada). She was the seventh of nine children, born to Joseph Caouette, a blacksmith, and Marguerite Olivier. From a very young age, she manifested an early piety and a deep attraction to the Passion of Christ and the Precious Blood. In 1845, at the age of twelve, she entered as a boarder at the convent of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame in Saint-Hyacinthe. It was during her studies that she met Father Joseph-Sabin Raymond, superior of the Seminary of Saint-Hyacinthe, who became her spiritual director and would faithfully accompany her for forty years.
She left the boarding school in 1850 to return to the family home. Although she felt an obvious call to religious life, she did not find her path among the teaching or nursing communities of the time. She chose to lead a life of intense prayer and penance at home, almost cloistered. During this period, she went through numerous physical and spiritual trials, marked by unexplained suffering and mystical phenomena, notably repeated visions of Christ crowned with thorns. Desirous of formalizing her spiritual commitment, she made a vow of perpetual virginity, then entered the Dominican Third Order on August 30, 1854, before being admitted into the Confraternity of the Precious Blood on March 21, 1858.
Life and Work
Foundation and expansion of the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood congregation under the leadership of Mother Catherine-Aurélie.
In 1859, Aurélie Caouette met Bishop Ignace Bourget of Montreal. Perceiving the uniqueness of her contemplative vocation, he suggested she found a community entirely dedicated to the adoration of the Precious Blood. Encouraged by this recommendation and supported by her spiritual director, Father Raymond, she obtained the approval of Bishop Joseph La Rocque of Saint-Hyacinthe.
On September 14, 1861, the feast day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, she founded the congregation of the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood. It was the very first religious community of contemplative life established in Canada. Initially, the small community—composed of Aurélie, her sister Euphrasie Caouette, Elizabeth Hamilton, and Sophie Raymond—was housed free of charge in the family home lent by her father.
On September 14, 1863, the religious sisters moved into their first monastery in Saint-Hyacinthe. That same day, Aurélie pronounced her solemn vows, took the name Mother Catherine-Aurélie of the Precious Blood, and became the superior of the community. Under her governance, the institute experienced remarkable expansion. She personally oversaw the foundation of ten monasteries in Canada, the United States, and Cuba: Toronto (1869), Montreal (1874), Ottawa (1887), Trois-Rivières (1889), Brooklyn (1890), Portland (1892), Sherbrooke (1895), Nicolet (1896), Manchester (1898), and Havana (1902). With the authorization of the Holy See, she was appointed superior general for life of the congregation. She passed away at the monastery of Saint-Hyacinthe on July 6, 1905.
Journey toward holiness
Recognition of Mother Caouette's reputation for holiness and the opening of her cause for canonization.
From the moment of her death, the reputation for holiness of Mother Catherine-Aurélie of the Precious Blood spread widely among the local population, who affectionately called her "the holy Mother Caouette." In December 1929, the community of the Adorers of the Precious Blood presented an official petition to Bishop Fabien-Zoël Decelles, Bishop of Saint-Hyacinthe, to open the inquiry into her cause for canonization.
The cause for beatification was officially opened at the diocesan level on November 20, 1984. The diocesan inquiry was closed on August 12, 1993, and the Congregation for the Causes of Saints recognized its validity by a decree dated March 4, 1994.
Beatification and canonization
Declaration of the heroic nature of her virtues by Pope Francis in 2016, conferring upon her the title of Venerable.
On December 1, 2016, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic nature of the virtues of Mother Catherine-Aurélie of the Precious Blood, officially conferring upon her the title of Venerable. The cause is currently underway in Rome, awaiting the official recognition of a miracle attributed to her intercession, an essential step to pave the way for her beatification.
Spirituality and legacy
Spirituality centered on the Redemption and the Precious Blood, and the endurance of her work through the Adorers of the Precious Blood.
The spirituality of Mother Catherine-Aurélie of the Precious Blood rests on the loving and reparative contemplation of the mystery of the Redemption through the blood shed by Christ. Her reference written work, titled Sitio ("I thirst"), expresses the heart of her charism: to respond to the cry of agony of Jesus on the Cross by offering oneself out of love for the salvation of souls and in reparation for the sins of the world. Her devotion to the Precious Blood is inseparable from a filial love toward the Virgin Mary, particularly under the mystery of the Immaculate Conception.
The legacy of the venerable is maintained through the continuous presence of the Adorers of the Precious Blood, who perpetuate their mission of perpetual adoration and silent intercession in the service of the Church.
Frequently asked questions about Catherine Aurélie of the Precious Blood
Who was Catherine Aurélie of the Precious Blood?
Foundress of the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood in Canada, declared Venerable by Pope Francis in 2016.
Which saints were contemporaries of Catherine Aurélie of the Precious Blood?
Contemporaries include: Jesús María Echavarría Aguirre, Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Narcisa de Jesús and Juan de Jesús López y González.
When did Catherine Aurélie of the Precious Blood die?
Catherine Aurélie of the Precious Blood died around 1833.
What are the other names of Catherine Aurélie of the Precious Blood?
Other forms of the name: Aurélie Caouette, Mère Catherine-Aurélie du Précieux-Sang and la sainte Mère Caouette.
Who are the relatives of Catherine Aurélie of the Precious Blood?
Relatives of Catherine Aurélie of the Precious Blood: Joseph Caouette (father), Marguerite Olivier (mother) and Euphrasie Caouette (sister).
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Era / death: 1833-1905
- Decree of venerability by Francis