Mary Aikenhead (Foundress)

Born in Cork in 1787 of an upper class Protestant father and Catholic mother, Mary Aikenhead was deeply affected by her father's work as a doctor among the Irish poor and by his death-bed conversion to Catholicism. In 1802, she became a Catholic and, in 1808, went to stay with her friend Anne O'Brien in Dublin. Here she witnessed widespread unemployment and poverty and soon began to accompany her generous friend in visiting the poor and sick in their homes.

It was in Mrs O'Brien's home that Mary first met Father Daniel Murray when he visited Anne to work out their plans for reaching out to the poor. Mary came to appreciate the deep love for God that inspired their constant anxiety on behalf of the poor. In her growing awareness of being called by God to religious life, Mary realised that her call to serve the poor meant she could not join an enclosed order. In the meantime, she needed to return to Cork to help her frail mother so, after consulting with Father Murray, she returned to Cork.

By 1809, Mary was free to return to Dublin; at the same time, Father Murray was appointed coadjutor bishop of Dublin. Over the next five years, together they planned the founding of a new religious congregation of Sisters of Charity. Realising that Mary had all the gifts she needed, "a great heart and a willing mind", Bishop Murray convinced her to agree to become the foundress.