22/07/2026
168TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOTHER MARY AIKENHEAD.
Today, as Congregations we remember our holy Mother, Venerable Mary Aikenhead on the 168th anniversary of her death. She died on 22 July 1858, but her legacy of charity continues to touch lives across the world.
Born in Cork, Ireland, in 1787, Mary Aikenhead founded the Religious Sisters of Charity in 1815 with a simple yet profound mission: to know Christ, to love Christ, and to serve Him in the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable. She believed that the poor needed not only our hands but also our hearts.
Her mission lives on today through the Religious Sisters of Charity serving in hospitals, schools, parishes, and communities across the globe, bringing Christ's compassion to those most in need.
The Church has already recognized her heroic holiness. After her Cause for Canonisation was opened in 1921, Pope Francis declared her Venerable on 18 March 2015, acknowledging that she lived the Christian virtues to a heroic degree. We now pray for a miracle through her intercession so that she may be beatified and, one day, canonized as a saint.
How can you help in her cause for Beatification?
Pray through her intercession, share her inspiring story with others, and report any extraordinary favours received through her prayers. Above all, imitate her life of compassionate service.
Mary Aikenhead teaches us two powerful lessons: love must become action, and holiness is found in everyday faithfulness. Every act of kindness, every visit to the sick, every helping hand offered in love brings us closer to Christ.
As we honour Venerable Mary Aikenhead today, let us not simply admire her life, let us continue her mission. May her example inspire us to become living witnesses of God's compassionate love, and may God, in His time, grant the miracles needed for her beatification and canonisation.
Venerable Mary Aikenhead, pray for us.
HAPPY FEAST DAY TO ALL 🙏🏾
