Doherty, Catherine de Hueck

• Doherty, Catherine de Hueck, 1896-1985

• Catherine de Hueck Doherty
• Catherine Doherty
• de Hueck, Catherine
• Catherine deHueck Doherty
• Doherty, Catherine de Hueck,
• The Baroness Catherine de Hueck Doherty
• Hueck, Catherine de
• de Hueck Doherty, Catherine

Catherine de Hueck Doherty, also referred to as "The Baroness" because of her marriage to Russian noble Baron Boris de Hueck, fled after the Soviet revolution into Canada. Having lost everything, she went from financial struggle and a failed marriage to rebuilding her fortunes by the end of the 1920's. However, wealth did not bring her fulfillment and she decided to give away her money and work among the poor in 1930. She established the first Friendship House in Toronto and later in the 1930's created one in New York's Harlem. After marrying Eddie Doherty in 1943, they founded Madonna House in rural Ontario, a place of retreat and lay apostolate training. Merton heard her speak at St. Bonaventure College while teaching there and felt inspired to come to Harlem and work among the poor in 1941. By the end of that year, he had decided on a vocation as a Trappist at Gethsemani, but remained in touch with Doherty. There is currently a cause for canonization of Doherty. (Source: «The Hidden Ground of Love», p. 3.)