Fragments of My Life

by Catherine de Hueck Doherty

Catherine Doherty's enthralling and inspiring personal autobiography!

Intensely personal experiences forged Catherine Doherty's heart and spirit--as a child living in exotic places, as a youth caught up in the Russian Revolution, as a young woman struggling as a refugee in foreign lands.

Catherine can be said to have 'done it all' but, unlike many, she 'did it all' for Christ and in some of the most unlikely places--and ways! How, why and where she did it are breathtakingly revealed in Fragments of My Life. The pace of her life never lets up.

The reader meets a woman of joy, humor, suffering and sheer exuberance, who shares, in a conversational and very personal way, her painful, growing experiences as a disciple who attempts to live the Gospel.

Fragments of My Life is really a love story--the story of young love, mature love; love of God and people, person by person. The telling is itself an act of love, uttered in trust, but not without risk. Catherine Doherty emerges from these pages as a woman to contend with, a heroic Christian example for our times.

This handsomely set new edition features 40 photos from Catherine's life, many of which are presented here for the first time in print.

Genres: Spirituality, Biography, Memoir

206 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1979

About the author

Ekaterina Fyodorovna Kolyschkine Doherty, better known as Catherine Doherty, CM (1896-1985) was a social activist and foundress of the Madonna House Apostolate. A pioneer of social justice and a renowned national speaker, Catherine was also a prolific writer of hundreds of articles, best-selling author of dozens of books, and a dedicated wife and mother. Her cause for canonization as a saint is under consideration by the Catholic Church.

Reviews

[Rachel Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, moving and inspiring. I’ve read a few of Catherine Doherty’s books on her spirituality but never about her life, so this was a lovely collection of essays and vignettes about her very, very colourful life - she has experienced so much! And her character and voice is on full display with her writing. Of course, the wisdom and reflections she imparts are also very moving.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of this woman before I read this book, but I found her story fascinating. I was particularly interested in what she related about her faith in God and how it shaped her life, even though it meant she was often at odds with people who disliked the stands that she took. I am not Catholic and find it hard to relate to certain aspects of her faith, and most of what she tells about happened before I was born, but there is also a great deal that applies just as much to our lives today.

[Guinevere Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

At a time when my faith has taken some blows, I felt drawn to ready her autobiography simply because she endured a failed marriage and annulment, but remarried and pursued holiness throughout her life.
Seeing her boldness in the face of the evils of suffering, poverty, war, racism, communism and most brutal of all - Church corruption, has been a balm to my heart.
It’s like finding a kindred spirit and a new friend to pray for me and help me to continue loving the Church.
So grateful for this great lady & for her writings.

[Gab Nug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine Doherty not only had a beautiful life witnessing to the Gospel without compromise, but also possessed a knack for story telling. Never thought I’d enjoy an autobiography as much as I did this one. It’s also rather telling of her priorities in life when she ends her autobiography in “The answer today to the salvation of mankind lies in prayer.” A hefty message to one reading as a future priest.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for an example of memoir writing. I'd never heard of the author, but she certainly had an interesting life. While I don't have the religious beliefs that she held, I think she was a very genuine person and someone that I would have respected and liked to meet.

[Angie Wiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine is a hilarious writer and brilliant! I LOVED reading and being inspired by her life as well as enjoying the ridiculous and the ways she is just like me (but also so not sheesh she is epic but that she is normal…) Its soo good

[Connor (Charbel) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful narrative, inspiring, challenging, and at times gut-wrenching and infuriating.