Moreau FYE - Integration Three
The Fullest Possible Extent
	Today we celebrate the life of . Catherine lived her life to the fullest possible extent, as if each and every day could be her last. She kept her passions and values ever present in her mind so as to ensure that she was always working to be the best version of herself. She often reminded herself and others that, “‘remembering death keeps us awake, focused, and ready for whatever might happen — both the excruciatingly difficult and the breathtakingly beautiful’” (“Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die” by Ruth Graham - Moreau FYE Week 3). She also tried to make the most of whatever life threw her way. While she knew that “when hardships or unexpected things happen to us, we often focus on the things that we do not have,” she tried not to fall into the trap of doing so (“5 Minutes” by Aria Swarr - Moreau FYE Week 6). She took every obstacle in her path as an opportunity to grow and flourish as a person. Catherine found these abilities to find the good in every situation and keep her dreams and aspirations always at the front of her mind at a young age. This helped her to discern her steps towards her future, which we can all agree she successfully took.
	As a young adult at the University of Notre Dame, Catherine found her interests to lie in the business world and studied in the Mendoza College of Business. She did not however, immediately know what specific work she would do in her future, and often thought against the “commonly held belief in our society that a major equals a certain career path” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” - Moreau FYE Week 4). Catherine was able to find the field of consulting, which enabled her to do work that combined her skills with her newly developed concern for environmental matters. Her father remarked to her during her freshman year of college that, “I have seen your passion for sustainability grow a lot recently and I am proud of how you have implemented it into your life and career goals” (Interview with Patrick Wolf by  - Moreau FYE Week 5). 
Catherine believed that doing good in her career was of the utmost importance. As a lover of the outdoors and natures unhindered beauty, she knew that something needed to be done to reverse the effects of society on the environment. She worked to make a difference throughout her life and greatly impacted the state of the environment for the better through her work. By working with large corporations to develop more sustainable practices, she was able to spread her knowledge and passion throughout the business world. She worked to  “...talk across differences and create a trust, create a mutual understanding” between those who were opposed to her efforts and those who had a strong belief in the good that can be done through sustainability (“Hesburgh” by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau FYE Week 2). While her skills in bridging work related gaps were certainly crucial to her career, she used those skills more often in her personal life. 
Catherine was a strong believer in vulnerability, and she often focused her own efforts on and urged others to follow Fr. Greg Boyle’s advice that  “allowing folks into my jurisdiction requires that I dismantle what I have set up to keep them out” (Tattoos on the Heart by Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J - Moreau FYE Week 7). She placed great emphasis on her relationships with her family and friends, and she was always there for others when they needed her. Her compassion spread throughout her community. Catherine was known for going out of her way to ensure that her relationships were strong, and she helped others learn how to forge similar connections, as well. Her willingness to be open and honest with whomever she was talking to allowed others to trust her deeply. Catherine had a great understanding of others’ needs, and she was an excellent person to confide in. Understanding why others acted the way they did or made the choices they made was one of her many strengths, and her ability to do so is one of the many reasons that she will be so dearly missed.
Obviously, Catherine had quite a busy life of cultivating strong relationships, aiding her growing family throughout their life, and working towards a more sustainable future in her career. However, one thing that we can all learn from her is that “the idea of going nowhere is as universal as the law of gravity; that’s why wise souls from every tradition have spoken of it” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week 1). Catherine was very adamant that everyone should take time out of their day to relax and step back from the stresses of everyday life. She was very open to introspection and often evaluated her current place in the world based on her happiness and her ability to contribute to the good of others. She was able to deeply appreciate the little things in life, which we can all agree are often what can keep us going through hard times, especially the loss of a dear friend like Catherine. 
It is nearly impossible to capture the full picture of Catherine’s life in words, but I hope that I have been able to give just a glimpse into the impact that she had on the world around her. She will be forever remembered by those around her as someone who brought light to even the darkest days and was constantly working to better her surroundings. While we will never know what she thought as she passed from this life, it is quite likely that she was grateful for the chance she had to make her own impact, no matter how big or small, here on Earth. Catherine would certainly be proud to know that we can all take her life as an example of one that was certainly lived to the fullest possible extent.