Venerable Norbert McAuliffe was born John Francis Joseph McAuliffe in Manhattan, New York in 1886. He was orphaned by the time he was nine years old. After living in homes for children, he was inspired by a visit by Brother Stanislaus Keating of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. Losing both parents at an early age, McAuliffe became exceedingly interested in the Brothers’ work founding and operating orphanages around the world. At age 16 he entered into the formation house of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in Metuchen, New Jersey. He made his first vows in 1903 and took the name Norbert.
 
Immediately upon joining the Brothers, McAuliffe dove right into their educational mission and served all over the United States. He spent time in Mississippi, Washington, Louisiana, Indiana, and Oklahoma. In 1931, McAuliffe was assigned to lead the Brothers’ first mission to Uganda. They opened schools in Gulu, Uganda and Brother McAuliffe quickly became known by the local people for his dedication to prayer and love of Jesus. They nicknamed him Dano Ma Lego, The Man Who Always Prays.
 
During the outbreak of World War II, Brother McAuliffe was forced to return to the United States and was assigned as the Director of the Brothers’ formation center at Metuchen, New Jersey, where he was originally formed. During the difficult times accompanying WWII, those at the formation center lived off of the food that they grew and sustained an impoverished lifestyle. This time is remembered by those who worked and lived with him as a time of spiritual growth and blessings for those in the community.
 
In 1946, social stability allowed for Brother McAuliffe’s return to his missionary work in Uganda. During this time, he continued his work in education and established a more permanent formation center for those wanting to enter the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. He went on to become appointed the Director-General of the congregation leading them throughout eastern Africa. They continued their development of schools and soon expanded to both Sudan and Kenya. By the time McAuliffe passed away, he had seen the congregation grow from six brothers to six African novices, 21 missionaries, and 53 African postulants. He was able to witness the first Ugandan novices take their vows and begin the work of carrying the Brothers’ work forward with local ownership of the mission.
 
After he died in 1959, the Ugandan bishops invoked his name as an intercessor for the country. Pope Francis bestowed upon him the title of Venerable in the Church on May 19, 2018. Brother McAuliffe’s legacy of constant prayer, charity, and educational opportunity lives on in the Brothers’ work in East Africa to this day!