Catherine Doherty was the foundress of the Madonna House Apostolate, a family of Christian lay men, women, and priests striving to incarnate the teachings of Jesus Christ by forming a community of love. The community has its main house in Combermere, Ontario, Canada and also operates a number of missionary field houses throughout the world. Doherty authored a number of books on Russian spirituality, of which Poustinia: Christian Spirituality of the East for Western Man is best known.