she was born kathleen corrigan into a large liverpool family, and developed a talent as an organist. in 1933, she entered stanbrook abbey in worcestershire as a nun, and eventually became director of its choir. one of her projects was to develop an english language version of the office of compline for the abbey. in the course of her career, dame felicitas befriended and/or corresponded with several famous figures who converted to catholicism, including poet siegfried sassoon, actor alec guinness; and novelist rumer godden.