Catharina was born on January 1st, 1652 in Heusden Zolder.1 Her godfather was Antonius Gaethofs and her godmother was Catharina Caermans. Catharina's father was Bartholomeus Gaethofs and her mother was Adriane Caermans. Her paternal grandparents were Antonius Gaethofs and Elisabeth Aerts. She had a brother and a sister, named Jean and Catharina. She was the second oldest of the three children.