Honora Mattingly was born in Maryland on 23 October 1808. She entered the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph (now known as the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul) on 10 October 1830. When she was clothed with the habit, she took the religious name Ursula. Her early assignments included the Baltimore Infirmary, the Philadelphia Almshouse, the Maryland Hospital for the Insane, and multiple orphanages.