21m dating 23f and I my mother does not want it to happen. What do I do?

So, I am a 21 m and for the last 5 months I have been dating my girlfriend who is a 23 f. For me it has been such a great experience and we are very happy together however there is one part of my relationship I am worried about the way that my mother views it.

Before dating my girlfriend I had never really been in a proper relationship and that was fine I did not mind. Growing up I had never been in a relationship for a number of reasons one being I was definitely not ready for one not that I knew it at the time. The main one however was my mother always told me I should wait until I finish school as my studies are really important so I did not even ask a girl out until I had gone to university to respect my mother’s wishes. I personally feel this really stunted me socially as I felt different to many other people of my own age.

Now that I am an adult I assumed that I would be able to date freely and not have any rules that I would have to follow from my mother. However when I introduced my girlfriend in person to my mother around Christmas time my mum who up until this point had been indifferent to the fact I had a girlfriend suddenly become really negative towards her. Before Christmas my mum had made some negative comments that really hurt me like “I don’t want you getting sucked into your relationship you need to focus on work more, and anyway it’s not like a serious relationship it’s only your first one. What are you expecting to do, get married to her.” However at Christmas time the comments and attitude towards my girlfriend had become more intensive. She would say things like “She’s controlling you I only say what I see.” I however do not feel controlled or pressured as we are very much taking things slowly. In the past my mum has asked me that any major decisions I make needs to be run by her so I can get advice and in the past has said that she is the one who controls me when making decisions.

I think what does not help the situation is the fact I live at home at the moment and have to tell my mum where I am going and what I am doing and who I am seeing. I sometimes feel trapped and when I arrange to see my girlfriend I feel anxious to let her know as I know I am going to get more reasons as to why I should not see her. I still have to tell her however. When I say out late to see my girlfriend my mum will not go to sleep until I am home and that is fine as she can do what she wants. She does this to make sure I get home safe and then I get told I should not say out late and seeing my girlfriend as she can’t sleep until I am home. I know that she stays up out of love and worry but I don’t want to keep being blamed for her being tired.

An over arching theme in my mother’s view on my relationship is the fact that she is Catholic and I am also Catholic (I converted just over a year ago). Growing up I grew up in a culture that was very reminiscent of how my country would have been maybe 50 years before I was born. My mother is very much anti-catholic and in her mind can not separate the idea of the church from the IRA which sounds weird but it how she views the church. I being being Catholic was brought up in a house that was what I would describe as culturally protestant we would go to church but we were not hard core believers but when it came to catholics we were taught why they are bad and wrong. I have now come to learn my mother’s views on catholics are wrong. My conversation did put pressure on my relationship with my mother however she said she was happy for me and accepted my description and was just glad I had faith as my siblings grew up not developing a faith which my mum found easier to accept. When I added my girlfriend into the mix however she soon changed and started saying anti-catholic things to me again so even directly targeted at me and or my girlfriend.

I am now at a loose end of what to do I love my family so much and my mother however I feel like she is pushing me away but then I wonder if instead I am drifting away as she always reminds me of how much I have changed. I know that my mother does not approve of my relationship with my girlfriend and that hurts a lot and I wonder what I should do. I honestly think there are only two options. 1. Stay with my girlfriend and let this continue as it is. 2. Break up with my girlfriend so that my mother is happy. I love my girlfriend so much but I don’t want to upset mum so I actually don’t know what to do.

Reddit please help.
Sorry for the Spelling and Grammar I am Dyslexic I tried my best.