About St. Kateri

Have you heard that the Catholic Church has recognized a Native American Saint, named Kateri? I’m not sure if I would have heard the news except for a dear Franciscan priest who said masses at our parish before he passed away. Fr. Bill always mentioned Saints Francis, Clare, and Kateri at mass every week, and he told us a little bit about Kateri from time to time. Thanks to Fr. Bill, my husband did more research about her. In fact, he took Kateri as his confirmation name when he decided to officially become Catholic.  So as you might imagine, she is an important Saint in our house, which I suppose is why she is the second saint that I’ve chosen to study. (pictured: our crucifix with Kateri and cross on the dining room wall) 

 As I read about her, I am inspired by her dedication to Jesus and her self-discipline throughout her short life.

Childhood

Kateri’s mother was an Algonquin woman who was given to a Mohawk chief (Kateri’s father) to be his wife. At birth in 1656, she was given the name Tekakwitha, I believe. Although, one source claims that the name means, “she who bumps into things,” and was given to her after some vision loss from smallpox. Kateri’s mother had secretly converted to Catholicism and taught Kateri some prayers when she was little.

As a result of the smallpox epidemic when she was very young, Kateri was partially blind and seriously scarred. She lost both parents and her younger brother to the outbreak. After losing her family, Kateri lived for a short time with a woman named Anastasia, who was either her mother’s sister or just a friend. Either way, Anastasia also prayed with her during that short time.

When Anastasia moved away, the new chief of the Mohawk tribe, Kateri’s uncle, adopted her. The chief, was not pleased that a treaty forced  him to allow “the black robes” to be in their village. The black robes were Jesuit missionaries who were there to minister to Christians who were being held captive in the village. Maybe thanks to the memories of her mother’s prayers, the teachings of the missionaries drew Kateri’s interest.

A Young Woman

At around age 19 or 20, she decided to become Catholic, herself. It was at this time that she actually took the name Kateri, which is a Mohawk equivalent of Catherine. Reportedly, she chose the name because of a particular devotion to St. Catherine of Siena.

Meanwhile, her adopted father, the chief, was already not pleased with Kateri  because she refused several arranged marriages. Now that she converted to Catholicism, she suffered serious persecution by her tribe. Finally, she realized that she would have to flee, for her own safety. With the guidance of one of the Jesuits, Kateri left her tribe and traveled on foot for more than 200 miles to a Christian village near Montreal, where she lived for the rest of her life.

The people of the village were drawn to Kateri and loved to hear her speak of her devotion. She claimed that she refused the chief’s arranged marriages because she could never be married to anyone other than Jesus, and so she took a vow of chastity. Kateri cared for the sick, the elderly, and children, attended mass daily, regularly prayed the rosary, and frequently fasted as a prayer for the conversion of her tribe.

Unfortunately, Kateri was never terribly healthy, likely because of the aftermath of the smallpox that she suffered at a young age. She  succumbed to her poor health the day before Holy Thursday in 1680 and died at the age of only 24. Here is an account of the events just after her death from a priest who was at her bedside. He said that her face:

“… so disfigured and so swarthy in life, suddenly changed about fifteen minutes after her death, and in an instant became so beautiful and so fair that just as soon as I saw it (I was praying by her side) I let out a yell, I was so astonished, and I sent for the priest who was working at the repository for the Holy Thursday service. At the news of this prodigy, he came running along with some people who were with him. We then had the time to contemplate this marvel right up to the time of her burial. I frankly admit that my first thought at the time was that Catherine could well have entered heaven at that moment and that she had—as a preview—already received in her virginal body a small indication of the glory of which her soul had taken possession in Heaven.”  (see source article here, para 12)

Sainthood

Pope Pius XII initially venerated Kateri in 1943; Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1980 ; and Pope Benedict XVI canonized her in 2012. A young boy healed of a flesh eating virus was the miracle related to her canonization. She is the patron saint of many things including ecology, the environment, people in exile, orphans, North Americans, Native Americans, and people ridiculed for their piety. Her canonization was a joyful moment for so many who were devoted to Kateri for so many years.

I will close with these words from Pope Benedict XVI at her canonization mass:

“Kateri impresses us by the action of grace in her life in spite of the absence of external help and by the courage of her vocation, so unusual in her culture. In her, faith and culture enrich each other! May her example help us to live where we are, loving Jesus without denying who we are. Saint Kateri, Protectress of Canada and the first native American saint, we entrust to you the renewal of the faith in the first nations and in all of North America! May God bless the first nations!” (see source article here, para 18)

Do you know anything interesting about Kateri? Does this bring any questions to mind? If so, please share them in the comments.