St. Kateri Tekakwitha

St. Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. She was born in 1656, in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon, in what is now New York State. Her mother was an Algonquin, who had been captured by the Mohawks and who took a Mohawk chief for her husband. Kateri's early life was marked by tragedy when she contracted smallpox as a four-year-old child, which scarred her skin and left her with impaired vision. The scars were a source of humiliation in her youth, and she was commonly seen wearing a blanket to hide her face. Worse still, her entire family died during the smallpox outbreak, leaving her orphaned and vulnerable. Kateri was subsequently raised by her uncle, who was the chief of a Mohawk clan, and her aunts, who were not Christian.

Despite the challenges she faced, Kateri was known as a skilled worker, who was diligent and patient in all her tasks. She learned to work with her hands, creating beautiful beadwork and other crafts that were valued in her community. However, she refused to marry, which was unusual for a young woman in her culture. When her adoptive parents proposed a suitor to her, she refused to entertain the proposal, much to their disappointment and frustration. They punished her by giving her more work to do, hoping to change her mind, but she did not give in. Instead, she remained quiet and diligent, continuing to work hard while maintaining her resolve to remain unmarried. Eventually, they were forced to relent and accept that she had no interest in marriage, though they did not understand her reasons.

At the age of nineteen, Kateri Tekakwitha converted to Catholicism, taking a vow of chastity and pledging to marry only Jesus Christ. Her decision was very unpopular with her adoptive parents and their neighbors, who did not understand her new faith. Some of her neighbors started rumors of sorcery, accusing her of using magic to avoid marriage and to practice her new religion. To avoid persecution and to be able to practice her faith freely, she traveled to a Christian native community south of Montreal, where she could live among other Catholic Native Americans. This journey was both physical and spiritual, as she left behind her homeland and her family to follow her calling to Christ.

According to legend, Kateri was very devout and would put thorns on her sleeping mat as a form of penance and self-mortification. She often prayed for the conversion of her fellow Mohawks, hoping that they too would come to know the love of Christ. According to the Jesuit missionaries that served the community where Kateri lived, she often fasted and when she would eat, she would taint her food to diminish its flavor as a form of self-denial. On at least one occasion, she burned herself as a form of penance. Such self-mortification was common among the Mohawk people and was seen as a way to show devotion and to make sacrifices for others. Kateri was very devout and was known for her steadfast devotion to prayer and to living a life of holiness.

Sadly, just five years after her conversion to Catholicism, Kateri became ill and passed away at the age of twenty-four, on April 17, 1680. Her practices of self-mortification and denial may not have helped her health, but they were expressions of her deep love for Christ and her desire to offer her sufferings for the conversion of others. Her name, Kateri, is the Mohawk form of Catherine, which she took from St. Catherine of Siena, a saint she greatly admired for her devotion and her mystical experiences. St. Kateri Tekakwitha was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012, making her the first Native American saint in the Catholic Church. She is the patroness of ecology and the environment, people in exile, and Native Americans, and her example continues to inspire people around the world to live lives of faith, courage, and devotion to God.

Liturgical Celebration

The feast of St. Kateri Tekakwitha is celebrated on July 14th, during the summer season when the Church reflects on the themes of growth and harvest. This feast is celebrated as a memorial in the Roman Catholic Church, recognizing Kateri's importance as the first Native American saint and her powerful example of faith and courage. The feast falls during a time when many people are enjoying the beauty of nature, making it an ideal time to remember Kateri's connection to the environment and her role as patroness of ecology. The feast provides an opportunity to honor Kateri's memory and to reflect on the importance of cultural diversity in the Church and our responsibility to care for God's creation.

Traditions and Customs

On the feast day of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, many people participate in special prayers and devotions to honor her memory and seek her intercession. Churches, particularly those with Native American communities, hold special Masses and services. Many people gather to pray for environmental protection and for the preservation of Native American cultures and traditions. The day is also marked by prayers for those who feel like exiles or outcasts, asking for St. Kateri's intercession in helping them to find acceptance and belonging. Many people also take time to reflect on their own relationship with the environment and to pray for the grace to be better stewards of God's creation. The feast is also a time to reflect on how we can incorporate Kateri's virtues of courage, faith, and respect for creation into our daily lives.

Prayer and Devotion

The feast day is an excellent time to pray for the gift of courage and the ability to stand up for what we believe in, even when it is difficult. Many people make special petitions for environmental protection and for the preservation of Native American cultures, asking for St. Kateri's intercession in helping to protect God's creation. The day is also a time to reflect on the importance of cultural diversity in the Church and to pray for the grace to be more accepting and welcoming of people from different backgrounds. St. Kateri's feast day encourages us to remember that we are all called to be saints, regardless of our cultural background, and that our differences can enrich the Church and help us to better understand the diversity of God's creation. It is also a time to pray for the grace to be more courageous in our faith and to trust in God's guidance in our lives.