Saintly Saturday - St. Katherine Drexel

St. Katherine Drexel was born in Philadelphia, PA on November 26, 1858, the second daughter to Francis Anthony Drexel (a wealthy & prominent banker) & Hannah Langstroth. Her mother died when Katherine was only weeks old. A couple years later, her father married Emma Bower a couple years later. They had a daughter a few years later.

The Drexel family was well off financially, but more importantly, well off spiritually. Francis & Emma set examples for their girls of a deep prayer life, as well as the practice of the works of mercy (both spiritual & corporal). They were a charitable household, using their financial status to help those less fortunate with donations of food, clothing, & housing assistance. 

Katherine learned, however, that no amount of money would be able to keep their family from pain & suffering. Her stepmother, Emma, was diagnosed with a terminal cancer & suffered for three years before passing away. Despite this, or actually because of all she'd witnessed, Katherine's life turned toward more serving black & native Americans. 

When her father died & after charitable donations had been distributed, the rest of his estate was split between Katherine & her two sisters. All three girls, in turn, donated some of their inheritance to St. Francis Mission of South Dakota's Rosebud Reservation. Katherine felt the need to help native Americans more & at the suggestion of Pope Leo XIII (whom she met in a private audience in 1887) & discussed with her spiritual director, Fr. James O'Connor, she gave herself & her remaining inheritance to serve native Americans & Africans Americans.

In 1891, she took her first vows as a religious sister at the Sisters of Mercy Convent in Pittsburgh, PA. She went on to found & become Mother Katherine to the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians & Colored. Through her order, she established schools, funded a Navaho-English Catechism of Christian Doctrine for the Use of Navaho Children, & started the first Catholic university ion the US for African Americans (Xavier University). All of these accomplishments occurred despite the Great Depression, Ku Klux Klan activities, World War II, harsh winters, & long journeys which affected her health.

A heart attack at the age of 77 forced Mother Katherine to retire from active ministries. She dedicated the rest of her life to deep prayer & writing. She died 20 years later at the age of 96 on March 3, 1955. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 1, 2000 & her feast day is March 3. She is the second American to be canonized. St. Katherine Drexel is the patron saint of racial justice & philanthropists. 

Despite the loss of her family's fortune upon her death, her order continues today, spreading her mission in 21 states & Haiti. 

"Katherine was remembered for her love of the Eucharist and a desire for unity of all peoples. She was courageous and took the initiative to address social inequality within minorities. She believed all should have access to a quality education and her selfless service, including the donation of her inheritance, helped many reach that goal." 
(https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=193)

St. Katherine Drexel, Pray for Us!