St. Kateri Tekakwitha
St. Kateri Tekakwitha was the first North American and the first Native American person to be canonized as a saint. She lived in present-day New York in the late 1600s. Through French Jesuit missionaries, Kateri learned of the gospel and became deeply devoted to the Catholic faith. Her birth name was Tekakwitha, and she was baptized with the Mohawk form of the name “Catherine” after Catherine of Siena. Refusing marriage in order to devote her life to Christ, she became known for her devotion, her hardworking nature, and her dedicated prayers for her fellow Native people.
As a small child, St. Kateri survived smallpox, but was left with scarring on her face. Immediately after her death, though, those around her noticed a change. Her smallpox scars were said to have disappeared.
St. Kateri is revered as a patron saint of ecology, reminding us to treat the natural world around us with care.
Prayer for your Table
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the life and witness of St Kateri Tekakwitha.
Teach us to be like her:
to work diligently,
to pray for others, and
to give our whole lives to you.
Like Kateri, we bring our scars to you
And ask you to transform them as You will.
Like Kateri, we ask you to help us show the care and respect
That all of Creation deserves.
In Jesus’s name we pray,
Amen.
Menu Suggestions
Why not try something new? Traditional Mohawk Corn soup would be a perfect dish to serve for this feast day.
