I was watching a T.V. show about how the church names saints. They mentioned a native american woman who was being concidered. Unfortunatly for me we had a weather alert break in and I never heard her name.

Can someone please tell me about her or tell me where to look to find information. Thank you in advance...Leah

-- Anonymous, July 02, 1998

Answers

Response to Native American considered for Sainthood

Leah, You are probably thinking of Kateri Tekakwitha, who is, I believe now a Beata. Just as Terese of Lisuex is called the Little Flower, Kateri Tekakwitha is known as the "Lily of the Mohawks". She was a Mohawk maiden who helped French Jesuit missionaries who were working along the St. Lawrence River. I know I read something about her being severly scarred from smallpox. She converted to Catholicism, taking the name of Catherine, and spent a great deal of time teaching catechism to children, and helping the French missionaries deal with other Native American tribes. Kateri Tekakwitha is one of the figures included on the massive front doors of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, and I believe there she is referred to as "venerable". I know that a Long Island parish located in a town that was originally named by Native Americans had requested that their new parish be named for Kateri, but this request was denied as she is not yet a saint. Hope that helps - I'm sure you can find more info on Kateri Tekakwitha online.

-- Anonymous, July 02, 1998

Response to Native American considered for Sainthood

Hello to all! I am pleased this thread was started as I have a very personal interest in it. Dana's reply was very informative and correct. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha was a Mohawk maiden persecuted by her own family and tribe after converting. She was orphaned at the age of five due to a smallpox epidemic and lived afterward with the chief of the Mohawks who was her uncle. Her uncle was so offended by her conversion and her determination to remain a virgin dedicated to Jesus, that he plotted many terrible things to defile her, once, it is said, he even sent hunters after her in the woods on a Sunday because she refused to work to rape her.

When she suffered the smallpox, she was terribly scarred and half-blind for the rest of her life, however, after reaching sanctuary at a mission in Canada, she became a nun and lived the rest of her short life (24 years) serving God through ministering to the sick and aged and teaching children.

At the moment of her death, her last words were, "Iesos Konoronkwa," which in the Mokawk language means, "Jesus, I love you."

One moment after her death, which was witnessed by several people including priests, all the scars on her face miraculously disappeared. Many, many miricles have occurred due to the intercession of Blessed Kateri and the one depicted in the tv documentary is the one that has been submitted to authorities that will probably cause her canonization. I belong to The Society of Blessed Kateri, a religious association of prayer, reparation and works of mercy which is open to all baptized Christians and has a letter of Apostolic Blessing from Pope John Paul II. If anyone is interested, please contact me with your snail-mail address and I will send you more information and enrollment forms. The Society does not solicit funds from anyone and is strictly devoted to the above mentioned goals. The prayer commitments are modest, but can bring so much reparation for sin! God bless you all! Pray the Rosary!

-- Anonymous, July 06, 1998

Blessed Kateri is buried in a small church on the Mohawk Nation, just on the out-skirts of Montreal. I have been lucky enough to make a pilgrimage there about 5 years ago. I was also able to attend mass at Bl. Kateri Kekakwitha Parish near State College, Pa.

-- Anonymous, July 09, 1998