Saint Ethelburga of Faremoutier

Biography

Saint Katharine Drexel, also known as Catherine Marie Drexel, was born on November 26, 1858, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Francis Anthony Drexel and Emma Bouvier Drexel, who were wealthy railroad entrepreneurs and philanthropists. From a young age, Katharine was taught to use her family's wealth for the benefit of others, and her parents even opened their home to the poor several days each week. Katharine grew up with a strong sense of social justice, inspired by her older sister Elizabeth who had founded a trade school for orphans in Pennsylvania, and her younger sister who founded a school for poor black students in Virginia. In 1883, Katharine nursed her mother through a fatal three-year illness, deeply impacting her faith and calling her to a life of service. In 1887, during an audience with Pope Leo XIII, Katharine expressed her concern for the Native Americans and asked the pontiff to send more missionaries to Wyoming for her friend, Bishop James O’Connor. In a surprising response, the pope suggested that Katharine herself become a missionary. This encounter changed the course of her life. Motivated by her newfound calling, Katharine visited the Dakotas and met with the Sioux chief, initiating her dedicated aid to Indian missions. Over the years, she spent millions of her family's fortune assisting Native American communities. In 1891, she entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored people in Santa Fe, New Mexico. With guidance from Mother Frances Cabrini, Katharine's Order's rule was approved in Rome in 1913. Katharine's tireless efforts and dedication to education and social justice were evident in the numerous institutions she established. By 1942, she had established a network of black Catholic schools in 13 states, 40 mission centers, 23 rural schools, 50 Indian missions, and Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, the first university for black students in the United States. However, her work faced opposition from segregationists who harassed her efforts. In her later years, Katharine suffered a heart attack, which led her to spend her final two decades in prayer and meditation. She passed away on March 3, 1955, at the mother-house of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Katharine was interred at the National Shrine of Saint Katharine Drexel in Bensalem, which was later declared a National Shrine in 2008. However, the shrine closed to the general public in December 2017, and her relics were moved to the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia in the summer of 2018 for public veneration starting in September 2018. Recognizing her exceptional devotion and remarkable work, Katharine Drexel was venerated on January 26, 1987, by Pope John Paul II. She was beatified on November 20, 1988, and canonized on October 1, 2000, both by Pope John Paul II. Although she does not have a specific patronage, Saint Katharine Drexel's legacy remains an inspiration for those committed to justice, equality, and education.