St. Kateri Tekakwitha

St. Kateri Tekakwitha is the first and only (at this time) Native American Saint.  She lived from 1656 -1680, dying during Holy Week.  Born in Ossernon, in what is now upstate New York, of a Mohawk father and Algonquin mother, she survived a bout with smallpox, which took the lives of her parents., leaving her face scarred and her eyesight impaired.  At the age of 17 she met a Jesuit missionary, loved the Christian message an longed for Baptism and the other sacraments. At last, at the age of 19 she was baptized, now living in Kahnawakee, Canada, close to Montreal. She attended daily Mass at the mission of St. Francis Xavier, and lived a life of prayer, fasting and service to the elderly as well as catechist to the village children.  Her health suffered from her fasting and ascetic practices and she died at the age of 24.  It is said her scarred face was clear at her death and that several miracles occurred that night, but she wasn't canonized until 2012 after many years of ardent longing and prayer by all Native Americans.  Her remains lie in a simple tomb in the present beautiful church of St. Francis Xavier in Kahnawakee, a place of pilgrmage and inspiration.  St. Kateri, Lily of the Mohawks, pray for us.
Bro. Rene.