His Word Today: Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

Good morning everyone,

Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (ka-TEE-ree tek-a-KWEE-tha), a Mohawk girl who was born around 1656 in the village of Ossernenon, located west of present-day Auriesville, New York.  Tekakwitha's father was a Mohawk and her mother was an Algonquin who had been baptized a Roman Catholic and educated by French missionaries before she was captured in a raid and then adopted and assimilated into the tribe of Mohawks.  Tekakwitha also had a younger brother.

From 1661-1663, there was a smallpox epidemic among the Mohawks which claimed the lives of Tekakwitha's parents and her brother.  She survived but was left with facial scars and impaired eyesight.  Adopted by her father's sister and her husband, Tekakwitha then moved to a new village on the north side of the river called Caughnawaga.

Tekakwitha was a modest girl who avoided social gatherings.  She covered much of her head with a blanket because of the smallpox scars.  As an orphan, she was under the care of her relatives, but according to Mohawk practice, she would have been cared for by her clan.  She became skilled in traditional women's arts - including making clothing and belts from animal skins; weaving mats, baskets and boxes from reeds and grasses; and preparing food from game, crops and gathered produce.  As was the local custom, she was pressured to consider marriage around the age of thirteen, but she refused.  Other attempts to encourage her to marry were equally unsuccessful.

At the age of 18 years (in 1674) she met the Jesuit priest, Father Jacques de Lamberville who was visiting in the village.  She told him her story and about her desire to become a Christian.  He subsequently introduced her to the Catechism and taught her about Jesus, the bread of life (Jn 6:35).

Tekakwitha was always mild-mannered and well-behaved.  She did everything she could to remain holy in a secular society.  At the age of 19 years, she was baptized on Easter Sunday - 18 April 1676 - and was given the name Catherine (after Saint Catherine of Sienna).  The name Kateri is the Mohawk translation of the Christian name Catherine.

After her baptism, she remained in Caughnawaga for another six months but was accused of sorcery by many Mohawks who opposed her conversion.  In 1677, she moved to the Jesuit mission of Kahnawake (ga-na-WA-ge), located south of Montreal on the St. Lawrence River, where she lived for the remaining two years of her earthly life.

Known as the Lily of the Mohawks, Kateri Tekakwitha was beatified by Saint John Paul II on 22 June 1980 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on 21 October 2012.  Her feast day is observed in Canada (on 17 April) and in the United States of America (on 14 July).

Have a great day.