Saturday, March 3, First Week of Lent
ST. KATHARINE DREXEL (USA, 1858-1955)
Missionary, Abbess, Founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (for Indians and Colored Peoples)
Born to a Main Line Philadelphia family, the first 30 years of her life could have been straight out of the movie
'High Society'. But a vacation out West awakened her interest in the plight of American Indians. On a trip to Rome
in the mid-1880s, she met Pope Leo XIII, whom she asked to send missionaries to a bishop friend of hers in
Wyoming. The Pope challenged her, "Why don't you become a missionary yourself?" Back in the US, she visited
the Dakotas, met with Sioux leaders, and decided to take on the religious life. She announced on the Feast
of St. Joseph in 1889 that she intended to devote the rest of her life "to help American Indians and colored
people". The headlines screamed "Heiress gives up $7 million", her part of the family fortune which she donated
totally to her cause. With some friends she set up the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (she would later consult
St. Frances Cabrini about the rules for the order), and eventually set up 50 mission for Indians in 16 states.
She also founded Xavier University in New Orleans, the first Catholic University for Afro-Americans. At 77,
a heart attack forced her to retire. She spent the rest of her life as an anchoress, recording her meditations
on slips of paper. She died in 1955 at age 96. She was beatified in 1988 and canonized in 2000, also named
the patron saint of racial justice and of philanthropists. She was the second American-born American woman
saint, after Elizabeth Seton.
Readings for today's Mass: usccb.org/bible/readings/030312.cfm
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
Conclusion of the Lenten spiritual exercises - The Holy Father delivered brief remarks to thank
Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, Archbishop of Kinshasa, who was this year's retreat master.
The Pope said he appreciated the tales of faith from Africa that the cardinal used to illustrate
his reflections on the First Letter of St. John on the retreat theme, "The Christian's communion
with God".
Afterwards, he met privately with Cardinal Pasinya.
The Vatican also released a copy of the Pope's letter formally thanking Cardinal Pasinya for
his guidance of the spiritual exercises.