Katharine Maria Drexel

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St. Katharine Maria Drexel

Katharine Maria Drexel (born November 26, 1858 in Philadelphia , USA; † March 3, 1955 in Cornwells Heights, United States) was an American religious sister . In the Catholic Church she is venerated as a saint . Her feast day in the liturgy is March 3rd.

Katharine, daughter of the wealthy banker Francis Anthony Drexel (June 20, 1824-15 February 1885), joined the Sisters of Charity of Pittsburgh on May 7, 1889 as a postulant and was dressed as Sister Mary Katharine on November 8, 1889.

In 1891 she founded a new congregation , the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People, dedicated to the evangelization of Indians and African Americans . The motherhouse of the congregation, St. Elizabeth near Philadelphia, was dedicated on December 3, 1892. On February 12, 1891, Sr. Mary Katherine became the first sister to make simple profession . At the end of 1891 the congregation already had 28 members. On January 9, 1895, Sister Mary Katharine made perpetual profession.

Starting in 1894, Sr. Katharine founded schools and colleges in numerous cities , starting in Santa Fe , New Mexico. The most famous foundation is the Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans . Sr. Katharine was repeatedly confirmed as Superior General of the Sisters of the Holy Sacrament and held this office until 1937. By her death she had founded around 62 schools and one university. Sr. Katharine by Pope John Paul II. On Nov. 20, 1988 beatified and on 1 October 2000 canonized .

literature

  • Hubert Lenz, Lydia Moser, Saint Katharine Drexel , Nenzing 2007.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hubert Lenz, Lydia Moser, Heilige Katharine Drexel , Nenzing 2007, p. 30.
personal data
SURNAME Drexel, Katharine Maria
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American nun, founder of the order
DATE OF BIRTH November 26, 1858
PLACE OF BIRTH Philadelphia , United States
DATE OF DEATH March 3, 1955
Place of death Cornwells Heights , United States