Saint17th century · Feast July 14

St Kateri Tekakwitha

Also known as Catherine Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Saint Kateri

Virgin

First Native North American saint

A young woman of Mohawk and Algonquin ancestry who survived disease, became Catholic and sought a community where she could live her chosen vocation.

A note on content. This profile is a prototype draft. Devotional traditions, historical facts and uncertain traditions will be clearly identified once entries are reviewed. We do not publish invented quotations.

The story of their life

A young woman of Mohawk and Algonquin ancestry who survived disease, became Catholic and sought a community where she could live her chosen vocation. Her life belongs to Indigenous communities enduring epidemic disease, warfare, French colonial expansion and missionary activity.

Historical context

Her life belongs to Indigenous communities enduring epidemic disease, warfare, French colonial expansion and missionary activity.

Defining moments

Surviving smallpox and family loss
Receiving baptism
Facing opposition
Moving to Kahnawake
Living prayer and service

Faith and spirituality

Prayerful service, Indigenous dignity and perseverance through illness.

Why this saint matters today

A meaningful companion for Indigenous Christians, people with visible scarring and those navigating faith across cultural expectations.

Patronage and intercession

People turn to St Kateri Tekakwitha in matters of:

Indigenous peoples

People affected by scarring

People ridiculed for faith

A prayer

God of grace, through the intercession of St Kateri Tekakwitha, guide us in truth, courage and love. Amen.

Timeline

Sources and further reading

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints.html
https://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Calendar/
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2023/documents/20230830-udienza-generale.html

Source-quality status: unverified prototype