St. Katherine Drexel
(1858-1955)
Dubbed by journalists as the “millionaire
nun”, St. Katherine Drexel died Mar. 3, 1955 but left
behind a profound legacy of a true Christ-filled life.
On Nov. 26, 1858, Catherine Mary was born to
Francis Martin Drexel, a noted Philadelphia banker,
and Hannah Langstreth Drexel. Shortly after Catherine’s birth, her mother died and then Francis
married Emma Bouvier, who became a very devoted mother
to Catherine and her sister, Elizabeth.
She had no formal education in schools having
been instructed by governesses at her home in Philadelphia.
Her intellectual faculties were extensively developed
by her numerous travels abroad and in the United States
as well as her participation in many social activities.
At the death of her stepmother (1883) and her father
(1885), she inherited a sizable fortune, which she ultimately
used for her missionary endeavors in the community of
sisters, which she established. During a personal visit
with Pope Leo XIII in 1883 Catherine asked His Holiness
what could be done for the “Indians and Colored People”
in the United States. The Pope answered, “Daughter,
why don’t you become a missionary?”
She left in tears. Upon returning to Philadelphia, she consulted her spiritual director, Bishop
James O’Conner of Omaha, Nebraska about entering a cloistered
contemplative community because of her contemplative
nature and because she was attracted to this way of
life and their daily reception of Holy Communion. At that time, religious communities, other
than contemplatives, could approach Communion only three
times weekly. The bishop insisted that Catherine establish
her own community to respond to the specific request
of the Pope and assured her permission would be given
her community of daily reception of Holy Communion.
To prepare for this task, she entered the novitiate
of Sisters of Mercy in Pittsburgh, PA. Although it was customary for sisters to adopt
a new name other than their baptismal name, she assumed
the name Katherine.
As head of the community she often signed the
correspondence to those who knew her as “M.K.D.”, Mother
Katherine Drexel.
New Foundation-Her own foundation, known
as the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians
and Colored People, but now officially called the Sisters
of the Blessed Sacrament, was canonically founded on
Feb. 12, 1891. Because
of her considerable financial holdings reconciliation
was necessary with the vow of poverty.
Archbishop Patrick Ryan of Philadelphia settled
the issue and informed Katherine, “You can retain the
possession and the administration, but you have to promise
in case of my requiring it, that you would renounce
your possessions”.
In her lifetime she expended nearly twenty
million dollars from the income of her parents estate
by establishing sixty missions to care for the education
of Native and African Americans to whom she and her
sisters dedicated their lives. She focuses her work and her love of the nation’s poorest and most
oppressed. She
met with fierce opposition in her work, never, however,
fleeing a battle, but conducted her battles with refinement
and style such that she won respect by her enemies.
One of her greatest triumphs was her establishment of
Xavier University in New Orleans, the only Catholic
university for blacks in America.
When she died in 1955, at
the age of 97, she left a great legacy of solid accomplishments. She founded 49 convents for her sisters, set up training courses
for catechists and teachers, and built 62 schools and
Xavier University. At the time of her death, her reputation
for holiness was so all pervasive that people in great
numbers began visiting her burial place at the motherhouse
in Cornwell Heights (Bensalem), PA and insisted that
her beatification and canonization be under taken.
John Cardinal Krol, archbishop of Philadelphia,
opened the cause in 1964 and the Congregation of the
Causes of the Saints on Nov. 9, 1973 approved her writings. The results of the preliminary searching inquiry
were sent to Rome, and Pope John Paul II officially
introduced the cause of this holy woman (the official
beginning of the apostolic process) on Nov. 17, 1979.
Pope John Paul II beatified her on Nov. 20, 1988
and her feast day is Mar. 3. She was canonized in the year of the Jubilee,
2000.
From Mother Katherine Drexel’s Draft of the
Constitutions of Her Congregation-1. The primary object
which the Sisters of this religious Congregation purpose
to themselves is their own personal sanctification.2.
The secondary & special object of the members of
the Congregation is to apply themselves zealously to
the service of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament by
endeavoring to lead the Indian & Colored Races to
the knowledge & love of God, & so make them
living temples of Our Lord’s Divinity.
