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My mother-in-law was a devout Catholic who, as a child, was educated in a convent. She devoted herself to the Holy Spirit and had a penchant for making a point in quiet, unexpected ways. She was an artist, a dressmaker, and imbued with the creative spirit in all things.
When my father-in-law died, she joined the Jewish Community Center. She said it was because they had a better pool than the YMCA and were closer to home. Still, from her many stories, I got a distinct impression that she relished being the only Catholic among a group of Jewish ladies, learning from them and taking every opportunity to share her Catholic values. She made many lasting friendships there.
She was a woman of courage, proud and vocal about her faith even in a culture that stood in strong opposition to some of the basic tenets of Catholicism. In that sense, she was very much like Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American saint.
Kateri was born in 1656 near what is today Auriesville, New York, to a Mohawk chief and a Christian Algonquin mother. When she was a child, she contracted smallpox, which took the lives of her parents and younger brother. The disease also left her face disfigured.
At 19, a missionary came to the village, and Kateri asked to be baptized. She took the name Kateri-Catherine on Easter Sunday. Kateri was mistreated in the village, ostracized, and ridiculed. She decided to leave her home and make the 200-mile walk to Montreal to a Christian Indian village there.
For the next three years, Kateri devoted herself to her faith, especially the Eucharist, spending long hours praying, fasting, and doing penance, while she taught children and cared for the elderly. She also took a vow of virginity to be fully dedicated to God. She grew in holiness living an ordinary life in challenging conditions. She died when she was 24, weakened by smallpox and her strict penances.
When Kateri was canonized on October 21, 2012, by Pope Benedict XVI, he reminded the faithful of her role as a model for all Christians: "Kateri impresses us by the action of grace in her life despite the absence of external help and by the courage of her vocation… In her, faith and culture enrich each other! May her example help us to live where we are, loving Jesus without denying who we are."
Living our faith wherever we are is sometimes tricky. Having a community to support us – family, friends, and fellow parishioners – provides the support we sometimes need to be courageous Catholics.
The same is true for students. The world they live in is no longer faith-based. It is possible the only encouragement they receive to live the way Jesus taught Christians to live, outside of their family, is from their school community.
It's a powerful and important responsibility for Catholic school teachers, staff and administrators, and the missionary disciples who help to keep the faith alive.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, is the patron saint of indigenous people and Canada's patroness and is also venerated as the patroness of ecology.
To learn more about Saint Kateri and other saints who can serve as role models for students, visit RCL Benziger's online Saint Resource, which includes a saint index and saint listings.
About the AuthorMary Regina Clifford Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to nine, is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.
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Family Resources
The family is where children first experience love, and the home is the first school of discipleship. Supported by Christian communities, families have an essential role in children's faith formation. RCL Benziger provides resources that recognize the diverse needs of families and Catholic communities and are adaptable to faith formation models based in homes, schools, or parishes.
Our Family Faith
When catechetical leaders asked for faith formation models that better engage families and support parents as the primary catechists of their children, we recognized the need for flexible and customizable resources that are simple, affordable, and effective. Our Family Faith: Resource Guide for Family Catechesis provides catechetical leaders with the tools needed to engage entire families and is packed with practical suggestions!
Our Family Devotions
Celebrate how people of different cultures express the Catholic faith in their churches, neighborhoods, and homes. As the Good News of Jesus spread worldwide, people in every culture found unique ways to express their faith in God. Through the ritual words and gestures of popular devotions, Catholics show their love for God and devotion to Mary and the saints.