St. Katharine Drexel

St. Katharine Drexel Biography

Saint Katharine Drexel was a Roman Catholic saint and the second American-born saint to be canonized by the Catholic Church. She was born on November 26, 1858, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a wealthy and influential family. Katharine was the second of three daughters born to Francis Anthony Drexel and Hannah Langstroth Drexel.

Growing up, Katharine was a devout Catholic and was deeply involved in her faith and the church. She was also very philanthropic and often gave generously to those in need, especially to those in the African American and Native American communities.

After the death of her parents, Katharine and her sisters inherited a large fortune, which they used to fund various charitable endeavors. In 1891, Katharine decided to dedicate her life to serving the poor and marginalized communities and entered the Sisters of Mercy convent in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament

In 1891, Katharine founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious order dedicated to serving the African American and Native American communities. The order was based in Bensalem, Pennsylvania and operated schools, convents, and missions throughout the United States.

The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament is a Roman Catholic religious institute founded by Saint Katharine Drexel in 1891. The institute is dedicated to the service of the poor, especially African Americans and Native Americans. The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament operate schools, hospitals, and other social service institutions throughout the United States. They also engage in evangelization and other forms of missionary work.

The Lasting Legacy of St. Katherine Drexel

Katharine was a tireless advocate for the rights of marginalized communities and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the poor. She spent much of her time and resources establishing schools, convents, and missions in impoverished areas and worked to promote the education of African Americans and Native Americans.

Saint Katharine Drexel died on March 3, 1955, in Cornwells Heights, Pennsylvania. She was canonized on October 1, 2000, by Pope John Paul II, becoming the second American-born saint in the Catholic Church. She is the patron saint of racial justice and is remembered for her tireless efforts to improve the lives of the poor and marginalized.

Popular St. Katharine Drexel Medal

Detailed Biography of St. Katharine Drexel

St. Katharine Drexel was an American heiress, nun, missionary, and educator who devoted her life and fortune to serving Black and Indigenous Americans. She founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious order that established schools, missions, and social centers across the United States. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000, becoming the second U.S.-born saint and the first who was born a U.S. citizen.

Early Years

Katharine was born Catherine Mary Drexel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 26, 1858, to Francis Anthony Drexel and Hannah Langstroth. Her family owned a considerable banking fortune, and her uncle Anthony Joseph Drexel was the founder of Drexel University in Philadelphia. She had an older sister, Elizabeth, and a younger sister, Louise.

Katharine’s mother died five weeks after her birth, and she and Elizabeth were cared for by their aunt and uncle for two years. Her father remarried Emma Bouvier in 1860, and brought his older children home. Emma was a devout Catholic who instilled in her stepdaughters a sense of charity and compassion for the poor. She would regularly distribute food and clothing at her home to people in need.

The Drexel family lived on a 90-acre estate in Torresdale named St. Michel in honor of St. Michael the Archangel. They also traveled extensively, both in this country and abroad. Katharine was educated by private tutors and attended the Academy of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart in Philadelphia.

A Call to Mission

Katharine was awakened to the plight of Indigenous American people during a family trip to the Western United States in 1884. She saw firsthand the poverty, discrimination, and injustice that they faced. She also learned about the efforts of Catholic missionaries to evangelize and educate them.

In 1886, during an audience with Pope Leo XIII in Rome, Katharine asked him to send more missionaries to help the Native Americans. The pope replied: “Why not, my child, yourself become a missionary?” This question planted a seed in Katharine’s heart that would eventually lead her to a religious vocation.

Katharine’s father died in 1885, leaving her and her sisters an inheritance of about $14 million (equivalent to about $400 million today). They used their wealth to support various charitable causes, especially those related to education and social justice for marginalized groups.

In 1889, after taking care of her stepmother who died of cancer, Katharine decided to enter a convent of the Sisters of Mercy in Pittsburgh. She received permission from Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia to found a new religious order dedicated to serving Black and Indigenous Americans.

The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament

In February 1891, Katharine founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People. She took the name Mother Katharine and became the first superior of the order. She also donated $1 million to build a motherhouse and a chapel in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.

Mother Katharine and her sisters began their missionary work by opening schools for Native Americans in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Rock Castle, Virginia; St. Michael’s, Arizona; Fort Yates, North Dakota; and other locations. They also established missions on reservations and supported existing ones.

In 1894, Mother Katharine visited New Orleans, Louisiana, where she met Father Joseph O’Connell, who invited her to open a school for Black children in his parish. She agreed and founded St. Catherine’s School, which later became Xavier University of Louisiana, the only historically Black Catholic university in the United States.

Mother Katharine continued to expand her ministry to African Americans by opening schools, orphanages, and social centers in Philadelphia; Chicago; Detroit; Harlem; Savannah; Baltimore; St. Louis; Denver; Nashville; Memphis; Houston; Beaumont; San Antonio; Los Angeles; San Francisco; New York City; Washington D.C.; Miami; New Orleans; Mobile; Jacksonville; Raleigh; Richmond; Norfolk; Charleston; Columbia; Atlanta; Birmingham; Montgomery; Selma; Tuskegee; Macon; Augusta; Savannah; Tampa; Orlando; Pensacola; Tallahassee; Jackson; Little Rock; Shreveport; Baton Rouge; Alexandria;

Prayers to St. Katharine Drexel

Prayer of Intercession to St. Katharine Drexel

Lord, through the intercession of St. Katharine Drexel, we ask for the grace to follow her example of charity and devotion to the poor and marginalized. May we always strive to be instruments of your love and compassion, seeking to serve those in need with humble hearts and open hands.

Prayer to St. Katharine Drexel and the Blessed Sacrament

Dear St. Katharine Drexel, through your faith and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and your dedication to the education and spiritual formation of those in need, you inspire us to imitate your selfless love and service. Please intercede for us, that we may grow in our own faith and become instruments of God’s love and mercy in the world.

Prayer to St. Katharine Drexel

St. Katharine Drexel, your devotion to the Eucharist and your tireless work on behalf of the poor and marginalized bear witness to your deep love for Christ. Please pray for us, that we may also come to know and love the Lord more fully, and may use our gifts and talents to serve others in his name. Amen.

Quotes by St. Katharine Drexel

“The most beautiful thing in the world is a soul saved through Jesus Christ.”
“Give to the poor and the cause of Christ, and you will find it all comes back to you.”
“If we love God, we will keep His commandments, and they are not hard to keep.”
“Do little things with great love.”
“God has a plan for each of us. We just need to follow it.”

Poem about St. Katharine Drexel

Saint Katherine Drexel, A woman of great faith, Born to wealth and privilege, But her heart was filled with grace.

She gave up all her riches, To serve the poor and oppressed, She founded schools and missions, And brought hope to those distressed.

She traveled far and wide, Preaching love and understanding, She touched the lives of countless souls, And left a legacy expanding.

Saint Katherine Drexel, A beacon of light and love, She showed us all the way, To rise above.

May we follow in her footsteps, And spread the Gospel far and wide, Embracing all with love and compassion, As Saint Katherine Drexel did with pride.

Reflection on the Feast of St. Katharine Drexel

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Katharine Drexel on March 3rd.

Today, on the feast day of St. Katherine Drexel, we remember and give thanks for the life and work of this remarkable woman. St. Katherine Drexel was born into a wealthy family in Philadelphia in 1858, and from an early age, she felt a strong sense of social justice and a desire to help those in need.

As a young woman, St. Katherine Drexel used her inheritance to fund numerous charitable causes, including the construction of hospitals, schools, and churches for African Americans and Native Americans. In 1891, she founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious congregation dedicated to serving these marginalized communities.

Throughout her life, St. Katherine Drexel traveled extensively, visiting mission stations and schools across the United States and abroad. She was a tireless advocate for the rights of the poor and marginalized, and her work had a profound impact on the lives of countless people.

In addition to her charitable work, St. Katherine Drexel was also a deeply spiritual woman, who placed her trust in God and sought to follow his will in all things. She was known for her devotion to prayer and her love for the Eucharist.

As we reflect on the life of St. Katherine Drexel on her feast day, let us give thanks for her example of faith, charity, and social justice. May her example inspire us to follow in her footsteps and work to build a more just and compassionate world.

Next up: Biography of St. Kenneth

Also check out our handmade St. Katharine Drexel Medal and St. Katharine Drexel Rosary and St. Katharine Drexel Rosary Bracelet.

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