Saint Katharine Drexel Story

November 26, 1858 – March 3, 1955

The story begins in Dornbirn Austria April 1, 1792

Self Portrait Francis – Catherine - Mary

Family Fortune

• • • • • Francis Martin Drexel was a portrait artist, born in Dornbirn, Austria Immigrated to America in 1817 Started a currency brokerage business 1837 1847 opened Drexel & Sons Francis A. Drexel, age 29 becomes President of the Company, which became one of the leading banks in America

Katharine’s Father

Francis Anthony Drexel March 4, 1824 – February 29, 1885

Katharine’s Mother

Hannah Langstroth Drexel January 14, 1826 – December 29, 1858

Young Katharine and Elizabeth

Katharine Mary Drexel

Katie at age 7

Home

• The family lived at –433 Race Street –Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Katharine’s New Mother

Emma Bouvier Drexel May 18, 1833 – January 29, 1883 Married to Francis Anthony Drexel April 10, 1860

New Home

• After the marriage between Francis and Emma the family moved to: – 1503 Walnut Street – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania •Here Mrs. Drexel opened the doors of the home 3 days a week to help the poor by distributing food, clothing and other essentials

San Michel - Summer Home

•1870 Parents purchase their Summer Home in the Torresdale section of Philadelphia •Named for Saint Michael the Archangel •St. Michael was the Family's Patron Saint

Elizabeth and Katharine's Sunday School

Spirituality

• • • Francis and Emma were Catholic.

Parents taught the children that money was a gift from God to be shared with the poor.

The Drexel girls received their Religious Instructions from the Religious of the Sacred Heart in a nearby Convent.

Education

• • • • Private Tutors In addition to Academics they studied Fine Arts and language Travel was also a part of their education The Drexel girls traveled with their parents throughout America and Europe

Tragedy

• • • • 1879 Mrs. Drexel takes ill Katharine helps with her mother’s care 1883 Emma dies 1885 Mr. Drexel dies suddenly

Last Will and Testament

• • • • • Mr. Drexel leaves an estate valued at $15,500,000.00

$1,500,000.00 is given to 29 named charities $14,000,000.00 is put into a trust fund Drexel girls to receive only the interest, estimated to be $1,000.00 a day After the death of the Drexel Girls their children would receive this inheritance

Katharine’s Older Sister

Elizabeth Drexel Smith August 27, 1855 - September 26, 1890

Katharine Drexel at Age 21

Katharine’s Younger Sister

Louise Drexel Morrell October 2, 1863 – November 4, 1945

Bishop James O’Connor

•Came from Ireland at age of 15 •Ordained 1848 •1872 appointed as Pastor at St.

Dominic

•Became Katharine’s Spiritual Advisor •Assisted Katharine’s formation as a

Religious

•Arranged training with Mercy

Sisters

•Convinced her to use her full name •Permission to maintain control of

her inheritance

Lay Ministry

• • • • After Mr. Drexel’s death, Bishop Martin Marty, Dakota and Msgr. Joseph Stephan, Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions asked the Drexel Ladies for help with financial assistance.

Katharine had an interest in Native American Evangelization since childhood and the girls promised to help.

The Drexel sisters kept that promise to end of their days.

1886 Katharine buys a building in Santa Fe and opens St. Catherine Indian School

Saint Catherine Indian School Sante Fe, New Mexico

•Purchased in 1886 •Opened in1887 •Closed in 1893 •Reopened in 1894

under the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament

Illness

• • • • • In 1886 Katharine became jaundiced and lost weight, her normal vitality was gone. Physicians suggested she travel to a health spa in Germany.

1886 all three girl left for Germany Katharine’s health was gradually restored.

Remaining true to the promise made to Bishop Marty and Msgr. Stephan the girls recruited priests and nuns to go to American as missionaries.

Journey to Religious Life

• • • • Katharine felt that she had a calling since she was about 14 years of age.

Her mother was cool to this idea.

Bishop O’Connor, her Spiritual Advisor counseled against it.

“You belong in society,” he wrote, “In that position, you can do more for the Church and Souls.”

• During a visit with Pope Leo XIII in 1887, she asked for Missionaries, The Holy Father responded, “Why not you, my child, become a missionary?”

• • • September 1887, Katharine, Bishop O’Connor and her sisters visited Msgr. Stephan at the Indian School in the Dakotas.

November 1888, Katharine again discusses Religious Life with Bishop O’Connor January 1889 Katharine was a bridesmaid in her sister, Louise’s wedding.

• • • • • • February 1889, Bishop O’Connor agrees with Katharine’s decision to become a Religious.

O’Connor attempts to persuade her to begin her own order and she was not enthused.

On March 19, 1889, Feast of St. Joseph, Katharine agrees with the Bishop.

The Bishop requested that the Sisters of Mercy, Pittsburgh, Pa. provide training for Katharine.

May 7, 1889, Katharine enters the Mercy Convent as a Postulant for training November 7, 1889 Katharine is accepted as a Novice.

• • • • • May 27, 1890, Bishop O’Connor died in Omaha, Nebraska where he was Bishop.

After the Bishop’s death, Katharine received a letter of sympathy from Philadelphia’s Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan.

Ryan asks Katharine “If I share the burden with you, if I help you, can you go on.” September 7, 1890, Elizabeth dies in childbirth, along with her unborn son.

During her time as a Novice, Katharine purchases a 67 acre site for the new Motherhouse in Bensalem, Pa.

• • • •

Katharine Drexel professes her vows as the first Sister of the Blessed Sacrament on February 12, 1891.

Katharine and the new Sisters move into the Drexel’s former summer home in Torresdale and begin the new Order.

December 1892, the Motherhouse construction is finished enough to allow the Sisters to move in.

The new Convent is named St. Elizabeth, to honor the memory of Katharine’s older

Sister.

Katharine Drexel - Missionary

• • • • 1892 Holy Providence School opens in Bensalem.

June 13, 1894, Katharine sends the first SBS to mission at St. Catherine Indian School.

Katharine purchases land in Powhatan, Virginia and builds a school for black girls.

Fall 1899 St. Francis de Sales School opens.

• • • • • • December 3, 1902, St. Michael Indian School opens in Arizona.

September 5, 1905, Immaculate Mother, Nashville, Tennessee, opens 1906, Katharine Drexel sends SBS to St. Patrick Church, Carlisle, Pa to teach Black and Native Americans religion.

1915 Xavier Prep School opens.

1925 Xavier University opens.

By the time Katharine Drexel died, she had opened more than 60 schools for the Black and Native American peoples.

St. Michael Indian School Saint Michael, Arizona

Opened in 1902 still in operation today

Xavier University New Orleans, Louisiana

Opened 1925

Retirement

• • • • 1935 Katharine suffers a mild heart attack while traveling.

Later that year, she suffers a second heart attack and returns to St. Elizabeth Convent.

Mother Katharine, although ill, continues as the Congregation’s Superior until 1937.

Katharine retires as Mother M. Mercedes is elected as the Superior.

Mother Katharine's Wheelchair

•Due to her failing health, physicians tell

Katharine to purchase a wheelchair so that she would able to be moved around.

•Mother Katharine would not allow the

money for a chair to be spent on her.

•Workers made this chair from two broken

school chairs and an old baby carriage frame.

• • • • • • • Katharine lives out her life in prayer.

The last years were spent bed-ridden.

February 20, 1955, Katharine is diagnosed with lombar pneumonia. Two weeks later she is better, but in a weakened condition.

Evening of March 2, 1955, Katharine suffers from a severe coughing spell.

9:05 AM, Thursday, March 3, 1955, Katharine dies quietly in her room.

Tuesday, March 8, 1955, her funeral is held at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, PA.

Katharine is put to rest in her crypt at St. Elizabeth Convent.

Status of Inheritance

• • • • Elizabeth was first to die, she and her baby boy died at childbirth Louise married but never conceived Katharine never married At Katharine’s death the interest stopped and the principal of $14,000,000.00 was distributed to Mr. Drexel’s named Charities.

The Road to Canonization

• • • • February 27, 1964, John Cardinal Krol, introduces cause in Rome January 26, 1987, Katharine Drexel is named Venerable.

November 20, 1988, Venerable Katharine Drexel is Beautified October 1, 2000, Blessed Katharine is Canonized a Saint