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Lily of the Mohawk - Brightness of Heaven In the United States and Canada, Catholic Native Americans insistently demand Kateri Tekakwitha be canonized. Beatified by late Pope John Paul II on June 22nd, 1980, Kateri is the first Blessed native on the North American Continent. The Pope also proclaimed her to be in the universal Church, the second patron of the missions. Who is this young woman so far from our memory? by Carole Guévin n 1656, Kateri Tekakwitha was born in Ossernenon (Modern day Auriesville), New York. Her mother, Kahenta (Flower of the Prairie) was Algonquin and a Catholic, her father was a Mohawk chief, Ken-Ho-Ron-Kuo (Great Chief of the Prairies). |
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Spiritual Baptism From this marriage two children were born; a boy and 24 moons later, on a beautiful sunny day, a little girl. Flower of the Prairie desired to have her infant baptized. In praise to the Great Spirit, she walked to find a spot in nature; there, she raised the new born toward heaven, then cuddling the child to her heart, she named her: Brightness of Heaven meaning beautiful sunny day. This spiritual baptism was done in a most discreet way. At the age of four, Brightness of Heaven lost both her parents and brother who were victims of smallpox that attacked the village. The outbreak did not spare her either, the illness left the girl with unsightly scars and poor eyesight; the brightness of the sun blinded her and she would have to feel her way around as she walked. Her uncle adopted her; noticing how she stumbled along, he extended his arms to help and one day spontaneously called her Tekakwitha (The One Who Walks Groping for Her Way). Still young, she demonstrated extraordinary virtues, she seemed to be naturally Christian. The Jesuits who met her were surprised by her faith-filled life and in-depth understanding. Intelligent, loving, skilful, Tekakwitha actively took part in all the community chores: working in the fields where she tended to the corn, beans, and squash; collecting firewood in the forest and water from a stream; going to the forest to pick the roots needed to prepare medicines and dye. Despite her poor vision, she was also very skilled at beadwork, decorating moccasins and skin garments. |
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Joys and struggles at the age of 20 At 20, Tekakwitha was finally Baptized. It took place in New York and administered by Father Lamberville, S.J. During this ceremony, she received the name Kateri (Mohawk pronunciation for Catherine). What great joy for her to become a child of God! But, her uncle disagreed with this decision and disliked this strange new religion. As customary, an adolescent had to take husband; therefore, the family began looking for a suitable mate. Insisting that she marry, Kateri categorically refused and decided to remain united to the Great Creator, living out her life as a model Christian of that era. Kateri had to struggle greatly to protect her faith. She became the village outcast. She was threatened with torture or death if she did not renounce her religion. Children would taunt her and throw stones. To avoid persecution, she escaped… She came to Canada, to the Catholic mission of St. Francis Xavier at Sault Saint-Louis, (today's Kahnawake reserve) on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River. Kateri's heart was jubilant, full of joy and peace; she was happy in her new environment. Straight away, after her daily chores, she would go to the forest and pray. A small cross carved on a tree became her inseparable symbol of devotion. For hours she contemplated the Blessed Sacrament and every morning, Kateri went to Mass; she was as faithful as the stars in the sky. A visit to the Hospitallers of St. Joseph at the Hotel-Dieu Hospital inspired Kateri to found a religious community for the Native Americans. However, her project did not materialize; on April 17, 1680 at the age of 24, Lily of the Mohawks died. According to eyewitness accounts, Kateri's face so disfigured and so swarthy in life, suddenly changed about fifteen minutes after her death—in an instant she became beautiful and radiant. |
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Tekakwitha's missionary spirit: source of inspiration The Amerindians of North America claim Kateri as one of their own. Remaining faithful to her Great Creator, she had touched her people. Devotion to this young Native American spread throughout Canada, the United States and worldwide. Every year, pilgrimages multiply at Auriesville and Kahnawake; pilgrims from various countries come to venerate the one who still is a source of inspiration. Annually, the Tekakwitha Conference strives to unify Native Catholics of North America and accelerate the canonization of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. During the event, a Eucharist is celebrated with traditional drums and chants. At the penitential rite, sticks made up of sage leaves and burnt cedar twigs are used as customary in Amerindian rites of purification. The Conference allows the Natives to better celebrate their Catholic faith while safeguarding their cultural heritage. |
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The Wampum Centre under the direction of Sr. Marie-Laure Simon, c.n.d. is another manifestation of Kateri's missionary spirit. This centre is a place where native peoples and those of other nations can establish intercultural and interreligious dialogues. Here, without prejudice, questions are raised about the culture and the spirituality of the First Nations. Inspired by the missionary spirit of Kateri, Sr. Marie-Laure gives conferences in various cultural settings. The Native Cultures have a religious dimension and the peoples are profoundly spiritual. Their homestead is a divine milieu where the sacred dominates the individual and collective life. Kateri Tekakwitha is part and parcel of our great history. Are we not invited to build bridges, to let-go of our prejudices that often dictate the way we act? Are we not called to come closer to our brothers and sisters with sincerity, respecting their way of thinking, of being, of living? Opening-up to the richness of that culture is also contributing to life,… a life worth celebrating!
Centre Wampum
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