4. Saint Catherine Drexel, 1858-1955
A Philadelphia heiress raised by devout parents, Drexel dedicated her wealth and her life to the service of Native Americans and African Americans. She founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and people of color. His work included establishing schools in 13 states for African Americans, as well as 40 mission centers and 23 rural schools. She also established 50 missions for Native Americans. With her order, she founded Xavier University in New Orleans, the only historically black American Catholic college. She became a saint in 2000.
His feast day is March 3.
5. Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, 1769-1852
Duchesne served as a missionary to Native Americans. Born in France, she joined the nuns of the Visitation at 19 before being forced to leave during the French Revolution. Ten years later, she joined the Society of the Sacred Heart. She came to America in 1818, when she traveled to the Louisiana Territory to deal with Native Americans. She later started the first free girls’ school west of the Mississippi River and the first Catholic school for Native Americans. She became a saint in 1988.
His feast day is November 18.
6. Saint Isaac Jogues, 1607-1646
A Jesuit priest from France, Jogues served as a missionary to the Indians in “New France” and became one of the North American martyrs. When he and his companions traveled to Iroquois country in 1641, they were tortured and imprisoned by the Mohawks. He survived and even baptized some Native Americans before fleeing to France. But he felt called to return, even though he knew he might not survive a second time. He was killed with a tomahawk in Auriesville, New York. He became a saint in 1930.
His feast day is October 19.
7. Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, 1850-1917
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A missionary from Italy, Cabrini founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. When she first traveled to New York, she found that the house she had planned to turn into an orphanage was unavailable. When the archbishop advised her to return to Italy, she refused. Instead, she founded orphanages, hospitals, convents, and schools, many of which served Italian immigrants. She became the first American citizen to be canonized a saint in 1946.
His feast day is November 13.
8. Saint Théodore Guérin, 1798-1856
A missionary from France, Guérin founded the Sisters of Providence of Sainte-Marie-des-Bois. At 25, she first joined the Sisters of Providence in Ruillé-sur-Loir before leading a group of sisters in Indiana in 1840. She opened a convent there and the first boarding school for girls in that state. Even though her health failed her, she continued to open schools throughout Indiana and Illinois while dealing with anti-Catholic sentiment. She became a saint in 2006.
