theleaven.com | vol. 34, no. 12 | october 26, 2012
Lily of the Mohawks Potawatomi celebrate first Native American saint CNS photo/Jason Greene, Reuters
By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com
M
AYETTA — It took a proclamation of Pope Benedict XVI to make official what Native Americans already knew: Kateri Tekakwitha was a saint. On Oct. 21 in Rome, the Holy Father proclaimed seven new saints of the Catholic Church — one of them being St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the “Lily of the Mohawks.” See a future issue She is the first of The Leaven for Native Amerimore coverage of can saint. St. Kateri Tekak“ T h i s witha’s canonizashould have tion. happened a long time ago,” said Glenn Levier, a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, who lives on the Potawatomi Reservation in Jackson County. Many Potawatomi — as well as individuals representing 22 Native American nations or tribes — and Catholics of a constellation of ethnicities gathered for a Mass celebrating the canonization on Oct. 21 at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows on the Potawatomi Reservation. “Many Native peoples have come together to pray for her canonization and already felt she was a saint before she was officially recognized by the church,” said Laura Thackery, a member of the shrine community. She hoped the saint would be a source of inspiration to young Catholic Native Americans. Saint Kateri was known for her faith even during her own lifetime. It was only four years after her death, on April 17, 1680, that a chapel was
Leaven photo by Julie Holthaus
Photos from top: Kateri Tekakwitha became the first Native American saint when she was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 21 in Rome. The daughter of a Mohawk father and Algonquin Christian mother, St. Kateri was “faithful to the traditions of her people,” but also faithful to the Christianity she embraced at age 20, the pope said at the canonization ceremony. From left, Elizabeth Tye (blue dress), Frances Wabaunsee (pink shirt), Drusa Wabaunsee and Shirley Trull (far right) exchange a sign of peace during a Mass celebrating the canonization on Oct. 21 at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snow on the Potawatomi Reservation. From left, Tom Spottedhorse, Ron Brave, Michael Ramirez, and Ross Cooper play a traditional Native American drum before Mass.
>> See “HASKELL” on page 6 Leaven photo by Julie Holthaus
3 on the job
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4 ‘Lumen Gentium’
This document from the council clarified the nature and mission of the church.
8 conscience protection
Medical providers shouldn’t be forced to perform actions against their conscience.
16 school of excellence
St. Matthew School in Topeka is this year’s CEF School of Excellence.