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Katherine Drexel




Katharine Drexel ( November 26 , 1858 - March 3 , 1955 ) is a Catholic Saint .

She was the daughter of Philadelphia banker Francis Anthony Drexel and his first wife, Hannah Jane Langstroth. On 12 February 1891 , Katharine founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People. From the age of 33 until her death in 1955 , she dedicated her life and personal fortune of US$ 20 million to this work. In 1894 , Mother Drexel took part in opening the first mission school for Native Americans , St. Catherine Indian School in Santa Fe, New Mexico . Other schools quickly followed — for Native Americans west of the Mississippi River , and for the African Americans in the southern part of the United States . In 1915 she also founded Xavier University in New Orleans . At her death in 1955 there were more than 500 Sisters teaching in 63 schools throughout the country. Katharine was Beatified by Pope John Paul II on November 20 , 1988 . She was Canonized (declared a saint) by Pope John Paul II on October 1 , 2000 . Her feast day is March 3 , the anniversary of her death. She is buried in Bensalem Township , Pennsylvania .


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