Saint Katherine Drexel
Saint Katherine Drexel was born to a rich family in 1858 in Philadelphia. After receiving an inheritance following the death of her father, a successful businessman and philanthropist, she struggled to identify the purpose of her life. After traveling as a wealthy aristocrat in Europe, she met with Pope Leo XIII and asked him for missionaries to serve the needs of American Indians in the United States. The Pope then told her that she should be that missionary.
In 1891, Drexel made her final profession and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament to serve the needs of impoverished American Indians and African Americans. The congregation founded schools, served in hospitals, prisons, and religious education programs. She founded Xavier University, “the only predominantly Afro-American Catholic institution of higher learning in the United States.” Drexel’s philanthropy helped countless children receive an education and served the needs of underprivileged communities. Drexel’s ministry served the poorest of our country and is a witness to love and service through the Church.