St. Kateri Tekakwitha
St. Kateri Tekakwitha known as Lily of the Mohawks is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. At age four Kateri was the only member of her family to survive smallpox epidemic. She was left with permanent scars on her face and impaired eyesight. She was commonly seen wearing a blanket to hide her face. Kateri Tekakwitha was raised by her uncle, who was the chief of a Mohawk clan. Kateri refused to marry. Her adoptive parents punished her by giving her more work to do, but she did not give in. Instead, she remained quiet and diligent. Eventually they accepted that she had no interest in marriage. At age 19, Kateri Tekakwitha converted to Catholicism, taking a vow of chastity and pledging to marry only Jesus Christ. Her decision started rumors of sorcery. To avoid persecution, she traveled to a Christian native community south of Montreal.According to legend, Kateri was very devout and would put thorns on her sleeping mat.
She often prayed for the conversion of her fellow Mohawks. According to the Jesuit missionaries, she often fasted and when she would eat, she would taint her food to diminish its flavor. Her practices of self-mortification and denial have not helped her health. Just five years after her conversion to Catholicism, she became ill and passed away at age 24, on April 17, 1680. Witnesses said that her scars vanished minutes later, and her face appeared radiant and beautiful.
She was beatified in 1980 by Pope John Paul II, and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter’s Basilica on 21 October 2012.
She is the patroness of ecology and the environment, people in exile and Native Americans.
0714 St Kateri TekakwithaPrayer to St. Kateri Tekakwitha
O Saint Kateri, Lily of the Mohawks, Your love for Jesus, so strong, so steadfast pray that we may become like you.
Your short and painful life showed us your strength and humility. Pray that we may become forever humble like you.
Like the bright and shining stars at night, we pray that your light may forever shine down upon us, giving light, hope, peacefulness, and serenity in our darkest moments.
Fill our hearts, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha with your same love for Jesus and pray that we have the strength and courage to become one like you in Heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Pray: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Prayer to the Lily of the Mohawks
Blessed Kateri,
you are revered as the mystic of the American wilderness.
Though orphaned at the age of four,
and left with a scarred face and
damaged eyesight from illness,
you were esteemed among the Mohawk tribe.
Whenyou asked to be baptized a Christian
you subjected yourself
to abuse by your people
and were forced to run away.
You endured may trials but
still flowered in prayer and holiness,
dedicating yourself totally to Christ.
I ask you to be my spiritual guide
along my journey through life.
Through you intercession,
I pray that I may always be
loyal to my faith in all things.
Amen
Novena Prayer to Saint Kateri
Kateri, favored child, Flower of the Algonquins and Lily of the Mohawks, We come to seek your intercession in our present need: (mention it here).
We admire the virtures which adorned your soul: love of God and neighbor, humility, obedience, patience, purity and the spirit of sacrifice. Help us to imitate your example in our life. Through the goodness and mercy of God, Who has blessed you with so many graces which led you to the true faith and to a high degree of holiness, pray to God for us and help us.
Obtain for us a very fervent devotion to the Holy Eucharist so that we may love Holy Mass as you did and receive Holy Communion as often as we can. Teach us also to be devoted to our crucified Savior as you were, that we may cheerfully bear our daily crosses for love of Him Who suffered so much for love of us. Most of all we beg you to pray that we may avoid sin, lead a holy life and save our souls.
Amen.
In thanksgiving to God for the graces bestowed upon Kateri:
One Our Father, Hail Mary and three Glory Be’s.
Kateri, Flower of the Algonquins and Lily of the Mohawks, pray for us.
Prayers for the Intercession of St. Kateri Tekakwitha
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, you
experienced pain, sorrow, and
hardship in your life. Yet in all
things you found joy in believing in
Jesus, present to us in the
Eucharist and in his love
expressed to us on the cross. Ask
Jesus, our loving Savior, to bring
healing to those who are heavily
burdened. Through your
intercession, may this favor
be granted if it is according to the
will of God. By your prayer, help
us always to remain faithful to
Jesus and to his Holy Church.
Loving Creator, I acknowledge your power and presence in the four
directions of your vast and beautiful universe. Help me to turn my back
on all evil and walk in St. Kateri’s footsteps, sharing love and Christian
concern with others. Let me reverence your mystical presence in the
poor and suffering and share your healing and peace with my family,
friends and the sick who we commend to your care.
St. Kateri, maiden so pure, Christian so faithful, lover so kind, I call on
you with faith and hope to intercede with our Lord Jesus to bring
physical, emotional and spiritual healing to _____, my family and
friends. Inspire me to believe as you have believed in the presence
and power of Our Lord.
Bright star of love and faith be my guide and guardian always.
Follower of purity and prayer, be my advocate before God.
Amen.
Litany of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the World have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Kateri, lily of purity, pray for us.
Kateri, consoler of the heart of Jesus, pray for us.
Kateri, bright light for all Indians, pray for us.
Kateri, courage of the afflicted, pray for us.
Kateri, lover of the cross of Jesus, pray for us.
Kateri, flower of fortitude for the persecuted, pray for us.
Kateri, unshakeable in temptations, pray for us.
Kateri, full of patience in suffering, pray for us.
Kateri, keeper of your virginity in persecutions, pray for us.
Kateri, leader of many Indians to the true faith through your love for Mary, pray for us. Kateri, who loved Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.
Kateri, lover of penance, pray for us.
Kateri, steadfast in all prayer, pray for us.
Kateri, who loved to pray the rosary for all people, pray for us.
Kateri, example to your people in all virtues, pray for us.
Kateri, humble servant to the sick, pray for us.
Kateri, who by your love of humility, gave joy to the angels, pray for us.
Kateri, your holy death gave strength to all Indians to love Jesus and Mary, pray for us. Kateri, whose scarred face in life became beautiful after death, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, 0 Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, 0 Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Let Us Pray.
O Jesus, who gave Kateri to the Indians as an example of purity, teach all men to love purity, and to console your immaculate Mother Mary through the lily, Kateri Tekakwitha, and your Holy Cross. Amen.
Kateri Tekakwitha, pray for us.
Amen
