Daily Saint

St. Katharine Drexel was a woman of extraordinary generosity whose life transformed the landscape of Catholic education and missionary work in the United States. Born into a prominent Philadelphia family in 1858, she was raised in a home where faith and charity were central values. Her parents taught her that wealth was not to be hoarded but to be shared in the service of others.

As a young adult, St. Katharine accompanied her family on travels throughout the country, where she witnessed firsthand the severe injustices faced by Native American and African American communities. These experiences awakened a deep compassion and sense of responsibility that would guide her religious vocation.

She joined the Sisters of Mercy at age 31, and two years later, in 1891, St. Katharine established the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, dedicating her life and fortune to the education and spiritual care of marginalized peoples. Over the course of her ministry, she established more than 60 schools and missions, including Xavier University of Louisiana, the first Catholic university for African Americans.

Despite facing resistance from both society and within the Church, St. Katharine persevered with humility and faith. She endured financial and emotional strain, illness, and threats, trusting always in God’s Providence. After suffering a heart attack in her later years, she spent her final decades in quiet prayer.

St. Katharine Drexel died on March 3, 1955, and was canonized in 2000. She is remembered as a fervent advocate for justice, education, and human dignity. Her extraordinary generosity and courage opened educational opportunities for forgotten and excluded communities in the U.S.