Catholics gather in Fonda to celebrate Kateri's feast

A bus from Staten Island, a group of Franciscan Sisters from Buffalo and members of the Kateri Circle were among those gathered under the pavilion at the National Shrine of Kateri Tekakwitha to honor the life of the Mohawk Native American who was beatified 20 years ago.

Also on hand were Mohawks from the St. Regis Reservation near the New York and Canadian border as well as those from the St. Lucy Reservation in Syracuse.

Special ceremony

"As the smoke rises, we become one spirit, one mind, coming together for one healing," Deacon Boyer said, waving a feather over the smoke in the Sign of the Cross. He then asked that the congregation only hear, see and speak the good.

While a song was sung in Mohawk, James Bero and Mike Terrance from the St. Regis reservation used a feather to brush the smoke toward the congregation. The people waved the incense onto their faces.

Inspiring life

"Probably the most important fact of her being Blessed," continued Father Paret, "is the fact that she would not marry."

Marriage was very important to the Native Americans, so when Kateri announced her vow of chastity in March 1679, her spiritual director advised her to spend time thinking about that serious decision. She returned to the director after ten minutes, ready to make her life commitment.

In person

"I'm Algonquin and her mother was Algonquin and Christian," Ms. Steele told The Evangelist. "She's a role model for Native Americans."

With a black cloth wrapped around her shoulders and moccasins covering her feet, she assumed the role of the woman known as the Lily of the Mohawks.

Kateri lost both her parents and baby brother to a smallpox epidemic when she was four years old. She then went to live with her aunt and uncle. After noticing that Kateri kept bumping into things because of her poor eyesight, her uncle named her "Tekakwitha," which means "she who bumps into things."

Three Jesuit missionaries stayed with her uncle when Kateri was 11. She was intrigued by their faith and was baptized in 1676, receiving the name Kateri in honor of St. Catherine.

Followers

"We would bring our children almost every Sunday," she said. They looked forward to spending their summer savings on jewelry and other crafts made by the Native American children. On their 40th anniversary, Sylvia and Charles renewed their vows at the shrine, "five months before he was called home by Jesus," Mrs. Hildenbrand wrote in a letter to The Evangelist.

She attended the feast day Mass with her friend, Etta Vanderwerken. They became friends through small talk after Mass one day, when each revealed that she lost her husband.

"God puts people together in mysterious ways," Mrs. Hildenbrand said.

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