St. Kateri Tekakwitha
St. Kateri Tekakwitha was the first Native American canonized by the church. Her life was tragically short and filled with suffering, but the Lily of the Mohawks, as she is sometimes called, brought devotion that astounded those around her. Lifetime: 1656-1680 Region: New York, USA; Kahnawake (near Montreal), Canada Patronages: The environment; Native Americans; People in exile Iconograpy: Lily; Turtle; Wooden cross Feast Day: July 14 When Kateri was only 4, both her parents and her brother were killed by smallpox. Kateri herself also suffered from the disease, but survived, though her face bore permanent scars from it and her vision was damaged. She was sent to live with her aunt and uncle in another Mohawk village. Kateri was ostracized in her new village for her scars, and though her new family took care of her and helped her learn the skills expected of women in their village, Kateri had few friends and spent much of her time alone. At 10, Kateri's new village was attacke