"Lily of the Mohawks" to be named a saint, Yakima Catholics "rejoicing" {Catholic/Orthodox caucus}

kimatv ^ | 20 Dec 2011 | kimatv

[Cronos]

> YAKIMA DIOCESE NEWS RELEASE -- The approval by Pope Benedict XVI of a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha has Native American Catholics in Central Washington rejoicing that she will soon be declared a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.

“We´ve prayed really hard for her recognition,” said Yvonne Smith, a Yakama nation member. “We’ve thought of her all along as a saint.”
“She is an inspiration to all Catholics, especially our Native Americans,” said the Most Rev. Joseph J. Tyson, bishop of the Diocese of Yakima. Tyson was a member of the committee that reviewed the miracle, the cure of a Native American boy of the Lummi Nation in Western Washington who made a complete recovery after nearly dying of an attack by flesh-eating bacteria. Physicians were unable to find a medical explanation for the child’s recovery.

Blessed Kateri, also known as the “Lily of the Mohawks,” became a Catholic Christian in1676 at the age of 20 in New York. The decision displeased her relatives, and she fled to a Jesuit mission in Canada, where she made a private vow of perpetual virginity. She taught the faith to children and helped the elderly and sick. She died in 1680. Revered among Native American Catholics for centuries, she was declared “Blessed” in 1980, by Pope John Paul II. He waived the usual requirement of a first miracle, based on the history of devotion to her, and miraculous cures attributed to her intercession in the past.

Smith, who retired as director of the Yakama Nation Housing Authority after 20 years of service, said the cause for Blessed Kateri’s sainthood, which began in 1932, has been a unifying force among the Native Americans in the United States. “She’s someone we can relate to as a native person,” she said. “Many of us have prayed for her help, anytime we’ve needed a miracle in our private or community lives … there are many who have been helped by her intercession.”
The Tekakwitha Conference, which celebrates and affirms Native American Catholicism, is held in a different part of the country each year. The 73rd such conference is scheduled for July 18-22 in Albany, New York. Smith has attended several. She said that Lydia Johnson, a member of the Yakama Tribe who is now in her early 90s, “has not missed one.” The conference draws native peoples from around the world, not just the United States, she said.

Rev. William Shaw, pastor of St. Mary Parish in White Swan, on the Yakama Reservation, said he was pleased by the news. “We’ve been praying a long time for this,” he said. “I hope people continue to try to imitate her innocence and faith.” Shaw has attended the annual conference the last few years with his brother, the retired Rev. John Shaw, who has been the diocese’s coordinator of Native American Ministries for many years.

Pope Benedict’s acceptance of the miracle came at a meeting Monday in Rome with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes. He also approved a second miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Marianne Cope, a teacher and hospital administrator from New York who spent the last 30 years of her life ministering to leprosy victims in Hawaii. She died in 1918 at the age of 80, and was declared “blessed” in 2005.

Once the Pope’s decision is ratified by a meeting of cardinals in Rome, a date can be set for a public ceremony recognizing their sainthood. Such ceremonies typically are held in Rome.

The pope also formally recognized 64 men and women who died during the Spanish Civil War as martyrs, who died because of “hatred of the faith,” and advanced the sainthood causes of 18 other people.

[OriginalChristian]

I am deeply humbled that Kateri will be canonized in my lifetime (God willing). We visited her burial site along the St. Lawrence in Kahnawake Quebec, just south of Montreal, in 2002 and have had a strong devotion to her ever since. Our oldest daughter adopted Kateri’s name for her confirmation. How great is our God!

[Cronos]

Kateri is an inspiration to us all, a true heroine of the faith

[kearnyirish2]

That’s great; have you ever been to Auriesville NY (near Albany)? It is the site of the martyrdom of St. Isaac Jogues and the North American Martyrs. While Spain brought the faith to Florida and the southwest, France brought it to the northeast and the upper Midwest.

[vladimir998]

You wrote:

“I am deeply humbled that Kateri will be canonized in my lifetime”

A dear friend of mine died in June. She named her first daughter, a daughter she adopted and who was of Native American descent, Kateri in honor of Kateri Tekawitha. She always hoped Kateri Tekawitha would be canonized. Now, sadly, she won’t be here to see it. She was one of the most vivacious and kind hearted people I ever knew. A mother of six, she died after a 10 month battle with a rare form of leukemia. My only consolation is that I have every reason to believe she is with Kateri Tekawitha right now or will be soon.

[Tax-chick]

I’m sure there will be welkins ringing and raucous whooping in Oklahoma, too. It’s been a long, long process ... not that that’s bad.

[stfassisi]

Many years ago the Church interviewed my mother for a miracle for the canonization of Kateri

Here is the story...

Shortly after my mother delivered my older brother she became sick and was in kidney failure and slipped into a coma and was given her last rites . While in the coma Kateri Tekakwitha came to her telling her that Christ said she will live to be older and see her grandchildren and convert many.My mother came out of the coma saying the name of Kateri Tekakwitha to the doctors and nurses and told them what happened and wrote Kateri’s name on a piece of paper.

The amazing thing about this is she had no idea previous to being in a coma who Kateri Tekakwitha even was.

I am very lucky to live within half hour of Auriesville and usually attend Mass and Adoration in the Kateri Chapel on Wednesdays when the shrine is open spring through fall.The grounds the shrine are on are just beautiful overlooking the Mohawk River

[G Larry]

1st time in 30 years we’ve had positive news associated with Yakima, WA.

[Biggirl]

I saw on Father Benedict Grochel’s show a couple of months ago a picture of the shrine to the North American Martyrs in NY state. It looks like a large round church building that is that special shrine.

[Biggirl]

This annoucement of Blessed Kateri’s being made a saint is much, much needed good news for the Roman Catholic Church in North America. May more American Catholics get that speical high honor so that can become a good witnessing tool of evangelization to the good news of the Gospel of Christ in North America.

[Straight Vermonter]

Bl. Kateri has her own shrine as well. I actually happened upon it while traveling to the baseball Hall of Fame a few years ago.

[cloudmountain]

This annoucement of Blessed Kateri’s being made a saint is much, much needed good news for the Roman Catholic Church in North America. May more American Catholics get that speical high honor so that can become a good witnessing tool of evangelization to the good news of the Gospel of Christ in North America.

Amen.

[OriginalChristian]

I have not. I know about the shrine at Auriesville but have yet to visit there. Looking forward to it. Take good care...

[OriginalChristian]

I am sorry to hear it. Your consolation is a stong one. God be praised for your friend’s life...

[OriginalChristian]

Thanks for your beautiful testimony. God love you...

[kearnyirish2]

That is miraculous; I’ve been to Quebec, passing through Albany to get there, but haven’t been to Auriesville. As I understand it is about an hour west of Albany.

[Biggirl]

Also Blessed Kateri would be considered a “white martyr”, because she had to flee for her life and to be able to practice her new faith in peace in another village that became Christian and Catholic. So to a degree I do include her in the other shrine, the one to the North American Marytrs though she did not shed any blood.

[Biggirl]

Another American Roman Catholic who has since has gone home to his eternal rest and reward and got to watch a special on EWTN back on December 11, 2011, with an intro on Father Benidict’s Grouchel’s show just before that on the life and times of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. This man and priest and then in time bishop of great faith and holiness, he wrote many books, two or three books that he wrote I have. Also Bishop Sheen was at the begining of the modern communications age, first of radio and then later with the begining of tv.

If he was alive today, Bishop Sheen would have made use of the internet to get the good news of the Gospel of Christ out. May his cause or the road to his cause of proclaiming him a saint be seen in my life time, God willing.

[cloudmountain]

If he was alive today, Bishop Sheen would have made use of the internet to get the good news of the Gospel of Christ out. May his cause or the road to his cause of proclaiming him a saint be seen in my life time, God willing.

I remember once that he accepted a television award on the emmys. In his acceptance speech he said, "I want to thank my writers: Mathew, Mark, Luke and John.
Even the pagans there laughed.

He was quite a guy. Heaven got a winner with him.

[Salvation]

"Lily of the Mohawks" to be named a saint, Yakima Catholics "rejoicing" {Catholic/Orthodox caucus}
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks
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