A Special Thanksgiving Guest (Saint Kateri)
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we celebrated a belated Thanksgiving feast due to my husband's fire department schedule.
And, since extended family were not available to share in our Thanksgiving meal, it was a simple and quiet holiday.
We did have one special guest grace us with her presence though...
...meet Saint Kateri Tekakwitha!
Born in the year 1656 in what is now present-day New York, Kateri was the daughter of a Mohawk warrior and Algonquin mother. She was orphaned at age 4 when a smallpox outbreak killed her parents and brother. She was adopted by two aunts and an uncle.
Kateri's conversion to Catholicism occurred when she was twenty and she was given the baptismal name Catherine Tekakwitha. She suffered greatly for her Christian conversion at the hands of her native tribe. Eventually, she went to live with a new Christian colony of Indians in Canada. She died at the age of 24 in 1680.
Saint Kateri's feast day is on July 14th. She is the patroness of the environment and ecology.
This was actually Mary Catherine's Halloween/All Saint's Day costume this year. Unfortunately, both of my school-age kiddos contracted Fifth's Disease and were sent home from school the day of their All Saint's Day parties. Boo!
I can't even tell you how disappointed my kiddos were...and maybe one sad mama too!
I painstakingly spent hours creating this costume and sewing on embellishments. Mary and I ran around like crazies finding silk lilies and the cross made from nails as part of her costume props.
It's okay though...their costumes were so big (I mistakenly purchased a toddler size Native American pattern and had to YouTube video search to teach myself how to lengthen it) that they will be able to wear them again next year.
Of course, that's if I can convince them!
To learn more about Kateri Tekakwitha you can go here or here.
And, since extended family were not available to share in our Thanksgiving meal, it was a simple and quiet holiday.
We did have one special guest grace us with her presence though...
...meet Saint Kateri Tekakwitha!
Affectionately known as Lily of the Mohawks, Kateri was officially canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in October of this year. Saint Kateri is the first Native American to be canonized.
Born in the year 1656 in what is now present-day New York, Kateri was the daughter of a Mohawk warrior and Algonquin mother. She was orphaned at age 4 when a smallpox outbreak killed her parents and brother. She was adopted by two aunts and an uncle.
Kateri's conversion to Catholicism occurred when she was twenty and she was given the baptismal name Catherine Tekakwitha. She suffered greatly for her Christian conversion at the hands of her native tribe. Eventually, she went to live with a new Christian colony of Indians in Canada. She died at the age of 24 in 1680.
Saint Kateri's feast day is on July 14th. She is the patroness of the environment and ecology.
This was actually Mary Catherine's Halloween/All Saint's Day costume this year. Unfortunately, both of my school-age kiddos contracted Fifth's Disease and were sent home from school the day of their All Saint's Day parties. Boo!
I can't even tell you how disappointed my kiddos were...and maybe one sad mama too!
I painstakingly spent hours creating this costume and sewing on embellishments. Mary and I ran around like crazies finding silk lilies and the cross made from nails as part of her costume props.
It's okay though...their costumes were so big (I mistakenly purchased a toddler size Native American pattern and had to YouTube video search to teach myself how to lengthen it) that they will be able to wear them again next year.
Of course, that's if I can convince them!
To learn more about Kateri Tekakwitha you can go here or here.
Hi Valerie, this is beautiful! I love the costume! And thanks for the information as well. Your daughter is beautiful! Sorry about the sickness...I know how I dread that number showing up on my caller id...I know someone is sick or hurt! But so glad you can use them next year. Think how ahead of the game you will be! : )
ReplyDeleteWe so love Keteri around here. I will send medals soon, I promise!
ReplyDeleteWe love Saint Kateri too! Love the costume, and your daughter looks wonderful in it!
ReplyDeleteI love that she got to wear that costume and honor Saint Kateri. I've never heard of her before and I love that you shared the history of this saint! Very cool!
ReplyDeleteLove it! She looks great.
ReplyDeleteSorry about All Saint's Day.
M :)
I think it (costume) turned out lovely. Sorry about the Fifth's Disease. I hope they will want to wear their costumes again next year after all the work you put into creating them.
ReplyDelete