PRESENTATION OUTLINE
CHILDHOOD
Kateri "Catherine" Tekakwitha was born in 1656 in Auriesville, New York. When Kateri was young she, along with her parents and brother, got smallpox. Her parents and brother died from it but she lived. The smallpox disfigured her face and damaged her eyesight giving her the name "Tekakwitha," which means, "she who bumps into things."
FAMILY
When Kateri's parents died she no longer had anyone to live with, so her uncle adopted her. She turned against her uncles religion and went off to join the Catholics. Kateri was then shunned by her tribe for switching to Catholicism.
CONVERSION
Kateri was nineteen years old when she converted to Catholicism, and because of her conversion she was renamed Kateri which means Catherine in Indian. She took a perpetual vow of virginity and devoted herself to God. Kateri received her first communion on Christmas of 1677.
SAINTHOOD
Kateri was the first Native American to become a saint, and is the Patron Saint of environment and ecology. Her feast day is July 14, and was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012.
PRAYERS
Kateri's most famous prayer is called the Novena Prayer.
GOD-LIKE QUALITIES
Kateri was known as the "angel of charity" because she helped out anyone no matter what, even if the people were sick or old. She resembles God in this way. She was a normal kid although she refused to get married like her family wanted her to because she wanted to stay dedicated to God. Kateri did not drink alcohol to show her love for God as well.
SACRIFICE
Kateri and a friend, Marie, performed acts of penance together to thank God for His sacrifice. They did not wear shoes, so in the winter when the ground was covered in snow, their feet froze. They ate sand and glass and they cut themselves with branches until they bled.
DEATH
These penances started to weaken Kateri and she ended up dying on April 17, 1680 at the young age of 24. Some say her last words were, "Jesus, I love you." A few minutes after her passing, witnesses say all of her scars from the smallpox disappeared.
TEENAGER LIFE
Teenagers can follow in Kateri's footsteps to become holy and a disciple of Jesus. They need to be a loving person and take care of others no matter who they are. You can give up unnecessary things that you can live without to show appreciation for Jesus's sacrifices.
