St. Katharine Drexel – an example for all
By Jeff Dixon
ETC staff

St. Therese Church, Orange, celebrated St. Katherine Drexel’s feast day with a special outdoor Mass March 2.

Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD, spoke about the great works of St. Katharine during his homily.

“St. Katharine Drexel holds a special place in the hearts of Catholics here in Southeast Texas because of the time she spent here. She belongs to us in a way and we can look to her for guidance,” Bishop Guillory said.

After Mass those in attendance gathered in the parish hall for a dinner and a program. The keynote speaker for the evening was Sister Jane Nesmith, SBS, pastoral life coordinator for St. John the Apostle Church in Evansville, Ind.

“We march to the beat of a different drummer. We march to the drummer of harmony and peace, a drummer of sharing and generosity. This is the drummer that St. Katharine marched to. She served as an example to us all,” Sister Nesmith said.

Sister Nesmith spoke about taking on the job at St. John which at the time was declining in attendance and was in danger of being closed down.

“When I got the job all these reporters asked me what my plan was. I told them I was going to pray and to listen. I didn’t have a huge plan and I’m sure that St. Katharine didn’t have one either. But she prayed and she listened and God guided her on her journey,” Sister Nesmith said.

Mother Drexel dedicated her life to the needs of oppressed Native Americans and African Americans in the West and Southwest United States and was a vocal advocate of racial tolerance.

To address racial injustice and spread the Gospel to African Americans and Native Americans, Mother Drexel established a religious order, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Because she felt a universal need for education, especially among African Americans and Native Americans, she financed more than 60 missions and schools around the United States.

Pope John Paul II canonized her Oct. 1, 2000, to become the second recognized American-born saint.

Your gift to the Bishop’s Faith Appeal helps support the good works of the Office of African American Ministry, the organizer of this event.

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