Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha | Santa Fe’s Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, New Mexico

Despite her short life, Kateri Tekakwitha (1656 to 1680) was the first North American Indian to be recognized as Blessed. The last is a title in the canonization process of the Roman Catholic Church just below sainthood.

Kateri was born in Ossernenon, Iroquois Territory (Modern Auriesville, New York) and died in Canada. Her father was a Mohawk chief and her mother was a Catholic Algonquin. When four years old, her parents died of smallpox and she was left scarred and partially blind; thus she was named Tekakwitha, which means "The One Who Walks Groping for Her Way." Her uncle and aunt adopted her; the new family moved to a new settlement.

When she was eighteen, a Jesuit arrived at Caughnawaga and established a chapel. Tekakwitha's mother had been Catholic and that pushed her into attending his religious classes. The following Easter, when twenty, she was baptized and given the name of Kateri.

Outraged about the conversion, her family and tribe outcast her; in July 1677 she run away. Despite her physical difficulties, she crossed on foot more than 320km to the Catholic mission of St. Francis Xavier at Sault Saint-Louis, near Montreal, where she became famous for her gift of telling stories. Her poor health led to her death at the age of 24, in 1680.

Kateri is known as the "Lily of the Mohawks" and was declared venerable in 1943 by the Catholic Church; in 1980 was beatified by Pope John Paul II. Her feast is celebrated on July 14th in the United States.

Snow and thorns, rain and wild animals couldn’t stop "The One Who Walks Groping for Her Way," until she reached the safety of the Church. In these days of savage states, we must remember her example, which is a constant reminder that a different and better world is within our reach.