Today is the feast day of St. Kateri, the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. St. Kateri Tekakwitha, patron saint of the environment and Native Americans, was born in 1656 to an Algonquin mother, who was captured by the Mohawks and married to a Mohawk chief. She lost her family to smallpox as a child and was raised by her uncle. As a teenager, she was quite opposed to marriage, and at 19, she converted to Catholicism and took a vow of chastity. To escape the persecution that came with this decision, she left to stay in a Christian native community in Canada. There, she worked with children and the elderly and was known to attend mass twice daily. She was a very devout Christian. She denied herself pleasure and often engaged in self-mortification, as was common among the Mohawk tribe. She died of poor health in 1680, just five years after her conversion. It is believed that as she died, her smallpox scars disappeared from her face, and she has had many miracles attributed to her. There is a shrine in her name in Fonda, NY. As a member of the Mohawk tribe, converting was a large risk, but she took the risk and followed Jesus. She is a symbol for many Native American Catholics, and it is important that today, we remember her devotion to Catholicism.

Sources:

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=154

Rebuilding Our Home - Seeking 100% Participation

We are pleased to report that as of the end of June we have raised $2,058,056 for our Rebuilding Our Home Campaign through the generosity of 148 families.  This means we are more than two thirds of the way towards our goal of $3 million.  

In order to reach our goal we need 100% participation.  If you have not already done so, please consider making your pledge today.  Your pledge will make a difference. 

We are seeking your three year pledge which means committing to giving a set amount each year for the next three years e.g. a total pledge of $50,000 would mean an annual pledge of approximately $16,700 each year ($1,389/ month or $46.30/day) for three years. 

Don't forget the tax benefit of your pledge!  As an example a pledge of $50,000 equates to an after tax total pledge amount of $33,500 - $36,000 depending on your tax bracket.  The campaign gets the full amount of your pledge but you get the tax benefit, each year of your three year pledge.

With your support, we will reach our $3 million goal, but we need 100% participation.  If you haven't already discussed your pledge to Rebuilding Our Home, please consider doing so today and making your pledge in July. Let's keep the Pledge Thermometer rising and meet the $3 million goal!