Kateri House
True to God, True to Self
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
Known as the Lily of the Mohawks, St. Kateri was born in 1656 and baptized Catherine Tekakwitha in New Netherlands, New York. Kateri is Mohawk for Catherine. Her mother was an Algonquin who was captured by the Mohawks and married a Mohawk Chief. At the age of 19, she converted to Catholicism and escaped to Montreal. She lived a prayerful life until her death at age 24. Kateri Tekakwitha was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 21, 2012, becoming the first Native American Saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
House Crest & Symbolism
Arrowhead & White Lily
The arrowhead represents the Mohawk people, while the white lily recalls St. Kateri’s vow of perpetual virginity near the end of her life.
Green Cross & Draped Cloth
The Jesuit seal cross honors the missionaries who evangelized her. Green signifies her patronage of the environment, and the draped blue cloth/shawl represents her personal suffering and smallpox scarring.
Three Feathers
A emblem of Native American spirituality, three feathers express her deep devotion and faith in the Holy Trinity.
