St. Kateri is one of the most beloved modern saints. She was the first Native American to be canonized. However, her most well-known quality is her devotedness to Christ. St. Kateri risked everything as a convert to the faith. She is relatable to so many people because of the struggles she faced personally and spiritually.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha’s life was not easy. She was born in 1656 in Auriesville, NY. Her mother was part of the Algonquin tribe of the Native Americans. She was also a Christian. She was captured by the Mohawks and married their chief.
Smallpox killed most of St. Kateri’s family. Her mother, father, and brother all died from the disease. St. Kateri lived, but the illness left her partially blind and severely disfigured. After her parents’ death, Saint Kateri was raised by her uncle.
She was fairly quiet as a child. St. Kateri suffered embarrassment from the disfigurement caused by her disease. She worked very hard and was dedicated to all she did.
St. Kateri’s life was changed one day when she heard Jesuit missionaries talking about God in her camp. She was intrigued by what they said. However, she couldn’t do anything more than listen. Her uncle did not like Christians.
She was already making him angry though. Her uncle wanted her to get married, but she would not. They tried to force her to accept a proposal by giving her more work as punishment. Still she refused. Finally, she was allowed to remain single.
Pray the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Novena with us to ask for her intercession!
At the age of 19, she decided to become Catholic. This act angered her community even more. She was treated as a slave. She would not work on Sunday for the Sabbath rest. As a result, she was not given food that day.
Yet, St. Kateri was very happy. She loved to think about Jesus. She marveled at how much He loved her and the whole world.
Being Christian was not popular among her community. A few years later, St. Kateri ran away to Montreal. It was almost 200 miles away. There, she spent three years in a Christian community. She learned more about God. She got to pray as much as she wanted!
St. Kateri had decided to take a vow of chastity when becoming Catholic. She hadn’t even known what religious life was! It was pure instinct to take this vow. When she discovered religious life, she wanted to start a religious order. Her priest told her not to, however. She was obedient and lived a simple life.
St. Kateri satisfied her religious devotions with extreme fasting and penance. However, these mortifications, while increasing her faith and joy, did not increase her health. She was often sick. She died on April 17, 1680, the day before Holy Thursday. She was only 24 years old.
After her death, the members of her community noticed that her face changed. The disfigurement was gone! St. Kateri was beatified in 1980 and canonized in 2012. She is the patron saint of ecology, the environment, Native Americans, and exiled people.
St. Kateri’s Feast Day: July 14
Why Pray the St. Kateri Tekawitha Novena?
People can pray the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Novena for many different intentions! As the first Native American saint, she is particularly beloved by those who live in the Americas. You may recognize some of the places she lived!
St. Kateri converted to Catholicism at 19 years old. Those who are converts or in RCIA find her journey relatable. You can also ask her intercession for those you hope will convert some day.
Finally, St. Kateri is the patron saint of ecology and the environment. Nature enthusiasts will love connecting to her in this way. This is also a great novena for the preservation of the earth.
You can pray the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Novena for any intention!
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Novena Prayers
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Novena – Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
God, there is no judge but You. And You are a just and compassionate judge. But people still judge one another here. There is so much persecution in the world because people just can’t get along!
St. Kateri, you were certainly used to persecution. Your mother was captured. She was forced to marry into a new tribe. Your family was killed by disease from invading people. The effects of your illness made you self conscious about your appearance. Most likely, you were mocked for your deformities. Finally, you were treated as a slave because of your faith.
Yet, as a Christian, you were particularly struck by the dignity of each of God’s creations. Despite having been persecuted yourself, you only saw the good of each person. You didn’t retaliate. You simply loved.
St. Kateri, please help me to bring more love into the world. If we treat each other with love, then persecution will die. Love will reign! Pray that I will love those around me, particularly those that I see who are being persecuted. Help me to be a sign of Christ’s love for them. Please pray that I will also be loved and treated kindly with respect.
Please also intercede on my behalf for these intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Kateri, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Novena – Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
God, we may never understand why bad things happen to good people. Yet we know that You have a plan for everything, even suffering.
St. Kateri, the effects of smallpox were lasting on your life. You had to live with the scars for the rest of your life. You also continued to be sick, causing your early death.
Yet, your attitude on suffering was so great. You even inflicted more upon yourself to greater unite yourself to Christ!
St. Kateri, I ask that you be near all those who suffer from chronic illness. It is easy to get discouraged. It is easy to feel abandoned. It is easy to feel like the suffering will never end!
You know how redemptive suffering can be. Suffering can actually bring joy!
Please be with all of those who suffer from illness. If it is God’s will, please pray for their healing. If it is not, please intercede on their behalf. Help them to accept their illness cheerfully and use it to bring others to God. Please pray for comfort for all who are suffering. And please pray that we as a community will be more understanding of those who are suffering with chronic illnesses.
While you pray, please also bring my other intentions before Our Lord:
(State your intentions here)
St. Kateri, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Novena – Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
God, thank you for the beauty of creation!
St. Kateri, you are the patron saint of ecology and the environment. You must have especially found God’s presence among His creation. You even found a spot in the woods where you would go to pray.
In today’s hectic world, I sometimes lose sight of the marvel of the earth. Everything in it was put here for a purpose. That purpose is to provide us protection, health, and beauty. God is a master builder!
It is our responsibility to take care of God’s creation. St. Kateri, please help me to see God in nature. Inspire me to do all I can to help protect and care for the earth. Pray for me to remove distractions in my life that keep me from appreciating the world!
Please also bring my intentions before God:
(State your intentions here)
St. Kateri, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Novena – Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
O Lord, we know You are our Father. You created us and watch over us. You will never leave us!
St. Kateri, it must have been so hard for you when your parents died so young. To be suddenly sick and losing your parents all at once must have been devastating.
Your new parental figure was difficult. He was the chief and your uncle. Yet, he disapproved of your newfound faith. He even tried to force you to marry when you did not want to.
For you, your comfort was found in getting to know another Father. He was one who would never die. He always had your best interest in mind!
St. Kateri, please be with all of those who have lost their parents in some way. Give them the strength to carry on with their lives. Provide them with other advocates in their lives who can cheer them on. Most of all, show them that they are not alone. Their heavenly Father loves them so much!
Please pray for my relationship with our Father as well, help me to grow closer to Him and to experience peace in prayer like you did.
Please also remember my intentions in your prayers:
(State your intentions here)
St. Kateri, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Novena – Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
O God, there must be no joy in heaven like when a new member of the Church is baptized. Especially when that baptism marks a long journey of faith!
St. Kateri, your decision to convert to the Catholic faith was very brave. Your decision made those around you treat you like a slave. You were seen as crazy and disobedient. This treatment didn’t bother you, however. You were so in love with our Lord that it didn’t matter.
In the end, this newfound faith would cause you to have to run away from your village. Through it all, you found such joy in God’s love.
St. Kateri, I ask that you be particularly close to all converts. Give them the strength to face whatever challenges may come their way by this decision. Help them to always feel as enraptured by God’s love as they do at the beginning.
Please also intercede on our behalf for more people to come to the Catholic faith, just as you did. I also ask that you guide those who have left their faith, that they may return to God’s love. Pray that I will grow stronger in my own faith and that I will see how my heart needs a reversion to be closer to Christ. And help me to be a good example to others of the joys of our Faith.
At this time, I also ask you to keep in mind my intentions:
(State your intentions here)
St. Kateri, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
