July 14: The Lily of the Mohawks

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader Podcast. Today is July 14th, and our story is The Lily of the Mohawks. Saints aren't prone to moderation, at least not when it comes to showing their love for Christ. And St. Kateri Tekawitha was no exception.

Born in 1656 in what is now upstate New York, Kateri Tekawitha was the daughter of a Mohawk chief. When she was only four, however, smallpox came to her village, killing her father and the rest of her family. Tekawitha survived, but the disease left her face badly scarred.

Later adopted by her uncle, the Mohawk princess lived a quiet life, avoiding others and hiding her face from view. When Jesuit missionaries came around, however, curiosity trumped vanity. Tekakwitha ventured out to meet them, eager to learn more about Jesus.

Faith came quickly. It did not, however, come cheap. First, Tecaquitha's uncle opposed her baptism. Later, after he consented, both her family and her fellow villagers opposed her efforts to practice the Catholic faith, mocking her for not working on Sundays and criticizing her decision to remain celibate.

Eventually, with the help of her brother-in-law, Takequitha escaped her uncle's house and traveled north to modern-day Canada, where a community of Mohawk Christians and Jesuit missionaries lived. There, Tecaquitha made a vow of perpetual virginity and embarked on a life of extreme penance, frequently fasting, praying for long hours in a freezing chapel, and even sleeping on a bed of thorns. Tecaquitha's extreme devotion most likely contributed to her early death at the age of twenty-four. But it also earned her the admiration of all who knew her and led to her veneration by Catholic Americans, Native Americans, and Canadians for centuries after her death.

Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, the Lily of the Mohawks is America's first Native American saint. Catholics around the world celebrate her feast day on July 14th. St. Kateri Tekakwitha's devotion shows that holiness often requires sacrifice and steadfastness, especially when others oppose our convictions. The Lily of the Mohawks teaches that fidelity to God transcends personal comfort, societal approval, or physical suffering, reminding us that authentic holiness manifests in courage, patience, and devotion.

Identify one area of your spiritual life where you can show greater perseverance or devotion today. Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, July 15th, for another story of faith and courage in America.