509. Kateri Tekakwitha

509. Kateri Tekakwitha

From History of North America by History of North America

June 8, 2026 · 10 min

About this episode

This episode explores the life and legacy of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, an Iroquois maiden who became a significant figure in Catholicism.

National Indigenous Peoples Month in Canada celebrates an Iroquois maiden born in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon, in present-day New York State, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-80) and her family contracted smallpox in an epidemic; she was the only one of the family to survive, but had scarring on her face. She was influenced by French Jesuit missionaries and converted to Catholicism at age 19. After taking a vow of perpetual virginity, she left her village, and moved to the Jesuit mission village of Kahnawake, just south of Montreal, Canada. There she died five years later, respected for her piety and good works. She was beatified in 1980 by Pope John Paul II, and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter's Basilica on 21 October 2012. Enjoy this first part of three of The Life and Legacy of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. Part 1 of 3. Check out the YouTube version of this episode at https://youtu.be/nZKWCKMoRWo which has accompanying visuals including maps, charts, timelines, photos, illustrations, and diagrams. Super Saints podcast available at https://amzn.to/46spnjl Bob & Penny Lord's book: Visionaries, Mystics & Stigmatists at https://amzn.to/41z4aUS Bob & Penny…

People in this episode

Host: Mark Vinet

Topics covered

  • Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
  • Indigenous Peoples Month
  • Catholicism
  • Iroquois history
  • Jesuit missions
  • piety and good works

Keywords

  • Kateri Tekakwitha
  • Indigenous Peoples Month
  • Catholicism
  • Jesuit missionaries
  • beatification
  • canonization
  • Iroquois

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: French Jesuit missionaries

Books & works: Visionaries, Mystics & Stigmatists

Places: Ossernenon, New York State, Kahnawake, Montreal, Canada

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