St. Katharine Drexel

Born on November 26, 1858, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Katharine Drexel was the daughter of a wealthy and devout Catholic family. Her father, Francis Anthony Drexel, was a prominent banker, and her mother, Hannah Jane Langstroth, passed away shortly after Katharine"s birth. Raised in a household deeply committed to charity, Katharine and her sisters were taught to use their wealth for the betterment of others. After her stepmother’s death in 1883, Katharine inherited a vast fortune, which she would later dedicate to her mission of social justice. In 1889, Katharine felt a divine calling to religious life. She founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious order dedicated to serving Native Americans and African Americans, two of the most marginalized groups in the United States at the time. Over the course of her life, she established over 60 schools, including Xavier University of Louisiana, the first Catholic university in the U.S. for African Americans. She tirelessly advocated for racial equality and education, often facing significant opposition and prejudice.