"The Eucharist is the continuation of the Incarnation. In it Jesus communicates Himself to me and to every human heart and becomes in very truth the Vine that bears God's plants, sending the sap of His Divine Life into all their branches and shoots, causing them to blossom and bear fruit of eternal life." - St. Katharine

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Our patroness, Saint Katharine Drexel,  was born in 1858, into a prominent Philadelphia family. Katharine became imbued with love for God and neighbor. She took an avid interest in the material and spiritual well-being of black and native Americans. She began by donating money but soon concluded that more was needed - the lacking ingredient was people.

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Katharine founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Black and Native American peoples, whose members would work for the betterment of those they were called to serve.

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From the age of 33 until her death in 1955, she dedicated her life and a fortune of 20 million dollars to this work. In 1894, Mother Drexel took part in opening the first mission school for Indians, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Other schools quickly followed - for Native Americans west of the Mississippi River, and for the blacks in the southern part of the United States. In 1915 she also founded Xavier University in New Orleans. At her death there were more than 500 Sisters teaching in 63 schools throughout the country. Katharine was beatified by Pope John Paul II on November 20, 1988.

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Because of her lifelong dedication to her faith and her selfless service to the oppressed, Pope John Paul II canonized her on October 1, 2000 to become only the second recognized American-born saint.

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At St. Katharine's parish in Trenton, we are continually called to carry the Gospel message of ​faith, hope, and charity to the world, just as Mother Katharine did in her walk with Jesus.

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