This biography traces the life and work ofKatharine Drexel (1858-1955), who became the second American-born saint of the Catholic Church in 2000. Drexel left a wealthy and socially elite family to become a nun and helpedNative Americans and African Americans by founding the order of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People. Shealso founded Xavier U. near New Orleans to trainAfrican Americans to teach in segregated black schools. The book describes her family life andthe origins of her spirituality and social concern; the process of her vocational discernment andentering the convent; the development, growth, and decline of her order, as well as specific missions and their challenges; the nature of her spirituality; andhow she fit into Pope John Paul II's pastoral program and why she was deemed worthy of sainthood. It does not examine the stories aboutproblems between her and priests or bishops. Annotation 2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
