Your gift counts double until 5/31: $21,503 to go in our Easter Campaign. Please help now!

Bl. Kateri, Bl. Marianne Cope to be canonized October 21

CWN - February 20, 2012

Pope Benedict XVI will canonize 7 new saints, including 2 with American connections, on October 21.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, the young Mohawk woman who converted to Catholicism, will become the first Native American canonized as a saint. Blessed Marianne Cope, a German nun who followed St. Damien of Molokai in ministering to lepers in Hawaii, will be canonized at the same ceremony.

Also canonized on October 21 will be: Jacques Berthieu, a French Jesuit; Pedro Calungsod, a Filipino lay catechist and martyr; Giovanni Battista Piamarta, an Italian priest; Maria del Carmen (nee Maria Salles y Barangueras), the Spanish foundress of the Conceptionist Missionary Sisters of Teaching; and Anna Schaffer, a German lay woman.

Canonization ceremonies are regularly scheduled at consistories: meetings of the College of Cardinals. Ordinarily the consistories that give formal approval for such matters include only those cardinals who are present in Rome at the time. For the October 21 canonizations, however, the public consistory was held immediately following the elevation of 22 new cardinals on February 18, and included nearly all of the members of the College of Cardinals.

Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

An appeal from our founder, Dr. Jeffrey Mirus:

Dear reader: If you found the information on this page helpful in your pursuit of a better Catholic life, please support our work with a donation. Your donation will help us reach five million Truth-seeking readers worldwide this year. Thank you!

Easter Campaign:
Progress toward our Spring 2013 goal ($21,503 to go):
$80,000.00 $58,497.50
27% 73%
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

Show 2 Comments? (Hidden)Hide Comments
  • Posted by: phil L - Feb. 21, 2012 7:09 PM ET USA

    It would be more accurate to say that Bl. Kateri will be the first Native American saint from North America. But even that requires explanation. The Vatican sometimes classifies the "Americas" as a single continent, and at other times distinguishes between "North America" and "Latin America," putting Mexico in the latter category. By any ordinary geographical reckoning, it's true that St. Juan Diego was the first canonized North American saint of Native American ancestry.

  • Posted by: self - Feb. 21, 2012 4:48 PM ET USA

    Why is Kateri Tekakwitha always referred to as being the "first Native American canonized as a saint?" With all due respect,she was the first one to be beatified. But wasn't St.Juan Diego, to whom Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared, canonized in 2002. I believe Mexico is considered to be a North American country and that he was born of Aztec Indian (indignenous) parents. I know it is a trivial matter which I'm sure God, they and their devotees are not too ooncerned.

Catholic World News Email Newsletter
Donate to Support this Site: Your contribution will be put to good work.
Tour the CatholicCulture.org Site
Shop Amazon to Raise Money for Catholic Culture

Recent Catholic Commentary

Revealing News, and Revealing Christ 3 hours ago
The Russell Ford problem 3 hours ago
Fr. Thadeus Nguyen Van Ly: Your Letter May Help 10 hours ago
The Rise and Fall of the (American?) Church May 23
The Ideal of Pope Francis: the Servant Church May 23

Top Catholic News

Most Important Stories of the Last 30 Days
Pope strongly supports call for reform in religious life CWN - May 8