Saint Katharine Drexel Novena

The novena to St. Katherine Drexel begins today and lasts for nine consecutive days. Mother Katharine Drexel was a Philadelphia native, who at the age of thirty, used her $20 million inheritance to found the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1891. The interest from her family's fortune was also used to found numerous schools for Native and African Americans including Xavier University in New Orleans. Her father, Francis Drexel, was a banking magnate and business partner of J.P. Morgan, and her uncle, Anthony Drexel, founded Drexel University. The heiress died at age 97 in 1955. She is the patron saint of racial justice and philanthropists. Her feast day is March 4.


OPENING PRAYER

Ever loving God, you called Saint Katharine Drexel to teach the message of the Gospel and to bring the life of the Eucharist to the Black and Native American peoples.

By her prayers and example, enable us to work for justice among the poor and oppressed.  Draw us all into the Eucharistic community of Your Church, that we may be one in You.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Day One:  EUCHARIST

The Eucharist is a never-ending sacrifice.  It is the Sacrament of love, the supreme love, the act of love.  Help me each moment today and always to communicate myself to You by doing Your will.  – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, lover of the Eucharist, pray for us.

Day Two:  EVANGELIZATION

I looked up in wonder at God’s wonderful ways and thought how little we imagine what may be the result of listening and acting on a desire He puts into the heart.  Nourish before Him great desires…May our desire be to bring Him hearts, for all are His by right, having been purchased by every drop of His blood.  – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, model for those who evangelize, pray for us.

Day Three:  PEACE

Peacefully do at each moment what at that moment ought to be done.  If we do what each moment requires, we will eventually complete God’s plan, whatever it is.  We can trust God to take care of the master plan when we take care of the details.  – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, steadfast in trust, pray for us.

Day Four:  SERVANT OF THE POOR

Kindness is the natural fruit of goodness of heart.  He (Jesus) loved every human being as the image of God…and so all that came within range of His benevolence were treated kindly for God’s sake and their own.  – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, lover of the poor, pray for us.

Day Five:  SUFFERING OF CHRIST

Often in my desire to work for others I find my hands tied, something hinders my charitable designs, some hostile influence renders me powerless.  My prayers seem to avail nothing, my kind acts are rejected, I seem to do the wrong thing when I am trying to do my best.  In such cases I must not grieve.  I am only treading in my Master’s steps.  – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, follower of the suffering Christ, pray for us.

Day Six:  THE CROSS

(Christ) may be leading me out to a cross.  If so, I can have no hesitation about following Him!  I must follow Him closely, so that…I shall be near Him, my good Shepherd, Who will help me to carry it, for He still bears His Cross in each one of His children.  – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, bearer of the cross, pray for us.

Day Seven:  DEVOTION TO MARY

Teach me, O my dear Mother, the lesson of sacrifice.  Help me, Mother, to take from the hands of Jesus, in the spirit of humble love, devotion to my daily crosses. – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, daughter of Mary, pray for us.

Day Eight:  BUILDING FOR ETERNITY

Out of our common todays and yesterdays we are building for eternity.  No thought, no work of ours ever dies.  We shall meet them all again, and in the world to come shall find our gathered harvest.  – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, woman of vision, pray for us.

Day Nine:  PRAYER AND WORK

The active life to be productive must have contemplation.  When it (contemplation) gets to a certain height it overflows to active life and gets help and strength from the heart of God.  This is the way the saints produced so much fruit, and we’re all called to be saints.  – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, model for the union of prayer and work, pray for us.

CLOSING PRAYER:

I wish to be one who conscientiously takes part in the unfolding of God’s plans, and eventually have a glorious part in the final unfolding of time into the glory of God’s Kingdom in heaven.  If we are disciples (of Jesus) we shall be happy to spend ourselves and be spent for the salvation of souls.  – Saint Katharine Drexel

Brief pause for reflection

Saint Katharine Drexel, pray for us.

Source: St. Katharine Drexel Church.