Since 1946, 11 Americans have been canonized as saints.
Many were immigrants who crossed treacherous seas to spread the Gospel. Some, like John Neumann, had only a few dollars to their name; others, like Katharine Drexel, used their resources to further God’s kingdom. But these men and women all had two things in common: they loved the Lord, and they called America home.
This year, as we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America, we invite you to explore the stories of American saints honored in the Basilica. In this third installment, you can read about St. Isaac Jogues, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, and St. Rose Philippine Duchesne.
St. Isaac Jogues
Born in 1607 and ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1636, St. Isaac Jogues was one of the earliest missionaries to the Indigenous people in New France (now Eastern Canada and the Midwest United States). After a few years of ministry that were relatively uneventful, Isaac and his companions were captured by Iroquois in 1641. They whipped and tormented Isaac and his fellow missionaries for a full year, during which Isaac watched the brutal death of his companions. But torture and death were not enough to stop Isaac from evangelizing to the Iroquois during his captivity, and he even baptized several of them before escaping on a Dutch ship.
Despite his harrowing time as a captive, Isaac could not stop thinking about the Iroquois’s need for the Gospel. Only three months after his escape, knowing that to return likely meant death, he went back. He and his fellow missionary, Jean de Lalande, were killed en route to the Iroquois by a group of Mohawks in 1646. Before his return, Isaac said: “My heart tells me that, if I am the one to be sent on this mission, I shall go but I shall not return. But I would be happy if our Lord wished to complete the sacrifice where He began it.”
St. Isaac Jogues was one of the first North American martyrs recognized by the Church.
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Often referred to as the mother of women’s missions, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini felt called to be a missionary from an early age. As a young girl in Italy, she would dress her dolls as nuns and send them down the river in boats as “missionaries.” She never lost her heart for missions, and at 27, approached a local bishop about the matter. At his suggestion, she founded the first institute for female missionaries: the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Within a decade, it was recognized by Rome. When she was 30, she immigrated to New York City with six of her Sisters, intending to found orphanages in Little Italy. The plan was initially met with resistance from New York’s archbishop – primarily due to lack of funds. Regardless, Frances managed to secure $5,000 for the endeavor and was soon caring for over 400 orphans from the city streets. Later, she acquired 150 acres of land and established an orphanage in the countryside.
The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart went on to found a variety of Catholic institutions around the world. In her lifetime, Frances traversed the ocean 39 times, founding over 60 missions across Europe and the Americas. In 1946, she became the first American citizen to be canonized, and today, she is recognized as the patroness of immigrants.
In the Basilica, you can find St. Frances Xavier Cabrini portrayed in the west portico, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel, the Trinity Dome mosaic, and in a sculpture in the Hall of American Saints.
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
On August 29, 1769, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne was born in Grenoble, France. When she was 18, she joined the Convent of the Visitation of Saint Marie d’en Haut as a novice. A few years later in 1804, she joined the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, where she felt a deep calling to pursue missions. Yet despite the sense of urgency she felt, Rose was unable to pursue foreign missions until 12 years later.
In 1818, Rose finally traveled to St. Charles, Missouri, with five other women to found the first order of the Society of the Sacred Heart outside of France. The mission was not without challenges: Rose had trouble learning English and interacting with the Native Americans, and also faced financial difficulties. She founded the first free school west of the Mississippi that year, and within the decade, founded six houses.
In 1852, Rose passed away at age 83. She is honored in the Basilica in a statue in Memorial Hall and in the Trinity Dome mosaic. In 1988, Rose Philippine Duchesne became the fourth citizen of the United States to be canonized.
Sources:
“Address to the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” The Vatican.
American Saints and Blesseds, USCCB.
“Saints Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf, and Companions,” Franciscan Media.
“St. Frances Xavier Cabrini,” Britannica.
“St. Francesca Saverio Cabrini,” Vatican News.
The Way of Saints, Tom Cowan.