Do you know which saint founded 50 schools for Native Americans, or who established the parochial education system in America?
Throughout its art and architecture, the Basilica is proud to honor saints from across the centuries, illuminating their lives of faithfulness in breathtaking portrayals. As we begin another school year, we invite you to learn about three saints who were passionate educators and virtually explore the places where their legacies are brought to life in the Basilica.
1. St. Alphonsus Liguori
A brilliant lawyer and understanding teacher, Saint Alphonsus Liguori was a compassionate soul with a zeal for God. Born into a family of wealthy nobles in Naples in 1696, Alphonsus earned his degree in civil and canon law when he was only 16. For the first eight years of his career, he never lost a single case, but he eventually became overwhelmed by the corruption in the justice system and in 1723, quit practicing law to study Scripture.
About three years later, he was ordained and began ministering to some of the most indigent and crime-ridden districts in Naples. In the years that followed, the districts reached by Saint Alphonsus’ ministry showed vast improvement: prostitution, duels, and theft nearly vanished, and the new members of the faithful met in evening chapels, praying and reflecting upon the Scriptures. Having trained the laity sufficiently to carry on his work in the capital, Alphonsus ventured elsewhere to continue his ministry of spiritual education. In the rural hinterlands outside Naples, he founded the order of the Congregation of the Holy Redeemer, dedicated to teaching the Word of God to the spiritually impoverished. Today, members of his order – now called the Redemptorists – continue his work of evangelizing rural people in all parts of the world.
Virtually explore where St. Alphonsus Liguori is portrayed in the Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel below.
2. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
The first native-born American citizen to be canonized as a saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton is best known for her role in starting children’s parochial education in America. Born in New York on August 28, 1774, Elizabeth was originally raised in the tradition of the Episcopalian church. After spending time in Italy, she was struck by the beauty of Catholicism, and converted in 1805. Following her husband’s premature death, Elizabeth started a Catholic school for girls in Baltimore, Maryland, at the request of a priest. Elizabeth’s most lasting impact, however, was the founding of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph’s in 1809 – the first religious order in America. This order not only helped support hospitals and orphans, but also established the parochial education system in America. Elizabeth’s devotion to educating children and caring for the less fortunate has had an impact lasting well beyond her own life.
You can see where St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is portrayed in the Hall of American Saints in immersive 360° below.
3. St. Katharine Drexel
The second American-born saint to be canonized, Saint Katharine Drexel was known for her commitment to racial justice and her educational efforts for minority groups in America. Katharine was born into an affluent Philadelphia banking family in 1858. After discovering the poor living conditions endured by Native Americans during her family’s travels, Katharine decided to use her inheritance to establish the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1913, which was dedicated to sharing the Gospel with Native Americans and African Americans.
Throughout her lifetime, she continually advocated for minorities, crusading for better educational opportunities and standing against racial discrimination and injustice. In 1894, she opened the first mission school for Native Americans in New Mexico, and in 1915, she founded Xavier University, an institution of higher learning for African Americans in New Orleans. By the start of World War II, she had founded schools for African Americans in 13 states, and 50 schools for Native Americans in 16 states.
Unfortunately, her efforts were not welcomed by all: she faced the opposition of segregationists, who burned down one of the schools she founded in Pennsylvania. At age 76, Katharine retired from her management roles after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage, but continued to live in adoration and contemplation until the age of 97. Today, she is recognized as the patroness of racial justice and philanthropists.
View where St. Katharine is portrayed in the Hall of the American Saints in 360° below.
Sources:
Butler’s Lives of Saints, ed. Bernard Bangley.
“Katharine Drexel (1858-1955),” The Vatican.
The Way of Saints, Dr. Tom Cowan.