My “American Idol”
By Jessie DeGiorgio
She was an heiress with name recognition that today would get her into any 5-star restaurant. She resided in an exclusive area in the East with servants, could have chosen from any number of handsome suitors and was a world traveler. Wouldn’t we all envy this position in life and want it to never end? Or, would we?
Courtesy of the Archives of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
Would I decide to give up marriage, family, mansions, servants, luxury, and world travel, not to mention millions of dollars? Well, this biography comes from another century when women were kept protected, sometimes isolated, and didn’t have the right to vote or to speak their minds. They were to be quiet, soft-spoken, good homemakers, taken care of and never to be seen out alone, rarely making any major decisions in life. Child-rearing was their main mission.
She broke the rules in a time when rules were rarely broken, especially by a woman. With all of the wealth and luxuries of life, she lost her mother at an early age, as well as her stepmother, her father, and both sisters before she was in her mid 30’s. Then, in her 70’s, she suffered a severe heart attack confining her to bed rest and a life of prayer. She died at 97. What miracles did she procure during her 20 years of prayer? Should she have become angry and bitter with God? How would I choose to live out my life if I was given the same options? The direction we choose in life is often based on what life gives us. She chose wisely.
She was diminutive in stature, quick-witted, avoided publicity, knew her mind and spoke it. She was passionate about her religious beliefs and acted upon them even though almost everyone except one bishop discouraged her. She gave shoes to the poor in her youth and then coordinated the building of Xavier University in New Orleans. She visited many luxurious wonders of Europe and then traveled to the wilderness of the west in the 1800’s building countless mission schools in the western US. She lost all of her immediate family with no nieces or nephews to follow her and then created a religious order of over 200 nuns in Pennsylvania. She challenged her critics and amazed her supporters. She helped the first African American priest build his own church. She gave selflessly all of her fortune ($13+ million or, $130 million in today’s dollars) to benefit the “poorest of the poor”. And, this was done before she reached retirement age. Now that’s an “American Idol”. If one woman living in the early 20th century could accomplish all of this in such a short window of time, we can certainly come together as one and build our church.
She would tell others less fortunate, “You aren’t any less than anybody else.” She didn’t really give up anything by eliminating her financial wealth; she shared her spiritual wealth with others helping them feel the richness and generosity of a loving God. I never realized what a modern day role model she is for all. Thank you, St. Katharine Drexel.
We are all capable of sacrifice in our own way. It’s the purity of the intention that is most meaningful. Let us idolize the real “American Idols,” especially those who have given so much of themselves to help enrich the lives of others. We can all do this in many small ways: our prayers count, our time counts. Let all women and men honor St. Katharine Drexel by coming together as a parish community so we can build our church in her loving memory. Her message was clear and so is ours: “Come Home to Christ”.
