St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656 – 1680)
St. Kateri Tekakwitha was a Native American girl born to a Mohawk chief and his Catholic wife. St. Kateri learned about Jesus from her mother and also from Jesuit missionaries. She was badly scarred by a disease that also took her family’s lives. She stayed with an uncle who objected to her faith. So she fled to a Catholic native village where she helped the sick, did penance for sinners and lived a life of prayer. St. Kateri is the patron saint of Native Americans and the environment. Her feast day is on 17 April (Canada) and 14 July (USA).