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| Bucks County Prepares
To Welcome A Saint
Blessed Katharine Drexel to be named a Saint |
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| HIS MONTH, Bucks County will celebrate the canonization of a woman of faith and vision. Blessed Katharine Drexel will enter Sainthood on October 1, 2000 at a ceremony in Rome. "The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament are both pleased and excited by the announcement from the Vatican. We hope this announcement, and the ensuing events, will lead many to imitate Katharine's life of prayer, and work for an end to the racism and greed that encourage systems which discriminate, deprive and oppress those who are most vulnerable," said Sr. Monica Loughlin, President of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.
Katharine Drexel walked among the native and African American peoples of her time and heard their cry for justice, their hope for unity and their dreams of peace. Wealthy, educated, and a Philadelphia socialite of the late 19th century, Katharine could have made a life what she chose. That choice in the end came out of the strong Catholic faith and deep compassion for the poor the she learned from her parents.
While still a young woman, she became aware of the desperate plight of native and African-Americans. In response she built and staffed schools in various parts of the country. She chose to commit her entire life to bringing the news of Christ to these oppressed peoples. On February 12, 1891, she pronounced her vows and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.
Convinced that all people are called to be part of the Body of Christ, Blessed Katharine and her Sisters established schools and catechetical and social centers on reservations, in the rural south and in large urban areas. The Sister's goal was to help the people recognize their own individual and cultural gifts, and become leaders in the nation and the Church.
Blessed Katharine's vision of service lives on in the work of the Sisters. Today, in response to the current needs of the people, their ministry takes many different forms and reaches beyond the borders of the United States to Haiti, the Western Hemisphere's poorest country.
The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament grounds lie on 30 acres in Bensalem, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The European monastic architecture of Spanish/French influence embodies the history of the Catholic Church and the compassionate spirit of Blessed Katharine Drexel. The Sisters invite everyone to learn more about Blessed Katharine, her life, her work and her journey into Sainthood by visiting the Shrine. For further information, please visit their web site: www.katharinedrexel.org, or call the Shrine at 215-639-7878.
"Bucks County is fortunate to be home to such a beautiful Shrine and the final resting place of an inspirational woman," says Paula Fitch, Executive Director. The Bucks County Conference & Visitors Bureau is working with tour operators nationally and internationally in the development of a religious sites itinerary. The tour consists of visits to the Blessed Katharine Drexel Shrine, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, and the shrine of St. John Neumann in Philadelphia. Executive Events also offers a full tour of Bucks County, included on that tour is a visit to the Blessed Katharine Drexel Shrine. For further information on that tour, please contact Executive Events at 215-245-7123.
"Bucks County is a wonderful destination to visit, anytime of the year," says Fitch. "This momentous occasion has definitely heightened the awareness of Bucks County and we are ready to assist visitors."
The closest hotel to Blessed Katharine Drexel's Shrine, the Hampton Inn Philadelphia NE is offering a special package for those interested in visiting the Shrine. The package includes a discount on overnight accommodations and a continental breakfast. Also included is a coupon book for Franklin Mills Mall, the landmark of the discount shopper with over 200 stores of designer names and discounted merchandise.
The Bucks County Conference & Visitors Bureau, Inc. is the official tourist promotion agency for Bucks County. The mission of the BCCVB is to increase visitation in Bucks County by effectively marketing its heritage and its diverse sits and attractions. For further information please call 888-359-9110 ext. 109. Visit our web site www.bccvb.org for updated information and to view Bucks County slides.
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