Memorial of Bl Kateri Tekakwitha

The last hour of the life of Catherine Tekakwitha 

(Holy Wednesday April 17, 1680 )

 

At three o’clock in the afternoon, “At three o’clock in the afternoon, the bell was rung to gather the Natives, who they had desired passionately to witness the death of this great servant of God.”

Sometime after three o’clock in the afternoon, “After their return, she waited until everyone entered the cabin, which I saw this marvel with my own eyes. When the last one had arrived that she went into her agony and while everyone knelt around her. After three hours after noon, Catherine had entered into an agony that was the most gentle in the world.”

Sometime after half pass three o’clock in the afternoon, “A short half hour after her agony, which she had pronounced the Holy Names, ‘Iesos! Wari!’ (‘Jesus! Mary!’) Then, a slight spasm had come about at the side of her mouth, which she entirely lost the vigour of speech, but as her hearing was still very good and fully conscience until her last breath. She had died as if she was falling asleep and we were for a long time not certain of her death.”

Sometime after three quarters of an hour after three o’clock, “Then, her face had suddenly changed, which appeared so smiling and devout that everyone was extremely astonished – her face that had transfigured gradually in less than a quarter of an hour, because of smallpox that it left her face scarred from the age of four, which her infirmities and mortification had contributed to ruin her even more. Catherine’s face was so scarred from smallpox and before her death that she took a darken complexion. Then, her face had suddenly transfigured about a quarter of an hour after her death and became in a moment so beautiful, smiling and white. Her face assumed an appearance of a rosy colour that she never had and her features were not the same. Her face appeared more beautiful than when she had been living. I will admit openly of the first thought that came to me that Catherine might have entered into Heaven at that moment. After, reflecting back in her chaste body a small ray of the glory that she had gone to possess. This blessed soul had left her virgin body to go with her beloved Spouse and was to celebrate in Heaven with Him the triumphs of the Cross, which she had so much loved and attached her heart, affections, chaste and virgin body through this life of mortification. Catherine Tekakwitha had died as she lived that is to say, as a Saint. It was to be expected that such a Holy a Life, which would be followed with a most Holy Death, because she was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

-- From the narrations of Fathers Claude Chauchetière, SJ and Pierre Cholenec, SJ, published in Kateri, Lily of the Mohawks