Lily of the Mohawks: The Story of St. Kateri

by Emily Cavins, Father Mitch Pacwa S.J. (Foreword)

Even before Kateri Tekakwitha’s canonization on October 21, 2012, many had been inspired by the story of the young Native American mystic who lived in the Mohawk Valley during the seventeenth century. With Emily Cavins's skill for weaving together historical facts and a compelling story, readers will discover Kateri’s path to sainthood against the backdrop of her life as a Native American in New York. These pages will reveal:What led to Kateri’s desire to become a ChristianHer piety and self-denial in the face of persecution and illnessHer impact on the Catholic Mohawk communityThe long road to sainthood, including two miracles attributed to KateriMore than just a compelling story of Kateri’s short life, readers will also learn how to avail themselves of Kateri’s intercession, why Kateri has become known as the patron saint of the environment, and of her connection to St. Francis of Assisi.

Genres: Religion, Biography

134 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2013

Reviews

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having received this book as a Christmas gift I had not read any reviews of the book prior to reading. While this book was not as in-depth into the life of St. Kateri as I had hoped, it is still a good introduction into her life and the history of Jesuit missions in Canada. When I began reading I was not nearly as excited to be getting such a back story about the Mohawks, the Iroquois, and the Jesuit priests who lived at missions among the tribes. In the end I was thankful to the giver of this book for all the back history that came along with the small amount of Kateri's history. So of the back story is helpful to better understand what she endured. St. Kateri was extremely resilient in her short life. She was steadfast in her Christian convictions and given her circumstances among her tribe, she was so very brave in the face of adversity. Will be searching for other books that tell more of St. Kateri's life.

[Ruth D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read. Kateri was much more intense than I realized. Nice archeological research and balanced cultural commentary.

[Maximilian Nightingale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent introduction. For someone who knew almost nothing about St. Kateri, it certainly served its purpose, and yet there must be better biographies out there, especially those which are extensively cited by the author. It is a short book and only about half of it is really about the life of St. Kateri. The rest of the book is either describing the setting or explaining the history of her canonization, or the social implications of her life and cult. Again, not a bad place to start.

[Marcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The author did a fantastic job giving an account of St. Kateri's life and culture. There was quite a bit of history in the beginning about the Mohawk tribe, which I feel was necessary to understand how Tekakwitha grew up. I also liked how the author emphasized that St. Kateri's spirituality as a Mohawk played an important role in her faith as a Christian, rather than separating the two, they intertwined to make her the wonderful person she was. It is a good general overview of her road to sainthood. There's much more to learn about this saint, but for the size of the book it packed in a surprising amount of information. The pilgrim's guide at the end listing different museums and locations one can visit to learn more is very helpful. As I live in the Mohawk Valley region, I will definitely be checking some of the places out!

[Anne Evangelista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great intro to St. Kateri. I wanted to read this because I remember visiting the Shrine in Auriesville, NY as a kid but I only remember learning about the martyrs and not much about Kateri.

I appreciated that this book did start with the Jesuit martyrs and ended with Kateri’s canonization and a discussion on reconciliation with the North American indigenous people. I would’ve liked more insight from the biography of St. Kateri though.

Would highly recommend this book!

[Ted Hinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily of the Mohawks is a devout biography of St. Kateri Tekakwitha. Author, Emily Cavins, depicts St. Kateri's struggles and conversion to Christianity during the 1660-70s. Numerous prayers, Litanies, and reflections are included at the end of the book for individual meditation or to be used on Pilgrimage to various shrines throughout North America. A unique story of the life and devotion of a Native American Saint.

[Claudette Wielechowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well researched book about Saint Katerina Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks. I have visited the Shrine in Auriesville, NY and now would like to visit St. Kateri’s final home in Canada.
She is an inspiration to us all.