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SAINT KATHARINE DREXEL
(1858-1955)
St. Katharine Drexel, born Catharine Marie Drexel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania into an extremely wealthy and highly educated society of the nineteenth century. Katharine found her call to ministry early in life as her family was heavily involved in their Catholic faith; they could often be found distributing clothing, food and other essentials. It was during this time she began to see the struggles, pains, and politics that lie outside the social elite.
In 1891, Katharine made her vows as a religious and founded the congregation called “Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament” to carry on her mission for the betterment of Native and African Americans in the United States. Mother Katharine Drexel’s intense devotion to the Holy Eucharist is the driving spiritual force in the S.B.S order’s work today.
In 1915, Mother Katharine realized her dream of developing a school in the New Orleans, Louisiana area that would cater to the education of Native and African Americans. Mother Katharine Drexel died at the age of 96, in 1955 and is interred at the Saint Elizabeth Covent in Bensalem, PA. On October 1, 2000, she was canonized by Pope John Paul II. St. Katharine Drexel and her legacy of love, courage, selfless service and belief in the quality of education for all is the foundation of St. Katharine Drexel Preparatory School.
Today, St. Katharine Drexel’s Dream continues in our students, parents, teacher, faculty, staff, and alumni. The Drexel Prep family ensures that our students are “Prepped” for life.