CORRECTIVE REPRINT
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1978 PRINTER'S NO. 1994
No. 175 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY TOMLINSON, SALVATORE, CONTI, CORMAN, EARLL AND
MURPHY, MAY 17, 2000
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, MAY 17, 2000
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the week of October 1 through 8, 2000, as "Saint
2 Katharine Drexel Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Blessed Katharine Drexel, the daughter of a
4 Philadelphia banker and philanthropist and a resident of
5 Bensalem, Pennsylvania, for more than 60 years is being
6 canonized in Vatican City on October 1, 2000; and
7 WHEREAS, Blessed Katharine Drexel will become the first
8 native Pennsylvanian and the second native United States citizen
9 to be canonized by the Catholic Church; and
10 WHEREAS, Blessed Katharine Drexel dedicated her life and her
11 entire $20 million inheritance to socially and spiritually
12 empowering Native Americans and African-Americans throughout the
13 United States; and
14 WHEREAS, On February 12, 1891, she founded the Sisters of the
15 Blessed Sacrament and based the order in Bensalem; and
16 WHEREAS, During her lifetime she opened, staffed and directly
17 supported nearly 60 schools and missions throughout the nation;
1 and
2 WHEREAS, She founded Xavier University in New Orleans, the
3 only predominantly African-American Catholic institution of
4 higher learning in the United States; and
5 WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania she supported the boarding school,
6 Holy Providence in Bensalem (1892-1971), and St. Katharine's
7 Hall in Carlisle (1909-1918); and
8 WHEREAS, The Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament provided
9 elementary education at St. Peter Claver School beginning in
10 1909, and later at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy
11 Saviour and St. Ignatius Schools in Philadelphia, and they
12 regularly visited people in their homes and in hospitals; and
13 WHEREAS, In 1918 the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament nursed
14 victims of the influenza epidemic in both Philadelphia and
15 Bensalem, and today they continue their work in West and North
16 Philadelphia through education, pastoral ministry and social
17 services; and
18 WHEREAS, The mission of Blessed Katharine Drexel continues
19 across the nation in 12 states and in Haiti; and
20 WHEREAS, Annually more than 50,000 visitors come to St.
21 Elizabeth Convent in Bensalem to honor the life and vision of
22 this extraordinary woman who touched people from every state and
23 abroad; therefore be it
24 RESOLVED, That the Senate pay a respectful tribute to the
25 memory of Blessed Katharine Drexel, devoted servant of God,
26 whose lifelong dedication to social causes has improved the
27 quality of life for countless individuals; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the week of October 1
29 through 8, 2000, as "Saint Katharine Drexel Week" in
30 Pennsylvania; and be it further
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1 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
2 the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, 1663 Bristol Pike,
3 Bensalem, Pennsylvania, 19020.
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