Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement, after the Vatican announced that Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha will be canonized on October 21, 2012:
“This past Saturday we learned that the Catholic Church will be bestowing its highest honour — canonization — upon Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha later this year.
“Known as the ‘Lily of the Mohawks’, Kateri Tekakwitha, who is entombed in a marble shrine at St. Francis Xavier Mission in Kahnawake, Quebec, was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1980 in recognition of her unwavering devotion to God.
“When Pope Benedict XVI canonizes her in October, Kateri Tekawitha will become North America's first aboriginal saint.
“This will be a great day for Canadian Catholics and a deep honour for our country.”
