Mother Mary Catherine Sacred White Buffalo facts for kids
Mother Mary Catherine, Sacred White Buffalo (1867-1893) was a special woman who became a Catholic nun. She was also a member of the Hunkpapa Lakota people, a Native American group. Mother Mary Catherine started her own group of nuns called the Congregation of American Sisters.
Her Early Life
Mother Mary Catherine was born in 1867. Her birthplace was near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in what was then the Dakota Territory. Her English name was Josephine Crowfeather.
Her father was Joseph Crowfeather, a chief of the Hunkpapa Lakota. It is said that when Josephine was a baby, her father carried her into a battle to keep her safe. Both of them came back unharmed. Because of this amazing story, Josephine was given a special name: Ptesanwanyakapi. This name means They See a White Buffalo Woman.
Her Education and Calling
From a young age, Josephine Crowfeather wanted to become a Catholic nun. She spent four years studying at the Benedictine Sisters' School in Fort Yates, North Dakota.
From 1888 to 1890, Josephine studied theology, which is the study of religious faith. Her teacher was Father Francis M. Craft. Both Josephine and Father Craft were inspired by the life of Kateri Tekakwitha. Kateri was a saint from the Algonquin and Mohawk Native American groups.
Later, Josephine went to another Benedictine school in Avoca, Minnesota. Five other Lakota women joined her there. Together, they founded the Congregation of American Sisters. This was a new group of nuns that Mother Mary Catherine started.
