Media Advisory: Thousands to Celebrate Sainthood of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Events taking place in Rome, across Canada for North America's First Aboriginal Female Saint

TORONTO, Oct. 18, 2012 /CNW/ - Locally and across the country, Catholics are celebrating the canonization of North America's first aboriginal female saint. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk-Algonquin woman who lived in the late 17^th century, will be among seven holy women and men elevated to sainthood in a ceremony in Rome on Sunday, October 21.

Hundreds of Canadian pilgrims are travelling to Rome for the ceremony and thousands more will commemorate the event here at home. In addition to other events in the Greater Toronto Area and across the country, thousands are expected to gather at The Martyrs' Shrine in Midland, ON for a series of events, culminating with a Mass of Thanksgiving, incorporating elements of Kateri's aboriginal culture in the ceremony.

The following is a list of events, possible media opportunities and resources available for local media outlets through the week leading up to and on the day of the canonization ceremony.

Friday, October 19
TORONTO - Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Elementary School (Toronto Catholic District School Board)
200 students celebrates Canonization of their school's namesake
10 a.m. - Mass, celebrated by His Excellence Bishop Vincent Nguyen
1-2 p.m., students will participate in a First Nations cultural presentation.

Saturday, October 20
ROME - Media availability for Canadian pilgrims, Cardinal Thomas Collins
- 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET

2 p.m. ET - Basilica of Saint John Lateran, Prayer Vigil, including presentation of Canada's Salt + Light Catholic Television documentary, "In Her Footsteps: The Story of Kateri Tekakwitha"

KAHNAWAKE, QC - Shrine of Kateri Tekakwitha
7 p.m.-10 p.m. - Prayer Vigil

Sunday, October 21
ROME - Media availability for Canadian pilgrims, Cardinal Thomas Collins
- 9 a.m.-3 p.m. ET

3:30 a.m. ET - Saint Peter's Square, The Canonization Mass

MIDLAND, ON - Martyrs' Shrine
11a.m. - procession through grounds
noon - Mass of Thanksgiving, followed by media presentation from Rome

KING CITY, ON - Marylake Retreat Centre
11 a.m. - 3 p.m. - students from Blessed Kateri Elementary School (York Catholic District School Board) celebrate St. Kateri with Mass, luncheon, First Nations performance and a play about St. Kateri`s life

KAHNAWAKE, QC - Shrine of Kateri Tekakwitha
11 a.m. - procession with the relics and statue of Blessed Kateri
noon - Mass and blessing with the relics

THUNDER BAY, ON - Kitchitwa Kateri Parish of Thunder Bay
11 a.m. - pipe ceremony
12:30 p.m. - Mass of Thanksgiving

OTTAWA - Notre Dame Cathedral
Noon - Mass in honour of the canonization of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, celebrated by Archbishop Emeritus Marcel Gervais

QUEBEC CITY - Notre-Dame-de-Quebec Cathedral,
11 a.m. - Eucharistic celebration presided by The Most Rev. Adolphe Proulx

Monday, Feb. 20
ROME - Basilica of Saint John Lateran
4 a.m. ET - The Mass of Thanksgiving

SALT+LIGHT TELEVISION - The canonization Mass will air live on Sunday, October 21 at 3:30 a.m. ET, 1:30 a.m. PT. It will repeat at 10 a.m. ET, 8 a.m. PT and 9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. PT.

The documentary, In Her Footsteps: The Story of Kateri Tekakwitha, will make its World Television Premiere at that same day at 8 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. PT only on Salt + Light.

*****

Salt+Light Television will provide A CLEAN MEDIA FEED from Rome for the canonization Mass and the Mass of Thanksgiving. Technical details will follow on Friday, October 19.

FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION and RESOURCES:
www.archtoronto.org/kateri

FOR NEWS AND UPDATES, INCLUDING COVERAGE FROM ROME:
Blog - archdioceseoftoronto.blogspot.com
Twitter - twitter.com/neilmaccarthy
twitter.com/archtoronto
Facebook - facebook.com/archtoronto
Tumblr - archtoronto.tumblr.com

SOURCE: Archdiocese of Toronto

Bill Steinburg, Archdiocese of Toronto
[phone] x 558 [phone] (cell)
[email protected]  www.archtoronto.org

Erica Zlomislic, Communications Officer
Jesuits in English Canada
[phone] x 225 [phone] (cell)
[email protected]  www.jesuits.ca