April School News Release

The Legacy of Catholic School Education Continues.

The parish communities of Sacred Heart of Sauk Rapids, St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Augustine’s of St. Cloud, announce St. Katharine Drexel Elementary School as the name of their shared Catholic school. St. Katharine Drexel Elementary School builds upon the legacy of St. Augustine School and St. Mary Cathedral School of St. Cloud, and Sacred Heart School of Sauk Rapids. Erin Hatlestad will serve as principal of the school, which will operate this coming school year on their current campuses. (Sacred Heart School and St. Augustine Parish.) Beginning in the fall of 2011, all students will be in the building on the St. Augustine’s parish campus. The parishes are pursuing this joint venture to ensure the continued presence of Catholic Schools in the St. Cloud Metro Area, as well as, a Catholic School that will meet the challenges of today and tomorrow with innovative programming.

St. Katharine Drexel, 1858-1955, was born in Philadelphia, PA to wealthy parents. During a visit to the Western parts of the United States, her encounter with the struggles of the Native American peoples set in motion what would be her lifelong vocation. First as a lay person and later as a religious, founding her own religious community, she dedicated her large inheritance to serving the needs of Native Americans and Black Americans. During her lifetime, she founded, staffed, and supported more than 60 Catholic schools. She became the second native born U.S. Citizen to be canonized in 2000.

In a culture of abundant resources, often viewed in a very selfish way, St. Katharine serves as a wonderful model of the Christian call to generosity and service. In a community, such as the St. Cloud Metro Area, that has become increasingly diverse ethnically, she offers encouragement in finding pathways to support those on the margins of society and those who experience vulnerability. Naming the school after this powerful woman also serves to honor all the generous women religious who have served in the parish schools over the years.

The name St. Katharine Drexel serves as a powerful model, honors the past, and challenges the forming of students spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically in the Catholic Tradition; and to reach out to children of all backgrounds and traditions.