Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines

Mon Petit Coin   by   Norm Léveillée



Recently, I became the proud owner of several first and second editions of books written about Kateri Tekakwitha, namely in the 1930 & 1940's. There was much activity at that time regarding the beginning of the canonization process of this Native American as a Catholic Saint.
Récemment, je me suis procuré de plusieurs oeuvres - éditions premières et secondes - écrits, pendant les années 1930 et 1940, au sujet de Catherine Tekakwitha. On était en train de documenter la vie de cette sainte enfin de commencer le procès de canonization.

These are the wonderful books that I have acquired and read enthusiastically:
Voici les merveilleux livres acueillis et lus avec enthousiasme:

1. "La Vie gracieuse de Catherine Tekakwitha" by Juliette Lavergne, Editions Fides, Montréal, written in 1934, in French. (A gift from my cousin Rita Roy Drouin - Merci, Rita). Wildy Brousseau bought it for $2.00
    Juliette Lavergne écirt les détails en pleine de la scène autochtone comme fond de la naissance de Tekakwitha comme membre de la tribu des Agniers. Le fond comprend un point de view très imaginatif et très intéressant de "Fleur-de-la-Prairie", la mère chrétienne et algonquine de Tekakwitha qui fut capturée par le "Cerf", un brave Agnier, et amené dans son village at Ossernon. L'auteur continue son histoire de la vie de Catherine Tekakwitha, d'un point de vue authochtone.
    (Juliette Lavergne gives thorough details of the native american scenery as a background for the birth of Tekakwitha within the Mohawk tribe. The background includes a very imaginative and interesting view of "Fleur-de-la-Prairie" (Prairie Flower), Tekakwitha's Christian Algonquin mother and how she was captured by "Cerf" (Stag), a Mohawk brave and brought back to his village at Ossernenon. The author continues her colorful story about the times and life of Catherine Tekakwitha, from a Native American viewpoint.)

2. "The Indian Maiden - Catherine Tekakwitha", Brochure issued by the Franciscan Fathers of Fonda, NY, Second Edition, 1940.
    A short brochure highlighting the events in Kateri's life and an explanation of the Kateri Shrine in Fonda, New York. This booklet was the property of the historian of the Diocese of Syracuse, N.Y., at the Oneida Mission. This brochure will be featured in the October Issue of Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines.

3. "Catherine Tekakwitha" by Frances Taylor Patterson, Sheed & Ward, New York, 1958, Adaptation for children of White Wampum, copyright 1934 by Longmans, Green and Co.
    The frontispiece explains, "The rattle of musket balls against an Iroquois stockade; the burning of the village by French soldiers; the cruel torture of capties - all were part of Tekakwitha's early life in the lodge of her uncle, Chief of the Turtles. The arrival of the Blackrobes in Gandawagué meant the beginning of a new life for Tekakwitha. From these French missionaires she learned about "Rawenio, the Ruler of the Sky." Despite the oppositon of her uncle, she insisted on becoming a Christian. Persecuted by the other Indians, Tekakwitha managed to escape to the Praying Castle. She died there at age twenty-four."

4. "Une Vierge Iroquoise - Catherine Tekakwitha, Le Lis des Bords de la Mohawk et du St-Laurent (1656-1680)", par Le P. Édouard Lecompte, S.J., Montréal, Imprimerie Du Messager, 1930. In French.
    Écirt par un Père Jésuite, cet ouvrage suit les détails des documents anciens des Pères Jésuites Pierre Cholenec et Claude Chauchetière, les confessors de de Cathere. Ce livre décrit d'une manière très ferme la sainteté de cette personne choisie par l'Esprit Saint.
    (Written by a Jesuit priest, this work was based on the original documents of Fathers Cholenec and Chauchetière, Jesuit contemporaries of Tekakwitha. It firmly explains Catherine as a holy person chosen and inspired by the Holy Spirit.) Voir "Extraits de ce livre" plus loin. See Extracts further below.

5. "An Iroquois Virgin - Catherine Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawk and the St. Lawrence, 1656-1680", Édouard Lecompte, S.J., Translated by Sister Francis (Isabel Hamilton Melick), Edited and Prefaced by John J. Wynne, S.J., Vice-Postulator for Kateri's Cause, Published by the Tekakwitha League, New York, 1932.
    This translation follows very closely the original work in French of the Jesuit priest Édouard Lecompte, published in 1930. See the following article for excerpts of this fine work.

6. "Glory of the Mohawks - The Life of the Venerable Catherine Tekakwitha" by Rev. Edward Lecompte S.J., Florence Ralston Werum, F.R.S.A., Translator, The Bruce Publishing Company, 1944.
    This is another English translation of Fr. Lecompte's work.

    The best work on Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha is the original French "La Vie de Catherine Tegakoüita" by Fr. Pierre Cholenec, S.J., Her Spiritual Advisor and Biographer, written within a few years of her death in 1680.
This work has been translated by Fr. William Lonc, S.J., June 2002. Both the French and English related in detail, from a contemporary, the life and environment of Kateri. It is available from Steve Catlin, Hamilton, Ontario. Steve is Archivist at the Martyr's Shrine, Midland, Ontario:
    L'oeuvre le plus authentique, selon mon avis, est celui du Père Pierre Cholenec, S.J. La Vie de Catherine Tegakoüita, son confesseur et contemporain, écrit quelques années après sa mort. La traduction en anglais a été faite par le Père William Lonc, S.J. en juin 2002. Il est disponsible chez Steve Catlin, Hamilton, Ontario. Steve est l'archiviste à Martyr's Shrine, Midland, Ontario:

scatlin@parthcom.com
.

    For this month's article, I will use Fr. Lecompte's original work in French and Sister Francis' English translation. I will quote the surroundings only of the birth and death of Kateri Tekakwitha. Other events in her life will be the subject of future articles.

    Pour l'article de cette parution, j'ai choisi des extraits soit en français de l'oeuvre original du P. Lecompte, soit en anglais de la traduction anglaise de la Soeur Francis. J'ai choisi seulement des événements des sa naissance et de sa mort. Autres événemnts de sa vie seront le sujet des articles qui suivront.

Catherine Tekakwitha
Une Vierge Iroquoise
Sa Naissance en 1656 et Sa Mort en 1680

 

Catherin Tekakwitha
An Iroquois Virgin
Birth 1656 and Death 1680

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Created 1 Feb 2003