The Paths of Kateri's Kin (American Indian Catholics, 2)

Kateri Tekakwitha, the renowned Mohawk convert of the late 17th century, symbolizes for thousands of American Indian Catholics today their own two-part cultural identity. Indeed, many feel a profound spiritual kinship with her as they travel the paths of Native American Catholicism. The Paths of Kateri's Kin offers the first comprehensive study of the interweaving of Catholic and North American Indian ways from the French missionary days of the early 1600s through the complex tapestry of Indian Catholic spirituality alive today. These chapters take you down the many and various trails North American Indians have followed in expressing their Catholic identity and spirituality. Vecsey examines the fascinating dynamic between Catholic and Indian traditions in many tribal settings across North America and across nearly five centuries, always emphasizing the spiritual lives and practices of contemporary Native American Catholics.