Born Catherine Mary Drexel on November 26, 1858, into a wealthy family in Philadelphia, she dedicated her entire life and fortune to serving African Americans and Native Americans through education, founding the Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Holy Sacrament and Xavier University, and becoming the second saint born in the United States, known for her extraordinary love for the marginalized. She founded dozens of schools, missions, and service facilities for African-American and Native American communities across the US, establishing Xavier University in New Orleans, the first Catholic college for African Americans. She was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2000, making her the second American-born saint and the first to be born a U.S. citizen.