Mother Katharine Drexel 11/26/1858 -3/03/1955
Katharine Drexel was born to
Francis Anthony Drexel and Hannah Langstroth Drexel November 26, 1858 in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Mother Katharine made her novitiate at the convent of the Sisters of Mercy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament on February 12, 1891. The order's dedication would be to share the message of the Gospel and the life of the Eucharist among Native American and African American peoples. Mother Katharine established the first school, St. Catherine's Indian School, Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1887.
During her lifetime, Mother Katharine opened, staffed and directly supported nearly 60 schools and missions, especially in the West and South. Her crowning educational focus was the establishment in 1925 of Xavier University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Reverend Egbert J. Figaro, C.S.Sp. 2/16/26 - 7/24/99
Egbert J. Figaro was born to Egbert Figaro and Rosaslie Hendrickson (both from Trinidad) in Atlantic City, New Jersey on February 16, 1926.
Father Figaro professed to the priesthood August 15, 1946 at the Spiritan Seminary, Ridgefield, Connecticut. He was ordained June 8, 1951. Father earned the Bachelor or Arts and Bachelor of Divinity degrees from Ferndale, Norwalk, Connecticut. He obtained the Master of Science from the University of Michigan in 1954 and the Master of Education degree from Eastern Michigan State University in 1958. Father Figaro began his tenure at St. Emma Military Academy in 1958 as a physical science teacher. He later became assistant principal at the academy. In 1966, Father was named Commandant of Cadets and retained that honor until the closing of the school in 1972.