José Luis Negrón
Puerto Rican, born 1928
Saint Katharine Drexel / Santa Katharine Drexel, 2001
Polychromed wood
16 ½ x 10 x 5 inches
Lent from a private Florida collection

Constantly enriching the tradition, contemporary artisans have introduced new themes to the santero's repertoire, such as newly beatified and canonized saints. Katharine Drexel (1858–1955) founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and established forty-nine elementary schools, twelve high schools, and Xavier University, a college in New Orleans for young African American women. Pope John Paul II canonized Katharine Drexel to sainthood on October 1, 2000. Her feast day is celebrated on March 3.