Fr. Anthony had morning mass for our school crowd. Since our high school students go to Chamberlain High School, coordinating schedules is difficult at times. To have morning mass for them we’d have to start somewhere around 6:30 am. If you know HS students, that’s not their most alert or best time of the day. Instead, I celebrated mass for them after school when they participated quite well. I try to get them involved in reading and helping serve. They’re more open to do that in a smaller crowd of peers than for the whole school. At times, I also appreciate the opportunity to preach geared more exclusively to their age group’s reality and issues.
There are over 10,000 people who have been canonized as saints. One church in Chicago has an empty alcove amid a pantheon of saints. The point is that some day, if we live our faith to the full, we could be one of those remembered as a great example to others.
Of our 37 new students attending St. Joseph’s Indian School:
* only 2 live with both parents
* 14 didn’t live with either parent
* 15 had problems with school attendance
* 18 were witnesses to domestic violence
* 22 had family difficulty with drugs or alcohol
The SCJs have an 11:30 prayer time, usually for adoration and mid day prayer before lunch. Our houseparents usually have free time during school hours, but I happened to run into Tony on my way to the chapel to set up.
“You do this every day at this time?”
“We sure try to.”
“How cool!”
I appreciated the support and affirmation, but also realized staff shouldn’t be surprised to know that prayer is the foundation of all the other things we do. For all the administrative skills that I’ve needed to learn, St. Joseph’s Indian School is primarily a ministry. If we’re not in touch with the Lord’s will, in vain do we labor. Each day, I lift up the needs of staff, student, donors, tribal communities, nation and world, hoping all of us can walk the path God sets before us.
Though these kids have struggled, they are now happy to be at St. Joseph's Indian School.
Mary Jane, who oversees Admission, sent us the summary profile of the new students we accepted this year. More students are coming to us from families living off the Indian reservation, in places like Rapid City, South Dakota and Sioux Falls, South Dakota or some of the border communities near Indian reservations. Numbers don’t tell the whole story, but give us a glimpse of issues the students might be dealing with.
Of our 37 new students attending St. Joseph’s Indian School:
only 2 live with both parents
14 didn’t live with either parent
15 had problems with school attendance
18 were witnesses to domestic violence
22 had family difficulty with drugs or alcohol
Tonight was our girls basketball opener against Lyman County, which is the next school district west of Chamberlain. Lots of familiar faces were in the stands, even on the visiting side, since I used to be pastor in Kennebec and Reliance. I always enjoy those occasions as a chance to visit with folks and catch up. Some staff were in the position of cheering for a niece on one side of the court, and their classroom student on the other. St. Joseph’s won two, and Lyman one, as all of our girls got the chance to run the floor and show what they’ve been practicing so hard for.
I’ve been blogging for almost two years now, and Adria, who helps me with the technical work on my blog, tells me that I just completed my 500th post!
I started as a way to keep a lot of people posted about my battles and recovery with cancer, but also to let people know about the day-to-day events that make up the St. Joseph’s Indian School experience. I go back to the doctors in a few weeks for my next check up, and am feeling well. And each day that goes by at school, is another day of blessing, with lots of little events that touch my heart and bring a smile to my face.
"And each day that goes by at school, is another day of blessing, with lots of little events that touch my heart and bring a smile to my face."
Today was All Souls Day. Fr. Anthony suggested the homes give the students a chance to write down names of their loved ones whose death is close to their hearts. At Sunday mass, the kids placed small scraps of paper, or a whole page of neatly written names into a basket. Today before mass, I read through them, and prayed for all people who grieve and are trying to find the way forward without those they love to walk with them on life’s journey. I’m also reminded that we’re all ultimately on a journey towards our heavenly home, and remembering and praying for those who have died gives us a better perspective on how we should live our lives today.
Chris Grant is a law enforcement officer whose specialty is preventing gang violence in Indian Country. He did a series of student presentations today, and I sat in with the 4th and 5th grade boys from Cyr and Perky Homes.
When he asked the boys how many of them knew someone in a gang, all but two hands went up.
Sadly, it is a very real problem even in rural South Dakota Indian reservations. When he asked what gangs do, one of the students said, “Gangs fight for colors”. Just wearing the wrong color can be dangerous in many places.
Officer Grant showed some graphic photos about the kind of harm violence can lead to. He had our boys complete attention the whole time through. We hope and pray our students make the choice not to become involved in gangs!
Hi friends! I was excited when Fr. Steve invited guest bloggers to write a little something for our readers.
My name is Carla and I’m one of the staff who answers the telephone when you call, so there’s a good chance we may have already visited with one another.
I was born and raised in Chamberlain and during my lifetime, I have seen St. Joseph’s Indian School make a difference in the lives of thousands of Native American children. I can’t say it often enough, but I am fortunate to work in such a caring environment. St. Joseph’s truly cares for these children and for their staff.
I truly enjoy visiting with friends of St. Joseph’s. Many people call for information about the school and the children, to give a credit card donation or to have their mail tailored to their special interests. If I don’t have the answer for you, I’ll find out who does and be certain all your questions are answered!
It is my pleasure to record and schedule your Holy Mass requests for Fr. Steve. I am also happy to fill out forms and confirm corporate matching gifts from your company. Many people don’t realize companies match donations from both active and retired employees and even their spouses, widows or widowers. It’s an easy way to make your gifts go even further.
We do everything here hand-in-hand with you. With your help, we are able to bring a brighter future to these very special Lakota (Sioux) children. Now be sure to give us a call (1-800-762-2162) if you have any questions. I am waiting to visit with you!
After Christmas, Halloween is probably our kids’ favorite holiday.
Halloween fun at St. Joseph's Indian School.
When I made the rounds at school today, many of the students jumped at the chance to wear their costumes to class. Most of the boys went for the scary look, while the girls went for more glamorous looks, like princesses. There were some fun and creative costumes as well. Staff got into it as well. At the chow line in the dining hall, Sponge Bob and Gumby dished out trays of food. My favorite was a group of 7 staff from central offices who dressed up in a Wizard of Oz motif. Besides Dorothy and Toto and their trusty companions, we also had a yellow brick road and a twister, portrayed by Julie, who is of course originally from Kansas.
After school, kids came around to the offices trick or treating. We coordinated efforts with food services to pick some healthier snack foods, and I gave Scooby Doo whole grain cinnamon snacks. In the evening, the homes that wanted to could also go around town for a bit. The houseparents collected the treats at the end of the day and the students will get them a few at a time instead of bingeing over the next couple of days.
The Grand March was held in the rec center. Students were judges in three categories – funniest, scariest and most creative. Many pumpkins were also on display that had been creatively carved and painted. Besides individual prizes there were prizes for the collective decorating that went on outside the homes. Some earned free movie tickets to be enjoyed later.
I love the traditions in college football. I grew up close to Notre Dame and occasionally got to games there. Today, I got my first experience of a Nebraska Cornhuskers college football game. Kory, our Director of Development had tickets and invited me along with his family.
We had a glorious fall day. The morning was chilly, but by mid afternoon we were shedding our jackets to enjoy sunshine in the mid 60’s. The Quad was buzzing with activity, and I most enjoyed hearing the drum line rousing up the crowd with their performance.
I was impressed by the sea of red in Memorial Stadium, except for a corner of Michigan State Spartan green in one small area. The Cornhuskers have sold out all their games since 1962, and the home team played well and sent the fans home happy, 24-3.
I had my first Runza sandwich (hamburger and cabbage) and some red and white popcorn (salty white and sweet red). Winding through the two lane highways of Nebraska and South Dakota was a long but relaxing drive home. The open road gives me a chance to think, plan and dream, and hopefully come back to work better for having the relaxation, which we all need.
I traveled to Creighton University in Omaha. One of last year’s St. Joseph’s graduates, Shay, is a freshman there and I stopped in for lunch and a visit. Like most freshmen, Shay has had her ups and downs, but is gradually feeling adjusted and finding her way. She is doing her work-study in the office of multi-cultural affairs, and spoke of the rich friendships she is developing with students from many culturally rich backgrounds.
I was impressed by the mentoring system Creighton uses. Staff members have 12 – 15 students they meet regularly with to develop leadership, keep students on task and work through issues like adjustment and homesickness.
We sat down for lunch shortly after the Campus Grill opened, and were the first ones to walk through the doors. Our waitress was a friendly, young Native American woman named Meredith. As we looked over the menu I noticed a “Fr. Bucko” sandwich. Fr. Ray Bucko is a Jesuit trained in anthropology who has researched and written extensively about Lakota people and spiritual practice. He teaches at Creighton and in the summer helps here in South Dakota with the Sioux Spiritual Center’s Basic Directions in Ministry program for people who are starting ministry among Lakota (Sioux) people . He is a dynamic speaker and gave me some great insights when I heard him speak.
When I asked Shay if she knew Fr. Bucko, she pointed to the doorway where he was coming in! After saying hello, Fr. Bucko pointed to the waitress, and asked me if I knew Meredith, since she is from Cheyenne River Indian reservation where I worked for ten years. As soon as he said that, I put two and two together and immediately remembered the little girl I knew from Cherry Creek. I think I either baptized her or gave her first communion. She is now in grad school at Creighton, and waiting tables to help make ends meet. We did some quick catching up about her family. Her cousin Tony just started working at St. Joseph this year as a houseparent.
It is a small world after all. And as the Lakota say, mitakuye oyasin – we are all related.
I traveled to Eagle Butte, South Dakota for the Sacred Heart Center’s Board meeting. They do some great work in working with victims of domestic violence and Indian reservation youth who find themselves needing a group home living situation to get them through some of life’s trouble spots. Access to quality health care is also a problematic area on many of South Dakota’s Indian reservations. I was happy to see how near completion the new Indian Health Service hospital is, eliminating the need for tribal members to travel hours away to take care of injuries and illnesses.
Sue, a houseparent in the Speyer Home (6th– 8th boys) wanted to show her appreciation to our maintenance staff for all the work they did to completely renovate the Speyer Home. She and her daughter Wendy, who owns a BBQ restaurant, prepared a feast of ribs and pulled pork and invited the entire crew to lunch. Our staff at St. Joseph’s Indian School works hard at what they do, yet it always feels good to get some added affirmation and appreciation. While my travels kept me away from lunch, I made it home in time for supper, when the boys of Speyer and Fisher got to sit down to a similar feast.
St. Joseph’s has been sponsoring the Institute for Healing Racism in our community. A year ago, a group of 24 staff members and leaders from the community went through a two-day training session and have been working to find ways of following through to address the issues that cause tension and misunderstanding in our area. As a follow-up, a second group of 21 is meeting these days, and an open meeting was held tonight to fill in anyone interested from the public to learn about these efforts.
Addressing racism has to begin by looking inside and changing ourselves and our own attitudes, especially those ways we distance ourselves from others who are different from ourselves. When we are curious and learn from other people’s stories and experiences, there is so much that we can share. All our high school students were in attendance, and they were most at attention when the speaker was addressing racism within the Native American community. Sometimes our students judge each other on the lightness or darkness of their skin. Sometimes animosity exists between “breeds” and “full bloods”. “Apple” (red on outside / white on inside) is another slur that isn’t helpful to people pulling together for the good of their own community. Race is an ongoing issue that we as a nations constantly struggle with, and have to get right.
Really there’s only one race, the human race, and we are all God’s children.
Before Mike and I flew back to South Dakota, we had time to tour Arlington National Cemetery. We stopped as a funeral Procession passed us by, the casket resting on a horse-drawn caisson. We were told across the country WWII veterans are dying at a rate of about 1500 each day. Veterans killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan are also coming here for their final resting place. So much history starting with Civil War dead! The sailors who perished on the Maine during the Spanish-American War. Nurses killed in action. Civil Rights pioneer Medgar Evers. Korea and Viet Nam vets. Supreme court justices. The graves of the three Kennedy brothers. The astronauts from the Space Shuttle Challenger. We paid our respects at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and watched the ritual changing of the guard. We climbed to Robert E. Lee’s Arlington House, which overlooks the Potomac and the whole District of Columbia.
In a matter of hours we are transported back into a different world. After our 15 seat plane from Denver to Pierre lands at the airport we drive 90 miles home. There are no bright lights, no sky scrapers, and fewer than a handful of cars and the darkness of the prairie. But there is more that unites us than divides us.
Whether it’s a huge national cemetery, or a hill far away on a lonely reservation, cemeteries always move me to deeper prayer, reflection, and admiration of people who went before us.
I always wondered what it would be like to be invited to the White House. Thanks to the efforts of our food services director, Mike Renbarger, and the collaboration of so many of our staff, St. Joseph’s Indian School met the Healthy Schools Nutrition Challenge, and Mike and I attended a reception on the White House lawn.
First though, we visited Senator John Thune’s office, and were given a great tour of the Capital from Katie, who lives an hour west of us in Murdo, South Dakota. She just graduated from Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Indian reservation with a degree in history, and is in DC taking part in an internship. She filled us in on the art and most especially all the history that’s taken place in the Capitol. We even saw the charred columns that witnessed to the burning of the White House during the War of 1812.
Rachel, a young woman from Chamberlain, South Dakota joined us for lunch. She is a research and policy aid, working on important issues such as health care and education, and enjoyed talking to folks from home.
We also squeezed in one hour at the American Museum of History. Seeing the actual chairs and table Grant and Lee sat in at Appomattox Courthouse and Geroge Washington’s dress uniform were treasures that spoke countless words. Also on display were remnants from the Battle of The Little Bighorn.
We did have a long wait to get in to the White House, including three separate ID checks and then a security screening. But we were joined in line by so many great folks dedicated to education that conversations easily flowed and time passed quickly. The folks behind us from Turlock, California ran an alternative high school, trying to provide hope for youth who would have otherwise dropped out. A local teacher from DC taught her students about health and nutrition and the difference that can make. Many spoke of the cuts in education spending, and how they are still trying to do more with less and improve the lives of children. My parents were both teachers; I have great respect for the work they do under often trying circumstances.
All hands were raised with a camera when First Lady Michelle Obama started her speech.
We arrived to the sweet strains of country music being played by the Marine and Navy bands, who were good enough to pass for Nashville studio musicians. Tents on the lawn were set up with fresh crisp apples (what else would you serve a teacher?) and sweet and ice-cold apple cider. It was surreal standing in front of the building that so many of us have had indelibly burned into our psyche from countless news stories and signing ceremonies, joyful times and national tragedies.
After hearing from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, a school administrator from Mississippi who helped her whole district achieve the gold award spoke of their efforts. A 12-year-old student from Chicago told us how he has benefitted from the program.
When First Lady Michelle Obama came to the podium every hand was raised high in the air with a camera. Mrs. Obama gave a rousing pep talk about the importance, for the sake of our current students and the generations to follow, to promote healthy eating and lifestyle. After Mrs. Obama finished,
Mike was actually close enough to the podium to receive a congratulatory handshake from the First Lady!
He joked that from now on, he’ll only eat healthy food with that hand!
