Pilgrimage to Rome

In Our Lady of the Sioux Chapel, we have a prominent stained glass window of Kateri Tekakwitha from the Mohawk and Algonquin tribes who lived near Auriesville, New York. On October 21, Blessed Kateri will become the first member of a North American tribe to be canonized and made an official saint in the Catholic Church. Bishop Paul Swain of Sioux Falls gave this exciting news to two Native American Deacons with St. Joseph’s connections. Deacon Bud Jetty (Spirit Lake tribe) is a member of our Board of Directors. Deacon Steve McLaughlin (Standing Rock Sioux) works with the SCJs on the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Indian Reservations ministering to the pastoral needs of the people there. Bishop Swain told the two excited men the diocese would sponsor them on a pilgrimage to Rome being organized by the Rapid City Diocese and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions so they can participate in this landmark ceremony.

I also heard that Fr. Tom Westhoven, SCJ, plans to be there as well. For many years, Fr. Tom was St. Joseph’s Director of Development. Now retired, but still very active, he has been asked to chaperone a pilgrimage for the same exciting event being organized on the East Coast. His group will leave October 19. For anyone who might be interested, information on that trip is available by emailing bettybuteratravel@yahoo.com.

 

Matter, adaptations and model volcanoes

As we enter the 4^th quarter of the 2011-2012 school year, I reflect upon the objectives we have covered in my 6^th-8^th grade Science classes.  My students have done an outstanding job in the classroom and the Science lab; however we still have many more topics to cover in our last nine weeks.  There will be many more activities completed this quarter to conclude the school year.

My 6^th graders will wrap-up their units on matter and energy and move into motion.  This should be a great unit involving lots of fun activities.  I am in need of stop watches for many of the lab activities as the students will be studying their own motion.  Hopefully, the weather cooperates and we can do most of these assignments outdoors.

The 7^th grade continues with their exploration of Life Science, delving into natural selection and adaptations.  These lessons contain some exciting group work.  In one of the labs we will be demonstrating the importance of the opposable thumb by having the students tape their thumbs to their index fingers and attempting to perform daily tasks such as cutting a circle and writing their name.  The students will also be required to complete the tasks with their thumbs so we can have a good comparison of differences.  I will try to remember to take some pictures and post them on my next blog.

Eighth graders have started to look forward to their 8^th grade graduation ceremony.  There are many great activities and opportunities during these last few weeks of school, not to mention we must continue our journey in the classroom.  The 8^th graders continue on with their study of Earth Science, delving into volcanoes and earthquakes.  They are already looking forward to creating their own model volcanoes.  It should be fun and messy, but more importantly interesting and informative.

Thanks once again for all you do as donors to St. Joseph’s Indian School.  Your generosity is so very important to maintain the day to day status quo of this wonderful educational and residential facility. You are greatly appreciated.

Thank you – Sarah

 

Fulfillment and success at St. Joseph’s Indian School

The past few days have held a series of meetings. Before spring break, we collected letters of intent from our child services staff and know which employees will be moving on at the end of the school year. Now we have to begin figuring out how to replace them.

For some supervisory jobs, there are good candidates here who will want to move up and take on more responsibility. Some positions we will have to advertise for. We generally have need of qualified houseparents, and since we are opening another high school home next year that will be one definite need. Personnel requires more than just willing people, but must be about matching them to a position they can find fulfillment and success in.

We’re also in the ongoing process of budgets and planning for next year. The development office is particularly busy with the mail that comes in this time of year, and are also thinking ahead to the future. Our computer people have been incredibly busy preparing to switch over to a new software system that will allow us more personalization in meeting our donors’ requests and needs. We’re also exploring some corporate partnerships that will give us new possibilities of funding our programs.

On the student front, I met with high school students Errol and Kyran to prepare them for the presentations they will give to our donors next month at donor luncheons in Maine and New Hampshire. I’ve spent very little time in those states and am as excited about seeing the area and meeting folks as the boys are.

I resumed my culinary tour of the homes with suppers in Summerlee (4^th-5^th grade girls) and Stevens ( 6^th – 8^th grade girls). The students are excited that softball season begins next week, and the 3^rd – 6^th  can take part in a week-long gymnastics camp if they wish – it’s not required.

The 7^th graders enjoyed their cultural field trip to the Middle Border Museum in Mitchell, South Dakota, which also houses the Oscar Howe art collection. It is on the campus of Dakota Wesleyan University, and they toured the school and started to consider if their future might include college or vocational tech training.

 

Behind-the-scenes at St. Joseph’s

Thursday, August 05, 2010

St. Joseph’s renovations
I didn’t have many meetings today, so I was free to move about campus and check in on what’s been going on.

I talked with Tom, head of our facilities department. Tom updated me on all the summer projects our maintenance crew has been up too. It’s obvious what they do when you see one of the homes being gutted and remodeled.  There’s so much behind-the-scenes work that goes on; people may not notice.

The campus was surveyed for drainage to improve problem spots. The electrical system on our geothermal Templifier was upgraded, so we won’t have problems heating the campus this winter.  Our crew takes great pride in all that goes into keeping the campus safe and beautiful.

I checked out our pool after it got a paint job and a new surface on the surrounding deck. I ran into Patrick, a houseparent I hadn’t seen for about a month. There are so many folks on campus I so enjoy sitting down to share with … even if I only take a few minutes to catch up.

Silent auction brings new friends
There’s been lots of activity at the pavilion where we’ve been silent auctioning off furniture we’ve replaced over the years.

First, we gave staff on campus the chance to look over what we have and switch out anything they could use for offices or campus homes. Now, we’re making a few bucks and clearing out needed storage space. Seems like the biggest spenders were parents of college kids, looking for some worn but usable couches and chairs for setting up an apartment. You’d think they’d buy more of the bookshelves, but no!

Our Lady of the Sioux chapel visitors
Over at the chapel I saw a man kneeling in prayer and another looking at the artwork. I turned on more lights so they could get a better look. They were two priests visiting from Massachusetts, on the way to Alaska. I answered questions about the school until their traveling companions showed up and urged them to hit the road on their westward journey.

Fr. Peter, an SCJ from Ottawa Canada, also surprised us with a visit. He’d been on a tour of many of the National Parks, and just stopped in for a cool drink and the chance to say hello before he continued his journey east. We’re at a real crossroads this time of the year, but don’t get a whole lot of visitors in February!

 

Success begins in the heart

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Feast of St. John Vianney
I doubt I’ll ever spend 18 hours straight in a confessional; but I pray I can be a humble and good priest, and help people feel both the need for conversion and the love of God. To do that I have to fully accept both those realities in my own life.

Visions for St. Joseph’s
Our management meeting dealt with a broad array of topics. Some issues are immediate like reshuffling janitorial duties, or how we’ll split our presentations to the all staff gathering next week. Other topics require long-term planning, such as adding on to the museum or starting our next strategic plan.

Four years ago our staff came together and worked out our vision for St. Joseph’s, which laid the groundwork for much of what we’re doing now. Our next plan will take us to 2017; so we’re laying out a time frame for that process now.

Celebrating birthdays with conversation
Two of my three member management team, Kory and Donna, have birthdays this week. After our meeting we went out to lunch to celebrate. It’s fun to visit with staff when you’re not just talking business and getting to know each other in a more personal way. If you’re going to have good teamwork, it’s important to build relationships.

 

How do you want to be remembered?

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Saying goodbye
Ron, a 69 year-old rancher from my former parish in Stephan, died after a long and painful battle with cancer. He died in the same house he grew up and lived all his life. He knew the cancer was terminal. When I talked to him a few weeks ago, he had come to a sense of peace and acceptance about that.

Ron knew a lot about many things; but, what I admired most was that instead of pontificating about what he believed, he asked, “What do you think about . . . ?” He was anxious to learn, and because of that, he had a lot of wisdom.

Remembering Ron
I spent the day helping with the funeral. Afterward, at the luncheon, I heard family and friends telling the stories of how he will be remembered. One of his sons recalled how Ron would give them a ranch chore and then pressure them to get done by a deadline; however, he wouldn’t tell them HOW they had to do it. Many of their days were spent experimenting with homemade gadgets that sometimes worked great; other times leaving them working late to make up for their mistakes. In allowing them to try different things, they learned.

The freedom to grow
I think God is like that too. We all have a broad outline of what we have to do – love God and our neighbor – but we each have to find unique ways to do that. In giving us freedom, God allows us to make mistakes … and hopes that we can learn from them.

 

Our Tiyospaye – extended family

Monday, August 02, 2010

New Staff
This morning I welcomed our seven new houseparents and one new teacher as they began their week of orientation. Three are South Dakota residents; one couple is from Michigan. The others represent Oklahoma, Louisiana and Ohio.

We get the most geographic diversity within the houseparent job. Most of our staff have local roots. The newcomers bring lots of enthusiasm, plenty of questions, and a little bit of anxiety as they tackle this new endeavor.

Mike, our Executive Director of Child Services, spoke about his first years as a houseparent. There are days that are fun and memorable; other days when the students frustrate and upset you terribly. He encouraged everyone to work through both the good and the bad. It’s the whole mix of admiring kids at their finest, and working with them at their lowest, that really makes the job get into your blood.

Doctor visit
Speaking of blood, since my clotting factor was too high last week, I had more blood work today. My level stabilized and is where the doctors want it.

Our Tiyospaye – extended family
Darby – who works on our computers – was back at work today after becoming a brand new Dad for the first time last week. His wife and son are both doing well. He just needs to have a “man-to-man” talk with his son about keeping it a little quieter in the middle of the night.

Encounters like this remind me that besides the students we serve and friends like you, our staff have family and loved ones that become part of our Tiyospaye – extended family.

 

St. Joseph’s making way for 2010-2011 school year

Sunday, August 01, 2010

During the school year, Sundays can be anything but a day of rest. However, today was very peaceful. I had plenty of time for reading and prayers. Several phone calls came in from family and friends that lifted my spirits.

The only real work I did occurred when a donor arrived with a truck load of non-monetary goods; I was the only person he could find on campus. I helped him unload, and tomorrow Central Receiving will have their hands full once again.

I ventured out to the campus recreation center to see how much of a workout I could do. I increased my time and speed on the treadmill, and the soreness in the foot was more easily put out of mind with a closely fought baseball game on the TV. I’m not much of a weight person; but I worked on some upper body strengthening, since that part of me feels fine.

Tomorrow our new Child Service’s staff – 7 houseparents and 1 teacher – arrive and start their orientation. While the calendar still says we have much more summer left, tomorrow our summer at St. Joseph’s comes to an end.

 

Honoring loved ones

Saturday, July 31, 2010

I concelebrated mass in Reliance this evening.  I continued my “recuperation tour” of liturgies at the parishes I was assigned. I got another warm reception with lots of hugs.

People are glad to see me getting out and about and are very supportive. I also hear of difficulties and illnesses they are dealing with; and even as I feel so much comfort and prayer, my own prayer list for others grows.

A family I hadn’t met before stopped in to visit. They were friends of a friend who had arranged for a memorial brick for their adult daughter who had died. It took us a while in the very hot sun to find exactly where the brick was, but they effort was definitely worth it for them. Their entire trip together was something of a pilgrimage, and they placed flowers on the spot. They shed some tears, and told some stories. I felt privileged to share in that time with them.

 

Piles and projects … recovery and recuperation

Friday, July 30, 2010

Today we had to get everything off the floor before leaving the office for the weekend because the carpet cleaners will scrub the building on Saturday. It’s a sign that summer is ending and the 2010-2011 school year is close at hand.

My office has been disorganized since the surgery; with even more piled on the table and desk, it really looks unmanageable. But I have gradually been chipping away at piles and projects, and have been making long term progress … even if I don’t see it day-to-day. Sometimes recovery and recuperation is like that too.