St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Oxford, Connecticut, is about 1,500 miles away from the White Earth Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Yet the parish made a very intentional decision to partner with Catholic Extension Society to support the Tekakwitha Center, which provides religious education services for the six remote parishes on the vast reservation located in the Diocese of Crookston.
Marcia Franko, who heads St. Thomas the Apostle’s social justice committee, said committee members decided to support the Catholic faith formation of Native American children based on their desire to be part of the universal Church beyond their own parish. “We are one, holy, Catholic, apostolic church.”
She continued,
We really need to think outside of our own little space and our own problems.”
The Tekakwitha Center provides children with a nurturing Catholic environment in an area that is no stranger to struggle. High unemployment and addiction rates are sadly commonplace. With outside funding, children are transported from across the reservation to the center, pictured below, where they receive warm meals and enriching knowledge about the faith.
St. Thomas the Apostle was looking to support a faith community in need that was embedded in a culture different from its own. Thanks to Catholic Extension Society’s Parish Partnership program, it was able to learn about the needs at the Tekakwitha Center, where even basic resources like catechetical books and supplies are cost prohibitive for families.
One body, one Church
Not only did St. Thomas make a financial impact at the Tekakwitha Center, which will help 100 children on the reservation grow in their faith this year, but the parish also gave witness to the Catholic Church’s universality.
“We have to look beyond the horizon for ourselves,” said Father Tom Shepard, the pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle.
For their part, the catechists at the Tekakwitha Center are weaving the example of St. Thomas’ concern and generosity from afar into their lessons with the children.
“We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other,” explained Janet Lhotka, director of the center.
“It is so important to know that we are not an island in our quest to pass on the love of God to our children,” added Jean Horack, a catechist at the center.
In the past 10 years Catholic Extension Society has supported religious education in 1,000 communities, a large portion of which are Native American missions, like those on the White Earth Indian Reservation.
The support of our parish partners such as St. Thomas the Apostle helps keep these religious education ministries going across many reservations and tribes where resources are often scarce. The Tekakwitha Center is an example of how funds are stretched and put to great use. Father John Cox, OMI—pictured below—pastor of St. Ann’s Church in Waubun, Minnesota, ministers at the center and praises its quality Catholic education:
At the Tekakwitha Center, we are all God’s children, teaching and learning together. We model for the wider community how to interact positively.”
The Catholic Church’s universality is more fully expressed when we take a leap beyond our own bubble and work in solidarity with one another across time zones, cultures and socioeconomic realities for the betterment of our Church. We thank St. Thomas the Apostle and the Tekakwitha Center for being the latest iteration of this.
Become a parish partner
With a compelling list of urgent projects to support our Church, Catholic Extension Society has created a turnkey fundraising program that is easily adapted for any parish and provides materials and guidance. Visit this page to learn more about Catholic Extension Society’s Parish Partnership program. Please contact Natalie Donatello at ndonatello@catholicextension.org for more information.
