April/May 2025 Newsletter - ST. ANTHONY CATHOLIC MISSION

Dear Friends

I find it hard to believe that there are only a few days left in the school year. Our graduation ceremony will take place this week. Next week our students will depart for the long summer vacation. I am both sad and happy at the same time. I know that as the students leave, a dull cloud will descend on the campus, but we will be happy that we will have completed another successful year at the school.

I feel that the measure of our success has come to light in a series of non-academic ways over these last few busy weeks in the school life.

Before Easter we had the pleasure of our Bishop visiting to celebrate Conformation. The Bishop asked me to schedule the celebration a little early so that he could be with us. This year for the first time, we had both First Holy Communions and Confirmation at the same time. I had to rush to complete my Confirmation classes as did Sr Staya with her first Communion class. On that day we were joined with youngsters from our sister parish of St. Patrick’s. It was a great celebration with 24 young people being Confirmed. A touching moment was when a mother and her daughter were confirmed together by our Bishop. The St. Anthony’s students proved to be genteel hosts to our visitors and together they charmed our Bishop. We are forming some wonderful young people into great citizens.

Immediately following the excitement of Confirmation, we had another First for St. Anthony’s. Our graduating class headed to Indiana for an experience at Notre Dame University. The Native American Catholic School’s network arranged the trip and covered almost all the expenses. The students and parents had been fund raising for the trip. An ever-popular raffle was held for donated prizes. (Our students excel at selling raffle tickets!) This was followed by a Sunday “cake walk”. (I was surprised at the popularity of that event and equally surprised at the sweetness of the cakes as I enviously watched them on the prizes table.) There were only six families involved and they raised over $2,000 that more than covered our expenses.

The trip was of course fun for the students but successful in it’s purpose. The object was not sightseeing but to encourage Native American students to think about college education, explore opportunities, see the benefits as well as meeting up with students at the university. Successful? Well, all of the students have been re-thinking possibilities open to them and at least one has already set in motion applications which I pray will lead to a university degree in a few years. Needless to say when I asked one of them what was his strongest recollection of the trip the answer was “the football field!” (Apparently, they were allowed to pass through the players’ tunnel onto the field. Whatever stimulates their ambition can’t be bad.)

I had the task of driving them to the airport, buying them lunch and setting them on their way. I should not be surprised but was delighted at their good manners and respect for others. We raise ladies and gentlemen at St. Anthony’s.

Hot on their return, our 8^th graders, led our May service of crowning the statue of our Lady. It is the only time I get to occupy the choir loft in the church. From start to finish it was conducted by the students in traditional Zuni attire in a truly respectful and sincere devotional exercise. Afterwards they posed for photographs some of which were in the rectory “front room”. It is a unique setting filled with century old murals and a collection of Zuni pottery. It was the first time some of the students had been in the room and they gasped as they viewed their heritage immortalized at their school. One student at least is a descendant of the artist who painted the mural. The “May Crowning” is a moment of affirming their identity as Zuni Christians moving on to serve their people and build a better world.

Amidst these other moments of excitement, Easter had to be celebrated and it would not be complete without Easter egg hunts for the school and another on Easter Day with the big counting of treasures found. Yet another treasured moment in Easter week was when the Sisters from Gallup had a rare combined outing and chose Zuni for lunch. It was a bit daunting to be inundated by so many nuns, but their girlish giggles had us all in tears of laughter.

Now in these last days it is time for the students to demonstrate their academic achievements. Three years ago we introduced the practice of students preparing their portfolios and presenting themselves before a panel of judges. The content of the portfolio, their manner of presentation, and confidence as young people were all scrutinized by the panel, It is a good preparation for their life in High School. St. Anthony’s students made us all proud.

My focus this month is naturally on our graduating class, some of whom I have known since kindergarten. Although my own interaction with them has been slight, I am nevertheless, unashamedly, proud of their achievements. I pray that as they receive their graduating certificates they hold fast to the lessons and values that they demonstrate so well as they leave the serenity and security of these hallowed halls. Meanwhile our young students continue to astound, amuse and delight us all.

Now we must prepare for yet another year of service to this delightful community. But first, a well over due time of relaxation, short though it may be.

WE LOVE OUR MISSION AND WE NEED YOUR HELP!

ST. ANTHONY CATHOLIC MISSION