It was nearly twenty years ago when the members of the Southern Province adopted a mission statement declaring that every new apostolate must be clearly missionary and among the poor. When looking amongst the poor in their region, the members found great needs within the Native American community.
Rev. Godden Menard, CM, St. Jude’s pastor, and Ann O’Connor, who runs the Friday meals program in Tuba City, Arizona.
In August 1990, Rev. Lou Franz, CM, contacted Monsignor Paul Lenz, Director of the Catholic Office of Indian Affairs in Washington, DC, to ask advice on where the confreres might serve. The recommendation: to serve in the Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico, a missionary diocese, the poorest in the country, and in need of priests. They had a new Ordinary, Bishop Donald E. Pelotte, SSS, himself a Native American, who welcomed the Vincentians into his community.
For the story of how this collaboration unfolded and pictures visit http://www.vincentian.org/newsletter/archive/0212/cover.html
