Native American Ministry

St. Kateri Tekakwitha

Kateri Tekakwitha took a vow of perpetual virginity. Upon her death at the age of 24, witnesses said that her scars vanished minutes later, and her face appeared radiant and beautiful. Known for her virtue of chastity and mortification of the flesh, as well as being shunned by some of her tribe for her religious conversion to Catholicism, she is the fourth Native American to be venerated in the Catholic Church.

Blessing

Above is Eddy Box, Jr. blessing Bishop Berg during a Native American Mass along with Fr. Cesar Arras, left and Deacon Dan Leach, right.

Nicholas Black Elk

_{Black Elk converted to Catholicism becoming a catechist, but he also continued to practice Lakota ceremonies. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City opened an official cause for beatification within the Roman Catholic Church in 2016. Let us pray for his sainthood.}