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August 29, 2024Nestled just west of Lake Konawa sits a Catholic Church more than 125 years old, a fitting site for a celebration of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha.
On Sept. 7, Sacred Heart Catholic Church is offering a full day of activities dedicated to Saint Kateri, beginning with a 2 p.m. Mass, followed by an Honor Dance.
“Many years ago, many Natives attended the mission school,” said Esther Lowden, who is leading the event. “Today many of the young people are relatives of past students. The Potawatomi Tribe had much to do with the mission school and Sacred Heart Church. The land was given by the Potawatomi families, and they helped build the church. Many tribal members still attend church here.
“Because Blessed Kateri was Native, all tribes are honored by her example to our Native people. Personally, I feel (as a Native), this Mass, meal and dance will honor her memory and will help our people to understand what one can do to serve God, our Creator.”
The program includes dinner at 6 p.m. and grand entry at 7 p.m. From 3-5:30 p.m., a Gourd Dance will be held to celebrate, remember and honor the dead, along with their brothers and sisters now serving in the armed forces. The gourd dance originated with the Kiowa tribe in the Black Hills of South Dakota in the 1700s.
There is no charge for dinner and reservations are not necessary.
The event continues to grow in popularity entering its third year. After crowds estimated at 200 and 250 the first two years, more than 300 people are expected to attend this year.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 and died 24 years later. She was beatified by Saint John Paul II and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. She was the first Native American to be recognized a saint by the Catholic Church.
As a 4-year-old, she contracted smallpox and her skin and face were badly scarred. Her entire family died from the disease, and she was adopted and raised by an uncle. She refused marriage and converted to Catholicism at 19, pledging only to marry Jesus Christ. Her decision was unpopular.
Her name, Kateri, is the Mohawk form of Catherine, which she took from Saint Catherine of Siena. She is the patroness of ecology, the environment, people in exile and Native Americans.
“The one thing that impresses me about the ceremony and Honor Dance is the amount of respect everyone shows,” said Sharon Semtner, a long-time member of the parish. “They have strict adherence to all the rules and traditions of the ceremony that has been handed down through many generations.”
Lowden wants to remind everyone that the event is outdoors, and attendees should bring lawn chairs. There will also be vendors in attendance. For more information, call Esther Lowden at (405) 249-5246.
Charles Albert is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Photo: Fr. Joseph Reddy Duggempudi celebrated a St. Kateri Tekakwitha Mass and Honor Dance on Sept. 9, 2023, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Konawa. Photo Dana Attocknie/Sooner Catholic.