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Show 1 W HO has not known the nostalgia of autumn? There is a sadness in th e air on warm, sunny afternoons when a ll is still save the rustling of the drying, coloring leaves. The incense of wood moke comes to our nostrils as an offering and a r eflection of the spring and summer just past. And so we praise autumn and the many blessings it brings - r efl ection of joyous days, days of h ard work, what we have accomplished, work unfinished, thoughts of winter fast approaching and making plans of things to come. o UR summer at St. Christopher's Mission brought many old and new friends to visit us from as near as Bluff and as far away as Norway. It brough t our new Vicar and his family and three outstanding summer workers who dedicated themselves to the work in exemp lary fas hion. Continuing the tradit ion that vocations are born, tried and fu rthered here, St. Ch r istopher's said good-bye to Roger Wheeler and J erry Wolford as they left for college work preparatory to seminary and the priesthood. Sally Frese continues her vocation to the t eaching of Indian childr en by r eturning to St. Mary's Indian School in South Dakota. Rarely have we seen such energy, r esourcefulness and leadership as Sally brought to our Daily Church School clas es. Teaching of this kind is a communication which defies any language barrier! Under Sally's influence we ar e already making plans for next September when we hope to open the classroom here at the Mission again, aiding beginners a nd th ose who have missed out in earlier years - for alas, some of our children do not yet have the opportunity or wisdom to want schooling. It is rare for us to see real t an gible evidence of our Redemptive work - we know it is being accomplished and this suffices for us. However, we have come to look forward to our Daily Church School classes, held now for two summers, as a most rewarding work. During one week at each location and welcoming all, children and adults alike, these clas ses enter the home and the family unit when all are together for the summer. We would like to share one of these touching experiences with you. This year the classes followed essentially the pattern set last year. Dealing as we do with a largely illiterate people the actual reading of the written Word of God is impossible, but real union with the Living Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, through His Testament - the Precious Blood shed upon the Cross and offered with His Body in the Eucharist - is not only possible but readily attainable by those of good will. 2 "This cup is the New Testamen t" migh t well be considered the basic text. The daily program consisted of learning elements of Bible history, certain memorized texts, catech etical and informal instruction, hymns and liturgical chants all inter spersed with games and other physical activities and concluding with the "instr ucted" Ma s and the inevitable refreshment of Kool Aid or Fizzies (with Vitamin C added, of course!) A T Mexican Hat only was the school held under a roof; in other places we were under the typical "shade" which is th e summer abode of the avajo. High winds made for difficulties. Candles guttered or were blown out. Pages of the Missal blew distractingly. Great care in handling the Sacred E lements was necessary. But all this risk was as nothing in Father Liebler Father Wayne comparison with bringing these people into contact with their living Redeemer . Attendance varied from the low thirties to high seventies. T HE highlight of the Aneth area was the baptism of several persons, and the marriage of two of the new members of Christ's Body, attended by children and grandchildren. Their marriage according to Tribal Custom had, of course, taken place many years before, but now that they had put on Christ, they naturally wanted to exercise the right as members of His Mystical Body to a union not only natural but sacramental. A most touching scene it was much courage is taken from moments such as this one. Rounding out a busy summer we were hosts - or should we say guests - once again to the Alhambra and La Crescenta young people, who 3 a rrived twenty strong under the capable and disciplined guidance of Father Hultgren and Fath er Sadler . Mrs. Shields was the girls' chaperone. All turned to with energy and abandon first to one job and then another, relaxing with swimming, trips and jolly campfires. For the first time, our Navajo young people joined in the cameraderie and a good time was had by all. As a hushed silence r eigned after their departure, we could see new construction on the Vicar's house, a clean root cell ar, wood piled up for winter , newly painted trash cans and a clean sweep of our grounds. And thanks, too, gang, for giving all of us a renewed missionary appreciation for all you missionaries who gave with hearts, hands and voices. W E were very sorry to say good-bye to Bar-bara Slau son, our nu rse who had been volunteering her steadfast service since May. Unfortunately, she was our fin al anchor in the clinic, and we have now closed our clinic for the firs t time in many year s. We feel t hat we should share our disapPointmen ts and discour agements as well as the more joyous moments of our ministry so please know that t his now cuts our ministrations by at least fifty per cent. We have always held that our mission is to serve the whole man, as indeed God created him, and this we are unable to clo without proper medical care. Therefore, we appeal to nurses and doctors or to anyone who knows of a nurse or doctor who could volunteer some weeks or months in the days to come for t his need. Our future goal is a first clas. medical facility, but until such a goal is achieved we must do the best we can with what we have and we urge your prayer s on our behalf. W E have also just said a sad good-bye to our school children in government boarding schools with a prayer th at they will not be too lonesome, too homesick or too distracted in their studies. We sent two buses away with a blessing by Father Liebler while parents, and little brothers and sisters stood by. Ordinarily we wouldn't see them again until spring but this year we plan at least one visit to each boarding school just to show them that we love them and really care. As they departed, each child received a little booklet containing a warm message from the Mission, a little prayer rule for every day and Sunday, a gift bookmark, selfaddressed postcards for messages home and ending with a little story of St. Christopher, our patron saint. |