by Sisters Michelle Woodruff and Barb Smith
A day that had been in the planning for months unfolded for a group of Native American Lay Ministers who were honored for their 27, 25, and 10 years of ministry at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Crownpoint, NM.
Before Sr. Maureen died, her dream was to return to Crownpoint and celebrate these faithful Navajo women who graciously served the faith community and the broader civic community. Over these years, they have been religious education teachers and Eucharistic ministers. They continue to do social outreach through providing emergency food boxes and maintaining the clothing shop. They have also prepared the elderly Navajos for reception in the Catholic Church in their Navajo language and continue to read the Scriptures in Navajo at the Eucharist. It has been three years since Srs. Maureen and Michelle left, and they have actively kept the life of the parish going.
On Sunday, March 30, 2025, at the Eucharistic Celebration each of these six women renewed their commitment to “offer their gifts so that together we may continue to support each other as we build up our faith community.” They asked that the celebration not only be about them but that the whole parish would be involved. We then invited anyone who would like to continue to use their gifts to stand and express their commitment. The parish community stood and responded: “I desire to place my gifts at the service of our faith community here at St. Paul’s (or whatever parish I am a involved at) so that together we will build a community of welcome, love and compassion where we all feel we belong as members of God’s kingdom.”
From one table of Eucharist to another table of “eucharist” we shared a potluck of many foods brought by the parishioners to nourish our hearts and spirits to keep alive the commitments which were made. It was a beautiful time of honoring and celebrating and coming together as an alive and vibrant faith community.
At the end of the day, Christine Smith, one of the lay ministers posted: “Tonight I will rest with a grateful heart that so many people have been a part of my life and St. Paul’s. Thank you to all of my St. Paul’s family for being at the Lay Ministry Celebration. It was emotional, thinking of all those who celebrated with us 25 years ago and who are no longer with us from family members to parishioners. Bishop Pelotte knew that the Native people had to carry on the ministry as Priests and Sisters began to leave. I was fortunate to witness many Navajos commissioned as Lay Ministers across the Diocese. I loved the recommitment of the Lay Ministers and asking the rest of the community to make a commitment to minister where they can. I want to thank Sisters Barb and Michelle and Gary and Mary Scott for making this event possible. And last but not least Sr. Maureen. This was your day too!”
It was a very emotional day and celebration, but it was even more important that these women, like the women at the tomb on Easter Sunday, carry on sharing the Good News for their own People, the Dine’, in their Native tongue in Word and song and lives committed to the Gospel. May they all continue to “Walk in Beauty on the Sacred Path” God has envisioned.
Nancy Platero, (25), Margaret Benally (25), Priscilla Plimpton (10)