Recently, a group of St Xavier parishioners took a mission trip to the Navajo reservation in northwest New Mexico.  Gathering nine St X parishioners with them, Father Bob Ross and Mary Sue Schwab returned after three years to a place where they dedicated so many years of their lives. Shortly after arriving in Gallup, NM, the group participated in a Mass honoring the canonization of Mother Teresa with some of her sisters. Afterward, they helped the sisters with serving a dinner to the homeless.

     Each morning, the group and Fr. Bob celebrated Mass in the mission chapel along with Sr. Pat Bietsch OSF and Sr. Marlene Kochert OSF of the Oldenburg Franciscans.  The chapel is unique in that it is a hogan, a round structure with a low ceiling similar to the traditional Navajo dwelling.  Mass on Sunday was very special because it included an opening blessing of the community and Fr. Bob by a Native American and Navajo prayers and hymns led by Sr. Pat.

     The group engaged in service projects including the cleaning up of the church hall and kitchen, the organizing of merchandise in the thrift shop, and helping with teaching the faith to special needs adults. More memorable was the blessing of a family hogan by Father Bob and visits to his many friends to distribute food from the mission pantry.  There was time off to shop for Navajo arts and crafts and to hike into and out of Canyon de Chelly.

     The trip culminated with a sweat led by an elder of the Acoma tribe.  The sweat was a four hour Native American ceremony of purification, meditation, prayer and healing. It is called a sweat because it is held in a small hogan with a sauna-like atmosphere caused by splashing water over hot rocks.

     All in all, what might have been just an adventure turned out to be quite a spiritual journey.

Jonathon Weber, Group Participant

 L to R: Fr. Dale Jamison, (Pastor) Sr. Marlene Kochert, Sr. Pat Bietsch (Rich Schuckman SJ's aunt) Mary Sue Schwab, Sue Meyer, Chris Hirsch, Karen Ziegler, Katie Stephan, Jonathon Weber, Sr. Mercedes, Fr. Bob Ross, and Karen Ziegler