DEAR FRIENDS,
Every day, I have the privilege of working in St. Katharine Drexel’s mission school, which was founded in 1902. Think about all the challenges connected to keeping a mission school on the Navajo Nation operational for 118 years. +Sr. Joan of Arc DeBernar- do–an SBS sister who spent many years at Saint Michael Indian School- -sent me a picture of Saint Katharine that I keep in my office in clear sight. The picture has a caption: “What would Mother Katharine Do?” and I smile each time I think of the signifi- cance of these words.
I remember +Sr. Joan, as I am sure many of you do, walking the halls of our school, checking on students who she was certain needed extra help with their studies. She was a force of faith and an example of sacrifice to all who encountered her. There were times when she was not in the best of health, but she still showed up. Basket- ball games, math class, after-school study sessions and even early morn- ings, +Sr. Joan never stopped giving.
Giving is the topic of the upcoming season. For some of us, it feels as if giv- ing has been the topic of 2020: What more can we give? I think of +Sr. Joan, +Sr. Loyola Edelen, +Sr. Kathryn Gates, and many others who served these children, and I think of the many things I can sacrifice in order to make a gift to Saint Michael Indian School.
We have not reached our annual giving goal for 2020, however I am not worried. We are just coming into the giving season, and I know we have many generous “givers” out there. While we might all feel exhausted and done with 2020, please remember those who set examples of giving in your life. No gift is too small when it comes from a generous heart.
What would Mother Katharine Do? We all know the answer to that: She would give everything she had to en- sure “Black and Indian Children” have access to a quality Catholic education! Now the question becomes, What will you do?
As we move into this season of giving, my prayer is that God will bless you and your family in the same way you have chosen to bless others.
May God provide many blessings to you and your family,
DOT TESO, PRESIDENT
Email: Dot.Teso@smischools.org
Direct: 505.979.5590 Ext. 3031