Saint Ignatius of Loyola Parish
This July 14, like is customarily every year at St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish in Ignacio, Colorado, the faithful from around the four-corners gathered to celebrate with great joy and solemnity the feast day of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, with mass followed by a fellowship gathering with a traditional ceremonial meal.
The annual event in Ignacio began at 6 p.m., the group of about 40 people representing the diversity of our region and parish community, prayed together and sang traditional Ute songs during the mass. During the homily, the people were reminded that God is Love, and that all truth must be preceded by a participation in the uncreated love of God incarnated in Jesus Christ and that being created in the image and likeness of God call us to incarnate his love through forgiveness, reconciliation and harmony. Throughout the prayer of the faithful, acknowledging that witnessing of the gospel message originates at home, the participants prayed for unity and reconciliation among their families.
Kateri Tekakwitha, a Mohawk Indian, merged into the Roman Martyrology as the first USA American Indian saint. At the age of 4, she became an orphan after her family died of smallpox. Evangelized by Jesuits at the age of 11 she made a promise to consecrate herself to Christ. She died at the young age of 24 from tuberculosis. She was buried in what is now Canada in Kahnawake south of Montreal.
