Native American Ministry
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Scholarship first began when Shirley Zuni, director of the Native American Ministry Office, and Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan decided something needed to be done to help Native American children attending Catholic School. They believed that creating a scholarship would be a wonderful way to support the students in their Catholic faith while also celebrating their Native faith and culture.
The Native American Ministry Office began applying for a grant from Black and Indian Missions to obtain funding. At that time, Archbishop Sheehan would also match the grant amount with his own moneys until he retired in 2015. Now funded solely by the Black and Indian Missions Office, the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Scholarship has had a huge impact on the students who have received them and their families.
Over the last four years, the scholarship has helped more than 140 Native American students to attend Catholic Schools. Several parents work two or more jobs to put their children through Catholic School and they are always grateful for any amount of aid they receive to help further their children’s education. This past year, forty-seven students received tuition assistance for the 2019-2020 school year via the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Scholarship and the amount of applications received for the scholarship continues to grows enormously each year.
Not only has interest in the scholarship grown, but also the participation of Native American children, youth, and their families in Archdiocesan events. The St. Kateri Tekakwitha Scholarship has allowed the Native American Ministry Office to connect with students who were awarded the scholarship and will hopefully continue to make a difference throughout the years to come.
