Kateri Northwest Ministry Institute
Speaking as a Lakota woman and a board member of Kateri Northwest Ministry Institute, I share what a blessing this ministry has been for the multi-tribal Native and non-Native members who live, work, and worship with us. As an Urban Native, this community has filled my needs for the traditions, culture, and beliefs of my tribal roots, at the same time filling that yearning to be comfortable practicing my Catholic upbringing with those who may also be feeling the same. We aren’t always given the opportunity to be both at the same time. I am thankful for the Jesuit presence that has remained on this journey with us. We need them to continue leading us in our growth as we continue to “inculturate.”
We work together for our teaching and learning time, getting input from the larger group. The session we are on now is Dreams – how to understand them as individuals, should you feel like a dream was trying to tell you something. Fr. Tom Colgan, S.J., and myself, with the help of the Holy Spirit, are the presenters. We realize dreams can connect us with the Holy Spirit’s gift to each who asks for his/her help and guidance, and so we have been connecting our exploration of dreams with how they can help us in our healing of intergenerational trauma.
One of the experts on this topic whose work we have begun to explore is Eduardo Duran. Dr. Duran is a psychologist based in Bozeman, MT, and has numerous videos and books on soul healing. Since we are just beginning to delve into this area, we hope that we can expand this area of healing the indigenous soul in our fall retreat, with a possible chance of bringing in Dr. Duran, as well as Dr. Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart, also a psychologist working in the area of healing from historical trauma, who is based in Albuquerque, NM. We are confident that their work and wisdom can guide us through the healing process of whatever we continue to carry in our wounded souls.
