St. Augustine Indian Mission
In the school, we are currently focusing on our Catholic identity and how we actively promote that identity so that it is readily apparent to anyone who enters our school building. We have made efforts to incorporate our Catholic Faith and unique History as an Indian Mission School into our front entryway.
As students and community members enter our school they are greeted with a large crucifix that historically hung in the school’s chapel when it was still a boarding school. They then have an opportunity to read panels commissioned for our centennial celebration detailing the origins of St. Augustine’s Indian Mission and our first 100 years of existence.
At the end of the entry hallway, as guests enter the main body of the school building, a statue of the Blessed Mother and an encased copy of the New Testament in the Ho-Chunk language are on display. Throughout the rest of the school, there are scripture verses painted on the wall and along with the student religious artwork.
We are making these efforts to strengthen our Catholic identity as well as immerse the students in the history of the school so that they can gain a sense of being part of an ongoing history driven to form Missionary Disciples of Christ.
In our parish religious education program, we are focusing on the Mass and the beauty found in different parts of the liturgy. We are also focusing on the seasons of the Church year and how they help us live our daily life focused on our relationship with Christ. We have spent class periods attending Mass and having our pastor and deacon explain the different parts of the liturgy and how they can lead us closer to Christ in our worship.
The students have also been introduced to the liturgical seasons and solemnities and feast days. Multiple students in the religious education program have also now been trained as servers to assist with Sunday Masses in the parish.
