• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Bishop Robert Barron
          • George Weigel
          • Question Corner
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Suzanna Molino Singleton
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Paul McMullen
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Father T. Austin Murphy Jr.
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • CR Radio
  • Printing
  • Subscribe
Archbishop William E. Lori delivers the homily during an Oct. 12 Mass for the Laguna community at St. Joseph Church in New Mexico. (Courtesy Knights of Columbus)

Laguna people are example of perseverance in faith, Archbishop Lori says

George P. Matysek Jr. October 16, 2019
By George P. Matysek Jr.
Filed Under: Archbishop's Ministry, Feature, Local News, News, World News

Archbishop William E. Lori greets parishioners of the Laguna community following an Oct. 12 Mass at St. Joseph Church, located on the Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico. (Courtesy Knights of Columbus)

The native peoples of the Laguna community in New Mexico are a “living example” of perseverance in faith, Archbishop William E. Lori said Oct. 12 during a Mass at a historic 320-year-old mission church there.

Archbishop Lori, supreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, was in New Mexico for the annual meeting of the fraternity’s board of directors Oct. 11-13.

Speaking at St. Joseph Church, located on the Laguna Pueblo that is home to six villages of Native American peoples, Archbishop Lori highlighted the “beautiful expressions of faith of the Laguna tribe.”

In the liturgy, he said, “we witness a beautiful intertwining of history and culture transformed by faith, expressions of gratitude to God that are profoundly at one with creation.”

Referencing the Pueblo Rebellion of 1680, an uprising against Spanish colonists led by Po’pay that resulted in 12 years of independence for Pueblo people, Archbishop Lori said the Laguna community suffered from a lack of priests in the years following the uprising – an absence it endured numerous times over its long history, he said.

“Nonetheless, your community continued to revere the Mass, train your young people to serve Mass and keep your churches intact,” Archbishop Lori said in his homily. “What’s more, you did all of this in the face of persecution and, in the process, many of your number became martyrs for the faith.”

Archbishop Lori noted that spiritual writers warn that all are tempted to small betrayals, to small compromises of their faith and to the lure of sin and its “false promises.”

“It is in these small matters that our endurance as Christians is tested,” he said, “but bigger tests are in the offing, and, in a sense, are already here.”

Native Americans perform a traditional dance Oct. 12 outside St. Joseph Church, located on the Laguna Pueblo. (Courtesy Knights of Columbus)

Today, Archbishop Lori said, in a society that is increasingly hostile to Christianity, believers should expect to pay a high price for their faith, “though not nearly so high as the price which Jesus paid to ransom us.”

“We must ask the Holy Spirit to renew in us the gift of courage,” he said, “so that we will hold out to the end, just as saints did before us.”

The Knights of Columbus, in partnership with the Diocese of Gallup and the Southwest Indian Foundation, is helping to build a new shrine dedicated to St. Kateri Tekakwitha, a Native American saint known as the “Lily of the Mohawks.”

Gallup Bishop James S. Wall broke ground on the shrine Aug. 11 at an event that included the Butterfly and Eagle dances from members of the Laguna tribe.

During the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon, which began Oct. 7 in Rome, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of respect due to indigenous cultures. Those participating in the synod have called for studies to be made of cultural expressions of the faith in liturgy with the goal of developing an “Amazonian rite” for the celebration of Mass in South America.

According to official summaries of synod proceedings reported by Catholic News Service, synod participants advocated for renewed forms of evangelization and missionary work in ways that respect indigenous culture but share with the people the good news of salvation in Christ.

Email George Matysek at gmatysek@CatholicReview.org

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

George P. Matysek Jr.

George P. Matysek Jr.

George Matysek was named digital editor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2017 following two decades at the Catholic Review, where he began as a writer and then served as senior correspondent, assistant managing editor and web editor.

In his current role, he manages archbalt.org and CatholicReview.org and is a host of Catholic Review Radio.

George has won more than 70 national and regional journalism and broadcasting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, the Catholic Press Association, the Associated Church Press and National Right to Life. He has reported from Guyana, Guatemala, Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

A native Baltimorean, George is a proud graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School in Essex. He holds a bachelor's degree from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore and a master's degree from UMBC.

George, his wife and five children live in Rodgers Forge, where they are parishioners of St. Pius X, Rodgers Forge/St. Mary of the Assumption, Govans.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

Latest Local News

Deacon Davis, who served Overlea parish for decades, dies at 84

Archdiocese of Baltimore plans ‘Safe Haven Sunday’ to fight pornography

Pasadena parish cites pandemic in decision to close preschool

Father Snouffer, information technology trailblazer for archdiocese, dies at 83

‘Blessing bags’ a focal point for merged St. Casimir Parish during pandemic

Latest World News

Health care chaplains in Baltimore and beyond embrace self-care in COVID-19 work

Religious order withdraws request to transfer founder’s remains to U.S.

Heroes of love: New pathway open for future saints

Bishops: If passed, Equality Act will ‘discriminate against people of faith

Cardinal prays on CNN program marking 500,000 COVID-19 deaths in U.S.

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • A Lent full of promise, steak success, cooking with children, and more (7 Quick Takes)
  • Archbishop Lori reflects on the Year of St. Joseph
  • Health care chaplains in Baltimore and beyond embrace self-care in COVID-19 work
  • Religious order withdraws request to transfer founder’s remains to U.S.
  • Deacon Davis, who served Overlea parish for decades, dies at 84
  • Reason for celibacy/ Blessing for non-sacramental marriage?
  • Archdiocese of Baltimore plans ‘Safe Haven Sunday’ to fight pornography
  • Heroes of love: New pathway open for future saints
  • Some English Catholics object to transfer of nun’s remains to Philadelphia
  • Bishops: If passed, Equality Act will ‘discriminate against people of faith

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2021 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED