American Indian Catholic Schools Network

(Chamberlain, S.D.) – On October 12, St. Joseph’s Indian School students celebrated Native American Day across campus. The day opened with a beautiful Four Directions prayer service video created by the Mission Integration team and students. The service is on the sjiskids.org web page on the spiritual and cultural resources page. Such moments of prayer are one way St. Joseph’s Indian School students learn their culture and spirituality, two pillars that support healthy well-being throughout life.

Photo Credit: Nancy Wiechec

On May 11, the National Catholic Reporter put a spotlight on the Navajo Nation and how St. Michael Indian School, a member of the American Indian Catholic Schools Network, is offering support to the people of Northeast Arizona during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Read the story at ncronline.org

Support the mission of St. Michael Indian School via their school donation page. 

The $2 trillion stimulus package signed into law on Friday includes a program that may allow eligible Catholic schools and (arch)dioceses to pay employee salaries and other expenses through forgivable loans of up to $10 million.

These loans could have far-reaching positive impacts for Catholic schools now facing serious financial hardships brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The way in which our story is told is often framed in this very negative way. That it’s poor, that it’s crippled by alcoholism and poverty and drugs...

That this place has no future.

The story that should be paid attention to is not that people are living here in destitution, and it’s not that people who are still living here have given up.

There’s an element that is impossible to ignore which is the powerful spirit of this place."

- Maka Akan Najin Black Elk
Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Red Cloud Indian School

Learn more about the American Indian Catholic Schools Network at aicsn.org

Planes, trains, and automobiles transported more than 40 teachers, school leaders, and stakeholders to the University of Notre Dame for the 2019 Amerian Indian Catholic Schools Network (AICSN) Summer Institute. Educators from all seven AICSN schools, as well as the Better Way Foundation and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, traveled to campus from Arizona, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, and South Dakota.