Sr. Sofia Lee, of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Assisi, has been serving as the Director of Sacred Heart Retreat Center since 2017. She arrived at the Center (located on fifteen acres of rugged land with lots of outcrops) armed with a strong desire to proclaim the word of God and commitment to providing much needed programs to indigent families living in the vast, mostly rural Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico. The Diocese of Gallup can trace Catholics’ efforts to serve the indigenous population back to 1539. But it would be 400 years later that the Diocese of Gallup officially came into existence.
In 1969 the diocese was split (from 90,000 to 55,000 square miles) by then Pope Paul Vl. To date, Gallup remains one of the most culturally diverse dioceses in the United States, for it includes many distinct tribes that make up most of the total diocesan population.
A vastly dispersed population covering 53 parishes over large portions of New Mexico and Arizona, Diocese of Gallup regrettably still ranks as the poorest diocese in the United States. With a majority of roads unpaved (causing closures of schools whenever it rains or snows) members of the Navajo Nation, the largest Tribal Nation within the United States, today live in very difficult conditions; many live without running water and/or electricity.
Planting seeds of Hope and Love
Year after year, the state of New Mexico continues to top the five poorest U.S. states. Some of the highest poverty rates, especially effect children under the age of 6 and youths between the ages of 6 to 11. The unemployment levels sit at around 40% and average poverty rates of 38%.
These are extremely high compared to 14.3% national average and 29.9% N.M. state average. The residents of Diocese of Gallup are unfortunately the poorest of the poor. Within its many congregations, it is not surprising to learn that Diocese of Gallup cannot generate sufficient funds to be self-sustaining. “We must promote and develop opportunities that will provide for a selection of good choices; choices that will greatly improve their lives and their children’s’ futures. As Catholics of Diocese of Gallup we would like to help them to see beyond their boundaries,” remarks Sister Sofia during a phone conversation.
Doing God’s work means helping them create new dreams and hopes for themselves and their families, culture and futures. To that end, the Sisters reached out to the Anthonian Association and asked the Friars to fund the cost of offering (free of charge) educational workshops that would focus on social and personal development, financial literacy and management, building healthy eating habits, and help them become healers.
Community Action: positive effect of the COVID 19 pandemic
Making things worse, the COVID-19 pandemic greatly amplified the endemic health inequities in American Indian communities due to under-funding and under-resourced health systems, limited access to health services, poor infrastructure, and underlying health disparities. Sister Sofia notes “the pandemic was terrible, but it also provided the impetus for new humanitarian efforts that the Sisters want to continue with lay staff and collaborators, including many native youths who helped in the service of and on behalf of those in most dire need in their many small rural communities.”
Community action and focus on improving communication among people were some aspects positively impacted by the pandemic. When retreat houses had to shut down because of the pandemic, the Sisters sprang into action; they quickly pivoted and began making and distributing masks to the mission churches on the reservations. Then, when mandatory lockdowns closed down homeless shelters and soup kitchens, the Sisters and others began preparing meals from scratch that were then given to the Missionaries of Charity for distribution to the homeless population. A combined effort between the Sisters and many volunteers served hundreds of homemade meals to hungry homeless indigent people every week.
Lack of financial resources is but one of the many problems afflicting this community. Like many other dioceses, the Diocese of Gallup also lacks a sufficient number of priests; so permanent deacons are needed more than ever. “Most mission churches would like to send men to the diaconate programs being held once a month in SHRC,” comments Sister Sofia, for rural communities realize that ordained deacons can carry on ministry where there are no priests.
Although the candidates themselves are willing to serve God, their individual mission community parishes are often not able to pay the costs for the program and required lasses. During a phone conversation, Sister Sofia joyfully remarks, “Currently, the Diocese of Gallup has 7 candidates. Trusting in God alone, candidates and indigent families have been told to come and attend the much needed programs, without paying for the cost … We are praying and hoping that the Anthonian Association and its kind supporters of St Anthony’s mission would help us cover these program cost.”
Caring for the caregivers
Now more than ever, it’s important that those caring for others also have time and resources to support their own spiritual, mental and physical health. The Sisters who are serving in the Diocese receive a small stipend of $300.00 per month for their work. It is a great challenge for them as well to go to a retreat center for monthly or annual retreats.
What began as a goal of providing preached retreats (monthly and annually for free) has clearly become a critical necessity and a ‘must’. This is especially important for the care takers who continue to work tirelessly to provide spiritual and mental health support to all in need in the Diocese of Gallup.
Additional aspects of the mission that needed assistance in 2022 included: feeding at least 50 homeless men and women every week; providing Native youth & adult programs for 7 months, that include meals; providing diaconate training programs for 7 couples for three days per month; and lastly provide “day of recollection’ monthly retreats for 15 Sisters for 7 months.
Thanks to the support of St Anthony’s followers and devotees, a grant in the amount of $25,400 was awarded to Sacred Heart Retreat Center for the above mentioned services.
