by John Thomas Lane SSS
The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (SSS) first came to the southwestern United States in 1948 with the mission to start a Blessed Sacrament Shrine in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our first priests began this shrine and were quickly applauded for their pastoral zeal and interactions with the lay people to start the Nocturnal Adoration Society, Blessed Sacrament Honor Guard, People’s Eucharistic League, and what we would later call the modern-day Associates. Our little chapel on Gold Street was dedicated in 1950. …
In 1986, Pope John Paul II selected the first USA bishop from the SSS, Provincial Superior and president of the Tekakwitha Conference, Father Donald E. Pelotte SSS. The pope chose Bishop Pelotte to be the first native American bishop of the Navajo Nation and Diocese of Gallup…. Bishop Pelotte was first co-adjutor of the diocese and assumed leadership in 1990 as the third bishop of the diocese. … I had the pleasure of knowing him and his twin brother, Father Dana G. Pelotte SSS… When Father Dana died in 2014, this author needed to distribute their trust. Most of the trust went to Bishop Pelotte’s causes, for which he worked tirelessly while a bishop. One such jewel for him was the Native American Catholic school founded in 1902 by Saint Katherine Drexel. Saint Michael’s Indian School (SMIS) is the only Catholic school still in operation, founded by Mother Drexel. It is located in Saint Michaels, Arizona, just across the border with New Mexico…
After a day of travel by car to Albuquerque from the desert of the Navajo Nation, we came to the city and our former SSS parish. Associate leaders Carolyn Olona, Patricia Garcia-Zarate, Barbara Zachary, and former SSS James Owens blessed us by hosting a wonderful reception and organizational/retreat meeting with several associates. … the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament hosted the parish reception in the evening.
Finally, in honor of the 125th anniversary of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament coming to the USA, an extraordinary jubilee Mass occurred during the parish’s regular 5:00 Vigil Mass on April 26….
Photos:
TOP – Bishop Donald E. Pelotte SSS
BOTTOM – Associates and parishioners gather in the former SSS Community Courtyard, and Deacon Bill Barry, Associate and former DER writer, stands with the others.
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