The devastating fire on December 14, 2019, left us without a worship space for over 2 years, and so in the warmer months, we held our Masses outdoors. Many parishioners expressed how much being outdoors brought them peace and a different sense of awe for creation and the beauty of the area that St. Mary is located in. We are excited about the completion of our new church building, which re-opened and was dedicated in June 2022. We want to continue to grow the wonder and awe that people have had for nature by creating a prayer garden on the church grounds.
Having this additional prayer space at the church, but outdoors, is a wonderful way to support people's faith journeys. There, they can find a quiet place to reflect and pray in their own way. It will also give us an additional way to attract the people of the Reservation to the church. Nature plays an important role in the Native American culture. By creating this outdoor prayer space, we are able to make our church grounds more culturally relevant for the Reservation that we serve.