Catholic Native American Indian Inculturation Task Forces Records, Scope and Content - Archives

Records from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Ad Hoc Committee on Native American Catholics and dioceses, which pertain to Native American-Catholic inculturation in the Catholic Church in the United States. Included are recordings, transcripts, surveys, summaries, and related documents.

Gift from Rev. John E. Hatcher, S.J., September, 1996-[ongoing], and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Department of Eduction, 2003. Processed by Mark G. Thiel, CA (Certified Archivist), 1997-.

The Inculturation Task Forces are the first efforts by the Church in the United States to seriously address the question of the relationship between Native American cultures and religion and the teaching and rites of the Catholic Church. The Ad Hoc Committee was established 1993 in response to a written request for dialogue from Cardinal Francis Arinze, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, and a desire by Indian Catholics in the United States to clarify the relationship between indigenous and Catholic traditions. The Task Forces in turn, were authorized by the U.S. Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee on Native Americans at the request of local diocesan bishops.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Ad Hoc Committee on Native American Catholics

Key to Symbols:

[1] = Correspondence included in records of the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions (Series 1).

[2] = Personal papers (Series 7) included in the records of Holy Rosary Mission-Red Cloud Indian School (Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota).

[3] = Related materials included in records of the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota within the Holy Rosary Mission-Red Cloud Indian School Records (Series 8).

[4] = Related materials included in the Sioux Spiritual Center Records of the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota.

Chair, 1993-	Bishop Donald E. Pelotte, S.S.S., Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico [1]
Member, 1993-	Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado, formerly Bishop of Rapid City, South Dakota [1] [3]
Member, 1993-	Archbishop Alexander J. Brunnett, Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington
Member, 1993-	Bishop Michael J. Kaniecki, S.J., Bishop of Fairbanks, Alaska [1]
Member, 1993-	Bishop Anthony M. Milone, Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, Montana [1]
Staff	Monsignor William P. Fay, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.
Consultant	Monsignor Paul A. Lenz, Director, Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions, Washington, D.C. [1]
Consultant*	Reverend Raymond A. Bucko, S.J., Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, formerly LeMoyne Jesuit College, Syracuse, New York [1] [2]
Consultant*	Reverend John E. Hatcher, S.J., Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota [3] [4]

*Specialists in anthropology, liturgy, and theology who work with the diocesan Inculturation Task Forces and report to the bishops of their respective diocese as well as the Ad Hoc Committee.

The diocesan Inculturation Task Forces are comprised of local Native Catholics who together examine three areas of concern:
1. What ritual items can be used in liturgical and prayer services;
2. What religious elements in their native life and ceremonies prepare the way for the reception of the Gospel and its expression in the Church; and
3. Their native philosophy and theology.

Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota, Lakota Inculturation Task Force (authorized 1995)

As the first task force, the Lakota group served as the model for the Tohono O'odham group. Its members, who were Brulé, Hunkpapa, Oglala, and Sans Arc Indians, graduated from the Diocesan lay ministry formation program and were involved as lay ministers, catechists, and/or deacons. Meetings were held in Plainview at Mahpiya na Maka Okoigna, the Sioux Spiritual Center, 1994-1995, 1998, 2002; Rapid City, 1997; and at other locations not identified, 1995-1996, 1999-2001. The Lakota Task Force buillt on the earlier discussions of the Medicine Men and Clergy Meetings directed by Reverend William Stolzman, 1973-1978, the records of which are within the St. Francis Mission Records.

The transcripts includes discussions on the inculturation process, native-Catholic relationships, native ceremonial leadership, and the use of native language, music, symbols, and ceremonies. The Lakota transcripts also include in-depth talks on singing, 1995, pp. 2-10 and on Sundance, 1995, pp. 70-77.

Audio recordings were made at all task forces meetings from which summaries or/and complete transcripts were produced. Rev. Hatcher prepared all summaries and the 1995 Lakota transcript. Marquette University and students prepared the Tohono O'odham transcripts, 1997.

Access to restricted materials requires permission from Reverend John E. Hatcher, S.J., Diocese of Rapid City, 605-343-3541, P.O. Box 678, Rapid City, South Dakota 57709.