Restoration Project

Restoration Newsletter: The Burden Basket

A message from Past Restoration Director: Brother Peter Boegel, OFM

We recently decided to use the Apache burden basket as a symbol of this restoration project. The drawing above was created by our faithful parishioner and hard working volunteer Bruce Klinekole. The Apache burden basket was a utilitarian tool used for gathering food and other items needed by a nomadic people. Today the burden basket is used in the female Apache puberty ceremony. Filled with treats it is poured over the head of the girl becoming a woman during the ceremony as a sign of the blessing for good health and long life.

Some days I see this church and veterans memorial as a burden. This restoration project will take an enormous amount of money and work! But when I step back I see that St. Joseph Apache Mission is so very much needed and appreciated as a carrier of burdens. For example, whenever I need a little morale-booster I read through the things that people have written in our guest book. People from all over the world have left such beautiful messages:

“Absolutely breathtaking. Touches the heart.”

“Very uplifting — full with the Spirit.”

“A sacred space. Thank you for open doors.”

“Inspira Paz”

These same people who renew my strength with their messages of inspiration came here heavily burdened with life’s problems; and here they found rest. People came here to honor veterans, who have carried the burden of pursuing peace in a world of conflict. People came here both to find blessing, and to experience that blessing being poured over them in abundance. Yes, this Mission is both burden and burden-carrier. In the end however, the burdens carried far outweigh the labor required.

Sharing the burdens and the blessings are the reasons for this newsletter. Thank you for sharing our burden of stewardship, so that this sacred and cherished place may continue to hold and bless the human burdens that we all carry on this nomadic journey of life.