NEWS :: Red Cloud Indian School

Parish News: Little Church Big Celebration
by Shannon Grooms, Our Lady of the Sioux Church
posted on October 02, 2009

Our Lady of Good Counsel, No Water Community, Oglala, SD celebrated its 100 year anniversary on September 20, 2009.

The festivities kicked off with Mass followed by a meal, games, and fellowship. Some of the activities included horseshoes and novelty relay races for the kids.

The present day church was built in 1909 by brothers from Holy Rosary Mission, through donations from a large number of benefactors from the Marquette League in New York.
The first Priest traveled a large distance to say Mass there and had to cross a foot suspension bridge across White River. Ironically, directly across the banks from the meeting house was the site of a Ghost Dance nineteen years prior. The Ghost Dance was a ritual performed by believers that the buffalo and the old way of life before the white man came would be restored.

Very little has changed with the actual facilities of the Church. It does not have running water or electricity. It is heated by an old wood stove. The trail in is rough and only accessible in dry conditions.

The story of Our Lady of Good Counsel starts with an image of the reverend in Albania. People would pray to her during times of war and turmoil. One day during a siege, two fleeing countrymen stopped to pray. The image of the lady came off the wall and the countrymen followed it to Rome where it disappeared. There were rumors it had appeared in Genazzano, and sure enough there it was found.

After a while, a Church was constructed in Genazzano and named Our Lady of Good Counsel. Throughout time the Church became ran down. A local widow name Petruccia de Geneo felt compelled to spend all her funds on renovating the Church. Unfortunately, her funds weren’t adequate to complete the job, and she was ridiculed for her efforts. Until around 4:00 p.m., April 25, 1467, St. Mark’s festival when the entire town was gathered to celebrate when a great big cloud covered the town. When it passed an image of Our Lady of Good Counsel appeared on an unfinished wall. The bells from the Churches rang on their own.

This congregation’s story shares many similarities with the widow Petruccia’s. A people filled with faith trekking to a little Church nestled along the banks of White River. From mowing, cleaning, painting, and lay ministry this is a parish run by its parishioners.

If you are interested in learning more about the Centennial Celebration or Our Lady of Good Counsel, contact Steve Hawk at 605-867-5526 or Shelley White at 605-867-5673.

Shannon Grooms is a member of Our Lady of the Sioux Church. She taught Religion at Red Cloud Elementary School for four years until the birth of their oldest daughter. Shannon, her husband, and her two daughters live on a ranch nine miles north of Oglala, SD.

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