Fr. Hendrik with First Communion recipients at St. Mary's in Lower Brule last year. — Fr. Hendrik with First Communion recipients at St. Mary’s in Lower Brule last year.

Grant money goes a long way in rural South Dakota

Congratulations to the Lower Brule Pastoral Team for receiving a $1,500 grant from OCP (Oregon Catholic Press), a worship resource publisher.

The pastoral team ministers to six parishes: three on each side of the Missouri River, half in the Diocese of Rapid City and half in the Diocese of Sioux Falls. While $1,500 isn’t quite in the “windfall” category of finance, the pastoral team has found ways to stretch the money so that the grant will benefit all six parishes.

Fr. Joe Dean with a parishioner after Mass. The Lower Brule Pastoral Team ministers to a mix of Native American and rural ranching communities in central South Dakota. — Fr. Joe Dean with a parishioner after Mass

“We plan to use the funds to purchase an extra guitar; the ones we have are aging or borrowed,” said Fr. Joseph Dean, moderator of the rural pastoral team that also includes SCJ Fathers Vincent Suparman and Christanus Hendrick. “On the West River side we plan to purchase missalettes for all three parishes [so that all have the same kind]. This will make liturgical preparation easier. In addition, we plan to purchase a projector.”

Fr. Joe added that the team will also “order booklets to enable people to better participate in baptismal liturgies, which have been more frequent.”

OCP started the parish grant program in 2001. Annually, it provides direct financial assistance to parishes across the United States towards worship enhancement. The publisher has awarded over $2 million in grants.