Thursday, May 17, was a very special day for Fr. Cormac Antram, OFM, for the Navajo Mass was filmed at Villa Guadalupe. Fr. Cormac has been ministering to the Navajo people for more than 35 years and is one of the few priests that is able to celebrate Mass in Navajo. He taught at St. Michaels Indian School for several years, and now has a Sunday morning program on the Navajo Radio station called “the Padre’s hour.” On “the Padre’s Hour” he reads the readings for that Sunday and tells the news of the Church around the world, in both Navajo and in English. He goes to several of the parishes in the diocese where many of the parishioners speak Navajo to Celebrate Mass. He has been coming to Villa Guadalupe for many years once a month to celebrate a Mass in Navajo for our Navajo Residents.
Mr. Martin Link, who is an archivist in the area and is also a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus, felt that it was important to film Fr. Cormac celebrating the Mass in Navajo. He made many phone calls, so that many people were involved. A film crew arrived early to set up and many Navajos came to help participate in the Mass and to help with the singing (including our Navajo class).
Our chapel at Villa Guadalupe was chosen for several reasons: it is very light, it is in the shape of a hogan, and the décor is Navajo (with a large Navajo rug behind the Crucifix and the altar is of natural wood).
We were very pleased to help with this tribute to Father since he has given himself to the Navajo people for so many years.
