Inculturation Project Office

Diocese of Rapid City
Established September 1, 1999
Project Director: Fr. John Hatcher, SJ

The Church among Native Americans in the United States is at a crossroads. While there are large numbers of Native Americans who identify themselves as Catholics, relatively few of them are active and their numbers are dwindling. In some places, Churches established for over four hundred years do not have Native leadership.

The non-Native clergy serving these people are aging and there are few replacements. The Church in the United States is facing imminent collapse among Native Americans. It is very possible that in many places this will be the last generation of Native American Catholics. The question is, "What to do?" Should we continue what we are doing and allow the people to slip away? Or should we begin anew with new efforts of evangelization and extend an invitation to people to claim the Church as their own?  The Gospel mandate suggests that we do the latter and do it quickly.

We propose the creation of the Inculturation Project Office in the Diocese of Rapid City which would address on both the local and national levels three critical areas that need immediate attention: evangelization, Native leadership, and inculturation. The Bishop of Rapid City would supervise the local aspects of this office and the U.S. Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Native American Catholics would supervise the national aspects of this office.