NORBERTINES @ 900 Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré | Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey

At the Crossroads of His- tory, Culture, and Faith MINISTRY AT A The Isleta Pueblo, a Native American community in the scenic Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico, and St. Augustine parish, a centuries-old house of worship, are pastored by Norbertines from Albu- PUEBLO PARISH querque’s Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey. JUNE 2021 On a Mission After 864 years, the now 900-year-old Or- der of Prémontré (the Norbertines) came to New Mexico in 1985 from St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere, Wisconsin, outside of Green Bay. Their mission was to establish a Southwest abbey under the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Parish Timeline The people of what we call the Isleta Pueblo are believed to have inhabited the lands of modern-day central New Mexico for at least 1,500 years. We offer a very brief history of St. Augustine parish, on the Isleta Pueblo where the people now reside. God and Government The tribal government and leadership of Isleta Pueblo are deeply connected to the life of St. Augustine Church. In mid-June, a special feast-day celebration, mass, and procession are held in honor of the tribal governor. This is one of many ways the tribal government supports the Church. In Memory of the Pastor Father Graham Golden was the beloved pastor of St. Augustine parish at the time of his untimely and sad death in an auto- mobile accident just outside the Abbey. He will be greatly missed by the people of Isleta Pueblo and the community of Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey. Norbertines @ 900 ‘AT THE CROSSROADS OF HISTORY, CULTURE, AND FAITH’ New Mexico abbey’s ministry to historic pueblo parish forges lasting connections

hey are baptized at the church of worship pastored by a Norbertine and later buried from there, priest from Albuquerque’s Santa Maria Tand in between they lead lives de la Vid Abbey. informed by the rhythms of the little St. Augustine – named for the Algerian white adobe parish. theologian-turned- – is the hub of Norbertine ministries to the people of the historic pueblo in Isleta, a Native American community of 5,000 people, 3,000 of them living in the pueblo. Priests at the abbey, which is about seven miles north of Isleta Pueblo, have reached across cultural, ethnic, and historical divides as well as the vast swell of time – Norbertines founded their community in New Mexico in 1985, the church since 1613 – to forge deep and lasting connections at Isleta Pueblo. “The tagline we have on our humble website is ‘at the crossroads of history,

Retablo of St. Augustine Hippo by Arturo Olivas culture, and living faith,’” St. Augustine pastor Graham Golden says. “I believe They are the people of Isleta Pueblo, that describes ministry at Isleta very a Native American community beside well.” Interstate 25 in the scenic Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico, and the church The Norbertine ministry at Isleta is St. Augustine, a centuries-old house Pueblo includes parish, educational,

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Archdiocese of Santa Fe to St. Kateri Tekakwitha

At the Crossroads and pastoral outreach, according to Santa feast days … as well as other major celebrations Maria de la Vid Abbot Garner. Santa Maria like Christmas … all involve not only parish- and de la Vid serves the communities around the church-related activities, but also celebrations abbey through service in two local parishes, that impact all levels of community life.” one of which is St. Augustine, at Isleta Pueblo, St. Augustine Church, which is home to the says abbey communications director archdiocesan shrine of the Catholic saint Kateri Sandoval. But it goes beyond that, Golden says. Tekakwitha, a Mohawk-Algonquin laywoman “Being pastor at Isleta at times feels more who converted to Catholicism when she was 19, like being a chaplain overseeing the liturgical is in many ways synonymous with the Pueblo of and spiritual ministries as just one part of a Isleta, Golden says. Established in 1613, nearly much larger interconnected network of daily destroyed in the pueblo revolt of 1680, and community activities,” Golden says. Life in the rebuilt in 1720, the church remains vibrant today. pueblo community is deeply connected to the While the church is similar to a smaller parish rhythm of the liturgical year, he says. “The pueblo in terms of Sunday attendance, confirmations,

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Father Graham Golden. O. Praem

At the Crossroads and first communions, it’s a “very large” parish In memoriam the Rev. Graham Golden, based on its rate of sacramental celebrations – O.Praem. (1986-2021). and funerals, in particular. Since this article was written an automobile accident on “It would be easy to just see the profound May 21, 2021 claimed the life of Father Graham. His loss history of walls erected over four centuries ago,” is mourned by confreres and parishioners alike, and the Golden says. “But we are still a living, vibrant authors of this article share in their grief as they honor community of faith.” the memory of a beloved and influential man of God.

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ON A MISSION The history of Norbertines in New Mexico

embers of the 900-year-old Most Holy Catholic Community. That Norbertine religious order came to year, personnel changes forced the Norbertines MNew Mexico in 1985 from St. Norbert to make a choice between continuing at Holy Abbey in De Pere, Wisconsin, outside of Green Rosary or at Isleta Pueblo, according to Abbot Bay. Their mission: to establish a Southwest Joel Garner. The Norbertines opted to stay with abbey under the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Isleta Pueblo because of the unique relationship between the pueblo and the abbey, says the Rev. The Norbertines eventually built a monastery Graham Golden. in the South Valley outside Albuquerque, Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey. Groundbreaking for “As the architect of the transition, I can say Santa Maria de la Vid – named after an abbey in that it was as much driven by the mutual Spain that was built in the 12th century – was trust and history developed between our two in 1997. communities (abbey and pueblo) as it was the material needs of St. Augustine,” Golden says. Until July 2020, priests at Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey served as pastoral ministers not In addition to serving St. Augustine, the only at Isleta Pueblo’s St Augustine Church Norbertines also serve the South Valley parish but also at Albuquerque’s Our Lady of the of St. Edwin.

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Community St. Edwin

5 Norbertines @ 900 Former pastor George Pavamkott, O.Praem. PARISH TIMELINE A brief history of a small church

Milestones in the life of St. Augustine Church: 1613 Established and built by the people of Isleta Pueblo 1680 Nearly destroyed in the pueblo revolt of 1680, an uprising of indigenous people against Spanish colonizers 1720 Rebuilt with original four-foot adobe walls, name changed to St. Augustine, the of Isleta Pueblo 2012 Became home to the shrine of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, a Catholic saint who was an Algonquin–Mohawk laywoman

6 Norbertines @ 900 WHERE GOD AND GOVERNMENT INTERSECT The integral role of tribal leadership in the life of St. Augustine Church

he tribal government and leadership of Isleta Pueblo are deeply connected to the life of St. Augustine Church. In Tmid-June, a special feast-day celebration, mass, and procession are held in honor of the tribal governor. The governor and his administration serve particular functions in major liturgical celebrations. Because the parish itself is owned and maintained by the tribe, daily functions and operations are conducted in constant communication and collaboration with tribal leadership. Over the past decade, the tribe has invested millions of dollars in the historic restoration and preservation of the church and its art. The tribe built a new catechetical facility and office building for the faith formation of their children. Although St. Augustine is a small parish, it has the resources and support of the pueblo government’s continual investment in the parish as an integral part of the life of the pueblo.

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IN MEMORY OF FATHER GRAHAM GOLDEN On May 21, 2021 an automobile accident claimed the life of the beloved pastor of St. Augustine Church

Born: January 8, 1986 Vested: August 28, 2009 Solemn Vows: August 28, 2014 Ordained: June 20, 2015 Born to Eternal Life: May 21, 2021

ather Graham R. Golden, O. Praem. Foundation for a time, and served as the lived his life as a testimony of God’s previous pastor at Our Lady of the Most all-embracing love, mercy, and grace. Holy Rosary Catholic Community, most FIt was in recognizing Christ’s real presence recent pastor at St. Augustine Church at in the Eucharist as a child that drew him Isleta Pueblo, and the Vocations Director toward the Catholic faith and set him on his and Director of the Office of Christian journey toward religious life. He had been a Discipleship and Religious Vocation at the part of the Norbertine Community of Santa Abbey, among other roles. Maria de la Vid Abbey in Albuquerque, NM On the last day of his life, as the Norbertine for 12 years, and he would have celebrated Community was observing their monthly his sixth year as an ordained priest on June Community Day of rest and self-care, Fr. 20, 2021. Graham was away from the Abbey for Of the priesthood, he often said, “The most much of the day to attend to the needs of beautiful thing about being a priest is the the surrounding community. He last served celebration of the sacraments… seeing the community at Taizé in the Desert (a God’s grace at work.” monthly ecumenical prayer service at the Abbey) on Friday, May 21, 2021. His journey Throughout his years of communal life into God came to fullness shortly after this and service, he was well-known for being service. present whenever and wherever he was needed or invited. He served on several Celina Chavez,SMDLV Abbey, Office of Christian boards and committees for the Archdiocese Discipleship & Religious Vocation - Program and of Santa Fe, worked for the Catholic Communications Coordinator

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