Courage & Grief
Over the past two weeks, our St. Labre schools have suffered two terrible losses. First, 12 year-old Courtney Mae Little Nest, a 7th grade Crow student at Pretty Eagle Catholic Academy (part of the St. Labre Indian School network), was killed in a car accident. I joined over 600 mourners on September 1st to celebrate her life and mourn the terrible loss. That same day, a recently retired long-time teacher at St. Labre, Ken Kania, was killed in a head-on accident.
Both funerals were heart-wrenching for they were both deeply loved. Courtney Mae was an avid basketball player, full of life and possibilities. Ken was a Wisconsin native who came out to St. Labre to volunteer in 1973 and fell in love with Cheyenne culture and the St. Labre schools. He married Pam Oesterle, a fellow teacher at St. Labre and they ended up adopting two Blackfeet children and their family grew. Ken taught American history, Spanish, and Cheyenne culture, eventually being adopted by the tribe with the name “Beaver Appears,” which I learned was the name of the super moon which appeared after his birth in 1948 and is not due again until November of this year. Ken gave 40 great years to the students of St. Labre and is well-revered by former students and colleagues.
After witnessing two beautiful funerals—one Crow, one part-Cheyenne and one-part Catholic—I am filled with awe and gratitude for our great St. Labre schools. One particular moment stands out. Fr. Larry Weber, O.F.M. Cap, the parish priest at St. Labre who was driving the car that was hit, showed tremendous courage in con-celebrating the funeral Mass. During the Eucharistic prayer, he began reading his part, broke down in tears and said, “I can’t continue.” It was remarkably poignant and showed his courage to be vulnerable in his own time of grief.
Please join me in praying for Fr. Larry, for Ken and his family, for Courtney Mae and her family, and the entire St. Labre Indian School network.
Dr. Tim Uhl, Superintendent
Montana Catholic Schools
Email: superintendent@montanacc.org
Website: www.montanacatholicschools.org
Location: PO Box 1708 Helena MT 59601
Phone: (406) 442-5761
Twitter: @mtcathschools
