How it all happened

The parish here in Browning, Little Flower Parish, was founded in 1931.  In the 1970's they started a Cursillo program which is essentially a 3 day retreat for adults.  This is an international program and many parishes run them throughout New Hampshire (Ms. Foley is actually making her cursillo next week).  From this program emerged an idea that the parish should start a school to benefit the Blackfeet children.  Poverty, alcoholism, drug abuse, and despair was (and is I suppose) rampant and the drop-out and suicide rates were very high.

About 15 years ago Father Ed Kohler, the pastor of Little Flower, invited the Lasallian Christian Brothers to come to Browning to start a school for the Blackfeet.  The brothers have a system of middle schools called the San Miguel schools that are solely for poor and at-risk students and that are not tuition driven.  The schools are meant to be small (15 or so per class) and the days are longer than traditional schools.  The first San Miguel school was actually in Providence, RI and the model has since expanded all over the country.

The brothers didn't say yes right away to starting a San Miguel school in Browning as they had no presence in the state and had never ministered to Indians.  But they eventually agreed and the school opened in 2001.  The school was initially grades 5-8 but eventually it added a fourth grade.  There is hope of expanding to high school but that is way in the future.  There are other public schools in town - elementary schools, a junior high, and a high school.  The closest Catholic high school is over 2 hours away in Great Falls so all graduates of De La Salle Blackfeet go to Browning High School.

The students pay $400 a year in tuition which represents 3% of the school's budget.  Thus, 97% of the school's operating budget comes from donations.  I believe I heard that the annual budget is about $700,000.  There are 9 teachers on staff  and 8 are volunteers.  Five of the volunteers get a stipend of $400, a $300 allowance for food, and $100 for something else (I can't recall).  They also receive housing and health insurance.  The other three volunteers are Lasallian Volunteers - post-college grads who devote a year or two after college to serving at a Lasallian ministry.  They live in community with the brothers on the mission land.  The only people paid are the principal and one teacher.  There are two brothers - Bro. Dale Mooney, FSC (the president) and Bro. Ray Bonderer, FSC (technology and immersion) - who are assigned here with the founder, Bro. Paul Ackerman, FSC working out of Chicago on development.  Next year a third brother will be assigned here, Bro. Michael Flaherty, FSC (no relation).

Immersion groups such as ours are asked to make a donation of $800 to the school.  I also tried to raise additional funds for the school which I hope to send after we get home.  Simply put this place would not survive were it not for volunteers and donors.  God is indeed good to this place.