Flags of the 11 Native American tribes of Wisconsin in the Wisconsin State Capitol. (Wisconsin Examiner photo)
“How sad that indigenous people have to prove they are not illegal immigrants,” wrote Cindy Smith in response to a Facebook posting by the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.
On Jan. 10, the LCO Tribal Governing Board issued an immediate release that it was “closely monitoring recent events that took place in Minneapolis, and around the country involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agents.”
Just a few days before, on Wednesday, Jan. 7, a 37-year-old woman, Renee Good, was shot and killed in her vehicle by an ICE agent in South Minneapolis.
Over 1,000 ICE agents were in the Twin Cities area as a major campaign that has received national attention to detain and arrest those who had reportedly violated federal immigration laws. The agents not only tracked down those without legal status to reside in the U.S., but also questioned and detained others because of their appearance, such as skin color and accent, whether or not they were legal residents or citizens. Caught up in the crackdown were at least five Native Americans who were detained, including four Oglala Sioux from South Dakota and one from the Red Lake reservation in Minnesota.
Jose Roberto “Beto” Ramirez, a Red Lake descendant, told a reporter for ICT that he was trailed by an SUV and when he parked in a grocery store parking lot, he was dragged out of his vehicle without explanation and detained for several hours. Ramirez said he felt like he had been “kidnapped”. He was subsequently released without any charges.
News reports from the Twin Cities have stated that Native Americans, who are fully U.S. citizens, had been approached by ICE agents regarding their immigration/citizenship status.
In response to Native Americans being stopped by ICE, several Wisconsin tribes issued statements voicing concern over the stops and also offering advice to their members.
“We humbly offer our sincere condolences to all those affected by these incidents,” reads the Lac Courte Oreilles release, which assured members that the Tribal Governing Board “is actively working to ensure our tribe and members are as safe as possible and is reviewing policies to implement access restrictions in areas that are non-public, employee-only, and restricted to ensure our facilities are entitled to every legal protection possible.
“In these unprecedented and uncertain times, it is essential that we remain vigilant and protect one another. We encourage everyone to stand together in solidarity to support each other spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. The safety and well-being of all tribal members continues to be our highest priority. We will do everything in our power to protect our members, reservation, government buildings, and enterprises.”
Jon Greendeer, president of the Ho-Chunk Nation posted Wednesday, Jan. 14, “My office and social media feeds have been buzzing with concerned tribal members following the recent shooting of an American Citizen by an armed ICE official. Now with the news of alleged door-to-door campaigns, the threat literally hits home.”
Also on Jan. 14, the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians posted the following: “The Tribe wants to be clear: we do not support or cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Our priority is the safety, dignity, and protection of our tribal members. We are deeply concerned by reports coming out of Minnesota involving the detention of tribal members, as well as ICE actively being reported in areas near our community. As indigenous people to this land, our identity should never be questioned, challenged, or used as a reason for detention.”
On Jan. 12, the St. Croix Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians issued a statement on “opposing ICE and affirming tribal sovereignty,” which said, in part, that tribal leaders “strongly oppose the actions and presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) including the targeting of community members, the detention and separation of families, and the ongoing disregard of human rights.”
On Jan. 10, the Stockbridge-Munsee Community alerted members on Facebook that Native Americans “are being caught up in raids and detained.”
Like several of the tribal posts, the Stockbridge-Munsee tribe encourages its members to be prepared for being “stopped, detained and questioned regarding your citizenship.”
Even though tribal members are U.S. citizens, Wisconsin tribal members are being encouraged to carry their tribal, state and federal IDs and even birth certificates.
On Jan. 14, the LCO tribe said it would be issuing ID cards for enrolled members who live off the reservation in the Twin Cities at the Minneapolis American Indian Center Rotunda, and like other tribes, LCO noted that fees are being waived for the ID cards.
On Jan. 11, the Oneida Nation offered detailed guidance if members encountered ICE agents:
“Stay calm and ask for identification.”
“Always carry your Oneida ID.”
“If detained, say ‘I want to speak with an attorney.’”
“Report encounters to Oneida Police Department.”
“At home, keep the door closed and request a judicial warrant.”
Several tribes are notifying members that if the ICE agents do not have a warrant signed by a judge, the agents do not have permission to enter their home without consent.
ICE agents have been observed approaching homes and businesses with administrative warrants issued by ICE, which lack the legal weight of a judicial warrant.
Some of the tribes are advising members if ICE comes to their doors without a judicial warrant to not only not open their doors, but also report the presence of the ICE agents to tribal police.
The Ho-Chunk Nation said it will provide its members with door signs for law enforcement that “alert” officers of the “state, tribal and federal citizenship” status of the residents and communicate that “agents may not enter the property without a valid warrant.”
ICE Police at Immigration Detention Center. Oneida tribal leaders in Wisconsin announced they would end a contract to build ICE facilities with a the Oneida Engineering Science Construction Group and apologized saying they were previously unaware of the agreement. | Getty Images
Oneida Engineering Science Construction Group (OESC), a Limited Liability Company (LLC) of the Oneida Nation, is taking action to terminate two contracts it has with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to provide engineering services to at least 34 ICE facilities.
The Wisconsin Examiner’s Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation.
The action comes after tribal leaders only recently became aware of the contracts that OESC has through a subsidiary company: Oneida Environmental (OE) that is working in a joint venture with Stantec JV, called Oneida-Stantec JV, LLC.
In a Jan. 2 Oneida Live online meeting, Tribal Chairman Tehassi Hill said he had just learned of the ICE contracts on Monday morning, Dec. 29 through social media posts.
“I want to make sure that I clearly state that the Oneida Business Committee (OBC, the agency that runs the tribe when the tribal governing board is not in session) was not aware of this joint venture or the signing of the contract,” said Hill. “I also stand strong in my words and conviction that the business venture does not align with the nation’s values, our culture and who we are as Haudenosaunee People, and it is something the committee would have never entertained had it been made aware of this.”
Jeff House, chief executive officer (CEO) of OESC, took full responsibility for the contracts, adding that his motives were to provide a service to ensure the ICE facilities were habitable for residents and also as a business venture to sustain the operation of the LLC’s 500 employees.
“I deeply apologize,” House said. “The decision did come to me and I green-lighted the proposals to go forward, and I know it was a huge mistake.”
House said when he made the decision he wanted to ensure the facilities would be “up to code, making sure they meet human standards, making sure that it’s properly engineered.” And, he added, “while I don’t approve and am appalled by the ICE activities, these people are being detained and put in a facility somewhere, and what had gone through my mind was, ‘Who’s taking care of them? Who’s looking out for their best interest?’ As much as I have disdain for the ICE activities going on, that’s where my mind went, and I was flabbergasted that I didn’t reach out further and get more information.”
House said he was aware of the recent controversy involving the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in Kansas to terminate a subsidiary contract with ICE for designing large-scale migrant detention centers, and he applauded the Potawatomi Chairman for noting how Indian people had been treated by the federal government by being placed on reservations and drew parallels to ICE activities.
House said he hadn’t considered the history of tribes and detention when he pursued the ICE contracts, but was more focused on ensuring the ICE facilities would be humane facilities.
According to the Federal Procurement Data System for Oneida-Stantec JV LLC, the recent ICE contract signed on Dec. 26 is for $3.777 million, and another contract signed on Sept. 19 is for $2.601 million.
House said the immediate goal is to begin the process of terminating the Dec. 26 contract, but he noted that the Sept. 19 contract, initiated under the administration of former President Joe Biden, would be more complicated to terminate because work had already begun under that contract.
House emphasized the LLC would sustain any loss or liability as it pursued the terminations.
To avoid potential liability to the tribe, Chairman Hill noted that the tribe doesn’t directly operate OESC or participate in day-to-day operations to maintain a “corporate veil.”
In a press release, the tribe explained the “corporate veil” is “a legal concept that recognizes a company as a separate legal entity distinct from its shareholders, and it protects shareholders from personal liability for the company’s debts and obligations (meaning the company itself is responsible for its own liabilities).”
However, the OBC does appoint members to the corporate board of OESC, and there are regular reports from the LLC to the OBC.
“It is important to reiterate that the Oneida Business Committee does not approve, negotiate or manage individual contracts of its subsidiaries,” said Hill, “and only provides high-level oversight.”
Hill read a recently passed OBC resolution that directs business decisions to reflect the Oneida Nation values and specifically states that “any employee or representative of Oneida Nation and its tribal corporations to disengage with all grant agreements and contracts that involve Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
In the future, House said, he will keep the OBC informed of any gray areas of concern.
In 2025, House said, OESC processed $177 million in revenue and made $12 million in profit, most of which was reinvested in the LLC, with a small amount given to the tribe’s general fund. He estimated the valuation of the LLC as somewhere between $80-100 million.
House said one of his primary concerns in securing contracts, most of which are for engineering services, is keeping the LLC’s 500 employees on the job.
Eau Claire County Government Center, which was visited by ICE agents Monday, Jan. 5. | Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner
Eau Claire County Sheriff Dave Riewestahl confirmed that on Monday, Jan. 5, federal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were sighted within the city of Eau Claire at the Eau Claire County Courthouse, but he noted the sheriff’s office had no contact or coordination with the federal agents and he was not aware of other activity by ICE agents in the county.
The Wisconsin Examiner’s Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation.
Riewestahl said the ICE agents were identified when they arrived at the courthouse and parked a vehicle in the parking lot.
The federal agents “entered on the ground floor and stood in the vestibule,” Riewestahl said. “Some were making phone calls, others were just on their phones and/or talking amongst themselves.”
He added that a “few went further into the courthouse,” probably to use the restrooms.
Concerning whether the ICE agents had contacted his office requesting help to detain people, Riewestahl said, “They have not, nor have we assisted with anything related to ICE.”
Riewestahl shared that the office’s policy manual for field services (patrol) and security services (jail) regarding immigration status directs patrol officers not to detain anyone accused of a “civil violation of federal immigration laws or a related civil warrant,” and the jail is only allowed to hold individuals who have “been charged with a federal crime,” or has been issued “a warrant, affidavit of probable cause or removal order.”
Chequamegon Family Restaurant, also known as the Ashland Family Restaurant, where two workers were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Monday, Dec. 15. (Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner)
Federal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested two individuals at the Chequamegon Family Restaurant (also known as the Ashland Family Restaurant) Monday, Dec. 15 in the city of Ashland in far northern Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Superior.
The Wisconsin Examiner’s Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation.
This is the second arrest ICE agents have made in the Ashland/Bayfield area since July when an individual was arrested at Washburn Iron Works in the city of Washburn.
The Ashland City Police Department issued a statement Friday, Dec. 19 saying that ICE and U.S. Border Patrol officers had informed the police department that federal officers had a federal warrant for two individuals at the “Ashland Family Restaurant.”
The police department noted the federal officers had “picked up” one employee in the morning, and then returned after requesting that a city police officer be present because “the restaurant staff was very upset with them the first time they were there.”
A Dec. 15 police dispatch report notes that Officer Mark Campry was requested at 12:04 p.m. to the restaurant.
According to the police statement, when the federal officers returned with the local police officer there was a request to open the doors and a second person was taken into custody.
The police did not say what type of warrant ICE had to make the arrest. ICE has not yet responded to a request for that information.
Alexandra Guevara of Voces de la Frontera, an immigrant workers’ rights organization, says there is an important difference between judicial warrants, signed by judges in cases where individuals are wanted for a crime, and ICE administrative warrants, which lack the same force.
“Nobody should open their doors for an ICE warrant. It’s an illegal instrument,” Guevara said. “When we do our Know Your Rights trainings, it’s the first thing we tell people — you have to be able to get a warrant that is actually signed by a judge, that includes your address, that includes your name, your official name, and you have the ability to get that warrant, send it to a lawyer, send a picture to a lawyer, and ask, ‘Should I open the door or not?’”
Reporters for the Ashland Daily Press said they also were told by an employee of Deltco, a plastics manufacturer, that an employee at the plant was taken in custody by the federal officers Monday. Deltco management did not return calls from the Wisconsin Examiner attempting to verify whether an employee had been arrested.
Voces de la Frontera has identified one of the restaurant employees, a cook, as Luis Davids Coatzeozon Gomes, but has not been able to find out where he is being held.
“One of the things that happens with some of these detentions is that they’re detained and immediately sent somewhere else,” said Guevara, “so they don’t need to report them. And I mean, that creates a lot of confusion, that makes it impossible for their families to find them. It also makes it very difficult for lawyers to represent them, because they need to be in one place to be represented by a lawyer who can have access to them.”
She added, “We know that the ACLU has been dealing with that, talking all over the nation about how difficult it is now to trace where people are being taken because they’re being moved every two to three days, sometimes crossing state borders, like even being sent to places as far as Florida from here. And that makes it very, very difficult to know exactly how many people have been detained because they’re not being reported here.”
Guevara said most ICE detainees in Wisconsin are held, at least temporarily, in the Dodge County Jail. However, nearby Douglas County also has an agreement to hold ICE detainees. The ACLU reported in September that the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office had billed ICE for detaining 111 persons since the beginning of 2025.
State Rep. Angela Stroud, (D-Ashland) questioned why a city police officer accompanied the federal officers making an immigration arrest.
“My view on this is, if there’s probable cause that someone committed a crime, then you know, that’s a reasonable thing for the police to be involved in, because clearly, fighting crime is part of what we want to happen in our communities,” she said.
In answer to a question about the police involvement in the arrest, Ashland City Police Chief Bill Hagstrom sent the Ashland Daily Press a citation from the city’s police manual, 416.6 “Federal Request for Assistance” that states: “requests by federal immigration officials for assistance from this department should be directed to a supervisor. The Department may provide available support services, such as traffic control or peacekeeping efforts.”
Rep. Stroud also expressed concern about taking workers from employers struggling to maintain adequate staffing during a labor shortage in a city of fewer than 8,000 people.
“We have problems finding people to work generally around here,” she said, “and you know, we have an aging population. We have a lot of workforce shortages. What is the big picture goal here, and how does it help our community? How does this help our community? I would like someone to explain that. And I recognize people need to, you know, follow immigration laws, but we’re seeing more and more that even people who do follow the law are being deported. And it’s just irrational. I don’t understand the big picture goal, except maybe to terrorize communities, and that’s, needless to say, is completely unethical.”
She added, “Unfortunately, we’re seeing these large raids and sweeps of people who are working and, you know, sometimes we’re even finding people who are American citizens getting caught up in that. So I recognize that people have a lot of strong feelings on this topic.”
Kimberly LaRonge of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and other LCO members show their support for two Catholic nuns who have taught at a school on tribal land for more than 50 years. (Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner)
Sisters Felissa Zander, and Maryrose Theobald, both 88 years of age, have served as teachers for more than five decades at the only tuition-free Catholic School in Wisconsin: St. Francis Solanus School, a mission school founded in 1885 on the Lac Courte Oreilles Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation in Sawyer County.
St. Francis Solanus Church was built by tribal members using local red quartzite blocks from the local Blue Hills. (Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner)
Recently, the two sisters informed tribal members, many of whom attended the school as children, that their religious order, School Sisters of St. Francis (SSSF), was calling them to leave their teaching positions on the reservation and move to an assisted living facility in Milwaukee.
The news caused a stir, especially after Sister Felissa expressed concern that no replacements from her order were scheduled to arrive, raising questions about how the school could continue to function.
A small group of protesters gathered at the entrance to the church/school Sunday morning, Nov. 23. The demonstrators all had a connection to the parish, the school and the sisters.
Susan Aasen, a tribal member and lawyer who had attended the school, said she had been in contact with the two sisters and said they were distraught over the pressure to leave.
“They’re crying,” she said of the sisters. “This is their home. They have no connections in Milwaukee.”
“You see them crying and they’re sad,” said tribal member Denise Cross. “They don’t want to go.”
Sister Felissa Zander speaking with tribal members on Dec. 2. (Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner)
Sister Felissa, who has taught at the school for 64 years, told the Wisconsin Examiner she didn’t want to leave the mission or teaching and even though she had experienced some medical issues, she was still capable of serving the community and wanted to continue until she was unable. She added that she was originally informed she would have to leave Dec. 2 and then the date was changed to Jan. 6.
“I have known Sister Felissa for a generation; she’s woven into the fabric of our community,” said Kimberly LaRonge, a tribal member who practices the Midewinwin spiritual tradition, but whose family helped build the church. She said she had been helped by Sister Felissa over the years.
Laronge said there was “outrage” in the community because of the perceived disrespect towards the sisters and also the lack of communication with the tribe.
Tribal members expressed concern for the two sisters, the school, but also what would happen to the church property, including the graveyard where many of their ancestors are buried, and artifacts tribal members had given to the church. They said they had heard the convent would be converted into a retreat for retired priests, a rumor the local bishop said was not true at a community meeting on Dec. 2. He also assured tribal members the graveyard would not be disturbed.
Applause for Bishop’s statement that the nuns won’t be sent away
On Tuesday night, Dec. 2 in the Bingo Hall of the St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church on the LCO reservation, Bishop James Powers spoke to 185 people, mostly tribal members.
Superior Diocese Bishop James Powers speaking to a gathering of mosty members of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians on Dec, 2 at the St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church. One the right is Father David Neuschwander, pastor of a cluster of five parishes. On the left is Dan Blank, the director of admistrative services for the ciocese. (Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner)
“Let me begin first of all by saying that the School Sisters of St. Francis stationed in Milwaukee, headquartered there, have decided not to call Sister Felissa and Sister Maryrose back to Milwaukee, at this time,” he said, as the room burst into applause.
An undated statement to parishioners was circulated after the Dec. 2 meeting, from Sister Kathleen O’Brien, U.S. Provincial Coordinator in Milwaukee for the religious order.
“We have profound respect for our Sisters’ many decades of loving service to generations of Catholics in the Lac Courte Oreilles region,” Sister O’Brien wrote. “We have rejoiced in their milestone of consecrated life, supported their tireless ministry efforts, and worked closely with them to meet their physical and spiritual care in times of surgery and recovery.”
Sister O’Brien noted the order supports their sisters with a “philosophy of care of sisterhood.”
“…our sisters affirm that we are women of faith, responding to God’s call,” she wrote. “We value holistic growth and self-responsibility, interdependence and conservation of God’s resources. We believe in the goodness and potential of all sisters throughout the life course.”
Michael O’Loughlin, the congregation’s communications director, said that sisters from the Milwaukee order are in regular contact with Sister Felissa and Sister Maryrose.
O’Loughlin reiterated the order’s commitment to “self-responsibility as well as interdependence,” and the “right of each individual to make informed health choices” while collaborating with others in making those decisions.
“In keeping with this philosophy of care, our sisters in leadership and healthcare professionals will continue to work in partnership with Sister Maryrose and Sister Felissa to compassionately and evaluate their health needs and responsibilities,” he said.
O’Loughlin clarified that the sisters had not been ordered or directed to leave St. Francis Solanus.
At the Dec. 2 meeting, Bishop Powers announced that no decision had been made about closing the school. O’Loughlin said that given the sisters’ advanced ages and that only a handful of students attend the school, the diocese has been in conversation with the order regarding the school’s financial viability.
Sister O’Brien acknowledged the widespread support the two sisters had received from the tribe and community, and she also pointed out that her order had sent sisters to the reservation for over 100 years, starting in 1909.
Dan Blank, the director of administrative services for the diocese, which has direct authority over the school, wrote in an email to the Examiner:
“The Diocese was aware that the School Sisters of St Francis (SSSF) had talked to Sisters Felissa and Maryrose about returning to Milwaukee on or about Jan 6. There was no specific intent to close the school, but the reality of having no one to replace the Sisters had put pressure on Father David (Father David Neuschwander, the local priest of a church cluster, five churches under one priest, that includes St. Francis) and the Diocese to evaluate the options. The SSSF became aware of the unrest among the parishioners and tribal community, and changed their position with hope that the Sisters will be able to continue their teaching ministry at the school through this school year.”
Financial questions and an uncertain future
After announcing the sisters were not leaving at the Dec. 2 meeting, Bishop Powers said he wanted to focus on the financial status of the school.
“Those accounts that are referred to as ‘sisters’ monies’ are monies the sister has received or raised for the direct support of the school,” he said. “And I need to know, how much is there, so that we can know, is it possible to continue the school? There’s nobody who wants to close a school. I don’t care what school where … but we can’t go on without money.”
Vickie Shibilski, a tribal member and a long-time volunteer and cook at the school, peppered the diocese with questions during the meeting. She also defended Sister Felissa saying she understood the school’s finances and “knew what she was doing.”
“Sister does, but we don’t,” responded the Bishop. “We have to know what funds are available. We need to know whether it’s money enough to keep running the school.”
Shibilski complained that Father David had not met with the community regarding the fate of the school.
“He may look at us like, oh, we’re just folks,” she said. “We’re just cleaners or whatever. We talk to the donors. We work with the donors. We’re in the community, and we’re everywhere, and we’re going to stay here. We’ll be here.”
She also raised a complaint that a staff person at the church had been rude to Sister Felissa, swearing at her, and demanded the staff person be fired. Blank, the diocese administrator, said the incident would be investigated.
Another community member demanded clarification of the bishop’s statement that the nuns would not be sent away “at this time.”
“Does that mean, like, not today, not tomorrow, but maybe in the spring, then they’re going to be asked to leave? Because that’s not a clapping matter,” she said.
The Bishop responded, “I cannot stand up here and say that they’re going to be here til they die. No, I can’t, because, again, the community has that right to call them back,” adding that as the Bishop he had authority to call them back as well but had chosen not to.
A tribal member said the two nuns had given their lives to the tribe and the parish and school and if they retire, they shouldn’t be forced to live in Milwaukee.
Blank encouraged tribal members to make the Milwaukee order aware of community sentiment.
Another tribal member said she didn’t think Blank understood how much Native Americans care for elders, including their health needs.
Father David gave a presentation about the school’s finances.
“My desired outcome for this meeting is to raise awareness of the financial needs, particularly at the school, so that they can be met,” he said. “There are so many people who have volunteered so much and given so much of their lives. I would love to see more people financially supporting our school. In order to do that, people need to know what’s going on.”
Shibilski challenged the priest, saying he hadn’t mentioned the St. Francis parish or school during his Sunday services from Hayward that are broadcast on the radio. She was also critical that he had not attended important community events.
Kimberly LaRonge (Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner)
“Rarely do you visit our school or spend any time with our children, and I think you’ve only been in our classroom maybe once,” she said. “If you’re going to lead you need to lead all of us and be here and show the children and your parents, because right now, I don’t really believe they know you well. I don’t even know you well.”
Father David responded that he wanted to communicate “more clearly.” He added that during his first two years of service he looked at the finances of the church, and then the last year, he began looking at the finances of the school.
He noted neither the parish nor the school was in debt.
He then shared a pie chart showing the school’s expenses and revenue of $260,370. The biggest source of revenues is an endowment of $86,850. In two years, he said, the endowment would be spent down.
After the meeting, Father David said, “I hold Sister Felissa and Sister Maryrose in the highest respect, and I am grateful for their decades of loving ministry at St. Francis Solanus. They have been and remain a profound blessing to generations of families on the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation.”
As pastor, he said, “I am called to ensure the long-term health of all five parishes within the Lac Courte Oreilles and Hayward Area Catholic Churches, including financial health. Because of this responsibility, I expressed concerns to the Diocese regarding the long-term financial sustainability of the school.”
“The diocese is primarily focused on financial sustainability,” he added, “while the motherhouse in Milwaukee has the responsibility of caring for the health and well-being of their sisters.”
Parish concerns
At the Dec. 2 meeting, Bishop Powers noted the Catholic church has had a presence with the tribe since the late 18th century.
“Let me say again, there has never been nor will there ever be any talk of closing the parish as long as I am Bishop,” he said.
A complaint lodged several times during the meeting was that money from St. Francis and the other church on the reservation, St. Ignatius, is going to fund staff working at the Hayward church, and the perception that the tribal parishes were not receiving value from their dollars.
“What has St Francis gained from having this cluster?” Shibilski asked. “I don’t see that we gained anything; we’re losing here.”
Bishop Powers noted there were not enough priests in the diocese to serve just one parish, and he said the advantage of a cluster is “stability of operation” and the use of standard bookkeeping, which he said hadn’t been used for years at either the St. Francis parish or the school.
Shibilski said the cluster could just consist of St. Francis and St. Ignatius, with Father Karunakar Madanu (an international priest from India) serving both parishes.
“I’m begging you. I’m begging you, please, give us our cluster back,” she said. “Give us our parish back.”
“I can’t make that promise,” responded the Bishop.
Father David said he would like to hire a bookkeeper from the parish and create a finance council.
“But sometimes we think you’re just worried about the money, that’s all you’ve been asking about,” Shibilski responded.
Another community member said churches often donate to the mission field, and that St. Francis was designated as a mission and therefore should not be expected to generate revenue for the Church.
Larry French, the director of finance for the diocese, said when he asked about receipts for St. Francis school none could be produced.
“We didn’t have receipts for this school,” said French. “We didn’t know what was coming in. We didn’t know what was going out. You can’t audit when you don’t have anything to audit.”
Blank also noted that St. Francis parish didn’t have a finance council and questioned whether it had a parish council. And he also said if there are concerns on how contracts were given for facility work, there should be a building and grounds committee overseeing those projects
Several audience members then suggested an audit of the Hayward church.
“You know you should respect us a little more than what you are giving us,” said one community member.
Blank responded, “We have great respect, and we continue to support you. We are listening and learning. So yes, there can be an audit. Yes, there can be a request to the mother house that the sisters stay here forever. We can’t speak to that. We don’t have authority for that. Bishop can be in conversation with them.”
Blank also asked the audience to give Father David a second chance to work with the parish and school.
After the Dec. 2 meeting, the diocese put out a statement thanking those who participated.
“We listened to the many concerns and requests from parishioners and LCO tribal members. There are many issues to consider and act on. In order to move forward together, we will need many volunteers for councils and committees for St Francis and St Ignatius. We promise to continue to communicate and to respect the many years of service by Sisters Felissa and Maryrose.”
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