The “Letter to Cataldo” Monument
On the south bank of Lake Arthur on the Gonzaga University campus, the inscription of the 1881 letter to Father Joseph Cataldo from the European settlers dubbed the “Spokane Fathers” entreat for the Jesuit to admit their white students to the school he originally intended for Indian boys.
Discussing this monument with Gonzaga’s director of tribal relations became the impetus for my research on how the beginning of Gonzaga University has been told over the last century, and what opportunities there are to add proper context to Gonzaga’s origin and the Jesuits’ relationships with the Native peoples where they operated missions.
And thus was born the thesis: “Jesuit Missions Among Interior Salish Tribes As the Origin Story of Gonzaga University.”
Acknowledgments
Two key individuals – both of whom are members of Native American communities – have influenced my approach to the research at hand. Raymond Reyes, Ph.D., professor and previous chief diversity officer at Gonzaga University, provokes intrigue and encourages entering into the discomfort that naturally comes with learning and unlearning. Wendy Thompson, director of tribal relations for Gonzaga, framed an expectation for me as a white student exploring the history and experiences of a community to which I do not belong; this influence early in my foray into the work was critical not only to my research but also my personal growth.
I’m grateful to two organizations who believed enough in this area of exploration to provide funding for research: The Jesuits West Spokane CORE (Communities Organizing for Racial Equity), via the St. Joseph’s Parish in Seattle, and the Eva Lassman Memorial Research Award at Gonzaga’s Center for the Study of Hate, under the direction of Kristine Hoover, Ph.D.
Early funding supported a trip to St. Louis to explore materials at the Jesuit Archives and Research Center. I owe gratitude to Ann Knake, reference archivist, for her gracious assistance there. Previous Jesuit archivist David Kingma shared insights on making the most of my limited time at the St. Louis facility.
Professor and adviser Pavel Shlossberg, Ph.D., and chair of the Communications and Leadership program at Gonzaga’s School of Leadership Studies, encouraged my research with great enthusiasm for the topic, and provided insightful questions for further development.
Lastly, I am grateful for the Jesuits who set the tone for the difficult work of reckoning with an imperfect history and seeking to help their order heal relationships within Native communities. Many thanks to Pat Twohy, S.J., for being a model of humility, to Tom Colgan, S.J., for sharing in the experience of unlearning, and to Tom Lamanna, S.J., for his leadership within the Spokane CORE for the benefit of all who are connected to Jesuit ministries in the Inland Northwest.
View PowerPoint brief here.
Capstone Elements
Acknowledgments
Abstract
Terminology
Introduction
Disciplinary Grounding
Considerations for Jesuit-Mission Contextualization
Religion’s Role in Settler-Colonialism as Supremacist Ideology
Ethical Considerations
DEI Concepts, Concerns, & Implications
Jesuit Historical Resources
Artifact Structure
Summary of Limitations
References