Father Francis Craft, Missionary to the Sioux

Last updated on: September 11, 2009 at 6:24 am by Pat McNamara

Father Francis Craft, Missionary to the Sioux 2009-09-11T06:24:00-06:00 Pat McNamara

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Thomas W. Foley found the journal of the Catholic priest Father Francis M. Craft, a missionary to the Sioux and other American Indians, in a shoebox in his aunt’s home in Chicago. His aunt had been a friend of Fr. Craft’s, and Foley became interested in Craft’s life and his ministry. He began researching Fr. Craft’s life and work by examining this journal and material in monasteries and archives in the Dakotas and in Rome. His research has led to this book, a very readable biography that shows Fr. Craft as a human person who tried to follow his call to serve the American Indians despite opposition from various clergy and members of the government.
Born on September 23, 1852 in New York City, Francis Craft was part Mohawk from his paternal grandmother’s side. He was also an Episcopalian who converted around 1874. Before his conversion, he had enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War at the age of ten, with his father’s permission and the help of the governor of New York. He served as a messenger at the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, where he was wounded. After the Civil War, he entered Columbia University at twelve years old to become a medical doctor. He studied at the University of Louvain in Belgium to learn more about surgery; while there, he joined the French Army during the Franco-Prussian War. At age nineteen, he raised an army to go to Cuba to fight for its independence from Spain. After his military career conversion to Catholicism, Francis Craft decided to join the Jesuits around 1876, though he ultimately decided not to stay. He joined Bishop Martin Marty, O.S.B.’s large missionary diocese of the Dakotas. Bishop Marty ordained Craft on March 24, 1883, and Fr. Craft began his ministry on the Rosebud Reservation. He was adopted by Chief Spotted Tail and given the name Hovering Eagle; he was also made an honorary chief. Fr. Craft came into conflict with the reservation’s agent, and Bishop Marty moved him to Standing Rock Reservation. He was later assigned to Fort Berthold Reservation.
Fr. Craft had a bellicose nature, inclined to fight anyone who insulted or threatened him, and he carried a gun. At the Wounded Knee massacre, he himself was injured. In the massacre’s aftermath, he wanted to found a religious order for American Indian women and sent some Sioux women to a novitiate with the Benedictines to learn about religious life. His order was opposed, though, by several bishops and the Catholic Indian Bureau. Still, he eventually got his bishop’s permission to try to create the order. Around ten women joined and some made final vows, in opposition of other bishops. St. Katharine Drexel was beginning to found her order to minister to American Indians and African Americans. She had their support, and she had her own money to support the order, while Fr. Craft did not have the money to keep his order going. Eventually he had to leave the reservation and his order,too, had to leave. They first went to help minister in Cuban hospitals during the Spanish-American War. One of the sisters died there, and Fr. Craft tried to re-establish his order somewhere else. He was unable to convince any bishop to support him, and the sisters were forced to return to the reservation where they later married and had children. Fr. Craft found a parish to work in the Scranton, Pennsylvania diocese, remaining there until his death on September 11, 1920. Fr. Craft’s personality may have been his downfall in attempting to create a religious order for American Indian women. He was not patient, nor was he disposed to being politically correct with bishops or government officials, although he did have some support from various government officials and other important personages. Still, they eventually were unable to help him; he had created animosities with too many important clerics and government officials. He seemed unwilling to work with them by compromising on some things. He wanted all things his way, and he ran into a wall. In 1935, according to Foley’s epilogue a Native American order for women was founded and is still in existence.

(From curledup.com, by Br. Benet Exton, O.S.B.)

Uncategorized

Previous Post

September 11, 2009

Archbishop Edwin V. O'Hara (1881-1956)

Next Post

September 11, 2009 Quote of the Day

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category African-American Catholics Alabama Catholics American Catholic History American Catholic women American History Anniversaries Anti-Catholicism Arkansas Catholics Benedictines Bishops Blessed John Henry Newman Book Reviews Books Boston College Brooklyn churches Brothers California Catholics Capuchins Cardinals Carlo Carretto Carmelites Catholic authors Catholic Cemeteries Catholic Historians Catholic History in Less Than 5 Minutes Catholic musicians Catholic Poetry Catholic Press Catholic School Textbook Catholic University of America Catholic Worker Catholics and Music Catholics and Race Catholics in Politics Catholics in the American Revolution Catholics in the Military Catholics in the Movies Catholics in the South Catholics in the West Catholics on Stage Catjolic Women Catolic Poetry Charles de Foucauld Children's Masses Christian Brothers Christmas Church Reform Civil Rights Movement Civil War Colleges and universities Converts D.C. Catholics Deaf Catholics Dominicans. Dorothy Day English Catholics Florida Catholics Fordham University Franciscans French Catholics Georgetown University German Americans Good Shepherd Sisters Hispanic Catholics Historians and Archivists Holy Cross Fathers Holy Name Society Idaho Catholics Illinois Catholics Indian Wars Indiana Catholics Irish Americans Irish Catholicism Italian Americans Italian Catholics Jesuits Josephite Sisters Kentucky Catholics Know-Nothings Laetare Medal Recipients laity Liturgical Movement Maine Catholics Manhattan College Maryland Catholicism Michigan Catholics Middle Ages Minnesota Catholics Missionaries Mississippi Catholics Missouri Catholics Monasteries Montana Catholics Native Americans New England Catholicism New Jersey Catholics New York Catholics North American College Ohio Catholics Oratorians Oregon Catholics Parish Mission Parishes Passionists Pat McNamara's Books Paulists Pennsylvania Catholics Popes Presidents Priests Quotations Religious Orders Rhode Island Catholics Saints Salesians Seminarians Seminaries Sermons Servants of God Siisters of Charity Sisters of Mercy South Carolina Catholics Spanish-American War Sports St. Francis of Assiai St. John Henry Newman Suplicians Tennessee Catholics Texas Catholics The year in review Thomas Merton Throwback Thursday Photograph Trappists Uncategorized University of Notre Dame Video Presentations Vincentians Virginia Catholics Visitation Nuns Washington West Point West Virginia Catholics West Viriginia Catholics Wisconsin Catholicism Women Religious World War II

Select a Month December 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 April 2012 March 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did the Israelites grumble about after crossing the Red Sea?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Wild animals Boredom Lack of water Too much sun