S moke S ignals NOVEMBER 15, 2018 13 Priest hopes to rebuild relationships in Grand Ronde upset politicians. “Writing and inter- viewing were my pas- sions,” he says. “But when I was in grade school and was an al- tar server for church with my brothers, I was the only one to memorize all of the prayers. I used to stop by the store on my way home and buy Necco Wafers and do ‘communion.’ I was doing a good job as a journalist, but decided to go back to my original calling.” Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez Pacanza, who is Father Zani Pacanza, parochial vicar at St. James based at St. James Catholic Church in McMinnville, also serves the Catholic Church in McMinnville, says his Grand Ronde community at St. Michael’s Catholic first 14 months of Sun- Church. day services in Grand gregation. ... Things have changed.” Ronde have been a positive expe- Pacanza, who grew up in the rience. Philippines, was assigned to St. “It’s been very beautiful,” he Michael’s in July 2017 shortly after says. “St. Michael’s is a very small completing Mount Angel Seminary parish, but very historic. People are and being ordained in Portland. really warm and always apprecia- After working as a journalist for tive if I say a good sermon.” several years in his native country, The choir includes three people Pacanza became burnt out after and brunch is served after Mass. covering the political beat and be- Church attendance is not required. ing threatened with lawsuits from By Danielle Frost Smoke Signals staff writer MCMINNVILLE — St. Michael’s Catholic Church has been a part of Grand Ronde since Father Adrian Croquet opened it in 1862, just five years after the Reservation was established. Scores of Tribal Elders recall attending the parish school and roller skating in the gymnasium as young teens. Tribal Council member Steve Bobb Sr. recalls how he used to drive the nuns to distraction with his an- tics. At one point, they stopped by his grandparents’ home to express “concern for his soul.” Through Termination and Resto- ration, St. Michael’s has remained open to the community and a small congregation gathers for weekly Sunday Mass. Zani Pacanza, the new priest-in- charge at the church, is hoping to reintroduce St. Michael’s to Tribal residents who once attended, but stopped coming for various reasons. “My goal is to rebuild those con- nections,” he says. “I was told that years ago, many were baptized at the church, but had left because of cold treatment. … I would like to invite them to visit again and increase their circle of friends. 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It is an import- ant part of Grand Ronde history.” Pacanza will get his first taste of Grand Ronde culture when he at- tends the 35th annual Restoration Celebration on Sunday, Nov. 18. “I am really excited,” he says. “I have been to powwows before, but not in this area. I am also looking forward to trying the food.” During the next few years, Pa- canza is hoping to add more social events to the church calendar with the help of a pastoral planning group. “I really enjoy seeing the mile- stones in people’s lives,” he says. “All of the sacraments we do – bap- tisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals – all of these are sharing in some of the most important aspects of their lives.” Pacanza says that everyone is welcome to rent the church gym at a low cost for events. For more information about St. Michael’s, which is located on Hebo Road just west of the Grand Ronde Road intersection, contact Pacanza at zanimpacanza@gmail.com or call 503-472-5232. For gym rental, contact Carol Nash at canash@live. com or 503-930-8355. n Certified Application Assisters at the Health & Wellness Center Cheyeanne Zimmer is now available to assist with re- certification and applications for the Oregon Health Plan. She can be reached at 503-879-1359 or cheyeanne.zimmer@grandronde.org. Leah Bailey also is a Certified Application Assister avail- able to help. She can be reached at 503-879-2197 or leah.bailey@grandronde.org. n