The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

On July 1, 2018 Father Pete retired after 41 years of service to the Big Sandy, Box Elder, and Rocky Boy Catholic Churches. Attending a potluck supper in honor of Father Pete, found those in attendance emotional about his leaving. Some just teared up when asked what he meant to them and couldn't give a verbal response. I was given a quote by one of the women who said it was one of her favorite quotes. It was by Sister Theresa and it says, "we can't all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love." "And that's epitome of Father Pete. That is who he is."

It started when he was a senior in high school in Madison Wisconsin and his father asked him if he was going to attend the local college, the University of Wisconsin. "I would be able to walk from home, save money and all that, which was always assumed". He looked at this father and said no, and his father asked why not. And he said, "they don't have a seminary department." His father just looked at him and said OK.

After receiving counseling from the Catholic Diocese who gave him his choices on where he could go to become a priest, he chose to go to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa a Catholic Liberal Art College because it was accredited and he wanted the classes he took to be accredited. He was also working canning De Monte Sweet Peas during his freshman year in winter of 1964 when members of the Catholic Family Movement came to recruit college kids to travel to Rocky Boy to help Father Nyquist with some projects. He knew that he wouldn't be hired on for the corn pack later in the summer during August and September because he would be in school. So, he had three weeks to give to the project.

So, in 1964 he came with two of his friends in a Volkswagen Beetle to Rocky Boy to help Father Nyquist. He spent two weeks here that summer, then the next summer he spent six weeks here, and then every summer after that he would spend six weeks helping out. "During my final years I asked the Bishop if I could be a priest in Eastern Montana."

His first stop, as a Priest, was in June 1971 at Popular and Fort Kipp Montana. "My time there was good."

He came to the Big Sandy area as a priest in 1977. Father Pete knew he was going to be serving Rocky Boy by building a log church and house, so Father Rock moved to Big Sandy and was here for about six years in the spring of 1979 and stayed until 1986. In 1986 Father Pete was asked if he could also serve Big Sandy again.

His vocation started by an invitation of a lay couple. That and he mentions some of the old tribe members from Rocky Boy would write letters of encouragement while he was still in college. He does have an Indian name, Buffalo Walker. The name was given to him by Donald Meyers of Rocky Boy, whose Indian name was also Buffalo Walker.

Father Pete said, "You don't retire from being a Priest, but you do retire from being a pastor or an administrator, but not a Priest. You minister to whoever you meet along the way. You go out of yourself. It's all a mission field." He will miss the Sunday gatherings, but he'll be invited to suppers and "I'll be saying come out for supper."

"It's been an honor to live in these three places, parishes. It's been a two-way street in my mind. Me being a minister to them and they have ministered to me. Being hospitable and acceptance. I've lived more than half of my life here. I've been honored to be able to do it."

It was hard for his congregation to express themselves. He left a huge legacy of caring.

"He's been an important part my life. He's been there for everything that is important. Marriage, birth of babies, and death."

"He's a soft big teddy bear."

"Father Pete has been in Big Sandy since the mountain grew up. The Bear Paws were still a flat spot."

"He ministered to everyone, not just Catholics. When we ran in to each other down town one day, he asked me "how are you doing today". I didn't respond like we most do with the normal "fine, how are you doing?" I was having a really bad day and so I told him the truth. Right there in the middle of town he ministered to me."

"Father Pete is the most inspirational, the most genuine, the most thoughtful, the most forgiving, caring, kind, human being I have ever met. We are defiantly going to miss you but are glad you are retiring when you can get out and enjoy some life."

"We are going to miss our number one Packer friend."

An Alter Boy said, "Whenever I would go and help him get the special gifts, her would always lean on my shoulder so he wouldn't fall over."

"He finally got a red hat. In the Catholic Church a red hat is for Bishops and Cardinals. His is for fishing."

He'll be living in the area. He can't leave the place he loves, the people he loves. The people who love him.

Peterg@itstriangle.com