Browning, Day 1, De La Salle, March 9, 2026
Currently, it is 7:10 pm on the first legitimate day of the De La Salle Immersion Trip. The team woke up at 6 am to ready for time at the school with the children. By 6:15 am, brother Jim walked through the trailer door and informed the team that the school had a snow day, and there was no class in session. I thought that Jim was joking initially, and I hoped that he was but he was not. I was devastated that we were not spending time with the students. I was eager to interact with the kids, to give and serve as well as receive and learn from them. I went back to my bed and slept for a few more hours. The lord bestowed that grace of rest upon me. After reflecting on the day, it was much needed. Chris coordinated with Jon to change the gameplan for the day. Chris made an influential midgame adjustment for the squad. We left at 11 am to East Glacier to hike and learn from the park rangers. The hike in the national park was planned for Friday before departing home. I was enthused to partake in the hike. I am leaving Thursday morning to visit my family, so I should have missed out on the hike; instead, I gladly laced up the snowshoes and hiked in the forest. We came to understand some of the culture behind the Blackfeet’s relationship with the federal government from 1850 to 1910. We were educated about wildlife and vegetation in the area; moreover, how to scout and track the animals. We competed in an activity called run and scream–a tradition the Blackfeet Indians utilized to see who would lead the bison off the jumps. The name of the game is self explanatory, simply we ran from a start line with one breath screaming to see who could make it the furthest. I was in the lead until my left snowshoe fell off and tripped me. I did a somersault and lied in the snow for a minute or so.
The drive to East Glacier and back to the mission campus were filled with fruitful conversations governed by the Lord. The roads were mildly poor conditions. The rest of the evening was chill. There was conversation, stories, puzzles, naps, silence, reflection, and prayer. There was chicken alfredo and broccoli for dinner–it was delicious. Many of the peers on this team I have never conversated or hung out with. These strangers have became good friends. I hope to continue friendship with these fellow servants. I respect these people and their personalities. We have broke bread together, enjoyed meals and talked endlessly. We have inside jokes about: “the buffalo guy,” “the buffalo runner,” “the wolf guy,” and “immersion.” I pray the lord conforms my heart to his, so I can treat these individuals with graciousness and love. Although today did not entail servitude at De La Salle, it was not a fluke because the lord planned a day to recharge and prepare for what is to come. I yearn to encourage the kids throughout this week. Tomorrow will be fulfilling and our assembly entrance will be exhilarating. We need prayer to share the Lord’s light and we need silence to be able to touch souls. I am extremely appreciative of this opportunity thus far. May peace be with you, god bless.
Maki McArthur, Junior, Chemistry Major on Pre-Med Pathway studying at Carroll College
When I woke up at 6:00AM, all I could think about was all of the uncertainty of the day. I was scared that I wouldn’t be prepared to spend a whole day in a grade school classroom and I had some genuine anxiety about it. I was worried that the kids wouldn’t like me, a fear that would be similar to a grade schooler’s on the first day of school. Then just minutes after I got out of bed, Brother Jim informed us that the De La Salle Blackfeet School was having a snow day. I felt feelings of relief, but also disappointment. In that moment I realized that I really wanted to go and make some sort of difference no matter how small and that now I would have one less day to do that.
Despite the disappointment, we made the most of the day. I became just a little more connected in the complex Blackfeet culture and I also built better connections with the people on the trip with me as well. My day was really highlighted by rest, the outdoors, and getting educated myself. In the morning I really felt grateful for the people on the trip and we had some fun conversation on the drive up to Glacier National Park. When we got there we went on an educational snowshoeing hike. This was great and I feel like I got to learn a lot about the Blackfeet culture both literally from our guides and physically from just recognizing how important the area is to them. Now I have a renewed motivation to do the best I can the rest of the week.
Tanner Joyce, Freshman, Civil Engineering Major at Carroll College
Day 1 – Arrival in Chicago, 3/8/26
Today we set off for Chicago to spend the week serving with the Franciscans at their retreat center and working alongside them among the poor. The day started very early. With daylight saving time and a 4:15 a.m. wake-up, the morning felt especially brutal. Still half asleep, we drove from Helena to Bozeman to catch our 8 a.m. flight. On the drive we prayed a rosary together, which was a peaceful way to begin the trip and helped set the tone for the week ahead.
After landing in Chicago, we took the train into the city and headed to Logan Square for lunch. Riding the train gave us a chance to see different neighborhoods as we made our way through the city. We stopped at Same Day Take Away to eat, and while we waited to be picked up we spent a little time outside tossing around a hacky sack and enjoying a moment to pause after the morning of travel.
Sister Macey picked us up from there and drove us to the retreat center where we’ll be staying. On the drive we noticed the variety of architecture and how closely the houses sit next to one another. It was interesting seeing the character of the different streets as we made our way to the retreat center.
When we arrived, Sister Macey gave us a tour of the new retreat building, and it’s amazing. Everything is so clean and clearly well cared for. During the tour she shared more about the ministries that take place here. They host a food pantry and have recently added free, quick clinics for the community. Since I’ll be a nurse soon, that especially caught my attention. Providing healthcare for the poor and marginalized I’m sure will make a great impact.
There are also spaces meant for community and rest, like a board game and lounge room, which make the whole place feel very welcoming. As she showed us around, Sister Macey talked about how everything here is a gift. Everything in the building has been donated, and she shared that with a lot of gratitude. It was a meaningful reminder of how generosity and faith can create something that serves many people.
We enjoyed dinner with the sisters at the retreat center and had time to talk and get to know them a little better. Tomorrow another college group from Ferris State University will be arriving, and we’re looking forward to meeting them and getting to know them throughout the week.
We ended the evening with Eucharistic adoration and some puzzle time together, which turned into a nice bit of team bonding after a long day of travel. It was a full first day, but it already feels like this week is going to be a meaningful experience.
My biggest takeaway from the day is that everything is a gift and the Franciscan’s way of life is so so beautiful!
Kathryn
Day 1, March 10, 2024 Browning, MT
Hello from Browning!
Our trip is already starting off with one roadblock and one detour but we made it and had an informative and great day! We were five minutes out from making Mass at 10:30 in Browning, and could see town – but the road was blocked off because 60MPH+ wind gusts blew over a truck & trailer across the road. So no Sunday Mass for us with the Browning community.
We backtracked to the Mission property that we are staying at. I can’t wait to explore it more, hopefully when the wind dies down. We unpacked our stuff, had a yummy lunch of grilled cheese and tomato soup (thanks Emma, Sarah, and Hailey!), and then were able to drive into town. We had an informative orientation session at the school and then we toured it. It’s pretty small!
Then we walked across the street to the grocery store to stock up on lunch and dinner items. It’s crazy how small town grocery stores are so expensive. One bag of apples was $9. The brothers said that people will drive to big grocery stores in Kalispell or Great Falls, but man, what an out-of-the-way experience just to stock up on basic and affordable necessities – all while having to pay for gas for a 4-hour road trip.
We got back to the mission, rested a bit, and were treated to a yummy dinner cooked by Brother Dale, who’s the president of the De La Salle Blackfeet School and the director at the mission property here. We had dinner with Brother Dale, Brother Jim (who’s retired, and is the caretaker of the bunkhouse we’re staying at here), Brother Dylan (the president of the school), and Brother Brian (he’s visiting here for a month from the East Coast). Brother Dale made a turkey casserole, green beans, cornbread, salad, and a peach-mango crisp!
As we couldn’t have Mass in a church, we were lucky enough to have a communion service held in the church here on the property after dinner.
A bit about the mission property: it is fairly large and includes three homes (one for the brothers, one for working faculty at the school, and another for volunteers). There’s access to the river here. It’s by a buffalo jump (which is basically a tall cliff which the Native Americans would use to hunt and kill the buffalo by driving them over the cliff so they’d fall). There was a boarding school here from 1890-1940 but that building isn’t here any more. The church was built in 1938 and is equal parts simple yet beautiful: lots of old, dark wood, stained glass windows, a bell we each got to ring, and a feeling of simplicity and serenity. We had a very nice communion service, and then headed back to the bunkhouse to pack our lunches, reflect, and go to bed!
Signing off from Browning, Glacier County, Montana! The wind says hello.
-Natalie
Carroll College Campus Ministry 