An incident at St. Joseph Apache Mission in Mescalero, New Mexico has sparked controversy within the Mescalero Apache tribe and the Catholic community. The removal of an 8-foot Apache Christ painting by the church's former priest, along with other sacred Indigenous objects, has deeply affected parishioners.
The painting, created by Franciscan friar Robert Lentz in 1989, depicted Christ as a Mescalero medicine man and symbolized the union of Indigenous culture and faith for the community. The removal of the icon without prior notice or explanation left parishioners feeling hurt and disrespected.
