CATALDO - As Bishop Michael Driscoll stood before the hundreds of people gathered for the annual Feast of the Assumption Mass at the Cataldo Mission Church Thursday morning, he grasped a crook decked out with beads and feathers given to him by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe.

"I stand before you as your shepherd," Driscoll said proudly after he had led the crowd of Coeur d'Alene tribal members of all ages as well as many newcomers in Mass.

Driscoll was accompanied by 10 other deacons and priests who traveled to the chapel with the Diocese of Boise bishop. Driscoll travels each year from Boise to the Cataldo Mission to deliver the Mass.

The presentation of the crook is a clear example of how two cultures have blended for over a century, culminating each year on Aug. 15 with the Feast of the Assumption. The gathering is to celebrate the elevation of Mary into heaven at the end of her life.

Louise "Siuwheem" - a descendant of Coeur d'Alene Tribe Chief Circling Raven - was one of the first people to help pioneer the tribe's values with Catholicism. She was described as a leader of the new spiritual ways who would translate hymns and songs into the Coeur d'Alene dialect of the Salish language.

CeCe Curtis-Cook, the director of music, youth and language ministries at Sacred Heart Indian Mission, said Louise's body is buried at the Cataldo Mission, but nobody knows the exact location.

Cook gave a final blessing before the crowd enjoyed a home-cooked lunch and mentioned that two tribal elders, Felix Aripa and Virginia "Sis" Matt, were not in attendance at this year's Feast of the Assumption. Matt passed away three days ago and Aripa, who was apparently too sick to attend, is one of the last fluent speaking members of the tribe. Both elders had been in their 90s and attended the celebration their whole lives.

"These elders have been coming since they were so young and for them not to be here, people definitely feel that presence missing," Cook said. She added that this year's Feast of the Assumption was in part in honor of Aripa and Matt.

Father Bob Erickson, who leads three churches in Idaho on Indian reservation land, was also assisting with this year's proceedings. This is his second year at the Feast of the Assumption.

"It's good to be a part of the celebration," Erickson said. "It's enriching to be open to other cultures and to learn and to give."

As the Mass drew to an end on the hazy summer day in Cataldo and children's voices amped up in excitement for lunch, the crowd awaited "The Vision of Circling Raven," a play put on Thursday by the Coeur d'Alene tribal youth.

One in attendance was Evelyne Ello Hart, who lives in Spokane, but is originally from the Ivory Coast in Africa.

This is Ello Hart's first Feast of the Assumption in Cataldo after she heard about it last year as a student studying for her Ph.D in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University. She said as a girl growing up in the Ivory Coast, she attended her mission's Feast of the Assumption each year.

"Everyone would process around the village with candles and dance for hours," Ello Hart said. "It was important as I grew up to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption in my village so I thought I should celebrate it here with the tribe."

Ello Hart plans on attending the Cataldo Feast of the Assumption each year.

Also in attendance for this year's mass were Mike and Jeanie Cosley and Ruth Hamilton. The family traveled from Spokane, Wash., and declares the Cataldo Mission as their favorite spot. The family does not belong to the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and moved to Spokane from California.

"[The celebration] is impressive," Jeanie said. "This is our second year coming here."

The family noted the difference in the architecture in their home state of California and Idaho.

Wanda Matt, a tribe member her whole life, remembers when the Feast of the Assumption was held inside the chapel as a little girl. As more people started attending the Mass, it had to be held outside, she said. Matt recalls that besides Bishop Driscoll, there has been only one other bishop leading the Mass since she was a little girl.

To end the Feast of the Assumption, children from the Coeur d'Alene tribal youth performed a detailed telling of the story of their tribe. The bishops, deacons and priests of the Catholic Church as well as the Coeur d'Alene Tribe echoed each other in the importance of passing down the annual celebration to the "little ones."