JUNE 2022
In This Issue: 2 Keeping Our Stewardship Commitments in the Summertime 3 Embrace the Holy Spirit 4 Keener Family Shares Inspiring Journey “Home to Rome” 6 Technology That Keeps Us Connected to Our Faith 7 Totus Tuus 2022
HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Our Parish Nursery: Taking Care of Our Most Important Gifts
I
n the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). This is precisely what the Cathedral nursery exists to do. Located in the former chapel and confessional space downstairs, the nursery is a space for our littlest Catholics to be cared for during Mass and events. Milinda Sinohui has been serving as nursery coordinator since it re-opened in January 2022. “This is far more than just watching kids play,” Our Parish Nursery staff she says. “We operate this like a Montessori-style preschool.” Milinda makes sure the nursery is well-stocked with religious toys. There are also toys for children to mimic things they see at home — like a kitchen set, for example. Milinda also plans programming for the kids. On Sundays, the staff and children spend time reading the Sunday readings and talking about them. Nursery staff are paid and receive training. Milinda wants to make sure the nursery is the best it can be. “In the past, I’ve viewed a nursery as a cry room,” she says. “The nursery here is not that. It’s an opportunity for children to learn at their level.” Children ages 1 to 5 are welcome during Mass. There is space for 14 children. Children ages 1 to 10 are welcome during parish activities and retreats. Milinda and her husband, James, have five children. With the youngest two having special needs, the couple is so happy to have a space for their children to go during Mass where they can receive what they need. “It’s hard to be a mother or father,” Milinda says. “There’s such pressure to have your children with you at Mass. continued on page 5 8TH STREET & BOULDER AVE • TULSA, OK 74119 • (918) 582-6247 • TULSACATHEDRAL.COM
HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL Stewardship
Keeping Our Stewardship Commitments in the Summertime
T
he kids are out of school and our fast-paced lives centered on school and youth sports activities have slowed down. Our own internal clocks are now on summer time. We’re ready for a break from our hectic lives. And while we take vacations and enjoy the leisurely pace of the season, we need to remember that summer is not the time to take a vacation from God. In fact, summer can serve as the perfect opportunity to grow in our relationship with God, especially since most of us have considerably more free time. So, instead of neglecting our faith due to busy days and late nights, try these simple steps to embrace God during the quieter summer months and during your vacation. Get More Active in a Parish Ministry The summer is actually a perfect time to get more involved in a parish ministry. Because we no longer have to get the kids to and from school, or get them to sporting events or other activities that normally occur during the school year, our schedules are a bit less cluttered. Summer is indeed a perfect time to fill some downtime with service to God through ministry and giving of your talents. Take a look through the parish ministries to find something that suits your particular interest or talent.
Totus Tuus, for Kids and Adults Totus Tuus is a great way for children to learn about God through prayer, activities and fellowship. The fun-filled lessons build upon Gospel teachings while keeping kids’ attention. For older children, 6th-12th grade, the group meets in the evenings. Adults can also help plan, decorate, organize and teach during the week. It’s a wonderful activity for the entire family! Give Thanks for the Sun Praise God for the sun, time off from school and easygoing days by visiting the adoration chapel to say a quick prayer. Bring a journal or rosary along to help stay focused. Little children can even bring a religious coloring book to give thanks to God on their terms. Or, before heading to the pool, why not attend daily Mass with the kids? It’s a perfect way to start the day and set the tone that — vacation or not — God is still an important part of your family life. Don’t Take a Vacation from Mass Often while on a vacation away from our parish family, we are not familiar with where to attend Mass. Don’t let that be an obstacle for you. Check out masstimes.org in order to find out where and when to go to Mass. In addition, if you are lodging at a hotel, the concierge will assist you with directions to the nearest Catholic Church. Summertime Stewardship of Treasure The prime reason for keeping up our pledge all summer is that God doesn’t go on vacation. He continues to sustain us throughout the summer months. He persists in pouring out blessings on us, even during the hottest weather. He keeps on meeting us in His sacramental presence when we go to Mass wherever we travel. As God remains faithful to us during the summer, we are called to be faithful in our commitments to Him and our parish family, even during our vacation time. So, enjoy the warmer temperatures and the relaxed atmosphere. Just don’t forget Who provides the sun and the sand! And most importantly, remember to take God with you wherever you go on vacation!
2
JUNE 2022 A Letter from Our Rector
EMBRACE THE HOLY SPIRIT Dear Parishioners,
Y
ou’ve all heard homilies about Pentecost, which comes on June 5 this year. Pentecost was the day when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles while they were gathered for prayer in Jerusalem. Coming 10 days after Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, the descent of the Holy Spirit turned the apostles from a collection of fearful followers looking for some direction into a band of courageous witnesses ready to declare their faith in Christ to the whole world. You’ve heard that Pentecost is the birthday of the Church because that was the day when newly filled with the Holy Spirit, St. Peter preached the first Christian sermon, inviting his listeners to turn to Jesus as their Savior and their Lord. Those who accepted the invitation were baptized and “were added” to the Church (Acts 2:41). That day marked the beginning of the Church’s public mission, which continues to the present. But the Holy Spirit’s actions in the Church were not limited to the apostles in an ancient time. He remains active down to the present, guiding the pope and the bishops as they go about their work of sanctifying, teaching and ruling in the Church. The Holy Spirit acts in the sacraments to make them effective signs of grace. We see the Holy Spirit’s work in the witness of the saints through whom He continues the work of salvation. The Spirit, moreover, acts not only in the Church as a corporate body, but also in the lives of individual Christians. We become temples of the Holy Spirit at our Baptism. Then at Confirmation, which is our own personal Pentecost, we receive the seal of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit unites us more closely to Christ, increases the spiritual gifts we have been given, and strengthens us to spread and defend the faith. Ultimately, Pentecost is more than simply a feast celebrating something that happened a long time ago. Of course, the coming of the Spirit we read about in Acts 2 took place just once. But the Holy Spirit remains active today, guiding the Church as a whole, but also working in the life of each individual Christian to make us holy.
Maybe you don’t feel as if the Holy Spirit is working in your life. Well, God the Father gave us free will, so we can choose whether or not we’ll obey Him. And God the Holy Spirit, being united in the one Godhead with the Father and the Son, honors that freedom. He’ll never force us to turn away from sin or compel us to obey God’s commandments. The Spirit offers us grace. He will beckon us toward heaven, and occasionally we may feel Him nudging us along, but we always have the freedom to choose God or to reject Him. Perhaps you’ve made a commitment to worship at Mass at least weekly and spend some time each day in prayer. Maybe you have promised to use some of your talents in parish ministries and service to the community. You may even have turned in a card at our last renewal to indicate your pledge of a portion of your treasure to be used in God’s service. I hope you’ve done all of these. If so, both the Holy Spirit’s grace and your response were involved in your decision. And the Holy Spirit will give you the strength to fulfill your commitments. This Pentecost, make the Gradual verse we’ll sing just before the Gospel your personal prayer: Alleluia. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful; and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia. If you do, you’ll find the Holy Spirit working even more strongly in your life. You’ll be happier, and the world, at least your little corner of it, will be a better place. Sincerely yours in Christ,
Very Rev. Gary D. Kastl Rector 3
HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL
Keener Family Shares Inspirin A
The Keener family 4
few years ago, when Ron Keener was in the Army, Christ reached His arms out to him in an extraordinary way. “Our journey to the Catholic faith began when I was training Air Force pilots, and a couple of them were faithful Catholics who did a very good job at explaining and living out the Catholic faith,” Ron says. “They were really stewards of the Church, and they were willing to answer all of my questions. This really lit a fire in my heart that I took back to my wife and son.” Divine Providence worked its wonders, and other people were also put into their path to help carry the Keeners “home to Rome.” “My sister and brother-in-law were also Catholic, and he died about a year ago,” Ron says. “Soon after going to his Catholic funeral service, my son said he really wanted us to consider becoming Catholic, so we decided to seriously look into it.” Although little seeds of faith had already been planted in their souls, the Keeners wanted to nurture them and bring them to fruition. “We tried several different parishes, and we just happened to visit Holy Family the same time they were having their Becoming Catholic classes,” Ron says. “We felt at home here, and we started coming to the classes right away that August. We are very happy with what we have found!” Becoming Catholic is Holy Family Cathedral’s program for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA. The process of RCIA was established for the universal Church for individuals to become Catholic and receive the Sacraments of Initiation — Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. This initiation process also involves a parish community experiencing a renewal in faith as it prepares and welcomes new members into the Church. “The weekly classes brought us through a good, long journey,” Ron says. “We covered a lot of information, but I know there is room for a lot more. I am very interested in the Catholic faith and I plan on studying a lot more about it, and maybe even going back to Becoming Catholic classes next year as a sponsor, or just to learn more.” Throughout the Becoming Catholic process, the Keener family eagerly looked forward to the Easter Vigil. After receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time,
JUNE 2022
ng Journey “Home to Rome” each of them was confirmed and received their First Holy Communion, while Ron was baptized as well. When asked what they have found most inspiring and authentic about the Catholic Faith, Ron has plenty of details to share. “We were drawn to the Catholic Church because of the uncompromising core values it teaches,” Ron says. “It doesn’t just pick and choose what it wants. We appreciate the Church’s views on pro-life issues, as well as those on marriage and family. We have found the Church to have a merciful attitude towards sinners. There is much peace in the Catholic faith, especially because of Confession and
the Eucharist.” Overall, Ron believes that they have found the “real deal.” “When I was growing up in the Episcopal Church, we would joke that we were ‘Catholic-like,’ but now I see that the Catholic faith is something much different, deeper, and richer than we thought,” he says. “It is the real thing. From what I have learned, every other Christian church is just a splinter of what the original Catholic Church started.” We joyfully welcome the Keener family at Holy Family Cathedral. Welcome home!
If you would like more information about Becoming Catholic, please call the parish office at 918-582-6247 or email becomingcatholic@tulsacathedral.com.
Parish Nursery
continued from front cover
I want to give moms and dads a space that is safe for them to take their children. We want to support women in the vocation of motherhood. It’s hard enough as it is.” Fr. Kastl wanted to reopen the nursery because he knows how important it is for families at the Cathedral during Mass and events. It’s hard for parents to attend events if they don’t have anyone to care for their children. He also made sure the space is beautiful — this beauty, alone, helps draw children closer to the Lord. “Fr. Kastl sees families as shepherds,” Milinda says. “He knows the value of forming ourselves and our children. I am thankful that he has such a willingness to form families.”
Milinda feels so blessed to be working in her current position. For her, it’s one way she can support families. “After moving to Tulsa, the Lord put in my heart to do this,” Milinda says. “I want to serve and grow families. To me, this is part of the preservation of marriages and families. I want to support families in becoming more faithful and devout.” Fr. Kastl and Milinda know the Lord is behind this ministry. It’s helping support parents as they grow in their faith. “I believe this ministry will continue to grow and flourish,” Milinda says. “It’s a true blessing for parents — those who are growing and forming in faith.”
Nursery spots for events fill quickly and are sent out via Flocknote. Children are welcome in the nursery during 10 a.m. and noon Mass on Sundays until about 15 minutes before Mass ends. Parishioners are invited to come check out the nursery space.
5
HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL Technology That Keeps Us Connected to Our Faith: There’s an App for That!
“L
et the Church always be a place of mercy and hope, where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven.” These words from Pope Francis weren’t delivered during a homily in St. Peter’s or in a speech from St. Peter’s Square — nor were they written in a papal bull or apostolic letter. Rather, they were delivered in an instant to millions of Catholics around the world through the pope’s very own Twitter account. The technology of communication has perhaps changed more in the past century than in the previous 20 combined. And with these developments, the Catholic Church — led by our Holy Fathers, from Pope St. John Paul II through Pope Francis — strongly encourages that the faithful adopt and adapt these resources for the all-important task of spreading the Gospel throughout the whole world. Just as St. Paul used every convenience at his disposal to spread the Gospel throughout the far reaches of the Roman empire, today’s evangelists are using every resource available to them. Examples of Catholic figures using the new media with great success abound. Only a few months into his pontificate, Pope Francis took the Vatican’s social media efforts to a whole new level. In spring 2013, the Vatican released The Pope App, which featured quotes, news, images and videos of all the Holy Father’s latest doings. Having since been relaunched as the Vatican News App, it continues to offer the latest news and information from Pope Francis and the Holy See. 6
Following the pope’s lead, bishops, priests and apologists have taken the technological gifts at their fingertips and are utilizing them to spread the Gospel throughout the world in a variety of ways. One great example is Bishop Robert Barron of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, whose Word On Fire Ministry has produced wildly popular YouTube videos discussing everything from controversial Church teachings to movie reviews from a Catholic perspective. Word On Fire also released the critically acclaimed Catholicism DVD documentary series. Independent Catholic bloggers and internet-based media are also widely established and provide their audiences and readership with Catholic news and cultural commentary. Throughout America, parishes, Catholic schools, dioceses, and even the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are utilizing these tools as well, creating first-rate websites, maintaining Twitter and Facebook accounts, and more. All of these resources are geared toward a wide variety of audiences — those entirely new to the faith, fallen-away Catholics and active parishioners. Being knowledgeable of the new media tools available to us as Catholics is a great way to be more effective in our universal call to evangelization. Take some time to see what media resources our parish and diocese are using, and be sure to pass them along to those in your sphere of influence!
JUNE 2022
Totus Tuus 2022 Summer Fellowship and Formation for Our Youth
T
his July, Holy Family Cathedral is excited to offer Totus Tuus once again for the children of the parish! Open to students from first through 12th grade, Totus Tuus kicks off on Sunday, July 10. The program will be filled with opportunities for our youth to engage each other in a unique week of faith formation. Latin for “totally yours,” Totus Tuus was a term used frequently by St. John Paul II in reference to Marian devotions. “Last year we welcomed back Totus Tuus after a couple-year hiatus,” says Alondra Griffith, Youth Coordinator at Holy Family Cathedral. “We had an overwhelmingly positive response from the parish with bringing Totus Tuus back and cannot wait for the missionaries to join us again this year.” Unlike a traditional Vacation Bible School hosted by parish staff and volunteers, Totus Tuus is led by a group of missionaries, two boys and two girls. These teams go through strong catechetical training at the beginning of the summer, establish strong prayer lives,
and bond over the course of the summer. They become experts in the themes for the year and teach the children fundamentals of the Rosary, the Mass, adoration, and more, which really makes aspects of the faith more realistic. “I had the opportunity to attend Totus Tuus growing up and serve as a missionary in 2017 and 2018,” Alondra says. “As a participant, I was able to understand that missionaries were not this far-off concept. Missionaries can serve in our own neighborhoods. One of the greatest blessings of serving as a missionary was the full immersion of so many Catholic traditions on a weekly basis. We prayed Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, went to Mass daily, and adoration with the children a couple of times a week, and we really got to see the children realize how real our faith is.” Totus Tuus is divided into two groups of children — the day program and the evening program. Children continued on back cover
“Totus Tuus provides a great opportunity for the children to grow in their faith and really bond with the larger ‘family of the youth’ at our parish.” — A lo n d r a G r i f f i t h , Y o u t h C o o r d i nato r
7
PO Box 3204 • Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 (918) 582-6247 • tulsacathedral.com
Totus Tuus 2022
continued from page 7
entering first through fifth grades attend the day session, and sixth through 12th grades attend the evening program. The day program includes Mass each day along with lessons, games, singing, dance parties, and a deeper understanding of the Rosary. Older students are immersed in the same topics and have an opportunity to end each night with evening prayer as a group. At the end of each week, there is a fun celebration. The evening program runs Sunday through Thursday night and culminates with a fun
activity in the evening. The capstone of the day program is an epic water play day on Friday afternoon. “Our parish is growing with young families and we want to engage these children year-round,” Alondra says. “The fellowship I saw last year among those in the evening program was incredible. Totus Tuus provides a great opportunity for the children to grow in their faith and really bond with the larger ‘family of the youth’ at our parish.”
Registration begins on June 2 and will be available through Flocknote. Be sure to secure your spot, as the program will fill up quickly! Volunteers are needed to help with the day and evening programs, as well as meals for the team. If you would like to volunteer, or if you have any questions, please contact Alondra Griffith at agriffith@tulsacathedral.com.
