3 minute read
Our St. Francis Ministry: Joyfully Caring for God’s Creation at Holy Family Cathedral
Can you remember your first visit to Holy Family Cathedral? Maybe you grew up here and have seen the church through multiple renovations, or maybe you recently moved to town and decided to join the Mother Church of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. Either way, first impressions can make a lasting impact, and the St. Francis Ministry intends to make sure our cathedral’s first impression is a good one for those who enter our campus.
“We aim to beautify and maintain the landscaping at Holy Family Cathedral,” says Carol Lambert, ministry leader of the St. Francis Ministry. “We work with Fr. Kastl to envision a welcoming campus and then execute the plans as a group.”
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The St. Francis Ministry started during the 2021 Stewardship Renewal at Holy Family Cathedral. Carol, a longtime member of the Cathedral Choir, was asked to take on a leadership role in this ministry because of her affinity for gardening.
“My education background is actually in horticulture,” Carol says. “But I was raised in a family that is very keen on gardening. My mother grew roses, and my father would grow wonderful veggies. I was asked to lead this ministry two weeks before I retired from work. In many ways, it was a ‘God thing.’ As I was anticipating retirement, I had prayed about being able to help out more at the church and He provided a way.”
Most of the work done by this ministry happens during parish workdays with the occasional weed pulling. Last October, members attacked the weeds on the northeast corner of campus and evaluated how they could spruce up that area. Carol then worked with Fr. Kastl to plan a welcoming garden in that spot.
“One of my first ideas was to add height through grasses,” Carol says. “We also planted at the spring parish workday to add color to the northeast corner. Any changes to the landscape will likely happen seasonally, but we also want to be intentional about choosing plants that are sturdy enough to handle the Oklahoma weather.”
Anyone, with a green thumb or not, is invited to join the St. Francis Ministry. Various talents can be used for the assortment of tasks this ministry handles.
“The work of this ministry isn’t very glamorous,” Carol says. “We sometimes get covered in dirt and might spend a long time pulling weeds or raking leaves, but there’s so much joy found in these simple tasks. Then you remember that you’re doing this work to make our campus inviting to all and it brings an even greater sense of wonder at the gifts we have been given.”
