Winter 2017
Page 1
Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
Quarterly Newsletter
An exciting project is on the horizon by Father Jack Gleason
surveys will be available for all parishioners to complete. Please watch for more details about the study. For twenty years, the Steier
The work of our parish Priority Planning Team, created more than three years ago, has reached an exciting phase. Plans for a new parish hall at Saint Mary are coming together, and we’re working with a construction manager to come up with designs and renderings of a beautiful new building.
NEW CONSTRUCTION? The project will address some of the needs that have been raised during our review of parish priorities. These include: A FELLOWSHIP HALL CAPABLE
SUCH AS WEDDING RECEPTIONS AND ANNIVERSARY PARTIES
AN
UPGRADED KITCHEN SUITABLE FOR COOK-
ING AND CATERING
A SPACE
FOR YOUTH MINISTRY
ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, BOTH WITHIN THE PARISH AND IN THE COMMUNITY
A MORE
APPROPRIATE SPACE FOR OUR WON-
DERFUL MUSIC MINISTRY.
This project comes as part of our efforts to enhance our parish facilities, a process that began with our renovated sanctuary, a project completed in 2015. Other priorities addressed recently include the new church floor, our hearing loop, and the Activity Center’s updated lighting, flooring, scoreboards, and painting
OF HANDLING
LARGER PARISH GATHERINGS AND EVENTS
Next, we want to share with you what we know, find out what you think and gauge support for the project. We are partnering with the Steier Group, an Omaha-based national development company, on a planning study that will begin in January. A Steier Group representative will be at Saint Mary interviewing dozens of parishioners about the project, and
Group has helped Catholic parishes and school across the country raise funds.
Each parish household is an important part of this process. Because of your embrace of stewardship as a way of life, your sharing of the gifts God has given you, we have accomplished much. Thank you for that! Yet our vision holds so much promise of what Saint Mary can be. Please take part in the upcoming study, and pray for its success.
churchofsaintmary.com
Come, Encounter Christ at our next
Page 2
Winter 2017
Parish adds new Christmas Eve Mass 5:00 p.m., 5:15 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. Masses on Christmas Eve 9:00 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day
Night of Mercy
Thursday, December 14 6:00 p.m. Meal 6:30-7:30 p.m. Prayer
Adoration Song Teaching Intercessory Prayer Confession
Several confessors will be present to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The Church of Saint Mary is adding a 5:15 p.m. Mass on Christmas Eve.
CHRISTMAS MASSES
Consistently high attendance at the 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass meant that parishioners and guests stood in the back of the church, throughout the community center, and down the hallway to Beckerle Hall.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24
The church will offer a 5:00 Christmas Eve Mass in the church with the Christmas family choir. An additional Mass at 5:15 p.m. will take place in the Activity Center and will feature the music of the Sunday evening worship team. The 10:00 p.m. Vigil Mass with choir and orchestra includes a Prelude of Carols beginning at 9:30 p.m. On Christmas Day, the church will offer the customary 9:00 a.m. Mass with our choir.
5:00 P.M. MASS 5:15 P.M. MASS
WITH FAMILY CHOIR
WITH
SUNDAY EVEN-
ING WORSHIP TEAM
9:30 P.M. PRELUDE OF CAROLS CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA
10:00 P.M. MASS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 9:00 A.M. MASS
WITH
Winter 2017
Page 3
Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
Monsignor Dorney celebrates 50 years of priesthood “The
people that I have served over the years have been so gracious and supportive. It has been a joy.”
— By Mason Beecroft, Photo by Dave Crenshaw Reprinted with permission from the Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine
Lord, that seems like forever!’” “But it doesn’t seem like that now,” he continued. “It has been such a joyous life in so many ways and the time has gone by quickly. I have such wonderful memories of so many priests who gave me guidance when I was first ordained. And the people that I have served over the years have been so gracious and supportive. It has been a joy.”
Last month, the Church of Saint Mary in Tulsa celebrated the 50th anniversary of Msgr. Dennis Dorney’s ordination into the priesthood with a Vespers Service. Monsignor Dorney will also be honored at Saint Mary with three Jubilee Masses. The Masses will be on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 5 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 17 at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Each Mass will be followed by a reception. While Msgr. Dorney is officially retired, he remains active at Saint Mary and at various ministries throughout the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. Until Bishop Konderla appointed the recently ordained Father Duy Nguyen as the associate pastor of Saint Mary, Msgr. Dorney filled that role to help Father Jack Gleason, pastor at Saint Mary. Now Msgr. Dorney regularly celebrates Mass at parishes throughout the diocese to assist his fellow priests. He also remains on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities and the Porta Caeli House. Every Friday he volunteers at the Porta Caeli House, which he finds es-
Monsignor Dorney is excited for the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma because of the quality of the young men now entering the priesthood. pecially rewarding. “I am passionate about the ministry at Porta Caeli,” he explained. “I find it absolutely enriching to spend time with the guests and families there. Many of the guests who come there are not doing much talking, but I have the privilege to interact with their families, listen to their stories and be
present for them. The families are so appreciative to have the opportunity to share and they love the atmosphere of the home.” Reflecting on the anniversary of his priesthood, Monsignor Dorney joked, “When I was first a priest, I watched other priests celebrate their 50th and thought to myself, ‘O
Anniversary Masses December 16 at 5:00 p.m. December 17 at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Receptions follow all three Masses in the Activity Center.
“We have such good young men coming into the priesthood. They are so talented in such diverse ways,” he said. “I would encourage them to enjoy every moment of their ministry and to develop good relationships with their fellow priests. And they should never get so busy that they don’t have time to pray and reflect.” When Monsignor Dorney isn’t volunteering his time, he enjoys time reading and working outside in his garden.
churchofsaintmary.com
Page 4
Winter 2017
Why Parishioners recommit to Stewardship
At the beginning of December, Church of Saint Mary parishioners began to renew their commitment to the parish—and more importantly—to God.
Parish Statistics November 2016 to November 2017 10 Marriages 20 Receptions into Full Communion
Yeehaw! Howdy Weekend & the Year of Hospitality Remember slapping a nametag on your lapel and visiting our old west town? Last August’s Howdy Weekend was the kickoff weekend for an entire year of hospitality. We’re already a friendly parish, but we began exploring ways to increase our hospitality. Each parish ministry is challenged to explore how it extends hospitality to new participants, and how it serves to welcome new parishioners. The parish Newcomers Committee has embraced the spirit of hospitality by changing the way it welcomes our newest parishioners. The parish invites newcomers to a semiannual lunch at the Rectory.
Every new parishioner is invited to take a personal - or family - guided tour of the campus. These new Discovery Tours showcase everything the parish offers its members. Newcomers learn why the parish encourages involvement in ministries: it builds up the church and increases a sense of belonging.
32 Funerals 35 Baptisms 42 First Communions 47 Confirmations 74 Students in our Preschool 197 New Parishioners 246 Students in our School 1466 Heads of Household
4066 Parishioners Statistics indicate good Church Health With thirty-five Baptisms and a gain of nearly two hundred new parishioners in the past year, the Church of Saint Mary is a healthy parish. The challenge for a parish as large as ours is finding ways for parishioners to connect with each other and with parish ministries. The parish
Stewardship Council created Howdy Weekend so they could distribute nametags to parishioners and invite them to experience the parish’s hospitality. Several of the parish’s hospitality ministries sent representatives to Howdy Weekend to chat about how their duties make the Church of Saint Mary a hospitable place.
Winter 2017
Page 5
Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
While many parishioners chose to complete cards found in the pews or at the Information Center, others may prefer completing an online form: churchofsaintmary.com/renewal
churchofsaintmary.com
Page 6
Winter 2017
Parishioners renovate
the Rectory Kitchen School of Saint Mary
Upcoming Dates:
Our parish priests are blessed with a Rectory they call home. They share their home with parishioners and guests when they welcome newcomers, or thank parish committees for their service, or host other parish celebrations.
Saint Mary parishioners have ensured that the Rectory remains a warm and welcoming space. They noticed that many of the appliances in the Rectory Kitchen were in need of replacement, so they made a plan to replace them.
the group persuaded him. We convinced him that sooner rather than later it needed to be done. It’s not just for him; it’s for the whole community.”
Preschool Christmas Program
Getting Started
December 13 & 14, 10:00 a.m.
The Plan School Christmas Program December 18, 8:15 a.m.
Christmas Break December 21 - January 2
Catholic Schools Week January 29 - February 2
Pam Tanner was one of the catalysts who helped to form the renovation plan.
Pam worked with Jack Crews and Alan Sylvester of the parish Home Improvement Ministry. Pam said, “We contacted Jack and Alan. They agreed that the work needed to be done.”
“Jane [Bender] and I got it started after the MaryFair Scotch & Beef dinner. We realMany generous donors helped with the ized that the kitchen needed work,” said demolition of the old space. The Home ImPam recalling the evening when she decided provement Ministry team contacted Habitat to recruit donors to fund the modernization. for Humanity to see if they could reuse any of the old fixtures, countertops, cabinets, Pam and Jane enlisted the help of Michael and floor tiles. The Habitat for Humanity Tanner. Pam said, “Michael has been the crew helped in the careful demolition of the general contractor and the coordinator of it kitchen. all. They pried nails out of studs, lifted fix“While Father Jack was hesitant at first,
Winter 2017
tures out of niches, and worked carefully with men from Habitat for Humanity so that all the cabinets and countertops could be reused in a future Habitat House. A large group of parishioners - many of whom work in our Home Improvement Ministry - put in many hours to make sure the project was done well. They stripped the walls down to studs and insulation to get the space ready to be rebuilt.
Rebuilding the Kitchen Professionals installed and painted new walls. They exchanged old lighting fixtures for new recessed ones. Our men hung the cabinets and attached doors so that a painting crew could stain and paint them. The appliances are robust enough to handle heavy use following large dinners, and are designed for effortless day-to-day use.
Putting the kitchen to use Days after completion, Father Jack and Father Duy hosted nearly fifty parish newcomers at the Rectory. The new kitchen performed flawlessly.
Parishioners giving generously Saint Mary parishioners have been blessed with abundant gifts and they respond to God with great gratitude. Thirty-seven donors funded the project. Dozens of others will contribute their time or their connections to complete the project. Pam reflected, “It’s amazing how open and willing parishioners have been. They genuinely want to help; they saw the need and wanted to help.”
Page 7
Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
churchofsaintmary.com
Page 8
Winter 2017
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID TULSA, OK
Church of Saint Mary
PERMIT NO. 162
1347 E. 49th Pl. Tulsa, OK 74105
Church LifeTM is a free mobile app for iOS and Android that lets you see church information conveniently on your mobile device. See current parishioner photos, contact information, and parish calendar dates.
Your mySaintMary login works here.