Spring 2019
Esther Loustaunau directs Young Adults Page 2
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Church hires Project Manager, Matt Bendel Page 3
Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
Lechners lead Mentor Couple ministry
Kelsey Griffin named National Merit Finalist
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Spring 2019
Quarterly Newsletter
Susan Gehring greeted Bishop Konderla when he visited the School in February.
Bishop Konderla issues Pastoral Letter Diocese of Tulsa prepares to implement Pastoral Goals On Pentecost of 2018, Bishop David Konderla wrote and released his first pastoral letter to the people of the Diocese of Tulsa. Entitled God Builds a House, Bishop Konderla’s letter outlines his plans for three key objectives:
Strengthening the Family Formation of Catholic leaders Forming Missionary Disciples
Father Jack Gleason, pastor, wishes to be proactive in implementing Bishop Konderla’s goals. He asked members of the Pastor’s Team - comprised of parishioners and staff members - to study the pastoral letter and to make recommendations to him on how the Church of Saint Mary can best prepare
to respond to Bishop Konderla’s aims. This issue of the parish newsletter contains a reprint of God Builds a House in its entirety, courtesy of the Diocese of Tulsa. The sidebars on pages five through nine highlight some parish ministries aligned to meet the goals of the pastoral letter. Bishop Konderla states many times in the letter his hope to implement the goals by Pentecost of 2021. The Church of Saint Mary is eager to help him.
Read it in its entirety starting on page 4.
churchofsaintmary.com
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Spring 2019
Night of Mercy Adoration Confession Praise Prayer
Thursday, March 14 A is for Adoration; A is for ACTS
Thursday, April 11 Do you remember your First Communion?
Thursday, May 9 Be Sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Esther will engage the parish’s large Young Adult population.
When Father Jack called Esther to ask her to head up the Young Adults Ministry, she responded, “Wow. I’m shocked. I’ll think and pray about it.”
young adults form a beautiful community is my goal. I want young adults to thrive off each other, learn from each other, and grow with each other.”
Father Jack approached Esther because of her extensive background with youth ministry. His hope is that Esther can draw upon that experience to further develop the parish ministry to young adults.
Esther is using Facebook to connect with parish young adults. She set up a group called Church Of Saint Mary Young Adults. Membership requires approval, but Esther is quick to grant approval for new members.
Esther accepted the position and has been contacting parish young adults individually. She has hosted small gatherings in her home so she can start to form relationships with young adult parishioners. Esther Loustaunau joined the parish staff
Second Thursday of the Month 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Short reception following Church of Saint Mary
in September 2018. Long term, Esther hopes to see the ministry grow to be as large as the Knights of Columbus or any other big ministry.
“This parish,” she says, “is my family. Community is important to me. To help
Esther recently gave an interview where she outlined her plans to further develop a thriving young adults ministry. The interview is available on the parish website, churchofsaintmary.com, or on the parish’s YouTube channel.
Spring 2019
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Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
Great Students at the School of Saint Mary
Matt Bendel prepares to oversee the design and construction of the new Community Center.
The successful With Arms Open Wide capital campaign is more than halfway complete, but what is happening in the planning process? The Church of Saint Mary hired Mr. Matt Bendel to be the owner’s representative during the design and construction of the new parish Community Center. Mr. Bendel answered questions about his role and about the future of the project.
What’s next for the project? Right now, we are currently reviewing the contracts between the church and the architect and general contractor. We are nearing the very end of that process.
What is an Owner’s Rep? My role is to represent the Church of Saint Mary throughout the construction process from the initial contract review all the way through construction and ending with the oneyear warranty Matt Bendel of Bendel Building Company is the Owner’s Rep for the Church of Saint Mary. walkthrough. My job is not to be the boss of the general contractor. Rather, I’m the main point of contact for those two entities. My main goal is to represent the church and to act on the church’s behalf to mediate any issues.
Next is the exciting phase of design. Nabholtz, the general contractor, will be working with Centergy, the architect, to provide a cost analysis to make sure we stay on budget and can stay on schedule. We will see a real design rather than just a rendering.
Kelsey Griffin graduated from the School of Saint Mary in 2015. Earlier this year, she was named one of five National Merit Scholars at Bishop Kelley High School.
Watch an in-depth video interview with Mr. Bendel on churchofsaintmary.com.
The School of Saint Mary will be accepting applications for enrollment. Call the School of Saint Mary office at 918-7499361 or email the school at stmary@schoolofsaintmary.com
churchofsaintmary.com
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Spring 2019
Pastoral Letter To the Clergy, Religious, Lay Faithful, and all People of Good Will in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, “If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builders labor.” Ps. 127:1 1. The Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma is the House of the Lord and our shared home. When I began parish visitations after my episcopal ordination, parishioners would often ask me, “What is your plan for the Diocese?” As a new bishop who was moving across the Red River for the first time, I knew that I could not yet answer your questions about future plans for the Diocese. I needed to meet you and
listen to you. I needed to hear your stories of faith and life. I needed to hear about your successes and your challenges in helping God build His own house in your lives and in the reality of our parish communities. My ongoing process of visiting the parishes and people throughout the Diocese has helped me to know what is in the hearts and minds of our diocesan family. In addition to these visitations, last October
Spring 2019
we initiated a process of prayerful discernment and strategic planning to consider how we might further the mission of Christ in our shared home, the Church in Eastern Oklahoma. 2. When I listened to your hopes and dreams for evangelization, enlivened parishes, deeper marriages, and greater outreach to local communities, I grew increasingly excited at what I believe God is preparing to do through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. It brought to mind the teachings of St. Bernard of Clairvaux about the three special moments in the history of our salvation: formation, deformation, and reformation. The moment of formation is the creation when we were made in the Image of God, which is realized in our personal freedom; the moment of deformation is the disease of sin that infected our original human dignity; and the moment of reformation is the possibility of healing and restoration of our humanity through the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. These moments also take place in our personal lives. Our lives of faith are defined by a constant process of formation, deformation, and reformation. Through the sacramental life of the Church, we receive the grace needed for formation and the mercy needed for reformation after deformation. The sacraments teach us to embrace our role in life as a builder who cooperates in the construction of God’s house. 3. These three moments (formation, deformation, and reformation) are beautifully illustrated in the Scriptures with the construction, destruction, and reconstruction of the Temple. After the people of Israel gathered all the materials they needed to build God’s residence in the Holy City, Solomon came with all the priests to install the Ark of the Covenant. On that glorious day, a cloud came down and God took possession of His dwelling. In front of the congregation, Solomon said, “The Lord has said that He would dwell in thick darkness. I have built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” (1 King 8:12-13) Through the labors of His people, the Lord had built His house. 4. Then came the Babylonian Captivity. In the year 597 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, came to Jerusalem,
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Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
burned down the House of the Lord, the Temple, and took the people to His kingdom. (2 King 25:8-9) This was one of the darkest periods in the history of Israel. Of course, the prophets had warned them through the Word of the Lord that their sinful relationships with other kingdoms and their abandonment of the Law of the Lord would result in judgment and exile. The sin of the people led them into deformation. The Lord announced through the prophet Amos, however, the coming reformation: “One day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old.” (Amos 9:11) After the end of the captivity, the prophet Haggai tells us about the life of the Israelites who came back to Jerusalem. The prophet summons the people and asks, “Is it time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” (Haggai 1:4) Haggai called the people to rebuild the House of the Lord, crying, “Go up to the hill and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.” (Haggai 1:8) The Temple had been constructed by God, destroyed through the sin of the people, and then reconstructed by the grace of God. 5. The story of the Temple is also the story of our souls. Our personal relationship with Jesus Christ undergoes this same cycle of formation, deformation, and reformation. We are all made in the Image of God. He constructed us to be in a free and loving relationship with Him. St. Augustine teaches us that God made us for Himself and our hearts are restless until they find rest in Him. (See Confessions, Lib. 1, 1-2) When we remember that God has created us and calls us to rest in Him, then we better understand our identity as His laborers and servants. We are His creation. We belong to Him. Whether it is the Church, the Diocese, the parish, or the soul, it is the Lord who dwells there and it is the Lord’s house. We, by the grace of God, are simply the co-laborers of His construction. Unfortunately, there is always the danger that we fall into the trap of believing we are somehow selfmade, admiring ourselves and what we foolishly think we have accomplished (Continued on page 6)
Meeting the Goals:
Marriage Preparation
Goal 1 states “Couple mentors will be certified in each parish by May 23, 2021. The number will be determined by the parish. The Church of Saint Mary offers a married-couple to engaged-couple ministry that helps prepare an engaged couple for the Sacrament of Marriage. The sponsor couple is matched with the engaged couple and offers a Christ-like example by providing a positive model of the domestic church. Sponsor couples are approved by the Pastor.
Carla and Junie Lechner lead the ministry. According to them, “Marriage prep mentor couples are selected because their marriage in some way reflects that the husband and wife have been working and growing together into a deeper relationship with Christ. Engaged couples get to know their mentor couple over a period of time. The couples use a workbook to guide their discussions when they meet together. The subjects are divided in a way that lead to more positive communication, problem solving, a stronger prayer life, and effective child rearing within a marriage. The mentor couples often share their personal experiences of the ups and downs of marriage during the discussions. This sort of marriage prep gives the newly married couple tools that will help them form a strong family and become their own children's first evangelizers and effective evangelizers within their community.
churchofsaintmary.com
Meeting the Goals:
Family-based Catechesis
Goal 1 states, “Two thirds of the parishes will offer a family based catechetical model by May 23, 2021.” Bishop Konderla’s pastoral letter sets a goal to strengthen the family. For the past four years, the parish Children’s Ministries has hosted Family RE Events. Valerie Howard, Director of Children’s Ministries says, “There is no ‘one-size fits all’ solution for catechesis. Many families choose Catholic Schools for their children or Sunday Religious Education classes. There’s nothing wrong with going to Catholic School, or going to RE. Family-based catechesis is an excellent third option for families who want parents to serve as teachers.” The Church of Saint Mary introduced a family-based model last fall. The church offers sessions to parents to come together to discuss how they will teach their children - at times that are convenient and conducive to their busy schedules. Families receive copies of the books used in Sunday Religious Education classes. The Catholic Church has long held the teaching that parents are the primary catechists of their children. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church has this to add, “Parents have the right to choose the formative tools that respond to their convictions and to seek those means that will help them best to fulfill their duty as educators, in the spiritual and religious sphere also.” (Compendium, No. 240) Mrs. Howard says, “The key is that parents are involved.”
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Spring 2019
us always through the Church that He established. There is only one Church for ourselves. The temptation to disas there is only one Jesus, one Body tance or separate ourselves from our with one Head, one Bride with one Maker and our identity in Him inevitaGroom. He promised to be with us bly leads us to sin, to destruction, to through the very end of the age, and, in deformation. If the Lord does not build His Church, we are reconstructed and the house, we labor in vain. rebuilt through His grace in the sacraments. As people in relationship with 6. Our moments or patterns of deJesus Christ, we are each a sacred struction through sin are painful for house, a temple, set apart for the worourselves and those around us. Someship of God and lives of faith. As memtimes our sin can be public and embarbers of the Church, the Body of Christ, rassing. It is also easy to become comwe gather at Mass and are nourished by placent, so that we reject any form of the very Body and Blood of Jesus Christ change and learn to live mediocre lives in the Eucharist. We are God’s building with little or no virtue. As faithful both individually and corporately Catholics, we are called to regular selfthrough the Church. Together, our examination to profaith goes further, tect us from lives of as we come to unsin and complacency. derstand ourselves We are called daily to as a member of the Our vision for the next repentance and conBody of Christ, the version to Christ. We three years is to build a House of the Lord, are called to measure in Eastern Oklahoculture of Catholic disciourselves against the ma. God has built pleship and community, teaching of Christ His house in each of inviting all who live in and His Church, not us, reforming and Eastern Oklahoma to a our own imaginareconstructing by personal relationship with tions or standards. His grace. We are Jesus Christ. We must receive the also the repurposed Jesus Christ who and reformed matecame two-thousand rials that make up years ago, not create His building, the a “Jesus” who meets the fashions and Church. We are a new creation, a new fads of this age. As Christ taught us, building, a new people called to pro“Anyone who hears and obeys these claim the redemption and salvation of teachings of mine is like a wise person Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth, who built a house on solid rock. Rain specifically in the Diocese of Tulsa and poured down, rivers flooded, and Eastern Oklahoma. (cf. 1 Cor. 5:17; winds beat against that house. But it Matt. 28:19-20) This is the mission of did not fall, because it was built on solJesus Christ and His Church. id rock. Anyone who hears my teachings and doesn’t obey them is like a 8. We know that the ultimate mission foolish person who built a house on of any Diocese never really changes sand. The rain poured down, the rivers because it is the mission of the Church. flooded, and the winds blew and beat We hear it beautifully during the against that house. Finally, it fell with Chrism Mass: “The Spirit of the Lord is a crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27) We will upon Me because He has anointed Me not labor in vain nor will we set our to bring glad tidings to the poor. He work upon the sand, because we will be has sent me to proclaim liberty to capwise builders with a firm foundation, tives and recovery of sight to the blind, Jesus Christ. to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” (Luke 4:18) We are the ones 7. Saint Paul tells us that Jesus Christ is anointed by the Spirit of the Lord to the cornerstone upon which our entire bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to lives are to be built. (cf. Ephesians the world. We have been sent to find 2:20) Any reconstruction in our lives the poor, the oppressed, and the ones demands that we have the proper dewho walk blindly through life and who sign and blueprint, which is Christ are losing hope in this world. Yet, even Himself. (cf. Ephesians 4:13) Thankfulif we never formed a strategic plan, we ly, Jesus Christ tells us that He is with (Continued from page 5)
Spring 2019
would nonetheless be united in this work of evangelization, as we celebrate Mass in our parishes, catechize our children, seek to live the faith, and bring Christ to every part of our daily life. Still, we are all called to reflect on our faith and the work of our parishes and institutions, because we know that there are areas that need reconstruction and reformation. There are parts of the Lord’s House in the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma that need to be rebuilt for our sake, for the sake of our parishes and communities, and for the sake of the poor and the vulnerable. Our responsibility to rebuild the Lord’s House, to seek Christ and be holy, is the “most attractive face of the Church,” according to Pope Francis. (cf. Gaudete et Exsultate, n.9) 9. In listening to you through pastoral visitations and our strategic planning process, I have discovered a deep desire among the faithful to be united as a Diocese in a more visible way. You have told me that you do not wish to be a collection of 77 parish communities working toward individual goals, but to be united as a family in the House of the Lord working through 77 different parishes to bring a strategic set of goals to bear on the lives of every person throughout the Diocese. You have also expressed a desire to bring the mercy and love of Christ both to those who are already in full communion with the Church and to every one of our neighbors, because God desires that all people would enjoy the fullness of faith realized in the Catholic faith. 10. The parishes in our shared home are remarkably diverse. We have parishes that are large and small, rural and urban. We have some with schools and some without. We have parishes with more resources than others. And through all the parishes in our family, we celebrate Mass in five different languages every weekend. I believe this diversity, united as it is in Christ, is a gift and strength to our Diocese, our shared house. In fact, we really look like the Church in its earliest stages of development and construction, as we are a diverse people seeking Christ in an increasingly anti-Christian climate. Recognizing our unity in Christ, we know that our strategic plan will be lived out in different ways in different places according to local needs, but it
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Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
should be unified through one vision with shared priorities. After consulting with people throughout the Diocese and completing a process of discernment and strategic planning, I am now happy to share the following vision and three priorities around which we can unite over the next three years. Together, let us allow the Lord to build His House in all of us and through all of us, so that we do not labor in vain.
Meeting the Goals:
NFP Leaders
VISION
Our vision for the next three years is to build a culture of Catholic discipleship and community, inviting all who live in Eastern Oklahoma to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We will work to equip all the faithful in our parishes and institutions to evangelize the surrounding culture and to build the next generation of strong families who seek the call of God in their lives.
PURPOSE The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma proclaims in word and deed the saving message of Jesus Christ and His Church that all may know, love, and serve Him.
CORE VIRTUES Encountering Christ: We are forgiven, healed, and renewed by an ongoing and fruitful encounter with Jesus, who is present in the Church and sanctifies through Word and Sacraments. 1. We renew our commitment to keeping the Eucharistic Lord at the center of our lives and faith communities, and prepare ourselves for Holy Communion by regular Confession and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; 2. Our celebration of all the Sacraments will be marked by a faith-filled awareness of Christ’s presence and action, as well as, an understanding of how we are to cooperate with the sacramental graces; 3. We call ceaselessly upon the Mother of God, especially through cultivation of Marian consecration and recitation of the Rosary, that she might guide us to an ever-deeper relationship with her Son. (Continued on page 8)
Goal 1 states: “8-10 (NFP) natural family planning leaders (4 bilingual) will be certified in the different regions of the diocese by May 23, 2021. “ The Church of Saint Mary has a number of couples who are certified to teach Natural Family Planning. The church looks forward to collaborating with neighboring parishes to give information about NFP to young Catholic couples as they learn what the Church teaches. 2018 marked the fiftieth anniversary of Humanae Vitae, the landmark papal encyclical that addressed these issues. The United States Conference of Catholic supports individual dioceses and parishes in their efforts. A recent document says, “Natural Family Planning is an umbrella term for certain methods used to achieve and avoid pregnancies. These methods are based on observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. Couples using NFP to avoid pregnancy abstain from intercourse and genital contact during the fertile phase of the woman's cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy. “NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child. By respecting the love-giving and life-giving natures of marriage, NFP can enrich the bond between husband and wife.” (Standards for Diocesan Natural Family Planning Ministry, p. 23)
churchofsaintmary.com
Meeting the Goals:
Formation of Catholic Leaders
Goal 2 states: 1. To establish local and ongoing formation for Catholic leaders in every profession and vocation by which they grow in the habit of integrating the Faith into all aspects of professional and personal life; 2. To establish local and ongoing formation opportunities for every catechist by which they grow in the craft of catechesis through greater appropriation of the Faith, as communicated in theology, philosophy, and the arts. 3. To establish local and ongoing formation opportunities for every Catholic-school teacher by which they grow in the art of teaching through a deeper appropriation of the fundamental compatibility between faith and reason, the holistic integration of knowledge across all disciplines, and the unique qualities of a specifically Catholic content and method of education. The Diocese of Tulsa established in 2018 the Alcuin Institute, directed by Dr. Richard Meloche and Dr. Marcel Brown. They describe the Institute as a “faculty of friends dedicated to the earnest (and often dangerous) quest of discovering truth and living in accord with that discovery. We are, in this sense, a ‘school’ – that is, a place of leisure and wonder (minus the quizzes, classrooms, and No. 2 pencils).” Drs. Meloche and Brown are tasked with the implementation of Bishop Konderla’s second goal, the formation of Catholic leaders, catechists, and Catholic School teachers.
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Transformed in Christ: Jesus Christ remains at the center of the daily lives of the Christian faithful and the mission of Catholic institutions, so that in whatever we say or do, Christ might make Himself known through us. We acknowledge that every Catholic and every Catholic institution in our Diocese bears the supreme duty of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so that Our Lord may penetrate both our hearts and the hearts of every person in Eastern Oklahoma; We acknowledge that every Catholic in Eastern Oklahoma is called to grow deeper in their Catholic faith, so that, through authentic catechesis in our parishes and schools, all persons may grow in communion and intimacy with Jesus Christ; We acknowledge that, through the fruits of evangelization and catechesis, all Catholics are called to be intentional, missionary disciples of Our Lord, who, trusting in His grace, seek to know, love, and serve Christ and His Church in all they do. United in Christ: Enriched by the cultures, races, and generations represented in the Church in Eastern Oklahoma, we seek to build up the body of Christ by loving others with his generous and sacrificial love. 1. We celebrate a variety of gifts bestowed on our faithful in diocesan councils and events; 2. We cultivate fraternal and pastoral ties between our parishes.
PRIORITIES First Priority: Strengthen the Family and the Domestic Church The family is the foundation of all human society and is currently threatened by forces that could destroy or deform its nature and mission. While assisted by schools and parish programs, parents are irreplaceable as the primary educators of their children. Over the next three years, the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma will seek to strengthen marriage as a voca-
Spring 2019
tion to holiness, so that married couples may reflect the love of God and parents may lead their children to know the Lord. Throughout the Diocese, we will equip families to grow together in a deeper relationship with Jesus. We want to build our homes and the Church through strong marriages and families. Second Priority: Formation of Catholic Leaders All persons within the Church in Eastern Oklahoma are called to an ongoing conversion. This conversion includes understanding who Christ is in order that we may draw ever closer to Him. Catholic leaders, by cooperating in the teaching ministry of Jesus Christ, help guide the faithful into a deeper understanding of our Lord and His Church. Over the next three years, the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma will revitalize the formation of our catechists, Catholic school teachers, and other Catholic leaders. Through solid studies and the cultivation of mentoring relationships, the Diocese will help our leaders become bridges to the love and wisdom of Christ’s Church. We want to build our parishes, schools, and institutions on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Third Priority: Parishes Making Missionary Disciples Missionary disciples embrace the grace of the sacraments they have received and live in a committed relationship with Jesus Christ seeking to make Him known to all. The parish is the primary context in which the faithful receive the sacraments and develop this relationship. Pastors and parish leaders are responsible for forming disciples who evangelize the greater community. Over the next three years, the parishes of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma will foster a culture of mission, identifying ways to build up disciples who will go out to the entire community. We want to reconstruct lives to be faithful members of Jesus Christ and His Church so that others might be drawn into a relationship with our Lord.
GOALS
Over the next three years, we will develop these priorities through the following goals:
Spring 2019
First Goal: Strengthen the Family and the Domestic Church It has always been the case that those who are evangelized, who come to know and love Jesus Christ and his Church, become evangelizers. To this end, we will pursue these goals: Couple mentors will be certified in each parish by May 23, 2021. The number will be determined by the parish. Two thirds of the parishes will offer a family based catechetical model by May 23, 2021. 8-10 (NFP) natural family planning leaders (4 bilingual) will be certified in the different regions of the diocese by May 23, 2021. Second Goal: Formation of Catholic Leaders Parents remain the primary catechists for their children (cf. Catechesi Tradendae, n.68), but the aid given in schools and catechetical programs and youth groups is vital to the formation of children and young adults in Christ. To this end, we will pursue these goals: 1. To establish local and ongoing formation for Catholic leaders in every profession and vocation by which they grow in the habit of integrating the Faith into all aspects of professional and personal life; 2. To establish local and ongoing formation opportunities for every catechist by which they grow in the craft of catechesis through greater appropriation of the Faith, as communicated in theology, philosophy, and the arts. 3. To establish local and ongoing formation opportunities for every Catholic-school teacher by which they grow in the art of teaching through a deeper appropriation of the fundamental compatibility between faith and reason, the holistic integration of knowledge across all disciplines, and the unique qualities of a specifically Catholic content and method of education. Third Goal: Parishes Making Missionary Disciples The diversity that strengthens our diocese requires that these priorities be adapted to each location. To this end, our goal is that by May 23, 2021, all parishes will have begun the implementation of an individual strategic
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plan for missionary discipleship aligned to the diocesan vision. As we begin this work together which will help unify us as a family, I offer these words from Cardinal John Dearden for our reflection and prayer. May the Holy Spirit, the fire of Pentecost, enliven our zeal for the mission of Jesus Christ in our world today. “It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.”
"Pray for us that we may be a sign of the love of Christ for our people.” Blessed Stanley Rother May we dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of our lives,
Most Rev. David A. Konderla Bishop of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma May 20, 2018, Solemnity of Pentecost
Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
Meeting the Goals:
Forming Missionary Disciples
Goal 3 states: Our goal is that by May 23, 2021, all parishes will have begun the implementation of an individual strategic plan for missionary discipleship aligned to the diocesan vision. The Church of Saint Mary has a number of ministries charged with evangelization. The ACTS Retreat ministry, Parish Mission, School of Saint Mary, and others already strive to form Catholics as missionary disciples. The church offers audio of recent homilies on its website in an effort to share the Good News with Tulsans who are not yet part of the parish. churchofsaintmary.com/media The Church of Saint Mary looks forward to cooperating with Bishop Konderla in his plan to form every parishioner as a missionary disciple and to carry out Christ’s Great Commission.
churchofsaintmary.com
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Spring 2019
TEMPORARY OUTREACH SPACE
Construction Project will take place in five stages The Quiet Period and Stage 1 are nearly complete by Mike Holdgrafer and Matt Bendel
A quiet period followed the exciting With Arms Open Wide campaign. Parishioners responded generously to the campaign and its vision of a new Community Center to meet the parish’s future .
The church is currently engaged in the design and pre-construction phase with Cyntergy and Nabholz. Demolition and construction are projected to begin in late fall 2019. The Community Center project will take approximately eighteen months. Parish staff will be posting frequent updates to show the
Bob McDonald, the leader of our campaign, warned of a long quiet period. During the quiet period, the parish The open-air courtyard leads into the Parish Hall. Building Committee negotiated contracts with Cyntergy Architects and Nabholtz Congrowth of the new building. struction. They submitted the contracts to Bishop David Konderla and the Diocese of Tulsa and are awaiting approvThe Choir Rehearsal Space is the only part of the project al. to take place on the east side of the church. The intent is to
Spring 2019
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Church of Saint Mary Newsletter
1: CREATING NEW OFFICE SPACE Nine employees and several Outreach Ministry volunteers work in the Office Annex, two old neighborhood houses that were converted into makeshift office space. Eight employees will move into new space in the existing Church Office and into the former St. Joseph Room.
2. MOVING OUTREACH TO A TEMPORARY SPACE The Outreach Ministry uses two offices, a counseling room, a kitchen, and a dry storage room. The Church of Saint Mary is currently working to purchase a duplex west of the Annex. The current structure will be replaced with temporary housing for the Outreach Ministry. After the building project ends, the church will use the space for storage and to free up parking in the lots adjacent to the church.
3. PRECONSTRUCTION Designers are working with the Construction Manager and the Church of Saint Mary to finalize the detailed construction documents.
The Office Annex will be demolished. Engineers will begin preparing the site for the new structure. Additional parking will be added along 49th Place to give easy access to the new Outreach Center and to the Church Office.
4. CONSTRUCTION OF COMMUNITY CENTER The two-story Community Center will be built. The kitchen, Parish Hall, Youth Room, Meeting spaces, and Outreach Center will be outfitted with furnishing to serve the parish for decades.
The 4,800 square foot Parish Hall seats up to 600 theater style.
phase this construction during the summer of 2020 to avoid disruption of school dropoff and pickup.
5. CONSTRUCTION OF CHOIR REHEARSAL ROOM & RENOVATED CHURCH AND ACTIVITY CENTER ENTRANCES The final stage is the music room and choir rehearsal area to be built between the Activity Center and the Vestibule. The goal is to build it during Summer Break of 2020 to minimize disruption of school dropoff and pickup.
churchofsaintmary.com
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Spring 2019
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID TULSA, OK
Church of Saint Mary
PERMIT NO. 162
1347 E. 49th Pl. Tulsa, OK 74105
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