Holy Family
December 2014
Volume 19, Issue 5
Cathedral News
V. Rev. Jovita Okonkwo is the Cathedral Rector Bishop Slattery blesses the Deceased Priests’ Shrine RCIA members become Catechumens & Candidates 1
Fr. Jovita Okonkwo is the Cathedral Rector Bishop Slattery installed him as Rector on November 30
Bishop Edward Slattery celebrated Mass in a packed Holy Family Cathedral as hundreds of the Faithful came to see the new Rector of the Cathedral. Very Reverend Jovita Okonkwo became the Rector at the 10:00 Mass on the First Sunday of Advent, November 30. The Mass of Installation was followed by a Reception provided by the Cathedral Women’s Club. This is a reprint of Fr. Jovita’s words at the end of that Mass. On this First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year, my heart is full of thanks to God who gave me the gift of the priesthood. I thank him for sustaining my vocation for the 17 years I have been a priest. When I became a priest I knew that I had become, like the prophet Isaiah said, clay in the Potter’s hand. All I desire is that He molds me as He wills.
I thank Bishop Slattery for the trust, privilege and honor of choosing me to be the rector of his cathedral. I promise with the help of God to give it my all. I thank Monsignor Gier for his priestly witness and for his 17 years of service to the cathedral which saw several improvements to the cathedral and the spiritual lives of the people who call Holy Family their home. I found that the same month
and year I became a priest coincided with the month and year that Gier became the rector of the cathedral. When I came to Tulsa in 2004 and had the honor of serving under him, he was called the Monjunior while Halpine was the Mon-senior. After 17 years of service he thoroughly deserves to be a Mon-senior, and to me a father and “a seat of wisdom” from which (Continued on page 3)
Identification Statement: The Cathedral New s Issue 5 Dec ember 2014 (USP S 022-729) is published 10 x per year (monthly, except for June and July) by Holy Family Cathedral at 122 W 8th St., Tulsa OK 74119-1402. Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, OK. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: CATHEDRAL NEWS, PO BOX 3204, Tulsa, OK 74101-3204.
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in Tulsa who have continued to support me through my journey. I want to thank family and friends here today to support me. Permit me to mention in a special way my professor, Dr. Steinheider who has been very helpful in my academic pursuit. My brother, Dr. Vitalis flew in from Florida because he didn’t want to miss this occasion. My American Mom and “I thank Bishop dad, Mary and John Knecht Slattery for the trust, and the entire Knecht family privilege and honor are here today to support me. of choosing me to be Thank you for your love and the rector of his caeverything you are to me! thedral. I promise with the help of God Finally, I dedicate this day to give it my all.” and my priestly service to
to draw the necessary advice and help to serve as the new rector of the cathedral. I’m enamored by his ability of using humor to attend to even the most difficult tasks and humor is his everyday language. Monsignor Gier, thank you for your service!
I thank the parishioners of Holy Family and all who have made Holy Family one of the most glorious cathedrals in the United States. I have been asked about my aspiration for this parish, and it needs to be re-stated. I desire that under our pastor, Bishop Slattery, we would grow to be more intentional about our Catholic faith and as members of Jesus’ holy family. I thank all of you who have come here today to grace this occasion. I want to mention particularly my former parishioners from Sacred Heart Sapulpa and St. Pius
Holy Family Cathedral to the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Grace; and borrowing the words of Archbishop Sheen, I pray that as the celestial temptress and with loyal deceit, she might betray me and the flock of this parish to her Son, as uncaught captives of Divine love! Thank you all, and God bless you!
HOLY DAYS IN DECEMBER: THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY MONDAY, DECEMBER 8 7:00 a.m. Mass 9:00 a.m. Mass 12:00 p.m. Mass 5:00 p.m. Mass
THE MASSES OF CHRISTMAS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24 [The 12:05 pm Mass today will observe the Advent Weekday daily Mass.] 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Confessions 5:00 p.m. Children’s Mass 7:30 p.m. Vigil Mass 11:00 p.m. Christmas Carols 12:00 Midnight Mass with Bishop Slattery and Full Choir THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25 8:00 a.m. Mass 10:00 a.m. Mass with Motet Choir 12:00 p.m. Mass with Motet Choir [No 5:00 p.m. Mass]
MARY, MOTHER OF GOD: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31 [The 12:05 pm Mass today will observe the seventh day of the Octave of Christmas.] 5:00 p.m. Mass
Bishop Slattery blessed everyone in the Cathedral, then he blessed altars, confessionals, shrines, and Stations of the Cross for use during Fr. Jovita’s time as Rector.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1 8:00 a.m. Mass 10:00 a.m. Mass 12:00 p.m. Mass [No 5:00 p.m. Mass] 3
Anointing of the Sick Holy Family has a tradition of offering the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick during Advent. This year, it will take place on the Fourth Sunday of Advent at the 5:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday, December 20; and at the 8:00 a.m. and Noon Masses on Sunday, December 21. Those eligible to receive the sacrament are those who are dangerously ill through sickness or age or who are anticipating surgery.
Solemn Vespers On the last Sunday of each month, Bishop Slattery gathers the people of the diocese together to celebrate solemn Vespers at the Cathedral. With psalms, readings and prayers taken from the Scriptures, solemn Vespers are sung in the context of Eucharistic Adoration. Benediction closes the service. Everyone is encouraged to join the Bishop at 6:30 p.m. on the last Sunday of the month.
Fr. Jovita’s Installation Mass & Reception
Dcn. Kevin Tulipana, Msgr. Patrick Brankin and Dcn. Kevin Sartorius watch Father Jovita renew his priestly promises to Bishop Slattery.
Dcn. Kevin Sartorius, Msgr. Gregory Gier, Fr. Jovita Okonkwo, Bishop Edward Slattery, Dcn. Jerry Mattox, and Dcn. Tom Gorman
Coats & Blankets Drive Winter’s here! Many of our fellow Tulsans are feeling the cold because they lack warm clothing. The annual Coats & Blankets Drive is on December 14 and 21. Bring coats, blankets, white socks to the back of the Cathedral. All items will be sent to Catholic Charities to be distributed to the needy. Father Jovita leads the parish community in prayer at his Reception.
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Shrine for Deceased Priests Blessed
Our Deceased Priests
Bishop Slattery blessed the Halpine Shrine in November
Rev. John F. Lynch Rev. James McNamee Rev. Frederick Beckerle Rev. William J. McCarthy Rev. Msgr. William H. Reid Rev. George Alvin Hayes Rev. Joseph A. LaBonte Rev. Stanley F. Rother Rev. R. Anthony Spain Rev. Joseph Delamore Rev. Michael E. Keatinge Rev. Joseph R. Propps Rev. Msgr. Antoni F. Chojecki Rev. Donald F. Smith Rev. James Phan Van Co Rev. Paul V. Brown Rev. Edmund F. Byrne Rev. Patrick Murtagh Rev. Francis B. Warnke Rev. Vincent C. McGouldrick Rev. William J. Kaufman Rev. Daniel R. Allen Rev. Francis E. McGoldrick Rev. Henry J. Broyles Rev. Justin H. Gavin Rev. Msgr. Cecil E. Finn Rev. John P. Cunningham Rev. Maurice J. O’Connell Rev. John M. Cefai Rev. Forrest L. O’Brien Rev. Daniel C. Keohane Rev. Donald W. Brooks Rev. Arthur T. O’Hara Rev. Roger H. Blais Rev. Harry S. Bartnick Rev. Thomas P. Biller Rev. Neal E. Brogan Rev. Robert T. Schlitt Rev. Joseph J. Mazaika Rev. Joseph W. Howell Rev. Finton P. McMahon Rev. Lawrence P. Lange Rev. Msgr. Mark W. Maszkiewicz Rev. Timothy J. Daley Rev. Thomas M. Hildebrand Rev. Stephen A. MacAulay Rev. Lee O’Neil Rev. Jerry McCarthy Rev. Daniel V. Cronin Rev. Jake A. Males Rev. Peter F. Dally Rev. Kenneth A. King Rev. Bernard C. Jewitt Rev. Herman J. Foken Rev. Msgr. James F. Halpine Rev. Robert T. Pickett Rev. Jorge A. Gomez Alvarado Rev. J. Paul Donovan Rev. Daniel Perlinski Rev. Gary Sherman Rev. Kenneth Fulton Rev. Edward Richard Rev. William K. Skeehan
Photos: Cathy Nelson
Deacon Dan Pickett, , Rev. Paul Eichhoff, Msgr. Patrick Gaalaas, Bishop Edward Slattery, Msgr. Dennis Dorney, Msgr. Gregory Gier, Deacon John Hall
BY MIKE MALCOM Last month, Bishop Edward Slattery blessed the Hal-
The Shrine is named in honor of the late Msgr. James
pine Shrine in the back of the Cathedral dedicated to the
F. Halpine, a longtime Rector of the Cathedral who died in
deceased priests of the Diocese of Tulsa. The prayer ser-
2010.
vice included Vespers, Eucharistic Adoration, Benediction, and a reading of the names of the sixty-one priests who
The centerpiece of the shrine is a Missionary Crucifix
have died since the creation of the Diocese of Tulsa in
which hung in the original 1899 Holy Family Church, and
1973. The names were read by Father Paul Eichhoff, Mon-
likely predates it. The crucifix hung on both of the largest
signors Patrick Gaalaas, Dennis Dorney, and Gregory Gier -
pillars in the Cathedral’s sanctuary before it was moved to
four priests who knew each of the sixty-one.
its present location.
Msgrs. Gaalaas, Dorney, Gier, and Fr. Eichhoff read the names of the deceased priests.
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RCIA Class members become Catechumens & Candidates
How to Teach Your Kids True Love: First Wednesdays 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. HFCS 4th Floor
January 7, 2015 Is Sex Education healthy for my child? – Mrs. Paulette Barnes February 4, 2015 How do I Protect My Kids from the Media? – Ms. Katie Boudreau March 4, 2015 When is my Child Ready to Date? – Fr. Bryan Ketterer, Church of St. Benedict Having THE Talk with Your Children April 1, 2015 How do we Model Chastity in Our Marriage? – Ed and Laura Hiberger 6
The new catechumens and candidates wait to receive crosses.
“Dear candidates, I mark you with the sign of Christ’s cross. The whole community welcomes you with love and stands ready to help you.” At his final 10:00 Sunday Mass at the Cathedral, Father Louis Obirieze administered the Rite of Acceptance to the RCIA class. This class has been meeting weekly since the beginning of September. They have reached the point in their formation where the Church invites them to become Catechumens, those preparing for Baptism, and Candidates, those non-Catholics who are preparing to be Received into the Church.
Father Louis marked each new catechumen and candidate with the sign of the cross on the forehead. Deacon Greg Stice gave each one a small cross to wear around his neck as an outward sign of affiliation with the Christian Church.
“The whole community welcomes you with love and stands ready to help you.”
The ritual concluded with a set of prayers asking God to transform them into the likeness of Christ Himself.
The RCIA classes will continue until the Easter Vigil where, God willing, they will be baptized, received into the Church, confirmed, and receive the Holy Eucharist for the first time.
Notes from the Knightstand: Two Christmas stories BY MARTIN REIDY
Ringing bells, twinkling lights "Noel" sung come each night children filled with much delight Santa's sleigh in hasten flight all compose the season's sights to recall a Star shining bright leading all from Heaven's height to a stable where by God's might a Child is born to become the Light to save mankind from sinful blight so comes again our Christmas Night!
And, indeed, Christmas is upon us once again! In fact it has been upon us since October! A few days prior to Halloween I went shopping for a few Halloween knick-knacks, and - lo and behold - the shelves were cleared of Halloween and were filled or being filled with Christmas items. I happened upon a clerk who was so involved and inquired as to what happened to Thanksgiving? She replied, somewhat resigned to her task, that there was no money to be made with the Thanksgiving holiday - and so it is that another honored tradition - and holiday - is lost by the all consuming appetite of commercialism. So sad! so sad! And sad also is the fact that by the time Christmas is actually here we are exhausted of any Christmas spirit that we may have had. Well, so much for editorializing despite its truth. I can report that at least one Christmas tradition will continue at the Cathedral - the violinist at the 8 a.m. Mass on Christmas morning which is our Council's Christmas gift to the parish. There was some concern that with the changing of the guard that the new Rector may not be attuned to some of our ongoing traditions but Monsignor Gier assured me that Fr. Jovita intends to continue the “tempo” of the parish as it is now set (though it may be expected that there could be some fine tuning of such norms at a later date). So, I assume that the recitation of the rosary prior to the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday Mass will continue, that the Council will be able to continue meeting monthly at the Cathedral, and that we will be able to continue to prepare the homeless dinner on the first Saturday of each month in the parish kitchen.
And now for a Christmas story: The Council received a welcomed donation of $1,000 toward the monthly dinner for the homeless at the Day Center for which we are most appreciative. There was immediate concern as to how long into 2015 we could continue this worthy program without either resorting to another parish plea for funds or canceling the program when along comes this donation which will enable us to continue for at least another year. That was story #1. Now for story #2: I have been involved with the provisioning the homeless for nigh onto 25 or more years - from the days when a group of us would serve breakfast and dinner outside in all kinds of weather at Brady and Denver to the move into the Day Center shelter at Elwood and Archer and what follows is the first time that someone offered to pay for what we served. The Day Center has a serving kitchen - meaning that there are no cooking facilities - and we serve the monthly dinner from a serving counter as the “diners” file by in army fashion (at least as it was in my day) to be served. The (paper) plate begins with me and is passed along to (usually) Rebecca Thompson, and then to the next person, etc. until the plate is filled with the daily fare. The line goes quickly as we serve between 100 and 120 persons in about 30 to 45 minutes, beginning at 5 p.m. and ending by 6 p.m. That includes our organizing everything that we bring from the Cathedral in preparation for serving. Several persons had come by for their dinner when a young, Hispanic man dropped a crumpled $1.00 bill on the counter to pay for his meal. Rebecca immediately said to him that it was free and by his bodily actions in refusing to take the money back I assumed that his knowledge of English was limited so I said, “No cuesta! No cuesta!” which means “no cost” in Spanish but he still refused to take back his dollar bill.
So, I give to you two Christmas stories: The first donation rescued the Council's monthly homeless dining program for at least another year where by at least 80 to 120 persons will be fed a balanced meal once a month and was given by an organization out of the charity of their mission. The donation was substantial and in no way do I belittle their charity or intention but such donation I am quite positive will not jeopardize their continuing as an eleemosynary organization for which purpose they were founded by and for the benefit of mankind in their mission of fulfilling the love and desire of God. The second donation of $1.00 will make no difference to our overall funding but, I assume, was a substantial donation for this person to give to us for a dinner that was freely given to him. So, which donation do you think God found to be the more glorious? The one from the organization fulfilling the will of God with the glory of God in mind and given with the intent of making the lives of others more livable as they are also in the love of God - or the donation that will make little or no difference to the lives of the many and yet was given from the charity of the heart and now empty pocket of one to whom the meal was freely given as a result of the first donation? I cannot say, I cannot judge, for in the balance they seem equal and, again, they seem not and for that reason I am glad that I am not God. However, could this not be a case of two cups given and both filled to overflowing? Just a thought…! On behalf of the Knights of Columbus Council #10388 I extend to one and all a Blessed holiday season and a Merry Christmas! PAX!
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Holy Family Cathedral
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Upcoming Activities and Events Bible Study meets Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Halpine Room. Deacon Jerry Mattox leads a study of one book of the Bible at a time, exploring it in context and in depth. The Shroud of Turin will be on public display next spring! Holy Family parishioners are invited to join Msgr. Gier on an unforgettable pilgrimage to Turin to see the Shroud, then on to Florence, Assisi, Siena, and finally Rome. Msgr. Gier will offer Holy Mass daily at many of the important churches we will visit, including St. Peter’s Basilica in 8
Rome. The dates are April 19 – 28, 2015. More information and a registration form are available at www.pilgrimages.com/ holyfamilycathedral You can also pick up a brochure in the vestibules of the main and south entrances. Dinner & a Movie: On the first Friday of the month, the Knights of Columbus sponsor a monthly pot luck dinner and the showing of a full length Catholic or Christian movie. The pot luck dinner starts around 6:30 p.m. and the movie begins around 7 p.m.