Holy Family
January 2015
Volume 19, Issue 6
Cathedral News
In this Issue: Fr. Jovita: “Is your practice of the faith a conscious act?� An interview with DRE Monika Davis Knights thank hard working parishioners Author Matthew Kelly is coming to Tulsa 1
The Rector’s Message V. Rev. Jovita C. Okonkwo
HAPPY NEW YEAR OF GRACE! Happy New Year to all members of Holy Family Cathedral Parish and School! As we begin this New Year, I invite all our parishioners, both those living in Tulsa and outside town and even outside the state of Oklahoma to join me in thanking God for the gift of a new year. To live out the Church’s year of grace is an invitation to understand that we exist in God’s time and should devote our temporality to God. Through her liturgy the Church makes present the saving events of the Lord, his passion, death and resurrection. THE LITURGICAL YEAR AND LIFE OF THE BELIEVER The Church’s New Year (B) started on November 30, 2014. The liturgical year appears to upend, for us, the temporal year which begins on the first of January every year. Significantly, the Church does not celebrate the beginning of the temporal year. The first day of the temporal year, January 1, is celebrated as the octave of Christmas and the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Yet, the liturgical year is calculated and dated using the Gregorian calendar on which the temporal year is based. Hence, we see a fusion of both temporal and liturgical year in the life of the believer. The liturgical year is primarily a way in which a believing catholic can sacralize the year, the month, the week, and the day. A perfect example of this is found in the Liturgy of the Hours celebrated by the Church and recited during the course of the day. It provides, according to Cardinal Tabera, an opportunity to keep the command of the Lord to pray without ceasing and dedicate every hour of the day to the creator and redeemer of time. It goes without saying that, “hour by hour, fresh lips are making his wondrous doings heard on high” (J. Ellerton). MY STEWARDSHIP While we have entered a new temporal year (2015), my thoughts are still drawn to the beginning of the liturgical year on November 30, 2014. It was the day I began my stewardship as the spiritual guide for Holy Family Cathe-
dral Parish and School. I have spent the entire busy month of December transitioning into this new role. I did not envision how much change it would bring to my life. I remain grateful to God for the gift of the priesthood and the privilege to serve in this capacity as rector of the cathedral. VISION AND MISSION I stated in the last newsletter my vision for Holy Family Cathedral Parish and School. The rector of the cathedral is a servant under the bishop who is the pastor of the cathedral. My desire is that, under the leadership of Bishop Slat(Continued on page 3)
Identification Statement: The Cathedral New s Issue 6 January 2015 (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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tery, we may grow to be more intentional about our Catholic faith. I will briefly state what I mean by Intentional Catholicism. You may be shocked by the statistics from research studies which show that: • Only 30 percent of Americans who were raised Catholic are still practicing • 10 percent of all adults in America are ex-Catholics • Only 60 percent of people who identify themselves as Catholic believe in a personal God, and • Only 5 percent of Catholics report that they have a personal relationship with God A few years ago, I asked two members of one of the Church’s councils in a friendly conversation to describe to me their relationship with God. It sounded to them like a challenging question in trigonometry. One of them honestly told me that he had never for once thought about that question and would not consider himself as one who has any relationship with God that he knew of. What prompted my questioning was the report of Sherry Weddell who posed a similar question and learned that many of the people who attend Mass weekly have the same spiritual reality. They do not have a conscious relationship with God. Their parish involvement is devoid of spiritual motivation. They do not have a prayer life. They have only a Second Grade understanding of Catholic doctrines. Their lives are not guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many have not read a single spiritual book for the entirety of their adult life. Their only contact with spiritual materials is at Mass and, even with that, they do not understand how Mass is a sacrifice. They receive communion weekly but do not discern the presence of the Lord in Holy Communion (I Cor 10:16). The list can go on and on.
ARE YOU INTENTIONALLY CATHOLIC? Now, I turn to you, my fellow parishioners, and ask: Is this your spiritual reality? Are you able to articulate in a few words your relationship with Christ? I am not asking the familiar Christian fundamentalists’ question “whether you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.” My question is rather: “Is your practice of the faith a conscious act? Intentional Catholics are those whose practice of the faith stem from a conscious personal relationship with God and a desire to become ever closer to him in order to reap the full benefits of the Church’s doctrinal teachings and sacramental life. Are you one? PASTORAL INITIATIVE Pastoral service is a gift from Christ who is the Good Shepherd and who calls us to lay down our lives for the sake of his people (I John 3:16). This is a courageous task that priests undertake. I ask you to join me in a fivepronged pastoral approach to reach intentionality which includes liturgical and spiritual renewal, education/ catechesis, communication, program and stewardship. I have invited the five deacons of our parish to discuss this approach and with their help we can start creating the awareness. I know that several parishioners are already on this path, yet we cannot afford to leave anyone behind. May Mother Mary school us in the knowledge and love of her son as we seek ongoing renewal of our Christian commitment!
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Religious Education Program resumes Monika Davis looks forward to the Spring Semester
Open House
Holy Family Cathedral School will be holding an Open House for prospective families on Sunday, January 25, 2015 between 11:00 A.M. and 1:30 P.M. Please join us for a tour. Holy Family Cathedral School is a culturally diverse Catholic school serving students from Pre-K through 8th grade. For more information visit our website at holyfamilycathedralschool.co m or check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/ holyfamilycathedralschool
Ms. Davis (third) smiles with some of her Religious Educators: Sheri Young, Dorothy Wire & Sue Gray
Ms. Monika Davis is the Cathedral’s DRE or Director of Religious Education. She has been involved in the parish RE program for two decades, either as a teacher or as the director. She took a few moments to answer these questions.
Bad weather? Is RE cancelled?
Ms. Davis sends out updates about RE via texts. To sign up, send the message @f5fd6 to 405-880-8595. If you prefer email, send an email to f5fd6@mail.remind.com. If you wish to unsubscribe, reply with unsubscribe in the subject line.
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How did you get involved in Holy Family’s Religious Education program?
What is your favorite memory of working in our RE program?
I got involved with Holy Family Religious Education when Sister Eugenia Brown told me I would be wonderful teaching at Holy Family.
I love Vacation Bible School, Spring Fling, and Fall Festival. My family has built lifetime friendships by working together with other families to make the best program we could for the children in our parish and surrounding areas.
I then taught several years in Kindergarten RE. When Monsignor Gier came to Holy Family, he asked if I would be interested in Coordinating the RE program.
School to host Knight of a Thousand Stars Annual Dinner & Auction will honor Msgr. Gier
Principal Leslie Southerland, Msgr. Gregory Gier, and 2014 Auction Chair Amy Wright
On January 30th, Holy Family Cathedral School will be having its annual Knight of a Thousand Stars Dinner and Auction. This year, the event will honor Msgr. Gregory Gier, Rector Emeritus, recognizing his commitment and dedication to Holy Family Cathedral School. Please join us at the Jazz Hall of Fame on January 30th at 6:00 p.m. Individual tickets are $75.00, and patron tables are available for $1250 (table of 10) and $1100 (table of 8). For reservations, please contact: Leslie Southerland, principal, 918-582-0422 or leslie.southerland@myhfcs.org. The School’s tradition of hosting a Dinner and Auction grew from a series of events held in the Cathedral Auditorium in the 1990s. It grew to become not only a way for Tulsa’s Catholics to invest in Catholic Education, but a way for the school to thank those benefactors who have consistently supported the mission of
the school.
SAINT KATHARINE DREXEL SOCIETY The highlight of the event is the induction of a new member into the Saint Katharine Drexel Society, a way to honor those who continue the work of Catholic Education in Tulsa started in 1899 by Mother Katharine Drexel. She founded and financed the school that we know today at Holy Family Cathedral School. She funded the construction of hundreds of schools across the United States. Msgr. Gier’s name will be added to the list of previous inductees, including: • Mr. & Mrs. Alfred F. Boudreau • Mr. James Anthony Robinson • Mr. John C. Duffy • Mrs. Mary Kathleen Stromie Keith • Mrs. Anne Roberts • Most Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran
How to Teach Your Kids True Love: First Wednesdays 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. HFCS 4th Floor 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, St. Benedict Having THE Talk with your Children April 1, 2015 How do we Model Chastity in Our Marriage? – Ed and Laura Hiberger
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Notes from the Knightstand: Thanks to those who worked hard in 2014 BY MARTIN REIDY
I see that Janus is locking the door on 2014 forever more but he also can be seen opening the door to 2015 What portends I cannot tell but with faith in God all will be well! Janus, in the Roman pantheon of gods, was the god of portals, or doors if you prefer, including possessing the keys to the gate of heaven among other responsibilities. Thus it is that the month of January is his month and being the two-faced god he looks back into the previous year and forward into the coming year. One would think that he was not a very important god if all he did was open and close the old and new year in addition to some other duties but that is not the case: he was VERY important as he could foresee the future of the coming year and for that reason he was showered with food offerings, gifts, and incense at his temple in the hope that he would provide a very good year! Janus is, in fact, the only Roman god who had a month named in his honor - the most important first month of the year. Would that we could foretell the events of the coming year by the goodness of God but, unfortunately, it does not work that way. So, we have faith that all is in, metaphorically, God's hands. So we have our Janus moment as we look back upon the events that bespeaks the Council's activities, accomplishments and those who were so helpful in obtaining them in 2014. Our monthly pancake breakfast (SeptemberMay) not only provided a meal at a very reasonable price but an opportunity for a coming together as a parish once a month and to this end many hands were involved - too many to recognize each by name.
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Our Mardi Gras celebration is actually a joint venture of the Council and the Women's Club but a tip of the chapeau has got to go to Ed Owen who labored (and wrung his hands at times) over the success of this pre-Lenten celebration. The monthly homeless dinner at the Day Center is another group effort I would hate to slight anyone by omission but two persons stand out in making the project a success: Rebecca Thompson who buys, prepares, and serves the vegetarian side dish, usually beans of some description. I can write that the recipients by their comments thoroughly enjoy her "doctored" baked beans! My long suffering wife, Helen, has been an immense help to me in this project as I grow long in tooth and assorted pains. In fact, not only in this project but all of our dinner projects which would be curtailed without her help. So, for all of you who so often say, "poor Helen" you need to know that she is actually the power behind the throne! Jim Gray did double duty in June by cooking 120 hamburgers on his grill at home in 110 deg. sunshine. Hamburgers are our monthly fare in June which we prepare at HF in the big kitchen - but this year wedding bells required us to implement Plan B. (Actually we had no Plan B - it was a momentous decision on Jim's part!) Helga Gorman has been very helpful behind the scenes - but that is just her nature for which we are thankful.
A tip of the chapeau must go to Msgr. Gier for his allowing us to use "central purchasing" to buy at savings nearly all the food utilized in our various dinners as well as use of the kitchen facilities to prepare them. Furthermore, without his nod of approval there would be no Sunday rosary, a place to meet monthly, - or even a homeless dinner as it was with his permission that the Council went to the parish two years ago for funds to implement this program. And speaking of the homeless dinner there would not be a December Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner without the Thierrys, Johnny and Sharon, preparing the dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy along with their cohorts in cooking. Also, the Council is eternally grateful. The Council is eternally grateful for the donations received to allow the continuance of this project from many unsung "saints". Unfortunately, it would take a separate edition of the Newsletter to cover all of our patron "saints" so, for those not mentioned you are not forgotten: to one and all a tip of the chapeau and, "Thank You" and may you be blessed in heaven. 2015? Oh, well we are planning for more of the same so stay tuned! We hope that you have your "Janus" moment and that the memories are wonderful and the prospects blessed for 2015! Pax!
Catholic Author will speak in Tulsa Matthew Kelly invites us to ponder God’s plan for our lives It’s not too early to plan your Summer Retreat!
Join the Holy Family Cathedral Bible Study Group at beautiful Subiaco Abbey on June 12-14, 2015.
The Retreat master will be Deacon Jerry Mattox. Fees are $130 for a double occupancy room and $190 for a single, and are due and payable on the day of arrival. This includes two nights lodging, six meals, and the conference room.
Matthew Kelly, w ell k now n author of Rediscover Catholicism, will be speaking in Tulsa on March 7, 6:30-10:30 p.m., at the SMG-Cox Business Center in downtown. He will be talking about Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose. The special musical guest is Eliot Morris. This is a fundraiser for the Church of Saint Mary. Tickets are $39.
Kelly is an international acclaimed speaker, author, and business consultant. His books have been published in more than twenty-five languages, have appeared on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists, and have sold more than ten million copies.
profit organization whose mission is to reenergize the Catholic Church in America by developing world-class resources that inspire people to rediscover the genius of Catholicism.
Rooms are limited, so reserve early by contacting MaryAnne Lovell at 918445-4480 or mlovell.4468@gmail.com.
If you wish to purchase tickets to his March 7 appearance, go to DynamicCatholic.com, or call 859-980-7900.
Flyers are available at the entrances to the Cathedral.
He is also the founder of The Dynamic Catholic Institute, a Cincinnati based non7
Holy Family Cathedral PO Box 3204 Tulsa, OK 74101-3204
Upcoming Activities and Events 55+ luncheon w ill meet January 14th, 1:00 p.m. at Village Inn, 5230 S. Yale Ave. RSVP to Harry, 918-227-3771. 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
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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 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.