How do I get an Indulgence during the Year of Mercy?
Wednesdays at the Cathedral resume. Holy Family Cathedral School students create St. Peter’s Basilica in Gingerbread! Knights of Columbus express gratitude to many volunteers 1
The Faithful braved some light rain to follow Bishop Slattery through the holy doors.
Pope wishes for everyone to make a Pilgrimage to the Holy Door in the Year of Mercy In December, Pope Francis began the Year of Mercy by opening the holy doors at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Days later, Bishop Edward Slattery did the same at Holy Family. Hundreds of people processed behind the Bishop to the front of
the Cathedral. Bishop Slattery unsealed the doors and led the people inside the Cathedral for Mass. Pope Francis called for this extraordinary—meaning out of the ordinary—Jubilee Year. The universal Church observes ordinary Jubilee
Years every twenty-five years. The most recent one was in the year 2000 during the pontificate of Pope Saint John Paul II. Why would the pope go to such trouble in 2016? Pope Francis has stated, “I wish that the Jubilee In-
Identification Statement: The Cathedral News Issue 6 January 2016 (USPS 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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dulgence may reach each one as a genuine experience of God’s mercy, which comes to meet each person in the Face of the Father who welcomes and forgives, forgetting completely the sin committed. To experience and obtain the Indulgence, the faithful are called to make a brief pilgrimage to the Holy Door, open in every Cathedral.”
The indulgence can be gained by any baptized person who is rightly disposed and intends to fulfill the definite prescribed action. It may be applied to oneself or to a deceased person, and can be gained once per day under the usual conditions.
What must I do to gain the Indulgence?
The seal on the holy doors
Bishop Slattery designated a set of doors on the front façade of Holy Family as the holy doors. He sealed the doors in September with the intention of opening them in December.
What is a Plenary Indulgence?
Make a pilgrimage to Holy Family Cathedral and cross through the Holy Doors with “the deep desire for true conversion.” Be baptized, not be excommunicated, and be in the state of grace, that is, be free of any mortal sins. Be free of all attachment to sin, even venial sins. Receive sacramental Confession and Communion within a week before or up to a week after you cross through the Holy Doors. Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father using one or more of the following prayers: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, or Glory Be.
When are the holy doors open? The current times when the doors will be open is: Sunday, 7:30 a.m.—1:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.—6:15 p.m. Monday, 11:20 a.m.—1:00 p.m. Saturday, 3:30 p.m.—6:30 p.m. Any additional times or changes to this schedule will be posted on the parish website. HolyFamilyCathedralParish.com Bishop Slattery designated Saint Francis Xavier in Sallisaw and Clear Creek Abbey Church as sites where one may gain an indulgence. 3
Holy Family’s whole-family faith formation evenings resumed in January with a talk by Deacon Gary Beam, a deacon of the Diocese of Tulsa assigned to the Church of Saint Benedict in Broken Arrow. He shared his conversion experience and his recent privilege of piloting the plane that brought Pope Francis back to Rome following his 2015 visit to the United States. Adult Education classes will feature a mixture of guest speakers (including Msgr. Dan Mueggenborg on January 27), large and small group discussions, and occasional screenings of video series (including Dr. Edward Sri’s Symbolon).
Dr. Edward Sri kicked off the program
The Youth and Confirmation preparation program continues this spring with an in-depth look at the necessity and effects of the sacrament of Confirmation. Youth recently watched and discussed a documentary on the historical reality of the Star of Bethlehem.
Religious Education classes resumed after a Christmas break. Children preparing for their First Communion made their first Confession last semester. Now they will focus on the Real Presence and they will contemplate receiving Our Lord’s Body. Volunteer teachers are needed to staff our RE program. Please prayerfully consider applying to become a teacher. Contact Monika Davis at the parish office, 918-582-6247 ext. 225, to volunteer.
Justin Cardinal Rigali spoke about his friend, Saint John Paul II. 4
Wednesdays at the Cathedral begins every week at 5:30 p.m. with a reasonably priced dinner and good company. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. and features a variety of opportunities for the entire family.
HFCS students submitted entries into Philbrook’s Festival of Trees Holy Family Cathedral School students crafted gingerbread houses to submit to the Philbrook Festival of Trees. The event is Philbook’s annual celebration of Christmas during which the museum is filled with lights and decorations.
thedral School has been participating for years.
The museum hosts many pieces of local artwork for sale including gingerbread houses crafted by students from Tulsa schools. Holy Family Ca-
Generous parishioners purchased the piece and donated it back to Holy Family Parish. It is available for viewing in the Parish Offices on
This year’s entry by our students is a replica of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It was made to honor Pope Francis’ visit to the United States.
weekdays during office hours. Not only is this a fun way for students to express their creativity, it is a good way for the public to be reminded of the great things happening at Holy Family Cathedral School. HolyFamilyCathedralSchool.com contains more photos and plenty of news about upcoming events there. 5
Knights of Columbus express gratitude to many many volunteers BY
MARTIN REIDY
So, before Janus locks the gate on the year that was let us take a quick perusal of the accomplishments of the Council in 2015 - not all done by our own initiatives as we had your help in many of our undertakings. Once again we begin anew promises made on what to do to improve our lives and lot but are they kept? Mostly not!
For we know it is for our own good to keep our promises IF we could so we try, and try again to change our ways to better ends.
Now, if you have the moral pluck keep us all not in suspension that by Grace and good luck you kept all your intentions!
There was Mardi Gras in February and Oktoberfest in October - both were winners with the help of the Women's Club in one capacity or another. We met all our charitable goals relative to church and school in one capacity or another. Our annual Clergy Appreciation Dinner in August, and our Annual Christmas Dinner in December were worthy of accolades but, again, we had the deft and helpful hand of Helga Gorman on both occasions and Ann Owen on one occasion. Our most intensive as well as expensive project - the monthly dinner at the homeless center - was a winner all around - but, here again, it was done with the help of others. Donna Felzke provided cookies except on one or two occasions. The Women's Club came through with pumpkin pies for our December Christmas dinner which was a savings to us of some
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dollars. Maureen Petty came through with cartons of milk for both the Easter and Christmas homeless dinners, and the baked beans for the Clergy dinner. The stars of the volunteers, though, were the crew who took their Thanksgiving holiday to prepare the several pans of mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, and green beans served at the December dinner. So, a tip of the chapeau to Johnny and Sharon Thierry, Mayo and Coleen Brooks, Ethel Brooks (up from Edmond), Shirley Hayden, and Ben & Kate Thierry here for the holiday from Chicago. So, dear readers, we are dependent and most thankful for the "silent service" of these unsung heroes of the charity wars. Johnny and Sharon are former dinner "doers" from many years past as were Mayo and Coleen Brooks before age just caught up with them. Johnny and Sharon also make up the several pans of macaroni and cheese we serve in March, and often contribute their culinary expertise to our Easter meal. Several Knights, and sometime family members, have put aside their sword and armor to lend a hand at serving the dinner which would not occur without their helping hands. And we lost a long time volunteer and contributor, Rebecca Thompson - a/k/a the bean lady for preparing and bringing the baked or green beans each month with the help of Alan Thompson - who has opted for a long deserved sabbatical of which I wrote in a previous newsletter. We spent $2,267.76 which 188.98/ month, and $1.89/patron on 120 meals
in 2015. Our January 2, 2016 meal is being prepared by parishioner Edna Hawkins who begins to smoke 60 lbs. of turkey in November for the turkey stew she prepares for the January meal. It is brought to the homeless center in a huge cauldron by her nephew, Raymond Dean with help from his wife, Theresa, who drive up from Okmulgee for the annual occasion. So, as you can see, the monthly homeless dinner is a combined and joint effort by many persons, some parishioners, some not, and some Catholic, and some not! But less I forget there is also you who donated to our homeless collection in November to the tune of $4,617.00 and, but for you, there would be no monthly homeless dinner for it is you by your donation who underwrites this project! Your generosity is most appreciated. This amount along with the Council's contribution of $500.00 will allow the monthly dinner to continue for at least two more years, if not more! And I have not even mentioned the turkey drive which netted an almost identical amount of money in addition to what I would guess to be 60+ turkeys! Once again, to return to Janus and to look ahead into the coming year there is the Mardi Gras celebration in late January or the 6th of February as Lent comes early as does Easter this year, and don't forget to mark your calendar on the 17th for pancakes and sausage in Heiring Hall! So, we at the Keep raise our goblets in toast to the lot of you and may your stars shine on forever! Have a Blessed 2016 - Everyone! Pax!
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Holy Family Cathedral PO Box 3204 Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 Return Service Requested
Please submit articles and notices for publication in next month’s newsletter by the 20th of the month. Please make your submissions to TulsaCathedral@gmail.com or 918-582-6247 by the 20th of the month.
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