Father Jovita:
Responsible Morality
Sister Theresa Aletheia:
Catholic to Atheist to Catholic Sister
Holy Week Schedule:
Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday Holy Family Cathedral School announces Auction date and theme
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by Very Rev. Chukwudi Jovita Okonkwo, Ph.D. We have hit midway in our Lenten penance or perhaps before this newsletter arrives at your home and you have time to read it, it’ll be a couple weeks before Lent is over. The weather is already showing signs that winter will soon be completely over. We have begun noticing signs that the trees and grasses that have appeared dead are not dead, after all. And so, the signs of resurrected life are becoming apparent. Hence, my reflection this season centers on the outcome of transcendent God-centered spirituality, which I’ll suggest is Responsible Morality. Among the behaviors or values that have been suggested for attaining intentionality in the Catholic faith, I have discussed voluntary subordination, authentic self, covenantal relationship and transcendental spirituality. I want to add responsible morality to the list, and, as I’ve already stated, it is the immediate outcome of transcendental or God-centered spirituality. Permit me to assert that not every spirituality is Godcentered or celestial. Satanists are definitely very spiritual people; in fact, often more spiritual than many of us, but they practice a form of spirituality that, though awe-inspiring, is at the same time pernicious. We do not have only good spiritual people. As goodness is a spiritual principle, so too, is evil; and both good and evil compete in that domain. RESPONSIBLE MORALITY VERSUS MORAL RESPONSIBILITY In my attempt then to define responsible morality I thought it beneficial to sift morality centered on transcendent truth from the new decadent morality based on self-fulfillment, which is a fluffed-up version of hedonism (based
on the logic of self-centeredness). Because anything can today pass for moral or, to use the downgraded term, ethical, people feel uncomfortable to talk about morality as they are increasingly pulled between two moralities. Responsible morality is not merely a question of being moral or taking moral responsibility for an action or inaction. Re-
sponsible morality is rather ensuring that both the ends an individual seeks and the means he or she employs to reach that end are morally legitimized, thoughtfully reasoned, and ethically justified (Sendjaya). The ethical predisposition needed to attain this level of moral reasoning calls for the highest ideals of moral and ethical predilection. Such predilection goes beyond conventional moral reasoning and hinges on internalized principles of justice and right, rather than the expectations of others or what is in vogue. For example, it’ll be frivolous to hang
one’s moral balance on the ethical perceptions or values of a fast changing society clearly driven by utility and pleasure. I avow that it’ll be naive to assimilate the very moral postures that have necessarily created the confusions in which present day society finds itself engulfed. In a society where ethical principles are wantonly compromised, intentional Catholics must foster reflective behaviors which will bring about positive change in the ethical climate of any environment in which they live and work. They must continue to swim counter-current to the moral attitudes of modern day man and woman. We must take ourselves away from the present day moral culture and practically live above and beyond it; in such a manner, we’ll reveal how callous, outrightly unthinking and irresponsible
those who engineer it have become. IN THE WORLD, NOT OF THE WORLD Before he proceeded to his passion, Jesus sounded clearly worried about the impact the world would have on the message that he brought and for which he was moving headlong to deliver his life. The Evangelist John dedicated no less than a chapter of his gospel to the prayer that Jesus said for his disciples and those who through them would come to believe in him, that is, we, who heard and accepted the message and new life he brought. In the 17th chapter, Jesus, being God and foreseeing the menace of the evil one and the world which we face presently could not hide worries. Being man, he probably wondered whether the passion he was going to accomplish for our redemption would be worth that price. Earlier in John 16, he gave them stern warnings about embracing the world so that they would not stumble, for he feared desperately that they might. Then in John 17, he turns to prayer to his Father and our Father. The crux of the prayer was that the Father should save us from the world. Folks, intentional Catholics
should have a signpost in the most visible area of their home saying: “Always beware of the world and its ways!” How is it then that we have chosen to embrace and cuddle that (the world) from which Jesus prayed to save us? We seem to have submitted to a need to be validated by the opinions and ways and attitudes of the world from which Jesus saved us. Some panic when people in the world tell them they’re out of touch with the world of today. Shouldn’t we be, knowing its ways? Are we unaware
Identification Statement: The Cathedral News Issue 8 March 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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that what they mean by that is that we’re living a morality above theirs, a responsible morality? Are we blind to the fact that they’ll prefer that we live like them, with a subjective morality hewn from a thorough-going imanentism, whereby truth, freedom, responsibility, and even evil itself become selfconstructed, or as the philosophers would say, constructed by consciousness; with the implication that nothing is objectively given? WHO AM I TO JUDGE? Perhaps you remember those words by Pope Francis as he answered questions from the media on his return trip from the World Youth Day in Brazil. It is quite astonishing how a purposely truncated quoting of the pope has become the credo of the world and those who have chosen to live in moral plainland, indecision or wasteland. And those off-the-cuff words of the Holy Father are reverberating as authoritative moral teaching in support of such attitude. Those five words sifted from a whole conversation are repeated over and over again to misrepresent and twist so people will not learn the truth and be led to responsible morality. I do not wish to discuss the major issue raised in that Q&A but suffice it to say that Pope Francis was clear about Church teaching on sin, repentance, forgiveness and the mercy of God for all his children regardless the level of moral crisis they face. It was for them that Jesus came and died. In few weeks we’ll be re-enacting that event which brought us salvation, namely, the Easter event. The pope clearly envisions
that one caught in moral vice, understanding and judging himself or herself rightly would in an attitude of responsible morality seek the mercy of God. God never deserts us, even though we may be the worst sinners. The door to God’s heart is always open to those who seek him and whom he desperately searches to bring home. The door is not shut to anyone, so, who am I or you to judge anyone. If believing Christians understood Francis’ words to mean an invitation to
God’s mercy, the world took them to mean license to sin and a tacit approval of a lifestyle of sin. No mention is made about the Holy Father’s strong condemnation in the same interview of all forms of lobby: gay lobby, lobby of greedy people, lobby of politicians, lobby of Masons, so many lobbies. Nor have we heard any mention of the pope’s reference to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which he said, explains well the issues the reporter asked about. Beware of the world! COMBATTING THE WORLD AND THE ONSLAUGHT OF THE DEMONIC About a week ago, someone who called himself a Satanist blocked his number and called the office here to threaten that they (the Satanists) will be picketing the Mass. Many who came to Mass at the Cathedral the Sunday after the call noticed that we had blessed salt sprinkled on the pews, around the altar, the entrance of the Cathedral, and the perimeter of the Church. What interested me greatly was that several of our children, especially school kids asked about the significance of the salt. I explained to them how salt is blessed and sprinkled to deter the enemy from hurting us. Many had not heard about blessed salt all their life. I must confess that I didn’t mean to embarrass a parent when I asked an inquiring child in front of the parent if the parent had not told them about blessed salt or water or chalk or candle. I quickly realized right then that while the child noticed and inquired about the salt, the parent didn’t notice and had no clue about what blessed salt meant or is used for. If that is the case with many Catholics, how would we be able to deter the enemy if we do not know basic Catholic rituals and that the devil with the world is our enemy? How would we be able to guide our children to the faith if several parents do not know their faith and have the least interest in learning or being informed? Is it enough to decorate our homes with beautiful flowers and paintings of great artists but no religious objects, no sacramental, no
prayers, no moral element to living? Months ago, following the advice of well-meaning parishioners, we kicked off a faith formation class for parents and children of all ages, which we called Wednesdays at the Cathedral. A huge part of the resources of the parish goes into this program, yet several parents ignore the opportunity provided them and get angry when they are requested to sit for an hour and learn something to transmit to their children. Less than 15 percent of our parishioners take advantage of the opportunity. As we have learned from the children in RE, several of their parents do not even attend Mass. What I hear is that they are busy, very busy providing for their family. Parenting for some means providing food, clothes, toys, cellphones, while their pantry of spiritual food remain exceedingly bare. The result is that the devil is having a field day. The devil loves that many parents
have completely outsourced the task of raising their children to people in the world they do not know. Msgr. Gier told about a child who a few years ago grew exasperated about not having been baptized and yelled at its cradle Catholic mom: “It’s your fault that I’m not yet baptized.” I add that that was the voice of God admonishing the parent for her negligence. DROP-OFF CULTURE AND MENTALITY About 15 years ago, the diocese of Tulsa held a synod. The overwhelming outcome of the synod proceedings was that the greatest need of the Catholic Church in Eastern Oklahoma was the passing on of the faith to our children. About how to pass on the faith, parents agreed to do nothing. The majority of parents opted to include the faith formation of their children among the exercises whereby the drop-off culture and mentality would hold sway. Just as they would drop-off kids for school, games, band practice, piano lessons, and so on, they added their kid’s faith formation to the list. For them, in so
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far as they pay money, other people should raise their kids for them, including in the area of faith formation. Would you drop-off your children in the restaurant for the attendants to feed them? A child can learn to play the piano without the urging of her mom or dad. Basketball stars do not need their dad in order to learn how to throw powerful shots. The cardinal or theological virtues may serve well but they are not required to excel in an orchestra or a basketball team. Durant and Westbrook could be great basketball players without being good or virtuous people; hence, their mom could drop them off and go shopping. When, however, it is question of religion and passing on the faith, a child can hardly attain the life of virtue and sustain a good life without the urging and example of parents and guardians in the
faith. You cannot pass on a faith you do not have. We say in Latin “Nemo dat quod non habet” (You cannot give what you don’t have). We have done this RE drop-off for nearly half a century and have only had more and more loss of faith. Why we keep revising the same error, I have no clue. We are evidently preferring irresponsible moral upbringing to responsible morality, pouring buttercream icing over cow manure. The Fathers of Vatican II in the Declaration on Religious Education, Gravissimum Educationis, no. 3, were adamant that the gravest
gard to children’s faith formation, roll up their sleeves and be part of the formation program we provide in the parish to help us grow in our faith so we can pass it on to our children. May our Blessed Mother Mary who schooled her child and God, Jesus in virtue help all parents through her intercession to appreciate their duty to raise their children in responsible morality, that they may know and worship God, reject the enemy and the world, and be fortified to love and serve their neighbor!
obligation of parents is to educate their family in the faith. “The role of parents in education,” Vatican II insists, “is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute.” Not even the parish can take it over, even if we want to. Responsible morality calls parents to abandon this drop-off culture with re-
The parish’s whole-family catechetical evenings continue through Lent. Last Wednesday, our high school youth group led a “living” Stations of the Cross. There are some extraordinary opportunities following in March: a chance to ask our three priests any question you want, and an opportunity to get to know a local woman who regained her Catholic faith and became a religious sister. Imagine hearing the story of a Catholic who left the Church to become an atheist, who then returned to the Faith and became a Religious Sister. It happened! Hear the story 4
directly from Sister Theresa Aletheia on March 16. Please note that March 23 is the Wednesday during Holy Week. The Chrism Mass takes place that evening at 5:30 p.m. and will supersede
Wednesdays at the Cathedral. Watch the parish website for details about every future Wednesday at the Cathedral: HolyFamilyCathedralParish.com.
Knights of Columbus keep busy in Lent BY
MARTIN REIDY
Due to the early date of Easter this year the Christmas season hardly ended with the Feast of the Presentation on the 2nd in February when Lent commenced on the 10th. It left precious little time in between for any frivolity. The Lenten Fast is nearly done for what is to come Crucifixion of our Lord and King so Life from Death may Easter bring!
The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord, previously known as, variously, Candlemas and the Feast of the Purification of Mary, was aptly celebrated with a candlelight procession of those attending the Mass, at least at the noon Mass which I attended though I feel quite certain that it was so celebrated at the earlier Mass also. We assembled at the rear of the Cathedral and each person had a small skirted lit candle with which we processed to the front altar at which Fr. Jovita provided a short but lovely rite marking the occasion. I wrote of this ritual in past years as one in which was celebrated at the old Immaculate Conception parish on North Denver. The elementary school students did not march but remained in the pews with their paper skirted candles. The candles were lit and God help the student who did more than hold that candle stationery and upright for the short prayer by Fr. Rooney as the nuns were on guard at the end of the pews for each corresponding class. We did have some frivolity that
Saturday on the 6th thanks to the efforts of Ed Owen and several members of the Holy Family Women's Club the parish celebrated Mardi Gras in grand fashion. Once again, Michael and Kathleen Davis, along with appropriate assistance, indulged their culinary expertise in providing a Cajun repast to some 75 attendees to the festivities. A tip of the Chapeau, to Ed and Ann Owen along with Michael & Kathleen Davis and the many other contributors of their labors to make the occasion a success. Noted but not necessarily inclusive of all who so volunteered were Michael Caturegli, Kevin Ikenberry, Robert Shrader, Al Tanner, Art Spoerl and wife, Trish. Now, I am certain that I missed someone or two - or more - and were I to have done so you have my most abject apology for such remission.
Parishioners celebrated Mardi Gras in February.
We had pancakes and sausage as usual on Feb. 21st with Robert Shraeder at the grill. Robert did an outstanding job though I did see one
or two others spattered in batter, Steve Wire being one of them. Our next breakfast is scheduled for March 13. The Sorrowful Mysteries will be recited through Palm Sunday with the Glorious Mysteries commencing on Easter Sunday for those of you attend the Sunday 7:30 a.m. rosary. A final comment regarding March is that March is not quite winter and not yet spring in that it mimics both in wind and temperament. Originally, the Romans celebrated March as the beginning of the new year. The Romans had a ten month year and originally September, October, November, and December were simply 7th month, 8th month, 9th month, and 10th month. Then the Caesars came along and wanted Their Month - and, thus we have July and August - though the numerically named months became the ninth through twelfth months though their names mean seventh month through tenth month. I am sure everyone has just been dying to know that tidbit of history. So, as this missive comes to a deserved ending, on behalf of the Council I extend to each and all a Happy St. Patrick's Day (17th), a Blessed St. Joseph's Day (19th), and a very Blessed Easter celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ! PAX!
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The Latin word tenebrae means ‘shadows’ and refers first of all to the fact that Tenebrae is celebrated at the Cathedral, in the shadows of Lent, as the light fades away on Palm Sunday evening. Tenebrae also refers to the shadow of sorrows that crosses our hearts as we participate in this moving preparation for the ceremonies of the Triduum. If you long to make your Holy Week more prayerful and your Easter richer, join us for this inspiring service: 7:00 p.m., Palm Sunday Night, March 20, 2016.
Pope Francis declared that 2016 would be a Jubilee Year of Mercy for the whole world. “So many people, including young people, are returning to the sacrament of reconciliation; through this experience they are rediscovering a path back to the Lord, living a moment of intense prayer and finding meaning in their lives.” - Pope Francis Holy Family Cathedral is fortunate to be the center of a number of Year of Mercy events: the Relics of Saint Maria Goretti, the Sealing & Opening of the Holy Door, the Year of Mercy Indulgence, and 24 Hours for the Lord. 24 Hours for the Lord is Pope Francis’ wish for every cathedral in the world to host a twenty-four hour period of Confessions. In Tulsa, Holy Family will be open from 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 4 to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 5. The usual Saturday evening Mass will begin at 5:00 p.m.
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Masses, Confessions, and Prayer Services from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday March 20
Palm Sunday
7:00 p.m. Tenebrae Service
March 23
Wednesday
5:30 p.m. Chrism Mass
March 24
Holy Thursday 3:00-5:00 p.m. Confessions 5:30 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7:00 p.m. - Midnight Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
March 25
Good Friday
March 26
Holy Saturday 3:00-5:00 p.m. Confessions 8:30 p.m. Easter Vigil
March 27
Easter Sunday 8:00 & 10:00 a.m., 12:00 & 5:00 p.m. Easter Sunday Masses
1:00-3:00 p.m. Confessions 3:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross 5:30 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy
Daily Masses will take place during Holy Week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. See the online Parish Calendar for every Mass and Confession time during Holy Week. HolyFamilyCathedralParish.com
Do you want your 2015 Contribution statement? Contact the Parish Office at TulsaCathedral@gmail.com or 918582-6247 to request your statement. Single Catholics of Tulsa aims to create and sustain a welcoming and joyfilled community for single, divorced and widowed Catholics, 35+. Call Bryan, 918-835-3618; Terri, 918-3617076; or Mary, 918-749-6791 for more information. Upcoming events: March 6—Dinner at Jason’s Deli, 61st & Memorial, at 6:30, then see the movie Risen. Don’t forget: The Chrism Mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral on Wednesday March 23, at 5:30 in the evening.
The Council of Catholic Women, Tulsa Diocese invites all women of the parish to participate in a Day of Prayer & Reflection, “Women Liv-
ing the Faith in a Challenging World” on Saturday, April 9. ValLimar Jansen, a nationally recognized singer, cantor and recording artist will be the keynote speaker. Sheri Wohlfert, a veteran motivational speaker and humorist will speak after lunch. Kathy Beckham will also present Praise & Worship Music. Registration, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch, is $35.00 before March 15, and $30.00 for 10 or more from the parish. Late registration is $45.00. Contact Helga Gorman, 918636-0860 or helgahgorman@hotmail.com, to register.
The Parish of Christ the King will host renowned philosopher, theologian and author Peter Kreeft, PhD, who will conduct a retreat April 1 - 2 at the parish located at 1519 South Quincy. The retreat is entitled, Encountering Jesus: The Blessed Sacrament as Covenant Reality and will focus on the Eucharist and its importance in our Catholic faith. The cost to attend the retreat is $25 per person, which includes all meals. You may register at the parish website www.christ thekingcatholic.org/events or by contacting the parish office at 918-584-4788.
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Holy Family Cathedral PO Box 3204 Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 Return Service Requested
Each year during Holy Week, the Bishop celebrates a solemn Mass at which he consecrates and blesses the oils which are used in our Sacramental Rites. This Mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral on Wednesday March 23, at 5:30 in the evening. In recent years, the Chrism Mass took place on Tuesday of Holy Week. Please note this change to Wednesday. Join us for the annual Chrism Mass and pray with Catholics from across the Diocese this Holy Week. 8
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.