Cathedral News: March 2011

Page 1

Holy Family

CATHEDRAL NEWS March 2011

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Volume 16 Issue 7


From the Rector

Dear Parishioners of Holy Family Cathedral: Lent is upon us and we are commissioned by the Lord to look closely at our lives and seek ways to improve our response to God. We are called to deeper prayer, serious fasting and generous alms giving. Hopefully all are possible right here at Holy Family Cathedral. Our Mass and confession schedule encourage us to deeper prayer. We are adding a third Mass on the Fridays of Lent so that we can continue our practice of Mass, Adoration, Benediction and Stations of the Cross. In order to do this our school has graciously moved the weekly all school Mass to Wednesday so that Fr. Van and I only have three Masses to cover on Friday instead of four. Certainly the Stations of the Cross are a very proper and traditional way to pray during the Lenten Season. Fasting is of course very personal and should not in any way endanger your health. However a little less to eat for the sake of an awareness of the needs of others is certainly in order. Our Lenten dinners are a great symbol of this Lenten practice. Alms giving can be accomplished by contributing to our Holy Family Cathedral Outreach, our Adopt a Student Program for our school, or even finding that “Over the Hump� Envelope someplace on the desk. I am sure Catholic Charities would not turn down and extra payment on your annual pledge as well. Looking beyond ourselves to the needs of others heightens our awareness of the generosity of God that we celebrate during Holy Week. Pray, fast and give alms, our most traditional means of deepening our spiritual lives. Let us Pray, Fast and Give Alms,

Msgr. Gregory A. Gier Rector Identification Statement The Cathedral News is published ten times per year by Holy Family Cathedral located at 122 West Eighth Street, Tulsa, OK 74119. This is Volume 16 Issue 7. Periodicals Postage Permit 022-729 is Paid in Tulsa, Oklahoma. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Holy Family Cathedral, P.O. Box 3204, Tulsa, OK 741013204.

Three-Year Renovation Pledges update:

$69,146.00 is currently outstanding on the pledges for the Renovation Fund.

Thank you for your continued generosity.

Photo: Cathy Nelson


Lent at Holy Family

Holy Family

Cathedral

Lenten Fridays 5:05 Mass 5:35 Adoration 6:00 Dinner 6:45 Benedictio n 7:00 Stations o f the Cross

By Reservation only! Make reservatio ns by Wednesd ay for each week’s dinner. C all Monika, 582 -6247 ext. 18, with the numbe r of people in y our party.

Holy Family

Cathedral

Tomato Soup an d Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Gourmet cheeses Mar. 11 melted inside d elicate ly toaste d bread complemente d by tomato soup makes this a Le classic. nten

Soup and Vegeta Soup of the Day

Potato Soup

ble Lasagna Mar. 18 .

is Chef’s Choice

This simple and delicious meal is served on the Solemnity of th e Annunciation o f the Lord.

Mar. 25

Macaroni & Che ese Tender pasta me ets rich creams a Apr. 1 nd ch variation of gran eeses in this dma’s old fashion ed recipe. Served warm, toasted bre with ad.

Pizza No Lenten fast is complete witho Apr. 8 ut Ch Ch oose from a vari ety

Pasta with Mar

of meatless pizz

inara or A

eese Pizza. a pies.

lfredo Sauce Classic Italian pas ta cooked al den te topped with you choice of re d m arinara or creamy r white Alfre do sa uce.

Fasting and Abstinence: Catholics, age 14 and older abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of Lent. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics - age 18-59 - abstain from meat and limit themselves to one full meal each day. Prayer: Catholics are encouraged to pray more during Lent, especially with Scripture. Lent is also an ideal time to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in preparation for the celebration of Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

Apr. 15


Catechumens & Candidates Focus on Essentials of Being Catholic BY THE

RCIA MINISTRY TEAM

On March 6th at the 10 AM Mass

Then on March 20th, catechumens,

conversion through prayer and study.

our parish celebrated the Rite of

candidates and their sponsors from

Sending in preparation for the Rite of

each parish in the diocese come to

Election on March 20th. The group

Holy Family to be introduced to the

on the sacraments of Penance and

has been hearing about Lent and

Bishop who welcomes them as they

Eucharist. The first of this series of

how we use that time to prepare for

continue their studies. The Bishop

lessons, Last Things: Heaven, Hell

Upcoming classes will concentrate

Easter. With this Easter

and Purgatory, is pre-

Vigil being such an im-

sented by Monsignor

portant event for those entering the Church, this Lent is also one of the more dramatic times of their lives. They’ve come to realize why it

“It is more than learning the tenets of the faith, or even believing what the Church teaches. It is an internal conversion of life that can only happen over time…and it continues for a lifetime.”

Gier on Ash Wednesday, and is an appropriate lead-in to Lent. Those entering the Faith will be invited to participate in the important

takes months to become

rituals of Holy Week, in-

Catholic. It is more than

cluding carrying the oils

learning the tenets of the faith, or

accepts and signs the book of the

to be blessed at the Chrism Mass,

even believing what the Church

elect from each parish’s representa-

the washing of the feet on Holy

teaches. It is an internal conversion

tive and speaks with encouragement

Thursday, and the dressing of the al-

of life that can only happen over

to those who’ve spent the last few

tar on Good Friday.

time…and it continues for a lifetime.

months experiencing the personal


Catechumens and candidates will

common ground and differences be-

The hospitality branch of the RCIA

be individually interviewed by a

tween Catholic and Protestant teach-

team changes our refreshment fare

member of our clergy to assure that

ings.

in keeping with the penitential em-

the basics are understood and any

phasis during Lent. Refreshments

concerns can be addressed. We

served are now likely bread,

can be assured that each new

pretzels, or crackers with herbed

Catholic will be fully prepared to

olive oil, perhaps some cheese

join our community. They will

or vegetable trays rather than

know more about the faith than

cookies and cakes. Our class on

many of us who’ve been Catho-

Ash Wednesday had no food,

lic for years, but have not kept

just some liquid refreshments,

studying about it, and thus have

as it was a day of fast and absti-

lapsed into some misconcep-

nence. We encourage our class

tions. Especially in this part of

to enter the Catholic way of life

the country, it would be benefi-

with an understanding of why we

cial for all of us to study some

fast and how it benefits our spiri-

apologetics so we can know the

tual life.

FOR LENT, REFRESHMENTS SERVED ARE NOW MORE LIKELY BREAD, PRETZELS OR CRACKERS...OR VEGETABLE TRAYS.


Holy Family School continues to thrive The Cathedral School may be Tulsa’s oldest Catholic school, but it doesn’t act a day over twenty. The school’s leadership has found a healthy balance between maintaining more than eleven decades of traditions and leading the school in new directions as it continues to evolve.

STUDENTS DROP CHANGE INTO COUNTERS TO BENEFIT THE ROOF REPAIRS.

Earlier this month, the students took part in a Walk-A-Thon, a fundraiser for the Home and School association which in turn funds field trips and other student activities. Parents sponsored students who walked around a quarter-mile track in the parking lot. This fun, outside activity gave the students an kinetic outlet following a week of learning and testing. Maintaining an aging building is one of the inconvenient realities of running a school with a long history. The school’s roof has four large flat spaces where water pools and penetrates into the

classroom ceilings. Principal Jay Luetke-

several times over the years. Saint

meyer challenged the students to save

Katharine Drexel, the school’s early fin-

coins towards repairs. If the students

ancier, insisted that the school was

donated more than $5,000, Mr. Luetke-

named “The Saint Therese Institute for

meyer promised to spend 24 hours on

Creek Indian Girls.” The school’s focus

the roof. The students donated

changed when it opened its doors to both

$5,586.30. The principal kept his prom-

girls and boys and to children of every

ise, posting nighttime photos of the Ca-

ethnic background. It changed again

thedral on the school’s facebook page.

when the current building was built, pro-

The school’s mission has remained the same: to educate Tulsa’s children. The mission’s emphasis has changed

viding much needed space for a lively high school. In the 1960s, Bishop Kelley High School opened. Our school agreed to close its high school to bolster the enrollment of BKHS. Closing the high school brought our student population from over 300 students down to less than 100. The most recent decades have challenged the school’s mission again. A changing downtown Tulsa provides new opportunities for growth. Principal Jay Luetkemeyer is working with enthusiastic parents and supporters - perhaps the most involved in the school’s history. They are exploring the school community’s needs and desires. The leadership recently created of a three-year-old preschool, scheduled to open this Fall. Continuing growth. There’s something about Holy Family.

STUDENTS COMPLETE LAPS AROUND THE PARKING LOT IN THE W ALK-A-THON.


Holy Family

Council 10388

Notes from the Knightstand

BY

MARTIN REIDY

While others shoveled cleared and raked at Holy Keep for God-ness sake I awaited the phone to ring to come by and get those things That you so searched both high and low for that "junque" that's gotta go! Lent! It finally arrived!

radio for six weeks! Nothing moved

5th. for the annual cut, clear, and

Aah, March! You have arrived -

slower than the 40 days of Lent!

cast into the fire centuries of brush

The only reprieve was that ap-

and bush. Backs ached, hands cal-

your exit is not like the lion! Poor

proximately mid-way there was St.

loused, but spirits never waned. The

March! Originally the first of ten

Patrick's Day which was not only not

pay was meager-a free lunch-but

months (later twelve) it was rele-

a day of Lent but also no school -

they all said it was great!

gated to third place by jolly King

which meant a movie at 1 p.m. and

Meanwhile, the truck is gassed,

Numa Ponpilius circa 700 B.C. Along

radio programs until Early Evening.

storage rented, and the phones are

with its demotion it also lost the New

Had it not been for St. Patrick I doubt

open for collection of your garage

Year Day celebration as New Year's

that I would have survived childhood!

sale donations. Certain restrictions

more like a lamb and let us hope that

Day has always been the prerogative

And then there is Lent itself: if it is

apply: no appliances, mattresses,

of First Month. That honor now went,

40 days why are there actually 46

clothing, or construction material for

as I am sure that you are aware, to

days? Nell, the Church never consid-

various legitimate reasons. Heavier

January. So March sort of lan-

ered Sunday as a Lenten day so 46

items may require a later scheduled

guished as a cipher month - a wait-

days less 6 Sundays gives one 40

pick-up. Look for a mendicant meal

ing room for Spring so to speak. That

days. Except in our household: there

prior to Stations each Friday circa

is - until the Christian era when Lent

were 45 days of Lent. Period! 45

5:30-6:30 p.m. It is free but dona-

made its appearance which made

days? Well, there was St. Patrick's

tions always accepted - and pan-

March a month to be respected, to

Day and to mother, being Irish, that

cakes & sausage on the 20th. It ain't

say the least, for its preview of

day was sacrosanct and thereby

free but is really cheap! So, allow me

Easter.

ends the tale.

to say, "Slan agus beannacht

I recall the dread with which I

Jumping ahead now to the current

would look forward to March for Lent

comings and goings found a coterie

meant the draconian sacrifices of no

of Knights along with sundry kith and

movies, no comics, and restricted

kin at Clear Creek Monastery on the

leat!” (Goodbye and Blessings with you!) Síocháin! (Peace!)


Holy Family Cathedral P.O. Box 3204 Tulsa, OK 74101-3204


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