Cathedral News FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD OR MASSES FOR THE DEAD: WHICH IS MERITORIOUS?”
Fr. Okonkwo Reflects on Praying for the Dead
Inside: Looking at the Past Bishops of Tulsa Holy Family Cathedral School 2017-18 Family Faith Formation 2017-18
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Newsletter, November 2017
“FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD OR MASSES FOR THE DEAD: WHICH IS MERITORIOUS?” by Very Rev. Chukwudi Jovita Okonkwo, Ph.D.
The practice of sending flowers to a deceased family or Church has become the norm in many the Western countries, including ours. Upon the announcement of a person’s obituary, one finds a statement saying: “In lieu of flowers, make your donations to …” Often, it is cause for which the deceased showed particular interest or a charity to which the deceased donated in his or her lifetime. It is rare to read in a person’s obituary – even when the deceased is a practicing Catholic – “In lieu of Masses, make your donations to Holy Family Mass Stipend Account.” Catholics in the United States generally imitate their Protestant and atheist neighbors even in pursuit of spiritual goals. A bouquet of flowers seems to us more valuable than a Mass offered for the repose of the deceased. While a few Catholics still keep up the practice of offering Masses for the dead, many acquiesced to the dominant Protestant idea that we need not pray for the dead. In this, they agree with some Protestant groups who believe that there is only one destination for the deceased, which is heaven. Hence, all you have to do is give them a befitting burial and then celebrate their lives. Recently, the same idea has spilled over into burial for pets. Several cemeteries today have spaces for pets and cremation services are offered in memorial of departed pets. Catholics also have fallen in line with this idea and now inter their pets in cemeteries or cremate their bodies, place them in urns and erect a memorial for them. I do not object to this practice, if anyone feels that it would bring about some peace of mind and closure with a beloved pet. I’ll rather warn us to be careful not to give undue reverence to a creature that does not possess a soul and freedom of will. Be aware of the teaching of the Church that animals having no soul would not be resurrected. PRAYING FOR THE DEAD - MASSES FOR THE DEAD The practice of offering Masses for the repose of departed relatives has a long history and is connected to our belief in the doctrine of purgatory. The Church teaches that “all who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still
imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC 1030). In the material level, we purify things by washing them with water or applying some chemicals that achieve the same purpose. We purify water to make it more suitable for drinking by boiling it or other advanced processes that science has aided us in achieving. We purify the air around the house by applying air freshener, wiping off the dusts in the environment or by letting in fresher air. In the spiritual level, nothing is more efficient for purifying the soul than the precious blood of Jesus poured out for us in the sacrifice of Himself to His Father for our atonement and sanctification. Hence, the sacrifice of Mass is the most effective means of purifying the souls of the departed. The sacraments are truly efficacious signs that confer grace on the recipient. For the departed, having been washed clean in baptism and sealed with the spirit of the Living God, they bear that seal that marks them out for God’s ownership. Because the devil is a thief, his desire is to steal and keep in his possession in the eternal fire of hell that which belongs to God. Even the baptized who are eternally lost bear this imprint of divine ownership in their hellish torments. But for those whose souls are tainted by the dust of venial sins, only the sacrificial offering of Christ on the Cross which cleanses unto eternal forgiveness can be of real value to them, given that this sacrifice remains efficacious even for those who cannot willfully participate in it. Upon the recommendation of the living (and the saints in heaven with who they are in communion), holy souls in purgatory are able to draw from the infinite grace of Mass. Hence, the greatest thing we can do for our departed relatives is offer Masses for them. Our bouquet of flowers, while a good gesture, can do no good to them. Similarly, our donations to causes they cared about will certainly promote those causes and become helpful to the living, yet, the only way we can impact their lives which have taken on a pure spiritual nature is to commend them in prayer, especially through the most powerful prayer ever said, namely, the Sacrifice of Mass. The Catechism of the Catholic Church thus puts great emphasis on Masses for the dead: “From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic Sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God” (CCC 1032).
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OLD TESTAMENT ROOTS OF PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD Prayers for the dead go all the way back to the Old Testament. The earlier books of the Bible only referenced mourning for the dead without indication of prayers said for them. The 50 chapter of the Book of Genesis records the elaborate 40 days funeral ceremonies and mourning for Jacob, and later Joseph. Similarly, David mourned for his son Absalom after his tragic death, with no indication that prayers were offered for him (II Sam 19:1-4). The first suggestion of prayers being offered for the dead comes from the book of Maccabees, where it was reported that Judas Maccabees offered prayers and even collected money to offer sacrifices for Jewish soldiers who died in the apostasy of wearing pagan amulets – something forbidden by the Law. In this passage of the Bible, specific mention was made about supplications offered in atonement for the dead that the sinful behavior of the soldiers might be expunged: “Turning to supplication, they prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out” (II Maccabees 12:43). th
REFERENCES FROM THE GOSPELS AND THE CHURCH FATHERS The gospels made no direct reference to praying for the dead; albeit in the parables of the kingdom, Divine Mercy for the weak who were ignorant of their crimes suggests that while such invincible ignorance would merit punishment, the culprit will be punished lightly. “The servant who does not know his master’s will and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows” (Lk 12:48). This suggests what in the light of Church teaching is called venial sin or sins streaming from invincible ignorance. It is expected that such punishment would not forever cut the poor sinner off from the joy of the Master. The beating in question also refers to the purification or purgation to which the soul is subjected in purgatory. The Fathers of the early Church understood this purgation as a suffering encountered by the holy souls in purgatory and apply prayers to speed the release of souls therein subjected. Some examples that have been noted are the epitaph on the tomb of Abercius, Bishop of Hieropolis, Phrygia (AD 180) which beckons on the faithful to offer prayers for the repose of the soul of their departed pastor, and the arguably earliest Eucharistic Prayer (Canon) attributed to Hippolytus, in which explicit mention was made of prayers for the departed during Mass. Almost all the other Canons have followed the
Newsletter, November 2017
Hippolytan model and include prayers for the dead in the Intercessions part of the Eucharistic Prayer or Consecration, right after the Epiclesis and before the Doxology. For example, in Eucharistic Prayer III which you’ll commonly hear on Sunday Masses, the intercession for the dead goes as follows: “To our departed brothers and sisters and to all who were pleasing to you at their passing from this life, give kind admittance to your kingdom.” Other Church Father like St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Ambrose, St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory the Great all enjoined the faithful to unite in the prayer of the Church, especially the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Lord, special intercessions for the dead. The words of St. Ambrose are both pointed and poignant: “We have loved them during life; let us not abandon them in death, until we have conducted them by our prayers into the house of the Lord.” St. Augustine reported in his Confessions that before his mother departed this world, St. Monica expressed this dying wish to him: “One thing only I ask you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be.” MASSES AND PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD ACROSS CATHOLIC CULTURES Having experienced multiple cultures, I can bear out that in many parts of the Catholic World where Protestantism and its dominating culture hasn’t swept away meaningful Catholic observances, offering Masses for the dead is top on the list when conducting funeral ceremonies, memorials and anniversaries of the dead. In fact, in several African countries, a special collection is taken up right after interment for the purpose of offering Masses for the person buried. Members of a pious society very popular in many African and South American countries called the Purgatorial Society dedicate time and effort to praying for the dead as well as collect money for offering prayers and Masses for the dead. I was surprised that even in Germany, the birthplace of Protestantism, which originated out of quibbles about Indulgences requested, granted, and sometimes ‘bought’ for the dead, nearly 100 percent of Masses offered are still for the departed; and among the English, nine out of ten Masses offered every day are for the departed. The Germans, it must be admitted, somewhat overdo their cult of the dead. In one parish I visited in the summer of 2016, I observed that family members would rather spend time decorating with flowers the tombs of their departed relatives than attend Mass. As Mass would be in progress, the number of people in their
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relatives’ graves which take up almost every available space around the Church grounds often outnumber the number inside the Church for Mass. 500 years after Luther protested the ‘buying and selling’ of Indulgences, a good number of Germans still put greater emphasis on Memorial Masses, which sadly, they rarely attend.
Newsletter, November 2017
Remembering Past Bishops of Tulsa and Rectors of Holy Family Cathedral
As Catholics, we dedicate the entire month of November to remembering and praying for the dead. On November 1st, we celebrate All Saints’ Day, where we honor not only those who have been officially recognized by the Church and have the designation as “Saint”, but also every single NECESSITY OF OFFERING MASSES FOR THE DEAD person who is in heaven! The following day, November At that final departure of a loved one from this world, when the web and ties of earthly life disintegrate, what can 2nd, we celebrate All Souls’ Day, where we remember we offer a person we love? If you ask me to suggest to you those who have gone before us and we dedicate a special day to praying for their souls. If you’ve ever walked the three most important things you can do for them, I’ll tell through the hallway next to the chapel, you’ve probably say: First, offer Mass for them; second, offer more Masses for them; and third, offer many more Masses for them. According seen a bunch of old, black and white photos of previous bishops and rectors of the diocese. And so, in remembrance to Fr. Saunders, all things being equal, ten Masses offered of the dead, we’re going to take a look at the history of all for the repose of a soul confer ten times the benefit of one of the deceased bishops of Tulsa and some of the past Mass. The flowers we present for the funeral ceremonies will wither and die in a matter of hours or days but the Masses we rectors of Holy Family Cathedral. offer for a departed relative or friend have intrinsic value for the eternal repose of the dead. And the most beautiful thing is Theophile Meerschaert Born in Belgium in 1847, Theophile that after being purged, and our departed relatives make it Meerschaert entered seminary having home to paradise, they will in turn assist us in our own moment of need. We can rest assured that their intercessions been moved by word of the needs and opportunities in the American right from heaven will follow us as we struggle to complete missions. The summer of 1891, our own earthly journey. Meerschaert was appointed Vicar This All Souls day and during the month of Apostolic of Indian Territory in November, be sure to offer Masses for your departed Oklahoma. When he arrived, the relatives and friends. Mass cards can be requested from vicariate had only three diocesan the parish office. Make a list of your family members who priests, 23 Benedictine monks, 21 have departed this world, and for each of them, offer a churches, one monastery, six convents, Mass. Remember them with Mass at their birthdays, and about 5,000 Catholics. Meerschaert was named the anniversary of death, Memorial day, Veteran’s day (if they first Bishop of Oklahoma in August of 1905, when Pope are departed veterans), and those times like Christmas and Pius X raised the vicariate to the rank of a diocese. By the Thanksgiving, when their absence is most felt in the family. time of his death, the Church in Oklahoma had an Through offering Masses for the departed you can gain elevenfold increase in Catholics, and the number of plenary indulgences for them and for you. churches and schools multiplied. He died in 1924. May the Mother of Jesus, Comforter of the Afflicted join our intercession to hers and obtain for our departed relatives and friends remission from their sins and may she quickly betray them (and us) to her Eternal Son, the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.
Francis Clement Kelley Francis Clement Kelley, born in Canada in 1870, was ordained a priest in 1893. Kelley founded the Catholic Church Extension Society of the United States and was elected its first president. Kelley was active in war and diplomacy in his day, and served as a military chaplain during
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the Spanish-American War and, as a diplomat, he represented the bishops of Mexico during the World War I Peace Conference in Paris. Kelley was consecrated the second bishop of Oklahoma in 1924. During his years as Bishop, he successfully resisted the agitation of the KKK and helped the diocese grow to maturity. He died in 1948. Bishop Kelley High School is named after him. Eugene J. McGuinness Eugene J. McGuinness was born in Pennsylvania in 1889. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1915, and served as assistant director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, and field secretary and vice president of the Catholic Church Extension Society. McGuinness was appointed Bishop of Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1937. In 1944, he was appointed as the third Bishop of Oklahoma. He saw the Catholic population in the state grow by almost 40%, and received 1,242 adult converts in 1957 alone.Priestly and religious vocations flourished, and he made trips to Ireland and Poland to recruit clergy. He died in 1957, and has a high school named after him in Oklahoma City. Victor Joseph Reed Victor Joseph Reed was born in Indiana in 1905. Reed said in an interview that he had wanted to be a priest from as far back as he could remember, even from when he was 10 years old. In 1929 he was ordained to the priesthood. He was assistant chancellor of the Diocese of Oklahoma City and also pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Stillwater. He was named rector of Holy Family Cathedral in 1947, made a papal chamberlain in 1949, and raised to the rank of domestic prelate in 1953. In 1957, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Oklahoma City-Tulsa, but before his consecration took place, Bishop McGuinness died and Reed was named to succeed him as the fourth Bishop of Oklahoma City-Tulsa. Between 1962 and 1965, he attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council. He died in 1971.
Newsletter, November 2017
John R. Quinn John R. Quinn was born in California in 1929. Quinn was ordained to the priesthood in 1953, and Pope Paul VI named him auxiliary bishop of San Diego in 1967. In 1971, he was appointed Bishop of Oklahoma City-Tulsa. He wasn’t bishop of Tulsa very long though, for only two years later, the diocese was split to form the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa, and so Quinn was appointed the first Archbishop of Oklahoma City. Quinn was president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1977 to 1980. In his time as Archbishop of Oklahoma City, he placed an emphasis on priestly vocations, he desired for better pastoral care of Spanish-speaking Catholics, and he wanted a reorganization of Catholic charities. He died in June of this year. Bernard J. Ganter Bernard J. Ganter was born in Texas in 1928. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1952. In his diocese, Ganter was head of the diocesan tribunal, chancellor of the diocese, and diocesan consultor. He was named Papal Chamberlain in 1964 and was also elected to the presbyterate council. In 1972, he was appointed the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Tulsa. Ganter quickly became a beloved figure among Catholics in Eastern Oklahoma, and he led a diocese that was culturally and economically diverse. He died in 1993.
John G. Heiring Heiring was pastor of the original Holy Family Church in 1906. He oversaw plans to expand the church facilities, which included expanding the rectory and school. By 1910, the church had outgrown its original capacity and so, through his leadership, Holy Family opened its second church, the present day cathedral, in 1914. Heiring auditorium is named after him.
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Newsletter, November 2017
James F. Halpine Halpine served as the rector of Holy Family Cathedral from 1976-1997. He was born in Ohio in 1926, but moved to Tulsa before even his first birthday. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1952. In the 1960s, he was an assistant national chaplain to the Young Catholic Students, Young Catholic Workers, and the Christian Family Movement in Chicago. He was named monsignor in 1996, and was a moderator of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women until 2005. Although his health was failing, he continued to celebrate Mass and hear confessions. He died in 2010 and the Halpine room is named after him. Let us be sure to pray for all of the dead; our loved ones, our family members, those we do not even know, but let us especially remember our religious leaders who have gone before us and who, through their work, have sustained and strengthened the faith in our own diocese. Prayer for the Dead by St. Gertrude the Great Eternal Father, I offer You the most precious blood of thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, for those in my own home, and in my family. Amen.
International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of
Bishop Slattery speaking at
Our Lady of Fatima
Wednesdays at the Cathedral
Holy Family Cathedral School 2017-2018 Fall is always an exciting time at Holy Family Cathedral School. We have had a very productive first quarter. Our preschool classes are working on a wide variety of skills from gross motor development, to phonemic awareness, to table manners. Our elementary students have tackled tough concepts in math and science, created artistic masterpieces, made beautiful music, and are reading novels like Little House on the Prairie, The Birch Bark House, and The Babb Switch Story. Our middle school classes are equally as busy learning about scientific concepts such as the power of a vacuum, and the nature of elements, figuring out fractions and algebraic reasoning in math, while at the same time exploring the works of Edgar Alan Poe and William Shakespeare in Language Arts. Please take time to peruse our Facebook page for pictures of our students at work. We are proud of the learning happening in A group of Holy Family Students at the Rosary Run 5K our building and we are anxious to share it with you. As we move into November, we look forward to celebrating the lives of the Saints with our middle school saint reports, Day of the Dead altars, and our All School Mass on All Saints Day. We invite members of the community to join us for Mass this Wednesday, November 1st, at 9:00 A.M. in the Cathedral. We also invite you to join us at our November Youth Mass on Sunday, November 12th at 5:00 P.M.
As we turn our focus to the lives of the saints, it helps us to understand and perfect our purpose as a Catholic school. According to the Holy See, “a Catholic school should be inspired by a supernatural vision, founded on Christian anthropology, animated by communion and community, imbued with a Catholic worldview throughout its curriculum, and sustained by gospel witness.� A careful analysis of the lives of the many saints who have gone before us brings these principles into clear focus, and helps us to advance these marks in our parish and school community. These saints also provide for us models for our
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Newsletter, November 2017
prayer life. As a community we pray together many times each day. Throughout the course of the week our prayers and petitions seek blessings and intercession, and give praise and thanksgiving. It is through these communal prayers that our students begin to understand “that they belong to the communion of saints, a community that knows no bounds.�(Five Essential Marks of Catholic Schools, Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CERC) As part of this community of saints, we ask you, the parishioners of Holy Family Cathedral, to continue to pray for the students, families, faculty and staff of Holy Family Cathedral School as we continue to pray for you.
intercessor and heavenly friend. What a tremendous gift to give our families, a sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves, and a family that extends beyond this world into heaven!
Celebrating the lives of the saints with a party is a great way to engage children. All Saints’ Day Party Costumes, lawn games, good food and a few friends help make All Saints Day Know that the Lord is God, he made us, we belong to him, we more than just a day of obligation for our children, but are his people, the flock he shepherds. Psalms 100:3 rather a day to commemorate these men and women. Gathering around your backyard firepit to pray and sing Yours in Christ, is a great way to end your evening! Mrs. Southerland Family Faith Formation 2017-2018 The month of November begins with two great reminders of our hope as Catholics for the life of the world to come. On November 1st we are reminded of our ultimate goal to attain sanctity and prepare to spend eternity with Christ. Reading the lives of the saints reminds us that all people for all of human existence have faced the same struggles we face today. Betrayal, poverty, illness, jealousy, political unrest and many other aspects of the human condition have plagued mankind since the fall of man. The men and women who have been granted the title of Saint faced these challenges with prayer, sacrifice and great virtue. Some were ordinary people living quiet, grace-filled lives. Some were well known for their heroic deeds and virtuous leadership. The stories of their lives became legendary often reaching beyond the bounds of their homeland. Reading these stories to our children when they are young will give them appropriate heroes. Eventually all of us, children and adults, will find at least one whose story speaks to us; that person whose life inspires our own. Let that soul in heaven become an
The very next day, November 2nd, we are reminded of our obligation as Catholics to pray and offer sacrifices for the souls in purgatory that they may receive the ultimate reward of heaven. How can we do this in our homes and with our families? Our friends and family have a couple of practices that are easy to institute immediately and make an annual practice. Visit a cemetery and pray for those souls, particularly during the octave of All Souls. Praying a rosary together is a powerful witness of hope to your children and a secular world of our belief in the hope of heaven and the power of prayer extending even beyond this world. This is a gift we can give not just to our personal family members, but also to those who have no-one to pray for them. In the days leading up to November, collect the names of friends and families members. Write them on holy cards or in your own Book of the Dead. Place those names in a prominent place in your home for the month of November. A home altar or fireplace mantle are two great options. Place candles next to the names. Gather your family each night in November, light the candles and proceed to read the names, perhaps a few each night, and then offer prayers on their behalf. Teaching children that their prayers actually do something will help make the faith tangible. Monica Conro Director of Family Evangelization
Holy Family Cathedral PO Box 3204 Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 Electronic Service Requested
Most Rev. David A. Konderla, Bishop of Tulsa Most Rev. Edward J. Slattery, Bishop Emeritus Very Rev. Jovita C. Okonkwo, Rector Rev. John Grant, Associate Pastor Rev. Msgr. Gregory A. Gier, Rector Emeritus Deacon Tom Gorman Deacon Greg Stice Deacon Kevin Tulipana Deacon Mike Hopper Deacon Jerry Mattox Deacon J.D. Tidmore Deacon Marc Conro
Weekend Mass Schedule: 5:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 Noon, and 5:00 p.m. Sunday Weekday Mass Schedule: 12:05 p.m. Monday 7:00 a.m. & 12:05 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday 7:00 a.m., 12:05 & 5:05 p.m. Friday 8:00 a.m. Saturday Tuesday-Saturday daily Masses are usually in the Chapel of Peace.
Holy Family Cathedral Parish PO Box 3204, Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 918-582-6247 HolyFamilyCathedralParish.com TulsaCathedral@gmail.com
Confessions: Ten minutes before all Masses, and 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. Saturday
Holy Family Cathedral School 820 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74119 918-582-0422 HolyFamilyCathedralSchool.com
Friday Evening Holy Hour: 5:05 p.m. Mass, followed by Adoration and Benediction until 6:30 p.m.