Priest of the @dioceseoftulsa. Rector of Holy Family Cathedral in Downtown Tulsa, OK. St. Damien of Molokai, pray for us!
Tulsa, OK
Joined March 2011
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Back at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa today and visited the graves of two Tulsa music icons, Leon Russell and Bob Wills (and his wife and his brother). May they rest in peace.
We did a Summer Becoming Catholic/OCIA group. They will receive the Sacraments of Initiation on November 22nd (The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe).
-23 adults and teenagers to be baptized, confirmed, and First Holy Communion
-37 baptized Christians coming into Full Communion and receiving Confirmation and First Holy Communion.
-4 children (under the age of reason) being baptized
Come, Holy Spirit!
For Advent I'm leading a parish retreat on "The Hymns of Advent and Christmas" looking at the lyrics of these common hymns and how they can help us grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Here's my current list:
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Comfort, Comfort O My People
Hark! The Herald Angles Sing
What Child Is This?
Joy to the World
We Three Kings
The First Noel
On this day in 2006, I was ordained as a transitional deacon.
It happened at Saint Meinrad Archabbey (where I went to seminary). Archbishop Daniel Buechlein, OSB of Indianapolis was the ordaining bishop.
One of our staff members ordered lunch from DoorDash. The driver went to the wrong door and accidentally came into the cathedral when the office is next door. He had never been in a Catholic church. He was struck by the beauty.
He made the delivery, went home and started researching Catholicism. He just started OCIA.
Beauty attracts.
I had a burial today at a Tulsa cemetery. On the way out, I made a visit to the grave of basketball legend and musician Wayman Tisdale. I watched him a lot as a kid and imitated him in my driveway. May he rest in peace.
I had a burial today for a Micronesian family in the parish. In speaking with some of the extended family, they kept referring to the deceased as, “our beloved one.”
I’ve never heard that. And I like it.
The Pew Party happened! Great hospitality and food. Seven different households (and the priests) who all sit near other at Sunday Mass got together for dinner.
A Pew Party!
My associate pastor and I are encouraging people to be more organically hospitable- invite people over! Say hello to people after Mass! Invite someone to coffee!
This family is having a “Pew Party”. They generally sit in the same row every Sunday at the same Mass and they will be inviting everyone who sits in that row and in the row in front of them and in the row behind them to a party at their house. This is amazing.
Tulsa is home to a wonderfully faithful and growing Burmese population. I celebrated Mass for them today subbing in for their pastor. I spoke English. They spoke Zomi. Packed. Tons of kids. Incredible singing. Warm hospitality. The future is bright.
This is the church 10 minutes BEFORE Mass praying the rosary together.
I got some feedback today from a visitor to the cathedral: "It was difficult hearing over all the babies this morning. You might want to turn up the volume a bit"
The future is bright.
A part of parish life a lot of people don't see is visits to the homebound. On a visit this afternoon, an 86 year old parishioner said to me as I came through her apartment door, "I hope you brought Holy Communion, because I need the strength of Lord today!"
It’s Sunday in downtown Tulsa, OK. Let’s go to Mass! Today is the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Masses today at Holy Family Cathedral:
8:00am
10:00am
Noon
5:00pm
Confessions available today:
7:30-7:50am
9:30 until the line runs out
11:30 until the line runs out
4:30pm until the line runs out
Join us at 8th and Boulder!
It was a beautiful evening at Holy Family Cathedral with Catholic artists @mattmahermusic and @skroger.
500+ people from across the area and a variety of churches gathering at our diocesan cathedral.
I'm grateful the tour came to Tulsa.
