MCALESTER — The 12th monthly Pilgrimage Mass of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025 will take place at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church this Saturday morning. 

  Very Rev. Jovita Okonkwo, pastor and vicar forane for the Southern Vicariate, and his congregation are preparing to host Bishop David Konderla for the monthly Pilgrimage Mass at 10 a.m., Dec. 6. The theme for December is "Prisoners & Those Being Persecuted." McAlester is home to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, a male maximum-security facility.

  According to its church history, the cornerstone for the original St. John parish was laid on May 23, 1895. The present building, located in downtown, was built through the philanthropy of James B. Cambron and parishioners during the pastorate of Monsignor John J. Higgins. The first Mass in the current church was celebrated on Christmas in 1948. Click here to read more of the Catholic Church's early history in McAlester and the surrounding area.

  The Jubilee Year of Hope 2025 will officially come to an end with a Closing Mass celebrated by Bishop Konderla set for 2:30 p.m., Dec. 28, at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa. Be watching for additional information here and on diocesan social media in the coming weeks.

  TULSA – Monte Cassino School, a private Pk-8 Catholic school in Tulsa, recently announced that its sixth-grade class had raised more than $12,000 for the Salvation Army Angel Tree.

  An Angel Tree is a holiday donation program in which a Christmas tree is decorated with tags representing children, seniors, or families in need. Donors choose a tag, purchase the requested items, and then return the gifts to be distributed for Christmas. 

  In September, 51 sixth graders were tasked with performing acts of service and odd jobs to raise money for the Angel Tree. Students raked leaves, had bake sales, hosted face-painting booths at events, sold hand-made goods, performed singing birthday grams and other tasks through the duration of the three-month project.  

  Last week, the students and their chaperones visited Woodland Hills Mall where they selected angels and purchased gifts for them. 

  Additionally, the school's recent food drive was able to donate 3,136 pounds of food for the Market at Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma (below). 

  Other than Jesus, there’s one figure we hear about more than any other during the season of Advent: John the Baptist. Many of the Mass readings during Advent feature John the Baptist or speak about his ministry. Here are four ways St. John the Baptist helps us prepare for Christ’s coming:

 

  In this time of year, many of us can easily become maximizers. Does the tree need more ornaments? Did we buy enough presents? Our calendars quickly fill with social events. It’s intentional, then, that the Church presents us with a figure who lives a sort of extreme asceticism. John the Baptist wears a camel hair robe and eats a diet of locusts and wild honey (not exactly the decadent treats we associate with the season!) Ultimately, John the Baptist reminds us that sometimes the best way we can prepare for Christmas is to simplify. What can we clear from our to-do lists to make more room in our hearts for Christ this season?

  More than 400 years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Malachi wrote that Elijah would return before the day of the Lord (see Mal 3:23). The Gospels make it clear that there’s a connection between this prophecy and John the Baptist. Remember that famous camel hair robe we mentioned earlier (see Mt 3:4; Mk 1:6)? It’s meant to remind us of Elijah, who wore similar garb (see 2 Kings 1:8). Seeing the similarities, John’s followers even ask him, “Are you Elijah?” And he responds, “I am not.” (Jn 1:21) Instead, John says of himself, “I am ‘the voice crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord.”’” (Jn 1:23, cf. Is 40:3) While Jesus affirms that John indeed was the one Malachi prophesied about (see Mt 17:10-13), he isn’t a reincarnation of Elijah from the past.

  John the Baptist fulfills the prophetic call on his life to prepare the way for our Savior in a way that is truly his own. How can we give a truly personal response to the unique call God has placed on our lives?

  After John’s birth, Zechariah prophesies that his son will be “called a prophet of the Most High,” sent to “go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins.” (Lk 1:76-77) A key part of John’s ministry will be calling people to repentance (see Lk 3:10-14; Mt 3:7-8; Mk 6:18, et al.). 

  The best way we can prepare for Christmas is to acknowledge the ways that we have fallen short of God’s perfect love and to receive the abundant mercy available to us in the sacrament of reconciliation. Does your parish offer an Advent Reconciliation Service? Make plans to attend.

  John the Baptist had an uncanny ability to recognize the presence of Christ, even from the earliest moments of his life. We read in Luke, chapter 1, that John the Baptist leaped in his mother’s womb upon hearing Mary’s greeting (see v. 44), suggesting that even as an unborn child he recognized the presence of the Lord. Upon seeing Jesus coming toward him, John immediately recognizes him and declares, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (Jn 1:29) 

  How can we take time to slow down and recognize the presence of Christ in our midst, here and now?

  Going against a nation’s highest political power rarely ends well, but God calls us to defend the truth, no matter the opposition – or the consequences. Thomas Becket took this to heart as the King of England demanded allegiance to the crown before God.

  As chancellor to King Henry II in medieval England in 1155, Thomas oversaw the collection of the king’s revenue. With great responsibility came great trust from the king, who believed it would be advantageous to make Thomas the archbishop of Canterbury. Though Thomas warned King Henry that he might not accept interference in Church affairs, he was still confirmed archbishop and, against the king’s wishes, resigned as chancellor in 1162.

  Tensions between the king and Thomas were high from then on as the king pushed the boundaries of Church and state. King Henry wanted clergy accused of serious crimes tried in his courts rather than ecclesiastical courts. Conflict came to a head in 1164 when Thomas first agreed but later refused to seal the Constitutions of Clarendon, a document that asserted the king’s dominion over clergy and denied them the right of trial by Church, leading to criminal charges and a six-year exile. 

  During this time, Henry had his son crowned as archbishop of York, without the archbishop of Canterbury, whose prerogative it was to coronate the archbishop of York. Becket excommunicated the three bishops who consecrated Henry’s son. Thomas was allowed to return to England in 1170, but King Henry was furious about the bishops who were excommunicated. Four knights interpreted the king’s grumbling as a royal command to “rid him of this troublesome priest.” Soon thereafter, these knights invaded the cathedral and murdered Thomas during vespers.

  Thomas Becket was canonized just two years after his death. Canterbury Cathedral, the very place where he was murdered, became home to his shrine until 1538 when the Reformation swept through England and King Henry VIII attempted to suppress devotion to this brave saint by destroying the shrine. Thomas’ bloody tunic was returned to the Canterbury Cathedral in 2020, on the 850th anniversary of his murder, by Pope Francis.

  I hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving holiday spent with family and friends. Now, we have entered Advent and during each of the four weeks this year, the EOC extra will share a special guest column focusing on the season.

  You should have received your copy of December's Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine in the mail last week. Bishop David Konderla leads off by continuing his ongoing series, "Families on Mission." In our cover story, we feature the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan, eight of whom currently serve in a variety of capacities here within the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. You can also access the print magazine electronically on our website by clicking this link.

  Looking at the upcoming calendar, Bishop Konderla is scheduled to celebrate Mass this week at two Saint Francis Hospital locations. You may have seen the new hospital towers currently under construction — one in South Tulsa at 91st Street and US 169, and one in Muskogee. Both projects are expected to be completed early next year.

  Also, this week, last call to buy tickets for the annual Theology at the Tower dinner benefitting St. Michael Catholic Radio here in eastern Oklahoma. The Catholic Answers crew of Cy Kellett, Joe Heschmeyer, and our very own Karlo Broussard will participate in a panel discussion. The dinner is set for 6 p.m., Friday, at the NSU Broken Arrow Campus. You may purchase tickets at this link. But hurry, the event sells out every year.

  Until next week, thanks for reading!