e-newsletter companion of Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine
Stephen Matthew McClain Ordained to Diaconate
TULSA — Priests, Deacons, Seminarians, family, friends, and many more gathered at Holy Family Cathedral Friday evening for a Mass of Holy Orders and the Ordination of Stephen Matthew McClain to the Diaconate in the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma.
"We will ordain Matthew who will join over 100 others in this diaconal ministry among us," said Bishop Konderla in his homily. "In Matthew's case we pray that within the coming year we will also ordain him to the ministerial priesthood but like all priests and bishops always remain also a deacon."
McClain, who goes by Matthew, will serve as a transitional deacon in the diocese. He graduated Dec. 5, from the St. Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana. It is expected that he will be ordained into the Priesthood sometime in the summer of 2026.
"We thank your family who have assisted you in reaching this moment in your life and who will continue to help you and support you in your ministry." said Bishop Konderla. "As you assume this ministry remember to model your life after our Lord who came to serve, not to be served. You are to be a herald of the gospel of Jesus Christ — the gospel of hope."
McClain is the nephew of Fr. Stephen Austin who has served many years as a priest in the Diocese of Tulsa & Eastern Oklahoma. His aunt, Sister Barbara Austin, O.S.B., is a Benedictine Sister at St. Joseph Monastery in Tulsa. Other family members were also in attendance.
Deacon McClain served his first Mass of Thanksgiving at his home parish of St. John Before the Latin Gate in Bartlesville on Sunday.
EOC Photos by Daniel McCay
Former Claremore Pastor Now Serving as U.S. Army Chaplain at Fort Stewart, Georgia
BROKEN ARROW — U.S. Military Chaplain Fr. Sylvanus Ifeanyi Amaobi, a priest of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, has been stationed at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia, it was recently announced by Fr. Gary Kastl, Vicar General of the diocese.
Father Sylvanus formerly served as pastor of St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Claremore. He was released by Bishop David Konderla to enter full-time military service effective July 1, of this year, at which time he began the U.S. Army Chaplaincy training program. While a Catholic military chaplain remains incardinated in his home diocese or religious community, the Archbishop for the Military Services grants him endorsement and faculties to function as a military priest-chaplain.
Fr. Sylvanus is originally from Nkume in Imo State of Nigeria. He is the second child of a family of seven, to parents Sylvanus U. Amaobi and the late Veronica C. Amaobi. He was ordained to the priesthood on August 24, 2002. He most recently graduated from the U.S. Army Institute for Religious Leadership.
Other incardinated priests of the diocese currently serving as chaplains in the U.S. military include Rev. Lt. Col. Paul Amaliri, U.S. Air Force; Rev. Cpt. David Webb, U.S. Air Force; and Rev. Cpt. Stephen D. Cotter, U.S. Army.
"Let us continue to pray for all of our priests who are currently in active duty serving our great nation," said Fr. Kastl.
As recommended by Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress established military chaplains as an integral part of the Continental Army on July 29, 1775. For more about the Archdiocese of the Military Services, click here.
Oklahoma Catholic Broadcasting Announces Merger with Spirit Catholic Radio
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Catholic Broadcasting, Inc. is pleased to announce its merger with Spirit Catholic Radio Oklahoma, LLC operating under the new name Oklahoma Catholic Radio Network. This exciting development marks a new era of planned collaboration with parishes, schools, and ministries across the state—working alongside our bishops, priests, and Catholic leadership to shine a light on local and national resources that build up the faith and make Catholic radio accessible and relevant to everyone.
“This merger is about more than combining resources—it’s about providing programming that transforms lives,” said Jeff Finnell, President and Co-Founder of Oklahoma Catholic Radio. “Catholic radio should never be the best-kept secret. It’s a powerful tool for evangelization, and we want people to know it can change lives—so please, tune in.”
Finnell added that the merger ensures that Catholic radio in Oklahoma remains vibrant and mission-driven “Together, we will continue to provide programming that inspires, educates, and brings people closer to Christ.”
Bishop David Konderla of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma said, “This is an exciting announcement for Oklahoma Catholic Radio and will greatly aid in the Church’s ongoing mission to spread the Gospel message throughout our state."
Adam Minihan, CEO of 94.9fm St. Michael Catholic Radio said Spirit that Catholic Radio has been, and continues to be, "the gold standard" of Catholic radio in the United States.
"To bring their level of expertise to Oklahoma will only further our mission to continue spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ to all Oklahomans," said Minihan. "We are excited for the upcoming projects and opportunities that will come from this partnership.”
As part of the transition, Jim Carroll has been appointed Interim Executive Director of the Oklahoma Catholic Radio Network, coordinating efforts across the state. Carroll currently serves as President of VSS Catholic Communications Foundation and brings decades of experience in Catholic broadcasting. He served as Executive Director of Spirit Catholic Radio for 23 years, is a current 10+-year member of the EWTN Radio Advisory Board and has helped launch more than three dozen Catholic radio stations nationwide. His expertise will guide Oklahoma Catholic Radio Network into a new era of growth and impact.
“I am honored to help lead this transition,” Carroll said. “Catholic radio is a powerful tool for evangelization, and this merger will allow us to serve the faithful in Oklahoma more effectively than ever before.”
The VSS Catholic Communications Foundation will make a $200,000 investment in the technical infrastructure of Oklahoma Catholic Radio Network next year. Three local staff members — two part-time and one full-time — will provide programming, production, community engagement and development initiatives throughout the Oklahoma listening area. Finnell will lead development initiatives and become a board member of VSS Catholic Communications, Inc. The current members of Oklahoma Catholic Radio will become members of either the Oklahoma Development or Community Engagement Committees.
For more information about the Oklahoma Catholic Radio Network and its mission, click here.
What Listeners Can Expect
The new Oklahoma Catholic Radio Network, a proud EWTN affiliate for national programming, will offer a dynamic mix of local content designed to inspire and engage:
Nationally Recognized Programs & Bible Studies: Featuring trusted voices and series that deepen understanding of Scripture and Catholic teaching (Jeff Cavins and Dr. Scott Hahn).
Local Features:
New live one-hour morning program spotlighting the Oklahoma Catholic community.
Daily local Mass, Rosary and reflections by priests and deacons from throughout Oklahoma.
Potential to further develop existing, as well as new, local programs.
Community Engagement:
Parish event promotions, city/parish spotlights, feature local choirs, priest’s birthdays and many volunteer opportunities.
Catholic Speaker Series and traveling displays on the Eucharist, Mary, and the Shroud of Turin.
Special Initiatives:
Catholic school contests, on-line and on-air prayer outreach, and online tools like an updated website, regular social media updates and monthly e-newsletter informing the Oklahoma Catholic community of local events.
Important Notes for the
Listening Community
Implementation Will Take Time: These initiatives will roll out gradually. We ask for your prayers and support as we work to bring this vision to life.
Volunteers Needed: We will be enlisting the help of many volunteers across the state to make these programs successful.
FCC Approval Pending: The merger is subject to Federal Communications Commission approval and transference of broadcast licenses.
St. Gregory's Monks Praying for Parishes
SHAWNEE — The monks at St. Gegory's Abbey, currently celebrating their Sesquicentanial (150 years) in Oklahoma, are spreading the word.
"During this Sesquicentennial Anniversary, we wanted to do a project that involved every parish in Oklahoma," says Fr. Adrian Vorderlandwehr, OSB. "Many Catholics are not aware of St. Gregory's Abbey and our mission. We wanted to reach out to the parishes and their parishioners, find out their prayer requests and pray for them, one parish at a time. We're doing what monks do best — pray."
Every week, Fr. Adrian goes to the post office with an armload of packages. Each package includes prayer booklets, some in English and some in Spanish. Each booklet contains the Sesquicentennial prayer, the early history of the Benedictines in Oklahoma and the founding of the church in Oklahoma. On the back of the prayer booklets, the parishioners are encouraged to share their prayer requests either through e-mail or through the abbey website at www.monksok.org.
Parish bulletin editors receive an email from Fr. Adrian about the project, and letting the parish know what upcoming date the monks of St. Gregory's Abbey will be praying for their parishioners.
Every week, Fr. Adrian goes to the post office with an armload of packages. Each package includes prayer booklets, some in English and some in Spanish. Each booklet contains the Sesquicentennial prayer, the early history of the Benedictines in Oklahoma and the founding of the church in Oklahoma. On the back of the prayer booklets, the parishioners are encouraged to share their prayer requests either through e-mail or through the abbey website at www.monksok.org.
Parish bulletin editors receive an email from Fr. Adrian about the project, and letting the parish know what upcoming date the monks of St. Gregory's Abbey will be praying for their parishioners.
Photos courtesy of St. Gregory's Abbey
Every week, Fr. Adrian Vorderlandwehr, OSB, goes to the post office with an armload of packages. Each parish package includes prayer booklets, some in English and some in Spanish.
Sisters of Mercy Present Festival of Lessons and Carols
TULSA — The Religious Sisters of Mercy presented the Festival of Lessons and Carols at the chapel of Saint Francis Hospital's main campus on Thursday night. This was the second year for the event, a beloved Christmas tradition featuring scripture readings and carols.
"Thank you for joining us this evening for our celebration of lessons and carols," said Sr. Mary Gretchen Hoffman, RSM, MD, the Local Superior, in her greeting. "Tonight's readings and songs will lead us to contemplate the great Christmas mystery and the story of our salvation."
The Festival of Lessons and Carols is a service of scripture, song, and prayer that dates to the late 19th century. Nine scripture readings recount the fall of mankind, the promise of the Messiah, the Incarnation, and the Great Commission. Each lesson is followed by a Christmas carol or song that reflects the message of the preceding lesson and then a brief prayer.
In addition to the singing led by the sisters, several of the scripture readings were done by laypersons. Deacon J. Thomas of Holy Family Cathedral offered each of the prayers and the Final Blessing was given by Very Rev. Bryan Brooks, pastor of St. Benedict parish in Broken Arrow.
Approximately 100 people from around the diocese were in attendance.
GUEST COLUMN: The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
BY ALLISON BARRICK/via FAITH Catholic
The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, better known as the Christmas Proclamation, is a verifiable trip through time. Through it, the announcement calls us to recall major events in the history of salvation and humanity: the creation of heaven and earth, the exodus from Egypt, even the founding of Rome! This important prayer of the Church, while only proclaimed once a year, contains a richness that predates the birth of Christ himself.
In ancient Rome, an event called Kalenda was observed at the beginning of each month. The Kalenda (the origin of the word “calendar”) would include proclamations about upcoming events and was a day when all debts were settled.
Although we do not know the official author of the Christmas Proclamation or exactly when it was first written, it appears that the writer draws from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, perhaps adapting them to mimic the ancient Roman Kalenda. Through it, the congregation is invited to recall the most important event in all of history – the birth of Christ – an event that would bring celebration to the earth and the promise of redemption from the debt of sin.
By the medieval period, the Christmas Proclamation found a place in the life of the Church. Every morning, monks, nuns and priests would pray Prime, one of the “hours” that was part of the Liturgy of the Hours. As they prayed Prime, the religious would proclaim the upcoming feast days, reading from what is called a “martyrology. Eventually, the Christmas Proclamation was incorporated into what became known as the Roman Martyrology and was traditionally announced on Christmas morning.
This centuries-old tradition fell into disuse after the Second Vatican Council, but in 1980, this rich tradition returned to the life of the Church. Hundreds of attendees of the Midnight Mass in the Vatican heard St. John Paul II proclaim the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, thereby restoring this practice to the Christmas Mass in the Night (or “Midnight Mass”). Through this action, the Holy Father revitalized a centuries-old tradition that continues today. Many parishes include the chanting (or reading) of the Christmas Proclamation before the start of Midnight Mass.
The Christmas Proclamation is not merely a statement of historical events but rather a call to remember that the greatest event of all is the birth of our Savior. This Christmas, perhaps before opening gifts, gather your family and share in this same proclamation, knowing you are uniting your joy with hundreds of holy men and women who have gone before us.
Allison Barrick serves as a catechist at Christ the King parish in Ann Arbor, Mich. She has written articles for Our Sunday Visitor, Franciscan Magazine and the National Catholic Register.
Christmas Proclamation
In the Twenty-fifth Day of December,
when ages beyond number had run their course from the creation of the world,
when God in the beginning created heaven and earth, and formed man in his own likeness;
when century upon century had passed since the Almighty set his bow in the clouds after the Great Flood, as a sign of covenant and peace;
in the twenty-first century since Abraham, our father in faith, came out of the Ur of the Chaldees;
in the thirteenth century since the People of Israel were led by Moses in the Exodus from Egypt;
around the thousandth year since David was anointed King;
in the sixty-fifth week of the prophecy of Daniel;
in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
in the year seven hundred and fifty-two since the foundation of the City of Rome;
in the forty-second year of the reign of Caesar Octavian Augustus, the whole world being at peace,
JESUS CHRIST, the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father,
desiring to consecrate the world by his most loving presence,
was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and when nine months had passed since his conception,
was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judah,
and was made man.
The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.
Stained glass window depicting the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa.
From the Editor...
The ordination of Deacon Matthew McClain last Friday evening was a beautiful and joyful occasion. During his homily, Bishop David Konderla noted the recent ordinations to both the Priesthood and Diaconate during 2025 and that 2026 will begin with another as Deacon Adrián Meneses is to be ordained to the Priesthood on Jan. 9.
"God has blessed us here in our local diocese as there have been a number of ordinations," said Bishop Konderla. "These men are ordained so that through their service, God can shine hope into the world in these days."
As we prepare to enter the Christmas season, Bishop Konderla stressed our calling as Catholics to share the hope we have in Christ with others — especially the lowly, the outcast, and those who mourn.
"Many of our brothers and sisters who share with us Catholic faith and baptism are hoping and praying that they be allowed to stay here and work and raise their families and contribute to the good of our nation," said Bishop Konderla. "In desperation they came here without authorization (and) now face the possibility of deportation. They need a word of hope. As we came to the Cathedral this evening or as we leave, we will likely see people on the street who are sleeping out there in the cold because they are homeless. They need a word of hope. In our neighborhoods and schools and places of work we meet people all the time who need to hear the Gospel because they do not yet know life in Christ. They need a word of hope."
For a complete audio/video recording of Friday's Ordination Mass and Bishop Konderla's homily, click here.
—
Bishop Konderla will celebrate the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025 Closing Mass at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 28, at Holy Family Cathedral. This special Mass will officially bring to a conclusion local observance of the Jubilee Year which saw 12 parishes from around the Diocese each host a Pilgrimage Mass on the first Saturday of each month. Many faithful traveled to one, several, or even all of the Pilgrimage sites throughout the year to pray and strive for a greater integration of the theological virtue of hope in their lives.
—
As is customary, the Chancery offices will be closed for Christmas and the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the following week. Our offices will close beginning this Wednesday, Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. We will reopen regular hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
Until next week, thanks for reading and a very Merry Christmas to all!
Chris Rush
Editor
"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" — Philippians 4:8
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