Benedictine Sisters Sell Property to Monte Cassino School

  TULSA — The Benedictine Sisters of Saint Joseph Monastery have agreed to sell their 14.67-acre property to Monte Cassino School. This decision follows last year’s announcement that the sisters would be transitioning governance of the school to its Board of Directors – a decision made after thoughtful prayer and discernment.
  The sale includes approximately 40,000 square feet of monastery space, original school buildings, and the corner of 21st Street and Lewis Avenue. The property was independently appraised at $35 million; however, the sisters set the purchase price at $20 million after careful consideration. The $15 million difference represents the sisters’ legacy gift to the school, an investment in its long-term strength and sustainability. Monte Cassino School has leased the property from the Benedictine Sisters since the early 1990s.
  “The transfer of the property to Monte Cassino School completes a historic transition and begins a new chapter for independent Catholic education in Tulsa,” said Larry Rooney, Monte Cassino School Board Chair. “The Sisters have served and led this school community for the last 100 years, and I’m confident in the school’s ability to continue that legacy of learning for the next 100 years.”
  The purchase price was based not on market value, but on what the sisters need to responsibly provide for the future of the monastery, and what Monte Cassino School can realistically sustain. It also underscores the sisters’ deep commitment to independent Catholic Benedictine education and their confidence in the school’s leadership to carry its mission forward.
  “In many ways, this is the natural next chapter of our calling,” said Sister Julia Marie Roy, Prioress of Saint Joseph Monastery. “Having planted and tended this work, we now have the opportunity to leave it in strong hands, offering the school the space and support to grow its future.”
  “This is a transformational moment for Monte Cassino School. This investment allows us to expand and elevate our programs to better serve our students and meet the growing needs of families across the Tulsa community,” said Chris Burke, Monte Cassino Head of School. “Rooted in nearly 100 years of independent Catholic Benedictine educational excellence, there has never been a more exciting time to be a Saint at Monte Cassino.”
  Meanwhile, the sisters have broken ground on a new monastery property in Skiatook where they will continue their monastic way of life in an environment that supports their mission of prayer and service.

At center, Larry Rooney, Monte Cassino School Board Chair, and Sister Julia Marie Roy, Prioress of Saint Joseph Monastery, sign documents to complete the sale of monastery property to Monte Cassino School. To Sister Julia's left is Sister Marie Therese Long, former Prioress; Chris Burke, Monte Cassino Head of School (bottom far right); and Catholic Schools Superintendent David Dean (at top, far right). They are joined by members of the Monte Cassino Board of Directors.

Photo courtesy Alivia Antinetti/@livandlight.photo

Easter Vigil at St. John Catholic Student Center, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater

Youth Movement: Catholicism Clicking with Gen Z and Beyond

  "Easter saw skyrocketing number of young converts," trumpets a headline from the Catholic Extension Society. The story cites a recent Harvard University study which reports that Catholicism is seeing a "rebirth" among Gen Z (approximately 14 to 29 years old).  
  Several recent news reports have documented the recent rise in adult conversions happening at numerous dioceses through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. Many of these converts are young adults.
 At Oklahoma State University, the St. John University Catholic Student Center "welcomed 62 fully professed Catholics last year alone!," states the Catholic Extension Society article. "On Ash Wednesday this year, 1,200 OSU students came to receive ashes."
  Studies show that Gen Z Catholic identification rose from 15% to 21% between 2022 and 2023, with Harvard’s own Catholic chaplaincy reporting record numbers of students entering the Church.
  "I love being a priest at St. John," says Fr. Kerry Wakulich, pastor at the growing Catholic Student Center at OSU. "I witness college students sharing the joy of being Catholic on campus with the holiness of their lives and the fun they have daily."
  The growing number of all adults being confirmed at Easter locally has mirrored the growth trend seen nationwide. So much so that Tulsa parishes like Holy Family Cathedral and Christ the King will also hold Spring/Summer OCIA sessions to meet the demand.
  But the train of new Catholics does not stop there as parishes throughout the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma will also confirm hundreds of children and young people over the next several weeks.
  "What a truly beautiful day!" Fr. Leo Morales, pastor in Bartlesville, announced on social media. "Seeing so many young people receive their First Communion and Confirmation fills the heart with joy. Their faith is growing, and these moments mark such important steps in their journey with God."
  "The Holy Spirit is active and moving at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Muskogee!, Father John O'Neill reported on social media. "Over 500 family members and friends joined the celebration! Thanks to all our leaders and volunteers who supported and formed these young people."
  Watch for additional coverage as Bishop Konderla travels across the Diocese to celebrate Confirmation Mass at parishes throughout eastern Oklahoma.

Confirmatin, Divine Mercy Sunday, at St. John Catholic Church in Bartlesville

Confirmation, Divine Mercy Sunday, at St. Joseph Cathollic Church in Muskogee

Ascension St. John to Host Free Medical Mission on May 2

  TULSA — On Saturday, May 2, Ascension Saint John will host a Medical Mission at Home event, offering free medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, and pharmaceutical services to Oklahomans in need of care.
  The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Common Good: Northwest Tulsa Hub, located at 19 S 49th West Ave.
  Medical Mission at Home is an initiative to provide compassionate care to those facing barriers to traditional healthcare access. No insurance, payment, or appointment is required—services will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with language interpreters available onsite.
  “Our mission is rooted in bringing compassionate, high quality care directly to people where they are, while honoring their dignity and unique needs,” said Ron Tremblay, chief mission integration office at Ascension St. John. “Together with hundreds of dedicated associates and community partners, we are expanding access to whole person care that supports body, mind, and spirit, ensuring our most vulnerable neighbors receive the care, respect, and support they deserve.”
  More than 400 healthcare professionals, volunteers, and community partners are expected to participate in this year’s effort. Services offered will include:
• Medical Care: General health assessments and consultations
• Dental Care: Examinations
• Pharmacy: Select prescriptions filled at no cost
• Food Resources: fresh produce available
• Additional services will include: Foot washing, spiritual care, and access to community resources
  For many patients, the event is more than a single visit – it’s a connection to ongoing care. Care teams will work with individuals to schedule follow-up appointments and link them with local providers and support services to ensure continuity of care beyond the event.
  Serving Oklahoma for 100 years, St. John is a faith-based healthcare organization committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable.

Saint Francis Health System Expands Urgent Care Network 

  TULSA — Saint Francis Health System is expanding the Warren Clinic urgent care network with the addition of all MedWise Urgent Care locations in the Tulsa metro area. These additions significantly increase access to urgent care services within the Saint Francis network.
  As part of the agreement with QuikTrip, which owns and operates MedWise Urgent Care, these locations will transition to operate as Warren Clinic urgent cares in June 2026. Patients will continue to receive care from the same trusted providers and staff, now supported by the broader Saint Francis network.
  “With this expansion, we are strengthening our ability to provide quick, high-quality care to more patients across the Tulsa metro area,” said Dr. Cliff Robertson, President and CEO of Saint Francis Health System. “At the same time, we’re connecting these clinics and their patients to the full strength of the Saint Francis system — from specialty care and advanced diagnostics to the best hospitals in the region.”
  The nine locations — from Bartlesville to Bixby and from Sand Springs to Coweta — will operate under the Warren Clinic urgent care model, ensuring consistent standards of care across all sites and access to the health system’s vast resources.
  “We’re proud to welcome the MedWise team to Saint Francis,” said Collin Henry, president of Warren Clinic. “By working together, we will continue to ensure that urgent care services are accessible, convenient, and of the highest quality for the communities we serve.”
  Last summer, Warren Clinic opened a primary care clinic in Claremore after assuming operations of a former MedWise location. This next phase builds on that success and includes the remaining nine MedWise urgent care sites across the Tulsa metro area.
  The remaining MedWise locations joining the network are: 

  • Owasso: 11760 East 86th St. N
  • Sand Springs: 110 E 41st St.
  • Broken Arrow: 1095 N Aspen Ave.
  • Broken Arrow: 2550 N 9th St.
  • Coweta: 11495 OK-51
  • Bartlesville: 505 SE Washington Blvd. Unit B
  • Bixby: 14777 S Memorial Dr.
  • North Tulsa: 6336 E Admiral Pl.
  • South Tulsa: 8105 E 68th St. 

Photo courtesy Saint Franics Health System

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Byzantine Catholic Community to Commemorate Patron Saint

  TULSA — The Byzantine Catholic Outreach of Tulsa is hosting a celebration on May 2-3 to commemorate St. Athanasius the Great, their patron saint.
  "As St. John Paul II so beautifully urged, the Church must 'breathe with both lungs' of the East and Wes," says outreach priest, Fr. Elias Rafaj. "Pope Leo XIV powerfully reaffirmed this vision in his 2025 address to Eastern Catholics, where he emphasized the vital need for the universal Church to rediscover the ancient mystagogy, spirituality and constant prayer of the East."
  The St. Athanasius the Great Feast Weekend kicks off on Saturday, May 2 with Great Vespers at 5 p.m. On Sunday, May 3, Matins begins at 9 a.m., followed by Divine Liturgy. It will all take place at the chapel of Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma.
  "We will have a remarkable 300-year-old icon of St. Athanasius present for the veneration of the faithful," says Fr. Rafaj.
  For more information, see website below.