e-newsletter companion of Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine
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Pope Focuses on Safeguarding Humanity in Age of AI
VATICAN CITY — One week ago, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical letter, Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), focused on safeguarding the human person in an age of artificial intelligence, also known as AI.
A statement issued by the Vatican upon the document's release stated, "the Holy Father offers the Church and the world moral and spiritual guidance rooted in the Gospel and the Church’s rich intellectual tradition." The statement emphasized the importance of the encyclical "at this time of rapid technological change and growing questions about the relationship between humanity and emerging technologies."
Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement upon its release welcoming the encyclical's message.
"It is a powerful reminder that no technology can replace a child of God, and all technology should be placed at the service of helping humanity thrive," said Archbishop Coakley. “As his predecessor Pope Leo XIII addressed the challenges of the Industrial Revolution in Rerum Novarumone hundred thirty-five years ago, our Holy Father shines the light of the Gospel and the tradition of the Church on the new opportunities and challenges posed by the rise of Artificial Intelligence."
The Archbishop's complete statement may be found by clicking here.
The Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has created a website for the encyclical in English and in Spanish. The site offers resources including infographics, videos, and a pastoral kit. To assist the faithful in receiving and sharing the Holy Father’s teaching, the USCCB has also created its own dedicated webpage for related resources found here.
Diocese Invited to Participate in Corpus
Christi Procession
TULSA — Several hundreds of faithful Catholics and friends from across the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma will gather on Thursday evening, June 4, for the Solemn Procession of Corpus Christi. The evening will begin with a 6 p.m. Mass celebrated at the Parish of Christ the King in midtown Tulsa. The procession will begin immediately following the conclusion of Mass at approximately 7 p.m.
"On Thursday evening, June 4th, the faithful from parishes throughout the diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma are invited to join in observing the Feast of Corpus Christi with a public procession here in Tulsa to honor the gift that Jesus Christ has given us in the Eucharist, the source and summit of our Christian life." said Bishop David Konderla in his invitation video. "I invite all priests, deacons, religious, and lay faithful of the diocese to join me..." The procession route will follow 15th Street (Cherry Street) west, then turn north on Boulder Avenue where it will conclude in front of Holy Family Cathedral, the mother church of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. At the conclusion of the procession, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will be held at Holy Family Cathedral.
Anticipating a very large crowd, the procession could take some time, but arrival time at HFC should be approximately 8:30 p.m. All groups and individuals within the Diocese are invited to join the procession, pray, sing, and join in Adoration. Parishes and parish groups are also encouraged to bring religious banners to be displayed during the procession. All participants are asked to park at the Cathedral and take the available shuttles to Christ the King for Mass beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Several volunteers are still needed to assist as Procession Ambassadors, Speaker Carriers, and part of the Clean-Up Crew. To volunteer, sign up here. For more information, click here.
To Mark 10th Year, Bishop Encourages Giving to Priest Retirement Fund
During his episcopacy, Bishop Konderla has made it a priority to be a shepherd to all his flock, including the most remote areas of the Diocese. He can often be seen stepping into his Toyota pickup truck, vestments in hand and the case containing his bishop's crosier, heading to a Confirmation Mass at a small rural parish. At the same time, he has also committed to caring for the spiritual and physcial well-being of the clergy of the Diocese, including its retired priests.
As part of the anniversary recognition, Bishop Konderla has asked that the faithful consider joining him in supporting the local Priest Retirement Fund.
"Our retired priests gave decades of faithful service to the people of this Diocese, many of them answering the call to serve in the same small towns and rural communities that Bishop Konderla himself continues to visit today," says Isaac Owen Director of Development for the Diocese. "Your gift to the Priest Retirement Fund helps ensure that those who spent their lives caring for others are themselves cared for with the dignity they deserve."
For more information, or to make an online gift in honor of Bishop Konderla's tenth anniversary to the Priest Retirement Fund, click here.
Bishop David Konderla is pictured with retiring priest Rev. Stephen Austin who has served as Parochial Administrator in Antlers, Boswell, and Hugo for much of this year. He enters full retirement on July 1.
Dr. Karlo Broussard and Family Relocating to Ohio
BROKEN ARROW — After three years of ministry across the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, Catholic Answers apologist Dr. Karlo Broussard and his family are preparing to relocate to Columbus, Ohio this summer.
The formal partnership between Catholic Answers and the Diocese will come to an end this month. Meanwhile, Catholic Answers is moving its headquarters to Columbus and the Broussard family will be joining them there.
"My ministry in the Diocese of Tulsa for the past three years has been one of the most amazing experiences of my career as a Catholic Answers apologist," said Dr. Broussard in a farewell column penned for the June issue of Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine. "I often reflect on how you — the good people of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma — have ministered more to me than I have done for you. Your warm hospitality and welcoming spirit toward my work has been overwhelming."
During his tenure in the Diocese, Broussard has successfully carried out more than 200 speaking engagements. Those engagements involved visiting 42 parishes as far afield as Idabel and Durant in the Southern Vicariate. They also included talks for Legatus, the Diocesan Seminarians, the Diocesan Faith and Works meetings, Catholic Charities, Theology on Tap, Deacon Formation classes, Theology at the Tower, and even a pilgrimage with Vicar General Fr. Gary Kastl and 47 other pilgrims to Italy.
"I want to thank Bishop David Konderla for his openness to receiving me and my family into his diocese and being open to the partnership with Catholic Answers," said Broussard.
Dr. Broussard's complete letter can be found in the June print issue of Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine, or the electronic version can be found by clicking here. Broussard's regular podcasts can viewed at his YouTube channel here.
The Broussard family.
Parishioner Writes History of Catholic Church in Sallisaw
SALLISAW — In 2028, St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church will celebrate its 75th anniversary. In advance of that occasion, Sallisaw native and long-time parishioner Earl Strebeck has authored and released a self-published history of the parish.
"In my history, I hope to imply that St. Francis Xavier has always been open to all," says Strebeck. "The church has never segregated and regardless of your race, creed, nationality, saint or sinner, you are welcome..."
Strebeck graduated from Sallisaw High School in 1958, and he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Northeaster State University in Tahlequah and then a Master degree in Art and Architecture from the University of Missouri.
Through his research, Strebeck has traced the origins of the Catholic Church's presence in pre-Oklahoma statehood (Indian Territory) and how the parish was ultimately founded in his hometown. Under the direction of the late Father Herman J. Foken, and with the approval of the late Bishop McGuinness, property was finally acquired for a parish in 1952, but not without considerable opposition due to local anti-Catholic sentiment at the time.
Strebeck lived through most of the local parish history as he converted to Catholicism and came into full communion with the Church in 1957.
"I have always thought of St. Francis Xavier as my home church and since I go back to its beginnings, I decided to write a history of the church," says Strebeck. "I start my history long before the church was founded to show how difficult it was to have a Catholic Church in Sallisaw."
The parish, begun as a humble mission in 1953, is now in its third building which was dedicated in 2015. It is currently pastored by Father Jeffrey Polasek, who grew up at St. Francis Xavier and served as pastor from 1995 to 2005 before returning in 2024.
An online history of the church can be found on the parish website by clicking here.
Saint of the Month:
St. Elizabeth Hesselblad
1870-1957 | Feast: June 4
Patron Saint of Nurses
BY CANDACE BRYANT-LESTER/FAITH Catholic
St. Elizabeth of Hesselblad’s life was marked by tireless service to the sick and the poor, placing her life in mortal danger to save innocent lives and fostering dialogue between Catholics, Jews and Protestants.
Born the fifth of 13 children during difficult economic times in Sweden, Elizabeth began working by age 16, and at 18 she emigrated to the United States to train and work as a nurse for the sick and aging in New York, sending money back to her family in Sweden. Although baptized and raised in the Reformed Church of Sweden, her nursing work in the U.S. exposed her to the Catholic faith through the care of many poor Catholics. She began to devote herself to study and prayer and developed a devotion to the Mother of the Redeemer. In 1902, Elizabeth was received into the Church, receiving the sacraments and dedicating her life wholly to Christ.
In 1906 she professed vows in Rome to the religious order of the Most Holy Savior, or the Bridgettines, the order founded by St. Bridget of Sweden in the 14th century. Soon after, Elizabeth established a new branch of the Bridgettines, whose mission was to unify Scandinavian Christians with the Catholic Church, all while continuing to serve the sick and poor. In the convent-hospital she founded, patients with no money were treated with compassion and dignity. Today, her order consists of 50 houses on three continents.
During World War II, Elizabeth tirelessly performed works of charity for the poor and marginalized, and continued her work promoting Christian unity. She hid 60 Jewish families in her convent during the Holocaust, earning her the recognition as a “Righteous Among the Nations,” an honor bestowed by Israel on non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews.
Elizabeth succumbed to lifelong poor health in 1957. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000 and canonized in 2016 by Pope Francis.
St. Elizabeth Hesselblad, pray for us!
From the Editor...
Last week, many of you received a letter in the mail from our office encouraging annual financial support for Catholic communications within the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. The largest portion of our yearly communications expense goes to the production and mailing costs associated with Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine.
Bishop David Konderla's desire is that every Catholic household within the Diocese receive a copy of EOC at no charge. We currently mail out more than 20,000 copies eight times per year. Additionally, free copies can also be picked up at several area retail locations.
To be clear, our annual appeal letter goes out to all on our mailing list, but financial support is entirely voluntary. It is not a "subscription" in a traditional sense as we mail to all who register to receive it at no charge. The EOC is free and will remain free, as will all other forms of our electronic communications including this e-newsletter.
We ask those who are willing and able to prayerfully consider supporting this important communications ministry through a donation to help defray costs. We are very grateful for your support over the years, both financially and through your prayer.
And, as always, I thank you for reading!
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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