e-newsletter companion of Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine
Bishop to Celebrate 10th Anniversary with Mass of Thanksgiving
Bishop Konderla was appointed the fourth Bishop of Tulsa on May 13, 2016 by Pope Francis and was ordained and installed as Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa on June 29, 2016, in a ceremony at the University of Tulsa's Reynolds Center.
“These past ten years have been a blessing to me as I have watched you grow in your love of God and in the formation of your families as intentional disciples of Jesus Christ," Bishop Konderla said in a message to the Diocese on the occasion of his tenth anniversary. "May God continue to bless us as we seek to evangelize the church that has been entrusted to us.”
For more, see the article in the June issue of Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine, "After 10 years, Bishop Looking Ahead," complete with photo highlights and messages from Catholic leaders, click here.
Bishop Konderla joins Vicar General Father Gary Kastl to share recollections of the past ten years in an episode of the recurring Tulsa Time podcast. View it here.
DIACONATE NEWS:
Pair of Deacons Retiring; Two Reassigned to New Parishes
BROKEN ARROW — Two deacons of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma are retiring and two more are slated to begin new assignments later this month.
Deacon Craig Victor, Director of the Diaconate for the Diocese, has announced that Deacon Neal Harton of St. Clement in Bixby and Deacon Dean Wersal of Christ the King in Tulsa have been approved for retirement. Deacon Harton's retirement is approved effective Dec. 31. Deacon Wersal's retirement is effective Oct. 20. Both men will continue to serve as able at their parishes.
Additionally, Deacon Isidro Saenz has been reassigned from St. Thomas More to Sts. Peter and Paul in Tulsa, effective August 15. Deacon Kevin Stephenson will be reassigned from Church of the Madalene in midtown Tulsa to St. Bernard of Clarivaux in south Tulsa, effective Sept. 1.
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St. Lawrence Mass August 8; Four Deacons and Their Wives Mark 25-Year Jubilee
TULSA — This year's annual St. Lawrence Mass will recognize four deacons of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, and their wives, as they mark 25 years since their ordination in 2001.
Bishop David Konderla invites all to join deacons and their wives from throughout the Diocese at the annual St. Lawrence Diaconate Mass taking place at 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 8, at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa.
The 2026 25-year Jubilarians include Mark and Janice Keeley, Mark and Julie Pittman, Dave and Christi Johnson, and Jerry and Kathleen Mattox. (Look for additional coverage of the Deacon Jubilarians in next week's EOCextra.)
The occasion is named for St. Lawrence who, as a young and very devout deacon of Rome, was martyred for his faith in A.D. 258. He is now a patron saint of permanent deacons.
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Deacon Appreciation August 8-9
BROKEN ARROW — Parishes and the faithful are encouraged to show appreciate to their deacons who voluntarily serve the People of God during the weekend of Aug. 8-9. Deacons are public ministers of the Catholic Church, ordained for the three-fold ministries of the Word, Liturgy, and Charity. At present, there are more than 80 active deacons serving in parishes and special ministries throughout the Diocese of Tulsa.
For more about the Permanent Diaconate, click here.
Deacon Neal Harton
Deacon Dean Wersal
Deacon Isidro Saenz
Deacon Kevin Stephenson
Replica of Historic St. Augustine Image from Mexico Coming to Tulsa
If everything proceeds according to plan, the sacred art will arrive in Tulsa around August 21. Preparations are underway for its solemn installation at 6 p.m., Friday, August 28, at which time Bishop David Konderla will preside over the official blessing of the image at St. Augustine Parish.
Father Leonardo Medina, Intercultural Coach/Specialist serving the Parish Support Team of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, said he only recently became aware of the image's true significance.
"It was only a few days ago, after speaking directly with the priest from the Archdiocese of Guadalajara (Mexico) who is coordinating the project, that I came to understand the true significance of what our Diocese is about to receive," says Fr. Medina. "The image that will arrive in Tulsa is an officially authorized replica of the original image of St. Augustine. The original image is more than 150 years old and has been deeply venerated for generations in a community in the state of Zacatecas that belongs to the Archdiocese of Guadalajara. It has long been a place of pilgrimage and devotion where thousands of faithful have sought the intercession of St. Augustine."
Because of its historical, artistic, and spiritual importance, permission to create a replica is granted only on rare occasions. The replica is being crafted by the official restorer of the sacred images of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara, and it will be accompanied by an official certificate of authenticity issued by the Archdiocese of Guadalajara and Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega.
According to Fr. Medina, this will not be a traveling image, but will be the only authorized replica permanently enshrined at St. Augustine Parish in Tulsa, making it an historic event for both the parish and the Diocese.
LOOKING BACK...
Virgin Mary Crowned Queen of the Diocese on August 13, 2006
TULSA — Twenty years ago, Bishop Edward J. Slattery affixed a crown to the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe during the Coronation of the Virgin Mary as Queen of the Diocese of Tulsa on August 13, 2006. Following the Mass and Coronation at Holy Family Cathedral, an estimated crowd of up to 5,000 Catholics processed to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and the Diocesan Marian Shrine where the crown took up permanent residence.
The historic events were covered by Eastern Oklahoma Catholic newspaper, the forerunner of today's Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine, in its Aug. 20, 2006, issue. (See images below).
Now, two decades later, Bishop David Konderla will lead Catholics from across eastern Oklahoma as the Diocese celebrates the 20th Anniversary of this historic event. Holy Mass will take place at 6 p.m., Friday, August 14, at Holy Family Cathedral. Following Mass, all are invited to participate in a Solemn Procession to the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Expiatory Temple at St. Francis Xavier Church in Tulsa.
Parishes are encouraged to bring images and statues of Marian devotion or their patron saints as the faithful unite to honor the Blessed Mother. For information about the Plenary Indulgence on this occasion, click here.
The joyful anniversary celebration will also include the special visit of the Holy Child of Atocha from Plateros, Mexico, a treasured image of devotion that will be present at the Mass and procession. (See story below.)
In 2031 the Church in the Americas will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Saint Juan Diego in 1531.
Below are EOC newspaper clippings from the events of 20 years ago.
20th Anniversary of Coronation of the Virgin Mary as Queen of the Diocese Schedule of Events
• Holy Mass
6 p.m., Friday, August 14
Holy Family Cathedral
• Solemn Procession
Following Mass, all are invited to participate in a Solemn Procession to the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe & Expiatory Temple at St. Francis Xavier Parish, Tulsa
Image of Holy Child of Atocha to Tour Diocese August 7-16
TULSA — In conjunction with the diocesan events celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary as Queen of the Diocese, a pilgrim image of the Holy Child of Atocha from Plateros, Mexico will tour the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma from Aug. 7-16.
The Holy Child of Atocha is a representation of the Christ Child as a young boy, widely revered in Spain, Latin America, and the American Southwest. The child is traditionally depicted carrying a basket of bread, a pilgrim’s staff, and a water gourd. The devotion began in the 13th century in Atocha, Spain, when the region was under harsh Moorish rule. Legend says that Christian prisoners were denied visitors except for children under the age of 12. A mysterious child began secretly bringing prisoners food and water in gourds and baskets that never emptied. Later, as Spanish settlements took hold in the Americas during the 1500s, the devotions to the Holy Child spread.
The traveling image schedule includes the following dates, times and locations:
• Friday, August 7
St. Augustine Catholic Church
Mass: 6 p.m. (Spanish)
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• Saturday, August 8
St. Pius X Catholic Church
Mass: 7 p.m. (Spanish)
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• Sunday, August 9
St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church
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• Wednesday, August 12
San Miguel Middle School of Tulsa
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• Thursday, August 13
Sacred Heart Mission (Heavener)
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• Friday, August 14
Holy Family Cathedral
Mass: 6 p.m.
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• Saturday, August 15
St. Thomas More Catholic Church
Mass: 7 p.m. (Spanish)
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• Sunday, August 16
Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe - St. Francis Xavier
Mass: 10 a.m. (Spanish)
Saint of the Month:
Blessed Franz Jägerstätter
Patron of Conscientious Objectors
Martyred Aug. 9, 1943
BY RACHEL ESPINOZA
Senior Editor/FAITH Catholic
Franz was born in 1907 in St. Radegund, Austria. After his biological father was killed in World War I, his mother married Heinrich Jägerstätter, who adopted Franz as his own in 1917.
Early accounts reveal that Franz had a wild young adulthood: He was fun-loving and popular and became the first in his town to own a motorcycle. Franz was also hot-headed and stubborn: A fistfight with a local soldier earned Franz a short stay in jail.
Franz’s life started to settle down around the time met his wife Fransizka. The two were married in 1936 and traveled to Rome for their honeymoon. During this time, Franz’s faith began to grow, particularly under the influence of his devout wife.
In addition to working on the family farm, Franz became the local sexton at his parish and started attending daily Mass. He refused the customary offering for funerals and instead saw his work of burying the dead as a corporal work of mercy. For a few years, Franz’s life was that of an ordinary, faithful Catholic father and husband. He and his wife had three daughters.
Everything changed in 1938, when Austria was annexed by Germany. Franz was the only citizen in his town to vote against annexation. In 1939, he trained for military service but received a deferment. In June of 1940, Franz was called for military service again but was allowed to return to working on his farm after the mayor intervened on his behalf. After another short term of service, he became convinced that participation in the war was a serious sin. His town priest and even the bishop of Linz urged him not to refuse the draft.
The next call came in February of 1943. On March 1, Franz went to the military office where he refused to take the oath of loyalty to Hitler and to fight, offering instead to carry out non-violent duties – a request that was quickly denied.
Franz was taken into custody and imprisoned in Linz before being transferred to Berlin-Tegel in May. After his trial on July 6, 1943, Franz was sentenced to death by guillotine. Franziska and others wrote many letters, trying to convince him to recant and save his life. Despite their pleas, Franz was firm in his conviction.
As he awaited execution, Franz received the sacraments but turned down offers for spiritual reading, stating that these would only interrupt his communication with the Lord.
Right before his death, Franz wrote; “Neither prison nor chains nor sentence of death can rob a man of the Faith and his free will. God gives so much strength that it is possible to bear any suffering… People worry about the obligations of conscience as they concern my wife and children. But I cannot believe that, just because one has a wife and children, a man is free to offend God.”
Franz went to his death peacefully on August 9, 1943. He was beatified in 2007 in Linz, Austria. Blessed Franz Jägerstätter is the patron of conscientious objectors and is held in high esteem especially among Catholic apostolates focused on peace and non-violence such as Pax Christi and the Catholic Worker Movement.
Bl. Franz Jägerstätter
The Importance of Conscience in Catholic Social Teaching
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Catechism of the Catholic Church 1782
Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. “He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters.”
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Gaudium et Spes 79
Moreover, it seems right that laws make humane provisions for the case of those who for reasons of conscience refuse to bear arms, provided however, that they agree to serve the human community in some other way.
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Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 399
Citizens are not obligated in conscience to follow the prescriptions of civil authorities if their precepts are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or to the teachings of the Gospel. Unjust laws pose dramatic problems of conscience for morally upright people: when they are called to cooperate in morally evil acts they must refuse. Besides being a moral duty, such a refusal is also a basic human right which, precisely as such, civil law itself is obliged to recognize and protect. “Those who have recourse to conscientious objection must be protected not only from legal penalties but also from any negative effects on the legal, disciplinary, financial and professional plane."
It is a grave duty of conscience not to cooperate, not even formally, in practices which, although permitted by civil legislation, are contrary to the Law of God. Such cooperation in fact can never be justified, not by invoking respect for the freedom of others nor by appealing to the fact that it is foreseen and required by civil law. No one can escape the moral responsibility for actions taken, and all will be judged by God himself based on this responsibility (cf. Rom 2:6; 14:12).
From the Editor...
My wife and I recently had the rare opportunity to attend a movie premiere as American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story was shown to a capacity audience in Oklahoma City on July 28, his Feast Day. The full-length (one hour and 55 minutes) documentary chronicles the upbringing, faith and ministry of the Okarche native and humble priest of the former Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Produced by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City in association with Fathom Entertainment and the talented filmmakers at Lampstand Story Company, the movie is a beautiful and inspiring telling of Blessed Stanley Rother's life and legacy. Multiple Rother family members and parishioners from his beloved Santiago Atitlán in the rural highlands of Guatemala provide first-hand accounts of their relationship and encounters with Father Rother.
I'm not a movie reviewer, but I can say without reservation that this film is well worth the time of anyone seeking to be inspired in their Christian faith and walk. Even those who already know quite a bit about Bl. Stanley Rother will come away even more informed and with fresh insights into his incredible faith and work.
The movie will have a limited release in theaters on August 25-26 in English, and on August 27 in Spanish. For more about the film, or to purchase tickets, click here.
We learned last week that our friend Hubert Pollock, long-time parishioner at Church of the Madalene, passed away on July 28 at the age of 100. Mr. Pollock, or "Hubie," as he was affectionately known, lived a very rich and joy-filled life. Writer Jean Yaeger profiled him in our June 2025 issue of Eastern Oklahoma Catholic. Funeral Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 6. For additional funeral information or to read his obituary, click here.
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Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
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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