e-newsletter companion of Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine
HEALTHCARE
First Infant Safely Surrendered Through Saint Francis Baby Box
TULSA — Saint Francis Hospital announced recently that it has received its first infant through the Safe Haven Baby Box installed on its campus in March 2025. According to Safe Haven Baby Boxes, the surrender is the first through one of its baby boxes in Oklahoma. The milestone also provides an opportunity to remind the community that this potentially lifesaving resource is available to families in crisis.
"We recognize the love and courage it can take for a parent to make this decision, often under incredibly difficult circumstances," said Doug Williams, president of Saint Francis Hospital. "We are grateful this parent knew there was a safe place to turn, and we want others who may be facing similar circumstances to know they have that option, too. No parent should feel that they have nowhere to turn."
The Safe Haven Baby Box at Saint Francis Hospital, the first installed in northeast Oklahoma, allows a parent to legally and anonymously surrender an unharmed infant up to 30 days old, without having to interact with anyone. The box is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"We are so thankful for this parent who chose love and safety for their child over everything else,” said Monica Kelsey, founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes. “We are so proud of them for keeping this newborn safe and for choosing Saint Francis Hospital to take it from here."
Located on the south side of Saint Francis Hospital, between the emergency center entrance and ambulance bays, the baby box is a secure, climate-controlled and ventilated medical bassinet. When an infant is placed inside and the exterior door is closed, the door automatically locks and a silent alarm alerts hospital staff, which responds immediately to care for the child. The system is designed to protect both the infant and the anonymity of the person surrendering the baby. Security cameras are positioned away from the box, and no audible alarm sounds near the person making the surrender.
Under Oklahoma's Safe Haven Law, parents may legally surrender an unharmed infant 30 days old or younger at designated locations without fear of prosecution for abandonment based solely on the surrender. Once an infant is received at Saint Francis, medical professionals evaluate the baby and coordinate with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for the child's continued care.
The baby box is one of several options available under Oklahoma law. Parents may also safely surrender an infant directly to authorized medical professionals or designated personnel at hospitals, fire stations, police stations and other approved locations.
Located on the south side of Saint Francis Hospital, between the emergency center entrance and ambulance bays, the baby box is a secure, climate-controlled and ventilated medical bassinet. When an infant is placed inside and the exterior door is closed, the door automatically locks and a silent alarm alerts hospital staff, which responds immediately to care for the child. The system is designed to protect both the infant and the anonymity of the person surrendering the baby. Security cameras are positioned away from the box, and no audible alarm sounds near the person making the surrender.
Under Oklahoma's Safe Haven Law, parents may legally surrender an unharmed infant 30 days old or younger at designated locations without fear of prosecution for abandonment based solely on the surrender. Once an infant is received at Saint Francis, medical professionals evaluate the baby and coordinate with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for the child's continued care.
The baby box is one of several options available under Oklahoma law. Parents may also safely surrender an infant directly to authorized medical professionals or designated personnel at hospitals, fire stations, police stations and other approved locations.
Saint Francis Baby Box Information for Parents or Families in Crisis:
• Location: Saint Francis Hospital, 6161 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa. The baby box is on the south side of campus, between the emergency center entrance and ambulance bays, across from parking lot P4.
• Availability: 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Age: Infants 30 days old or younger who are unharmed.
• Anonymity: No face-to-face interaction or identifying information is required. Medical information about the infant may also be left in the box.
• Confidential help: The National Safe Haven Baby Box Hotline, 1-866-99BABY1, offers free, confidential support and information about safe surrender options.
• More information, including a campus location map, frequently asked questions and additional community resources, is available at www.saintfrancis.com/childrens/support-services/baby-box. To protect the privacy of everyone involved, Saint Francis will not release additional information about the infant or the circumstances of the surrender.
Photos courtesy Saint Francis Hospital
CLERGY
Father Leonardo Medina Elected ANSH Vice President
DALLAS — During the 36th National Convention of the National Association of Hispanic Priests in the United States (ANSH), held in Dallas, Oct. 19-21, three priests of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma — Father Juan Ángel Grajeda, Father Adrián Meneses, and Father Leonardo Medina — participated alongside other Hispanic priests from across the country in a time of fraternity, fellowship, and reflection.
During the convention, elections were held for the new national board of the association. Father Medina was unanimously elected National Vice President of ANSH for a three-year term, 2026–2029.
The election recognizes Father Medina’s 12 years of service as National Director of Retreats for Hispanic Priests, during which time he has promoted opportunities for spirituality, priestly fraternity, human formation, and accompaniment for priests serving in different regions of the United States.
Founded in 1989, ANSH is a priestly association deeply rooted in faith and service. As the official voice of Hispanic priests before the USCCB, the organization aims to unify and support Hispanic priests in the U.S. by fostering community development and providing platforms for sharing experiences, promoting priestly identity and rights, addressing issues affecting priests, encouraging spirituality and ongoing education and promoting vocations within the Hispanic community. For more information about the organization, go to: https://ansh.org/During the convention, elections were held for the new national board of the association. Father Medina was unanimously elected National Vice President of ANSH for a three-year term, 2026–2029.
The election recognizes Father Medina’s 12 years of service as National Director of Retreats for Hispanic Priests, during which time he has promoted opportunities for spirituality, priestly fraternity, human formation, and accompaniment for priests serving in different regions of the United States.
The three local diocesan priests are pictured below with ANSH Moderators Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, STD, of Los Angeles; and Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, of San Antonio. Father Medina is on the left in the bottom two photos.
Photos courtesy ANSH
NEWS
Sentencing Date Set for Former Parish Business Manager
TULSA — A sentencing date has been set for a former business manager who pleaded guilty to bank fraud and other financial misconduct while employed at the Parish of Christ the King.
John Sommer is scheduled to be sentenced on February 25, 2027 after he accepted a plea deal with federal prosecutors in May. Sommer admitted to stealing more than $1.4 million through more than 70 unauthorized ACH transfers from the parish to his own personal accounts. On Oct. 7, 2025, leaders at the parish learned of a significant financial inconsistency within its accounts. A forensic financial audit was immediately conducted and uncovered the magnitude of the financial misconduct.
"Over the last year, our parish has shown great resilience and faith regarding the actions and following the legal process concerning John Sommer," said Fr. Elkin González, pastor of Christ the King. "As we await the final resolution, I continue to ask for your prayers — prayers for justice, mercy, and the ongoing healing of our parish. Guided by the virtue of patience, may we resist the temptation to harbor resentment in our hearts. Together, and with the grace of God, we will move forward in faith."
An independent audit — conducted by Hogan Taylor LLP — concluded in December after uncovering more than $1 million in unauthorized transfers took place between March and October of 2025. The findings of that internal investigation were then turned over to law enforcement as part of the ongoing criminal investigation.
Sommer, who admitted to making unauthorized transfers, was put on leave from ministry as a deacon on Oct. 8, 2025, and his employment at the parish ended on Oct. 31, 2025.
According to the parish, the unauthorized transfers did not impact capital campaigns, parish endowments, or investment accounts. Additionally, $1 million of the unauthorized transfers were recovered through insurance, and a plan was put in place to recover the remainder of the missing funds.
Blogtrepreneur CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
FEATURE
Running on Faith: Deacon Ken Saveth Shares Gospel On the Go
TULSA — Deacon Ken Saveth is a runner. No ordinary jogger out for a mile or two, mind you, but rather a hard-training committed runner — rain or shine, hot or cold. When he's not serving during Mass at the largest parish in the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, St. Thomas More Catholic Church, he can often be found on area roads and trails training for ultra marathons.
For the uninitiated, an ultramarathon is a footrace that is longer than the traditional 26.2-mile (42.195 km) marathon distance — sometimes much longer. Shorter races, or "baby ultras," are typically 50 miles in length. A standard distance is 100 miles. And in some multi-day events, competitors may run 200-mile courses, or even longer, in timed stages or time periods over several days. Such races demand endurance and induce significant fatigue and the need for night running and tactical fueling.
During his training for such challenging events, Deacon Saveth realized he could also use the time on the road for higher purpose beyond the health and physical fitness benefits. He began incorporating his passion for sharing the Gospel with his passion for running and so he started livestreaming a series of talks and homilies from the trail.
"It was probably about two years ago," says Saveth. "When I run ultras, I find myself alone a lot. An ultra is any distance longer than a marathon. I've done 300-mile races. And so, when I'm out doing that race like that, I'm by myself. I generally don't have any earbuds in. I'm in the forest, somewhere on trails. You know at 2 in the morning when it's dark there's no one but you and God. I found that there's a way for me to communicate and I always think of this still small voice that we hear."
So, Saveth, who is 64 and ran his first marathon at age 40, started recording livestream videos during his training sessions to share his thoughts about scripture, salvation, and the Catholic faith. The end result is a series of livestream videos, he calls "Homilies on the Run," all recorded during his training sessions.
"I'm not very eloquent you know, I'm running, so they're (livestreams) not meant to be. But, with a 15 or 20-minute homily, they're meant to just be a snippet of something going on in the gospel and how someone could relate to that," says Saveth. "I don't know where anyone else's mind goes to when they're doing hard things or if they think of Christ's suffering. But, for me, it was an opportunity to take those marching orders of the Great Commission and just run with it."
Saveth smiles and acknowledges the intended pun.
He's hoping to connect with more runners and walkers with his messaging.
"If a person really is committed to want to do something, and I'm very, very committed to letting people know the Word of God," says Saveth. "And there's a tremendous community that are out there who run and exercise, and they may see that. And I thought, oh, maybe this is my small contribution to being able to spread the Gospel."
To view Deacon Saveth's saved livestreams on Facebook, click here.
CULTURE
New Gallery to Showcase Work of Local Catholic Artists, Artisans
Most Precious Blood Parishioners Planning Early December Opening in West Tulsa Storefront
TULSA — Baxter and Alisha Geiger, parishioners at Tulsa's Most Precious Blood Parish, are planning to open Rose & Maple Domestic Arts — an art gallery featuring original works, artisanal boutique offering handcrafted goods, spaces for art and craft classes, private tutoring, and music lessons, and more — in a westside storefront by early December.
"We are trying to find Catholic artists and artisans in Tulsa to display in our gallery and sell their handcraft goods in our boutique," says Baxter Geiger. "We want to make this a showcase for Diocese of Tulsa Catholics. We will also offer classes on the domestic arts, sewing, crochet, drawing, painting, singing hymns, and many others."
Rose & Maple will include an art gallery featuring original works with the intent to feature only local Catholic artists and artisans. The Geigers are encouraging Catholic artists and artisans to reach out by visiting their website or contacting them directly. (See adjacent contact information.)
"Most original art in Tulsa is abstract and modern," says Geiger. "We want to provide quality original works for family homes — works that can inspire and demonstrate virtue, showcase important things and bring comfort and beauty to a home. We want to offer original works to give a deeper connection to the work. We see all around us talented people practicing beautiful and useful arts. We want to provide these artists and artisans with a meaningful outlet for their work, connecting their skills and craftsmanship with those who appreciate them."
In doing so, Geiger says they hope to encourage the domestic arts and help make their continued practice both sustainable and worthwhile.
"Above all, we hope Rose & Maple will contribute to a stronger sense of community among the families of our diocese, providing a place where the relationships and everyday interactions that foster genuine community can develop naturally," says Geiger.
"We are trying to find Catholic artists and artisans in Tulsa to display in our gallery and sell their handcraft goods in our boutique," says Baxter Geiger. "We want to make this a showcase for Diocese of Tulsa Catholics. We will also offer classes on the domestic arts, sewing, crochet, drawing, painting, singing hymns, and many others."
Rose & Maple will include an art gallery featuring original works with the intent to feature only local Catholic artists and artisans. The Geigers are encouraging Catholic artists and artisans to reach out by visiting their website or contacting them directly. (See adjacent contact information.)
"Most original art in Tulsa is abstract and modern," says Geiger. "We want to provide quality original works for family homes — works that can inspire and demonstrate virtue, showcase important things and bring comfort and beauty to a home. We want to offer original works to give a deeper connection to the work. We see all around us talented people practicing beautiful and useful arts. We want to provide these artists and artisans with a meaningful outlet for their work, connecting their skills and craftsmanship with those who appreciate them."
In doing so, Geiger says they hope to encourage the domestic arts and help make their continued practice both sustainable and worthwhile.
"Above all, we hope Rose & Maple will contribute to a stronger sense of community among the families of our diocese, providing a place where the relationships and everyday interactions that foster genuine community can develop naturally," says Geiger.
Baxter and Alisha Geiger
918-510-4476
geiger@roseandmaplearts.com
Rose and Maple Domestic Arts
4071 Southwest Blvd.
Tulsa, OK 74107
roseandmaplearts.com
FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP
"The Church is present in the world as a sign of unity for the entire human family. … The Church actively participates in the processes by which society grows and is organized, and she offers her own contribution to the creation of a more just and fraternal society."
-Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas, no. 19
USCCB: Putting Faith Before Politics
By putting faith before politics, Catholics can help bring the light of the Gospel into our communities to build a more just and merciful world. In a time of deep political division, many Christians face an old temptation: to put political affiliation first and faith second. We see this even in the Gospel, where Jesus was tempted by Satan with political power: a temptation he clearly rejected to stay faithful to His love of the Father (Luke 4:5-8).
Jesus’s example offers us a clear way forward today. The call of Christian discipleship is not to abandon our civic responsibility but to place our faith at the center of how we act as citizens. Instead of walking in lockstep with a political party or ideology, faithful citizens are tasked with bringing the truth of our Catholic faith to transform the parties or groups to which we may belong, to better protect the lives and good of all people.
As followers of Christ, we must take seriously the call to form our consciences in light of the entirety of the Church’s long social tradition, the lessons of Scripture, and the wisdom of our Holy Father. As Pope Leo teaches, Catholic Social Teaching “offers itself as a foundation for collective discernment, helping to recognize and promote whatever serves the dignity of persons, the vitality of communities and the common good” (Magnifica humanitas, no. 24).
We place the sacred dignity of each person at the center of our public life, working to protect the lives and good of all people, never separating our love for God from our love for our neighbor.
Who Is My Neighbor?
As Catholics, we must reflect in a special way on Jesus’ answer to the question in the parable of the Good Samaritan: "Who is my neighbor?"
Like the Good Samaritan who stopped his own journey to tend to the robbed and wounded traveler, we are called to care for the most vulnerable, cross social divides, and help those in need, responding to the Lord's command to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Because every person possesses God-given dignity, our political choices must respect and protect everyone, seeing each person as neighbor and child of God. We are called to act with mercy, compassion, and justice.
Living Together as One
The politics of today can feel overwhelming, full of vitriol, and lead us to think of our neighbors as adversaries. But that is not the true purpose of politics. Pope Francis reminded us in his 2015 address to Congress that politics is "an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest common good." Building up the common good is a shared effort, calling us to practice love in our communities and work together across our differences.
Just as it was for the Good Samaritan, standing with our neighbors sometimes means caring for people whom society finds difficult to love, even when it provokes pushback or disapproval. This is the challenge of discipleship that Jesus helps us carry. As Christ’s disciples, we seek to bring the light of the Gospel into every aspect of our lives. We allow our faith to speak truth to the problems and choices we face every day. We put our faith before politics.
©2026 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
For more information and resources from USCCB about Faithful Citizenship, go to:
From the Editor...
Tomorrow is election day as registered voters head to the polls to cast their ballots in the U.S. midterms. The election includes a number of important local, state and federal offices and questions.
The Holy See Press Office announced last Friday that Pope Leo XIV, an American citizen, voted in the U.S. midterm elections and submitted his mail-in ballot at Chicago, his hometown. “The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," reads the statement from the Vatican.
Among a slate of political candidates and other ballot items, The Holy Father's vote will help decide an East Joliet Sanitary District Trustee Board At-large position. As one online observer stated, "May he discern wisely."
Polls in Oklahoma are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. You can find more voting information by clicking here.
Until next week, thanks 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
This weekly e-newsletter is sponsored in part through the generous financial support of
