Archbishop's Column

“Are there any who are sick among you? Let them send for the priests of the Church, and let the priests pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.”

In less than a month, Americans will go to the polls to elect local, state and national leaders, including our president and vice president. This will be a consequential election no matter the outcome. There is much at stake.

In the First Letter of Saint Peter, the author admonishes us in these words, “Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith” (1 Pt 5:8-9).

In this issue of the Sooner Catholic, you will read several encouraging stories from clients of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City who sought assistance and found compassion in their times of need.

As a teenager growing up in a Catholic home there never was any doubt about where I belonged on Sunday morning.

The genesis of the Black Lives Matter movement was moral outrage over the ill-treatment of young black men at the hands of police officers.

Young people are valued members of the Body of Christ. They have much to offer the Church and the Church has much to offer them.

WASHINGTON – Seven U.S. bishop chairmen of committees within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have issued a statement in the wake of the death of Mr. George Floyd and the protests which have broken out in Minneapolis and in other cities in the United States.

The drama and the tension that we have been living with since COVID-19 began to disrupt life as we know it in the United States (and beyond) means that for some of us this day is long overdue while for others it still seems premature.

Dear Catholic Faithful of Oklahoma,

For more than six weeks we have been adjusting to a rapidly shifting landscape brought about by the spread of COVID-19.

“Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep.”

“Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle!” These words could have been written specifically with us in mind.

A little more than two months ago not many of us had heard of the coronavirus or COVID19. Today, everyone is on alert.

The season of our Lenten renewal is upon us. On Ash Wednesday, we were marked with ashes and exhorted to repent and believe the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Each year, the Church offers us the season of Lent as an invitation to set out on a journey of repentance and renewal. We begin our journey on Ash Wednesday.

One of the special blessings and responsibilities of being a diocesan bishop is making the pilgrimage – ad limina apostolorum.

Among the highlights of my annual calendar are the opportunities for me to visit each of our Catholic schools. I am about halfway through my pastoral visits to our 18 elementary schools, three high schools and one special needs school.