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April 9, 2020With shelter-in-place orders in several Oklahoma cities and a safer-in-place order for the state, public Masses are suspended until further notice. The Sooner Catholic asks parishioners across the archdiocese, how the circumstances have changed or enhanced how they celebrate their Catholic faith.
Mary Smith, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Okarche
“The quarantine has made me even more intentional about my celebration of faith. I miss going to Mass physically, but I appreciate seeing so many different celebrations throughout the week online and on Sundays. I believe God is calling me to immerse in scripture and we are called to respond through our faith to help our fellow neighbors and families.”
Davey Cusack, Saint Andrew Catholic Church, Moore
“I am retired, so I have adjusted to being home during the day. I have a routine of trying to get in my prayers and readings within the first few hours of the day. But it has interrupted going to daily Mass at Saint Andrew and my Wednesday mornings with my grandson Alexander at All Saints Catholic School in Norman (best day of my week).”
Kerry Brinkley, Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church, Oklahoma City
“Since we haven't been able to go to Mass, we have been watching through our parish Facebook page together as a family every Sunday and trying to participate as best we can! For our daughter, who is missing religious education classes, we have been focusing on the Easter story. We also have been teaching her to pray the rosary.”
George Johnson, Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Oklahoma City
“My faith knows no quarantine. Faith, for me, is more than a place to gather with like-minded persons to share a set of common beliefs. At the top of every issue of The Sooner Catholic, there appears three words – ‘Go Make Disciples.’ The challenge with that is one must ‘come be a disciple’ first, then seek to ‘go make disciples.’ For longer than I care to count, I have worked at following the Jesus example because in following him there is greater wisdom and faith, then we will find in any single gathering place.”
Rachel Gragg, Christ the King Catholic Church, Oklahoma City
“I find myself praying more and giving thanks as opposed to asking for something. My family is also praying more together and that is a very nice change. I hope to keep that after all this quiets down. I also have been using the Bible app and following a Lenten program called ‘Remembering the Life of Jesus.’”
Kali Smajstrla, Saint Anne Catholic Church, Broken Arrow
“We continue to practice our faith at home. We join our parish’s Masses online. Our parish provides Facebook Live Masses, daily devotionals and other very informative sessions for the overall parish on our faith as well as how to handle it during this quarantine. We have five boys ranging in age from 2 to 14 and it has been a challenge trying to do it with them all present. We light a candle and have a crucifix present during our Masses as well, just like we have in church.”
