Retired priests, religious remain active, continue ministry work

Each year, parishes in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City participate in a collection to help fund retirement for religious men and women.

Across the United States, hundreds of religious communities lack financial resources sufficient to meet the retirement and health care needs of aging members.

Many elder religious worked for years for small stipends, leaving a large gap in retirement savings. At the same time, fewer religious can serve in compensated ministry.

Featured below are a few of the retired clergy and religious men and women who have served the archdiocese.

Father Mike Chapman
“I’ve been retired seven or eight years. The first part of the retirement I was more active and lived in a house on the property of Holy Angels that I served, downtown.” 

During his stay there, Father Chapman worked on repairs and upgrades to the nearly 100-year-old home, including overseeing the installation of a storm shelter. 

Over the years, Father Chapman has subbed for priests at their parishes, including an eight month stay in Lawton as the interim pastor. 

In the past three years, following a bad fall, Father Chapman became a resident of Saint Ann Retirement Center. He said it’s humbling not to be able to do what he used to, but he continues to stay busy with activities. He said he stays close to his family, including his siblings in Oklahoma City, Forth Smith, Arkansas and Albuquerque, N.M. to the staff at Saint Ann.

Sister Catherine (“Kay”) Powers, C.N.D. 
“Since I left the Catholic Pastoral Center, the thing that has been most difficult has been COVID.”

Sister Kay said the pandemic opened an opportunity to increase ministry by phone, stating telephone ministry offers a good way to check on those who live alone or who need a caring ear. 

“I’ve spent many, many evenings on the phone calling people.”
Sister Kay extended the phone ministry to several fellow sisters on the East Coast. With vaccines becoming available and many areas opening up, Sister Kay is back to being a communion minister at her home parish, the Church of the Epiphany of the Lord in Oklahoma City. She also is a member of the board of directors for the Good Shepherd School in Oklahoma City. 

She serves as chairwoman of the board of her religious community, which has a school on Staten Island in New York that serves children ages 2 through 12th grade. She spends time flying back and forth to New York. 
Sister Kay said in retirement she enjoys being part of special projects of the Sanctuary Women’s Development Center in Oklahoma City. 

“Queen for a Day is a great. I enjoy being a part of that and helping out.”

Sister Elizabeth (“Betty”) Kehoe, C.N.D.
Sister Betty works alongside Sister Kay to check on people by telephone. 
“People who didn’t have a lot of contact with others” are people I have been able to help, she said. 

She is a communion minister at her home parish, the Church of the Epiphany of the Lord. 

“I was bringing communion to the homebound and nursing homes, but the pandemic interfered with that a lot.” 

Sister Betty is connected to Catholic Charities and the Women’s Sanctuary Centers where she volunteers once a week and goes to special events like Queen for a Day, Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner. With the holidays approaching, she will be taking things for them to make Christmas ornaments or cards. 

“All I can say, is a day is full somehow. Even when you think you have no agenda, everything comes to you. To have the time to really be there in the moment is very important and a blessing.”

Sister Kay and Sister Betty enjoy going to garage sales together where they specifically look for items to help those in need. From coats and gloves, hats and winter blankets, to collecting lotions and soaps, they are constantly thinking of ways to help the less fortunate. 

Father Henry Roberson
“I always do a little ‘priestly work.’ I have been doing some writing and some social activity work. For instance, helping establish a grocery for the poor in Norman by helping with various means. Nutrition is a real problem for poor people for many reasons. The inexpensive food is not always the nutritious food. A lot of the kids, especially, do not get good, regular, food.” 

Father Roberson helps at parishes when he is needed, stating he especially enjoys the people of McLoud. 

“The parish work and being able to help out with food and shelter has been my joy.”

Father Martin Lugo, O.S.B.
“Since the epidemic, I certainly have more time for community and private prayer. Many people have requested remembrance of prayer and Masses for the many who became sick and those who have died.

There are times in your life when ministry comes to you because of your own age and health conditions, so it is a God-given opportunity to include these many requests in your prayers.”

Father Lugo said retirement also offers a time to be grateful for his life, that he can still be available to pray for others. 

“The time will come when someone hopefully remembers to pray for you.”

Eliana Tedrow is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic. 


If anyone would like to send Christmas greetings to retired priests/religious, send them to the Catholic Pastoral Center, P.O. Box 32180, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.

Information on collection - retiredreligious.org