(July 22, 2019) - Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has proclaimed July 28, 2019, as Blessed Stanley Rother Day in Oklahoma. The day commemorates the Oklahoma priest’s Feast Day, which is celebrated every year by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, the Diocese of Tulsa and the Diocese of Little Rock in remembrance of the anniversary of his martyrdom in Guatemala.
“We are grateful for Gov. Stitt’s recognition of this heroic and humble Oklahoma priest who gave his life in service to his people,” Archbishop Paul S. Coakley said. “Blessed Stanley is a model for us all, and a man who stayed true to his Oklahoma roots with hard work and dedication to his faith.”
Blessed Stanley was born in 1935 in Okarche. He was ordained a priest on May 25, 1963. He served as an associate pastor in Oklahoma for five years before volunteering to serve at the Oklahoma mission in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala.
While at the mission, he learned Spanish and the Tz’utujil language and helped translate the New Testament into the native dialect.
He assisted in the opening of a school, a hospital and a radio station, and used his farming expertise from Oklahoma to help impoverished farmers harvest different crops, build an irrigation system and create a co-op.
During his time in Guatemala, a civil war raged. The Catholic Church was caught in the middle due to its insistence on catechizing and educating the indigenous people. During this conflict, thousands were killed. Eventually, Blessed Stanley’s name appeared on a death list. He chose to stay with his people, and on the early morning of July 28, 1981, three masked gunman shot and killed him in the rectory. His death shocked the Catholic world. No one was ever held responsible.
In 2016, Pope Francis officially recognized him as a martyr for the faith, and on Sept. 23, 2017, his beatification was held in downtown Oklahoma City.
The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is in the final stages of design of a 2,000-seat shrine, museum and campus in his honor. The shrine will be located in south Oklahoma City at Interstate 35 and S. 89.
To learn more about Blessed Stanley Rother or for updates on the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, go online to archokc.org/stanleyrother.
(July 19, 2019) - Archbishop Paul Coakley on Friday announced the hiring of Alissa Patterson as Development Coordinator for Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Her primary role will be to manage the Tax Credit Scholarship program that raises funds for lower income families so their children can receive a high-quality Catholic education.
“I am delighted to be taking on this role as part of the mission of the archdiocese,” Patterson said. “It will be exciting and rewarding to work on our Scholarship Granting Organization, the Tax Credit Scholarship program, and being a part of helping ensure all students have the opportunity to receive a Catholic education.”
Before joining the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Patterson worked in the oil and gas industry and film industry. She grew up in south Oklahoma City before moving to Edmond for college, graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma with a bachelor’s degree in theater performance.
Patterson and her husband, Austin, are parishioners at Saint James the Greater Catholic Church in south Oklahoma City. She serves multiple roles at the parish and is president of the Central Region Council of Catholic Women.
Along with the Tax Credit Scholarship, Patterson will help plan the annual Celebrating Catholic Education Breakfast, which raises funds for Catholic schools across the archdiocese and helps support continuing education for teachers in Catholic schools.
For more information about the archdiocesan Tax Credit Scholarship, go online to archokc.org/tcs or contact (405) 438-0274, apatterson@archokc.org.
(July 9, 2019) - An update from Chancellor Michael Scaperlanda on the clergy abuse file review:
To ensure an outcome that is reliable, complete and independent, the Archdiocese has engaged the law firm of McAfee & Taft to review all priest files and parish files dating back to 1960. This independent investigation has involved hundreds of hours of reading and assessing print materials, acquiring and reviewing electronic files, scheduling and conducting interviews, and following up and investigating all new leads and outside reports.
Once the investigation has concluded, the firm will issue a public report of their findings that includes a list of priests who have been found to have substantiated allegations of abuse of a minor. The Archdiocese will follow up with a letter from Archbishop Coakley and a lengthy Q&A to help provide clear and helpful answers to common questions.
All information will be posted online at archokc.org/safe-environment. Thank you for your patience.
(June 26, 2019) - Mass, family friendly powwow honors Catholic saint, native cultures
YUKON – The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley will celebrate the archdiocese’s first-ever Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Honor Dance on July 6 at Saint John Nepomuk Catholic Church in Yukon.
“Saint Kateri Tekakwitha is the first American Indian saint in the Catholic Church. She brings to light the contributions that American Indians have brought to the Church,” said Deacon Roy Callison, coordinator of American Indian Catholic Outreach for the archdiocese. “We have a lot to be proud of and Saint Kateri exhibits it.”
The honor dance will begin with a Noon Mass in the church, celebrated by Archbishop Coakley. An afternoon and evening of powwow dancing contests in the parish activity center will follow. A relic of Saint Kateri will be available for veneration from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“It is with great joy that we celebrate the life and witness of this truly American saint,” Archbishop Coakley said. “God has blessed the Catholic Church in Oklahoma with this opportunity to share our faith and diverse culture with the entire community. Saint Kateri’s call to conversion and missionary discipleship has been an inspiration to native cultures in North America and for many others over the past 300 years. We praise and thank God for raising up Saint Kateri’s example of holiness for us all.”
Saint Kateri was Algonquin from her mother’s side and Mohawk from her father’s side. Born in 1656 in Auriesville, N.Y., she lost her parents as a child when smallpox nearly obliterated her village. The disease left her with a scarred face and poor vision. Her uncle adopted her, and when he later tried to arrange her marriage, she refused.
Saint Kateri was drawn to the Jesuit priests who stayed in their village and wanted to learn more about Jesus from them. She converted to Catholicism at age 19 and took a vow of chastity. Her name, Kateri, is the Mohawk form of Catherine. She took her name from Saint Catherine of Siena.
Saint Kateri died on April 17, 1680, at age 24. She officially became a saint when Pope Benedict XVI canonized her on Oct. 21, 2012. She is the patron saint of Native Americans, ecology and the environment and people in exile. Her feast day is celebrated on July 14.
“As a member of the Comanche Tribe and a Catholic, it warms my heart knowing Saint Kateri is the first American Indian woman to be canonized by the Church, and she is a reminder that there are no limits of God’s love and grace,” said Jolene Schonchin, a parishioner at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Lawton.
“Not only is she one of the few North American saints, but she also was a Native American woman who heard God’s voice and rose above opposition to dedicate herself to him. She represents our native people in a long line of saints from around the world. Celebrating her sainthood with a powwow will unite tribes to celebrate her life and remind everyone that God’s arms are always extended to all of us.”
The honor dance will feature the presentation of the first American Indian Catholic Outreach Princess. American Indian craft vendors, Catholic bookstore vendors and food trucks will be on-site.
“If you’ve never been to a powwow, I’m sure you’ll find it to be educational and a fun family event,” Deacon Callison said.
Saint John Nepomuk Catholic Church and School are located at 600 Garth Brooks Blvd. in Yukon. For more information about the honor dance, visit archokc.org/honordance.
(June 20, 2019) - NORMAN -- On June 29, the Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley will ordain five men to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The Rite of Ordination will be celebrated at 10 a.m. at Saint Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Norman. The ordination is open to the public and will be livestreamed at archokc.org/live.
Those being ordained are: William Banowsky, 33, Dallas; Zachary Boazman, 27, Carrollton, Texas; John Herrera, 28, Norman; Alexander Kroll, 27, Enid; and Jerome Krug, 26, Edmond.
“These men have answered the call to serve others as pastors, chaplains, teachers, confessors and spiritual fathers. I am grateful for their bold faith and generosity during challenging times, and pray their witness, their joy and their holy lives will encourage many other young men to explore the possibility of the priesthood while inspiring everyone they encounter to embrace a life of generous missionary discipleship,” Archbishop Coakley said.
In the Catholic Church, ordination is the sacrament in which a man becomes a deacon, priest or bishop by the laying on of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit. There are three levels in the Sacrament of Holy Orders: diaconate (deacon), presbyterate (priest) and episcopate (bishop). The Rite of Ordination to the Priesthood includes various ritual gestures rich in meaning and history, including prostration before God while the litany of the saints is chanted, laying on of hands, anointing with Sacred Chrism, giving of the chalice and paten, and the sign of peace.
In order to be ordained to the priesthood, a man has to engage in a challenging program of priestly formation that lasts from five to nine years, depending upon his background and the seminary he attends. There are three levels of seminary: high school, college/pre-theology and theology.
Priestly formation in seminaries is designed around four pillars of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation. In addition to the academic coursework and gaining important pastoral skills, seminarians participate in a full schedule of spiritual activities such as daily Mass, Liturgy of the Hours (Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer), spiritual direction and retreats.
During the ordination ceremony, diocesan priests make two promises – lifelong celibacy and obedience to the bishop. It is expected that diocesan priests will lead a life of simplicity consistent with the people they serve.
For more information about each ordinand, go online to soonercatholic.org.
(Jan. 14, 2019) - Archbishop Paul Coakley on Monday announced the hiring of Branden Seid as the executive director of Resurrection Memorial Cemetery in northwest Oklahoma City near the Catholic Pastoral Center. Seid replaces Christina T. Ford, who is retiring Feb. 5 after nearly 40 years of dedicated service, including 23 years as director.
“I am excited to begin this new journey and am thankful for the trust of Archbishop Coakley, who views this position the same way I do – as a service to the community, to Catholics in the archdiocese and to the families who count on us during difficult times,” Seid said. “I also want to thank Joe and Todd Kernke and the staff of Smith & Kernke Funeral Directors, who provided me with an excellent example of professionalism and care that prepared me to take on this new role. They have been a blessing to me and my family, and to many Oklahoma families for generations.”
Seid (Pronounced side) grew up in Torrington, Wy., where he graduated from Torrington High School. After graduation, he attended college at the University of Wyoming, University of South Carolina and graduated from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 2004.
After working in the funeral industry in northern Oklahoma for several years, he joined the staff of Smith & Kernke Funeral Directors in February 2012.
Seid and his wife Katie have two daughters, Olivia and Aubrey. They are members at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Oklahoma City and are active in the support of Rosary School.
As executive director, Seid will manage and oversee the operation of Resurrection Cemetery, including financial management, planning operations and development while upholding the standards of the Catholic Church.
For more information about Resurrection Cemetery, go online to resurrectionmemorialcemetery.com or contact (405) 721-4191, resmemcem@gmail.com.
(Aug. 31, 2018)
Dear brother priests, deacons, staff and members of the lay faithful,
You have heard me say before that this is indeed a very dark moment in the history of our beautiful, but wounded, Catholic Church. In times like these, we are called to prayer and penance for the purification of the Church. It is complicated, because there has been both sin, and crime. Criminal activity demands transparency, accountability and justice. We have sought those very things in all that we have done in the past couple of weeks as these issues have come to light.
Sin, however, demands repentance, reparation and prayer. The bishops, priests and leaders of our Church must set an example, but all the faithful are called to take up this effort. I want to call on my Priests, Deacons and Seminarians to take the lead in the spiritual response to this crisis in the Church. The faithful lay people of our Archdiocese can also take initiative with this spiritual response.
I encourage times of prayer, adoration, and gathering the faithful for acts of penance and reparation for the sins in the Church. I encourage personal fasting as well. These are all powerful ways that people can respond in the coming weeks and months. In one of our parishes, 40 hours of adoration was established specifically to respond in this way. I am told that within 24 hours more than 80 available prayer slots were filled, and far more people actually showed up to pray during the 40 hours. I encourage the prayer of St. Michael the Archangel at the end of Mass or for private use. There is a beautiful Mass for the Forgiveness of Sins in the Roman Missal (38B) that would be very powerful to celebrate publicly as well. There are many ways for us to implore God’s grace, healing, protection and to make reparation for sins in the Church. It is clear to me that people are hungry for tangible ways to respond in prayer and penance for our beautiful Church.
Yes, it may be a dark time for our Church. But throughout the history of the Church, in times of darkness, the light of Christ has often shone most brightly through faithful men and women who let that light shine through them. As daunting as the circumstances may seem to us, I want to encourage you. What the Church needs now more than ever are holy men and women! Be saints!
With the assurance of my prayers, I am
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley
Archbishop of Oklahoma City
(Aug. 29, 2018) - Archbishop Paul Coakley on Wednesday announced the archdiocese’s plan for reviewing and reporting all past allegations of child sexual abuse by priests. The first report will include a review of files from 1960-2018.
The review will include all instances where credible allegations of child sexual abuse were reported, substantiated, prosecuted or admitted to among priests serving in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Once complete, the report will be made available to the public on the archdiocesan website – www.archokc.org.
“This is a very dark moment in the history of our beautiful, but wounded, Catholic Church. We are called to prayer and penance for the purification of the Church and our bishops and priests must set the example. It calls for a renewed commitment to vigilance, transparency and accountability from our shepherds and indeed for the whole Church,” said the Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City. “An internal and independent review of previous allegations is a good place to start. No matter how painful this process may become, I am committed to reviewing and sharing the specifics of these cases.”
Archbishop Coakley and Chancellor Michael Scaperlanda presented the plan Wednesday to the Archdiocesan Review Board. The board was created in 2002 as part of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and consists of mostly lay faithful.
William Shaw, chairman of the review board, said board members approved the plan and were grateful the diocese was beginning the process.
The plan will include:
n A review by the chancellor of every priest’s file – active and inactive – for priests who have served in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City since 1960 (Prior to 1972 it was the Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa);
n Any file with an allegation of abuse of a minor or an abuse of power in a sexual relationship will be turned over to Ron Shinn, an attorney in the law firm of McAfee and Taft, for review;
n As an expert in internal institutional investigations, Shinn and his associates will conduct an independent review of the files and investigate further, if necessary;
n Once all files have been reviewed, McAfee and Taft will issue a report with the facts of each case and provide an analysis of how the archdiocese handled the matters over the years;
n Investigators also will provide recommendations;
n The report will be published online, and a copy sent to all priests, deacons and parish staff.
The initial report is expected to be completed in 10 to 12 weeks. A second report, reviewing files prior to 1960 will follow.
To report incidences of abuse in the past or present, contact the Abuse of Minors Pastoral Response Hotline at (405) 720-9878. Under Oklahoma law, all individuals must report an incident or suspicion of sexual abuse of a minor (person under age 18) to civil authorities.
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services has established a statewide abuse reporting hotline – (800) 522-3511. A report to the archdiocese does not relieve the individual of the duty to report child abuse to civil authorities as required by state law.
For more information on the Safe Environment protocol in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, go online to https://archokc.org/safe-environment.
To read recent statements from Archbishop Coakley, visit https://archokc.org/news-releases.
(Jan. 5, 2018) – The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City announced Friday the hiring of former Saint Gregory’s University president Michael Scaperlanda as the diocese’s new chancellor. Scaperlanda begins Feb. 5.
Scaperlanda fills a position held by Justin Byrne who successfully updated the office before leaving for other career opportunities. Prior to Byrne, Loutitia Denison Eason served as chancellor for more than 13 years. Eason retired in July.
“Scaperlanda’s vast leadership experience, his passion for the Catholic faith and his life-long commitment to excellence will be tremendous assets for the archdiocese, our parishes and families,” said the Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City.
As chancellor, Scaperlanda will serve as a principal leader in the diocesan curia. He will serve as canonical adviser to the bishop and will be the top adviser on legal matters and interpretation of laws, rulings and regulations.
“I am excited by this opportunity to work alongside Archbishop Coakley, a dynamic archdiocesan staff, priests, deacons, religious men and women, and lay persons as together we answer the Holy Father’s call to be missionary disciples,” Scaperlanda said. “The Holy Spirit is clearly moving in the Church in Oklahoma, and I am humbled by this call to use my skills and experience to serve the archdiocese as chancellor.”
Scaperlanda most recently served as president of Saint Gregory’s University in Shawnee. He has worked at the University of Oklahoma in various academic and administrative capacities since leaving the practice of law in 1989, including holding the Gene and Elaine Edwards Family Chair in Law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law.
A nationally known scholar in immigration law and in Catholic legal theory, Scaperlanda’s books include “Immigration Law: A Primer” and “Recovering Self-Evident Truths: Catholic Perspectives on American Law.” He co-authored “The Journey: A Guide for the Modern Pilgrim” with his wife, María Ruiz Scaperlanda, the award-winning author of the biography on Blessed Stanley Rother.
In addition to his service at Saint Gregory’s, Scaperlanda serves as a scholar participant in the Blessed Stanley Rother Hispanic Cultural Institute of Oklahoma City and Norman, and teaches in OU’s Visions of America Summer Institute for high school teachers. He is a past member of the Oklahoma Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and the Oklahoma Bar Association's Legal Ethics Committee.
A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Scaperlanda clerked for the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court and practiced law for four years in Washington, D.C. and Austin prior to joining the faculty at the OU College of Law. He and María are members of Saint Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Norman. They have four children and eight grandchildren.
Scaperlanda is one of several former faculty and staff members from Saint Gregory’s University hired by the archdiocese following the university board suspending operations of the school in December.
The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City serves Catholics in central and western Oklahoma, covering 46 counties and 42,470 square miles. The original Diocese of Oklahoma erected in 1905, became the Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa in 1930, and then the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa in 1972.