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April 8, 2021Father Rick Stansberry, pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church, and Father Bill Pruett, pastor of Saint James the Greater Catholic Church, were presented the 2020 Blessed Stanley Rother Faithful Shepherd Award by Archbishop Coakley and their fellow priests during a ceremony before the Chrism Mass on March 30 at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Oklahoma City.
The Faithful Shepherd Award is given each spring to a priest in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City who exemplifies Blessed Stanley Rother and his commitment to the priesthood and his people. It is an initiative of the Priests’ Council.
Rev. Bill H. Pruett
Father Bill Pruett, 72, is a respected member of the clergy known for his patience and kindness, and his dedication to his parishioners. Born in Atoka, he attended school in Caney, Okla., before graduating from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma. He earned a master’s degree at Saint Meinrad Seminary in Indiana and a canon law degree at Catholic University of America. He was ordained a priest on May 18, 1979, by Archbishop Charles Salatka. He has served in the Marriage Tribunal, on the Presbyteral Council, Personnel Board and the boards of Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School and Mount Saint Mary Catholic High School. He served the Catholic Lawyers Guild and the archdiocesan health panel, created ministries for the Hispanic community at Saint Eugene Catholic Church, The Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hooker and at Saint James the Greater Catholic Church. He also is a valued spiritual director for many priests and laypeople.
Rev. Richard D. Stansberry
Father Rick Stansberry, 60, is a life-long resident of Oklahoma City. He attended Casady School in Oklahoma City, Southern Methodist University and Oklahoma City University before leaving for seminary. He earned a master’s degree at Saint Meinrad Seminary in Indiana and a canon law degree from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas in Rome. He was ordained a priest on June 5, 1992, by Archbishop Charles Salatka. Father Stansberry is known for giving his all to his parishioners, families and community from scraped knees during scout hikes and volunteering for parish carnival dunk tanks to the privilege of walking with the faithful during their moments of celebration, illness and death. He has taken on the valued role of mentor to seminarians, has served on the boards of all three Catholic high schools and is a member of the board of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. He is the founding chaplain for the Oklahoma City chapters of Legatus and the Order of Malta and, in 2011, he received the Distinguished Pastor Award from the National Catholic Education Association. Father Stansberry serves as a trusted adviser to Archbishop Coakley as a member of the Finance Council, the Senior Staff, co-chairman of the One Church Many Disciples capital campaign and as a Judicial Vicar.
Archbishop Coakley, Fr. Bill Pruett and Fr. Joseph Jacobi. Photo Chris Porter/Sooner Catholic.
Archbishop Coakley, Fr. Richard Stansberry and Fr. Joseph Jacobi. Photo Chris Porter/Sooner Catholic.
