From the Archives

The town of Midwest City was incorporated in 1943 and named for the Air Depot that was to become Tinker Air Force Base. Priests from Sacred Heart Catholic Church helped meet the sacramental needs of those stationed at the base.

Seeing the need of a new parish due to the constant influx, and departures, of military personnel, Bishop Eugene McGuinness erected Saint Philip Neri Church on March 28, 1946. Meeting in a junior high school, the congregation began to increase and the first pastor, Father John T. Murray, began to seek property on which to build a church. Securing a plot of land on Felix Place, a rock structure was constructed with the help of the Catholic Church Extension Society, an organization founded by Oklahoma’s second bishop, Francis Clement Kelley. Bishop McGuinness had also served with Extension, so his intervention was no doubt advantageous in procuring the funds. It was completed in August of 1947. The parish is marking the 75th anniversary of the first church this year.

Having quickly outgrown the building, a larger building was purchased from Max Westheimer Field, Naval Air Station in Norman that had served as a chapel. Meticulously moving it in three parts, it soon became the new home of Saint Philip Neri. The old church became the rectory since the pastor had been living at Sacred Heart.

The post war boom was readily apparent as Tinker Air Force Base became a major employer in the region, as well as an expansion that saw Catholics from coast to coast being stationed there. Due to the economic growth and the baby boom, a school became a necessity. It was built in 1954 with further expansions in 1957 and 1963. At its apex, 575 students called Saint Philip home. Until 1988, the Felician Sisters were the educators of the children, and like most religious orders, were forced to relinquish their presence due to dwindling vocations 

With a rising population, the auditorium/activity center functioned as the worship space. While acceptable, it was hardly ideal. As the 1980s dawned, the character of the parish became less transitory and more stable. Consequently, building a new church became viable and less daunting. On Nov. 13, 1992, the current structure was dedicated and continues to serve the community.

Throughout its history, Saint Philip Neri has risen to the occasion; meeting in a junior high, the first church, a “secondhand chapel,” from temporary worship spaces to the current permanent structure that houses 850 families. And in spite of wars and constant transition, the faithful of this parish have served their country and church well.