Holy Innocents’ Foundation

Tucked away in an office complex on the northwest side of Oklahoma City is Holy Innocents’ Foundation’s Perpetual Adoration Chapel. Although from the outside it appears like any of the other half-dozen buildings there, it is a place of prayer and comfort.
 
The idea for the project started back in 2008, when Father M. Price Oswalt was listening to "Catholic Answers Live" and its interview of a priest from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Father Stephen Imbarrato. Father Imbarrato was working in the pro-life ministry, right across the street from an abortion facility.
 
Father Imbarrato said he and his team were doing all kinds of ministries to save children, including establishing a small chapel inside the building where they worked with adoration all day, every day. Father Oswalt visited Father Imbarrato and saw that complex – a 3,000-square-foot building with more than seven new ministries in it.
 
Father Oswalt couldn’t stop thinking about how to bring the same idea to Oklahoma. In February 2011, after Archbishop Coakley’s installation, Father Oswalt asked about creating a Holy Innocents’ in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. One year later, on Feb. 22, 2012, Archbishop Coakley blessed the new facilities.
 
Holy Innocents’ Foundation of Oklahoma is an outreach dedicated to maintaining a Perpetual Adoration Chapel, promoting and praying for pro-life issues, an end to abortion and aiding in crisis pregnancies.
 
“We have many adorers and visitors who are parishioners from throughout Oklahoma City and surrounding areas. The adorers come from different situations with different viewpoints, but they come together to be in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament to pray for an end to abortion and all life issues,” said Toni Harrelson, coordinator of adoration at the chapel.
 
“Of course, many started coming because there was an abortion center next door. But, just because there isn’t an abortion center next door anymore does not mean there is no longer a need for us to be here. There is always a need.”  
 
Eric Conrady, vice president of Holy Innocents’ Foundation, agrees with Harrelson about the benefits of adoration. He does adoration with his wife Shari and recommends couples do a Holy Hour together.
 
“It strengthens our marriage and brings us closer to God and each other,” he said.
 
“There is a tranquility and reverence in the chapel that you get to experience. I believe it’s important to do it together. I think there is a lot to be said for the adage, ‘the couple that prays together, stays together.’”
 
Harrelson prefers to have two adorers each hour in prayer but there are many hours with only one adorer. The foundation also welcomes young people and youth groups to pray at the chapel.
 
“It is important that this age group becomes aware of what their roles should be – in the Church, in spreading the Church in their world, practicing their faith and living their faith. The prayerful time here will be with them forever,” she said
 
Judy Hilovsky is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.

Holy Innocents Foundation
Donate by mail to P.O. Box 22171, OKC 73123
To volunteer, serve as a substitute or to visit, contact [email protected] or (405) 341-2199.


Photo: The altar is more than 100 years old and was once a side altar in another church. The tabernacle is from a closed church in Chicago. Photo Judy Hilovsky/Sooner Catholic.