Mount St. Mary hosts Memorial Museum’s ‘Journey of Hope’

Mount St. Mary Catholic High School recently hosted the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum's “Journey of Hope” as part of a statewide initiative to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing.

The program, on a trek to all 77 counties, educates students about the tragic events of April 19, 1995, and the years of healing that followed. Mount St. Mary was selected as the sole host school for Oklahoma County.

The event at Mount St. Mary focused on the theme “A Day of Darkness – Years of Light” and included personal stories from Kyle Genzer and Krista Genzer Doll, MSM alumni who lost their mother, Jaime Genzer, in the bombing. Jaime Genzer, graduated from MSM and was among the 168 people killed, including 19 children. 

The Journey of Hope tour is not just about remembering a dark day in history but also about sharing stories of courage, strength and the ongoing impact of the bombing on individuals and the state of Oklahoma. The program encourages students to embody the spirit of hope that emerged from tragedy and carry that message forward. 

Attendees included survivors, family members who lost loved ones, local legislators, first responders from the Oklahoma City Police and Fire Departments and representatives from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. 

“We are honored to host and be selected as a site to host this assembly to help us all understand the impact of the Oklahoma City bombing as well as the impact of the actions that followed the bombing throughout our country,” Principal Laura Cain said.

Father Jerome Krug, Mount St. Mary’s chaplain, led the gathering in prayer for open hearts and minds, calling for transformation into “men and women of mercy” and “missionaries of the gospel.”

Yehoshua Graham, am MSM student and member of the Oklahoma City National Bombing Memorial TEEN Board, read the mission statement and led the assembly in a moment of silence.

Martha Beliveau and Kara Jones, Outreach Program managers, emphasized the importance of not only remembering the darkness of April 19 but the immense outpouring of community support and selfless acts of kindness and love. 

“The Catholic Church has been part of the memorialization process,” Beliveau said. “There is the ‘And Jesus Wept’ statue memorial across the street because Saint Joseph’s church stands across the street from where the Murrah building once stood.

“It was a dark day for Oklahoma and it shook Oklahoma and America to its core. But what followed that day of darkness were years of hope.”

Kyle and Krista Genzer reflected on the personal impact of the tragedy. Kyle, 14 at the time, recalled how he was pulled from his class at Wellston Middle School and rushed to his family, who would begin the excruciating process of searching and waiting. His mother’s body was not recovered until two weeks later, an experience that forced him to grow up quickly. 

“That moment changed me from being a 14-year-old kid just trying to finish eighth grade to planning her funeral,” he said.

Both siblings are now dedicated educators, a profession they say is a result of the influence of their own teachers during the most difficult time of their lives. 

Students were invited to write a personal pledge on a poster to uphold the Oklahoma Standard.

Following the program, the Department of Agriculture and Oklahoma Forestry Services helped plant a Survivor Tree sapling at the school, symbolizing resilience and renewal.

For more information about the Journey of Hope and to follow the tour’s progress, visit memorialmuseum.com/journey-of-hope.

Eliana Tedrow is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.

Photos provided.