State of the Archdiocese: a ‘moment,’ and more

Archbishop Coakley stood before another packed room at the Petroleum Club, this time filling the role of speaker for the final Assembly of Catholic Professionals lunch of 2024.

The archbishop regularly takes the podium for ACP events, but usually to offer blessings, with featured speakers such as George Weigel or Kathryn Whitaker or Curtis Martin and others providing focused talks spanning eight years of the gatherings. The last time the archbishop stepped into the ACP spotlight came during COVID, in 2020, for a virtual “Town Hall.”

So it was time for another extended chat, delivered Nov. 7, with a topic that was simple yet inviting: State of the Archdiocese.

The archbishop’s address served as an update on his Vision 2030 pastoral plan put into motion in 2019, calling all in the archdiocese to move from maintenance to mission, becoming more intentional about discipleship and evangelization.

The update hinged, however, on a topic posed by a local, non-Catholic reporter: The Catholic Church is having a “moment.”

Of course, the Church has experienced many “moments” over the course of 2,000 years. Still, when someone on the outside notices the good taking place, it’s worth noting. And Archbishop Coakley referenced several talking points from his interview with the reporter, and others, in detailing a year of successes across the board in the archdiocese.

Some highlights:
•    Students from Catholic schools are thriving, with all three high schools posting 100 percent graduation rates, with all graduates accepted to at least one college. Enrollment is up and new schools are being considered for the archdiocese. And it’s about more than just the numbers. Daniel Zavala, a 2022 Bishop McGuinness grad already at work on his master’s, was highlighted in the archbishop’s talk and quoted: “The biggest value I think I got out of Catholic education was having a moral paradigm from which to view the world. For me, that’s Love Thy Neighbor, everything about trying to spread love and trying to do good in the world.”

•    Love for the Eucharist is growing. The summer saw four bus loads of Catholics from the archdiocese travel to Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress. “This,” Archbishop Coakley said, “was the high water mark for the ongoing Eucharistic Revival taking place in our nation. Another Eucharistic procession will be coming this way next summer, passing through Oklahoma City as pilgrims plan to visit the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine on their way to California.”

•    Seminarian numbers are robust and rising. Currently, 18 men are in formation and two priesthood ordinations are planned for the summer. As many as a dozen are in the discernment pipeline for possible admission next fall.

•    Parish engagement is rising, with many enriching programs in place to engage parishioners, ranging from marriage prep to study groups to Hispanic ministry to religious education of the youth. “The Holy Spirit is certainly at work,” Archbishop Coakley said.

•    The Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine continues to draw a huge number of pilgrims and the expectation is for increasing numbers, through an increase in events – like the recent Matachines Festival – and word of mouth, including social media, where young people are trekking up Tepeyac Hill and posting videos revealing the stunning statues of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Juan Diego. The videos gather hundreds of thousands of views, drawing more to the Shrine.

•    The work of Catholic Charities impacts many in need, with more than 10,000 individuals and nearly 5,000 households served in 2024. The organization reached the homeless, the immigrant and those impacted by natural disasters. They provided pregnancy and adoption resources. And more.

Indeed, Archbishop Coakley noted, the Catholic Church is enjoying a moment – and quite a moment.

“Now may we begin building on our moment,” he said.

John Helsley is editor of the Sooner Catholic.


Photo: Archbishop Coakley delivered a State of the Archdiocese talk at an Assembly of Catholic Professionals luncheon on Nov. 7 at the Petroleum Club in Oklahoma City. Photo Avery Holt/Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.