Photo credit: L’Osservatore Romano A time to reflect on the Diocese of Tulsa Quinquennial report ooking back on the past 18 years I have served here as your Bishop, and paying specific atten- tion to the seven years which constitute this quinquennium, I find that I am more conscious of the many concrete signs of God’s loving presence among his people here in Green Country. I know, L certainly, that His presence is constant; but during this period from 2004 to now, we have seen and felt and been encouraged by that Presence in our planning, in our preaching, in our efforts to build the Kingdom and make manifest the victory which Christ won for us by His death and rising.

In reporting to the Holy Father what plans of us to Himself – that is to make us holy. listen for His voice and do what He asks. the Diocese had been making, and how it If we start with this first step, and commit This is why I am so encouraged with what had accomplished those plans, it became ourselves – priests, , religious and I see taking place in our diocesan offices and clear that planning always has been a priority lay faithful – to being disciples, then we will institutes. Wherever I look, I see that those for me; but now, as never before, I realize that discover that God already has a plan for the who staff our Family Life and Pro-Life Of- the fundamental first step in all our planning Diocese, as He does for each one of us. fices, our Catechetical Office and Finance is to recognize that God’s will is to lead each In our planning, it is enough simply to Office, those who serve in our Tribunal and

2 Eastern Oklahoma / April 2012 / www.dioceseoftulsa.org from the bishop the Development Fund Office, no longer see neither conservative nor liberal. They are their “work” in terms of daily tasks or some simply “Catholic.” They have a desire to • I think our priests are just not well enough kind of product (whether it be the produc- pass on to this next generation what they equipped philosophically to deal with the tion of a magazine or the preparation of a have received and what they recognize as false premises and illogic of relativism. Nor conference or workshop), but in terms of a living tradition handed on to us from are they capable of adequately teaching the New Evangelization. The same is true the Apostles. Blessed John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. of those who serve the diocese through our • For most of us – priests, deacons, and Often, our young people are better versed Pastoral Studies Institute, Diocesan Liturgi- the lay faithful – Mass is recognized as in this than our priests and I must do cal Institute and Catholic Charities. They see the highest priority, inspiring a real sense whatever I can to equip them in this area. their responsibility in broader terms than the of Eucharistic Amazement, of which • I do not think that our people have a clear preparation of a class material or a confer- Blessed John Paul II spoke often. understanding or appreciation of celibacy, ence schedule. They see that what they do, • Our Catholic Charities is unique and either in the lives of their priests or in that their “work” is the proclamation of God’s enjoys a pride of place among the people spiritual way in which spiritual celibacy Kingdom, and that this “work” requires a of the diocese, both for the achievement pertains even to married couples. Celibacy daily conversion to Christ. it represents in being built and for the can be best understood when looked at as I also am encouraged when I see and feel powerful witness it gives to the city and a way of imitating Christ, who espoused the changes that have come over our little the state of our love for Christ crucified. Himself in love to the Church and consum- diocese. As small as we are in numbers, I feel With its different offices and clinics to mated that divine marriage with His total a new courage and confidence in our asser- serve the poor, its 2,500 volunteers and self-giving on the cross. Thus both celibacy tion that faith is an essential component of its nearly complete reliance on contribu- and marriage draw their transformative civil society and that religion deserves serious tions from the faithful themselves (we power from Christ’s gift of Himself. Married consideration by those who exercise public receive almost nothing from the govern- couples can derive strength for their union office. I sense a new willingness to propose ment), Catholic Charities in Tulsa is an from the example of celibates while priests that Catholicism provides in Christ the solu- authentic image in brick and stone of the and religious can be encouraged to perse- tion we need to today’s problems. wondrous vision of charity in the Church vere in their sacrifice from the example of With this confidence, let me provide here from Benedict’s . married love. Thus, in Christ, the empti- a summary of our strengths and weaknesses ness of virginity reveals the fruitfulness of as I presented them to the Holy Father and Weaknesses divine love and this becomes the pattern of his staff. • Without a doubt, the greatest weakness or both the celibate and the married couple. challenge we face is the onslaught of secu- Strengths larism. This is an inescapable fact of life in As a final thought, let me say that optional • More young people are recovering the America, and, thus, in Tulsa as well. celibacy is no longer a “red button” issue practice of the faith. They often discover However, I think that, without being too in the Church. Our priests are not living that their catechetical knowledge of Ca- optimistic, there may be a change in our with the false expectation that celibacy will tholicism is inadequate, but they are eager society. I think that people are beginning to become optional or be done away with com- to live the fullness of their faith and go to recognize the dangers inherent in a secular- pletely. They are willing to live celibate lives, quite extraordinary lengths to discover ist approach to life. His Holiness has earlier although I do believe they have an inadequate spiritual understanding of it. However, since that fullness. warned the American prelates on their ad they accept celibacy at an authentic, if in- I see an upswing in the number of limina visits to be conscious of the growing young families attending Mass and am threat to religious freedom and the admin- complete, level, and are willing to live it well, much encouraged to see again whole istration’s attempt to mandate immorality this is the perfect time to explore its spiritual families, with teens, younger children and in the market place (and then offer a non- depths of meaning and what it offers, in con- babies together with their parents, Sunday accommodation) has opened the eyes of trast to the false hedonism of the world today. after Sunday. many Americans to the vulnerable position • With youth comes energy and a willing- secularism puts us in. ness to be generous and to make sacrifices As did all the bishops of the country, I for one another and for the Church. I see issued a letter in protest to the enforced the energy of our young people as a great mandate and asked my pastors to read it strength for this next quinquennium. publicly at Mass. When I did so, I was very • A great strength in our diocese is that our heartened by the overwhelmingly positive priests are relatively young and are able response the letter generated. It makes me to speak to the dreams and aspirations of think this present moment may be a turn- young people. They understand, better ing point in American history, bringing all than I and better than many of our older of us to a clearer understanding of the evil priests, the kinds of challenges young of a purely secular society, where religion is people face in living the . marginalized and shunted aside, while the • Another strength is that our priests are dictatorship of the relative prevails. – Bishop Edward J. Slattery

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