Sooner Catholic Soonercatholic.Org May 13, 2018 Archokc.Org Go Make Disciples
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Sooner Catholic soonercatholic.org May 13, 2018 archokc.org Go Make Disciples Archbishop Coakley celebrates 35th anniversary of ordination By Diane Clay suggested he spend time discerning his next steps The Sooner Catholic at a French Benedictine monastery, Fontgombault, about three hours south of Paris. hen two of their classmates didn’t return “At first, I thought it was just going to be a stopping from hiking along the rocky shores of off place, a home base with cheap accommodations Inishbofin Island, the group of college stu- where I could see Europe on $5 a day. But, I end- W ed up being really intrigued by this monastery and dents knew something was wrong. So, one of the students, a young Paul Coakley, spending time there. I went with a few college friends solicited the help of a local priest, Fr. Martin O’Con- and for the next few months worked with the monks nor, to help search for his friends. He had made the and lived in the guest house and followed their daily trip to Ireland to study abroad for a semester with the schedule. I got up early in the morning to go pray and Integrated Humanities Program at the University of spent hours upon hours with them in this medieval Kansas. abbey church. Pretty soon, I started finding the life “We spent the day searching for them among the very attractive.” rocks and along the shore and couldn’t find them. He wrote home to his parents, John and Mary We gradually began to realize that they had drowned. Coakley, to tell them he was thinking about becoming Fishermen who had been searching found their bod- a Benedictine monk. ies two days later.” “I had a very powerful experience when I was at Shaken by the sudden death of his friends, young Fontgombault, a conversion experience that led me Paul sought counsel from the only person he could to think that was where the Lord was calling me, but think of – Father O’Connor. the closer I came to making that decision, something “I didn’t know where to turn, so I eventually within me kind of put the brakes on.” He sat at a window in his room at the abbey, look- knocked on the rectory door and spent many hours ing out over a rambling river with a mill dam that with Father O’Connor. We talked about everything; led to a small hermitage where a hermit Benedictine about life and death, and about the direction of my lived. He began to seriously pray and discern the life life. He inspired me and he challenged me. That se- God was calling him to live. mester in Ireland I started going to Mass every morn- “It kind of dawned on me, ‘If I’m not going to be a ing. When I went home, I continued going to Mass as monk, why don’t I become a parish priest?’ It was like often as I could.” a light switch went on. It was really the first time I Reinvigorated, he returned to Kansas and graduat- had been open to considering that that was what the ed with a degree in English and classical antiquities Lord was calling me to. It was a moment of clarity.” in 1977. While he had rediscovered his faith, he had yet to find his calling, so after graduation, a professor continued on page 16 2 May 13, 2018 Sooner Catholic Sooner Catholic May 13, 2018 3 Put Out Into the Deep Luke 5:4 Find more Celebrating Mother’s Day with A new Pentecost news on the Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. As I write archdiocese. The clear- website faith, hope and love this column in anticipation of Pentecost Sunday, I est demonstration of Father Aaron Foshee and Mom Initiation for Children) classes at sacrifice has given to me and to plete stranger, since encountering By Sooner Catholic Staff have been reflecting on the presence and power of the this work of the Holy Lynda Walton Saint John the Baptist in Ed- my priesthood big shoes to fill. my mother is an encounter with Holy Spirit who has been bringing forth such abun- Spirit was evident in the To be honest, it’s hard to de- mond. She coaxed me to excel in Thank you, Momma. I love you. God’s personal and life-affirming dant fruit in the life of this local church. We have extraordinary beatifica- Additional coverage of scribe in just a few paragraphs school and in faith. Father Foshee is associate pas- love. been blessed in so many ways! tion of Blessed Stanley Church and archdiocesan exactly what my mother, Lynda The moment that stands out tor at Christ the King in Oklahoma My mother is a native Oklaho- On this great feast, which concludes the Easter Rother, which we cele- news and events, only on Walton, means to me. She has for me the most with regard to City. man who grew up materially poor Season, we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit brated this past fall. www.soonercatholic.org. worn so many important hats in what my mother means to me as Sister Maria Faulkner and in the wake of the Depression and on the Apostles and those disciples who had gathered Those who were my life. When I was very young, I an adult came on the day of my Mom Leveda Carroll Faulkner during the Dust Bowl. Simple, in prayer after Jesus’ Ascension into heaven. present will never forget Archbishop Paul S. Coakley a Mercy and Mary retreat remember being so proud of my ordination to the priesthood. My Don’t worry, honey, it will work intelligent and resourceful, from a When the Father pours out the Holy Spirit on that day. The witness of The Mercy and Mary retreat mother because she made the big mother, who had nurtured me and out” When I was younger, this young age, she radiates gracious Jesus’ disciples, he pours his life and love into their Blessed Stanley will continue to be a stimulus of faith will be Nov. 9-10 at Christ planes from Tinker Air Force Base sustained me throughout my life, familiar line from my nobility. Faithfully married hearts. He also hands on the mission of Jesus to us, and a source of powerful intercession for us and for the King, OKC, with Fr. Mi- fly. who had taken charge of my for- mother seemed simplis- who by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit the whole Church. chael Gaitley, MIC, author of At the time, she was a hydrau- mation and sacrificed for my good, tic and almost naive, yet become his hands, his feet, his eyes and his heart to We also have embarked upon an historic archdi- “33 Days to Morning Glory.” lics mechanic for the Boeing did something that I can only as I grew in life experi- extend the offer of God’s mercy to all. ocesan capital campaign called “One Church, Many Friday program 7:15 p.m. - KC-135 Stratotanker, an aerial imagine was one of the hardest ence and in gratitude for The Holy Spirit is the source of divine life and the Disciples” that will help us grow together in an expe- 8:15 p.m. Saturday retreat refueling aircraft used by the U.S. things for a mother to do – she let my mother’s deep and spiritual energy that drives all the missionary activity rience of communion and mission as we prepare for 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Cost Air Force, and I let all my friends me go. abiding faith, I realized of the Church. It is the Holy Spirit that en- a hope-filled future. $49.95. Scholarships avail- at school know about it. As I got The ordination of a priest is a it is anchored in her ables the Church’s Already, the response able. Hosted by the Marian older, I came to realize that I had liturgical expression of how that Catholic faith and is an ministries and to the campaign has Missionaries of Divine Mercy. in her not only a parent, but a priest, acting in the Person of echo of Scripture – “We apostolates to bear been tremendous. Register at MarianMission- friend and ally in my schooling as Christ, will walk the Way of the know that all things abundant fruit. “Go Many of these ini- aries.org or call (413) 944- she left her job at Tinker to edu- Cross. The sanctuary of the cathe- work for good for those make disciples of tiatives are the fruit 8500, Ext. 10. cate me from home, preparing me dral, though beautifully adorned, who love God” (Romans all nations. Baptize of efforts that began academically for my future. is a type of Mount Calvary, which 8:28). them in the name years ago. Five years From there, the priest ascends to lay Her trust flows from of the Father and of ago, we articulated a down his life for love of a real relationship with the Son and of the vision that was ex- God and His Church. our God who is trust- Holy Spirit. Teach pressed in a pastoral And, all the while, worthy. My mother them all that I have letter called “Go Make my mother looked on, embodies and cul- commanded you Disciples.” It present- knowing these truths tivates the virtue of and know that I ed a five-year plan and holding them in the faith.