Sooner Catholic soonercatholic.org November 2, 2014 www.archokc.org Go Make Disciples One Year: Go Make Disciples Archbishop’s vision for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City By Diane Clay The Sooner Catholic It has been one year since Archbishop Paul Coakley issued his call to “Go Make Disciples,” identifying three priorities for the archdiocese, its parishes and schools, and for all Catholics who seek to encounter Jesus Christ. “As one way of preparing for and celebrating the Year of Faith in the Archdiocese of Oklaho- ma City, I chartered a team of clergy, religious and lay leaders to assist me in prayerfully discerning a mutually shared vision for the archdiocese,” Archbishop Coakley wrote. “This vision will guide our archdiocesan family over the course of the next fi ve years. It is the vision against which we will evaluate and justify our initiatives, programs, ministries and expendi- tures. It refl ects who we are and what we do. This vision aligns with the Gospel vision of Our Lord.” “Go Make Disciples” is intended to be shared broadly among all clergy, religious and lay faithful of the archdiocese. The three priorities on which Archbishop Coakley asked archdioc- esan leaders and parishioners to focus for the fi rst two years are: Archbishop Coakley greets parishioners and visitors after this year’s Our Lady of La Vang Celebration at Our New Evangelization Lady’s Cathedral. Photo Cara Koenig. Faith Formation A. Begin implementation of a plan to alleviate the fi rst Summer Parish Leadership Summit, Hispanic Ministry the overcrowding of churches with signifi cant entitled “From Maintenance to Mission.” Each of these priorities is supported by two Hispanic populations in the Oklahoma City “Along with a group of parish leaders, I have specifi c and measurable goals. area by May 1, 2014. been testing a method of discipleship forma- New Evangelization B. Enroll the fi rst class of a tion, which works through the slow multipli- A. Create an Offi ce of New “Go, therefore, and make Spanish language basic adult cation of small discipleship groups in the hope Evangelization in the archdio- disciples of all nations, faith formation program among of establishing a permanent discipleship track cese by Nov. 1, 2013. baptizing them in the name Spanish-speaking Catholics by in every parish,” said Carole Brown, director of B. Initiate an archdiocesan New of the Father, and of the June 1, 2014. Evangelization plan in 20 to 30 the Offi ce of New Evangelization. “We also are Son, and of the Holy Spirit, “Alleviating the overcrowd- parishes and all diocesan offi c- in the process of inventing a parish mentoring teaching them to observe ing in Hispanic churches will es by Nov. 1, 2014. process to help parishes become parishes that all that I have commanded ultimately help create healthy Faith Formation evangelize and form intentional disciples.” you. And behold, I am with environments so that the re- A. Implement a year-long In his closing homily at World Youth Day in you always, until the end lationship with our Lord can “Transforming Adolescent Cat- Rio, Pope Francis reassured young Catholics, of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20) grow,” said Pedro Moreno, echesis” process in 12-16 par- saying “Don’t be afraid! When he sent his dis- director of the Offi ce of Hispan- ishes and Catholic high schools ciples on mission, he promised: I am with you ic Ministries. “In the San Juan of the archdiocese by Nov. 30, always (Mt. 28:20).” Diego School for Lay Leadership, participants 2014. “And this is also true for us!” Archbishop not only grow as faithful disciples in love with B. Increase participation in adult faith forma- Coakley wrote. “Jesus does not leave us alone, Jesus Christ, they also grow as trusting ser- tion by 5 percent he never leaves you alone! He always accompa- vants in their parish communities.” to 10 percent nies you.” In the year since the Offi ce of New Evange- throughout the lization was established, we have created the archdiocese by July The pastoral letter “Go Make Disciples” “Into the Deep blog,” the “Profi les in Disci- 1, 2015. and the accompanying study guide are pleship” witness videos and a variety of print Hispanic Ministry available at www.archokc.org. materials. Earlier this year, the offi ce hosted All Saints Day honors saints, precedes prayer for souls By Ted King For the Sooner Catholic The lead up to All Saints Day is marked with jack-o’-lanterns, ghosts and goblins, children trick or treating, and costume balls on All Hallows Eve, known to us as Halloween (Oct. 31). Halloween is a secular day with pagan origins from Europe. All Hallows Eve is the day before All Hallows, which is Four popular female saints are represented in stained glass at St. Therese of Lisieux Church All Saints Day. in Montauk, N.Y. Depicted, from left, are Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, All Saints Day, (Nov. 1), and All Therese of Lisieux and Catherine of Siena. CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz, Long Island continued on page 9 Catholic. 2 November 2, 2014 Sooner Catholic Sooner Catholic International November 2, 2014 3 Put Out Into the Deep Luke 5:4 Find more Commentary: The clash of straw men Two recent speeches by senior Huntington’s original 1993 ar- news on the Vatican offi cials whose responsi- ticle, and the book that followed An urgent cry from the Middle East bilities involve wrestling with world in 1996, are still worth reading, website George Weigel Early this month, Pope Francis summoned his We travelled to Er- politics suggest that some default not least because “The Clash of positions need a re-set in the Holy Civilizations” was the fi rst book in Public Policy papal nuncios (ambassadors accredited by the Holy bil and Dohuk in the By Sooner Catholic Staff See. generations in which a world-class Center See) stationed in the Middle East for an emergency Kurdistan region of Iraq In both speeches, reference was political scientist took religion meeting at the Vatican. They met from Oct. 2-4. Their where many of these Additional coverage of made to the late Samuel Hunting- seriously as a dynamic, infl uential purpose was to discuss the deteriorating situation in internally displaced Church and archdiocesan ton’s book, “The Clash of Civiliza- and sometimes determining factor the Middle East, especially the plight of Christians persons have fl ed for news and events, only on in that ancient land that gave birth to the Christian tions and the Remaking of World in world affairs. checked by their own fellow-Mus- refuge. The Kurdish www.soonercatholic.org: Order,” the point being to deplore Huntington’s sensitivity to re- faith. The Christian population has plummeted in re- government in Erbil has lims; and he accurately identifi ed cent years as Christians have borne a disproportion- what the offi cials imagined as ligion-and-world -politics ought welcomed the Christians Bishop McGuinness High the fact that religious conviction ate share of the burden in a region rife with confl ict Archbishop Paul S. Coakley Huntington’s eager anticipation of to have commended his analy- and Yazidis, a hereto- School’s One Act play won (or the lack thereof, as in Europe) and a host of humanitarian crises. inter-civilizational confl ict. That’s sis to the Vatican for thought- fore unknown sect to State! See our briefs. would play an important role in From Oct. 7-12, I had the privilege of traveling to attacking a straw man in a very ful consideration and serious most westerners. We met with the prime minister and shaping the 21st-century world. the Middle East with Catholic Relief Services (CRS). unfortunate way. discussion. Instead, Hunting- some of his senior cabinet. We met with the leaders Holy Spirit Church in Mus- Thirteen years after 9/11, and in We visited Gaza, Jerusalem and the Kurdish re- To reduce Huntington’s argu- ton-the-straw-man-who-prophe- tang will hold a craft fair on light of today’s headlines, is Hun- gion of Iraq. Our purpose was to observe, to listen of the Chaldean Catholic Church and traveled with ment to essentials: sied-endless-civilizational-war is Nov. 8. See the calendar for and to learn from local church leaders, government them to meet people who are being housed in parish- 1) The fault lines in world dragged out whenever it’s deemed tington’s proposal really so im- details. offi cials and aid partners. But most importantly, we es and unfi nished buildings throughout the region. politics after the Cold War are necessary for offi cials of the Holy plausible? were there to put a face on a human tragedy and to The scope of the crisis is massive. not ideological or economic (com- See to say that “a war between There is something very odd St. Charles parish is hav- demonstrate the solidarity of the Church in the Unit- With winter approaching the need for proper hous- munism vs. democracy and the Islam and ‘the rest’ is not inevi- about a Holy See whose default ing a western night on Nov. ed States and all Americans with our brothers and ing is urgent. CRS is partnering with the local church market); the new fault lines are 4) Understanding what’s afoot table” (true, if the civil war within positions include a ritualized dep- 15. Check the calendar! sisters who, regardless of their creed to meet these and other needs. cultural. in the world thus requires pay- Islam is resolved in favor of those recation of the Huntington thesis or ethnicity, are caught up in a crisis The appeal that we heard as a 2) Nation-states will remain ing attention to realities usually Muslims who support religious “War is an evil Want to learn more about married to a will-to-believe about of catastrophic proportions.