Full Layput.Qxd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Sooner Catholic Serving the People of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Volume 35, Number 16 * August 31, 2008 Saint Gregory’s Abbey Rejoices with Ordination of Father Copelin SHAWNEE — With fellow Benedictine monks and priests, as well as priests from throughout the archdiocese joined in prayer, Archbishop Beltran ordained Boniface Copelin, OSB, a Roman Catholic priest, on Aug. 21 in the historic Saint Gregory’s Abbey. The Eucharistic Celebration of Ordination took place on the Memorial of Pope Saint Pius X. In his homily, Archbishop Beltran paid tribute to the Church leaders who have planted the seeds of Catholicism and faith throughout the ages, including the early days before Oklahoma entered into state- hood. Brother Boniface was presented for ordination to the archbishop by Abbot Lawrence Stasyszen, OSB, abbot of Saint Gregory’s Abbey. “More than 130 years ago, Father Isidore Robot and Brother Dominic Lambert crossed the Arkansas River at Fort Smith and entered the Indian Territory,” Archbishop Beltran said, looking directly at Father Copelin, who was seated on the altar a few feet in front of the archbishop. “They were Benedictine monks from France who came here to be missionaries.” Archbishop Beltran said the Benedictine mission- aries came to this part of the world with faith, vision and purpose. They established churches and schools and over the years helped guide the people who lived here to know, love and serve Christ. “Brother Boniface, like Father Isidore and Brother Dominic before you and like all the other monks of Sacred Heart and Saint Gregory’s, deep within your soul you have heard a call. It is a call Archbishop Beltran lays from God. At times it seemed clear and compelling. hands on Father Copelin At times there was confusion and uncertainty.” during his ordination. continued on Page 10 Inside U.S. Bishops New Class of Offer Catholics Seminarians Path of Faith Head Off for During Political Training Walk 4 20 2 Sooner Catholic ● August 31, 2008 The Good News Sooner Catholic Most Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran ... Somewhere To Go! Archbishop of Oklahoma City Staying at a hotel in Rome, do, we are all indeed called by God. Publisher you quickly adjust to the European We are invited by Him to go some- Jesus came into our manner of numbering the various where. That somewhere is heaven. Ray Dyer floors. What we call the first floor, However, since we cannot see it from world to save Editor they refer to as the entrance or here, since it is shrouded in great us from sin. ground floor and identify it as “O” or mystery, since we don’t fully under- He came that Cara Koenig “zero.” Consequently, our second floor stand the very life we have, there Layout/Design/ becomes their first floor and so on up are questions, there are doubts. we might Photographer the building. Sometimes there’s even confusion have life and On one occasion, the hotel I was and what’s worse, despair. We press Mauro Yanez staying in had a lobby and five guest the “O” button and we panic! We go have it more Hispanic Editor floors above it. We would number nowhere. abundantly. Archbishop Factually, 2,000 years ago, all that as six floors. They numbered it Jesus is Beltran “O” — or “zero” and then one to five. that changed. Jesus came into our Ammanda McCabe Knowing the European system world and He explained the “O – challenging us now. Staff beforehand, I was not at all zeros.” He said He had Good News surprised. Yet one day as I boarded and, indeed, He did because He is the 7501 Northwest Expressway the elevator on my fifth floor, I Good News! that when Philip the Apostle said Oklahoma City, OK 73132 touched the “O” to go down to the If you find your work dull and that he and others did not know the (405) 721-1810 Fax: (405) 721-5210 lobby level (our first floor) and a seemingly insignificant, if you are a way, Jesus said emphatically, “I am crazy thought struck me. In my wild young person who “doesn’t fit in” or the Way. I am the Truth. I am the e-mail: [email protected] imagination, I said: “You are going cannot find the way, if you are a Life.” Mailing Address: P.O. Box 32180 nowhere!” From then on, every time I parent whose children are going Jesus came into our world to Oklahoma City, OK 73123 enter an elevator in Europe and astray, if you are tired or bored or save us from sin. He came that we touch the “O”, I always say to myself: might have life and have it more sick, don’t panic. Don’t give up! Jesus Visit us online through the “You are going nowhere!” loves you. He has a plan for you. He abundantly. Jesus is challenging us Archdiocesan Web Page at I know there are many people wants you and me and all of us to now. who believe their lives are useless or prepare now so that someday we can When we are weary and tired www.catharchdioceseokc.org. tiring or boring or so incidental that be with Him in heaven forever. and feel forlorn, let’s not press zero — they feel they are going nowhere! We don’t know the day. We know that will get us nowhere. But let us The Sooner Catholic (USPS 066-910) is Yet, the reality is that no matter who not the way. But we do know that turn to Jesus who is our hope and our published biweekly except for once in July we are, no matter what we do or don’t Jesus is the Lord. We remember too salvation. and twice in December by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Seminary Burses The newspaper is not responsible for A Seminary Burse has been Father Wade Darnall Father John A. Petuskey unsolicited material. established by the estate of Father Seminary Burse Seminary Burse Copyright © 2008 Sooner Catholic Larry Gatlin in the amount of $10,545.00 $11,849.99 $10,000. To donate to Father Gatlin’s burse or to any of the existing burses, Subscription rate: $20 per year for all Father Larry Gatlin Father Clement E. Pribil make the check out to the Archdiocese who are not members of the Seminary Burse Seminary Burse of Oklahoma City. In the memo $5,251.42 Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. section, note the specific burse and $10,000.00 Periodical postage paid at Oklahoma mail it to Vocations Office, P.O. Box Father Stanley Rother 32180, OKC 73123. Father Bernard J. Havlik City, OK 73125. Seminary Burse Father Joseph Beltran Seminary Burse $180,656.99 Seminary Burse $26,610.01 $80,418.16 Archbishop Charles Salatka Father James A. Kastner Father Stephen Bird Seminary Burse Seminary Burse Seminary Burse $185,945.00 $9,919.99 $10,000.00 Father Gerald Ucker The Sooner Catholic is Father Denis Blackledge Bishop Stephen A. Leven Seminary Burse supported through the Seminary Burse Seminary Burse $8,570.00 Archdiocesan Development Fund. $8,336.95 $59,627.73 Totals as of 7/31/2008 August 31, 2008 ● Sooner Catholic 3 New Pool One More Step in the Dream of Family Life Center By Rex Hogan “I got involved to see what made For the Sooner Catholic the most sense. It was my recom- mendation that they take advantage Two years ago, the Chesapeake of the offer from Chesapeake and Energy Corporation approached the Knights of Columbus Council 1038 instead of selling the facility, they about a land deal. operate out of it and they try to Chesapeake, the second-largest involve the facility into a health independent producer of natural gas center mission that would not only in the country, wanted to buy Council address the Catholic community but 1038’s property located near the the community at large,” Walters Chesapeake complex on 63rd and said. Western Avenue. Cathey said after Council 1038 Council 1038 had a 5,000-square- agreed to the deal, the real work foot building on the property that it began. had owned for generations. It had “The club had fallen into disre- steadily improved the property over pair,” Cathey said. the years. It had become the center- “We’ve gone through the aches piece for teen activities, including and pains of making improvements dances and parish dinners. and at the same time shift to make it “They offered us $1 million, but more available to schools, churches we turned it down because we didn’t and the Catholic community as well have anywhere to go,” said Bill Members of Epiphany Parish sit poolside at the Knights sponsored picnic. as to other groups. I’d say we’re half- Cathey, an Oklahoma City attorney way through this process,” he said. our council might want it.” “We turned to Gov. Walters and past Grand Knight of Council “There were a number of things The 55,000-square-foot club was because of his experience in property 1038. that had to be fixed,” Walters said. located on 4 1/2 acres, although at and business. He put together a top Chesapeake then sweetened the “The parking lots, the security, every that time it was in need of repairs. to bottom management analysis,” offer and told the council that it had time it rained outside it rained “This was something that was so Cathey said. a health club on Santa Fe that it inside. We’ve done from $200,000 to big, it would have been very difficult Walters said the natural gas would throw in on the deal.