SC for Aug 26.qxd 9/5/2007 11:57 AM Page 1 Sooner Catholic Serving the People of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Volume 34, Number 16 * August 26, 2007 Walking in Faith Archdiocese Blessed with 18 Men Currently in Seminary Archbishop Beltran, Father William Novak, Father Tim Luschen and Father Lowell Stieferman are flanked by 17 of the 18 men currently studying in the seminary from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Not pictured is Cory Stanley, in seminary at Pontifical North American College in Vatican City. Individual photos and more information can be found on Page 3. Sooner Catholic Photo/Cara Koenig Inside Couple Tells Little Flower How Ministry Church Turns Out Helped Save to Pray, Celebrate Their Marriage New Center 5 20 SC for Aug 26.qxd 9/5/2007 11:57 AM Page 2 2 Sooner Catholic ● August 26, 2007 The Main Event, Wrestling With God Sooner Catholic In his memoir, Report to Greco, only after first begging his father for a tionship, unquestion- Most Reverend Nikos Kazantzakis shares this story: reprieve. As Rabbi Heschel puts it, ing reverence is not As a young man, he spent a summer in from Abraham through Jesus we see necessarily a sign of Eusebius J. Beltran a monastery during which he had a how the great figures of our faith are mature intimacy. Archbishop of Oklahoma City series of conversations with an old not in the habit of easily saying: “Thy Old friends, precisely Publisher monk. One day he asked the old monk: will be done!” but often, for a while at because they know “Father, do you still do battle with the least, counter God’s invitation with: and trust each other, devil?” The old monk replied: “No, I “Thy will be changed!” can risk a boldness in Ray Dyer used to, when I was younger, but now Struggling with God’s will and their friendship that Editor I have grown old and tired and the offering resistance to what it calls us younger, less mature, By Father devil has grown old and tired with me. to can be a bad thing, but it can also be friendship cannot. Ron Rolheiser Cara Koenig I leave him alone and he leaves me a mature form of prayer. The Book of That is also true Layout/Design/ alone.” “So your life is easy then?” Genesis describes an incident where in our relationship with God. God remarked Kazantzakis. “Oh no,” Jacob wrestled with a spirit for a expects that, at some point, we will Photographer replied the monk, “it’s much worse, whole night and in the morning that kick against his will and offer some now I wrestle with God!” spirit turned out to be God. What a resistance. But we should lay out our perfect icon for prayer! A human being Mauro Yanez There’s a lot contained in that hearts in honesty. Jesus did. and God, wrestling in the dust of Hispanic Editor remark — “I wrestle with God.” God expects some resistance. As Among other things, it suggests that this earth! Doesn’t that accurately describe the human struggle? Nikos Kazantzakis puts it: the struggles in later life can be very The struggle between God and Eileen Dugan different than what we struggle with We would do well to integrate this, humans breaks out in everyone, Staff Writer earlier on. In the normal pattern of the concept of wrestling with God, into together with the longing for reconcil- things, we spend the first half of our our understanding of faith and prayer. iation. Most often this struggle is lives struggling with sensuality, greed We honor neither ourselves nor the Jan Hornberger-Gililland Scriptures when we make things too unconscious and short-lived. A weak and sexuality, and spend the last half Office of our lives struggling with anger and simple. Human will doesn’t bend soul does not have the endurance to forgiveness — and that anger is often, easily, nor should it, and the heart has resist the flesh for very long. It grows however unconsciously, focused on complexities that need to be respected, heavy, becomes flesh itself, and the 7501 Northwest Expressway contest ends. But among responsible God. In the end, our real struggle is even as we try to rein in its more Oklahoma City, OK 73132 with God. possessive longings. God, who built persons who keep their eyes riveted (405) 721-1810 Fax: (405) 721-5210 But wrestling with God has us, understands this and is up to the day and night upon the supreme duty, e-mail: [email protected] another aspect. It invites us to a task of wrestling with us and our the conflict between flesh and spirit certain kind of prayer. Prayer isn’t resistance. breaks out mercilessly and may last Mailing Address meant to be a simple acquiescence to The classical mystics speak of until death. The stronger the soul P.O. Box 32180 and the flesh, the more fruitful the God’s will. It’s meant to be an acquies- something they call “being bold with Oklahoma City, OK 73123 cence, yes, but a mature acquiescence, God.” This “boldness,” they suggest, struggle and the richer the final come to at the end of a long struggle. comes not at the beginning of the harmony. The spirit wants to have to Visit us on line through the We see this in the prayer of the spiritual journey, but more toward the wrestle with flesh which is strong and Archdiocesan Web Page at great figures in Scripture: Abraham, end of it, when, after a long period of full of resistance. It is a carnivorous www.catharchdioceseokc.org. Moses, Jesus, the apostles. Abraham fidelity, we are intimate enough with bird which is incessantly hungry; it argues with God and initially talks God to precisely be “bold,” as friends eats flesh and, by assimilating it, him out of destroying Sodom; Moses at who have known each other for a makes it disappear. The Sooner Catholic (USPS 066-910) is first resists his call, protesting that his long time have a right to be. That’s a Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, published biweekly except for once in July brother is better suited for the job; the valuable insight: After you have been theologian, teacher and award- and twice in December by the Archdiocese apostles excuse themselves for a long friends with someone for a long time, winning author, is president of the of Oklahoma City. time before finally putting their lives you can be comfortable with express- Oblate School of Theology in San on the line; and Jesus gives himself ing your needs to him or her and in Antonio. He can be contacted through over in the Garden of Gethsemane the context of a long, sustained rela- his Web site www.ronrolheiser.com. The newspaper is not responsible for unsolicited material. Seminary Burses OFFICIAL Copyright © 2007 Sooner Catholic A $200 donation was made to the Father Bernard J. Havlik Father Stanley Rother Seminary $26,450.01 Newly Appointed Vicars Subscription rate: $20 per year for all Burse by an anonymous donor. Effective August 13, 2007 who are not members of the Father James A. Kastner Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. A $25 donation was made to the Periodical postage paid at Oklahoma $9,619.99 Region IA - Father Stanley Rother Seminary City, OK 73125. Reverend Michael L. Chapman Burse by an anonymous donor. Bishop Stephen A. Leven Region IB - POSTMASTER: Send address changes $57,127.73 to the Sooner Catholic, P.O. Box A $1000 donation was made to the Reverend Edward T. Menasco 32180, Oklahoma City, OK 73123. Father Joseph Beltran Seminary Father John A. Petuskey Region IIA - Burse by the family of $11,849.99 Reverend William L. Novak Father James D. Knight. Region IV - Reverend James A. Goin Father Clement E. Pribil A $100 donation was made to the $4,751.42 Father Joseph Beltran Seminary Burse by Our Lady’s Cathedral. Father Stanley Rother Father Joseph Beltran $161,831.99 Most Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran $71,618.16 Archbishop of Oklahoma City Archbishop Charles Salatka Father Denis Blackledge $185,195.00 $8,336.95 The Sooner Catholic is supported Father Gerald Ucker through the Archdiocesan Father Wade Darnall $8,570.00 Reverend Edward J. Weisenburger Development Fund. $5,525.00 Totals as of 7/31/2007 Vicar General SC for Aug 26.qxd 9/5/2007 11:57 AM Page 3 August 26, 2007 ● Sooner Catholic 3 Prayer for Religious Vocations Pray for Our Seminarians Gracious and loving God, help the men and women of our Archdiocese to hear the call to serve the people of God. Pastoral Year Theology 4 Our needs are great and our people thirst for your presence. Joseph Christopher Schwarz Tran Open the hearts of many, raise up faithful servants of the Gospel, dedicated holy priests, sisters, brothers and deacons, who will dedicate themselves for St. Mary Blessed John Your people and their needs. Church, XXIII National Bless those who are serving now with courage and perseverance. Ponca City Seminary Grant that many will be inspired by their example and faith. Home Parish: Home Parish: We ask this through Christ our Lord. Holy Trinity, Saint Andrew Okarche Dung-Lac, OKC Amen Theology 4 Theology 3 Theology 3 Theology 2 James William Long Phan Carson Wickersham Lewis Krittenbrink Notre Dame St. Charles Saint Charles Notre Dame Seminary Borromeo Borromeo Seminary Seminary Seminary Home Parish: Home Parish: St. Andrew- Home Parish: Home Parish: Immaculate Dung-Lac, Saints Peter Saint Thomas Conception, OKC and Paul, More, Norman OKC Kingfisher Theology 1 Theology 1 Theology 1 Pre-Theology 2 Gerald Cory Stanley Zakary Spitz Philip Curren Caughlin Pontifical St.