Sooner Catholic soonercatholic.org September 22, 2019 archokc.org Go Make Disciples Archdiocese selects The Boldt Company for Bl. Stanley Rother Shrine By Diane Clay The Sooner Catholic Archbishop Coakley on Sept. 6 Archbishop Coakley signed the official contract selecting The officially signed the contract with The Boldt Company of Oklahoma Boldt Company of Oklahoma City City to build the Bl. Stanley to build the Blessed Stanley Rother Rother Shrine. (L-R) David Shrine. The signing comes two months Johnson, chief financial officer before the groundbreaking ceremony, for the archdiocese; Peter de which will be Sunday, Nov. 3. Keratry, executive director of “The shrine will be a place of wel- stewardship and development; come, serving all people in our com- Miguel Mireles, associate di- munity and pilgrims from around rector of development for the shrine; Steve Cooper, owner of the world,” Archbishop Coakley said. Cooper Project Advisors; Dcn. “The Boldt Company recognizes that Norm Mejstrik, executive di- this project is about much more than rector of the Cause for Canon- constructing a building; it is a labor of ization; Michael Scaperlanda, faith and devotion to honor one of our chancellor; (seated) Tony Yan- own. To better understand Blessed da, Boldt director of operations; Archbishop Paul Coakley. Photo continued on page 16 Diane Clay/Sooner Catholic. Pope to create 13 new cardinals Corpus Christi honors St. Peter Claver By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis announced he will create 13 new cardinals Oct. 5, choosing prelates from 13 different nations as a sign of “the missionary vocation of the church that continues to proclaim the merciful love of God to all men and women of the earth.” The only Canadian named was 73-year-old Jesuit Father Michael Czerny, undersecretary of the Sec- tion for Migrants and Refugees at continued on page 3 The Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver attend Mass Sept. 8 at Corpus Christi in Oklahoma City to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Peter Claver. Photo provided. Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Oklahoma City hosted Saint Peter Claver Day on Sept. 8. very year, on the weekend closest in their local communities to help the pastor to Sept. 9 – the feast day of Saint spread the Gospel. Peter Claver, patron of the missions Saint Peter Claver was a priest from Spain to African people and human rights whose primary mission was to see everything defenderE – Corpus Christi hosts the Knights through the eyes of Christ. At age 30, Father of Peter Claver and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Claver volunteered to work in the missionary Knights of Peter Claver from the other Oklaho- fields in Columbia. By this time, the slave trade ma parishes. had been established. Father Claver saw it as The Knights of Peter Claver, established in his mission to bring the Gospel to all, especially 1909, are a Catholic fraternal service organi- zation that bases its principles on engagement continued on page 8 2 September 22, 2019 Sooner Catholic Sooner Catholic September 22, 2019 3 Put Out Into the Deep Luke 5:4 Find more Deacon launches hospital program to Our Lady of Guadalupe and news on the help the dying the Gospel of life website By Steve Gust for the program at Mercy. While traveling, he But, thanks to the new program, the man had By Sooner Catholic Staff The Sooner Catholic This past week, I had the opportunity to celebrate gruesome human sacri- found out his father had passed away. The news a caring volunteer with him when he died. struck him hard because his father died alone. Deacon Thibodeau said many of the patients Mass in the beautiful monastic chapel of Saint Grego- fices were being offered Additional coverage of OKLAHOMA CITY – Deacon Richard Thibo- “I was the oldest child and should have been are anxious, and caring volunteers help them ry’s Abbey. The occasion of this most recent visit was in astonishing numbers Church and archdiocesan there with him,” he recalled. be less afraid. the observance of the National Day of Remembrance on a regular basis. news and events, only on deau has played a major role in creating a new Last year, he began talking with Mercy offi- for Aborted Children. Against this back- www.soonercatholic.org. program at Mercy Health Center called “No One The program has 51 volun- Following Mass, during which we prayed for victims ground of fear and Dies Alone.” cials. He said there are many reasons people teers who work in two-hour find themselves facing death alone. of abortion and the parents and families who have ex- superstition, the work a Blessing of animals As its name implies, Thibodeau and a group shifts. Hospital staff notifies “Some people come perienced the pain and loss of abortion, we processed of evangelization was Archbishop Paul S. Coakley Holy Family in Lawton, 1010 of volunteers work to ensure Thibodeau when a patient may from broken families to the outdoor Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We not producing the de- N.W. 82, will host the annual that people who are near death TO VOLUNTEER be facing death and does not blessed wreathes of flowers that would be carried to sired fruit. There were relatively few conversions and blessing of animals in front of have someone to help them tran- or there is distance have immediate family nearby. cemeteries and placed at monuments remembering the baptisms. All that changed in 1531 when on a cold the narthex at 1 p.m. Oct. 6. sition in a dignified manner. To learn more about volunteering with family mem- Calvin is one of the volun- unborn who have lost their lives through abortion. It December morning Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a “This is a real ministry of com- with “No One Dies Alone,” contact bers,” he said. “Oth- teers. ers may have already was a powerful reminder of the millions of victims of simple indigenous peasant who had been a convert to a Want to learn about the passion,” he said. Dcn. Richard Thibodeau at “This has been such a spir- this silent holocaust that has so eroded respect for all the Christian faith. She entrusted Juan Diego with a future of the archdiocese? Thibodeau has served as chap- (405) 752-3176, (405) 936-5487 lost their spouse.” itual and, at times, emotional Dcn. Richard human life from conception to natural death. mission to go to the bishop and request that a chapel Archbishop Coakley’s new lain at Mercy for five years. He One example he experience for me,” Calvin said. or [email protected]. Thibodeau Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of the pro- be built on the site of her apparition, Tepeyac hill. The pastoral letter, “Go Make also is a deacon at Saint Robert Go online to mercy.net; provided was the “An LPN walked in and told me case of two brothers. life movement and an August visit to her basilica in bishop was understandably skeptical and requested Disciples! Building a Culture Bellarmine in Jones. search for program. just how meaningful it was to Mexico City reminded me of the appropriateness of a sign. The sign that Mary gave changed the course of Conversion and Disciple- “No One Dies Alone,” began at One of the brothers the nursing staff knowing that this association. Celebrating Mass at the basilica’s of history. Not only did she provide beautiful roses in ship for the Archdiocese of Mercy on July 1. was in Mercy and someone was here for Mr. C.” December for Juan Diego to bring to the bishop, Oklahoma City,” lays out the “It’s important for people to know I didn’t receiving end-of-life Kathy related her experience as a volunteer. but even more remarkable, her vibrant image was vision for the Archdiocese come up with the idea for ‘No One Dies Alone,’” care. The other brother lived in California and “I truly enjoyed humming, whispering and imprinted within the folds of his outer garment. of Oklahoma City through he noted. “It started in the early 2000s in Ore- flew in to be with his sibling for the final days. singing to him in his final hour. What a holy The bishop had his sign and the people came by 2030. Read the letter or gon.” The brother stayed for 10 days but, eventu- moment these last hours with him have been.” the thousands to see and venerate the sacred download a copy at archokc. Although he didn’t establish the program, it ally, family and other obligations, forced him Steve Gust is a freelance writer for the Sooner image. The priests couldn’t keep up with requests org/2030. Print copies avail- was a personal experience that led him to push to return to California. The patient was alone. Catholic. for baptism! The continued existence of that frag- able at parishes. ile garment made of crude fibers is remarkable enough, but it is the sacred image that it bears that continues to reveal its mysteries and touch continued from page 1 group are also hearts nearly 500 years later. Vatican officials: The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is itself the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. None of the 67-year-old Bish- a codex, a coded message, that spoke to the in- new cardinals is from the United States. op Miguel Angel digenous people in a way that the missionaries Cardinal-designate Czerny, who Pope Francis had earlier named as Ayuso Guixot, alone could not. She was one of them.