Sooner Catholic www.soonercatholic.org February 5, 2017 www.archokc.org Go Make Disciples ecently, I’ve been studying es helps form Catholic women and the Gospel of Matthew with men who will lead businesses, fami- Ra small faith community at lies and the Church. my parish. One of the most striking Training and program aids for 2,150 things has been how Jesus demon- parish catechists across the archdi- strates God’s love over and over, invit- ocese ensure support for those who ing his disciples to share in that love teach others about our faith. by reaching out to others. Our pooled resources support all For me, this is the essence of the stages of marriage ministry as well Annual Catholic Appeal (formerly the as training for caregivers of the Archdiocesan Development Fund or elderly, and programs for dealing Please prayerfully consider a gift to the ADF). We all are called to help build with grief, domestic violence and Annual Catholic Appeal as your means God’s kingdom. When we reach out to substance abuse. and circumstances permit. others with love, “God’s Light Shines These issues affect many of us, Through Us” – which is the theme of our families and neighbors. Funds this year’s appeal. also support seminarian educa- So, how does the Annual Catholic tion, retreats for priests, Catholic Appeal reach out to others? schools with more than 5,000 The Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) is students … and so much more! first and foremost about ministry. It is In short, the Annual Catholic our chance to work together to initiate Appeal is a chance to respond to and strengthen efforts that transcend Jesus’ call to discipleship. individual parish needs. Over the next few weeks, This year, the goal is to raise $3.5 please take time to better million to support seven key ministry understand how the Catholic areas including: youth, young adult Church in central and western and campus ministry; communica- Oklahoma fosters God’s king- tions and evangelization; religious dom, and consider how you education and Catholic schools; can personally support these vocations and seminarians; clergy for- efforts financially. mation and support; Guatemala and Parishes will be providing Annual Catholic Appeal 2017 local Hispanic ministry; and family information and opportu- Please visit www.archokc.org/appeal to make your online gift and respect life ministries. nities to give in the weeks Archdiocese of Oklahoma City • PO Box 32180, Oklahoma City, OK 73123 • 405-709-2745 Shared facilities like Our Lady of ahead, and you can learn Guadalupe Catholic Youth Camp more at www.archokc.org/appeal. provide the opportunity to inspire young people to put God at the center Thank you for your support and Peter de Keratry, CFRE of their lives. generosity, Executive director Dynamic and impactful program- Office of Stewardship and Development ming for students on college campus- (405) 709-2745, [email protected] “This is a real game changer” Parish discipleship groups invite relationship with Jesus By Ann Cook The process is designed to For the Sooner Catholic ensure participants hear the truth about Jesus, develop In his 2013 pastoral letter, a deep and lasting relation- “Go Make Disciples,” Arch- ship with Jesus in the midst bishop Coakley reminded us of His Church, and transmit that “To evangelize others is what they learn to others as to invite them into friendship group leaders. and relationship with Jesus More than 500 people in Christ. Before we invite oth- the archdiocese have partic- ers, we the evangelizers must ipated, and their reports of ourselves be truly evange- profound encounters with lized. The evangelizers must Christ and the significant first become disciples.” ture of intentional discipleship. changes in their lives are a Many parishes are meeting the The discipleship process is a testament to the authentic and archbishop’s challenge by estab- multiplying ministry. Small groups renewed conversion to the Lord. lishing an intentional discipleship meet weekly with a group leader, continued on page 4 process for adults to create a cul- who has completed the process. 2 February 5, 2017 Sooner Catholic Sooner Catholic February 5, 2017 3 Put Out Into the Deep Luke 5:4 Find more “I would pray for the other guys to become priests” news on the God’s light shines through us By Diane Clay website The Sooner Catholic As you see, much of this current issue of the Catholic and Apostolic By Sooner Catholic Staff od was calling; but a young Christopher Sooner Catholic is dedicated to our Annual Catholic Church.” Brashears wasn’t ready to answer. He had Appeal. I hope you will read each feature and consid- The clearest sign of Additional coverage of plans – he was going to travel, attend college, er how beautifully “God’s Light Shines Through Us” our unity is when we G Church and archdiocesan teach, set up a new business model and find adven- when we act together as members of the one Body of gather with the local ture, a lot of adventure. Christ. bishop, presiding with news and events, only on Toward the end of college, he accepted an invita- By now, each of you should have received informa- his priests at the Eu- www.soonercatholic.org: tion to attend a Cursillo weekend – an intense three- tion about this year’s appeal and the many life-af- charist. It is through day crash course in living Christianity. It was there, firming ministries and services that this annual the local Archbishop Paul S. Coakley a To send photos, event among his friends, he heard God’s plan for his life. commitment makes bishop information or story ideas, “We always prayed for priests. We prayed a lot possible across united in one communion of faith and e-mail [email protected]. “Only by working together for vocations. I decided I would pray for each of the all 108 parishes charity with bishops everywhere, and other guys, that they would become a priest,” Father and missions that can we advance our mission to with the Pope as the Vicar of Christ a For more information Brashear said. “It was really at the Cursillo weekend comprise the Arch- that we manifest most fully our Catho- about upcoming pilgrimages share the joy of the Gospel.” that I started to be open to the possibility. I started to diocese of Oklahoma lic unity. Our witness is most effective to Ireland, Spain and other really pray and ask for God’s will in my life, and it was City. We are all in when we embrace our unity as Catholic points of interest, go online there that I really felt the small call, just really a whis- this together! Christians. Ours is a unity of faith, of to www.soonercatholic.org per, saying ‘You should think about the priesthood.’” Ordinarily, Catholics experience the life and min- charity and of mission. and click on “Briefs.” The thought of becoming a priest was frightening at istry of the Church in their own parishes. This is as The Annual Catholic Appeal is an invitation to first for Brashears because he had a job lined up, and it should be. But, the Catholic Church is not merely embrace this unity and shared mission. By sharing parochial or congregational. We are part of something our gifts and resources through the Annual Catholic larger and more universal even than our parishes. Appeal we help further this mission and acknowl- the priesthood would interfere After two years at Concep- As we profess each Sunday, we “believe in One, Holy, edge our responsibility for one with his master plan. So, he tion, Archbishop Coakley asked another. We have an obligation gave God one year. He would Brashears to study in Rome to hand on to others the rich- go to seminary, and if after one where he finished his theolog- es of the Gospel that we have Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Go Make Disciples year, God’s idea wasn’t work- ical studies and began work received. ing, he would return to his own on a Canon Law degree. He Many of the ministries and plan. returned to Oklahoma, and services we depend on would “As soon as I set foot on the in 2014 was not be possible if each parish campus of ordained to the was left to its own resources. shines through Conception For information on the priesthood. He Only by working together can Seminary priesthood or religious life: now serves as Please take this flyer home and review the case statements we advance our mission to share College, I a judge in the of this year’s Annual Catholic Appeal in time for next week’s Office of Vocations G Commitment Weekend. We ask that you prayerfully discern the joy of the Gospel: to form knew. It was archdiocesan od’s Lightthe level of commitment that you can provide. Rev. Brian E. Buettner disciples, to provide education 100 percent Marriage Tri- @archokc and formation for children and that full- [email protected] bunal, helping Funds raised in the Annual Catholic Appeal will provide: Us adults, train teachers and cate- ness of hap- (405) 721-9351 families heal chists, educate seminarians and piness that www.archokc.org/voca- Archdiocese of and return to Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry support our clergy. Only by our I was really tions/home the Church. what he has learned to help day when I was studying. I Forming young people to put God at the center of their lives and women considering priesthood and religious life, especially Oklahoma City is a critical task.