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Monsignor Gier compares parish revenue to parish expenses in August, September & October. The School Walk-A-Thon raised over $5000. Jason & Lenora Bliss reflect on life as new Catholics.
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CCATHEDRALATHEDRAL N NEWSEWS November 2012 Volume 18 Issue 4 Tulsa, Oklahoma
Holy Family
Walk-a-Thon raises
$5,000+ for School
2
Identification Statement: The Cathedral News Issue 4 November 2012 (USPS 022-729) is published 10 x per year (monthly, except for June and July) by Holy Family Cathedral at 122 W 8th St., Tulsa OK 74119-1402. Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, OK. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: CATHEDRAL NEWS, PO BOX 3204, Tulsa, OK 74101-3204.
Dear Parishioners of Holy Family Cathedral,
Included in this month’s Cathedral News are the results from our financial appeal in last May.
I have been asked by the Parish Council to give three month updates as to the condition of our
finances.
As you may remember, in the August Cathedral News, I gave you the stats for May, June and
July 2011 and 2012 as to the giving level of the parish. I was very pleased with the result of the
request made in May. I realized that everyone would not be able to increase their donations and I
asked for a 20% raise. The math would indicate that the result was actually an 18% raise and it
truly made a huge difference during the summer months. For this cooperation and dedication I
sincerely thank all of you.
This month we are going to provide the income against the expenses so that you can see
where we are presently. I must caution all of you as you read this because October has for some
reason or another always been a very lean month for income and not so for expenses.
So please view the material on the next page and pray for a very good Christmas with no great
snow or ice. We are on the cutting edge and may have to make some very difficult decisions
come the New Year.
Thank you again for your cooperation and generosity, please continue to keep us in your
prayers.
Sincerely in the Holy Family,
Msgr. Gregory A. Gier
The The
Rector’s Rector’s
ReportReport
3
Cathedral News deadlines: Please submit articles and announcements to the Cathedral News by the 15th of the preceding month.
Email [email protected] or send your article to Mike Malcom at the parish office.
August, September, and October parish revenue increased slightly
each month. At the same time, expenses exceeded parish income by
an average of about $7,500 per month.
Aug-12Sep-12
Oct-12
$62,000
$64,000
$66,000
$68,000
$70,000
$72,000
$74,000
$76,000
$78,000
$80,000
$82,000
Revenue Expenses Difference
Aug-12 $69,011 $74,103 -$5,092
Sep-12 $70,473 $80,939 -$10,466
Oct-12 $72,097 $78,996 -$6,899
August to October 2012August to October 2012
August
Revenue
Septe
mber
Revenue
Octo
ber
Revenue
August
Expenses
Septe
mber
Expenses
Octo
ber
Expenses
4
Well, it's turkey time again
hope you will bring one in
and give it to Tom the Deacon
as he's doin’ the seekin’!
Yes, indeed, it is turkey time again!
Once again the Council is collecting tur-
keys and hams for Catholic Charities in
order that CC can pass them on to their
respective needy clients. Hams? Well, yes!
Not everyone can (1) cook a turkey for
various reasons hanging from a restric-
tive living accommodation to the ability to
bake one, and (2) a turkey is, or can be, an
enormous amount of meat to consume
for a one or two person family, especially
were they to be elderly. Can't make up
your mind which you want to purchase?
Well, why not buy one of each as I doubt
that CC will have any difficulty giving
away either a turkey or a ham. Now, NOTE
BENE!!! were you to say to yourself, "Why
not just write a check and let (Deacon)
Tom buy the tom!" Well, that is just fine
BUT were you to take this route it is ex-
tremely important that the check be made
payable to: Knights of Columus and note
that it is for a turkey donation. Why not
Holy Family Cathedral? Because we - the
Council - cannot cash checks made out
to the Cathedral. Now there are two ways
to remit the check: One way is to give it to
me when you see me. The second way is
to drop it into the Sunday collection and
Joanne in Accounting will see that the
Council receives your check. Lastly-the
ABSOLUTE CUT-OFF DATE FOR CHECKS
IS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18 AS THANKS-
GIVING IS ON THE 22nd! THE LAST DAY
TO BRING A TURKEY OR HAM TO HFC IS
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19 as Deacon Tom
and the youth group will deliver the
“collection” to Catholic Charities on Tues-
day, November 20 in order that CC can
give out the turkeys/ham on Wednesday,
November 21st.! Once again those who
give will receive: A Mass will be read at a
date to be determined in the Cathedral as
we have done in years past.
November is also the month of the
Feast of St. Martin of Tours (316/17-397).
Mostly forgotten in this modern age Mar-
tin was the most venerated and popular
saint of the early, middle, and late medie-
val period from the time of his death, if
not before, until the onset of the modern
era circa 1600/1700. There were more
churches and religious sites named for
Martin than any other saint and his shrine
at Tours was the fourth most popular
visitation destination after Jerusalem,
Rome, and St. James Compostela in
Spain. Martin was born in what is today
Hungary, raised in Pavia outside Milan,
and is anchored by reputation in France.
Thus the adjectivial appendage “of
Tours.” His parents were not Christian
and paid homage to the Roman emperor
and other Roman deities as expected of
them. Christianity was now an estab-
lished religion but not yet the force it was
to become after the fall of Rome in 410.
His father was career military, the Praeto-
rian Guard, and Martin followed in his
footsteps - again, as expected of him.
Martin's conversion occurred in his late
teens when so allowed. His father never
accepted Martin’s conversion though his
mother did and later converted. Martin
enlisted at the expected age of 15 and
served 25 years in the Praetorian Guard,
circa 332-356, and it was while stationed
at Amiens that he is reputed to have
halved his cloak to share with a freezing
beggar. It was that night that Christ came
to him in a dream now as that resplen-
Notes from the Knightstand BY MA RT I N REI D Y
dent beggar.
Following his required 25 years of ser-
vice Martin followed his dream of becom-
ing a hermit and constructed a rudimen-
tary hut near Tours in order to lead a life
of prayer and subsisting on nuts and ber-
ries. (an earlier attempt on an island off
Italy nearly did him in as he over ate a
herb called hellebore which was used to
treat madness but lethal in large inges-
tions.) His holiness became renowned
and his cures and miracles legendary. So
it was that the local populace sought him
out to be their bishop in 370 at about 53
years of age. The area bishops refused to
sanction his election - he looked like a
beggar, dressed like a beggar, and
smelled like a beggar - but the locals had
their way for they wanted a "saint" and
not a sanitized satrap!
So it was that Martin became the
Bishop of Tours though he continued to
live a penurious life. Martin is noted for
numerous accomplishments which af-
fected the direction of the church even
down to this day. Time and space does
not allow for a full discussion but allow
me to touch upon a couple of them. In
372 Martin established the Abbey of Mar-
moutier outside Tours and to which he
also belonged. The uniqueness of Mar-
moutier, and a first, was that the Abbot
had the power to ordain—thereby remov-
ing the monastery from the control of a
bishop and be able to maintain their inde-
pendence to follow a life of prayer and
penance free of other secular entangle-
ments. This “pattern” of organization
holds true into our time today.
5
T H E T OM B OF SA IN T MA RT IN OF T OURS
Martin began the custom of sending
his priests to an outlying church to
reach the populace more effectively
and to Christianize the rural areas.
Heretofore, Christianity was an urban-
centered rite where the local bishop
was served by a body of priests in the
town. Martin, in effect, began the parish
system of governance in the church - a
system familiar to him from his military
experience - which is the church or-
ganization today. Martin insisted that
upon his death he be buried in a pauper‘s
grave but ended up in a shrine, by popular
demand in Tours. The veneration of his
cloak, his “capella” became so popular
that it – the cloak - became the name of
its location for from capella comes the
word chapelle and our word chapel for a
little church. During the Middle Ages the
cloak was kept at Marmoutier Abbey but
was carried everywhere the king traveled
- even into war and upon the sea. The
military caretaker of the cloak was called
a capellani - a name which eventually
was given to all military priests from
which comes our office of - you guessed
it! -chaplain. This common cloak of a
saint became the first flag of France.
Martin's shrine was heavily damaged
and/or destroyed first by the Huguenots
in 1562, and later by the Republicans in
the French Revolution in 1793. His basil-
ica, when built in 470, was the largest reli-
gious structure outside S. Sophia in
Constantinople. The Republicans not
only obliterated the shrine but built a
street through its former location so
it could never be rebuilt - but it was
in 1865 to 1925 and so it exists to-
day in Tours. His feast was a Holy
Day of Obligation down to modern
time and it initiated the beginning of
the Christmas season, Advent, and
signaled the end of the Court of As-
sizes in England in the Middle Ages. No-
vember 11 was also the beginning of the
Liturgical Year for the Church. In respec-
tive of that older tradition we say the Joy-
ful Mysteries on Sunday prior to the 8
a.m. Mass until the end of January. Mar-
tin is the patron of many callings, among
them being the U.S. Army Quartermaster
Corps, beggars, tailors, hoteliers, geese,
alcoholics, all horsemen/women, and the
Pontifical Swiss Guard.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Martin is the patron of many callings, among them being the U.S. Army Quartermaster
Corps, beggars, tailors, hoteliers, geese, alcoholics, all horsemen/women, and the Pontifical Swiss Guard.
6
Jason, what made you reach out for
Catholic teaching?
God comes to us. I think that I was
drawn in my early years attending
school and Mass at Monte Casino. As
a child I enjoyed Mass and developed
respect for the devotion that the Nuns
and Priests have. My parents and en-
tire family at that time were Protestant.
While attending their services I never
really felt at home. As I grew older, I
became materialistic, but even then
always felt there was a void in my life.
When I lived in South Central Louisiana
the utter destruction of Hurricane
Katrina brought so much horror and
misery to my attention I began to ask
myself serious questions about the
meaning of life.
Later on, my wife and I moved to a
high-rise apartment with a splendid
view of Holy Family Cathedral. Then I
began to seek God in earnest. My
mother converted to Catholicism a few
years previously. She gave me some
Catholic literature that I began to read.
Growing Faith is an Exciting Adventure BY T H E RCIA MI N I ST RY T EAM
I began to attend Catholic services in
2010. Soon after, I began attending
Deacon Mattox’s Bible Study in the
spring. My questions about life were
beginning to be resolved as I read vari-
ous classic books, began to say the
rosary and make mental prayer. What
is most astounding is my discovery
that Msgr. Halpine was the priest while
I was attending Monte Casino.
How has being Catholic changed your
daily life?
Mainly, I have learned that Jesus is my
friend with whom I have trust and
complete confidence in life’s events,
both the good and the bad. This brings
peace of mind and certainty of God’s
support.
How did the Mass and the RCIA sessions
impact your daily life?
They made me appreciate life more
and inspired me to live life as a Chris-
tian on a daily basis. Going to R.C.I.A,
Dcn. Mattox’s Bible study and watch-
ing various programming on E.W.T.N
taught me how to read the Bible and
understand the fulfillment of the scrip-
tures. It also made me learn how to
understand the Mass, how to practice
the Sacraments and how to prepare
myself for Mass. Not enough thanks
and gratitude can be given to the dedi-
cated staff of R.C.I.A.
Did you feel support from other parish
members?
I feel as if I have a new family. No pres-
sure and no one was overbearing to
join the church. To witness the devo-
tion of the R.C.I.A staff and other Pa-
rishioners was instrumental in my con-
version process. I had wonderful peo-
ple step up and answer questions. Our
Parish has the most diverse congrega-
tion I know of which provides an excel-
lent environment for learning and guid-
ing on one’s spiritual path. I recom-
mend our Parish to anyone who is in-
quiring about the Catholic faith.
How did being baptized, confirmed, and
receiving the Eucharist for the first time
make you feel?
Wonderful! I am now a member of
God’s Household, one of his family.
Lenora Bliss responds now with her
experiences:
Lenora, what made you reach out for
Catholic teaching?
I was raised Southern Baptist. At the
age of 15 I had the opportunity to take
a neighbor of ours to Mass every week.
Jason and Lenora Bliss have spent the last few years engaging with our parish
as they have been called to the Catholic faith and have pursued its value in their
life. Here are their responses to questions about that journey.
7
Current News & Upcoming Events
Holy Family Cathedral School students raised a little over $5,000 during the
annual Walk-A-Thon. Relatives and friends sponsored students who walked
laps around the parking lot. The event happened on the morning of Halloween
so the teachers dressed up in costumes. The photo at the top of this page
shows teachers Chrstina Coughlin, Dorothy Wire, and Sister Theresita Hearon.
The 55+ Lunch on Wednesday, November 14 is at a special time: 12:00 p.m. at
Foundations Restaurant at Platt College, 3801 South Sheridan. Platt College is a
sandstone colored building facing west. Foundations is in a separate building
with a black awning facing south. RSVP to Nancy Mullikin, 918-508-9800.
The Holy Family Cathedral Women’s Club is collecting toiletries for abused
woman residing at the Day Spring Villa. Donation boxes will be at the South and
East Cathedral entrances until November 11.
The Second Quarterly meeting of the Council of Catholic Women will take place
at Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Church at 4001 E. 101st Street S., Tulsa, 918-299-
9406, on November 15. The program will be Wilma Lively, director of the Day
Spring Villa who will speak on human trafficking. The members are asked to
bring a donation of toiletries to this meeting. Work of Human Hands crafts will
be available for purchase. Mass is at 11:45. Cost for the day is $10. Registration
9:30 to 10:00. Make your reservations to Gloria Baker, 918-446-0611 by No-
vember 11.
The National Adoption Day Celebration will be at Catholic Charities campus,
2450 North Harvard, on Nov. 17, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. For more
info contact 918-508-7131 or [email protected] or CatholicCharitiesTulsa.org.
Catholic Charities and the Department of Human Services Swift Adoption Unit
will celebrate National Adoption Day. This special event will celebrate the gift of
adoption and is to raise awareness of the need to find permanent, loving homes
for the thousands of children in foster care currently available for adoption. Our
celebration will include reading a National Adoption Day decree signed by the
Governor, prayer offered by Bishop Edward Slattery, music, games and activi-
ties.
I paid attention to the Mass and began to
feel it was “right”. I’m sure I was lifted up
in prayer by that sweet elderly lady and
several more Catholic people that I had
come in contact with. So the seed was
planted early on. Sadly I fell away from
God for years. My husband began R.C.I.A
classes two years ago. When my husband
was watching the Fr. Robert Barron series
on Catholicism I was secretly listening.
Much to my husband’s surprise I started
attending R.C.I.A. sessions last year. I
have recently been received into Full Com-
munion with the church and feel so
blessed!
How has being Catholic changed your daily
life?
Performing daily Prayer, both mental
prayer and the Rosary. I feel a stronger
desire to help others.
How did the Mass and the RCIA sessions
impact your daily life?
They gave me a better understanding of
the scriptures and of Catholicism itself.
Did you feel support from other parish mem-
bers?
Yes. I met a lot of wonderful people in
R.C.I.A and I feel the entire staff do a great
job.
How did being baptized, confirmed, and re-
ceiving the Eucharist for the first time make
you feel?
Truly mere words cannot express but if I
had to use one word that word would be
PEACE.
CH RI ST IN E COUGH LIN , DOROTH Y WI RE, AN D SI ST ER T H ERESI TA HEA RON H A V E FUN D URING T H E WA LK- A- T H ON .
8
Holy Family Cathedral
P.O. Box 3204
Tulsa, OK 74101-3204
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED