APR 2021
In This Issue: 3 Celebrating Christ’s Resurrection 4 Holy Family Cathedral Celebrates the Completion of Extensive Restoration Projects 6 The Eucharist and Stewardship as a Way of Life 7 Greeters Uphold the Stewardship Pillar of Hospitality by Welcoming All Parishioners and Guests
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HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Donzetta Seals:
Living a Life of Thanksgiving
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rom time to time, Donzetta Seals’ mother Rosie Lee shared with her a profound, well-known saying, one that she has carried with her throughout her life. “Here and there over the years, I would think about leaving the Catholic Church, and my mother would say to me, ‘Once a Catholic, always a Catholic,’” Donzetta says. “At one point, I did actually leave, and I became a Protestant. I went to the church around the corner from our parish for seven years.” Despite the wrong turn she made, however, her mother’s words continued to resound in her heart, and the almighty “Hound of Heaven” did not cease to call her name. “One day, God spoke to me, and told me I would find my healing in the Eucharist,” she says. “I soon realized what He meant, so I left the Protestant church I was at. Then, I decided to join Holy Family Parish, even though I was raised in St. Monica’s Parish because I wanted my return to the Church to be about me and God, not me and others.” Donzetta Seals truly enjoys giving of her time, Our parish has welcomed Donzetta with open arms, showing her the beauty talent and treasure in numerous ways. of God’s mercy. “Everyone I run into at Holy Family has become one of my friends!” she says. “I appreciate Fr. Kastl because he is very present to each of us. The first time I asked him a question, he listened. He validates people this way. I also really like belonging to Holy Family because many parishioners have the same interests that I do, such as traveling, reading books, and teaching. I also like the fact that I encounter people from other cultures at our parish, and I do have a strong interest in other cultures.” Donzetta has found the Holy Family Cathedral Women’s Club to be a beautiful source of fellowship. Normally, this group meets about once a month to share meals and participate in various activities, such as a garage sale to raise money for our parish school. continued on page 2 8TH STREET & BOULDER AVE • TULSA, OK 74119 • (918) 582-6247 • TULSACATHEDRAL.COM
HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL Meet
Donzetta Seals:
Living a Life of Thanksgiving “When I first came to our parish, I was feeling a little disconnected, so Deacon Mattox had his wife, Kathleen, invite me to the Women’s Group,” she says. “Then I came to know the rest of the ladies, and I found everyone to be so warm and embracing.” As an integral member of our parish family, Donzetta truly enjoys giving of her time, talent, and treasure in numerous ways. “There are so many different things I like about Holy Family, such as all of the ways you can get involved, especially now that we have embraced stewardship at our parish,” she says. “Everything I do for the parish, I enjoy doing! I also appreciate the fact that we have Confession available so frequently.” In the past, she prayed the Rosary before Mass with the Knights of Columbus and volunteered for the Feeding the Homeless Ministry. She is currently taking part in Becoming Catholic, or RCIA. “I am in RCIA because I want to learn more about the Catholic faith, and deepen my roots,” she says. “I just love it! It includes a lot of discussion and I am learning new facts about the Church. I really enjoy it and I love the speakers. I will probably end up being a sponsor too!” Above all, one of her favorite ways to be involved is by being a reader. “It makes the Word of God come alive for me,” she says. “I am glad I can proclaim it to everyone else. It is uplifting to me.”
continued from front cover
Donzetta Seals is currently taking part in Becoming Catholic, or RCIA.
“There are so many different things I like about Holy Family, such as all of the ways you can get involved, especially now that we have embraced stewardship at our parish. Everything I do for the parish, I enjoy doing! I also appreciate the fact that we have Confession available so frequently.” — Donzetta Seals
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APR 2021
A Letter from Our Rector
Celebrating Christ’s Resurrection Dear Parishioners,
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ow did you feel at the end of the Palm Sunday Mass? You may not have noticed, but there was an abrupt shift of tone in that liturgy. It began with great joy, as we celebrated Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the acclamation of the crowds. But then the mood shifted to sorrow, despair even, when the Passion Gospel was read, for we heard the shouts of “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” from those same crowds a few days later. Palm Sunday, of course, was the beginning of Holy Week, the most important week in the Christian year. The confusion of conflicting moods is spread through the week, especially during the Easter Triduum — from sundown Holy Thursday to sundown Easter Sunday. Holy Thursday offers us the glorious Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrating the institution of the Eucharist before we pass to the sadness of the betrayal and arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The next day brings us the Good Friday Liturgy of the Passion with our recognition of what our sins did to the Incarnate Son of God. Then, after a day of waiting as we mourn Jesus’ burial and repose in the tomb, we celebrate His victory over sin, Satan and death at the Easter Vigil on Saturday night or at the Masses the next day. If we have participated in all the main services of the Triduum, we arrive at Sunday evening exhausted but joyful. This year, Palm Sunday fell on the final Sunday of March, and we observe Holy Week and Easter Sunday early in April. That means we will spend most of April in the Easter Season, a period filled with joy and thanksgiving. Our gladness comes not only because Christ rose from the dead, but also because we benefit from it. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (§654) puts it, “The Paschal mystery has two aspects: by his death, Christ liberates us from sin; by his Resurrection, he opens for us the way to a new life.” In other words, Christ’s Resurrection is the source of our
own future resurrection. St. Paul wrote about it to the Romans in the following words (Rom 6:5): “For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.” Eternal life in union with Christ — a hope for a new life beginning now and extending on into heaven — is the result of Jesus’ Resurrection. What greater grounds for thanksgiving can there be than this Easter hope? We should sing with joy about this promise from God! What’s more, Paul also wrote (Col 3:1-2): “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” Jesus’ Resurrection and His promise of a new life for us mean that we need to live in conformity with our status as adopted children of God. And how do we show our joy and our gratitude to God for this amazing gift He has given us? We join in worship and praise God by word and song. We share the Good News of Jesus’ victory over death with our family, friends and neighbors. And we offer back to the Lord a portion of the time, talent and treasure He has entrusted to us. Yes, the Easter message that we share in the benefits of Christ’s Resurrection is the ultimate foundation for all Christian stewardship. The Lord is risen, alleluia. Sincerely yours in Christ,
Very Rev. Gary D. Kastl Rector
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HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL
HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL CELEBRATE
Extensive R W
e all know the familiar saying: “The best things in life are worth waiting for.” Over the last year, the Catholic faithful of Tulsa have patiently awaited the completion of the projects aimed at renovating and restoring our beautiful cathedral. Thanks to the unwavering support and generosity of many parishioners and friends of Holy Family Cathedral, the Elevate Capital Campaign restoration projects have finally come to fruition! The Elevate Capital Campaign was already in full swing when Fr. Gary Kastl became Rector of Holy Family in August of 2019, with about 90 percent of the funding already pledged. The project called for the installation of an elevator in the cathedral connecting the south vestibule After a year of renovations, our Elevate Capital Campaign projects are now complete! level, the cathedral level, and the lowprotecting our stained glass, leaving about $700,000 in uner level. Additional restrooms in the lower level, as well as updates to the Heiring Auditorium, the pledged funding. Given the tremendous generosity he has Halpine Room, and the kitchen, were also part of the original witnessed in the parish, Fr. Kastl is confident that the difference will be covered quickly. vision. Finally, tuckpointing and roof repair for both the ca“If you look at how much money was given to the cathedral and school rounded out the $3.3 million project. During the course of these construction projects, several thedral before my arrival, it was a great testament to the people’s devotion to the cathedral and their love of the other building needs came to light. As a result, the project space,” Fr. Kastl says. “They were very generous according expanded to include replacing the protective glass over the to their means. Any investment into the brick and mortar of exterior stained glass windows, acquiring a new air-conditioning and heating system in the upper cathedral, installing the cathedral is building upon the gift our ancestors gave new windows in the Heiring Auditorium and the rectory, re- us and setting us up for the bright future to come. Between parishioners and friends of the cathedral, I feel hopeful that storing the retaining wall along the 8th Street sidewalk and the lintel supporting the west wall of the rectory and replac- God will provide.” As the restoration campaign grew and expanded over ing the wooden louvers on the cathedral spires. this last year, new projects were added only after much In addressing these unforeseen needs, the Elevate Camthought and consideration. Seeking to ensure that the paign added another $1.1 million in expenses. The Diocese parish remained a good steward of the pledges received, of Tulsa graciously contributed $380,000 for the windows continued on page 5
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APR 2021
ES THE COMPLETION OF
Restoration Projects Fr. Kastl only approved projects that were essential to maintaining the structural integrity and well-being of the cathedral. Looking forward in faith, our Rector is excited about the new possibilities offered by the completed renovations — especially the updated gathering spaces in the lower level. “I am excited to one day have a full schedule of parish events, from social to faith formation to small-group gatherings,” he says. “Part of the original vision was to make the downstairs into a space that people would want to use as a venue for weddings, and while I’m sure that will happen, I’m even more excited by demands for the space being made for parish-based events that signal health and vitality from within.” As we head into the Easter season and begin to see signs of an end to the global pandemic that has challenged community life over this past year, this unique opportunity for a “rebirth” of the cathedral as our parish home and the Mother Church of our diocese becomes even more meaningful. “I think whenever you go through a major renovation, there is a certain tearing away of the old and putting the new in place for what lies ahead,” Fr. Kastl says. “As terrible as COVID has been, it has been a time to put away the old and refocus on the things that don’t pass away — which is our faith — and to be more grateful. So I think there is a great timing between the completion of this project and the new springtime when we can be fully alive in the new brick and mortar spaces that we have added and updated.” If you are new to the Cathedral or have already completed your pledge to this project, I would like to invite you to consider helping us close the gap between money raised and the outstanding debt. Every gift matters. Also if you are aware of others who have a great affinity for our beautiful Cathedral and the means to support this project, please help spread the word of the need to raise additional funds so that the Cathedral can be debt-free moving into the future. Together we can close this gap as we embrace a future full of hope.
After a year of renovations, our Elevate Capital Campaign projects are now complete!
Some of the most noticeable changes happened in our lower level, with updates to the kitchen, the Heiring Auditorium and more.
“There is a great timing between the completion of this project and the new springtime, when we can be fully alive in the new brick and mortar spaces that we have added and updated.” — Fr. Gary Kastl 5
HOLY FAMILY CATHEDRAL The Eucharist and Stewardship as a
Way of Life
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n 1992, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved a pastoral letter titled Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response. This document was an invitation to follow Christ Who gave of Himself for us. Each of us is called to serve our neighbors and to be stewards of God’s creation and of all that has been entrusted to us. However, to truly understand stewardship, we must look to the Holy Eucharist. The Holy Eucharist is the total gift of our loving Savior to us. Stewardship is our response to that gift. Even the word “Eucharist” implies stewardship. The word “Eucharist” finds its roots in the Latin word eucharistia, which in turn came from the Greek word eukaristos, which meant, quite simply, “gratitude” or “thanksgiving.” How fitting that we, who are called to be a stewardship people, celebrate at the focal point of every Mass an act of thanksgiving and gratitude — namely, the reception of Jesus’ gift to us — the Eucharist. In their pastoral letter on stewardship, the bishops speak of the Eucharist in this way: “The Eucharist is the great sign and agent of this expansive communion of charity… we enjoy a unique union with Christ and, in Him, with one another. Here His love — indeed, His very Self — flows into us as disciples and, through us and our practice of stewardship to the entire human race.” When we receive Christ’s Body in the Holy Eucharist, we hear the minister say, “The Body of Christ.” To this, we respond, “Amen” – which means in Hebrew, “Yes; it is so.” This is the essence of stewardship. We should enter the Church for Mass out of “gratitude.” We recognize the presence of the Lord in Holy Communion, and then we truly receive the Lord. What is left for us to do is the fulfillment of stewardship — that is, sharing what we have received in love of God and neighbor. Our entire experience speaks to stewardship — we are grateful; we recognize the real presence of the Lord; we receive the Lord; and then we share what we have received. Christ’s gift to us through the Eucharist is an invitation to us. We are called to give beyond what is convenient or what may be comfortable. We are called to forgive even when forgiveness may not be deserved; we are called to
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love even when that love is not returned. We are called to love as God loves us. The Eucharist is stewardship celebrated. The Mass is more than a ritual. It is an actual encounter with God, with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We need to respond to the Eucharist with our complete selves. What we experience in the Eucharist should, in turn, translate into our daily lives. We are committed to the Church, which is Christ’s body. We show our love for His body by acts of charity and generosity. We spend time in prayer, expressing our gratitude and our love. God’s greatest gift to us is Christ’s great love for us — this was shown when He was crucified on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins and to give us eternal life. God’s love for us is without limit, and He offers Himself to us in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Stewardship is how we respond to that gift.
“The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’ ‘The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and the works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church.’” – Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324
APR 2021
Greeters Uphold the Stewardship Pillar of Hospitality by Welcoming
All Parishioners and Guests
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s a stewardship community, we recognize the Four Pillars of Parish Stewardship as Hospitality, Prayer, Formation, and Service. Here at Holy Family Cathedral, the Greeter Ministry works to lovingly fulfill that first pillar of hospitality. After all, when we are visitors at a parish or have had a hectic morning getting everyone in the car, what could be better than a smiling face and someone welcoming us to church? Jacob and Kathleen Hobbs are familiar faces around Holy Family Cathedral. The couple was married in January of this year. Jacob started greeting in May 2020, when our church reopened for public Mass. Kathleen works behind the scenes as the Communication Manager. The pillar of hospitality has always been essential, but with churches closed to public Mass for some time, it is even more important now. There are a lot of ways to show hospitality, and greeting people as they enter God’s house to celebrate the centerpiece of the Catholic faith is so important. “We are the first face people see when they visit our parish,” Jacob says. “Our job is to help make people feel welcomed and answer any questions that they might have.” It’s the small things that make the biggest difference — an open door, an answered question, and a smile. “Something as simple as holding the door, it seems insignificant, but really shares that we are proud of our Cathedral and want to welcome everyone,” Kathleen says. “We are the Mother Church of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, the parish of Bishop David A. Konderla — if anyone should lead our community in hospitality, it should be us.” Since the ministry’s duties are carried out as part of the weekend Mass, it doesn’t require a lot of time — greeters only need to arrive about 15 minutes before Mass. The Greeter Ministry is a fantastic way for whole families to serve and be involved. In turn, our Cathedral staff would love to see more families and children participating in this ministry. Coming back to public Mass in May 2020 was especially meaningful for Kathleen and Jacob — the couple really missed being with their parish family during the closure. It was made even more meaningful for Kathleen as she held the door for parishioners on the first day of resumed public Masses, May 18, 2020. She believes the church closure gave us all much more appreciation for the Mass.
“It was such a surreal experience to see parishioners in person for the first time in weeks,” Kathleen says. “People were giddy to return to Mass, and they were excited to see the parish staff and clergy for Mass in person.” Currently, greeters are needed, even more, to reduce people touching door handles, while truly welcoming all those who have been away from the Cathedral. Look for information on an upcoming greeter training opportunity in parish communications. Please consider becoming a part of this simple but important ministry!
If you would like to get involved as a greeter, please contact the parish office at 918-582-6247 or hfc@tulsacathedral.com.
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PO Box 3204 • Tulsa, OK 74101-3204 (918) 582-6247 • tulsacathedral.com
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at Holy
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Family Cathedral
Growing Our Children’s Relationship with God
ould you like to help your child enjoy a deeper relationship with God? Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based approach to the religious formation of children, rooted in Sacred Scripture, Liturgy, and respect for the child’s rich relationship with God. Currently, there is an atrium in Holy Family Classical School which has been available to the children from Pre-K to first grade enrolled in the school. Beginning this fall, Holy Family Cathedral will be offering the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd method of faith formation for the 3 to 6-year-old children and 6 to 9-year-old children of our parish as well. Join us on Sunday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for an open house/tour of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium. Our catechists will be happy to share with you the materials that have allowed our young people to fall in love with Jesus and His Church. While we currently have materials for ages 3 to 6, we are now working to expand our atrium to include the materials needed for 6 to 9-year-old children. The hands-on materials, which focus on Scripture passages and specific moments of our Catholic Liturgy, are mostly made by hand. We welcome the participation of our whole parish community in preparing the
materials and special environment for our children. If you would like to contribute your time and talent in creating materials — particularly woodworking — volunteering in the atrium, or you would like to donate materials or funds for materials, please contact Kelsie Thomas at the office at 918-582-6247, ext. 112 or email kthomas@tulsacathedral.com. Please pray for the children of our parish and all those who are being called to this ministry!