Winter 2019

Winter 2019

Gifts for the Less Fortunate Page 2

Page 1

Church launches Bereavement Ministry Page 2

Church of Saint Mary Newsletter

Church releases financial statement Page 4 & 5

Catholic Rapper chosen to do parish Mission Page 7

Winter 2019

Quarterly Newsletter

Parish missionaries traveled in 2019 to Kingston, Jamaica for a week of service with the Missionaries of the Poor.

Parishioners demonstrate faith with good works “Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works” James 2:18b “Faith without works is dead.”

Chapter two of the Epistle of James is a feisty debate about faith and works. The author goes so far as to call his opponent, “you ignoramus,” after he argues his point:

“IF A BROTHER OR SISTER HAS NOTHING TO WEAR AND HAS NO FOOD FOR THE DAY, AND ONE OF YOU SAYS TO THEM, ‘GO IN PEACE, KEEP WARM,

AND EAT WELL,’ BUT YOU DO NOT GIVE THEM THE NECESSITIES OF THE BODY, WHAT GOOD IS IT? SO ALSO

FAITH OF ITSELF, IF IT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS, IS DEAD.” JAMES

2:15

-17 The Year of Service continues as church members change the world through acts of service and mercy. The year began when parishioners wrote their names on bricks and attached them to a wall in the Vestibule. The bricks symbolized their commitment to perform two corporal or spiritual (Continued on page 6)

churchofsaintmary.com

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Winter 2019

Church launches new Bereavement Ministry Bereavement Ministry provides compassionate, prayerful support to families of the deceased. The foundation of bereavement support at the Church of Saint Mary uses a companionship model of ministry adapted from the Archdiocese of Atlanta and is based on the work of Alan. D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. educator, grief counselor, and author of Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart.

Bereavement Ministry funeral services include a parish-provided In Memoriam archival box to house cards, notes and letters of condolence; funeral hospitality service at parishhosted wakes, rosaries, and funerals; special needs and assistance for families; periodic well being courtesy check-up contact.

Bereavement Ministry also organizes and sponsors annual memorial services to include:

 November Book of the Dead  Memorial Prayers of Faithful for Deceased Parishioners & Loved Ones

 November Table of Remembrance – A photo gallery of deceased loved ones

 Mass of the Holy Innocents – A Memorial Mass for children lost to miscarriage, still-born, infant death

 Bereavement Library of books, pamphlets, and brochures

 Periodic educational and informational group sessions

Parishioners donate five hundred presents every Christmas.

Gifts for the Less Fortunate Outreach Ministry teams with Catholic Charities for Christmas gift-giving

A long Church of Saint Mary tradition is giving gifts to Tulsa children who may not otherwise open many on Christmas morning. In recent years, parishioners have gifted presents to elderly and disabled adults as well as children.

they consider the age, gender, and type of gift for each recipient. They shop, package, and return each present in the middle of December, filling the vestibule and often parts of the church.

Outreach volunteers work with the local charities to help load their trucks and get the presents delivered to the organization which will distribute them.

Outreach Director Jackie Fusco and her predecessor Hilary Elias deDennis Henley, Jordan vote a signifiPlaza coordinator, wrote, cant amount of “I want to thank you and time coordinatthe members [of Outreach ing with various and of the Church of Saint local charities to Mary] for all the hard work Gifts fill the back of a box truck. learn the you do to include our resiChristmas wishes of 500 kids and dents once again in the Christmas adults. Last year’s agencies were CathWish program. It is a rich blessing to olic Charities, Children First, the Cenour residents every year. And, it’s alter for Family Love in Okarche, Jordan ways exciting to see their eyes light up Plaza, and Senior Life Services. when we deliver their gifts to them that have come from you.”

Parishioners sort through cards as

Winter 2019

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Church of Saint Mary Newsletter

The theme Hope Is… refers to Hope Valley, the community that lives around 61st & Peoria.

Christmas Schedule accommodates large crowds Over 1,500 people pray at simultaneous Christmas Eve Masses in the church and gym

The Church of Saint Mary will again offer two simultaneous Masses to accommodate more people on Christmas Eve. Early Christmas Eve Masses are crowded in every parish. Parishioners invite visiting family and friends to come to Mass. Worshippers fill the church and spill out into a full vestibule.

All that congestion changed two years ago. Father Jack asked Father Duy to be the celebrant at a 5:15 p.m.

Mass in the gym. Father Jack celebrated the 5:00 p.m.

Mass in the church. Both locations were full, but not overcrowded.

The Church will offer two more Masses: 10:oo p.m. on Christmas Eve, and 9:00 a.m. on Christmas Day. The overall effect of the extra Mass is that more Tulsans - especially parishioners and their families can attend Christmas Masses at the Church of Saint Mary.

Mass & Confession Confession Times in Advent:    

Every Saturday 3:30—4:45 p.m.

Every Sunday 9:15—9:45 a.m.

Two confessors will be hearing confessions during these times.

December 12 Night of Mercy will feature nine confessors. 6:30— 7:30 p.m.

The Masses of Christmas:

 December 24: 5:00, 5:15, 10:00 p.m.

The follow-  December 25: 9:00 a.m. ing week is the Solemnity of Over 500 attend Christmas Eve Mass in the gym.

Mary, Mother Mary, Mother of God: of God. This holy day of obligation is Church of Saint Mary parishioners one of our patronal feasts as it recog December 31: 5:00 p.m. and their guests will again have two nizes the fact that Mary carried within  January 1: 9:00 a.m. options early on Christmas Eve: 5:00 her womb God Himself. Masses on that p.m. in the church with the Christmas holy day are: December 31 at 5:00 p.m., family choir, and 5:15 p.m. in the gym and January 1 at 9:00 a.m. with contemporary music.

churchofsaintmary.com

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Winter 2019

CASH SUMMARY REPORT

2018-2019 Financial Statement In 2018 as the parish prepared for the With Arms Open Wide campaign, parishioners asked for an annual report of parish and school finances. The 2017/2018 report was published in this newsletter last year.

This statement is an analysis of parish finances during the 2018/2019 fiscal year.

as of June 30, 2019 CASH POSITION Checking 291,824.46 Diocesan Investment Account 3,538,117.63 Savings (Goldman) 2,086,478.50 Total Cash 5,916,420.59

With Arms Open Wide campaign Thanks to the generosity of parishioners, the capital campaign continues to be strong. Weekly updates are posted in the Sunday bulletin and on the church website.

OUTSTANDING BILLS Current Liabilities Total

Education Trust Fund Established in 1988, the Education Trust Fund supports the School of Saint Mary operating budget. Each year a percentage of the proceeds from various Home & School fundraisers is given to the Education Trust Fund. Additionally, money is contributed by individuals through memorial and honorarium donations, matching gifts, or a direct donation to the fund. To make donations, contact the parish or school office.

The balance as of June 30, 2019 is $3,003,323.59.

INCOME Offertory Collections School Parish Subsidy to School Parish Charges to School

Savings allocated as follows: Savings 637,158.76 Capital Campaign 3,938,204.56 Other 1,049,232.81 Temporary Restricted 4,987,437.37 Total 5,624,596.13

TOTAL Vigil/Sunday Collections YTD Budgeted (July through June) Overrun

2,094,210.38 2,106,000.00 11,789.62

Monthly Payments to Diocese Cathedraticum 9,420.16 Bishop Kelley 2,826.05 DOT Capital Campaign 13,000.00 (Rooted In Faith Forward in Hope payed out in July, 2019)

EXPENSES

$2,168,804.15

Parish Administration Parish Subsidy to School

1,763,993.52 286,668.00

35,917.20

Rental Income

2,150.00

Religious Education

10,819.71

Worship

286,668.00 32,586.12 169,959.94

Outreach

200,657.07

Religious Education

232,490.60

Parish Life

131,255.78

Plant Operation

345,318.40

Other Operations Disbursements

284,854.51

18,560.67

Parish Capital Disbursements

Investment Income

114,514.34

School Journal entry to balance school deficit

$4,401,427.59

$632,965.78

Music

Parish Life

Total

99,949.10 99,949.10

Total

Outreach Ministry includes monthly ministerial tithing and does not reflect the distribution of $317,000 in donated goods.

6,405.00 1,998,268.66 52,392.86

$4,373,822.72

The School expense includes that of the School, Cafeteria, After School Care, and Preschool.

EXPENSES

INCOME

Winter 2019

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Church of Saint Mary Newsletter

churchofsaintmary.com

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Winter 2019

(Continued from page 1)

works of mercy.

The Church has long taught that the seven Corporal and seven Spiritual Works of Mercy are the foundation of service.

The Church of Saint Mary and the School of Saint Mary are alive in the faith. Our faith is made visible by our actions.

Last summer, a group of adults and older teenagers flew to Jamaica to work with the poorest of the poor.

The group, led by Rachel Schlittler, Students from the School of Saint Mary pray a rosary at the Garden of Hope during the 40 Days for Life. partnered with the Missionaries of the Poor, a religious order based in Kingston who minister to persons with disabilities. Our parCatechists ish group prayed, sang, talked, and cared for a large group of residents of the Jamaica mission.

Catechists in the church prepare lessons and teach them every week. These volunteers are good role models of faith School of Saint Mary and service.

The eighth grade class at the School of Saint Mary is constantly doing service projects. Every Monday, a small group of three or four eighth graders help restock the parish food pantry. Girls from the class visited a nursing home in November.

Nearly a dozen students prayed at the Garden of Hope during the 40 Days for Life.

Outreach Ministry The parish Outreach Ministry performs many corporal works of mercy on behalf of the parish. Thanks to an ever-growing pool of volunteers, the ministry operates a food bank and counseling center.

Eighth grade girls spend time with residents at a local nursing home.

Home Improvement Ministry The Home Improvement Ministry powered by Encore connects handy parishioners with other parishioners who need minor home repair jobs done. Not only is it a great way to connect parishioners with each other, it creates a bond between ministry members.

Bereavement Ministry Deacon Rich Bender is creating a new parish ministry to work with families who are grieving the loss of a loved one.

The new Bereavement Ministry’s goal is to offer “compassionate, prayerful support in your time of need.”

Members of the ministry will help families with logistics at the funeral Mass and with the wake service or rosary the

Winter 2019

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Church of Saint Mary Newsletter

prior evening.

Ministry members will reserve pews for the family, and direct guests to the guest books and in and out of the church.

They will help the family and guests feel welcome and supported.

On the day of funerals, ministry members will continue to offer a hospitable experience. They will also review with the family their roles in the funeral liturgy. Other members might volunteer to housesit during the Mass and interment.

Deacon Rich is accepting applications from parishioners who wish to learn if this ministry is right for them. If chosen to be part of this ministry, members may need to be VIRTUS-cleared to perform some duties.

What’s next?

Parishioners interested in learning more about any of over sixty parish ministries will find summaries at churchofsaintmary.com/ ministries.

Middle School youth group members make cards for infirm parishioners.

The Church of Saint Mary is full of people who would be praised by the author of the Epistle of James. The author might say our “faith [is] completed by the works.”

Bob Lesnefsky, 2020 Parish Mission speaker

Parish Mission: Righteous B The Church of Saint Mary asked Mr. Bob Lesnefsky to be the 2020 Parish Mission speaker.

Bob Lesnefsky carries a different credibility - street cred, to use the colloquial term. Bob founded Vagabond Missions, a Catholic apostolate working in the streets of Los Angeles.

According to his website, Bob Lesnefsky, a.k.a. Catholic rapper "Righteous B," is a powerful voice in evangelization today. Saint John Paul II said, "If the Church holds back from culture, the Gospel will fall silent."

Bob’s life mission is for the Church to be anything but silent in popular culture. A leader in youth ministry for 20 years, Bob speaks and performs his music in front of hundreds of thousands of people all over the world.

Additionally, Bob’s passion is his family of 7 children and wife, Kate, as well as doing inner-city ministry.

Bob’s degree is in Theology and Catechetics, and his motto is “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary use rap.”

The 2020 Parish Mission will be February 23, 24, and 25.

Eighth graders help restock the Outreach food pantry.

churchofsaintmary.com

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Winter 2019

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Church of Saint Mary 1347 E. 49th Pl. Tulsa, OK 74105

Saint Mary Preschool Enrollment Saint Mary Preschool will begin accepting new preschool applications for 2020/2021 school year soon.

Students must be age 2, 3 or 4 by September 1, 2020 to apply. If you are interested in finding out more about our parish preschool, tours will be given on Wednesday, January 22 and Thursday, January 23 at 10:30 a.m. The tour will last about 30 minutes. Information packets and applications will be available at that time.

Tours are optional; if you prefer, you may call the Preschool Office at 918-743-4030 in January or email the Preschool Director carla.lechner@schoolofsaintmary.com to request an application.

TULSA, OK PERMIT NO. 162