News RSS Feed

Now that some days have passed since the November meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore, I want to share some of my personal thoughts on our deliberations and what I think it means for the Church going forward. I believe that the work of the bishops and the issue of clerical abuse is unfolding between the two poles of fatalism and faith. The fatalism was aptly represented by one of the many emails that came to me during the week of the bishop’s meeting. It read: “Proud of yourself and the papacy? Did fine work this week. God ____ you all. Resign

Bishop David Konderla issued letters to the clergy and to all parishioners of the diocese announcing that he is joining the U.S. bishops in Seven Days of Prayer and Reparation in response to the tragedy of clergy sexual abuse in the Church.

As the annual celebration of Halloween approaches, we are reminded of the importance of maintaining the Catholic meaning and purpose of all holy days, especially those which have been adopted and adapted by the culture around us. Over time, popular culture has made it difficult to discern the authentic spirit of this great feast, an important time when we, God's pilgrim church on earth, rejoice in the lives of all God's saints whom we wish to follow into eternal life.

Earlier this year, the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George (FSGM) from St. Catherine School and Parish were selected by Bishop David Konderla to be the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma’s 2018 Lumen Christi “Light of Christ” nominee. Today, Catholic Extension announced that the Sisters were selected as one of eight finalists out of 47 nominees from 87 mission dioceses across the country.

It was during the "long Lent of 2002," that the Church in America was forced to acknowledge both the fact of sexual abuse within the Church's clergy, and the systematic attempt, extending back over decades, to hide this abuse.

On Sunday, August 26, 2018, the Most. Rev. David A. Konderla, Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa & Eastern Oklahoma, commented on his personal Facebook page concerning the eleven-page testimony given by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. The full statement, which included a link to the testimony, follows:

On August 22, 2018, the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City released a statement that they had received an allegation of sexual abuse against a former priest, Ben Zoeller. The alleged abuse took place in 1985. The Archdiocese stated, “Archbishop Coakley expressed profound sadness upon receiving the letter and apologized for the abuse suffered at the hands of a former priest,” and confirmed they are working with local authorities.

Two short weeks after accusations of sexual abuse against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick were made public, the Catholic Church in the U.S. faces another profound crisis. The Grand Jury Report in Pennsylvania has brought to light allegations of horrific, depraved, and inhuman offenses committed by some of the priests and bishops in the church against the most vulnerable in our care, our children.

The recent accusations of decades of sexual abuse made against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick reveal a serious and concerning problem in the Church. Such behavior cannot be tolerated in the Body of Christ. Please know that the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma is committed to protecting our children, youth, and vulnerable adults. It is a sacred obligation that I take seriously and, as your bishop, I want to make sure that everyone in the flock is safe.

Bishop Konderla recently received a letter of gratitude from the National Religious Retirement Office for our diocese's contribution of $66,953 in support of the Retirement Fund for Religious collection.

On May 21, the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma (“Diocese”) was made aware of criminal charges filed in Evanston, Illinois, against Kenneth Lewis, who was arrested on May 9, 2018 and is currently free on bond. The charges stem from an allegation of sexual misconduct that took place in 2001 in Evanston, while Lewis was a priest of the Diocese of Tulsa.

In early March, Robert Cardinal Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship in Rome, approved a request by Bishop David Konderla to add a memorial for Blessed Father Stanley Rother to the Liturgical Calendar in the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. As is the case already in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Little Rock, Father Rother’s optional memorial will be celebrated on July 28, the anniversary date of his martyrdom.

Most Rev. David A. Konderla, Bishop of Tulsa, has made the following priests appointments to take effect on July 2nd, 2018.

Bishop David Konderla celebrated the Rite of Dedication for a new church building during Mass at St. Francis Xavier in Stillwater on Sunday, March 11. He also installed Father Brian O'Brien as the new pastor for the parish at the end of the liturgy.

Because of your Faith & Works donation, the priests, deacons, and lay people in the Prison Ministry of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma are able to effectively minister and evangelize to the incarcerated in prisons throughout the diocese.

The Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George have been announced as the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma 2018 nominees for the annual Lumen Christi Award from Catholic Extension.

Your generosity to the annual Faith & Works appeal makes it possible for good men from the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma to participate in the diaconate formation program and supports the men ordained into the permanent diaconate as well as their families.

The Diocese of Tulsa & Eastern Oklahoma has capitalized on a unique opportunity to elevate the entire spiritual life of our local Church by launching a new diocesan theological institute. The Institute, yet to be officially named, will be at the service of the Church in Eastern Oklahoma primarily by teaching and forming our Catholic leaders within our parishes and schools, which will have an exponential effect on our catechesis, discipleship, and evangelization. Some of the areas of support currently being discerned are teaching in the diaconate program, offering ongoing formation for parish catechists, starting a new spiritual direction program, and providing ongoing formation for Catholic school teachers.

As Oklahoma taxpayers and supporters of Catholic school education, I want to make you aware of a wonderful Oklahoma tax credit of 50% (you can receive a 75% state tax credit of your donation amount for a two-year commitment) that benefits Catholic schools in the Diocese of Tulsa including Bishop Kelley High School. GO takes advantage of the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act approved by the state legislature in 2011.

Tulsa, OK, December 12, 2017 -- A leader in the Bartlesville nonprofit community, Mary Martha Outreach, will be joining the fold of Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma in January. Currently in its 19th year of operation, Mary Martha Outreach (MMO) distributes millions of pounds of fresh, quality food and produce to those in need each year.