My prayers are with our new President and his family today. I am praying that God grant him wisdom and courage to lead this great nation and that God help him to meet the tests of these times, to heal the wounds caused by this pandemic, to ease our intense political and cultural divisions, and to bring people together with renewed dedication to America’s founding purposes, to be one nation under God committed to liberty and equality for all.
From Bishop David A. Konderla: Brothers and sisters, Pope Francis has dedicated this year to St. Joseph’ as a way to mark the 150th anniversary of the naming of St. Joseph as the Patron of the Universal Church. At the beginning of the New Year, when we need courage to face all of the challenges ahead of us, I recommend that we all read and reflect on this beautiful Apostolic Letter: Patris Corde. May St. Joseph, husband of Mary and father to our Lord, pray for us.
For a number of years now, the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma has sponsored a local March for Life near the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States. We have gathered to pray, march, and speak out on behalf of the unborn, who have no voice to defend themselves. We gather, too, in prayer and deep sympathy for the many women and men whose lives have been shattered by abortion.
A couple of weeks ago The Tulsa World published an article about the Oklahoma Conference of Churches and its recent theological statement against racism and discrimination. The article reported that I withdrew the Catholic Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma from the Oklahoma Conference of Churches because of its theological statement. The article left the impression that I do not believe that persons with a same sex attraction or a gender discordance, often referred to as LGBTQ, should be protected against discrimination.
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.
It is not possible to change human nature by legislative means. Before this unjust ruling persons are born male and female and that remains true after it. What the ruling does do is mar the credibility of the court.
WASHINGTON – Seven U.S. bishop chairmen of committees within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have issued a statement in the wake of the death of Mr. George Floyd and the protests which have broken out in Minneapolis and in other cities in the United States.
Effective on July 1, 2020, the Most Rev. David A. Konderla, Bishop of Tulsa, has announced today the following priestly assignments in the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma:
Bishop David Konderla will join the bishops of the Unites States in reconsecrating the U.S. to the care of our Blessed Mother on Sunday, May 1, 2020 at the noon Mass at Holy Family Cathedral.
The Serra Club of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma asks that you remember World Day of Prayer for Vocations will be observed on Sunday, May 3, 2020, also known as "Good Shepherd Sunday." The purpose of this day is to publicly fulfill the Lord's instruction to, "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest" (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). Please pray that young men and women hear and respond generously to the Lord's call to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, societies of apostolic life or secular institutes. The following is a beautiful prayer for vocations from the USCCB.
Early in the morning, while it was still dark… I’m a morning person as I’m sure many of you are and the great thing about the early morning is that it’s quiet; it’s a time for reflection, a time for prayer, a time for thinking. If you use your mind’s eye, with the Gospel you can see, perhaps, Mary walking along early in the morning, Mary from Magdala.
It is with sadness and prayerful concern that the Catholic community has witnessed the continued rise in the number of cases of COVID-19 infections and deaths. We stand in solidarity with the rest of the people of our state in trying to bring this pandemic to a rapid end. To that end, city and state officials have found it necessary to extend various restrictions in order to keep residents safe. With great sadness, this means that we will have to extend our current practice of celebrating Mass without the physical presence of the faithful until April 24, 2020. Until that date, no one is allowed to host gatherings of more than ten people and in various places in the state and diocese, the restriction is even tighter.
Bishop Konderal issues an official decree today suspending all public Masses and liturgies throughout the Diocese of Tulsa beginning Friday, March 20, 2020 until Wednesday April 8, 2020.
El Señor nos vuelve a conceder este año un tiempo propicio para prepararnos a celebrar con el corazón renovado el gran Misterio de la muerte y resurrección de Jesús, fundamento de la vida cristiana personal y comunitaria. Debemos volver continuamente a este Misterio, con la mente y con el corazón. De hecho, este Misterio no deja de crecer en nosotros en la medida en que nos dejamos involucrar por su dinamismo espiritual y lo abrazamos, respondiendo de modo libre y generoso.
This year the Lord grants us, once again, a favourable time to prepare to celebrate with renewed hearts the great mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus, the cornerstone of our personal and communal Christian life. We must continually return to this mystery in mind and heart, for it will continue to grow within us in the measure that we are open to its spiritual power and respond with freedom and generosity.