Reverend Jack Gleason named the new pastor of Church of Saint Mary

The Church of St. Mary is excited to announce that His Excellency Bishop J Slattery, Bishop of Tulsa, has named Rev. Jack Gleason, pastor of the Church of the Madalene, as Pastor of the Church of St. Mary effective June 15, 2011.

Father Kastl has been appointed the Pastor of Saint Piux X, also effective June 15, 2011.


Monsignor Dorney will become Pastor Emeritus of the Church of Saint Mary and remain Vicar General for the Diocese of Tulsa.

Baby Crib needed ASAP

Dear Parishioners!

Hilary Elias, our Director of the Justice and Peace Ministry, just let me know there is an 8 month old baby leaving the hospital this week and is in need of a full-size crib. This baby has severe medical issues. What a blessing it would be for the baby's new parents to not have to worry about a place for their precious and very fragile baby to sleep.

Contact Hilary Elias in the Parish Annex if you want to donate a crib or the funds to purchase one. 918-742-2561 ext. 124.

Young Adults Senior Tequilla Night

Do you like Mexican food? How about margaritas? Join the Young Adults for an evening of dinner and friendship at Senior Tequilla's on Brookside Tuesday, April 26th at 6:00pm. Email Mark Ohnesorge to RSVP or for further details.

Help with the Saint Mary Community Vegetable Garden

We are putting together a team to help with our community vegetable garden this year. We need help occasionally watering the garden, picking weeds and picking the produce. We want to involve more of the parish in this project to feed the hungry. There will be an information table after the Masses on May 7/8 or email Andy Kmetz or call him at 918-557-3806.

Divine Mercy Sunday Prayer Opportunity

Please join the Legion of Mary to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet on Sunday May 1, 2011 at 9:15AM in the Marian Chapel. 

How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet (You need not memorize this to join- helpful pamphlets will be provided.)

Venerable Pope John Paul II will be beautified on Divine Mercy Sunday. Watch a video about his devotion to the Divine Mercy.

Yes, John Paul II will be beautified on May 1st of this year. This will make him "Bless John Paul II" and move him one step closer to sainthood. Father Kastl suggests this video sharing on the life of John Paul II in commemoration of his beautification.

ROCKsolid Middle School Lock-In Totally Rocked!

• The goal was to have an event that melded together all the fun of a Lock-in, and some faith-experiences of a Retreat.
• The planning team, led by Allyson Black, was made up of Steve and Jennifer Allen, Sharon Hammond, Beth Snapp, and Candice Steichen, and we also had about 25 adults that volunteered for shifts or even all-night to help supervise the activities.
• We had 56 middle school youth attend the event. 
• We played group games like: creating a hat out of inside-out duct tape to be used to gather the most plastic spoons by rolling their head in the spoon pile.  They had a pizza-eating contest, but were surprised when they found out their pizza was blended up and they had to drink it.
• They enjoyed time to participate in fun activities with friends like "sumo-wrestling," an inflatable maze, karaoke, wii games projected on the wall, and playing pool in the Loft.
• We gave back a little by putting together 50 sack-lunches to be given away to those in need from our Justice and Peace office.
• The funny, bizarre, and faith-filled Chris Padgett of Stuebenville, Ohio, was our Emcee, who sang, told funny stories about his own family, and reminded us that as Catholics, we too are a family.
• Fr. Kerry Walkulich said a candlelit Mass for us at 2:30am, and he encouraged all of us to think of our heart's greatest desire, and to imagine ourselves offering ourselves up with the Bread and Wine placed on the altar. 
• Some youth chose to spend a few minutes in prayer in the chapel before the Eucharist in Adoration.
• And some youth couldn't stay awake past 3am!
• One parent was quoted as saying that her daughter had a great time, and kept telling her parents stories about all she had done.
• The overall response seems to be that it was a good event, and could lead to even better Lock-ins and Retreat experiences in the coming years.

Stations of the Cross led by Saint Mary Youth

Stations of the Cross
led by Saint Mary Youth on Good Friday

Join us for a living stations of the cross at 3pm tomorrow. Youth grades 6th-12th will enact the Passion and death of our Lord in a dramatic and captivating presentation.

Matthew In a Day Seminar a Great Success!

This past Saturday from 9am to 3pm, Church of Saint Mary hosted the Matthew in a Day conference let by Dr. Tim Gray with around 240 people in attendance.

This program is part of the Great Adventure Bible study series and takes a close look at the book of Matthew, especially on its connections in the Old Testament. Dr. Gray emphasized how it is almost impossible to really understand the New Testament and Jesus unless you have a knowledge of the Old Testament and the history of Israel.

Of the attendees, 75% were from St. Mary's and 25% from other parishes or even a few from other faiths.

A conference this size does not happen on its own. There were about 25 volunteers who helped make it possible. They were there before the event to organize the study packets, name tags and payment, as well as greet people as they arrived.

The biggest job of the day was the hospitality committee, a team of eight ladies who provided bagels and coffee in the morning, delicious box lunches(purchased), and snacks and drinks during the breaks.

Finally, Candace and the kids and parents from the Middle School Lock-In the night before helped set up the tables in the gym and cafeteria for all of the people.

It was a great day.

Holy Week at the Church of Saint Mary

A quick reference for you on Holy Week happenings. Please make note of some important differences from regular weeks will be in red- for example, on Easter Sunday there will be Mass at 8am and 10am (not 10:30am), not 6pm.

SUN April 17th

Palm Sunday
Mass: Sat. 5pm, Sun. 8am, 10:30am and 6pm
Readings


MON April 18th
Mass: 6:30am, No 9am
Readings


TUES April 19th
Mass: 6:30am and 9am
Chrism Mass at Cathedral 5:30pm
Readings

WED April 20th
Mass: 6:30am and 9am
Confession 12:00pm-1:00pm and 5:30pm-6:30pm
Reconciliation for ROCKsolid Youth 6:30pm
Readings


THUR April 21st
Holy Thursday
No Morning Masses
Mass of the Lord's Supper 7:00pm
Readings


FRI April 22nd
Good Friday
No Morning Masses
Stations of the Cross at 3:00pm Main Church Confession 3:30pm-4:30pm
Celebration of the Lord's Passion at 7:00pm
Parish office is closed
Readings


SAT April, 23rd
Holy Saturday
No Morning or 5:00pm Mass
Easter Vigil Mass with our new Catholics (Baptism of catechumens and the reception of new candidates into Full Communion with the Catholic Church) 8:30pm
Readings


SUN April, 24th
Easter Sunday
Mass at 8:00am and 10:00am, No 6:00pm Mass
Easter Egg Hunt after the 10:00 Mass
Readings

Stories from Haiti with Father Kastl this Sunday

Haiti school children wearing the dresses that Saint Mary
parishioners sewed for them.

Saint Mary parishioners and Father Kastl recently visited the SOLT Kobonal Haiti Mission that our parish helps support.


Fr. Kastl along with Kathy Elliott, Kathy Struttmann and Steve Nelson invite you to join them as they share their journey to the SOLT Kobonal Haiti Mission through stories, pictures and videos.

Sunday, April 17th
5pm in Beckerle Hall.

Church of Saint Mary has helped support this mission over the past 12 years. This group is excited to share their first hand experience of the good work the mission is accomplishing in one of the poorest parts of Haiti.

Bus Trip Pilgrimage with Father Kastl to Atlanta

Bus Trip Pilgrimage to Atlanta this Summer!- Join Fr. Kastl and other local Catholics on a pilgrimage to Atlanta, Georgia this summer, July 20-24. We will stop in Alabama to visit the EWTN Catholic television station, be part of a live TV audience, and visit the monastery Mother Angelica founded. Then we will travel to Atlanta to hear many inspiring speakers at the National Catholic Bible Conference.

$650 cost includes transportation, hotel (double occupancy), the conference and some meals.

Deadline to register-$150 deposit due May 9th.

Call or Email Carol Kmetz or 918-557-3496 to register or for questions.

Tenebrae Service of Light this Friday

I found this explanation about the Tenebrae service. It made the most sense to me. Join us Friday at 7pm for the service and plan to come at 6pm for the Soup Supper.
"The core of the Tenebrae service works like this: It starts out with the church in candlelight. There are as many candles as there are readings, plus a white Christ candle. The readers go up one at a time, read their assigned selections, and extinguish one of the candles, until only the Christ candle remains. Then someone reads the first part of Psalm 22, which Jesus quoted on the cross. Then the Christ candle is put out, leaving the congregation in near total darkness—and near total devastation. At this point, the service ends. There is no benediction and the people leave in silence. (The lights are turned up but remain dim so that people can see their way out.)

The purpose of the service is to recreate the betrayal, abandonment, and agony of the events, and it is left unfinished, because the story isn’t over until Easter Day.

If you see only the happy ending of a movie, everyone who saw it from the start is elated, but you go away saying, “So they were all hugging each other? So what?” But if you see the beginning and the middle part, with all the suspense and grief, you understand what the characters overcame, and the happy ending is all the happier. So to me, attending the Easter service without attending the Holy Week services is like watching the happy ending of the movie without seeing the middle—you only rob yourself of joy."

Diocese of Tulsa Spelling Bee Hosted at Saint Mary

Last month, School of Saint Mary hosted the Diocese's first spelling bee with student representatives from other Tulsa Catholic schools. Lauren Elliott, a Saint Mary eighth grader, won the competition. Congratulations Lauren!

Author and Illustrator Visit School of Saint Mary

Slide of the author and illustrator when they were in
grade school.

Author Susan Dornblaser and illustrator Gil Adams spoke to School of Saint Mary students last week. As part of promoting their new children's book SIDEWORDS! they have a special presentation for school-age children about what it means to be an author or illustrator.

Dornblaser and Adams narrated a cleverly laid-out slide show documenting how each of their careers formed. They shared artwork and writing from when they were in elementary school and discussed what the book publishing process is like.

The presenters share the print mock-up of their book before
it was cut and assembled.

Students had a chance to ask questions, and then illustrator Gil Adams played a game where a student would draw a squiggly line, then he would figure out what it could be turned into. It really showed off creativity in action.

Gil Adams takes a squiggle a student drew
and turns it into a self-portrait.

MaryFair Chairs 2011

Your 2011 MaryFair Picnic Chairs

Jeff and Heidi Jackson AND Gwen and Russel Dixon

Your 2011 MaryFair Dinner/Auction Chairs

Two sets of sisters:
Celest Cole and Milly Dunlap AND Margaret Ellison and Katie Boudreau

The new MaryFair chairs have been busy since January getting initial details set. Planning and preparation will increase even more as summer approaches. Please look for ways you can join this MaryFair team and help make Saint Mary's big weekend a great success! Thank you, new chairs!

Visit http://www.churchofsaintmary.com/maryfair to start learning about what MaryFair will be like this year.

Theology Uncorked this Thursday Night April 7th!

Please join us this Thursday, April 7th from 7-8:30pm in Beckerle Hall for Theology Uncorked. Father Kastl will present on Holy Week and the Pachal Triduum. A brief presentation will be given by Dennis Ziegler on sacramental wine. Gathering begins at 6:45pm and the program begins at 7:00pm sharp. Ages 21 and above are welcome. Come for theology. Interest in wine not required.

Saint Mary Preschool Tulsa Accepting Applications

Saint Mary Preschool is still accepting applications for the 2011-2012 school year. There are part time openings remaining in the two-year-old "Bunny" class and several full and part time openings available in the three-year-old "Fish" class. The four-year-old class is now adding students to the waiting list.

Call 918-743-4030 or email carla.lechner @ schoolofsaintmary.com to request further information.

New Cooking/Baking Group Forming...Want to Join?

Calling All Bakers and Cooks!

Heavenly Hosts is a new group forming to fill at need at Saint Mary. Its members provide homemade baked goods or hors d'oeuvres for miscellaneous receptions that occur during the yaer, i.e. missions, parish picnic, etc.

If you are interested in being in this group, please call Cindy Spitza 918-519-4367.

Haiti Mission Stories from Saint Mary Parishioners

Saint Mary parishioners and Father Kastl recently visited the SOLT Kobonal Haiti Mission that our parish helps support.

Fr. Kastl along with Kathy Elliott, Kathy Struttmann and Steve Nelson  invite you to join them as they share their journey to the SOLT Kobonal Haiti Mission through stories, pictures and videos.

Sunday, April 17th
5pm in Beckerle Hall.

Church of Saint Mary has helped support this mission over the past 12 years. This group is excited to share their first hand experience of the good work the mission is accomplishing in one of the poorest parts of Haiti.

Saint Mary Middle School Lock-In

Hey it's almost here! Our awesome Lock-in is on Friday Night, April 8th! We'll start with a late-night Cheese pizza dinner, have tons of Lock-in fun, and deepen our appreciation of Lent through the hilarious stories and the awesome music of our guest emcee, Chris Padgett, a hilarious guy and fabulous Catholic musician.

The only thing we're missing to be able to have our Lock-in? Volunteers! Parents, I know your kids want you to skip this one, but the fact is, without enough volunteers, we simply can't host the event. Please sign up for a shift with Candice Steichen or Beth Snapp right away!

Register for Lock-In by Thursday, April 7th!



Help us spread the word this weekend! Let Candice know if you'd like to help promote this event after any of the Masses this weekend!