Diocese Of Tulsa And Eastern Oklahoma Celebrates 50 Years

The Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma is kicking off its year-long 50th anniversary celebration this week.

Leaders within the diocese said in its Jubilee Year, the diocese will have a series of events to bring the community together and grow in faith.

Feb. 7 marks the diocese's 50th anniversary.

Holy Family Cathedral in Downtown Tulsa is hosting the first two events of the Jubilee celebration.

In 1973, the eastern Oklahoma region was carved off from what used to be the Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

Bishop David Konderla of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma said he expects the region to keep growing, while its mission will stay the same.

"The main goal that we have and the reason the church exists is to make known to everyone in the world that Jesus is the Lord of our life,” said Most Rev. Konderla.

Father Gary Kastl, rector of the cathedral, said Holy Family was the first Catholic church in Tulsa.

He said now, there are about 60,000 Catholics, 78 parishes and 83 active priests in the diocese.

"We have definitely seen additional churches open, we have seen more and more people discerning and desiring to become Catholic, I think mainly through the charitable outreach of our church," said Very Rev. Kastl.

Father Kastl said he is proud of the diocese's contributions to the community through its healthcare systems, Catholic schools, Catholic Charities and more.

He credits that to leadership and the clergy who paved the way, including Oklahoma native Blessed Stanley Rother, who was the first American-born martyr.

"He served here in this church as an associate pastor before he went off to Guatemala, so we very much claim him as one of our own here in the diocese, and we look forward as a diocese, as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, to go on pilgrimage to where he's buried and to ask for his intercession as we move into the next 50 years,” said Very Rev. Kastl.

Feb. 7 at noon, there is a Mass at Holy Family Cathedral with priests from every parish in the diocese.

Each priest will receive a special blessing from Pope Francis to bring back to their parishes.