Remembering Archbishop Beltran

Many in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and beyond are recalling their favorite stories of Archbishop Emeritus Eusebius Beltran, who died on Sept. 12.

Through his long service to both the archdiocese and the Diocese of Tulsa, Beltran touched many lives.

Among them: priests.

Here’s a sampling of stories shared by priests in the archdiocese.

Father William Banowsky, pastor, Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Mustang
“The first time I met Archbishop Beltran it was the beginning of the fall semester at OU in 2005. It was the beginning of my sophomore year of college. Archbishop Beltran had come down to Saint Thomas More to celebrate mass for the beginning of the school year.

“As I was helping him carry his things in from his car, he does the usual pleasantries and then looks at me. ‘Have you ever thought about becoming a priest?’ The 19-year-old me looked at him and said, ‘Yes, but I've already ruled it out.’

“Somewhere God was laughing. But I have never forgotten that encounter. That exchange wasn't unique. Archbishop Beltran was well known for asking that question to many young men across the archdiocese and I am certain other priests have stories of similar encounters. He was never afraid to plant those seeds.”

Father Deva Undralla, roving priest
“Archbishop Beltran is known to me for the past 10 years. He was a wonderful guide for me. He was a great spiritual father for many of our Indian priests. We are going to miss him.”

Father John Paul Lewis, pastor, Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Oklahoma City
“Two things will always stick out most in my memory of Archbishop Beltran,” Father Lewis said. “The first are the interactions I had with him as a boy when I was an altar server at Our Lady's Cathedral. We would be standing in the sacristy preparing to walk back for the beginning of Mass, and he would ask one of the servers to help him put on his pectoral cross. After doing so, he would turn around, poke me in the forehead, and say, ‘Get it through your thick skull. Go to seminary.’ The love and joy with which he would say this had a real effect on me and certainly was one of the many things that led me to hear the Lord’s call to the priesthood.

“The other thing that always struck me about Archbishop Beltran was the care and intentionality with which he celebrated the Eucharist. We used to joke about how slowly he said the words of the Mass when I was little, but I can certainly look back and appreciate that he knew what he was doing, and how important it was. He knew that the care he took in celebrating the Liturgy was one of the most powerful ways he could give witness to the reality that he preached so often in his homilies: that everything leads to and comes from the Eucharist!”

Father Raul Sanchez Castro, pastor, Holy Cross Catholic Church in Madill
“I arrived in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City 20 years ago, on a three-year contract. At that time, I was a missionary ad-gentes. Archbishop Beltran contacted my bishop, since they were friends, asking if he had a priest available who spoke Spanish, as there were many Hispanics in the state of Oklahoma and he had no way to meet the pastoral needs of the Hispanic community. So, my bishop sent me to this archdiocese.

“As you can imagine, it was quite a challenge and a difficult time for me. But in Archbishop Beltran, I found a pastor who welcomed me with respect and charity. Archbishop Beltran was friendly and eager to support me in my priestly ministry. Over the years, I grew fond of American culture and the Hispanic community. Archbishop Beltran suggested the possibility of becoming incardinated in this archdiocese. I spoke with my bishop about this possible project of changing dioceses. My bishop, considering that I was not originally from his country, had no problem with my incardination into the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.

“Today I give thanks to God and to Archbishop Beltran, who, through his efforts and vision as a bishop, knew how to meet the spiritual and pastoral needs of the Hispanic community in this archdiocese by incorporating Spanish-speaking priests. I was one of them.”


Father Christopher Hai Tran, pastor and rector of the National Shrine of the Infant Jesus of Prague
One Sunday morning, while I was practicing singing with the choir at Saint Andrew Dung Lac Church before Mass, the parish priest came to see me and handed me a “Come and see” flyer. He said: “Come to this address, there is a 'come and see' program to learn about vocations this afternoon at 2 o’clock, at the church: Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church."

He told me: “This month is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, please pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” I obeyed my parish priest and prayed to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. But I was very confused and hesitant, wondering whether I should go or not. What am I here for?

That night I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. My heart was on fire. Oh God! What do you want me to do? The vocation director’s business card was always in front of me. I couldn’t call the vocation director in the middle of the night. I wished for morning to come soon.

At exactly 7 o’clock the next morning I couldn’t wait any longer, so I picked up the phone and called the vocation director: Reverend Lowell L. Stieferman. Father Stieferman picked up the phone and asked me:

- I have to go to work at 8 o’clock, can you come see me before 8 o’clock?

- I quickly replied: Yes, Father, I’ll come right away.

I quickly put on my coat and quickly went to the rectory of the vocation director. I thought I would tell him at length about my life. He had only seen me once the previous afternoon, when I came to “come and see” and sat in a corner of the room in silence. He asked me: Are you married? I smiled: No. Then he asked again: Do you have any obligations? No. And the final question to decide: Do you wish to become a priest? I hurried with the answer that had been in my heart for a long time: Yes, Father, since I was a child, I have dreamed of becoming a priest.

He put on his hat and told me to follow him. He drove me straight to the archbishop’s office at the back of his parish. I still remember that moment, the moment the archbishop’s secretary told me: Christopher, sign up here to make an appointment with archbishop. It’s still early, archbishop hasn’t come to the office yet. When he arrives, I’ll inform him. Then she continued: I’ll call and let you know when archbishop will meet to talk. I was bending over the secretary’s desk to sign my name in the appointment book when a sudden voice called me by name from behind:

Christopher, come in here. No need to make an appointment. I turned around and saw Archbishop Eusebius J. Beltran standing right behind me. He motioned for me to come into his office. I guessed that Archbishop Beltran had appeared earlier and had heard my name being called. He heard and understood what was happening.

After I sat down, he gave me a very gentle and approachable smile and asked me a few questions. I presented my wish to him: Dear Archbishop Beltran, since I was a child, when I was an altar boy at the Vietnamese Redemptorist Church in Vietnam, when I was still in the “Eucharistic youth movement,” I wished to become a priest. But my life was unfortunate with many twists and turns, my dream did not come true due to many obstacles, I also thought that I was not worthy of the priestly vocation. I still have many shortcomings and imperfections. Now I am old, no longer suitable for priestly training. I respectfully ask Your Excellency to let me become a permanent Deacon, or please send me to do missionary work in remote and isolated lands. If Your Excellency wishes, I will learn Chinese, I will go to China or Taiwan to be a missionary.

I tried to explain as much as possible so that Archbishop Beltran could understand my sincerity in serving the Church. But suddenly, Archbishop Beltran put down the pen he was holding. He interrupted me: Christopher, can you serve the people of God here in Oklahoma? Can you live and die here in Oklahoma? I answered immediately, as I had been ready for the answer that had been in my heart for many years: Yes, archbishop, I am ready. Archbishop Beltran turned to the vocation director, Reverend Lowell L. Stieferman. archbishop told the vocation director to sent me to Boston.

I thank you Archbishop Beltran for always trusting and loving me, creating every favorable condition for me to live and carry out my priestly mission. He always told me to be “Happy, Healthy and Holy Priest.”

Archbishop Beltran loves to watch basketball. Since the Thunder came to Oklahoma about 15 years ago, I have had the honor of sitting next to him as the Thunder play in the stadium. In the last Thunder semi-final, I was able to watch the last game with him. And in the final, I did not see him again because the archbishop’s health had declined. I will always have fond memories of this venerable archbishop.

A very simple and approachable archbishop. Very loving to seminarians and priests.

Photo: (above) Archbishop Beltran at vespers on Sept. 17, 2017, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Norman. Photo Chris Porter/Sooner Catholic.

Archbishop Beltran celebrated Mass during his 50th Anniversary Mass on May 15, 2010, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Camp in Wellston. Photo Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Archives.