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On Aug. 7 we will celebrate the annual Archbishop’s Dinner for Seminarian Education at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

Deep beneath the streets of Rome, a hidden network of pathways connects past and present, offering us a glimpse into the early Christian experience. The catacombs, those underground burial sites often used by the first believers as well as others, were more than just resting places for the dead, they became sanctuaries for the living.

Summer has arrived and students and staff in our archdiocesan Catholic schools are taking a much-needed and much-deserved break, given the success of the just-concluded school year.

Each time we celebrate the ordination of new priests we have an opportunity to reflect on the gift and mystery of the ordained priesthood in the life of the Church.

During this time of year, the powerful story of Pentecost stirs deeply within my heart, as I visit parishes across our vast archdiocese to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation.

During the recent conclave there was intense speculation (and even wagering) about who would step onto the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica after the white smoke cleared and solemn proclamation rang out, “Habemus Papam.”

Springtime and the Easter Season are times when we celebrate new life. How appropriate, then, that we pause during this time of year to celebrate Mother’s Day. Though not a religious holiday, it’s a fitting time and occasion to celebrate the life we have received.

Our dear Holy Father, Pope Francis, was called home to the Father’s house on Easter Monday, April 21, in the 12th year of his pontificate.

Even for Christians, the mystery of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is more powerful than we generally understand or acknowledge. It is not an event of the past but a reality that still shapes our lives today.

Where has this Lent gone? We are already approaching Holy Week and the celebration of the most solemn days of the Church’s liturgical year!

By now, I suppose most of us have asked or have been asked, “What are you giving up for Lent?” It’s a popular topic in Catholic circles, within Catholic families, among friend groups and even among priests.

On March 5, we entered another season of Lenten preparation for the Easter joy of the Lord’s resurrection. Each year, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent with a symbolic gesture of humble repentance by receiving ashes on our foreheads. It is a reminder of our own mortality.

Pope Francis has invited the entire Church to celebrate a Year of Jubilee. For all of 2025 we have been promised a unique outpouring of God’s goodness and grace, a wealth of blessings.

The theme of Jubilee Year 2025 – “Pilgrims of Hope” – summons each of us and the whole Church to renew our commitment to Jesus Christ and to one another. We are pilgrims together.

People choose Catholic education for many reasons. Some families choose it for excellence in academic instruction. Some choose it for the tight-knit community. Some choose it so their children will be taught according to a moral compass with an emphasis on virtue.

One of the central mysteries of our faith is the Incarnation, which the Church celebrates most solemnly at Christmas.

In a few short weeks, 2024 will come to an end. Our well-planned Christmas celebrations will bleed into our anticipation of a new year, which offers a new beginning. But, 2025 won’t be just any new year. This new year is a Jubilee year!

As Thanksgiving Day draws near, many of us may recall the story of that first Thanksgiving in America.

When I travel around the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, I have the joy of celebrating Mass with many of our young disciples. I love meeting these students, perhaps during a school visit or a Confirmation.

Every four years we are presented with the prospect of the “most important election of our lifetime.” Perhaps this admonition is accurate.