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  Catholic Church Reduces Presence in Eastern Oklahoma

By Carla Hinton
The Oklahoman
May 16, 2008

http://newsok.com/catholic-church-reduces-presence-in-eastern-oklahoma/article/3244511/

Several Catholic churches in Pottawatomie and Seminole counties are being closed or being reassigned as missions, leaders with the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City have announced.

The Most Rev. Eusebius J. Beltran, archbishop of the archdiocese, wrote letters to parishioners in the affected churches saying that the closings and reassignments will become effective June 17.

In his letter to parishioners, published in the May 11 edition of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma Citys official newspaper, The Sooner Catholic, Beltran said the closures and reassignments are necessary because of a shortage of priests and the reassignment of monks who had been serving in pastoral roles.

The monks of St. Gregorys Abbey will be responsible for only the Sacred Hearts parish in Konawa. They will discontinue serving in seven other parishes where they have served for more than a century, Beltran wrote.

Although I am not happy about these changes, I find them necessary in order to best serve you, the people of this area, as I simply have no other available priests to send at this time, Beltran wrote in his May 1 letter to the affected parishes.

Scheduled for closure are:

  • St. Francis of Assisi Church in Rush Springs
  • Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Grandfield
  • St. Cecelia Church in Maud
Churches scheduled to become missions are:
  • St. Vincent DePaul Church in McLoud
  • St. Patrick Church in Walters
  • St. Helen Church in Frederick
  • Scheduled for designation as a chapel:
  • St. Joseph Church in Wewoka
For more than a century, the monks of St. Gregorys Abbey have faithfully served many areas across Oklahoma but especially the churches of Pottawatomie and Seminole counties. As you already know, due to a shortage of personnel and in order to emphasize their monastic charism, the abbey will no longer be responsible for parishes with one exception, Sacred Heart Church in Konawa, Beltran wrote.

The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City includes parishes in central and western parts of the state.

  
 
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