The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City ( la, Archidioecesis Oclahomensis) is a
Latin Church
, native_name_lang = la
, image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran
, caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...
ecclesiastical territory or
archdiocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
in the
South Central region of the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Its ecclesiastical territory includes 46 counties in western
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, with its cathedral in
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
. The Most Reverend
Paul Stagg Coakley is the current
archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
. As such, he is the
metropolitan
Metropolitan may refer to:
* Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories
* Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England
* Metropolitan county, a typ ...
of the
ecclesiastical province
An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction
Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United State ...
which includes the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, the
Diocese of Tulsa
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa ( la, Dioecesis Tulsensis) is a particular church of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in the Ecclesiastical province of Oklahoma City covering the eastern region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It ...
and the
Diocese of Little Rock
The Diocese of Little Rock ( la, Dioecesis Petriculana) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church composed of the entire U.S. state of Arkansas. It was established on November 28, 1843. The seat of the dioc ...
. Previously the bishop of the
Diocese of Salina in Kansas, Archbishop Coakley was appointed to Oklahoma City on December 16, 2010
and installed as archbishop on February 11, 2011.
History
The diocese had its roots through
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
monks
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedicat ...
who entered
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...
(the territory of the present state of
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
), then under the jurisdiction of the
Diocese of Little Rock
The Diocese of Little Rock ( la, Dioecesis Petriculana) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church composed of the entire U.S. state of Arkansas. It was established on November 28, 1843. The seat of the dioc ...
in 1875, establishing a Catholic presence.
On 14 May 1876,
Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
erected the Apostolic Prefecture of Indian Territory, taking Indian Territory from the Diocese of Little Rock.
On 29 May 1891,
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...
elevated this apostolic prefecture to the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory.
On 23 August 1905,
Pope Pius X
Pope Pius X ( it, Pio X; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of C ...
erected the Diocese of Oklahoma, suppressing the apostolic vicariate., appointing Belgian Theophile Meerschaert as its first bishop and designating
St. Joseph's Church in downtown Oklahoma City as its cathedral
On 14 November 1930,
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...
changed the title of the diocese to Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa, establishing a second see. This reflected population trends in Oklahoma.
In 1931, the
Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was designated as the new cathedral for the diocese.
In 1949, the archdiocese established th
National Shrine of the Infant Jesus of Pragueat St. Wenceslaus Parish in
Prague, Oklahoma.
On December 13, 1972,
Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...
erected the
Diocese of Tulsa
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa ( la, Dioecesis Tulsensis) is a particular church of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in the Ecclesiastical province of Oklahoma City covering the eastern region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It ...
, taking the territory of eastern Oklahoma from the Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa. He simultaneously elevated the existing diocese to a metropolitan archdiocese, changed its title to Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and assigned the
Diocese of Little Rock
The Diocese of Little Rock ( la, Dioecesis Petriculana) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church composed of the entire U.S. state of Arkansas. It was established on November 28, 1843. The seat of the dioc ...
and the new Diocese of Tulsa as its suffragans.
History
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma Web site (accessed February 17, 2010). This action established both the present territory of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the present configuration of the Metropolitan Province of Oklahoma City.
On September 23, 2017, Father Stanley Francis Rother (March 27, 1935 – July 28, 1981), a priest of the Archdiocese, was beatified during a Mass at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. He had been murdered while working in Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
in 1981. Pope Francis had declared him a martyr
A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...
, saying he had been killed "in odium fidei" (in hatred of the faith).
Bishops
Apostolic Prefects of Indian Territory
# Isidore Robot
Isidore Robot (July 18, 1837 – February 15, 1887) was a French-born missionary of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Apostolic Prefect of the Indian Territory, Oklahoma from 1876 to 1887.
Biography Early life
Born July 18, 1837, at T ...
, OSB (1876–1887)
# Ignatius Jean, OSB (1887–1890)
Apostolic Vicar of Indian Territory
# Theophile Meerschaert (1891–1905), appointed Bishop of Oklahoma
Bishops of Oklahoma
# Theophile Meerschaert (1905–1924)
# Francis Kelley
Francis Clement Kelley (October 23, 1870 – February 1, 1948) was a Canadian-born Catholic bishop. He was the second Bishop of Oklahoma City, as well as an author and diplomat. He was a Catholic priest for 54 years, and bishop for 23 years ...
(1924–1930), title changed with title of diocese
Bishops of Oklahoma City-Tulsa
# Francis Kelley (1930–1948)
# Eugene J. McGuinness
Eugene Joseph McGuinness (September 6, 1889 – December 27, 1957) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Raleigh (1937–44) and Bishop of Oklahoma City-Tulsa (1948–57).
Biography
Early life and e ...
(1948–1957; coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...
1944-1948)
# Victor Reed (1958–1971)
# John R. Quinn
John Raphael Quinn (March 28, 1929 – June 22, 2017) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of San Francisco from 1977 to 1995 and Archbishop of Oklahoma City (and Bishop of the predecessor
Diocese) from 1971 ...
(1971–1972), elevated to archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
and title changed with title of diocese
Archbishops of Oklahoma City
# John R. Quinn
John Raphael Quinn (March 28, 1929 – June 22, 2017) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was Archbishop of San Francisco from 1977 to 1995 and Archbishop of Oklahoma City (and Bishop of the predecessor
Diocese) from 1971 ...
(1972–1977), appointed Archbishop of San Francisco
# Charles Salatka (1977–1992)
# Eusebius J. Beltran
Eusebius Joseph Beltran (born August 31, 1934) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma from 1993 until 2010. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of ...
(1993–2010)
# Paul Stagg Coakley (2011–present)
Other priests of this diocese who became bishops
*Stephen Aloysius Leven
Stephen Aloysius Leven (April 30, 1905 – June 28, 1983) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of San Angelo from 1969 to 1979.
Biography
Early life and education
Stephen Leven was born in Blackwell, Okl ...
, appointed auxiliary bishop of San Antonio in 1955
*Charles Albert Buswell
Charles Albert Buswell (October 15, 1913 – June 14, 2008) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Pueblo in Colorado from 1959 to 1979.
Biography
Early life
Charles Buswell was born on ...
, appointed Bishop of Pueblo in 1959
* John Joseph Sullivan, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 1972
* Anthony Basil Taylor, appointed Bishop of Little Rock in 2008
* Edward Joseph Weisenburger, appointed Bishop of Salina in 2012
Newspaper
The official news
News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different Media (communication), media: word of mouth, printing, Mail, postal systems, broadcasting, Telecommunications, electronic communication, or through the tes ...
and information publication of the diocese is the '' Sooner Catholic''.
High schools
* Bishop McGuinness High School, Oklahoma City
* Cristo Rey Catholic High School, Oklahoma City
* Mount St. Mary High School, Oklahoma City
Universities
*St. Gregory's University
St. Gregory's University was a private Catholic university. It was one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It had its main campus in Shawnee and an additional campus in Tulsa. The university closed its oper ...
, Shawnee ow closed
Summer camps
*Our Lady of Guadalupe Summer Camp, in between Luther and Wellston
Ecclesiastical province
:''See: List of the Catholic bishops of the United States
The following is a list of bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States, including its five Territories of the United States, inhabited territories.
The U.S. Catholic Church comprises:
* 176 Latin Church dioceses led by bishops
* 18 Ea ...
''
See also
* Catholic Church by country
The Catholic Church is "the Catholic Communion of Churches, both Roman and Eastern, or Oriental, that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (the pope)." The church is also known by members as the People of God, the Body of Christ, the " ...
* Catholic Church in the United States
With 23 percent of the United States' population , the Catholic Church is the country's second largest religious grouping, after Protestantism, and the country's largest single church or Christian denomination where Protestantism is divided i ...
* Ecclesiastical Province of Oklahoma City
* Global organisation of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is "the Catholic Communion of Churches, both Roman and Eastern, or Oriental, that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (the pope)." The church is also known by members as the People of God, the Body of Christ, the ...
* List of Roman Catholic archdioceses (by country and continent)
* List of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical)
This is a growing list of territorial Catholic Church, Catholic dioceses and ordinariates in communion with the Holy See. There are approximately 3,000 actual (i.e., non-titular) dioceses in the Catholic Church (including the eparchies of the Ea ...
(including archdioceses)
* List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view)
As of October 5, 2021, the Catholic Church in its entirety comprises 3,171 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, including over 652 archdioceses and 2,248 dioceses, as well as apostolic vicariates, apostolic exarchates, apostolic administrations, apost ...
(including archdioceses)
* List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States
This is the list of the Catholic dioceses and archdioceses of the United States which includes both the dioceses of the Latin Church, which employ the Roman Rite and other Latin liturgical rites, and various other dioceses, primarily the eparchi ...
Sources
External links
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Official Site
''Sooner Catholic'' Online
website
St. Gregory's University
official website
{{Coord, 35, 33, 41, N, 97, 38, 46, W, type:landmark_source:kolossus-plwiki, display=title
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Oklahoma City
Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City ( la, Archidioecesis Oclahomensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the South Central region of the United States. Its ecclesiastical territory includes 46 coun ...
Education in Oklahoma City
Culture of Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
1905 establishments in Oklahoma Territory