THE GOOD NEWS
ARCHBISHOP BELTRAN

The Good News

....Thank you, Sisters!

Next year we will observe the one hundredth anniversary of the Diocese of Oklahoma. The actual formal beginning of the Catholic Church here in Oklahoma occurred three decades earlier. During that period of time, 1875 to 1905, the seeds of faith were planted here and nurtured and developed by Religious men and women.

When the word "Religious" is capitalized, it refers to very special men and women of faith. Religious are men and women who freely bind themselves to God by vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and live in community, sharing common goals. These men and women Religious are truly people of faith totally dedicated to Jesus through the holy, Catholic Church which He established.

The first Religious to come, live and work here in Oklahoma were two Benedictine monks, a priest and a brother. They crossed the Arkansas River at Fort Smith and entered the Indian Territory in October in 1875. These two French Benedictines eventually established the Sacred Heart Monastery near present day Konawa. As the monastery grew and developed, Religious Women, especially the Sisters of Mercy, came to establish schools. Thus it was that the original formal establishment of the Catholic Church in Oklahoma was accomplished by Men and Women Religious.

In 1891, Bishop Meerschaert was appointed the Apostolic Vicar of the Indian Territory. During his thirty-three years here, he was joined by many other Religious Men and Women from various religious communities who collaborated with him in the growth and development of the Catholic Church in Oklahoma.

From the very beginning of the Church here until this present moment today, we have been and are blessed by the presence, dedication and work of Religious sisters, priests and brothers. Without their help, without their dedication and sacrifices, the Church would have been severely hampered in its ministry. In fact, the existing Catholic school system across the state and the major medical centers in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Ponca City were all begun by Religious Women.

In this issue of our archdiocesan newspaper, we wish to recognize the countless Women Religious who have graciously and effectively served God here in Oklahoma for over a century. From the very beginning of the Church here, Women Religious reached out to serve the minorities and the poor.

The most famous of the many great sisters who served here would certainly be Saint Katherine Drexel. Long before civil rights was an issue, she established schools for Native Ame-rican and African American children. Throughout the state, her community of sisters was just one of the many, many other Religious who lived and worked here.

Sisters have always been a blessing to Catholics and non-Catholics alike. They serve all people because they reach out in the Name of Jesus. The essence of their commitment is based on the three evangelical vows they take before God. Poverty, chastity and obedience mean turning one's life over to God completely. It means consecrating oneself to God by making Him the center of our lives and ministry.

On behalf of the Church of this Archdiocese, I extend our gratitude to God for all the Sisters who ever served here in Oklahoma. And to those Sisters who are still among us, we ask Almighty God's very special blessings. Thank you, Sisters.