Office of Vocations - Diocese of Tulsa

Again, for the second year, the Vocations Office is partnering with the Family Life Office to organize, promote, and coordinate the Catholic Diocese of Tulsa’s participation in the 36^th Annual National March For Life pilgrimage in Washington DC, January 20-25, 2009.

The trip is open to all High School youth and College young adults, either from Oklahoma or currently going to school here.  As there are only 80 seats available, all interested persons are encouraged to register early. Registration forms and a non-refundable $100 deposit are due by Friday, November 7, 2008.

Registration Form - 2009 March for Life

Scholarship Application - 2009 March for Life

Medical & Liability Release Form - 2009 March for Life

College / Young Adult Contract - 2009 March for Life

High School Youth Contract - 2009 March for Life

March For Life Flyer - 2009 March for Life

Pilgrimage Schedule - 2009 March for Life

For the latest Trip Updates and/or Opportunities to Support this cause and event, look us up on FaceBook:  March For Life 2009 - Tulsa to DC

Past participants on this pilgrimage have found it to be “life changing” and “a real opportunity to take note of what is really important in my life”.  These are the moments when young adults discover that God is real, he has a plan, and every person is created personnally and intimately by a loving father.  These inner conversations, when we take these “few” brave souls out of Oklahoma and place them into the the midst of 30 - 60 - 100 thousand other young vibrant Catholic young people who are on fire for their faith and willing to make a stand for Life, for Faith, and for Truth; and suddenly it becomes obvious how the topic of “vocations” can be a very important part of this journey.

This year, we are privlaged to have at least four priests (including Fr. Matt Gerlach and Fr. Brian O’Brien) and a couple of sisters who will be traveling with us.  They will be helping the young people understand how a life consecrated to God and in service to the Church upholds and fulfills the dignity of life.  Additionally, our time with the Missionaries of Charity and visiting Mount St. Mary’s seminary should provide a concrete experience upon which they might begin probing the possibility that God may be calling them.

TWO new seminarians! On September 1, 2008, Bishop Edward Slattery, acting upon the recommendation of the Diocesan Seminary Advisory Board, officially accepted Sean O’Brien and Alex Carroll as “seminarian affiliates” for the Catholic Diocese of Tulsa.  This brings the number of seminarians affiliated with the diocese to 16.

For most of his life, the Church of St. Benedict in Broken Arrow has been the home parish for Sean O’Brien.  Since graduating from Broken Arrow High School, he has attended St. Gregory University (SGU) studying Theology.  Currently, he is finishing his senior year at SGU and will be helping out in a local parish.

Alex Carroll, has lived most of his life in Broken Arrow, but not always as a Catholic.  He is a Lutheran convert and for the past two years has been trying to figure out God’s call for his life as a physics major at the University of Tulsa.  He will spend the current academic year residing and serving at the Church of St. Mary, Tulsa and continuing his liberal arts education at Tulsa Community College.

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For most Catholics, the term “seminarian” is easily recognized as “one of those men who goes to school to become a priest.”  And while this is a very simplistic definition of what happens, at least it is understood.  But, what is a seminarian “affiliate”?

This pre-seminary experience is a discernment option for a man who has completed the full seminarian application process and has been accepted as a “seminarian” but because of their particular circumstances or reasons, they will continue their current schooling and / or employment within the Diocese of Tulsa instead of attending a formal seminary formation program.  Most affiliates will reside and help out in a local parish.  In this way they have the guidance of a mentor priest and are expected to fulfill some basic commitments of spiritual, pastoral, and human formation as they experience parish life and ministry.

If you know of any young, single, Catholic men whom you believe God may be calling or if there is a young man whom you know God has blessed with many talents and gifts that would make a good priest, please do not hesitate to invite them to consider the possibility of seminary and/or priesthood.  At the very least, send their contact information to Wayne Rziha in the Office of Vocations (wayne.rziha@dioceseoftulsa.org  -OR-   918-695-2117) and he will follow up with them.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Francis Xavier Chapel every Thursday for the intentions of vocations.