Oklahoma State Council
of the
Knights of Columbus
|
From the State Chaplain's Desk July 10, 2007
Greetings to my fellow Knights of Columbus, families and friends! I hope and pray your summer is restful and safe thus far! The end of May for the Diocese of Tulsa was a holy and happy time in the life of the Church. Bishop Slattery ordained two men to the priesthood and eleven men to the permanent diaconate. What a wonderful day in the life of the Church! This was the Diocese of Tulsa’s glorious moment as these men have now given their life in service to the Church universal! It was truly a wonderful sight to behold and enjoy. I finished reading the May edition of Columbia Magazine, and discovered two important points. The first point is the article by Carl Anderson. In his column on Truth or Consequences (pg 3), our Supreme Knight focused on making a deliberate decision to choose Christ. In effect, this is what a vocation to any walk of life must include. It is effectively carried out in the ministry of priesthood and diaconate in a very profound way. Each person discerns there is a calling to be of service. Then the discernment is taken to a wider level, the Church. After a period of inquiry and study, a determination is made that indeed the Church is now ready to call a person to ministry. This is what makes the ministry of priesthood and diaconate so valuable. We are called to choose Christ in a way that is public, visible and real. We are called to serve a universal community that “has a history, has a tradition and a memory”(pg 3). This responsibility lies in the heart of each of us because each is called to bring forth Christ to others. We are called to live Christ as the center of our lives. This means the 13 ordained men are called to serve the community in a way that is personal and public. Yet, this does not place the responsibility solely on them. It is invitational for us, too. Our own vocation in life is dependent upon us hearing the call of God to serve Him. It means we take the teachings of the Church Universal, along with its history and memory, and live it out daily in our lives. We accomplish this through our encounter with Christ through prayer, Sacraments and the interaction with others in our lives. We are on fire for the Lord and through His teachings, draw others to discover the love of God. This is what made May 26th so rewarding. Men chose Christ that day, to make a visible and clear decision that Christ will be their compass and guide. They became for us the beacon of hope and love. They became for us part of the foundation of love, rooted in Christ Jesus.
All of us have a role to play in the deliberate decision to follow Christ and His teachings. Have you accepted this challenge? Are you living this challenge every day? Are you continuing the tradition of faith in your life through active participation in the Eucharist and the Sacraments? These are big shoes to fill. We can fill them when we keep Christ at the center, and follow him in our vocational call, no matter what it may be. May the Lord continue to call you toward Himself. May He fill you with His love, and protect you always!
Vivat Jesus! Return to Archives page | ||
Copyright 2006 Oklahoma State Council of the Knights of Columbus |