Pastor’s Message – Church of Saint Benedict

January 23, 2026

Memorial of St. Marianne Cope, Religious

Almighty ever-living God, direct our actions according to your good pleasure, that in the name of your beloved Son we may abound in good works. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.

Collect for the Mass on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Brothers and Sisters,

As you no doubt know, the weather forecast for the Tulsa area this weekend is for heavy snowfall and extremely cold temperatures lasting until early next week. All our weekend Masses and confession times will take place as scheduled. Everything else has been either canceled or rescheduled.

The St. Scholastica Chapel will be closed from today through Wednesday, January 28. The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, January 26. Weekday Mass and confessions will take place as scheduled.

The parking lot is scheduled for plowing on Saturday evening and again on Monday morning. Volunteers will be cleaning the snow from the main entrances of the church building.

Please use caution and common sense on deciding whether to get out and go to Mass. If the streets and sidewalks are impassable and dangerous, then you are not obligated to be at Mass in person. We are planning on livestreaming the Sunday 5pm Mass on our parish’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

If you cannot participate in person, I ask you to spend time in some type of prayer or devotion to acknowledge that snow or no snow, it is the Lord’s Day. One suggestion is praying with the Scriptures for the Mass this Sunday; Isaiah 8:23-9:3, Psalm 27, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17 and Matthew 4:12-23.

Please check in on fellow parishioners, friends, and neighbors who live alone to be certain that they are staying safe and warm.

Our Parish

Congratulations to the Patrick family who presented a child for baptism last weekend.

Thank you to Paul Summers, Dan Murtha, and Phyllis Laurent for their service on the Parish Council. They have completed their three-year terms. At the January 14 council meeting Dave Anderson was elected president, Karen Kuba vice president, and Tim Simmons as secretary.

Catholic Schools Week

All parishioners who are students at any Catholic school in the Diocese are invited to wear their uniforms to Mass the weekend of January 24-25. Students will be given the opportunity to assist in the liturgies that weekend.

Vianney Nights

On Thursday, January 29 starting at 7:00pm our parish will be hosting Vianney Night, a Holy Hour to pray for vocations. Fr. Duy Nguyen, the Vocation Director of the Diocese, will lead the Holy Hour in the church. All are welcome to take part.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Bishop Konderla will be the celebrant at the Saturday Vigil Mass on January 31 to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation on over 90 children and youth of our parish. Please keep them in your prayers. For those who usually attend the Vigil Mass a reminder that we expect many guests at that liturgy. Please plan accordingly. This Mass will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.

God bless and keep you safe.

Fr. Bryan