Deacon John grew up in Immaculate Conception Parish in Tulsa, graduated from the University of Tulsa, served four years as a Naval officer , graduated from Georgetown Law School and obtained his M.A. in Theology from Loyola University, New Orleans.  Deacon John  and his family were among St. Benedict's  first parishioners when the parish was founded in 1980 .  He  was ordained to the permanent diaconate in 1987 and has been assigned to St. Benedict's since then.  In addition to his parish commitments, Deacon John teaches undergraduate level theology courses for Newman University through the Diocesan Pastoral Studies Institute as well as numerous adult education classes for PSI and at other parishes.  Over the years he has served the Diocese on several Boards.  Deacon John and his wife, Peggy, have been married for  over 35 years and have five children.  He is employed as Senior Legal Counsel for a Tulsa-based international corporation.

I am a cradle Catholic. I have been a member of St. Benedict Parish since the beginning of the Parish. My deceased husband, Rob and I have three adopted sons, Andrew (deceased), Christopher (24), and Patrick (21). I have been employed at St. Benedict since 1989. The first several years as the Middle School Youth Minister. In 2002 my husband Rob passed away, and at that time I became the full-time Receptionist, and in addition, I have also become the Secretary for Education for Adults. I have been very involved in St. Benedict's, (Woman's Club President, chairman of Fall Festival, served on Parish Council, served on numerous committees' and helped with many activities, and presently the Secretary for Women's Club. In September of 2005, Dan McCollum and I were married. We live in Haskell , OK . I love my Parish and my job here at St. Benedict.

A cradle Catholic, I was born on Long Island, NY, while my husband Bill, raised Lutheran, was born in Brooklyn, NY. We were married in November of 1977. We have three children; Karen (deceased), Bill and Rick. We have been parishioners of St. Benedict since we moved to Oklahoma in 1987. My husband has faithfully attended Mass with me since 1975, and in 1991, joined the Church at the Easter Vigil. Our son, Bill, is an OSU graduate, who married his long time girlfriend, Christie, in 2005. We are blessed to have them living nearby, in Tulsa. Our son, Rick, is currently attending OU. I can not begin to explain the joy and encouragement I find in such loving people at St. Benedict. We are truly blessed to be members of this parish and to have one another.

 

 

Deb joined the parish with her parents, Keith and Rogene Shipman, and sisters, Rebecca and Barbara, when she was in third grade. She received a degree in Theology from the University of Dayton in 1995, then worked at St. Gregory's University as the Campus Minister and Buckley Retreat Team Coordinator for three years. In May of 1998, she came back to Broken Arrow to marry her husband, Mike, and began working at St. Benedict's. Mike and Deb have two children.

Jeanne has served as the Parish Nurse at St. Benedict's since April of 2000. She feels fortunate to work with Saint Francis Health System in providing the Parish Nurse Program here in our parish. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1979 from the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth , and has worked in a variety of medical/surgical areas in healthcare facilities from Massachusetts to Hawaii . Jeanne spent her early childhood as a "Navy brat", traveling up and down the East Coast, but considers herself an Irish Catholic from Boston .

Jeanne and her husband Barry have one son, they have been parishioners since 1995 and have experienced the warmth and love of this community through such programs as the Women's Club, Mommy and Me and MDO