Are you Listening? Communication
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June 1, 2022When my daughter was in the third grade, she was a finalist in the archdiocesan Spelling Bee. It was a big deal. She had out-spelled her classmates. Now, she was competing with other third graders from across the entire diocese.
The competition was being held at the Catholic Pastoral Center. I had never been there. I knew all the diocesan efforts and ventures carried out in my parish had their beginnings there. Even though I was only there for a spelling bee, a spirit of identity and pride in this Catholic place ran through me.
There are myriad ways that the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City interacts with each other, conveying and relating to each other as we work to accomplish our mission to go make disciples. A grade-school spelling bee is just one of these activities. How our archdiocese supports our endeavors and our comings and goings continually expands. Once upon a time, Catholic communications in the archdiocese consisted of the parish bulletin, the pulpit and the Sooner Catholic. That has changed. As an example, the Sooner Catholic reaches more than 50,000 readers in both the printed and the electronic version.
The archdiocese maintains many other social media platforms to connect us to each other in Jesus Christ. One of the most heartwarming for me was Archbishop Coakley, livestreamed, as he led us in the Rosary when our churches were shut down during the pandemic.
We also were invited to join him from our home computers as he celebrated Mass. From Facebook to Instagram to Twitter, we learn about and participate in our faith in our archdiocese as it is happening.
All of this is backed up by the archdiocesan website. The archdiocese also cultivates and nurtures our faith with Catholic radio. Right now, there are 14 stations throughout Oklahoma known as Oklahoma Catholic Radio. The menu broadens when you add in podcasts, archived programs, photographs and books.
These various media are supported under the Sooner Catholic Communications Appeal in one way or another. The funding for this depends upon the communications appeal.
The requests to give your resources for the good of mankind are as many as there are means to communicate. Thank God that we have so many ways to join with each other and share our love for Jesus. You honor him with a contribution to this appeal. He knows your finances. He gave them to you. He will bless your gift. Giving expresses our appreciation for each other in the archdiocese and deepens our relationship with Jesus. It's our Catholic connection!
