Those who are observant at the start of Mass on the weekends know that I often introduce the Mass by saying something like:  "Today we join the Church in celebrating ........."  Such a statement is meant, in part, to remind us that we are joined in our Mass with Catholic Churches all over the world in observing a common liturgical calendar that uses the same readings from Scripture and prayers that are spoken in a myriad of languages on the same day.  There are, however, a few exceptions to this rule, such as the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord which most diocese's observe on the Sunday following the Sixth Sunday of Easter, though there are some who still celebrate it liturgically on the 40th day of Easter and still refer to it as "Ascention Thursday."

There is now one more exception that applies to our diocese, the Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma and the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.  It is the feast day of Blessed Stanley Rother, the first priest/martyr who was a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and who died for his faith in Guatemala on July 28, 1981.  Instead of celebrating the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time next weekend, many of the Catholic Churches in Oklahoma and Arkansas (which all belong to the same province), will celebrate the Feast of Blessed Stanley Rother with prayers, Scripture and music that apply to the feast of this martyr from our region of the world.  (Remember Bishop Taylor did much work before he became our bishop in promoting the cause of canonization for Father Stanley Rother).  For those who look at the readings from Mass before they are proclaimed, I want to tell you what they will be for the Masses on July 27 and 28.

The First reading will be Isaiah 61:1-3a, the Second, 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23, and Gospel, John 10:11-16.

I hope we can all recognize and celebrate the fact that for this weekend only, we will be unique among our Catholic brothers and sisters around the world and proudly celebrate the feast of the first priest and martyr of the United States who has been declared "Blessed" and hopefully one day, a declared saint of the Church.