Ethan Walker
Tulsa, Oklahoma, has a rich Catholic history, with the first parish in the city, Holy Family, opening its doors in 1899. Members of the Roman Catholic Church comprise a small percentage of the population in Oklahoma. While there is no specific data for Tulsa, the city is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa, which was established in 1972 by Pope Paul VI, who appointed Monsignor Bernard Ganter as the first bishop of Tulsa.
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What You'll Learn
Tulsa is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma, is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa. The first Catholic church in the region was constructed in 1872 in Atoka by Irish workers building the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad. In 1876, Pope Pius IX erected the Apostolic Prefecture of Indian Territory, taking jurisdiction for the Indian Territory away from the Diocese of Little Rock. In 1891, Pope Leo XIII elevated the apostolic prefecture to the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory, which held jurisdiction over the Oklahoma and Indian Territories. The first Catholic parish in Tulsa, Holy Family, was opened in 1899.
In 1930, due to the population growth of Tulsa and its surrounding communities, Pope Pius XI renamed the Diocese of Oklahoma City to the Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa. Tulsa remained part of this diocese for the next 42 years. On December 13, 1972, Pope Paul VI erected the Diocese of Tulsa, removing eastern Oklahoma from what became the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The pope named Monsignor Bernard Ganter as the first bishop of Tulsa. Ganter served in this role for four years before being named bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont.
The next bishop of Tulsa was Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran from the Diocese of Atlanta, appointed by Pope John Paul II in 1978. Beltran was noted for his charity work, particularly his efforts to assist those in need, including unwed mothers, HIV/AIDS victims, homeless families, and women who had been recently released from prison. In 1992, Beltran was appointed archbishop of Oklahoma City. The current bishop of Tulsa is David Konderla from the Diocese of Austin, named by Pope Francis in 2016.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa has faced several controversies in recent years. In 1999, a 13-year-old girl reported to the diocese that she had been sexually molested by Reverend John Jangam, a visiting priest from India. In 2002, the diocese removed Reverend Kenneth Lewis from St. John the Evangelist Church in McAlester due to inappropriate behavior with children. In 2019, the diocese released a list of 11 clergy members with credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors dating back to 1973.
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Tulsa's first Catholic church opened in 1899
The first Catholic church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was established in 1899. Known as Holy Family, the church remains an iconic part of the city's skyline, with its three towers recognised as a symbol of Tulsa.
The history of the Catholic Church in the region dates back further, however. In 1843, the Diocese of Tulsa was passed to the Diocese of Little Rock. Construction of the first Catholic church in the Indian Territory began in 1872 in Atoka, built by Irish workers. In 1875, French Benedictine monks were sent to minister to the tribes in the Indian Territory, establishing St Gregory's Abbey in Shawnee the following year.
In 1890, the US Government separated western Oklahoma from the Indian Territory, creating the Oklahoma Territory. Pope Leo XIII responded by elevating the apostolic prefecture to the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory, maintaining jurisdiction over both territories. It was during this time, in 1899, that the first Catholic parish was opened in Tulsa.
Today, Tulsa is home to several Catholic churches, including the Holy Family Cathedral, the Church of Saint Mary, the Church of the Madalene, and St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish. Tulsa also has a Catholic school, the Holy Family Classical School, which has been providing Catholic education in the city for over 125 years.
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Pope Pius XI renamed the Diocese of Oklahoma City in 1930
The Catholic population in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is not readily available. However, the Catholic Diocese of Tulsa covers 26,417 square miles over 31 counties in eastern Oklahoma, including the most populous county, Tulsa County. The diocese has 78 parishes, and its mother church is the Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa.
The Catholic presence in Oklahoma, then known as the Indian Territory, dates back to 1830 when a Jesuit priest, Charles Van Quickenborne, travelled from St. Louis, Missouri, to minister to the Osage Nation people in the Cabin Creek area. In 1875, the Diocese of New Orleans sent French Benedictine monks to minister to the tribes in the Indian Territory, establishing St. Gregory's Abbey in Shawnee the following year.
In 1876, Pope Pius IX erected the Apostolic Prefecture of Indian Territory, removing the territory from the Diocese of Little Rock. Over time, the Catholic presence in the region grew, and in 1905, Pope Pius X established the Diocese of Oklahoma City, covering both the Oklahoma and Indian Territories.
In 1930, Pope Pius XI renamed the Diocese of Oklahoma City to the Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa to reflect the population growth of Tulsa and its surrounding communities. This diocese included the Tulsa area for the next 42 years.
Finally, in 1972, Pope Paul VI erected the Diocese of Tulsa, removing eastern Oklahoma from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The Diocese of Tulsa, also known as the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
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Pope Paul VI erected the Diocese of Tulsa in 1972
The Catholic population in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has a long history, with the first Catholic church in the region being constructed in 1872 in Atoka for Irish Catholic railroad workers. Over the years, the region witnessed the establishment of various parishes and dioceses, with the Diocese of Little Rock overseeing the area's Catholic jurisdiction in its early days.
In 1972, Pope Paul VI played a pivotal role in reshaping the ecclesiastical landscape of eastern Oklahoma. On December 13, 1972, he erected the Diocese of Tulsa, officially known as the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma (Latin: Dioecesis Tulsensis). This move involved removing eastern Oklahoma from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, which had previously encompassed a more extensive geographic area. The creation of the Diocese of Tulsa established a dedicated ecclesiastical structure for Catholics in the region.
The first bishop of Tulsa, Monsignor Bernard Ganter, was appointed by Pope Paul VI. Bishop Ganter served the Diocese of Tulsa from 1972 to 1977, after which he was named Bishop of Beaumont. The second bishop of Tulsa, Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran, was appointed in 1978 by Pope John Paul II. Bishop Beltran is renowned for his extensive charity work, especially his efforts to assist those in need, including unwed mothers, HIV/AIDS victims, homeless families, and women released from prison.
The Diocese of Tulsa covers a substantial area, spanning 26,417 square miles (68,420 km2) across 31 counties in eastern Oklahoma. As of 2023, the Diocese includes 78 parishes, including mission churches, with the Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa serving as its mother church. The current bishop of Tulsa is David Konderla, who was appointed by Pope Francis in 2016, succeeding Reverend Edward Slattery, who served from 1993 to 2016.
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Tulsa's Catholic population is small compared to other religions
Tulsa is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa, which was erected in 1972 by Pope Paul VI. Despite this, Tulsa's Catholic population is small compared to other religions in the city and the wider state of Oklahoma.
The Catholic community in Tulsa has a long history, with the first parish in the city, Holy Family, opening in 1899. In the following decades, the Catholic population in Tulsa grew, and in 1930, Pope Pius XI renamed the Diocese of Oklahoma City to the Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa to reflect this growth. However, even with this growth, Catholics in Oklahoma have always been a comparatively small group.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa has a rich history of charitable work. Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran, the bishop of Tulsa from 1978 to 1992, is particularly notable for his efforts to assist those in need. He reached out to unwed mothers, HIV/AIDS victims, homeless families, and women released from prison. This charitable work reflects the values of the Catholic community in Tulsa and likely had a positive impact on those struggling in the city, regardless of their religious affiliation.
While the exact percentage of Catholics in Tulsa is unclear, it is safe to assume that they make up a small proportion of the city's population, mirroring the trend seen across Oklahoma. This small Catholic population in Tulsa stands in contrast to the religious landscape of the United States as a whole, where Catholicism is one of the largest denominations.
In conclusion, while Tulsa is home to a Roman Catholic diocese and has a longstanding Catholic presence, its Catholic population is relatively small compared to other faiths. This reality is reflective of the broader religious demographics of Oklahoma, where Catholics have historically constituted a minority.
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Frequently asked questions
While I can't find a precise figure, members of the Catholic Church are a comparatively small percentage of the population in Oklahoma.
No, Tulsa was part of the Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa from 1930 until 1972 when it became its own diocese.
Monsignor Bernard Ganter was appointed the first bishop of Tulsa by Pope Paul VI in 1972.
Reverend Eusebius J. Beltran, appointed in 1978 by Pope John Paul II.
The first Catholic church in the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) was constructed in 1872 in Atoka by Irish workers.
