Tomorrow we need to go to OKC for a bit of business so I thought, why not make a full day of leisure out of it? So we leave at 8am to take the historic Route 66 to OKC, stopping at a small town diner for breakfast and checking out Catholic churches along the way. Then tour the indoor Myriad Gardens in downtown OKC followed by lunch, then our business appointment, then shop at the Asian market, then before leaving town attending the Saturday Latin Mass at the SSPX chapel of St. Michael’s. Will have to blog how it went with photos. But all this reminded me of s short history of the Traditional Movement in that diocese, once shared with me through the blog. So here it is, enjoy:
St. Michael's Chapel in OKC was originally called St. Athanasius. Here's a link to some history about St. Michael's : www.saintmichaelschapel.com/father-themanns-farewell.html What a struggle they maintained to keep the Mass alive in this diocese, especially in the 70's and 80's, often flying priest and even bishops in on a Sunday to celebrate the Mass of the Ages.
Queen of Angels, let by Father Walters, begain in the early 80's as well. You can read more about his story in the book "Mass Where is They Priest, Priest Where is Thy Mass?"
Best I can tell, Fr. Jerome Talloen was the first non-independent diocesan priest to begin saying the Mass of the Ages under the auspices of the bishop, first privately and then publicly. Despite repeated requests for permission,
Archbishop Salatka denied Fr. Talloen permission to say the Mass of the Ages publicly. Archbishop Beltrain initially denied permission as well. Beltrain's hand was forced by Ecclesia Dei in the early 90's. The small group led by Fr. Talloen became known as St. Anne's Latin Mass Community. Once Father Talloen began saying the Mass publicly, the FSSP (Father Rizzo) was then able to start saying the Mass at St. Michael's chapel, though Fr. Rizzo had been there before while he was still SSPX.
The FSSP played some politics with the bishop in the early 2000's, and Beltrain consolidated St. Anne's Latin Mass
Community with the FSSP Community (because we all know you can't have more than one!).
The Bishop moved the FSSP out to Piedmont/Edmond/Middle of Nowhere in 2010, forming St. Damien's Parish. Some speculate the move had a connection to this lawsuit regarding oil royalties: newsok.com/article/2915123
Thanks be to God for sending the SSPX to Oklahoma City in 2010, who keep the Mass alive at St. Michael's and who feed its parishioners with the traditional doctrine.
If you haven't visited St. Michael's, please do! Low Mass on Saturdays at 5PM and High Mass on Sundays at 9AM.