St. Francis De Sales

09/03/2026

WHY DOES THE PRIEST WASH HIS HANDS DURING MASS?

✝️ During Mass, the priest washes his hands during the Preparation of the Gifts in a rite called the Lavabo. This is not mainly for physical cleaning. In the Catholic Church, this action is a sacred sign that expresses the priest’s desire for interior purification as he prepares to continue the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

✝️ At that moment, the bread and wine have already been brought to the altar, and the priest is preparing to enter more deeply into the Eucharistic celebration. The washing of hands is a quiet but meaningful act of humility. It reminds us that anyone who approaches the holy mysteries of God should do so with reverence, sincerity, and a pure heart.

✝️ As the water is poured, the priest quietly prays words taken from Scripture: “Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” This prayer shows that the priest is asking God for mercy and purification. He is not claiming to be perfect. Rather, he stands before God as a servant who depends completely on God’s grace.

✝️ This rite does not mean that the water itself forgives sins, and it does not replace the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Instead, it is a symbolic and prayerful gesture. The outward washing points to an inner reality: the need for the heart to be cleansed before offering worship to God.

✝️ The Lavabo also teaches the faithful an important spiritual lesson. Just as the priest asks God to purify him before the Eucharistic Prayer, we too should come to Mass with repentance, faith, and a sincere desire to be made holy. The Church uses this brief rite to show that the Eucharist is sacred, and that we should never approach it carelessly.

✝️ So, when you see the priest washing his hands during Mass, understand that the Church is showing something beautiful and profound. It is a sign of humility, repentance, and preparation. The priest is asking God to cleanse his soul as he prepares to handle the sacred gifts and continue the offering of the Mass.

✝️ Source: The General Instruction of the Roman Missal and The Roman Missal, especially the teaching that this rite is an expression of the priest’s desire for interior purification, together with the prayer drawn from Psalm 51.

Great Amen Catholica 🙏🏼

08/30/2026

✝️Bishop Konderla's Prayer Challenge on Hallow - August 31-September 6

This August 31, join Bishop David Konderla for "Called by Name", a seven-day prayer journey on the Hallow app. Whether you are discerning God's direction for your life or simply seeking to grow closer to Him, these daily reflections offer an opportunity to listen more attentively to His voice.

Throughout the week, you'll hear stories of ordinary men and women who discovered God's call in unexpected ways. Together, we'll reflect on the beauty of the many vocations through which God leads His people to holiness, including marriage, the priesthood, religious life, the diaconate, and consecrated single life.

As the journey concludes, Bishop will share a little of his own vocation story and invite all of us to pray for those who are discerning where the Lord is calling us. Our encouragement, prayers, and witness can make a lasting difference in helping someone respond with courage and trust.

Please join Bishop Konderla beginning August 31 on the Hallow app as we pray together in the Diocese of Tulsa & Eastern Oklahoma for an increase in vocations and for the grace to faithfully live the vocation God has given each of us.

"Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." — Matthew 9:38

Learn more: https://www.dioceseoftulsa.org/bishop-prayer-challenge

To participate:
• Direct link to Bishop Konderla's Prayer Challenge: https://ow.ly/YR0250ZGa0s
• Download or open the Hallow app.
• Sign in or create an account.
• Beginning August 31, look for Called by Name on your home screen or search for it in the app.
• If your parish has a Hallow Community, consider joining your parish there as well so you can pray alongside others in our diocesan family.

08/30/2026

❓Catholic Curious?
Begins at Your Parish.

⛪The Catholic Church isn't just found in one church building.
It's found in every parish throughout the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma.

👉Whether you're interested in becoming Catholic...
👉Returning to the faith...
👉Or simply wanting to learn more...

OCIA is offered in parishes across our diocese, with different schedules and meeting times to fit your community.
🔗https://ow.ly/Yq8e50Zs1aq

⛪Your parish family is waiting to welcome you.
Find the parish closest to home and discover when OCIA begins.

🙏Because faith is lived best in the community you'll call home.

08/28/2026

✨ August 28 – Memorial of St. Augustine ✨

💬 “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” – St. Augustine, Confessions

➡️ Few saints remind us more powerfully that it is never too late to turn toward God. After years of searching for fulfillment elsewhere, Augustine encountered the One his heart had been seeking all along.

He would become a bishop, theologian, Doctor of the Church, and one of Christianity's most influential saints - but his story began with conversion and the discovery that only God could satisfy the deepest longing of his heart.

❓ Where are you searching for something that only God can provide?

🙏 St. Augustine, pray for us, that our restless hearts may always find their way home to Christ.

08/28/2026

S E P T E M B E R 3rd. ❗️❗️

The Catholic Church of St. Francis de Sales in alliance with the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma offer the distribution of food monthly to anyone who needs it, you just need to pick up a ticket at the offices mentioned. SEPTEMBER 3rd.!!!❗️❗️❗️