Monsignor Patrick Gaalaas was born in Minneapolis, MN and ordained to the priesthood August 12, 1972. He received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and a baccalaureate of sacred theology and master’s degree in moral & religious science from the University of Louvain in Belgium. Msgr. Gaalaas has served many parishes in the diocese of Tulsa including Church of the Madalene in Tulsa, St. John in Stillwater, Immaculate Conception in Poteau, St. Joseph in Muskogee, Sts. Peter and Paul in Tulsa, St. Benedicts in Broken Arrow, and St. Bernards in Tulsa. In addition, he has served in a number of key administrative positions, including Vicar General from 2004-2010 and Chancellor from 1990-1995. He was also very active in ecumenism in the diocese. He is retired and currently works as a spiritual director at Conception Seminary College in northwestern Missouri.

Leigha Liuzza is an artist and co-founder of Zelie Creative Co., an art business where she focuses on using her creativity to honor God. She also combines her faith and artistic gifts to lead retreats and classes. Leigha received a BA in Studio Art from Oklahoma State University. She is a certified kindergarten through 12th grade art educator and, after graduation, taught art for 8 years at her Alma Mater, Mount St. Mary’s in Oklahoma City. She is married to her husband, Steven, and they have 3 young children. https://zeliecreativeco.com/ Mama Mary Collection https://zeliecreativeco.com/search?q=mama+mary&options%5Bprefix%5D=last Josephine Bakhita - One of my favorite pieces to date! https://zeliecreativeco.com/products/saint-josephine-bakhita-print?_pos=1&_sid=cec90ef6b&_ss=r Catholic swaddle blankets https://zeliecreativeco.com/search?q=swaddle&options%5Bprefix%5D=last

Mr. Ken Coughlin is a retired award winning, distinguished teacher who served as the Chair of the Theology Department at Bishop Kelley High School for 27 years. He grew up on the South Side of Chicago and attended high school seminary at Quigley Preparatory Seminary South, then attended the minor seminary for the Archdiocese of Chicago for two years of college before discerning the priesthood was not his vocation. Ken holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois, a Masters in Religious Education from Loyola University of Chicago, and  a Masters in Theology from the University of Notre Dame. Along with his 42 years working as a high school teacher, Ken has also taught in 17 parishes in the Diocese of Tulsa, served as an adjunct professor at St. Gregory’s University, and was a teacher in the permanent diaconate program. He has 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

Rosemary Metzler works at St. Joseph’s Monastery in Tulsa and is a Benedictine Oblate there. She is a parishioner here at the Church of Saint Mary. Rosemary grew up as an Army brat living mostly on the East Coast and in Germany. Home Base for Rosemary is Philadelphia where her brother and sister reside. Rosemary has worked in a number of areas from being a Vietnamese linguist for the NSA to being an executive secretary to working at a lumber mill. Most recently Rosemary traveled to Rome to meet with Pope Francis as representative of Benedictine Oblates in Tulsa. Rosemary is a widow. She helped raise 4 children and has 6 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. SHOW NOTES: Benedictine Oblate World Congress: https://www.osservatoreromano.va/en/news/2023-09/ing-038/the-challenge-of-hospitality-in-a-society-suffocated-by-selfishn.html Benedictine Oblate program in Tulsa: http://www.stjosephmonastery.org/oblates The Liturgy of the Hours: https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgy-of-the-hours

Father Shane Hewson is the associate pastor at St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Tulsa. Fr. Shane was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Tulsa in 2019. He grew up in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and attended the Church of St. Benedict. Fr. Shane graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. He attended Seminary in Ohio at the Athenaeum of Ohio and received his Masters in Catholic Studies. Fr Shane then attended Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he received a BA in Theology 2018, a License in Canon Law 2022, and Diploma Certificate of matrimonial jurisprudence 2023. He enjoys extreme sports like bungy jumping sky-diving cave spelunking and free diving, and traveling, he has visited over 50 countries. SHOW NOTES: The Chosen: https://www.youtube.com/@TheChosenSeries Three Hearts Pilgrimage: https://www.threeheartspilgrimage.org/ The School of Lectio: http://www.stjosephmonastery.org/school-lectio-registration Ignatian Contemplation: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-spiritual-exercises/ignatian-contemplation-imaginative-prayer/

https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/Katie Svejkosky is the Sacramental Preparation and Parish Life Coordinator for the Church of Saint Mary and lives in Jenks with her husband, Justin, and their three children. A native of St. Louis, she attended the University of Tulsa, graduating in 2015 with a degree in English and secondary education. She went on to earn her Master of Arts in English from Fordham University in New York City. After graduation, Katie spent 5 years teaching English at an all-girls Catholic high school in St. Louis, Cor Jesu Academy. SHOW NOTES: United States Eucharistic Revival: https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/ The St. Louis Carmelites: https://www.carmelitedcj.org/carmelite-sisters

Sr. Catherine Martinez entered the Benedictine Sisters at St. Joseph’s Monastery in Tulsa in 1985 and made vows in 1990. She grew up in Orange County California. Sr. Catherine holds a Bachelor of Science In Elementary Education from Langston University and a Master of Arts in Theology with an emphasis in Spirituality and a minor in Scripture from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. She currently serves as the Adult Education Site coordinator and HiSet administrator at Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma.

Mark Ohnesorge is a Captain at the Tulsa Police Department and is currently assigned to the Police Academy over recruitment and training. He grew up in a military family, traveling all over the world before graduating from High School in Enid, Oklahoma. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Oklahoma. He taught in public schools for one year before joining the Tulsa Police Department in 2008. Mark has held many positions within the Tulsa Police department and has helped develop numerous classes for law enforcement training. He is a Commissioner on Mayor G.T. Bynum's Greater Tulsa Area Hispanic and Latinx Affairs Commission and serves on the Church of Saint Mary Pastor’s team. Mark is married to his lovely wife, Maggie, and they have 6 kids who keep them busy with school, church, and sports. Mark appears on this podcast as a Catholic and as a parishioner of the Church of Saint Mary, and does not speak on behalf of the Tulsa Police Department. SHOW NOTES: The Saint Michael Prayer: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/prayers/saint-michael-archangel.html

Father Desmond Okpogba is the pastor of the Church of the Madalene in Tulsa. Father Desmond was born and raised in NIgeria and ordained to the priesthood in 1989. In this podcast, Father Desmond shares how he found himself in Tulsa, Oklahoma, far from his home diocese of Orlu in Nigeria.

Becky Holder is the Faith Formation Director at the Church of the Madalene. Becky grew up in Tulsa and is a graduate of Bishop Kelley High School. She received her degree in Special Education from Oklahoma State University and taught in the public school system for 7 years until she became a stay at home mom. Becky has been married for 29 years and has 4 grown children.