St. Monica's Parish History

Vitality, youth and energy are key words to describe St. Monica Catholic Church which has grown from 174 families to 809 families since its founding in 1993. Mass is celebrated on weekdays and four times each weekend. The buildings are full each day with Religious Education classes and parish activities. St. Monica's is a Total Stewardship Parish where parishioners agree to participate fully with their time, talent and treasure. From the parish's beginning, ten percent of the weekly collection has been contributed to various social ministries locally and abroad. The parish has much cultural diversity with Hispanic, Nigerian, Korean, Vietnamese, and Japanese parishioners. There appears to be no end in sight for the growth and development of Oklahoma's newest parish.

May 21, 1993 - Archbishop Eusebius Beltran announces that a new Catholic parish will be established on the northwest side of Edmond and appoints Father Anthony B. Taylor as pastor. A temporary parish office is established at the home of the volunteer parish secretary, Jeanne Ferguson. Twenty acres of land on Western just north of Danforth Road is selected as the site of the new parish. A house on adjoining property is purchased for use as a rectory.

June 1, 1993 - Katie Gordy is hired as the Pastoral Assistant and Director of Religious Education.

July 17, 1993 - The first of two organizational meetings is held at St. John the Baptist Church in Edmond. Prospective parishioners decide that the parish will be a Total Stewardship Parish (the first in the diocese) and that construction will begin with a parish center, followed by a church, school, gymnasium, and rectory.

July 22, 1993 - An organizational meeting of a provisional Pastoral Council is held. Conrad Reisinger is assigned to the parish as full time deacon.

September 4-5, 1993 - The first services are held in the cafeteria of Washington Irving Elementary School in Edmond with over 500 parishioners in attendance. Archbishop Beltran formally establishes the parish and installs Fr. Taylor as its first pastor. 174 families are registered in the parish.

September 8, 1993 - The first baptism in the parish is Paul Thomas Pete, son of Robert and Gina (Doldo) Pete.

September 10, 1993 - The first funeral in the parish is held for Harold Rogers.

September, 1993 - 190 students from pre-school through the 12th grade are enrolled in Religious Education classes. The classes meet in private homes since there are no parish facilities yet.

September 26, 1993 - An Altar Society is established with Ann Rogers as its first president.

October 24, 1993 - Over 650 people participate in a kick-off celebration held on the church property. An outdoor Mass is followed by a picnic dinner, square dance, hayrides, and games.

October 25, 1993 - The Edmond City Council approves a special use permit to build parish facilities on the land.

November 13, 1993 - Outgrowing Washington Irving School, the parish moves to Edmond's Santa Fe High School. Through a series of parishioner votes, three names for the parish are submitted to the Archbishop, who chooses St. Monica as the name for, and the patron saint of, the parish.

December 5, 1993 - Archbishop Beltran presides over the official groundbreaking for the Parish Center - the first building of the parish.

December 18, 1993 - The first marriage in the parish is performed for Steven Osgood and Shawna King.

January 7, 1994 - Construction begins on the Parish Center.

January 10, 1994 - Council 11237 of the Knights of Columbus is established in the parish with Ed Domeier as the Grand Knight.

February 1, 1994 - Over 200 families are registered at St. Monica.

March, 1994 - The first parish blood drive is held.

May 1, 1994 - Twenty-three students are in the first First Communion class.

June, 1994 - 300 families are registered in the parish. The first parish Boy Scout troop is formed.

July 25 - August 5, 1994 - The first two week summer RE program in the Archdiocese is offered by St. Monica parish.

August, 1994 - 345 students are enrolled in the regular RE classes with 35 teachers facilitating 22 classes.

September 17-18, 1994 - The first Masses are held in the new Parish Center.

September 23, 1994 - Archbishop Beltran officially dedicated the Parish Center.

September, 1994 - The parish begins parishioner "work days" to complete projects and build parish community spirit. Over 30 committees and sub-committees are established involving parishioners in every phase of parish life.

October 12, 1994 - Ten students are in the first Confirmation class.

November, 1994 - The Children's Choir is organized and the Children's Choir camp is established.

January, 1995 - Jr. High, Mid-High and Sr. High Youth Groups are established Karen O'Neill is hired as part-time parish secretary.

February, 1995 - 380 families and 1152 individuals are registered in the parish. The Pastoral Council Constitution and By-Laws are written by the Council and approved by the Archbishop.

April, 1995 - The first Seder Supper is held. An "Our Lady of Guadalupe" painting is given to the parish by Diane Hollingsworth Althouse two days before she is killed in the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

1995 - The first parish Easter Egg Hunt and Halloween Festival are held. The first Parish Directory is published.

December, 1995 - The first Breakfast With Santa is held. A painting of St. Monica by artist Jane Desser is given to the parish. Parishioner Peggy Patton serves as model for the painting.

1996 - 560 families are registered in the parish. 642 parishioners representing 2/3 of the adults in the parish are active in the stewardship of time and talent.

1996 - Playground equipment is installed and sports fields are built. The fields are named "Taylor Fields" after the pastor.

1996 - Fr. Carlos Castillo is appointed associate pastor from February 3, 1996 to July 4, 1998.

1996 - The first Children's Christmas Pageant is held.

1997 - 599 families are registered in the parish with 1852 total parishioners. 495 students are enrolled in the R.E. program.

1997 - 40 members of the Youth Group and ten sponsors make their first trip to Catholic Heart Work Camp.

1997 - The first parish Business Directory is published.

1997 - Since the parish's beginning in 1993, the parish has given $166,266 to charity, $60,000 of which has gone to the Karima, Africa Mission which has been adopted by the parish.

July 25, 1998 - The official ground breaking for the worship center is held.

1999 - 722 families are registered in the parish.

May, 1999 - The first May Crowning is held.

August 27, 1999 - The blessing of the church cornerstone and the steeple bell takes place.

2000 - 855 families are registered in the parish. 476 students are enrolled in R.E. in 31 classes facilitated by 65 teachers and 27 aides. The RCIA program is a year round process for those inquiring into the faith. Ten new Catholics are welcomed into the church. Deacon Conrad Reisinger retires and moves to Arizona.

July 14, 2000 - Dedication of the Worship Center takes place.

August 21, 2000 - Lee Hunt is assigned to St. Monica as permanent deacon in addition to his assignment at St. John the Baptist.

August 27, 2000 - Perpetual Adoration begins. St. Monica is the only parish in the Archdiocese that has this.

2001 - 825 families are registered in the parish. Monthly pancake breakfasts sponsored by the Knights of Columbus begin. A new kitchen for the Parish Center is dedicated.

2002 - 828 families are registered in the parish. A Monument for the Unborn is established by the Knights of Columbus. St. Monica hosts the Edmond Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner for over 2000 people. 340 people from St. Monica's volunteer to help.

November 15, 2002 - Lee Hunt is assigned to serve only St. Monica parish as permanent deacon.

2003 - The construction of a grotto for the Blessed Virgin is completed. Parking lots are expanded. The St. Monica Clinic at the Kenya Africa Mission is completed. It was built with donations from St. Monica Parish.

June 24, 2003 - Rev. Timothy D. Luschen becomes the pastor at St. Monica. Fr. Taylor is assigned to Sacred Heart Parish in Oklahoma City. 838 registered families.

2004 - 809 families are registered in parish.

September 5, 2004 - First Spanish Mass celebrated.

January 23, 2007 - Jerry Rakosky is assigned to serve St. Monica parish as permanent deacon.

June 28, 2007 - Carmen Snow is hired half time as Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry.

Updated 9-17-07