About Diocese of Tulsa
The Diocese of Tulsa, formally the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma (Latin: Dioecesis Tulsensis), is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church covering the eastern 31 counties of Oklahoma. Erected by Pope Paul VI on December 13, 1972, when he simultaneously elevated the old Diocese of Oklahoma City–Tulsa to the metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, it is a suffragan see within the Ecclesiastical Province of Oklahoma City. Its mother church is Holy Family Cathedral in downtown Tulsa, and it is led today by the fourth Bishop of Tulsa, Most Rev. David A. Konderla, installed in 2016. Across about 26,417 square miles, the diocese serves roughly 60,000 Catholics through 77 parishes and two missions, supplemented by 13 Catholic schools (including Bishop Kelley High School and Cascia Hall Preparatory) and Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma, the state's largest food-distribution charity.
- Bishop
- David A. Konderla
- Established
- 1972
- Cathedral
- Holy Family Cathedral, 810 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, OK
- Territory
- Thirty-one counties of eastern Oklahoma: Adair, Atoka, Bryan, Cherokee, Choctaw, Coal, Craig, Creek, Delaware, Haskell, Hughes, Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, McIntosh, Mayes, Muskogee, Nowata, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Payne, Pittsburg, Pushmataha, Rogers, Sequoyah, Tulsa, Wagoner, and Washington.
- Parishes
- 77 parishes plus 2 missions (as published on the diocesan history page)
- Province
- Archdiocese of Oklahoma City (Metropolitan Archdiocese)
A Brief History of the Diocese of Tulsa
The parishes of the Diocese of Tulsa existed long before the diocese itself. They were successively part of the Apostolic Prefecture of the Indian Territory (1876–1891), the Apostolic Vicariate of the Indian Territory (1891–1905), the Diocese of Oklahoma (1905–1930), and the Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa (1930–1973). Pope Paul VI divided the eastern third of Oklahoma — thirty-one counties — into its own diocese on February 7, 1973, ordaining Bernard J. Ganter as the first Bishop of Tulsa the same day. Since then, four bishops have served the see: Ganter (1973–1977), Eusebius J. Beltran (1978–1993, later Archbishop of Oklahoma City), Edward J. Slattery (1994–2016, ordained a bishop by St. John Paul II), and David A. Konderla (2016–present).
- 1872 — Irish railroad workers build St. Patrick's in Atoka, the first Catholic church in Indian Territory.
- 1876 — Pope Pius IX erects the Apostolic Prefecture of the Indian Territory.
- 1891 — Pope Leo XIII raises it to the Apostolic Vicariate of the Indian Territory.
- 1899 — Holy Family Parish founded in Tulsa with help of Saint Katharine Drexel.
- 1905 — Pope Pius X erects the Diocese of Oklahoma.
- 1930 — Pope Pius XI renames it the Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
- December 13, 1972 — Pope Paul VI erects the Diocese of Tulsa and elevates Oklahoma City to a metropolitan archdiocese.
- February 7, 1973 — Bishop Bernard J. Ganter ordained first Bishop of Tulsa.
Holy Family Cathedral
Holy Family Cathedral, at 810 South Boulder Avenue in downtown Tulsa, is the mother church of the Diocese of Tulsa and the seat of the Bishop. The parish was founded in 1899 at Third Street and Elgin Avenue and moved to its present location at Eighth and Boulder in 1914 after Bishop Theophile Meerschaert's 1895 visit inspired a campaign funded in part by Saint Katharine Drexel. The current sanctuary, begun May 23, 1912 and dedicated April 1, 1914, was designed by J.P. Curtin of Curtin, Winkler & Macdonald; it was the tallest building in Tulsa until the Mayo Hotel was completed in 1923. The cathedral complex — sanctuary, rectory (begun 1919), and Holy Family School — was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 11, 1982. The cathedral rectory serves today the most historic Catholic real estate in eastern Oklahoma.
- Address: 810 South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa, OK
- Parish founded September 10, 1899
- Present church dedicated April 1, 1914 (architect J.P. Curtin)
- Saint Katharine Drexel provided $1,500 loan in 1899 to found its school
- Listed on National Register of Historic Places (NRIS 82003704)
- First Tulsa Catholic parish; cathedral of the diocese since 1972
Bishop David A. Konderla
Most Reverend David A. Konderla is the fourth Bishop of Tulsa. He was appointed by Pope Francis on May 13, 2016 and ordained and installed on June 29, 2016 at the Donald W. Reynolds Center on the University of Tulsa campus; his principal consecrator was Archbishop Paul Stagg Coakley of Oklahoma City, with Bishop Edward Slattery and Bishop Joe S. Vásquez as co-consecrators. A native of Bryan, Texas, the second of twelve children, Konderla worked as a machinist before entering seminary in 1985; he holds a B.A. in history from the University of Dallas and an M.Div. from the University of St. Thomas / St. Mary's Seminary in Houston, and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Austin on June 3, 1995. He served as pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Center at Texas A&M and as vocations director for the Diocese of Austin before his appointment to Tulsa. His episcopal motto is "Nisi Dominus aedificaverit" ("Unless the Lord build").
- Born June 3, 1960, Bryan, Texas; second of twelve children
- Pre-ordination career: machinist
- Education: University of Dallas (B.A. History, 1989); University of St. Thomas / St. Mary's Seminary (M.Div.)
- Ordained priest June 3, 1995 for the Diocese of Austin
- Appointed Bishop of Tulsa May 13, 2016 by Pope Francis
- Installed June 29, 2016 at the Donald W. Reynolds Center, University of Tulsa
- Episcopal motto: "Nisi Dominus aedificaverit"
The Chancery
The Chancery is the central administrative office that assists the Bishop in his governance of eastern Oklahoma. Located at 12300 E. 91st Street South in Broken Arrow, the Chancery houses the offices of the Bishop and Vicar General, Parish Support, Catholic Schools, Vocations (priestly and diaconate formation), the Marriage Tribunal, Child and Youth Protection, the Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine, diocesan Archives, legal counsel, Human Resources, and development/fundraising. Calvary Cemetery, the diocesan Catholic cemetery, is located near 91st and Harvard.
- Chancery address: 12300 E. 91st Street South, Broken Arrow, OK 74012
- Mailing: P.O. Box 690240, Tulsa, OK 74169
- Phone: 918-294-1904; Fax: 918-294-0920
- Departments: Bishop, Vicar General, Parish Support, Catholic Schools, Vocations, Marriage Tribunal, Child & Youth Protection, Eastern Oklahoma Catholic, Archives, HR, Development
Catholic Schools
The Diocese of Tulsa operates 13 Catholic schools enrolling approximately 4,500 students annually — ten diocesan schools and three private (Augustinian, Benedictine and Lasallian affiliated). The system traces its origins to 1899, when Saint Katharine Drexel's loan created what is now Holy Family Classical School, which in January 2020 transitioned to a classical Catholic curriculum and now offers PK-12. Bishop Kelley High School (founded 1960) is the only diocesan Catholic high school and the academic flagship of the diocese.
- Holy Family Classical School (PK-12), Tulsa — est. 1899 (transitioned to classical curriculum 2020)
- St. John School (PK-8), Bartlesville — est. 1912
- Marquette Catholic School (PK-8), Tulsa — est. 1918
- Saint Catherine School (PK-8), Tulsa — est. 1925
- Cascia Hall Preparatory School (6-12), Tulsa — est. 1926 (Augustinian Fathers)
- Monte Cassino School (PK-8), Tulsa — est. 1926
- Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School (K-8), Tulsa — est. 1951
- School of Saint Mary (PK-8), Tulsa — est. 1954
- St. Pius X School (PK-8), Tulsa — est. 1958
- Bishop Kelley High School (9-12), Tulsa — est. 1960
- St. Joseph School (PK-8), Muskogee — est. 1964
- All Saints Catholic School (PK-8), Broken Arrow — est. 1981
- San Miguel Middle School (6-8), Tulsa — est. 2004
Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma
Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma (CCEOK) is the social-services arm of the diocese, headquartered near North Harvard in Tulsa with satellite offices and outreach centers in Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, McAlester, Muskogee, Sallisaw, and Wilburton. With 15 programs and a 74,000-square-foot California Mission-style campus opened in 2009, CCEOK runs the largest food-distribution operation in Oklahoma — more than 6.5 million pounds of food annually — plus a free dental clinic (since 2007, delivering nearly $9 million in uncompensated care), adult education (GED, ESL, computer and parenting classes), immigration legal services, pregnancy and post-partum support, transitional housing, and a robust volunteer program (7,000+ volunteers, 100,000+ hours annually). Notably, CCEOK is not a United Way agency and receives no funding from the diocesan Faith and Works campaign; about 85% of those served are not Catholic.
- Headquarters: North Harvard, Tulsa
- Outreach centers: Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, McAlester, Muskogee, Sallisaw, Wilburton
- 15 programs, 7 locations, mobile food pantries
- Largest food provider in Oklahoma: 6.5 million+ pounds per year
- Free dental clinic launched 2007; ~$9 million in free services to date
- Adult Education (GED, ESL, basic computer, parenting) — 6,000+ students served
- Not a United Way agency; receives no Faith and Works funding; ~85% of clients non-Catholic
Vocations & Priesthood Discernment
The diocesan Vocations Office runs a structured, step-by-step discernment program for men considering the priesthood, combining personal direction, retreats, mentoring by priests, peer community, and parish/ministry exposure. The office frames discernment through the "Creekstones" image: crossing a wide creek one stone at a time, guided by an experienced director. It also coordinates the Permanent Diaconate formation program and works with parish vocations teams. Contact: [email protected].
- Step-by-Step Discernment program with mentoring
- Permanent Diaconate formation track
- Vocations retreat weekends and parish-level vocations teams
- Diocesan Vocations Office email: [email protected]
Marriage & Family Life
The diocese operates a Marriage Tribunal that handles declarations of marital nullity, dispensations, and other canonical marriage issues for Eastern Oklahoma Catholics. Through the Family Life Office, it offers marriage preparation resources, natural family planning referrals, and marriage enrichment programming including the parish-based婚礼 (marriage preparation) track required before wedding in a Catholic parish.
- Marriage Tribunal (canonical cases)
- Marriage preparation / enrichment programs
- Natural family planning resources
- Family Life Office programming
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation for children and youth, including sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation, is coordinated at the parish level with diocesan-wide curriculum support. The Office of Catholic Schools also oversees the religion curriculum embedded in each diocesan school. The diocese publishes the Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine as its principal catechetical and news vehicle for parishioners across the 31 counties.
- Parish-based First Communion preparation
- Parish-based Confirmation preparation (typically high-school age)
- Religious education curriculum support
- Eastern Oklahoma Catholic magazine
Pro-Life & Social Outreach Ministries
The Diocese of Tulsa runs an active Pro-Life Ministry that supports the Pauline Garrett Pregnancy Center and similar initiatives, providing counseling, material assistance, and advocacy for unborn children and their mothers. The diocese also operates a Deliverance Ministry — uncommon among American dioceses — with its own phone hotline (918-727-6823), formal application process, and medical release form, coordinated through the Chancery in Broken Arrow.
- Pro-Life Ministries and Parish Support
- Pregnancy Resource Center partnerships
- Deliverance Ministry hotline: 918-727-6823
- Deliverance Ministry application and medical release forms
Child & Youth Protection
Following the U.S. bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the Diocese of Tulsa maintains a full Child and Youth Protection Office that runs background checks, safe-environment training (Virtus / Protecting God's Children), and ongoing compliance audits for every parish, school, and ministry that works with minors. The office publishes a regular schedule of training events across the diocese.
- Safe-environment compliance program
- Virtus / Protecting God's Children training events
- Background checks for clergy, staff, and volunteers working with minors
Clergy, Retired Priests & Diaconate
The diocese is served by diocesan and religious-order priests as well as a growing permanent diaconate. The personnel board and College of Consultors advise the bishop on assignments; the Vicar General coordinates day-to-day clergy and parish governance. At the time of Bishop Konderla's 2016 appointment the diocese had 107 priests and 76 permanent deacons, with 126 religious. Retired priests continue in active ministry as their health permits.
- 107 priests, 76 permanent deacons, 126 religious (2016 Vatican bulletin figures)
- Personnel Board, College of Consultors, Presbyteral Council
- Retired priests in active ministry
Calvary Cemetery & Pastoral Care
Calvary Cemetery, the diocesan Catholic cemetery near 91st Street and Harvard in Tulsa, is operated under the Chancery's auspices. Priests and parish ministers also provide pastoral care to the sick and dying, including viaticum and anointing of the sick in hospitals, nursing homes, and in-home visits, coordinated through parish offices.
- Calvary Cemetery near 91st & Harvard, Tulsa
- Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum visits via parish priests
- Hospital and nursing-home ministry coordination
