Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

History of the Cathedral

Our Lady of Perpetual Help was founded in January 1919 by Bishop Theophile Meerschaert as a parish serving the northwestern expansion of Oklahoma City. Twelve men built a temporary wooden church in May 1919; the permanent brick church was begun July 3, 1923 and completed in February 1924. It was dedicated by Cardinal George Mundelein in October 1924 and became a cathedral in 1931 when Pope Pius XI reorganized the Oklahoma diocese, replacing St. Joseph Cathedral downtown. The parish was consecrated in 1947 after paying off its debt, and underwent major renovations in 1993 (new pipe organ and baptistery) and 2019 (new altar, ambo, reredos, marblelized columns, and updated confessionals and restrooms). The cathedral celebrated its 100th anniversary in October 2024.

Architecture & Art

The cathedral is a brick Italianate/Romanesque-style church featuring a dozen Emil Frei stained-glass windows in the Munich Pictorial style depicting scenes from the life of Mary (including the Annunciation), as well as a rose window illustrating the mysteries of the Rosary. The 1993 renovation added a pipe organ by W. Zimmer & Sons of Charlotte, NC; the 2019 renovation added the current marble altar, ambo, reredos, and marblelized columns.

• Brick Italianate/Romanesque construction (1923–1924)
• Emil Frei stained-glass windows, Munich Pictorial style (St. Louis studio)
• Rose window of the Mysteries of the Rosary
• W. Zimmer & Sons pipe organ (1993)
• Marble main altar, wooden baldacchino (1947); replaced 2019
• Marblelized columns, new reredos (2019)

Clergy & Parish Leadership

The cathedral is led by Rector Msgr. Richard (Rick) Stansberry, appointed in July 2021. Fr. Stansberry previously served as pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church (2007–2021) and simultaneously as Judicial Vicar for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City; he also serves as president of Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School. He is assisted by Associate Pastor / Vice Rector Rev. Thanh Van Nguyen and Deacon Hans Nguyen. Parish staff includes Antonio Guzman (Director of Operations and Advancement), Linda Tran (Director of Communications), the Director of Evangelization, and Deana Ellis (Principal of Bishop John Carroll Cathedral School).

• Rector: Msgr. Richard (Rick) Stansberry (since July 2021)
• Associate Pastor / Vice Rector: Rev. Thanh Van Nguyen
• Deacon Hans Nguyen
• Director of Operations & Advancement: Antonio Guzman
• Director of Communications: Linda Tran
• Principal, Bishop John Carroll Cathedral School: Deana Ellis

Parish Councils

Parish life is guided by a Parish Council and a Finance Council. Both councils include the Rector (Msgr. Rick Stansberry), the Vice Rector (Rev. Thanh Nguyen), and ex officio staff including the Director of Operations and Advancement, the Deacon, the school Principal, and the parish Accountant. The Parish Council is chaired by Ryan Maxwell; council members include Dr. Thy Nguyen (board member of the Oklahoma Catholic Foundation and chairperson of its Parish Life Committee), Dr. Maria Nguyen (longtime parishioner since 1980), Mary Kay Gumerlock (retired neurosurgeon), and others.

• Parish Council chaired by Ryan Maxwell
• Finance Council with ex officio parish staff
• Members include Dr. Thy Nguyen, Dr. Maria Nguyen, Mary Kay Gumerlock

Faith Formation & Religious Education

The parish offers faith formation for all ages, including OCIA (Order of Christians Initiated into the Church — the new name for RCIA) for adults seeking full initiation, ongoing adult religious education and Bible studies, and children's faith formation programs. Catechists serve as volunteers in these programs, supported by an OCIA Support group.

• OCIA (formerly RCIA)
• Adult religious education & Bible studies
• Children's faith formation
• Catechist volunteers

Youth & Young Adult Ministry

The cathedral serves youth and young adults through a Young Adult Ministry (spiritual and social support rooted in faith and fellowship), a general Youth Ministry with volunteer opportunities, and TNTT, the parish's Vietnamese Youth Group — a key ministry for the large Vietnamese-American community at the cathedral.

• Young Adult Ministry
• Volunteer Youth Ministry
• TNTT Vietnamese Youth Group

Vietnamese Catholic Community

Since the arrival of thirty Vietnamese refugee families in July 1975 following the fall of Saigon, the cathedral's Vietnamese Catholic community has grown to roughly half of the parish. The community is served by a dedicated Sunday Vietnamese Mass at 11:45 AM, a Vietnamese Youth Group (TNTT), and Vietnamese-language ministry staff. The presence of Fr. Thanh Van Nguyen as Associate Pastor reflects the parish's bilingual character.

• Vietnamese Mass: Sundays 11:45 AM
• TNTT Vietnamese Youth Group
• Bilingual (English / Vietnamese) pastoral team

Liturgical Ministries

Volunteers serve in a wide range of liturgical roles that support the celebration of Mass and other liturgies, including distributing Holy Communion, proclaiming Scripture, ushering, presenting the gifts, and caring for the altar and sacred vessels.

• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
• Lectors
• Ushers
• Gift Bearers
• Sacristans
• Altar Society
• Votive Candles ministry

Outreach & Community Service

Outreach at the cathedral is organized around Cathedral Cares (a committee dedicated to giving back to the community through service), Knights of Columbus (a fraternal organization focused on charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism), and Funeral Receptions (parish volunteers who organize the meal following funerals to comfort grieving families).

• Cathedral Cares committee
• Knights of Columbus
• Funeral Receptions ministry

Marriage & Family Life

Couples are invited to contact the Cathedral at (405) 523-3059 to confirm date and space availability. Wedding rehearsals are typically held at 5:00 PM in the Cathedral the night before the wedding. The parish also hosts a Marriage Ministry called 'In His Image,' a committee that assesses speakers and topics and develops couple gatherings.

• Wedding line: (405) 523-3059
• Wedding rehearsals typically 5:00 PM the night before
• 'In His Image' Marriage Ministry committee

Bishop John Carroll Cathedral School

Bishop John Carroll Cathedral School is a Catholic elementary school serving Preschool 3-year-olds through 8th grade on the cathedral campus. Founded in 1919 by parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Help with the Sisters of Mercy (originally Our Lady's School, with twelve grades), it was renamed John Carroll in 1932 in honor of Archbishop John Carroll, the first Catholic bishop in the United States. It closed its high school grades when Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School opened in 1950 and became a PreK-8 elementary school. A kindergarten program was added in 1985, the first lay principal was hired in 1991–92, 'Bishop' was added to the school name in 1993, and a major renovation in 1994 added a two-story nine-classroom wing and gymnasium. A pre-kindergarten class for four-year-olds began in 1995.

• Founded 1919 as Our Lady's School
• Renamed John Carroll in 1932 (in honor of Archbishop John Carroll)
• 'Bishop' added to name in 1993
• PreK-3 through 8th grade
• Major 1994 renovation: 9-classroom addition + gymnasium
• First lay principal in 1991–92

Mercy Center & Campus

The Mercy Center is the former 1941 convent built for the Sisters of Mercy who taught at the parish school. Today it is used for a wide variety of parish events and activities and houses many of the parish ministries and programs. In December 2025, the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City launched a $3.5 million capital campaign to renovate Mercy Center, adding an elevator for accessibility, a new meeting hall, and an expansion of the north wing.

• Built 1941 as convent for the Sisters of Mercy
• Today: parish events, ministries, and programs
• $3.5M capital campaign launched December 2025 for elevator, meeting hall, north wing expansion

Getting Involved / Volunteer

The cathedral welcomes volunteers across liturgical, formation, parish support, and outreach ministries. Volunteer sign-ups and inquiries can be made through the parish office. Stewardship and Communications committees help highlight ministries and donors, while the Cathedral Cares committee focuses on giving back to the broader Oklahoma City community.

• Liturgical ministries (EMHCs, lectors, ushers, sacristans, altar society, etc.)
• Formation ministries (faith formation, OCIA support, marriage, young adults, youth)
• Parish support (Stewardship, Communications, Knights of Columbus, Funeral Receptions)
• Cathedral Cares community outreach