About Saint Charles Borromeo · Warr Acres, Oklahoma
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church is a large Roman Catholic parish in Warr Acres, Oklahoma, an incorporated township within northwest Oklahoma City. Established on May 15, 1954 by Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness, the parish began with 55 families and now serves almost 2,000 parishioners in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. It is also home to St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School (Pre-K through 8th grade), the only Catholic school in the Putnam City School District, and offers Mass in both English and Spanish each Sunday. Its permanent church, built in 1968, is known for the stained glass of French master Gabriel Loire, and the parish grounds also include a free community health clinic that has operated since 1993.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- St. Charles Borromeo
- Rector
- Rev. Tim Luschen
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Why belong here
St. Charles Borromeo is a large, multigenerational parish that worships in both English and Spanish every Sunday, with one of the few Catholic elementary schools in the Putnam City School District (Pre-K through 8th grade) attached to the parish. It is known for serving the wider community through the free St. Charles Clinic, an active youth ministry, faith formation for children and teens, and Eucharistic adoration, and it has a documented vocational legacy of priests and deacons who grew up there. Pastor Fr. Tim Luschen is also widely recognized for his community-organizing and immigrant-outreach work through the archdiocese.
Mass times at Saint Charles Borromeo
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
Parish History
St. Charles Borromeo was established on May 15, 1954 by the Most Reverend Eugene J. McGuinness, third bishop of the Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa. Fr. Charles A. Beckman was the first pastor, and the parish hall still bears his name. The original combination church-school-convent was built starting in November 1954 and the school opened on Pentecost Sunday, May 29, 1955 with three Carmelite Sisters and 115 children. By 1974 the parish had more than 1,000 families.
- Founded May 15, 1954 by Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness
- First pastor: Fr. Charles A. Beckman
- First Mass celebrated in the original church (now Beckman Hall)
- School opened Pentecost Sunday, May 29, 1955 with 115 students
- First principal: Sr. Elizabeth of the Carmelite Order
- First 8th-grade graduation: May 27, 1957
Campus & Facilities
The parish campus includes the 1968 permanent church with Gabriel Loire stained glass, the original 1954 building now used as Beckman Hall, the parish school, a convent, and a 1997 activity center with a gymnasium, three meeting rooms, a youth room, additional classrooms, nursery, and concession area. The 1993 St. Charles Clinic shares the parish's commitment to serving the surrounding community through free medical care.
- Permanent church built 1968 with Gabriel Loire stained glass
- Beckman Hall (named for first pastor; original 1954 church)
- Activity center / gymnasium (1997)
- Youth room and nursery
- Three meeting rooms and additional classrooms
- St. Charles Clinic (free community clinic, opened 1993)
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School
Founded in 1955 as a ministry of the parish, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School (SCBOKC) offers Catholic education from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade and is the only Catholic school in the Putnam City School District. The school is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education through the Oklahoma Private School Accreditation Commission and the Oklahoma Conference of Catholic Schools Accrediting Association. Its mission, emblazoned on the crest, is 'Serving, Caring, Becoming,' with curriculum rooted in Catholic Social Teachings.
- Located at 5650 NW 50th St, Warr Acres, OK 73122-5224
- Main Office: 405-789-0224
- Principal: Todd B. Gungoll
- Served by Pastor Fr. Tim Luschen
- Only Catholic school in the Putnam City School District
- Programs include full-day preschool, half-day preschool, band, extended-day care (3:00–6:00 pm), computer lab, and children's choir
- Motto / mission: 'Serving, Caring, Becoming'
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Charles Borromeo offers daily Mass in English Monday through Saturday morning, with a Wednesday evening Mass in Spanish and two Sunday Spanish Masses (1:00 pm and 6:00 pm). The Saturday vigil Mass is celebrated in English at 5:00 pm, with additional English Sunday Masses at 8:00 am and 11:00 am. Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons, and Eucharistic Adoration is held Wednesday mornings through early evening.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 pm (English)
- Sunday: 8:00 am, 11:00 am (English); 1:00 pm, 6:00 pm (Spanish)
- Weekday English Masses: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri at 7:00 am
- Wednesday: 7:00 am English (until August 20); 6:30 pm Spanish
- Saturday Confessions: 3:00–4:00 pm
- Wednesday Adoration: 9:30 am–6:00 pm
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by pastor Fr. Tim Luschen (in role since at least 2010, widely recognized for his community-organizing and immigrant-outreach work) along with associate pastors. The parish office is staffed by a director of communications, music and liturgy coordinator, pastoral associate, social ministry liaison, parish secretary, office manager, and office assistants.
- Rev. Tim Luschen — Pastor
- Rev. Rodrigo Serna — Associate Pastor (ordained August 2023)
- Rev. John Paul Lewis — Associate Pastor
- Todd B. Gungoll — Principal
- Margaret Phipps — Pastoral Associate
- Tony Leon — Music and Liturgy
- Jennifer Hernandez — Director of Communications
- Linda Clark — Social Ministry Liaison
- Karen Flores — Parish Secretary
- Jessica Santizo — Office Manager
- Lizett Velasco — Office Assistant
- Marilu Romo — Office Assistant
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith formation is offered to parish children and teens through Religious Education classes (K–5 on Monday evenings; 6th–8th on Sunday evenings including a two-year Confirmation preparation track typically in 7th and 8th grade) and a bilingual Spanish/English RE option on Sundays. The WAY program walks confirmed high-schoolers (grades 9–12) into lifelong adult faith practice, with Sunday-afternoon meetings plus periodic outings. Volunteer catechists and substitutes are always needed.
- Religious Education K–5 (Monday evenings)
- Religious Education 6–8 (Sunday evenings)
- Confirmation preparation (two-year program, 7th–8th grade)
- Bilingual (Spanish/English) RE on Sundays
- WAY — high-school youth ministry for grades 9–12
Outreach & Community Ministry
The parish is notable for its outward-facing ministries. Since 1993 the volunteer-run St. Charles Clinic has provided free medical care to uninsured neighbors. Fr. Tim Luschen is a community organizer with VOICE (Voices Organized in Civic Engagement) and has been profiled in NCR and archdiocesan coverage for ministry to immigrant parishioners, including hosting a community wedding Mass to help couples previously married civilly receive the sacrament of Matrimony. A dedicated Social Ministry Liaison helps connect parishioners with practical help during economic crises.
- St. Charles Clinic (free medical services, opened 1993)
- VOICE community organizing
- Community wedding Mass for civilly-married couples
- Social Ministry / pastoral outreach
- Periodic Divine Mercy chaplet and Holy Hour
Getting Involved & Parish Endowment
Parishioners can support the parish's long-term mission through the Saint Charles Borromeo Parish Endowment, a permanent financial resource managed in partnership with the Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma that sustains and expands the parish's ministries and initiatives for future generations. Volunteers are also welcomed as catechists, substitutes, event planners, Music & Liturgy ministers, and social-ministry outreach workers.
- Saint Charles Borromeo Parish Endowment (Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma)
- Volunteer catechists and faith-formation substitutes
- Music & Liturgy volunteers
- Social Ministry / Clinic volunteers
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Charles A. Beckman1954–
First pastor; the parish hall (Beckman Hall) is named in his honor.