About St. Monica · Tulsa, Oklahoma
St. Monica Catholic Church is a historic African-American parish in North Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. Founded in 1926 as a mission for Black Catholics in the Greenwood community rebuilt after the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, it is celebrated in 2026 with a centennial. The parish offers Sunday and weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, RCIA, CCD religious education, Spanish-language classes, and outreach partnerships such as the North Tulsa Learning Center tutoring program. St. Monica is pastored by Father Celestine Obidiegwu with two deacons and a parish secretary.
- Established
- 1926
- Patron
- St. Monica
- Rector
- Father Celestine Obidiegwu
- Diocese
- Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma
Why belong here
St. Monica is one of the oldest African-American Catholic parishes in Oklahoma, founded in 1926 to serve Black Catholics in North Tulsa's Greenwood community. Worshippers find a tight-knit parish life centered on Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m. (with Rosary at 8:00 a.m.), weekday Mass on Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m., and weekly Eucharistic Adoration. Members can grow through CCD religious education for children, RCIA for adults, sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, and Communion to the sick, plus community partnerships like the North Tulsa Learning Center tutoring program and Spanish-language classes.
Mass times at St. Monica
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday before Mass (around 8:30 a.m.)
- Anytime by appointment
Adoration times
- Every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
- First Friday of the month, selected timeframes from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
About St. Monica Catholic Church
St. Monica is a Roman Catholic parish in North Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. It was founded in 1926 to serve African-American Catholics in the Greenwood community and remains an active worship site with Sunday and weekday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, religious education, RCIA, Spanish-language classes, and outreach partnerships. The parish is led by Father Celestine Obidiegwu with Deacons Steve Litwack and Charles Beard and parish secretary Liz Brown.
- Parish: St. Monica Catholic Church
- Location: 633 East Marshall Place, Tulsa, OK 74106
- Diocese: Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma
- Pastor: Father Celestine Obidiegwu
- Deacons: Steve Litwack, Charles Beard
- Parish Secretary: Liz Brown
History
The parish traces its origin to Bishop Francis Clement Kelley's effort in the mid-1920s to establish Catholic churches for African Americans in segregated Oklahoma. After the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, the Black community of North Tulsa was rebuilding, and many African-American Catholics from Louisiana had migrated north for oil, coal, lead, and zinc work. On February 28, 1926, Father James Rooney met with twenty-five Catholics at Holy Family rectory to form a mission society that evangelized door-to-door and taught catechism. The mission, first called St. Pius V, was renamed St. Monica, and Father Rooney celebrated Mass in various Greenwood-area buildings.
- Mission founded February 28, 1926
- First pastor: Father James Rooney
- Originally named St. Pius V, later renamed St. Monica
- Staffed by Holy Ghost (Spiritans) priests from 1928
- First Holy Ghost priest: Father James McGuire
Building the Church (1930s–1940s)
Father Daniel P. Bradley was appointed to St. Monica in 1930 and led the construction of the present church and rectory, completed in 1936. The first Mass in the new building was celebrated on August 23, 1936, and Bishop Kelley formally dedicated the debt-free, $60,000 Tudor Gothic church on September 27, 1936. A parish hall was completed on Christmas Eve 1941, followed by a school in 1943 and a convent in 1944; both were dedicated October 7, 1945 by Bishop Eugene J. McGuinness.
- Father Bradley appointed 1930; served until 1954
- First Mass in new church: August 23, 1936
- Church dedicated by Bishop Kelley: September 27, 1936
- Building cost: $60,000, debt-free at dedication
- Parish hall completed Christmas Eve 1941
- School dedicated October 7, 1945 by Bishop McGuinness
Architecture of the 1936 Church
The 1936 church is a Tudor Gothic edifice of red brick, distinguished by 22 stained-glass windows, a terrazzo floor, an Ozark Tavernell marble communion rail, and three marble altars (one large, two smaller side altars of St. Genevieve rose marble). Other notable features include a large hand-wrought brass sanctuary lamp from Italy, two side shrines — one to St. Jude, Saint of the Impossible, and the other to the Poor Souls — a 90-foot steeple with a deep-blue neon cross, and electric chimes in the tower that intone the Angelus.
- Red-brick Tudor Gothic exterior
- 22 stained-glass windows
- Ozark Tavernell marble communion rail
- Three St. Genevieve rose-marble altars
- Brass sanctuary lamp from Italy
- Shrines to St. Jude and the Poor Souls
- 90-foot steeple with deep-blue neon cross
- Electric chimes intoning the Angelus
Closing of the Parish School
Due to segregation-era 'separate but equal' schooling, the Holy Ghost sisters who had taught at St. Monica were replaced in 1939 by the Sisters of the Holy Family from Louisiana. The parish school closed in 1966 and the Sisters moved to other schools in Tulsa or returned to Louisiana. The school and convent buildings were later sold by the Diocese of Tulsa to the City of Tulsa.
- 1939: Holy Ghost sisters replaced by Sisters of the Holy Family of Louisiana
- 1966: Parish school closed
- School and convent later sold by the Diocese to the City of Tulsa
Mass & Worship Schedule
St. Monica offers Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m. with the Rosary prayed at 8:00 a.m., and weekday Mass on Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:00 a.m. Confession is heard on Sunday before Mass, or at any other time by appointment with the parish office. The parish also celebrates Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and on the First Friday of the month in selected timeframes from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Sunday Mass: 8:30 a.m. (Rosary at 8:00 a.m.)
- Wednesday & Friday Mass: 9:00 a.m.
- Confession: Sunday before Mass or by appointment
- Adoration: Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m.; First Friday 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Sacraments
St. Monica prepares parishioners for the sacraments of Baptism, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, and the Anointing and Viaticum of the Sick. First Eucharist and Confirmation are celebrated together once a year. Couples are asked to begin Marriage preparation at least six months before the wedding. The pastor brings Holy Communion to the sick and homebound, and visits parishioners who are hospitalized.
- Baptism — call the parish office
- First Eucharist & Confirmation — once a year
- Reconciliation — Sunday before Mass or by appointment
- Marriage — minimum six months of preparation
- Visitation of the Sick — on request
- Communion to the Sick — contact the pastor
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children's religious education (CCD) is offered every Wednesday from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., September through May, at the St. Augustine Education Building and is open to the public. Adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Spanish-language faith formation classes are held on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
- CCD for children — Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 p.m., Sept–May, at St. Augustine Education Building
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Spanish-language classes — Tuesdays & Saturdays
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve the liturgy as Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Gift Bearers, and Lectors. Schedules for each ministry are posted on the parish website.
- Altar Servers
- Eucharistic Ministries
- Gift Bearers
- Lectors
Outreach & Community Programs
Beyond its own walls, St. Monica partners with neighboring St. Augustine Church on community programs, including the North Tulsa Spring Soccer League (and a Fall 2026 season) and the North Tulsa Learning Center, which provides free math and reading tutoring on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the St. Augustine Education Building. Volunteers are welcomed. The parish website also links to Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma for job listings.
- North Tulsa Spring Soccer League with St. Augustine Church
- North Tulsa Learning Center — math and reading tutoring, Tue & Thurs 3:30–6:00 p.m.
- Contact for tutoring: Jennifer, 918-720-9081
- Volunteers needed
- Link to Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma
Parish Staff & Contact
The parish is led by Father Celestine Obidiegwu and supported by two deacons and a parish secretary. Bulletin announcements should be submitted to the office before noon on Tuesday, at least two weeks before the scheduled event.
- Pastor: Father Celestine Obidiegwu — (918) 607-8681
- Deacon Steve Litwack — (918) 747-0527
- Deacon Charles Beard — (918) 340-0090
- Parish Secretary: Liz Brown — (918) 587-2965
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Thursday and Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Bulletin deadline: noon Tuesday, two weeks in advance
Visiting & Becoming a Parishioner
New parishioners are warmly welcomed and asked to register by contacting an usher or by downloading the parish registration form (PDF) from the website and bringing it to the church. The parish is described on its website with the line: 'We're so glad you are here. We'd like to invite your family to join our parish family on a journey of faith.'
- Registration form available as a PDF on the parish website
- Register in person by contacting an usher
- Open invitation to new parishioners
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James Rooney1926–c.1928
First pastor; appointed by Bishop Kelley; met with 25 Catholics at Holy Family rectory on Feb 28, 1926 to form the mission society; celebrated Mass in Greenwood-area buildings; originally named the mission St. Pius V, later changed to St. Monica.
- Father James McGuirec.1928–1930
First Holy Ghost (Spiritans) priest to take over the parish after it was staffed by that congregation in 1928.
- Father Daniel P. Bradley1930–1954
Served the parish for 24 years; oversaw construction and 1936 dedication of the Tudor Gothic church; built the parish hall in 1941 and the school and convent in 1943–44 (dedicated Oct 7, 1945); moved to California in 1954.