Pastors of Payne (County)

It's been 80 days since Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien recorded a podcast. Where have they been? Doing ministry! Enjoy this episode of "Pastors of Payne"

School starts soon and our priests are fired up! Welcome Week at OSU and teacher orientation at Holy Family Classical School are coming up fast. Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien talk about preparations for school and ask for your prayers. 

Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry love Pope Leo XIV! With Pope Leo on the job for two full months, our priests talk about his accomplishments so far and what inspires them most. 

On this week's Pastors of Payne, Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien talk about creativity in ministry in their mission to make new Catholics!

Father Robert Williams is a priest! Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien have known him since he was in high school and it was awesome to see him ordained a priest of the Diocese of Tulsa. In this week's podcast, our priests share with us their experiences of last week's ordination at Holy Family Cathedral.

On this week’s episode, Fr. O’Brien and Fr. Kerry share their love for Pope Leo XIV and discuss a possible reunion of east and west as the Church celebrates the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea. Enjoy!

Holy Family Cathedral is growing and some recent moves have been made to try to meet the demand and grow the evangelization efforts of the church and school. Fr. Kerry and Fr. O’Brien talk it all on this week’s episode of Pastors of Payne!

Ordinary Time has returned and weddings are plentiful at both St. John Catholic Student Center and Holy Family Cathedral. Both Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry love to not only do weddings but also to help prepare couples for marriage. This week's episode gives our priests an opportunity to share their experiences of weddings and marriage prep in the Diocese of Tulsa.

It's summer in both Payne and Tulsa counties and Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry have some travel plans but mostly they are hunkering down at their parishes for a summer of evangelization and construction projects. They also are coming off their annual priest convocation led by Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT and Fr. John Burns. 

Pope Leo XIV is off and running and Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien share interesting stories about our new Holy Father. That's this week's episode of "Pastors of Payne"  

Each year, priests around the diocese get moved to new parishes and apostolates. Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien break down the moves for the Diocese of Tulsa.

On the day Pope Leo XIV was elected, Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry jump in on initial thoughts and reasons for excitement of the new pontificate.

The papal conclave starts today and Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien offer some practical tips on praying for the cardinals and the new pope and share a few predictions of how it might turn out. 

Pope Francis has gone to his eternal rest and our priests are sad. in this week's episode, they share their favorite stories and the ways that Pope Francis challenged them to be better pastors. 

It seems that we are more motivated to live Lent rather than live Easter. What's that all about? On this week's "Pastors of Payne", Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry talk through how we can truly live this Easter Season. Enjoy!

It seems that we are more motivated to live Lent rather than live Easter. What's that all about? On this week's "Pastors of Payne", Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry talk through how we can truly live this Easter Season. Enjoy!

As we celebrate Holy Week, Judas the Betrayer plays a central role. Why did Jesus choose him as one of the twelve? Was it a mistake? And what's the controversy over anointing Jesus' feet with oil? All that and more on this week's "Pastors of Payne" podcast.

Do priests only work on Sundays? Of course not. But what does a typical Sunday or weekday look like for Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien. That's this week's "Pastors of Payne" podcast. Enjoy!

Between Stillwater and downtown Tulsa, about 150 people are becoming Catholic this year. That includes men, women, and children, some already baptized, others not. But why? Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien walk us through the reasons why so many are choosing the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic faith. 

Priests can read. Priest SHOULD read. Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry are readers. Not as much as they would like but nonetheless, this week's "Pastors of Payne" has our priests sharing what books they are reading and what books they are listening to during their lives of ministry in Tulsa and Stillwater. Enjoy!

How do priests get it all done? They usually don't but these life hacks will help everyone get more done and even have a better spiritual life. Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry share their favorite and most commonly used hacks to get through life and be better priests!

It's Lent and during this holy season, it's common for folks to give things up. On this week's "Pastors of Payne" podcast, Father Kerry offers 3 things NOT to give up for Lent. 

Lent is underway and Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry dive in on how they are being more open to God in this season of Lent including some good ideas on fasting and almsgiving. This is Pastors of Payne!

Abel, Abraham, and Melchizedek all offer sacrifice. So do the priests of today. How are they related? That's the topic of this week's "Pastors of Payne". Listen as Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry do a little Bible study to help us better understand sacrifice and priesthood. 

The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. But are there references to the Eucharist in the Old Testament? In this week's "Pastors of Payne", Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien preview Lent 2025 and walk through the many references to the Eucharist in the books of the Old Testament. 

We are blessed to live in a wonderful diocese. What's so good about it? Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien list out all the beautiful things going on in the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. 

Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry participate in a monthly priest support group. What's it all about? What happens there? In this week's "Pastors of Payne", our priests share their own experiences of how the Diocese of Tulsa and their brother priests help support each other.

In this week's episode, Fr. Kerry makes a deep dive on prayer drawing into the Carmelite and Benedictine traditions. If you're not praying well (or even if you are), give it a listen. 

Last week marked 6 months for Fr. O'Brien as Rector of Holy Family Cathedral. Along with Fr. Kerry, he reflects on the blessings, challenges, and what 2025 looks like for the cathedral community. Big plans!

At both St. John Catholic Student Center and Holy Family Cathedral, our priests offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation during some Sunday Masses. Is that okay? What does the Church advise on this issue? Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry talk through the good and bad of an increasingly popular practice. 

Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien talk through a specific pastoral issue and dive into the theology and practice of infant baptism. 

Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien get us ready for 2025 with encouragement to start fresh with a life of prayer, forgiveness, and renewed hope in the Lord Jesus!

In this week's "Pastors of Payne", our priests share the theology and history behind the upcoming 2025 Jubilee of Hope called for by Pope Francis. It all begins this Sunday!

As Christmas approaches, Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien talk about favorite Christmas presents and the importance of attending Christmas Mass with a special emphasis on Christmas at Holy Family Cathedral in downtown Tulsa."

Even churchgoing Catholics often struggle to pray. Sometimes it's starting to pray and for others it's being consistent in prayer. On this week's "Pastors of Payne", Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry talk about how to pray and how to pray consistently.

Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry are fired up for Christmas! But we need to celebrate Advent first. Advent helps us prepare for Christmas and Christ's return at the end of time. This week's "Pastors of Payne" will help you get ready. 

Advent is coming soon and Fr. O'Brien and Fr. Kerry get you ready to celebrate it well as we prepare for Christ's coming at Christmas and at the end of time.

Both Holy Family and St. John Catholic Student Center offer a ton of Confessions. Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien offer a few dos and don'ts of going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

With 55 people in OCIA at St. John's and 86 at Holy Family Cathedral, our priests talk about why those numbers are so high. Is it something specific to these parishes or are there lessons to be learned that can apply to every parish? Fr. O'Brien (Holy Family) and Fr. Kerry (St. John's in Stillwater) share their love for the faith and their passion for making converts.

November is the month where we pray for the dead. Why do we do that? Where is that in Scripture? Fr. Kerry (OSU) and Fr. O'Brien (Holy Family) talk it through on this week's episode of "Pastors of Payne."

In 2023, Fr. Kerry took a sabbatical. In 2024, Fr. O'Brien did the same. What lessons were learned? Why are sabbaticals so important? This week's "Pastors of Payne" explores the fruits of these two important experiences in the life of our priests.

Show notes: Fr. Kerry and Fr. O'Brien talk about the purpose of politics, praying before voting, and bring in some good books to put it all in perspective.   Here's a link to Fr. O'Brien's election talk from a few weeks ago- https://youtu.be/GTHM0g1WHRg

Father Kerry welcomes back founding host Father O'Brien who shares how his life has changed as he settles into his new role as the rector of Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa.

In this week’s episode, Fr. Kerry and St. Francis Xavier Youth Director Kira Ziola talk about the recent release of the Restored Order from the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, what it means for parents and the Sacraments of the Church for kids and teens. Resource: CCC 1285, 1312-1313

In this week’s episode, Fr. Kerry and St. Francis Xavier Youth Director Kira Ziola talk about the importance of a life of faith from a woman’s perspective and how a relationship with Jesus can change your life.

In this week’s episode, Fr. Kerry and returning guest Brett Akins talk about what is more important between attending Mass and worship of the Lord or kids’ weekend sports.

In this week’s episode, Fr. Kerry and special guest Brett Akins talk about college football, tailgating, supporting the Catholic mission, and summertime in Stillwater.

In this week’s episode, Fr. Kerry and interim host Clay Furleigh talk about modern philosophers who have taken Christianity under scientific scrutiny in an attempt to debunk the foundational teaching of Original Sin. Resources: CCC 385, 397, 410 Romans 5

In this week’s episode, Fr. Kerry and interim host Clay Furleigh talk about an important and unknown figure who lived in the 1900s martyred for his Catholic faith at the hands of the Nazis during World War II. Resource: Fox Searchlight Pictures “A Hidden Life” (movie, 2019)

In this week’s episode, Fr. Kerry and interim host Clay Furleigh talk about the spiritual life of prayer, knowing and loving God with all your heart, and attaining all that you desire through love and obedience to God. Resource: “Abandonment To Divine Providence” Jean-Pierre de Caussade