History
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History of Our Lady's Cathedral
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish was founded in 1919 by the first Bishop of Oklahoma, Theophile Meerschaert. Monsignor Albert Monnot was appointed Pastor, January 16, 1919 to a parish covering eighty square miles that would serve the northwest expansion of Oklahoma City. On May 15 and 16 of 1919, twelve men worked for two days to build a temporary wooden church building on property recently purchased by the Parish—the property now bounded by Northwest 31st Street and 32nd Street, and from Western to Lake Avenue. A groundbreaking ceremony for a permanent Church-school building was held the same year. The first classes at Our Lady’s School began September 29, 1919, taught by three Sisters of Mercy. Twelve grades were offered and ninety pupils enrolled the first year.After four years with Masses celebrated in the school, construction began on the Church July 3, 1923. The last brick was laid February of 1924, completing the construction of the Cathedral. It was dedicated shortly thereafter.
A small wooden frame rectory was constructed in July of 1924, and a new wing was added to the growing school in 1930. In 1931, the re-organization of the diocese of Oklahoma became the diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, creating Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa and Our Lady’s Cathedral in Oklahoma City, thereby removing the seat of the bishop from downtown to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in this present location. Then, in 1932 the school name was changed to John Carroll, in honor of the first Catholic Bishop of the United States. A convent was constructed for the Sisters of Mercy in 1941. Today, it is called Mercy Center and used for a variety of events and parish activities. Since then, there have been many renovations to both the school and the Cathedral.
In order to escape the political unrest in their native country, Vietnamese refugees fled their country in the mid 1970s. By July 1975, Our Lady’s had become home to thirty Vietnamese families who were seeking refuge from religious as well as political persecution. With the arrival of more refugees, the ministry to the Vietnamese community expanded and has been a very important and integral part of the parish ever since.
With substantial renovations to all the buildings and a faithful parish family, Our Lady’s Cathedral continues to thrive as a beautiful “Romanesque” space of daily worship, as well as hosting most of the events of the Archdiocese.
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Who is Our Mother of Perpetual Help?
The Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help was originally published in Spain in 1866 under the approval of Pope Pius IX. The image of the icon presented in this booklet dates to before 1499, but legend has it that the image was painted by the Apostle Luke, a Greek physician, artist, and Gospel writer whom the Eastern Church honors as the first writer of icons. There are four images of Mary attributed to him by tradition.
The icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (originally Succor), is displayed in the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome and is entrusted to the care of the Redemptorists. When the image was adopted by the West, its name was changed from Succor to Perpetual Help. The story goes that Jesus was given a vision of the manner of his own death when the Archangels Michael and Gabriel revealed to him the lance, sponge, nails, and cross. The frightened Jesus ran to his Mother in such haste that his sandal broke, and we see it dangling from his right foot.
Our Mother of Perpetual Help accompanies us throughout our lives, giving us comfort and assurance in times of need. Her eyes are always upon us, and she directs us always to her Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Her feast day is June 27th, and novenas in anticipation of this feast should begin on June 18th.Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help
What is a Novena?
From the Latin word “novem,” which means nine, the novena is an ancient Christian devotional practice of praying and meditating for nine consecutive days. Novenas may also be undertaken for nine consecutive hours, weeks, or months. Perpetual novenas are prayed on an ongoing basis daily, weekly, monthly, and even annually. Novenas are usually undertaken for the sake of a particular cause or intention and may consist of public or private prayer.
The number nine recalls the nine months Jesus spent in the womb of Mary, his death on the Cross at the ninth hour, the nine days the disciples spent in prayer awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room at Pentecost.