Oklahoma Nocturns- Telling the Story of St. Gregory's Abbey
We have a story to tell! It is a story long in the making that continues to unfold. It is a story of courage, commitment, creativity – a story of faith, hope and love. It is a story of the goodness of the Lord. It is the story of St. Gregory’s Abbey, and we want to share it with the world!
On October 12, 2025, we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the arrival in Indian Territory of the founders of our community. This will mark the beginning of our monastic community and the Catholic Church in what now is the state of Oklahoma. On this sesquicentennial anniversary, we will begin a series of celebrations to commemorate the significant stages of our foundation story. These celebrations will culminate on June 7, 2027, which will be the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of full monastic observance at Sacred Heart Mission – the cradle of Catholicism in Oklahoma.
This will be a unique and opportune time to tell our story and raise awareness of our monastic vocation! We want to recall the past with gratitude and share with others our vision for Benedictine monastic life in the present and future. We believe that our experiences of seeking the will of God in our lives as monks will resonate with person of all walks of life who encounter similar questions, challenges, opportunities and desires in their lives. We also believe that it is a great way to encourage vocations to our monastic life.
To this end, we have begun a project through which we will tell our story through the use of electronic, video and printed media that will appeal to a variety of audiences. This will culminate in several high-quality videos that will be published as a “Web Series,” along with a printed book designed to reach a wide range of readers. We might even reach those who do not yet know about monastic life and the Church! Award-winning producer and videographer Sean Collins and Fr. Thomas Boyer, have been working diligently on this project.
You can be a part of this project! We need your support and prayers as we continue this project to completion. Many of you have seen some of the video "teasers" and "trailers" or perhaps read about the project in the most recent edition of MonksOK! magazine. We have included links to our most recent "trailer" and also to our giving site. Watch your mailboxes for our spring appeal that also supports "Project 150." We ask for your prayerful consideration of this very important project!
Thank you in advance for your support of a successful production! We look forward to sharing with you the finished project. May God bless you in every way!