Catholics leave churches group
The Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City has severed ties with the Oklahoma Conference of Churches, The
Oklahoman has learned. Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul S. Coakley sent a letter to the Conference of Churches in September saying he was troubled bychanges in the organization’s day-to-day leadership, specifically what he perceived as a switch from ecumenical collaboration to politics.
“The shift has moved from what I would describe as ecumenism and Christian witness to secular politics. The ecumenical spirit is willing to embrace a ‘both/ and’ attitude, whereas politics thrives on creating an ‘either/or’ dichotomy,” Coakley said in his Sept. 19 letter announcing the archdiocese’s withdrawal.
The Conference of Churches was created in 1972 to bring Christian denominations together for collaboration on a wide variety of programs and issues important to the Oklahoma faith community.
The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, representing 107 Catholic parishes in two-thirds of the state, was one of the larger communion members within the Conference of Churches.
Over the years, a handful of member churches have fallen away, but the archdiocese’s exit appears to be the first major break in the conference’s unified network in its 46-year history.
Conference leaders disappointed
Leaders of the Conference of Churches met with Coakley on Thursday to discuss the archdiocese’s withdrawal from the ecumenical group.
In a statement on Friday, the Conference of Church’s Executive Committee said it was disappointed with Coakley’s decision because of the years-long collaboration between the conference and the Catholic faith organization.
“OCC and the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City have had a long and fruitful relationship, and we wish them well,” the committee said in its statement.
However, the group said it continues to stand behind the organization’s executive director, the Rev. Shannon Fleck, who became the conference’s leader in May. The Rev. William Tabbernee, the organization’s former executive director, retired in March and moved out of state.
“The OCC Board of Directors is confident in the vision of our new executive director, Rev. Shannon Fleck, and we are celebrating how she has already made an impact on the faith landscape of Oklahoma,” the committee said in its statement.
Coakley would not elaborate on the matter beyond excerpts of his letter that were sent to The Oklahoman. The Conference of Churches Executive Committee also chose not to comment beyond their public statement on the issue, although the organization’s president talked
about the matter briefly.
On Friday, the Rev. James Dunbar, the Conference of Churches’ current president and senior pastor of Greater Cleaves Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, said the archdiocese’s exodus was unfortunate but the conference would continue on.
“My whole thought and hope in the scheme of things is we have to stay focused on doing ministry. That’s the most important thing,” he said.
The Rev. Rita Newton, who served as executive director of the ecumenical group prior to Tabbernee, said during her Conference of Churches tenure, the Catholic archdiocese, then led by Archbishop Eusebius J. Beltran, was a vibrant presence within the unified organization.
So Newton was surprised to learn of the recent rift between the two groups.
“I’m really sorry to hear that because there’s so much brokenness in places now and the Conference of Churches — with that great coming together — is a sign of hope because of the unity,” Newton said.
“Whenever anybody drops out of that circle, it’s always sad.”