The Rev. Thomas O’Toole, rector of St. Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, Catholic Church, will celebrate the 40th anniversary of his priesthood Sunday.
St. Mary parishioners will gather at noon to honor Father O’Toole, who was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Oklahoma City and Tulsa May 31, 1969.
“I’m honored to be a part of his 40th anniversary,” said Joan Riotte, president of Women of St. Mary. “He’s a very holy man and it’s a blessing to have him as pastor of our parish because he is such a good teacher.”
Born at Coral Gables, Fla., June 7, 1942, O’Toole attended parochial schools in Great Neck, New York, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy at St. John Vianney Seminary, East Aurora, N.Y., a master’s degree in theology from Conception Seminary, Conception, Mo., and a bachelor in Sacred Theology from The Catholic University of American in Washington, D.C., in 1969.
He served as associate pastor at St. Mary Church in Ponca City, St. Thomas More University Church in Norman and St. Eugene Church in Oklahoma City. Two years later O’Toole was named pastor at St. Joseph Church at Hennessey and St. Camillus Church at Marshall. In 1983, O’Toole became pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Oklahoma City.
Throughout the same time frame O’Toole also served the church in a variety of other ways including as supervising administrator of Unity High School in Ponca City and as instructor of psychology, theology and Scripture at Felician Motherhouse in Ponca City, an extension of St. Gregory College. He was a member and vice chairman of the Diocesan Board of Christian Education, Archdiocesan Clergy Education Committee, Archdiocesan Matrimonial Tribunal, advocate 1973-1975 and pro-synodal Judge 1975-1985. In addition, he served as both the executive secretary and executive director of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council and as a member and secretary-treasurer of the Senate of Priests.
O’Toole was also executive director of planning and development for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Priest in-residence at Christ the King Church in Oklahoma City, Archdiocesan Development Fund director, Archdiocesan Planning Commission executive director, secretary-treasurer/COO of The Catholic Foundation of Oklahoma, Inc., as well as evangelization director for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, temporary administrator at St. John Nepomek Church, Yukon, Center for Christian Renewal Director in Oklahoma City and temporary administrator at Sacred Heart Church in El Reno.
In June, 1985, O’Toole was granted a leave of absence from active ministry, serving as vice president and chief financial officer at Fortune Concepts Inc. In 1986 he worked as the director of development at the George Lynn Cross Academy in Norman. From 1987 to 1989 he worked at House Ear Institute in Los Angeles as business manager and senior development analyst and later as executive director of development. O’Toole served as president of St. Mary Medical Center Foundation in Long Beach, Calif., as well as a trustee-director and vice president of the Board of Trustees from 1989 to 1991. He then became vice president of resource development for Behphage Mission Inc. in Omaha and Bethphage Mission South, Inc. in Austin, Texas, which is a Lutheran social ministry for multiple challenged persons with developmental disabilities.
O’Toole returned to active ministry in 1993, serving first as associate pastor at St. John the Baptist Church in Edmond, as well as a consultant on fund raising, for Catholic Charities and a member of The Cardinal Cooke Guild.
In 1994 he became pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Sterling, St. Ann Church in Elgin and Mother of Sorrows Church in Apache. He also served as a member of Archdiocesan Finance Committee from 1995-2000 and pastor of St. Matthew Church in Elk City and Our Lady of All Saints Church in Sayre from 1997 to 2000.
His pastoral duties also included: Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Episcopal Vicar, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Region V, and Region VI and Catholic Chaplain, Northfork Correctional Center, in Sayre from 1999-2000. O’Toole also pastored St. Peter Church in Woodward, St. Frances Cabrini Church in Beaver, St. Joseph Church in Buffalo, Sacred Heart Church in Mooreland and Holy Name Church in Shattuck.
O’Toole was assigned rector duties at St. Mary in 2001 and pastoral duties at St. Cecilia in Healdton and St. Anthony in Tishomingo. He is also the Catholic Chaplain at Mercy Memorial Health Center, director of the Rev. Stanley F. Rother Guild and the Episcopal Vicar, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Region III. In addition he was pastor at Good Shepherd Church in Marietta and Holy Cross Church in Madill until 2007.
A published author, O’Toole has penned the book “The Church Learns-The People Learn” and articles entitled, “Why Worship at All?,” “The Celibate Counseling Situation” and “Therapeutic Preaching.” He is certified by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives and has done extensive post-graduate work.
marsha.miller@ardmoreite.com
Marsha Miller 221-6529
