In a series of emails earlier in July, City Manager Jim Couch and Archbishop Paul Coakley discussed Coakley’s concerns about a satanist’s plans to stage a ‘black mass’ in a basement theater at Oklahoma City’s Civic Center Music Hall. The satanic ritual involves a sacrifice to the devil, a practice known as “inversion” of the Catholic mass. Here are excerpts from their conversation:

July 3, 8:33 a.m.

An employee in the Office of Ministries at the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City forwards on Coakley’s behalf a press release from Bill Donohue, of the Catholic League in New York. In it, Donohue says, “Oklahoma City is setting itself up for a lawsuit.”

July 3, 1:11 p.m.