Meet Virginia Meeker: Finding Home in the Catholic Faith
Inside 7023 W. 71st Street Overland Park, KS www.queenoftheholyrosary.org66204
“When Frank passed, Catholicism was very much on my mind again,” she says. “I saw a sign at Queen about RCIA, and I said, ‘I am going to memorize that phone number.’”
“I loved every minute of it,” she says. “When I was confirmed, I was ecstatic. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I was finally doing what I had wanted to do all along.” (From left) Kerry Godfrey (Virginia’s sponsor), Virginia, and Fr. Bill Bruning
2 Stewardship: What to do With a Windfall? 3 If Not Stewards, Then What Are We? 4 Our StewardshipAnnual Renewal Examining How We Respond to God’s Call 6 Getting to Know St. Luke, the Beloved Physician The Feast of St. Luke: Oct. 18 7 First Seven Fellowship: A Place for Young Married Couples to Gather in Fellowship and Faith continued on back cover october 2022
“After fifth grade, I told my parents I wanted to become Catholic,” Virginia says. “My dad was a Baptist, and that didn’t sit well with him.”
Virginia asked Fr. Bill Bruning if he wanted to take in a potential Catholic of her age, and of course, he did. She was confirmed in the spring of 2018, having gone through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA. Virginia’s Confirma tion sponsor was a woman she had worked with and befriended, Kerry Godfrey.
Have you ever had a family member or friend tell you that it’s too late for them to become Catholic, or that they are too old? If so, have them talk to parishio ner Virginia Meeker — she became Catholic in her late 70s and feels her life has been changed for the better. It all started when Virginia was in fourth and fifth grade attending St. Mary’s Academy in Paducah, Ky. Her parents sent her there instead of the public school because it was considered a better education.
Virginia was enrolled at the public school, but she never lost that desire to become Catholic. The family moved to Louisville where Virginia made a lot of Catholic friends. In fact, she’s had Catholic friends most of her life. Virginia went on to get married, then divorced. She thought that the door was closed for her to ever become Catholic. Her second husband, Frank, also was interested in Catholicism, but the annulment process seemed too tedious and challenging for the couple. Frank passed away in 2017.
In all three cases, the businessman, retiree and student have received something of value, and have made deliberate choices to share it with others, par ticularly within their parish. Of course, it could have been different. The busi nessman could have taken an especially extravagant vacation. The woman could have done any number of things with her free time (couldn’t we all?). The young pianist could have used his talent to form a band or make a recording. And the truth is that they can still do all those things. But having received such wonderful gifts, their gratitude compels them to share a portion of them. After all, what do they lose by sharing what was already a gift to them from God?
The businessman, already somewhat financially successful, finds that the profit from the sale of rental property is unexpectedly large. For the first time, he feels an urge not to save it, but to share it. The next Sunday, even though he already con tributes to his parish, he puts a larger sum in the offertory basket. He also knows of a local charity that supports low-income mothers, and mails them a generous donation.
In his high school music class, a 10th-grader discovers an amazing talent to play piano. After encouragement from family and friends, he joins the ensemble at the Sunday morning Mass. He even volunteers to play at special functions at the parish when needed.
Queen of the Holy RosaryCatholic Church
STEWARDSHIP: What to do With a Windfall?
Abusinessman sells some property for a nice profit. A woman retires from a 20-year career at age 43. A high school student discovers he has an exceptional talent for playing the piano. What do they have in common?
After her retirement from the Air Force, a woman finds she has a large amount of time during the day. Her husband works full-time and her two children are in high school. She hears a quiet voice asking, “How can you give back for all that you have received?” She calls her pastor and explains that she has the time to play a significant role in a parish ministry. He asks her to re-invigorate their newcomer’s ministry and visit each new family, to which she happily agrees.
We’re all gifted and are called to share on a daily basis. But when the big blessings come, let’s pray for the grace to be even more generous than ever.
Each person has recently received a windfall — an unusually large gain of money, time, or talent. Now each must answer a question — what to do with this newfound gain?
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I am still in awe of the first line in the U.S. Bish ops’ pastoral letter, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, that boldly states: “Once one has decided to be a dis ciple of Jesus Christ, stewardship is not an option.” They were so convinced that the stewardship way of life is a disciple’s way of life. And yet, that is what we are and have always been. “If not stewards, then what?” remains a challenging statement to invite us to reflect on what our Catholic faith is calling us to experience and participate in for the time we are given on this earth. It challenges us to face our reflection in the mirror of this life given to us by God and see what our Lord sees in us, and then embrace the opportunities being handed to us each day of our lives. Blessings and chal lenges await us, and no matter what the balance may be from day to day, our God equips us with all we need. He created us and sees us as stewards. Why would we dare resist seeing ourselves in the way our God sees us? Connecting stewardship and disci pleship is inevitable in my book. For that matter, it is inevitable in the “Good Book,” which we identify and recognize as the Word of God. It matters to our God what we do with the gifts He so generously gives to each of us. Why would it not matter to us? I ask you to take some time to refocus, reevaluate and re-commit yourself to the faithfulness of the life, the time, the talent, and the treasure you have beenWegiven.arethe stewards of those precious gifts. What are we doing with them?
If Not Stewards, Then What Are We?
God’s goodness and the gifts given to each of us should not be taken for granted. Our lives should be moti vated by our gratitude for all we have, including every opportunity that gives glory and honor to God. Those opportunities are given at each moment of each day. Wait for them and expect them to become obvious. The idea of being a steward of those gifts and opportunities isn’t new to the realm of believers in the Old Testament or the New Testament. And certainly, the Gospels of Jesus Christ make it quite clear that our Lord views us to be the stewards He expects us to be. His stories and parables confirm it. So, if you cannot or will not see yourself as “that” steward He invites you to be, then what are you? I am curious about those who reject being that steward. I am even more curious about what they believe are the other options.
Sincerely yours in Christ, Fr. William Bruning Pastor
Dear Parishioners, A Letter From Our Pastor As a stewardship parish, it is important to ask how well we understand the message of stewardship that keeps surfacing in all we do in our personal life and the life of our parish. If not stewards, then what are we? If not disciples of Jesus Christ, then what purpose do we serve as members of His Holy Catholic Church? Aren’t these intriguing questions for any believer? And if not, why aren’t they?
I feel like my life is already too full, with family commitments and work obligations. I barely even have time to relax. How can I possibly share my time and talents with Queen of the Holy Rosary?
Don’t
4 Queen of the Holy RosaryCatholic Church
• Do I give a proportionate amount of my treasure to the weekly offertory?
A s a stewardship parish, we recognize that God is always calling us forward to share our gifts of time, talent, and treasure. Periodically, we need to re-exam ine the ways in which we’ answer this call, which is the reason for our Stewardship Renewal. Soon, you will be receiving your Stewardship Renewal packet in the mail. Enclosed in this packet is a brochure that will lead you through that self-examination. It is a time to ask how you can better use your time, talent, and treasure.
We all have many obligations to our families, jobs, schools, and other endeavors. But we also all have the same number of hours in the day with which to accomplish these things. The issue is not how much time we have, but how we prioritize that time. Before you fill out your Commitment Card, reflect on your priorities, and where God fits into your day-to-day life. Remember, living as true stewards of God’s gifts involves giving back the first fruits of what He has given to us in thanksgiving, not the “leftovers.”
Even if you end up continuing to participate in the exact same ministries as you have in the past, marking and turning in a Commitment Card means you have reviewed your present ministries and recommitted yourself to them. I’m not very active in the Church and feel like it may be too late to get involved. Why should I fill out a Commitment Card?
OUR ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP Examining How We Respond
• Do I make time for prayer? By myself and with my family?
It’s never too late to renew your faith life, and fill ing out a Commitment Card is a simple step through which you can immediately re-enter the life of the parish. Our parish community is not here to judge you but to welcome and nourish you in your faith journey.
I’m reluctant to make a financial pledge for the year in case my circumstances change and I’m unable to fulfill it.
I’m physically unable to attend Mass or be active in parish life at Queen of the Holy Rosary. Is there any reason for me to submit a Commitment Card?
Begin by checking the box that says, “Attend weekly Mass and Holy Days of Obligation,” and take some time to discern additional ways in which God is call ing you from that starting point.
• Are my talents at work in our parish actively building the Church?
Your Commitment Card is not a legally bind ing contract; it is a pledge of intentions. Make your pledge based on what you are setting out to do to give back to God, and do your best to fulfill that pledge. If your financial circumstances change, your gift will likely change, as well, but it is still import ant to prioritize God first. Nobody is going to send Commitment Weekend is October 29-30 . forget to bring your Commitment Card to Mass!
Of course! Your prayers are just as important to the success of our parish community in carrying out its mission as ministry participation and financial contributions. Take a moment to look over some of the opportunities to spend quiet time with God listed in the “Stewardship of Time” section of your Commitment Card, and take a step towards growing in your relationship with Christ and His Church.
I’ve expressed interest in a ministry in the past by filling out a Commitment Card, but nobody from the parish ever followed up with me about it. While we do our best to consistently follow up with everyone who has shown interest in the oppor tunities for ministry at Queen, we are human, and we sometimes fall short in our follow-up. If this has happened to you in the past, we sincerely apologize, and we encourage you to renew your interest in any activities in which you might like to participate by filling out a Commitment Card this year. Every year, we go into the renewal with every intention of making sure that everyone who has expressed interest is contacted with more information, and we will do so again this year.
the bill collector to your house if you can’t fulfill your pledge due to a change in your financial situation! But we’ve all got to start somewhere, and it’s important that we begin our commitment by writing down our goals for giving back of our gifts to God.
I don’t agree with everything that goes on in the Catholic church. I feel like when I fill out a Commitment Card, it condones the things I disagree with.
In filling out a Commitment Card, you are not making a pledge between yourself and the church; you are making a pledge between yourself and God. Disagreements occur in life. This is a part of being human, and we respect the opinions of each and every mem ber of our parish family. But it is of utmost importance that each of us fulfills our discipleship of Christ by growing in our relationship with Him and utilizing the gifts He has given us to carry out His mission on Earth, regardless of disagreements or misunderstandings. Beyond helping the parish, filling out a Commitment Card expresses a devotion to spiritual growth and a desire to grow closer to Christ. Every parish family receives a special “Stewardship Package” in the mail that further explains our parish’s vision of stewardship. It includes a booklet that describes every ministry in the parish, as well as your Commitment Card.
STEWARDSHIP RENEWAL
Respond to God’s Call
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Thanks to St. Luke — the author of this Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles — we have an awe-inspiring vision of each one of these events, as well as countless others. What is it about the persona of St. Luke that allows him such piercing insight into the mysteries of Christ?
St. Luke, a physician by profession, has been identified with St. Paul’s “Luke, the beloved physi cian” (Col. 4:14). He is known to have been a ten der-hearted disciple genuinely concerned for the poor. He also respected women in a special way. Some theologians even refer to his Gospel as the “Gospel of the Poor.” He is one of the most extensive and competent writers of the New Testament. Luke was born a Greek and Gentile. According to the early Church historian Eusebius, Luke was born at Antioch in Syria. He first appears in Scripture in the Acts at Troas, where he meets St. Paul and expe riences a revelation in a vision. He then crosses over with St. Paul to Europe as an evangelist, landing at Neapolis, “being assured that God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Acts 16:10). He then continued to faithfully serve God as an evangelist, bringing soul after soul towards the merciful heart of Christ, the newfound Messiah.
The Feast of St. Luke: Oct. 18 O n the Solemnity of the Annunciation, we read in the Gospel of Luke about the moment when the angel Gabriel reveals to the Blessed Virgin that she will soon bear the Messiah. As we continue reading the Gospel of Luke, we also encounter the beauty of Mary’s soul when she sings the Magnificat with heartfelt praise. This Gospel also contains the one magnificently detailed description of Christ’s birth in all of Sacred Scripture, as well as all three Gospel canticles used in Catholic liturgical prayer. Furthermore, St. Luke’s Gospel shows sensitivity to evan gelizing Gentiles. It is the only one of the four Gospels which includes the parable of the Good Samaritan — the account of Jesus praising the faith of Gentiles, such as the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian (Lk. 4:25-27), and that of the one grateful leper who is a Samaritan (Lk. 17:11-19).
St. Luke was, in all, a gifted disciple of Christ who is worthy of our imitation and invocation. As Catholics, we belong to a vibrant Church that is alive with Christ-centered celebrations and festivities. Each day of the liturgical year brings a new grace into our walk with Christ and yet another reason to rejoice. Let us not be shy to bring this inspiring spirit of festiv ity into our homes and share it with our families. The upcoming feast of St. Luke on Oct. 18 is a perfect place to begin.
Ecclesiastical historian Nicephorus Callistus called Luke a “painter,” and a gorgeous picture of the Virgin in Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, is ascribed to him.
Getting to Know St. Luke, the Beloved Physician
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Queen of the Holy RosaryCatholic Church
A FOR YOUNG MARRIED COUPLES TO
“We want our date nights to be an inviting place for couples to relax and share time together, listen to wis dom from other married couples, and develop a sense of community with one another,” Abbie says. “Keeping Christ at the center of your family is most important, and hearing/discussing with others on the practical ways to do that will help foster spiritual growth.”
Young couples gathered together for our First Seven Fellowship date night in August.
7 First Seven Fellowship:
PLACE
The First Seven Fellowship has planned monthly date nights for this fall, which started this past August and are held in the parish hall of Queen of the Holy Rosary. As this group is geared towards creating an environment of fellowship for the couples there will be a chance to talk, share, and pray with the other couples over drinks and dessert.
The First Seven Fellowship has planned monthly date nights for this fall, held in the basement hall of Queen of the Holy Rosary.
GATHER
If you are interested in joining the First Seven Fellowship, please reach out to Grace Trainor at grace@qhr-opks.org
IN FELLOWSHIP AND FAITH G etting m arried is a major life decision that comes with a lot of planning and preparation. It is a wonderful time when a couple spiritually pre pares to receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. However, it can often be difficult for a couple to stay plugged in with the parish ministries and activities in the years following their big day The early years of marriage are a time of transition and growth — both for the couple and often for their family as they bring little ones into the family. This can sometimes make it difficult to stay involved and focused on the Queenfaith.of the Holy Rosary has seen this need for young married couples to connect and grow in faith with one another and has begun hosting a program called First Seven Fellowship. This is a group for couples in their first seven years of marriage. Any couple who attends Queen of the Holy Rosary or St. Pius X is welcome to join. “Our goals are for married couples to make connec tions and develop a place to walk with one another, div ing deeper into what our faith tells us about the gift of marriage,” says Abbie Hughes, one of the organizers of this new program.
At RCIA, Virginia most enjoyed Fr. Bill’s teaching and how he presented the topics. She also enjoyed getting to know her classmates. “I was full of questions and curiosity, and trying to fill the gaps from all those years,” she says. The sign outside of Queen led Virginia to finally take the leap to start RCIA classes. She knows that was a sign from the Holy Spirit. “This is a wonderful parish,” she says. “The people are so nice and so friendly and so welcoming.” Virginia attended RCIA for several years after she was done, until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also served as a Confirmation sponsor. Virginia knows Frank is smiling down on her through her conversion to Catholicism. “Today’s world is in such a pitiful mess,” she says. “It’s a downer. Everything that is emphasized in society is evil and sinful. The Church brings beauty back into life.” Overall, Virginia is so glad to have her Catholic faith. She knows it will get her through all the trials of this life. Virginia says that becoming Catholic has given her a new take on life and has changed her whole disposition. She has loved learning more about the saints, citing her two favorites as St. Francis de Sales, which happens to be the name of the church she attended in Paducah, and St. André Bessette.
Catholic Church WEEKEND MASS
DAILY MASS Monday - Friday: 8:15 a.m.| First Saturday: 8:15 a.m.
“God is good all the time,” Virginia says. “I loved every minute of it. When I was confirmed, I was ecstatic. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I was finally doing what I had wanted to do all along.”
Saturday: 4:00 p.m. | Sunday: 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.
Meet Virginia Meeker continued from front cover
Queen of the Holy Rosary
7023 W. 71st Street Overland Park, Kansas 66204 (913) 432-4616 | www.queenoftheholyrosary.org
— VIRGINIA MEEKER
