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A NEW YEAR MEANS NEW OPPORTUNITIES For Growth and Engagement in Our Faith Community
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new year is always full of opportunities, offering us valuable chances to reset and get our priorities back in line. Here at St. Leo’s, we are blessed with so many options in 2022 to reset our prayer and faith lives. The past two years have brought so much despair, suffering, and interruptions. Like all of us, Fr. Don Buhrman looks forward to a new year — a time to start fresh. According to the Liturgical Year, the new year started last month, and Jan. 1 is a new calendar year. So, we should all take this as an opportunity to get our priorities in check. This fall, there were opportunities each week to watch the first season of the series The Chosen, which explores the life of Jesus. On Wednesdays at 9:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 9:15 a.m., all adults are welcome to watch season two of the series. Part of the viewing session also includes time for discussion. Men should consider attending Brothers in Christ. This is an excellent opportunity to grow in faith with other men. On Friday mornings beginning at 5:30 a.m., men gather for breakfast with the meeting from 6 to 7 a.m. “Both of these are great opportunities to grow in faith,” Fr. Don says. continued on page 5
JANUARY 2022
2 Stewardship: New Year’s Resolutions 3
Start 2022 with a Clean Spiritual Slate
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The March for Life: Gathering to Uphold the Sanctity of all Life
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The Feast of the Epiphany Celebrating the Revelation of God to Mankind
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Meet Mike and Carrie Keene: Getting Involved and Serving the Lord
STEWARDSHIP:
New Year’s Resolutions T
he New Year has arrived, and we have all been busy making — and trying to keep — our list of New Year’s resolutions. Many of us choose resolutions geared toward health and fitness. After all, possessing good overall health is critical to our well-being. Others may try to avoid a particularly bad habit. Maybe you need to quit smoking or stop swearing. Still, many of us plan things we have always wanted to do, but never get around to doing. As the days of January continue onward, however, many of us find the inspiration of keeping our good-intentioned resolutions to be fading fast. By the end of the month, most of us have given in to our temptations and returned to our old ways. We are only human, right? Discouraged by this yearly failure, many of us don’t even bother making New Year’s resolutions anymore, especially if we feel like we won’t succeed. Maybe our failures lie in both how we make our resolutions and what resolutions we actually choose. What we need to understand is the “root” of our resolution. For example, if you resolve to eat less candy to drop those recently added holiday pounds, is the “root” of your resolution a selfish one — wanting to look better since you overindulged? Or, are you genuinely seeking to stop giving in to each “sweet tooth” craving by practicing mortification — giving up of a personal pleasure to glorify God? If the “root” is a selfish one, only to benefit yourself, then it is often
difficult to keep in the long run. However, if we are trying to glorify God, our mission is much more important and worth keeping. Tying your New Year’s resolutions into the principles of stewardship — giving of your time, talent and treasure back to God — is a great way to ensure that the “root” of your resolution is right on track! For instance, resolving to pray each evening before going to bed glorifies God, brings you peace before slumber, and allows you to grow in your relationship with Christ. The “root” is pure. Your desire to keep it will be stronger and make it easier for you to keep. In the same way, resolving to return your talents to God by helping others in need is an excellent choice in creating a selfless resolution with the right “root.” Furthermore, resolving to re-evaluate your finances is also extremely important, and the beginning of a new year is a great time to do it. Are you giving back to God out of gratitude for all He has given you? Or are you merely dropping a dollar or two in the collection basket just to feel good about yourself? If you are not where you would like to be as a good steward — either with sharing your time, talent or treasure — you can resolve to do better. The New Year is a perfect opportunity to start anew and become the good steward that God desires each of us to become. And when we choose selfless things that build His kingdom instead of ours, we are sure to not only stay on track, but to succeed!
Tying your New Year’s resolutions into the principles of stewardship — giving of your time, talent and treasure back to God — is a great way to ensure that the “root” of your resolution is right on track!
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A Letter From Our Pastor
START 2022 WITH A CLEAN SPIRITUAL SLATE Dear Parishioners,
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e were all taught in school that the month of January gets its name from Janus, the ancient Roman god of doors and gates. His image was always carved or painted with two faces, one looking forward and the other backward. This reflected, of course, that you can go either out a door or in through one. From this very specific function, his role was generalized to include all beginnings and new endeavors. Because of Janus’ place in the Roman pantheon, it seemed natural to the Romans to name the first month of the civil year after him. (The Church year began back with the First Sunday of Advent, you’ll remember.) And although we no longer worship the pagan gods of the ancient Romans, the name has stuck down the centuries. But we’re not immune to the human instinct that moved the Romans to name the first month after Janus. His double countenance, facing forward and backward, reflects how we approach the coming of each new year. The last week of the old year finds the newspapers and TV programs giving a glance back at the past year (“the 10 best, or worst, movies of…” and such) along with predictions of what the new year will bring. My personal favorite is always “the 10 worst predictions” for the year just ending. Just as the secular world does — Janus-like — we both look back at our own successes and failures, happy events, and sad ones, during the year just ending, and forward to the new year as we prepare our resolutions.
When we reflect back on the blessings we’ve received, our hearts should be filled with gratitude — and blessings there have been, no matter how difficult the year has been. But for most of us, there have been failures and failings, too. That calls for repentance, and perhaps a trip to the confessional — but God, who makes “all things new” (Rv 21:5), will then give us a clean spiritual slate with which we may begin the new year. I’d also like to challenge you to include your grateful response to God as you make your resolutions for the new year. You don’t have to wait until you fill out a commitment card to decide this is the year when you’re actually going to attend Mass once a week in addition to Sunday (or begin worshiping every Sunday if you haven’t been doing so) or to pray the Rosary every week or to begin regular prayers with your family. Include in your resolutions how you are going to get involved in some ministry in the parish or some service to the community, and then do so. Decide to become more faithful in your financial stewardship if your treasure commitment is less than it should be. Look forward to the new year and bring Christ and His Church to the center of your resolutions. Then see what a good year it will be, with God at the center! Have a happy, and holy, New Year. Sincerely yours in Christ, Rev. Donald A. Buhrman, Pastor 3
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THE MARCH Gathering to Uphold t
an. 22 will mark the 49th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade court decision legalizing abortion in our country. As Catholics, reverencing all life as a gift from God and all humans as made in the image and likeness of God, this is a somber day and it should remind us that our work is far from over. Hope is found, however, in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. As they have done every year since the Roe v. Wade case, Catholics from all over the country gather in union with other Christians and non-Christians in peaceful protest. Many of those who gather are young people, representing the growing pro-life generation. “There’s real truth to this being a pro-life generation,” says Eric Heckman, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Grand Island. “Young people see the need for justice and fairness, including when it comes to abortion. A growing number of young people see a lack of justice for the unborn child.” Eric is taking a contingent of young people from the Diocese of Grand Island, including St. Leo’s, to the March for Life in collaboration with the Diocese of Lincoln. The young people will begin their trip on Jan. 18, taking buses to Washington, D.C. The trip, a pilgrimage in many respects, includes the opportunity to sightsee in the capital and to visit the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The main event will be the march itself when hundreds of
thousands will take to the streets of Washington, D.C. to pray together and stand as witness to the sanctity of life. “This is an opportunity for young people to see the pro-life movement in action,” Eric says. “This is the kind of experience that sticks with you.” Though not everyone is able to attend, all of us are encouraged to be spiritually present and to pray in solidarity with those at the March for Life. Families and parish groups can set aside time to attend Mass or to pray a Rosary for an end to abortion and for the respect of all life, from conception to natural death. Pray for those attending the march, that their witness will change hearts, and pray for those whose hearts are hardened to the evil of abortion. There are many ways that we are called to defend the sanctity of life in our day-to-day lives. Through persistent prayer and tireless action, we are all called to be loving witnesses to the inherent dignity and value that all humans have. The March for Life may only come once each year — and each year we hope that it will be the last time — but it is an important wake-up call for those who have been numbed to the sad reality of abortion in our country. “Being part of the march allows you to see the passion that’s behind protecting the unborn,” Eric says. Let us unite in prayer on Jan. 22, 2022, and pray for an end to abortion!
“There’s real truth to this being a pro-life generation. Young people see the need for justice and fairness, including when it comes to abortion. A growing number of young people see a lack of justice for the unborn child.” — Eric Heckman, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Grand Island 4
H FOR LIFE: the Sanctity of all Life T
he current generation of young people is remarkably Pro-Life in the midst of a culture that strongly ignores the dignity of every person. It is important for us as a church to support these young people that many call the “Pro-Life Generation.” The March for Life is such an important event for our young people to take part in. Although it commemorates a tragic day in our country’s history, it demonstrates the unity and importance of the Pro-Life movement. The Diocese of Grand Island is coordinating a high school trip to the March for Life this year in conjunction with the Diocese of Lincoln. Our diocese has 12-16 spots available for youth from our parishes and schools. If you have high school students that may be interested in attending this year’s march, please direct them to the following website for information — www.gidiocese.org/march-for-life. The Diocesan Youth Office, in conjunction with the Pro-Life Office, is able to assist in making this trip affordable to the participants. Youth could attend for as little as $200. Please reach out to Eric Heckman with any questions you may have regarding the trip at 308-382-6565 or eheckman@didiocese.org.
A NEW YEAR MEANS NEW OPPORTUNITIES “Just because you are an adult doesn’t mean you should stop learning more about the faith.” In turn, we need to be continually growing in faith — and we can follow the example of our parish youth who attend weekly Faith Formation classes. Fr. Don says we also just need to take a little time to evaluate our lives as we enter the new year. “A lot of times in December and January, people evaluate their waistlines,” Fr. Don says. “It’s also a great time to evaluate the past year and see how your relationship with God did or didn’t grow. Let’s ask ourselves, ‘How can I nurture my relationship with God through prayer and the sacraments, and receive the graces to grow in holiness?’” When church doors were shuttered at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mass was cele-
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brated via livestream. This was a great alternative at the time and continues to serve a purpose for the sick or immunocompromised. Fr. Don would like to invite everyone else back to in-person Mass. The church is regularly sanitized, and it is a very safe environment. Returning to in-person Mass will allow you to receive the Holy Eucharist once again. “If you want to return, we have a seat for you,” Fr. Don says. “If you’ve been away, make a commitment to come back. The new year is a great time for that.” Overall, Fr. Don asks us all to find ways to enhance our relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Make 2022 your year to grow in faith! We welcome you to get more involved at St. Leo’s.
“A lot of times in December and January, people evaluate their waistlines. It’s also a great time to evaluate the past year and see how your relationship with God did or didn’t grow.” — FR. DON BUHRMAN 5
THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY
Celebrating the Revelation of God to Mankind
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hile “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is one of the most popular and widely recorded Christmas carols in America and Europe, its lyrics are rarely recognized as referring to the 12 days that stretch from Christmas Day on Dec. 25 until the glorious Feast of the Epiphany. For centuries, we as Catholics celebrated this feast as the commemoration of the coming of the Magi on Jan. 6, but the decision was made a number of years ago (at least in the United States) to celebrate Epiphany on the Sunday that falls between Jan. 2 and Jan. 8. The Feast of the Epiphany, which originated in the Eastern Church, marks the end of the Christmas season and is intended to celebrate the revelation of God to mankind in human form through the person of Jesus. The word “epiphany” is taken from a Greek word meaning “appearance” or “manifestation,” and finds its earliest reference as a Christian feast in the fourth century. But exactly which “manifestation” of Christ Jesus do we recognize on the Feast of the Epiphany? These three men, traditionally named Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, travel in haste towards the Christ Child and remain an undying testimony to the long pilgrimage of peoples in
search of salvation. On the Feast of the Epiphany in 2007, Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged that this celebration elucidates not only man’s pilgrimage towards God, but also God’s pilgrimage towards man in the person of Jesus Christ. He spoke of the glorious incarnation with these words: “It was out of love that He made Himself history in our history.” On the Feast of the Epiphany, therefore, we come to realize that we are all on a pilgrimage towards Christ, the source of salvation. This pilgrimage is unique to each and every man, but results in a universal and dynamic experience — a constant “growing closer” between God and man. It is for this opportunity that we rejoice! In the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “Happy are those who, while possessing the truth, search more earnestly for it in order to renew it, deepen it and transmit it to others. Happy also are those who, not having found it, are working toward it with a sincere heart. May they seek the light of tomorrow with the light of today until they reach the fullness of light.” Now when asked: “What occurs on the 12th day of Christmas?” we can respond with joyful certitude: “Epiphany!”
On the Feast of the Epiphany, we come to realize that we are all on a pilgrimage towards Christ, the source of salvation. This pilgrimage is unique to each and every man, but results in a universal and dynamic experience — a constant “growing closer” between God and man. It is for this opportunity that we rejoice! 6
MEET
MIKE AND CARRIE KEENE: Getting Involved and Serving the Lord G
etting involved and volunteering looks different for everyone. All of us have gifts that can be used to make our parish, community, and local schools better places. Maybe, you have a strong singing voice or you love to clean. Whatever the gift, it takes all of them to get the work done at St. Leo’s. Mike Keene uses his talents on the Grand Island Rural Fire Department. He also coached sports for many years. His wife, Carrie, taught elementary Religious Education for many years and currently volunteers with Empower Youth for sixth to 10thgrade youth. Mike knows that when we use our gifts, the Lord is proud of us. He likens this to the feeling he has when he sees the couple’s children use their gifts for something good. “I know how the Lord must feel because I have that same feeling as a father,” he says. Mike has been a member at St. Leo’s since he was a child, and Carrie joined when the couple was married 20 years ago. They have four children — Eli, 12; Trevyn, 17; Mikaela, 25 and Kyle, 28. Being involved and helping out comes naturally to Mike and Carrie. “I want to lead by example for our kids,” Carrie says. “I want them to see I am connected to the parish. This is a way to teach about the faith outside our home.” Carrie grew up attending St. Joseph’s Parish in Elba, and she had also been involved in teaching religious education in Elba. Carrie’s mother, Tamy Morrow, also set an example of the stewardship of time because she served as the Director of Religious Education at St. Joseph’s. Having grown up in such a small community, Carrie was concerned that when she joined St. Leo’s, she wouldn’t find the close relationships she had at St. Joseph’s. In particular, she hoped that she wasn’t joining a par-
Mike and Carrie Keene with two of their sons, Trevyn and Eli
ish where people just came to Mass and went home. She was happy and relieved to find that was most certainly not the case at St. Leo’s! “Right away when I joined, someone contacted me to see how I wanted to get involved,” she says. “I felt right at home.” Stewardship is important to both Mike and Carrie. They teach their children that their gifts should be used in gratitude. “We teach them to recognize that God made us each with unique talents,” Carrie says. “We continued on back cover
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MIKE AND CARRIE KEENE want them to know that all gifts are from the Lord. Even the talents to play basketball are from the Lord. You need to use that talent in His name.” Mike and Carrie keep busy outside of their volunteer activities with full-time jobs. Mike is a Team Lead at Case New Holland in the Fabrication Department. Carrie works for the State of Nebraska Department of Labor as a Workforce Coordinator. In their free time, they love to be outside. They can also be found following their kids’ school activities, whether in a gymnasium or auditorium.
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“We love to be outside in the fresh air,” Carrie says. “We love to hike, hunt, kayak, camp, and find a dirt road to explore.” As their children grow, Mike and Carrie hope to continue to instill the faith. Carrie also wants to set a positive example for the youth who attend Empower Youth. “We don’t want them to see God as an authority — we want to see Him as family,” she says. “Jesus is with us all the time, and we are never really alone. We can always call on that friendship with Him.”
“We don’t want them to see God as an authority — we want to see Him as family. Jesus is with us all the time, and we are never really alone. We can always call on that friendship with Him.” — CARRIE KEENE
LITURGY SCHEDULE Daily Mass: 9 a.m., Saturday: 5 p.m., Sunday: 8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Confession: Saturday 4 - 4:30 p.m. Adoration: First Friday of the Month, 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Abide Adoration: Fourth Sunday of the Month, 7 - 8 p.m.