april/may 2025
kcsjcatholic.org
HopeTHROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Jubilee Year 2025 National Pilgrimage Sites
Bishop James Johnston has named three jubilee pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. Catholic faithful who visit at least one as part of a pious pilgrimage will be able to obtain the Jubilee Indulgence granted by the Holy Father under the usual conditions.
37174 State Hwy VV, Conception, MO 64433 conceptionabbey.org guests@conception.edu | (660) 944-3100
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception 416 W 12th St, Kansas City, MO 64105 kcgolddome.org Mandy Brown | mbrown@kcgolddome.org | (816) 842-0416 x113
Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph 519 N 10th St, St Joseph, MO 64501 cathedralsj.org Elenore Cobb | ecobb@cathedralsj.org | (816) 232-7763
The magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
April/May 2025 VOL. 5 | ISSUE 3
Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. PUBLISHER
Ashlie Hand EDITOR
Janna Stellwag GRAPHIC DESIGNER
To submit story ideas and news, send emails to hand@diocesekcsj.org
Catholic Key (ISSN 2769-2353, USPS 024-190) is a membership publication of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, published bimonthly (Feb/ Mar, Apr/May, Jun/Jul, Aug/Sep, Oct/Nov, Dec/Jan) by the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, The Catholic Center, 20 W. Ninth St., Kansas City, MO 64105. Periodicals Postage Paid at Kansas City, MO and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Catholic Key, The Catholic Center, 20 W. Ninth St., Kansas City, MO 64105. ©2024 Catholic Key, Diocese of Kansas CitySt. Joseph.
ON THE COVER:
Michael and Anna Comacho took divine inspiration from Saint Joseph to create Corda Candles, a company featuring candle scents that can communicate the story of the saint’s lives. Photo by Christina Paoletti.
Ashlie Hand leads the Office of Communications for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
12
COVER STORY
Jubilee of Entrepreneurs | Karen Ridder
This spring, as a part of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope, a Jubilee of Entrepreneurs will ask business owners, creators and sustainers to consider how they maintain the Faith in their work. With a strong legacy of entrepreneurship in the Kansas City and St. Joseph communities, we spoke to three local entrepreneurs about their Catholic Faith and how it drives the values on which they have built their ventures.
4
On the Way | Belief in the Resurrection | Bishop James Johnston
The promise of our resurrection is the primary reason for our hope, and without the fact of the bodily resurrection of Jesus, everything collapses.
6
Ordination: Relying on and surrendering to God’s will | Marty Denzer
Deacon Ethan Osborn is scheduled to be ordained a priest on May 24, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City.
Karen Ridder is a Catholic journalist, wife and mother of four in Liberty, Missouri.
8
House of God | St. James, Liberty | Ashlie Hand and Michael Hogan
Building on a legacy that began in 1837, St. James Parish in Liberty dedicated a new church on Oct. 19, 2019, the result of a decade-long commitment made possible through the generosity, hard work and devotion of many good and faithful stewards.
10
Devotion to Saint Carlo Acutis | Sara Kraft
High school senior Amy Pham is still wrapping her head around the fact that Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, is being canonized April 27 in Rome during the Jubilee of Teenagers.
18
Ministry spotlight | Safe Environment coordinators | Sara Kraft
As a Safe Environment coordinator, Elenor Cobb understands how important it is to “make sure the kids are in the best environment for safety and growth, and that they feel secure.”
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To Serve and Lift | People to be loved | Jody Breuer
Through the strength of community and the kindness of strangers, Catholic Charities extends a hand to stabilize lives, restore dignity and offer hope.
23
Contemplate and pray in Divine Mercy Park | Marty Denzer
Visitors to Divine Mercy Park at 3700 N. Davidson Road are welcome to walk, fish, pray and relax, all under the tranquil gaze of the Divine Mercy statue.
Allison Vrooman is the communications specialist for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
28
Scribbles to sacred art | Allison Vrooman
Sarah Barton, a 16-year-old selftaught artist in the Independence area, has been developing her talent and in turn uses it to glorify God.
30 Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs parishes turn to new growth strategy | Allison Vrooman
Following a strategic study of parishes and schools in Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs, new collaboration opportunities are emerging as all look to a strong future of growth, faith formation and community impact.
33 Volunteer spotlight | Madonna and Richard Pope, St. Gregory Barbarigo Parish | Sara Kraft
From caring for the parish votive candles to woodworking, Madonna and Richard Pope call their volunteer work an extension of their daily prayer.
34 New leadership, renewed commitment | Allison Vrooman
Destiny Jackson joined the diocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection in November 2024 with a deep commitment to social justice and a devotion to ensuring protection and care for all children.
En Español
25
Abrazando la Compasión por Nuestros Líderes y Nuestra Nación | Por Leyden Rovelo-Krull
26
En el Camino | Por Obispo Johnston
Marty Denzer is a long-time writer in residence for the Catholic Key.
Sara Kraft is a freelance writer in St. Joseph, Missouri.
in the Resurrection
By Bishop James Johnston, Jr.
Among the tenets of the Christian faith which are unique is the belief in the resurrection of the body. The Creed, or as it is sometimes called, the Profession of Faith, which summarizes the essentials of Christian belief concludes, as if it were a capstone, with these words: “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” These words take on special significance at Easter and during the Easter season when we hear the Gospel good news of Jesus’ resurrection and his appearances over the days between Easter and Ascension.
As evidence that God has planted a seed of eternity in human beings, most people (including non-Christians) intuitively rebel against the notion that at the end of earthly life, we are just annihilated, extinct, and forever gone. The Christian faith in the Resurrection is unique: It holds that one’s life in this world is in direct continuity with one’s life after death in that both body and soul will rise; it also holds that all the dead will rise. The promise of our resurrection is the primary reason for our hope, and without the fact of the bodily resurrection of Jesus, everything collapses.
As Saint Paul put it in his letter to the Corinthians: “How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. … But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Cor 15:12-14, 20)
And yet the resurrection of the body is one of the aspects of our faith which is beyond our capacity to fully understand. We have much in common with the Apostle Thomas, who was missing on that first Easter day when Jesus appeared to the others following his resurrection. Thomas had to be helped by Jesus, who allowed Thomas to see and touch the wounds of the crucifixion. It is primarily from these first eyewitness accounts that the Church’s teaching on the resurrection is drawn and we are affirmed in our belief.
Christ’s resurrection and ours
As Catholics, we believe that our own bodies will rise on the last day, too. Scripture says that all the dead will rise, but there will be two outcomes:
From the Bishop
“Those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.” (Jn 5:29; see also Dan 12:2) And like Jesus’ resurrected body, our resurrected bodies will have a connection to the mortal bodies we live in now but will be made spiritual like his when they rise. (Phil 3:21; 1 Cor 15:44)
While this exceeds our understanding, we know that our resurrection is directly tied to Jesus’ resurrection, which is why when we celebrate his resurrection, we also anticipate our own. The essential thing that ties us to Jesus and his resurrection is baptism. Through this first and most important sacrament we are united to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Again, Saint Paul explains: “And you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead … If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Col 2:12; 3:1)
This means that not only do we look forward to the resurrection on the last day, but even now we participate in the life of the risen Christ. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church beautifully summarizes, “this life remains ‘hidden with Christ in God.’ The Father has already ‘raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.’” Nourished with his body in the Eucharist, we already belong to the Body of Christ. When we rise on the last day we ‘also will appear with him in glory.’” (CCC 1003; Col 3:3, cf. Phil 3:20, Eph 2:6, Col 3:4)
It is solely due to the resurrection of Jesus that we can truly exclaim, Happy Easter!
Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. is the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
Relying on and surrendering to God’s will DEACON ETHAN OSBORN NEARS PRIESTLY ORDINATION
By Marty Denzer | photo by Christy Gruenbaum
Deacon Ethan Osborn (kneeling) receives the Book of the Gospels from Bishop James Johnston during his ordination to the transitional diaconate in 2024.
DEACON ETHAN OSBORN GREW UP ATTENDING THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN MAYSVILLE WITH HIS PARENTS AND SISTER, BEFORE CONVERTING TO CATHOLICISM IN 2012. HE WAS STUDYING PHARMACOLOGY AT UMKC AT THE TIME.
After completing his doctorate in pharmacology, he worked four years as a hospital pharmacist, and began seriously discerning the priesthood. He entered the seminary in 2018.
His journey toward the priesthood is nearing completion as he anticipates his priestly ordination in a few months.
In an April 2024 Catholic Key magazine article about Deacon Osborn, he said he hoped to be a priest relying on God’s will. He recently expanded his thoughts,
saying, “I realize now that there’s a very good chance that God will call me to many things as a priest that I might not have chosen if it were up to me. Maybe that’s because, as humans, we gravitate toward what we think we’ll be good at or what we enjoy. But God sees more. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and his plans are far greater and better for us than anything we can comprehend.”
He added that, while in seminary, he was often reminded that
‘God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips those he calls.’
He recalled a story told by a seminary professor about Blessed Solanus Casey, an American Capuchin priest. “Solanus Casey … was a very holy and humble man, so much so that his holiness and humility got on the nerves of his brother priests and … bishop at times. … Once his bishop asked him to go to the most undesirable parish in the diocese. Solanus
asked, ‘Will God be there?’ … The bishop rolled his eyes and said exasperatedly, ‘Yes, Solanus, God will be there.’ The priest simply responded, ‘Then I’ll go.’ His simple faith in the goodness and fidelity of God is such an inspiration to me as I prepare to enter this wonderful life as a priest!”
In last April’s magazine article, Deacon Osborn mentioned that John 15:15-16 was his favorite verse in Holy Scripture. As ordination approaches, he said he finds himself “praying more with John 15:5, ‘I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.’”
His then-favorite prayer, the Surrender Novena of the Sacred Heart, is still loved and Deacon Osborn said he finds himself praying it more and more. “God knows what he is doing. I would much rather depend on Him than on myself.”
Deacon Osborn is scheduled to be ordained a priest at 10 a.m. on May 24, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City.
A 2025 report on “The State of Priestly Vocations in the United States,” published by the Vocation Ministry organization, listed 16 small and medium-sized dioceses which defied a downward vocation trend in the U.S. over the past decade. Where a score of 100% meant that a diocese ordained enough priests to maintain clergy levels, the report presented the 16 dioceses producing priests above what they required for replacement rate, indicating growth over the decade. Kansas City-St. Joseph ranked in the top five with 150% growth rate. The Pillar, 1.29.25
Do you believe in the Resurrection?
By Marc Cardaronella
The Resurrection of Jesus must be the most doubted claim in Christianity because of all the ink spilled proclaiming it’s true. All four Gospels insist it happened, and the New Testament writers repeatedly point back to it.
(Acts 1:22, 2:14–36, 3:11–26, 10:34–43; Rom 10:9; 1 Cor 12:3; Eph 5:14; 1 Tim 3:16) This also points to its importance. It’s not a side note — it’s the heart of everything.
From the beginning, there were doubts. Many of the eyewitnesses struggled to believe their own eyes. The Catechism (644) says, “Even when faced with the reality of the risen Jesus, the disciples are still doubtful, so impossible did the thing seem: They thought they were seeing a ghost.”
The early Christians must
have wrestled with this, as well, because Saint Paul worked hard to defend it. However, Paul makes it clear: the resurrection of Jesus is crucial. “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Cor 15:14) No Resurrection? No Christianity. Simple as that.
Historians have tried to dis -
prove the Resurrection. Maybe it was a hoax, mass emotional hysteria, a hopeful vision or merely a symbol. Maybe Jesus never really died.
However, based on the apostles' foundation as the primary witnesses of the Resurrection and the testimony of many others (Paul speaks of Jesus appearing to 500 on one occasion), the first Christian community knew this had to be a historical fact and taught it that way. Today, credible scholars agree that the alternative theories of certain historians that deny the Resurrection fail to account for what happened on Easter Sunday or its lasting impact on Christian history.
catechism corner
Marc Cardaronella is the director of the Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation.
"Therefore, the hypothesis that the Resurrection was produced by the apostles’ faith (or credulity) will not hold up. On the contrary, their faith in the resurrection was born, under the action of divine grace, from their direct experience of the reality of the risen Jesus." (CCC 644)
This emphasizes the essence of belief in the Resurrection: It is a supernatural work of grace. The apostles continued to preach it despite doubt and persecution because the Holy Spirit worked in them to understand its validity and vital importance.
And it’s the same for us. We believe even though we haven’t seen. Why? Because the Church tells us? Partially. But we believe because we live in the Spirit — the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, the same Spirit given to us in Baptism, poured out in the Eucharist. The Holy Spirit confirms the truth in our hearts.
The Resurrection isn’t just a nice story — it’s a supernatural reality. And it’s not just about Jesus — it’s about our redemption. Without it, Christianity collapses. With it, everything changes. Because the Resurrection tells us what’s coming, Jesus’ risen body previews our future. At the end of time, we’ll be raised, body and soul, in glory. No more pain. No more suffering. No more death. Too good to be true? Maybe that’s why it’s been hard to believe all this time. But it is true. And that’s why it matters. This is the Gospel!
House of God
St. James Parish, Liberty
By Ashlie Hand and Michael Hogan
With roots established in 1837, St. James Parish in Liberty dedicated a new church on Oct. 19, 2019. The new St. James Catholic Church rises from the high point of its site, with its cross visible to the Liberty community.
Through the narthex’s double doors lies the nave, an expansive, 1,200-person worship space topped by a delicate lattice of glulam trusses and solid wood decking. Fourteen-foot-tall stained-glass windows glow blue and green in the easterly morning sun. Description courtesy of SFS Architecture.
The Stations of the Cross are the original set from the first St. James Church on Water Street in downtown Liberty. They have been reframed in blond wood to complement the rest of the new church’s features.
The Transfiguration of our Lord is painted in a style influenced by the Beuronese School. Among many other symbols, the artist included the three churches of St. James Parish, Liberty in this detail.
A signature and recognizable feature of the church is this handpainted sacred art mural by Ruth Stricklin of New Jerusalem Studios in Phoenix, Arizona. It is 33’2” x 14’7” and was created in three pieces. The depiction of the Transfiguration is painted on lightweight muslin/ canvas using acrylic paint and embellished with 24-karat gold leaf. Read a full description of the symbolism at catholickey.org.
The ambo features six panels symbolic of the dynamic Word of God, active and effective throughout salvation history.
Pictured is the Book of the Gospels and a representation of the culmination of God’s revelation in history.
The verse in Latin is “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” from John’s Gospel.
Lemurian Blue and white
the center
of the
The first, third and fifth medallions are based on the floor plan of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain, the burial place of Saint James the Greater, the apostle and parish’s patron saint. The remaining three medallions feature common symbols of our Faith.
Six
granite medallions line
aisle
church.
The very first feature visitors encounter upon entering the nave is the baptismal font and its soothing sound of flowing water. The scallop shell of Lemurian Blue granite is a symbol of Saint James the Greater and is commonly used when pouring water over the heads of those being baptised.
Canonization of Saint Carlo Acutis
The first millennial saint
By Sara Kraft
“The first time I really started to learn about and love Carlo Acutis,” recalls high school senior Amy Pham, “I was 15.” She bought a book about Carlo Acutis that looked interesting. “I fell completely in love with his character and holiness.” Amy is a parishioner at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Gladstone and will study computer engineering next year.
Carlo Acutis will be canonized on Sunday, April 27 in St. Peter’s Square in Rome during the Jubilee of Teen agers. “I am still wrapping my head around the fact he is getting canonized,” Amy adds.
Carlo was born in 1991 and died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15. He loved computer programming and is most famous for his website categorizing Eucharistic miracles of the world. Over a period of two and a half years, Carlo documented 187 Eucharistic miracles while visiting 17 countries with his family. Eucharistic miracles are extraordinary happenings which are meant to confirm faith in the real presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. Carlo believed that a greater awareness of Eucharistic
Bishop James Johnston blesses the relic of Bl. Carlo Acutis prior to installation at the Cathedral of St. Joseph on July 1, 2023. Photo by Dcn. Joshua Fultz.
Amy Pham attends St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Gladstone. Photo by Michael Hogan.
miracles would inspire a greater love for the Blessed Sacrament and a deeper love of Christ.
In his journey to sainthood, Carlo emphasized five spiritual practices, as documented in the book Blessed Carlo Acutis by Msgr. Anthony Figueiredo. First, Carlo frequently received the Eucharist.
“His frequent reception of daily Communion inspired me in the way I receive Holy Communion,” explains Amy. Amy recalls attending daily Mass often while growing up, noting it became easy for reception of Holy Communion to become routine. Carlo attended daily Mass when possible, bringing his family. He believed the Eucharist really and truly was Jesus. “Carlo never lost his fervor for the Eucharist, and that really inspires me,” states Amy.
Second, he attended Eucharistic adoration as often as possible. Amy’s favorite Carlo quote is “The Eucharist is the highway to heaven.”
Third, Carlo sought out a spiritual guide and received the sacrament of Confession regularly. Fourth, Carlo was devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints. Finally, he had charity and would befriend everyone and help those less fortunate. “I
pray to Carlo at least three times a week. I talk to him conversationally, and take his example and apply it to my daily life,” stated Amy. “I really appreciate his devotion to Our Lady. He led his parents to reinvigoration of their faith. He actually influenced other people around him.”
Perhaps most moving, however, is Carlo’s relatability in real life. He was down to earth and lived as a typical teenager would. He enjoyed playing video games, but he limited it to one hour a week. Carlo was buried in blue jeans and Nikes.
The road to canonization is a lengthy process. First, a request for canonization is submitted and the individual is named a Servant of God. Next, an individual is called Venerable after the cause has been opened and a formal determination has been reached by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. In order to become a Blessed, a miracle must occur brought about by the intercession of the individual. Finally, after beatification, a second miracle is required to be canonized. After verification by the committee, the pope makes the final decision on canonization.
Carlo has two miracles attributed to his intercession. In Brazil, a young boy who suffered from a birth defect was miraculously healed after asking for Carlo’s intercession. Additionally, a university student suffered severe head trauma after falling from her bicycle. After her mother prayed at Carlo’s tomb, her road to recovery began.
A RELIC OF CARLO ACUTIS is displayed in the rear of the Cathedral of St. Joseph near the Sacred Heart statue. The Co-Cathedral is one of three sites in our diocese designated as a Jubilee Year 2025 National Pilgrimage Site. Prayer cards are available both for Carlo’s canonization and the Jubilee National Pilgrimage Site. The Cathedral is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Nicola Gori/CNA
Illustration by Matt Watters
HopeTHROUGH
By Karen Ridder
This spring, as a part of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope, a Jubilee of Entrepreneurs May 4 - 5 will ask business owners, creators and sustainers to consider how they maintain the Faith in their work.
It’s a question familiar to local Catholic business owners. Whether they are running a start-up to create a new product, a family company operating into the third generation, or a business used primarily to teach, the goal to be faithful must be chosen daily.
Corda Candles
The owners of Corda Candles say being an entrepreneur and being Catholic is about God’s call to creativity and living their faith to the fullest.
A decade ago, Anna Camacho found herself in front of a screen on most days while working for someone else. She felt an entrepreneurial call to create something new.
Michael Comacho stocks inventory for Corda Candles, the company he and his wife, Anna (right), run from their home.
Photos by Christina Paoletti.
“I was really longing for a different type of work, something that would allow me to work for myself and work with my hands,” said Anna.
She started praying. She tried out a couple of ventures, but nothing felt right or worked very well.
“There are so many opportunities as a business owner to provide the light of Christ and be like Christ in any way you can be that really makes an impact.”
“Then one day we were sitting on the ‘Saint Joseph’ side of the church at Mass. I was meditating on Saint Joseph’s life and thanking him for the example he set, when I just got the idea of creating Catholic candles with scents that can communicate the story of the saints’ lives,” said Anna.
She had no experience with candles, but she believed this could be the idea for which she had been waiting. She presented it to her husband Michael.
“It seemed like a really beautiful, wonderful idea — something doable, something unique —and potentially a real gift to people,” said Michael.
Corda Candles launched in fall of 2019 and found success. The couple is now able to work full time together selling their unique faith inspired product.
Being Catholic entrepreneurs tends to be about doing little things well for the Camachos. They try to put careful thought into choosing quality materials, considering “just” pricing, helping nonprofits with fundraisers or simply being generous to people they meet through their work.
“There are so many opportunities as a business owner to provide the light of Christ and be like Christ in any way you can be that really makes an impact,” said Anna.
Miller Group
For Sean Miller, entrepreneurship is a family value. It blesses his own family and the families of the people who work for him. The Robert E. Miller Group, a commercial insurance and employee benefits brokerage, was originally founded by his father in 1961. The company now employs about 75 people and has a third generation of Miller family leadership.
While their product might not be specifically Catholic, the values of faith have always been deeply woven into the way The Miller Group operates.
“Our purpose is to serve others for the greater glory of God. That’s what we do. All of our people know that. We really care about one another and really care about our faith,” said Miller. On the ground, that looks like leaders praying before employee meetings; bible studies on site and a chaplain for staff. The organization tithes its profits and gives employees the opportunity to double their own giving with a matching charitable fund.
Sean Miller says one of the natural benefits he’s seen of creating a faithfilled environment is happy employees. (The
Sean Miller, Chairman of The Robert E. Miller Group. Photo by Michael Hogan.
organization is often recognized as one of the best places to work in Kansas City.) Leading the culture has also helped keep him accountable to his own faith.
“It requires a pretty high standard of yourself, and you have to be careful and really live the values out because people are going to be paying attention,” said Miller.
As The Miller Group transitions to a third generation, Sean Miller has found more time to mentor other entrepreneurs. His advice to them is to not be afraid of keeping the faith central to their business strategy.
“You can never go wrong by doing the right thing. That’s pretty good advice, and it’s always served us well,” said Miller.
Morning Warrior
A serious car accident early in the school year has led to an entrepreneurship opportunity for students at St. Pius X High School.
The accident involved students heading off campus to buy breakfast treats. In response, students and staff started the Morning Warrior Store. The store provides treats for inschool purchase instead.
Business teacher Olivia Montague has helped the kids with business plans — teaching them how to assess market needs and manage inventory. Students staff the store and are making plans for growth. They have also created their own motto: “Fuel your Day the Warrior Way.”
“It’s been amazing. They have ideas for merchandise and growth. We would love for them to build enough profit to build out their own space,” said Montague.
Montague says she believes it is more important than ever to try to teach these “think outside the box” skills to kids as a part of their Catholic education. She sees new technologies have made it harder for students to develop the kind of
“It’s been amazing. They have ideas for merchandise and growth. We would love for them to build enough profit to build out their own space.”
creativity needed to make something like entrepreneurship successful. The Morning Warrior challenges them to create new ideas.
“I think it develops critical thinking skills and thinking outside the box,” said Montague.
In the future, Montague is hoping to continue to build the entrepreneurial spirit in students by helping them earn a certification in retail sales while they are still in high school.
THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS has a complete list of all the special 2025 Jubilee Days available at usccb.org.
Student entrepreneurs opened the Morning Warrior Store at St. Pius X High School so fellow students don't have to leave campus for snacks. Photos courtesy of Olivia Montague.
Marriage, parenting and vocational discernment
By Dino Durando
RESOURCES
for teaching prayer can be found at discipleshipkc.org /theway-resources.
“What can I do as a parent to promote vocations?” The answer is quite simple: teach your children to love and serve Jesus and to love and serve their neighbor. The most important thing families can do to nurture vocations for their children is to help them develop a fruitful relationship with Jesus and his Church. Young people who learn to love and serve Jesus as they mature are given the best possible preparation for vocational discernment.
Marriage is a natural vocation. As the Catechism says, “The vocation to marriage is written into the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator.” (1603) Most men and women enter into marriage and form a family. In his life and teaching, Jesus Christ elevated marriage to the status of a sacrament. The marriage between
a baptized man and baptized woman is therefore a sacrament as it unites the natural and supernatural elements of marriage.
Some men and women are called by God to freely choose to sacrifice the great good of marriage and family for another vocation, Holy Orders. While there is much that goes into the process of discernment, it starts
with an internal sense that God is calling a young man or young woman to investigate a religious vocation. Parents can support this by encouraging their highschool age child to attend a local vocations event or even to visit a religious community that may be of some interest to him or her.
A new initiative in our diocese was launched this past January, “Called by Name.” It is a way to nominate a person you think may have a priestly or religious vocation by providing their name and information to the diocese. The online form can be found at kcsjcatholic.org/office/priestlyvocations/called-by-name/.
Parents have the great privilege of teaching their children to
pray and how to “listen” to God. Teaching your child to pray is best taught by modeling it in the home. Praying together as a family is the foundation upon which a child’s personal prayer time is well built. Encouraging personal prayer as a habit is an essential part of raising him or her as a disciple of Jesus. This kind of prayer involves not just “saying prayers” but also listening to God. One great way to introduce this discipline is to encourage your child to read a short passage from the Bible each day and spend a few minutes considering how the passage shows something about their own life and about God’s love for him or her. Another excellent way to help your child encounter and learn to listen to Jesus is Eucharistic adoration. Many parishes in our diocese have adoration chapels and it is also possible to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament by visiting an open church and taking time to pray in his Presence.
Teaching their child to pray, parents can help their children to discern God’s call for them personally and encourage them to investigate the possibility that God may be calling them to the religious life or priesthood.
Dino Durando is director of the Office of the Domestic Church and Discipleship. He and his wife Cathy have been married for 27 years and have 10 children and one grandchild.
St. Benedict wrote: “As we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God’s commandments, our hearts overflowing with inexpressible delight of love.”
The Benedictine Monks of Conception Abbey gather six times a day for the common chanting of the Divine Office and celebration of the Eucharist, offering prayers for the Church and the world. This rhythm of our daily life gradually forms us into what Christ has called us to be, men seeking holiness and constant conversion towards God. We welcome you to explore our way of life and invite you to support us in our ministries of prayer and work.
Join us in our mission of ora et labora, work and prayer. Become an oblate | Explore a monastic vocation
Make a retreat | Pray for us | Make a gift
www.conceptionabbey.org
Safe Environment volunteer coordinator
By Sara Kraft
Photo by Michael Hogan
APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH. EACH PARISH AND SCHOOL IN OUR DIOCESE MAINTAIN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR TO MANAGE VOLUNTEER TRAINING AND SCREENING.
FOR MORE INFORMATION on ongoing efforts to protect minors, visit kcsj.org/office/ child-youth-protection.
“Safe Environment volunteer training is important because it helps us make sure the kids are in the best environment for safety and growth, and that they feel secure,” explains Elenore Cobb, Safe Environment coordinator at Cathedral of St. Joseph. “The goal is to create a safe environment for children and to let them know there is someone for them to talk to if they need help.”
Elenore is one of four Safe Environment coordinators on the Cathedral campus. They use a team approach to ensure 100 percent compliance with diocesan Safe Environment practices. On the Cathedral campus, they currently have 94 active volunteers serving the church, Cathedral School and the St. Gianna Early Childhood Center, in addition to staff who also have training.
As a Safe Environment coordinator, Cobb sees her responsibility as helping volunteers navigate the process. “VIRTUS compliance sounds overwhelming when first starting,” Cobb states. “However, it’s not too difficult, and it’s critical to helping kids stay safe.”
In order for an individual to volunteer with children, the volunteer must first be registered in the national VIRTUS database. They then attend a threehour Protecting God’s Children training, usually in person or in some unique cases, via Zoom. This training seeks to educate adults on how to prevent and effectively respond to child sexual abuse. Following this training, volunteers undergo a background check, complete Missouri's Mandated Reporter training via the
This is an agreement promising to uphold the ethics and environment to the best of their ability.”
protectmokids.com website and sign an Ethics and Integrity in Ministry Code of Conduct. “This is an agreement promising to uphold the ethics and environment to the best of their ability,” explains Cobb.
Every five years, volunteers are required to renew their training. Part of a Safe Environment coordinator’s responsibilities is to ensure these refresher courses are taken.
“These steps help protect everyone,” states Cobb. In addition to following these protocols to protect children, the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph sets aside one day annually devoted to prayer in atonement for those harmed by sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The day of prayer has been held since 2017. Traditionally, the event has been held on April 26. However, this year April 26 is a Saturday, so the Annual Day of Prayer will occur Monday, April 28 at Noon at the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Bishop James Johnston will preside. All are invited to attend and share in praying for the victims of childhood sexual abuse, including those who have been abused by someone in the Catholic Church.
compassion
Embracing compassion for our leaders and our nation
EEvery Lent I think, “This is the year I give up that particular attachment that keeps me from a deeper relationship with Jesus!” Or, “This is the year I commit to X. Not the social media, but the thing that will break through to my personal holiness.” And yet, every year, I don’t make the progress I’d hoped, or I totally fall flat on my face. I’m a work in progress, to put it kindly. It got me wondering how other people are doing. Especially people who are living out their faith lives under a bigger spotlight. Are they OK?
Amid heated debates, like those over immigration and border security, we are often quick to scrutinize public figures for their policy stances. Yet behind the headlines lie the personal faith journeys of Catholic leaders like Vice President J.D. Vance and border czar Tom Homan — journeys marked by struggle, reflection, and a genuine effort to balance public duty with the call of the Gospel.
Pope Francis’ letter to the U.S. Bishops, issued on Feb. 10,
offers a profound reminder of the Church’s commitment to human dignity and the Gospel’s message of unconditional love. In his words, the Holy Father calls for an “ordo amoris” that builds a fraternity open to all, urging us to assess public policies through the lens of compassion and respect for every human being. This message not only speaks to the plight of migrants but also invites us to reflect on our own journey of faith and the struggles inherent in living out Church teaching.
Political leaders, like every one of us, are navigating the difficult terrain of integrating the profound truths of the Gospel with the challenges in our daily lives. Their journeys should remind us that the call to follow Christ is not a guarantee of perfection but a lifelong pilgrimage filled with challenges and moments of growth. It is far too easy to make assumptions about one another’s beliefs or to criticize our lived faith without understanding the internal battles we each face in aligning our actions with the Church’s teachings.
Pope Francis’ letter cautions against policies that reduce the complex reality of migration to a simple matter of legality or criminality, instead urging us to see each individual as a person with intrinsic worth, regardless of their circumstances. In much the same way, we should recognize the struggles of our public leaders. Their personal conflicts with Church teaching and the pressures of public service are too often laid bare to public examination, and we usurp the Lord’s place in passing judgment on their internal struggles.
In the spirit of Lent and the promise of Easter, let us channel these reflections into concrete
acts of faith. This season calls us to prayer, fasting and almsgiving — traditional practices that not only deepen our own spiritual lives but also offer a powerful witness to the love and dignity that each person bears as an image of God. We must pray for immigration reform that honors human dignity, urging our leaders to adopt policies that welcome and protect those in need, while safeguarding the common good. Let us fast as a reminder of the sacrifices our vulnerable have made in their quests for freedom and safety. Let us give alms, in solidarity with migrants and refugees, supporting organizations and initiatives that work to humanize immigration policy. Right now, we see “through a mirror darkly,” and it seems difficult to pray for those with whom we do not agree. But Jesus tells us to “Pray for those who persecute you …” In doing so, we honor the spirit of Pope Francis’ message and help build a nation where policies reflect not just the letter of the law but the heart of the Gospel — a nation blessed by the love of God and united in compassion for all.
By Leyden Rovelo-Krull, Director, Office of Hispanic Ministry
PEOPLE TO BE LOVED
PEOPLE TO BE LOVED
by Jody Breuer, Senior Director of Development Catholic Charities
HHave you ever had a moment where a single act of kindness changed your day? A well-timed phone call, an unexpected helping hand or a simple word of encouragement that put a smile on your face. These moments remind us that we are not meant to walk this life alone. Every person, at some point, needs help at just the right time and in just the right way; the need is universal. For some, help comes as a career promotion or dad arriving when the car breaks down. For those of us with a lot of kids, help is sometimes the babysitter for date night! The circumstances and the scale of our needs may differ, but the reality does not — no one is an island. Many of us have benefited from that salary increase, a well-timed tow truck or the friend who just loves kids. We may call it coincidence, but our faith tells us otherwise: God is always making a way, preparing a place, and healing the brokenness so that we can receive his grace.
Now, imagine a real big crisis in your own life. Who would you call? And if that person couldn’t help, who would you call next? Many of us are fortunate to have a safety net — family, friends or resources to rely on. The beauty of living in a community is the relationships we build, the connections we nurture and the moments when we become the answer to someone’s prayer. But what happens when there is no one left to call? When family support fails? When trauma, abuse or misfortune push someone to the edge precipitated by circumstances beyond their control? For thousands in our community, Catholic Charities becomes that final call — a place where they find not only assistance but also reassurance that their circumstances are temporary, change is possible and they are not alone.
Through the strength of community and the kindness of strangers, Catholic Charities extends a hand to stabilize lives, restore dignity, and offer hope. In fact, 25 percent of our budget in 2024 was dedicated just to emergency food and funds for our neighbors in need. These aren't transactions; these are connections. They are the moments we step into the very heart of someone’s crisis and say, “We will walk with you until we find a solution.” Like all of us, those in need deserve help when they need it most.
This work goes beyond financial assistance. It is about restoring hope, about helping someone believe in the possibility of a better tomorrow. It is about the single mother, not just receiving rent assistance but also finding the
encouragement to keep going, to apply for that new job to rebuild her life. It is about the elderly neighbor who not only receives groceries but also experiences the warmth of a caring conversation, a reminder that they are seen and valued. It is about the family who, after months of struggling, finally finds stability and a path forward.
Poverty is not just a financial state; it is the experience of isolation, of running out of options, of losing hope. Catholic Charities in western Missouri has become a trusted refuge for those on the brink of eviction, for the single mother who lost her job and is struggling to keep a roof over her child’s head, for the elderly neighbor choosing between food and medicine. The people we serve are no longer strangers — they are our neighbors, our community members, our friends. They are people with hopes, dreams, and the desire for stability, just like all of us.
Imagine what it feels like to face an uncertain tomorrow, unsure of how you will keep the lights on or feed your children. Then, imagine the relief of knowing someone is there, ready to step in and help. Catholic Charities provides that relief — not as a handout, but as a hand up, a moment of stability during a crisis, a chance to begin again.
Think back to that moment of kindness that made your day … imagine being part of that moment for someone else. You are! Your generosity of time, talent, and treasure to Catholic Charities creates those moments right here in our communities. Whether it’s a meal, a rent payment, a warm conversation or simply the reassurance that someone cares, you are part of something bigger — something that transforms lives.
FIND
Catholic Charities in western Missouri has become a trusted refuge for those on the brink of eviction, for the single mother who lost her job and is struggling to keep a roof over her child’s head, for the elderly neighbor choosing between food and medicine.”
As we extend kindness, we affirm dignity, we walk in their shoes, and we remind folks that they are never alone. Jesus told us that the poor would always be with us. This was not an admonition to give or not to give but rather a reminder to see our neighbors as they are — not as problems to be solved, but as people to be loved.
By Karen Ridder
Those things left behind
Iturned over the small plastic box and found myself really looking at it for the first time in a long time. My name was half scratched off, written in childish letters with a shiny blue permanent marker. It looked like something my daughter might choose to do today.
“Wait a minute,” I thought. “I think I WAS my daughter’s age when I got this.”
I turned it over again and was struck by how such an unremarkable item could have had such a lasting presence in my life.
The item is a soap box — nothing special. It is the kind of thing you can pick up from a discount store dollar bin. I’m pretty sure it was once a “check off” item on a camp supply list. If you told my mother I would be using it DECADES later, I’m sure she would have laughed at you.
It SEEMS laughable, right? I’m still pulling out the same soap box my mom got me to take to camp when I was 10 years old? Yeah, that’s crazy, but it’s true.
It got me thinking about how
many seemingly unremarkable things in our lives end up with staying power we never could have imagined. It’s a pretty big lesson for parenting.
As parents, we bring thousands of things into our children’s lives. Some of the things are material — like the soap box — but many others are not “things” at all. They are, instead, myriad ideas, habits, rituals, beliefs, fears, joys and rules for living we often give about as much attention as an item picked up in a dollar bin at a discount store.
We should reconsider that.
In Proverbs 22:6, God encourages us to be intentional about our parenting with the promise, “Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray.”
Never underestimate the lasting presence of little things.”
Truly, most of us DO try hard to train our children in what we think is the right way, but it is easier to focus on big, remarkable things and forget God also gave us the small and unremarkable things for a reason as well. Never underestimate the lasting presence of little things.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux seemed to learn this lesson well. She is known for her “Little Way” of finding the sacred in the simple and joy in the beauty of doing unremarkable things with love. Her model is good for parents to follow.
We have no idea which unremarkable things will end up having a lasting presence in the lives of our children, but God does. He can and will turn any little thing into beauty with the staying power of his great love for us.
That’s how a cheap plastic soap box by virtue of carrying on for decades in the role for which it was created somehow — miraculously — became a little holy. And if that can happen to a discount-bin purchase, just think about the possibilities for you.
Each June, the International Rosary Procession travels through Divine Mercy Park in Kansas City.
Contemplate and pray in tranquil Divine Mercy Park
The Garden of Crosses was inspired by the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania, a place of remembrance of the dead of the wars for freedom and later a place of prayer for peace and safeguarding religious freedom. The garden used some existing dead trees and many light poles donated by Evergy. Local residents are encouraged to install their own family cross.
Divine Mercy Park
By Marty Denzer | Photos by Michael Hogan
Visitors are welcome to walk, fish, pray and relax, all under the tranquil gaze of the Divine Mercy statue. To help with park upkeep or support, contact kccatholic@aol.com.
DDivine Mercy Park, 3700 N. Davidson Road, Kansas City, the serene home of the United States’ largest statue of Jesus, the Divine Mercy, invites contemplation and reflection, with walking paths and park benches, a lake, statuary, Stations of the Cross, the Garden of Crosses and more.
Jim O’Laughlin of Catholic Radio said the inspiration for Divine Mercy Park was a combination of Trinity Heights Park in Sioux City, Iowa, and the late Msgr. William Blacet, former pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, which is home of the diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy, St. Faustina, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
The Divine Mercy statue is a 25-foot-tall, stainless steel figure of Jesus by Sturgis, South Dakota, artist Dale Lamphere, one of his more than 60 sculptures across the U.S. Its first appearance was at Royals stadium for the Eucharistic Family Rosary Crusade on May 25, 2008. Following a temporary installation along Interstate 35, it was relocated to Divine Mercy Park in November 2008.
The Stations of the Cross came from Georgetown Visitation Monastery in Washington, D.C., where they were embedded in an 8-foot-tall rock wall enclosing more than one acre of ground. After more than a century, the wall began collapsing from the weight of the stations. The stations are about 150 years old.
Sacred Expressions
A brief time after attending the dedication of the Chapel of Our Mother of Africa at the National Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, this prayer came to my consciousness.
Viewing the Church’s treasures displayed in a museum-like setting was incredibly thrilling.
The shrine’s collection of sacred art was an appreciation for Mary and her handmaiden's role in the salvation of the world.
The experience of going back to the past to recover or gain that which may have been left behind is a Kiswahili expression pronounced sankofa
The dedication of the Chapel of Our Mother of Africa occurred on Aug. 30, 1997. Twenty-eight years later, we are revisiting the chapel, and the implications of a Black chapel during these times of anger, hatred and political nationalism.
The Black Catholic Bishops and the National Office of the Black Catholic Congress shared resources to install a chapel worthy of status within the national shrine.
Seven internationally known sculptors were commissioned to design nine sacred art structures reflective of Black America’s hope and commitment to the Faith.
OUR MOTHER OF AFRICA PRAYER
O Holy Mother of Africa, we honor your surrender to God’s plan to breathe new life into the world through the birth of your Divine Son, Jesus.
Assure us of your compassionate care and allow us the experience of a Mother’s love for her children. Model of Discipleship, Blest Friend of God, show us the way to your Son.
Teach us the virtues of humility, obedience, and total trust in God.
Guide us, O Gracious Mother of Africa, so that we might follow the paths of Faith, Hope, and Charity to the Kingdom. We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus, our Savior and Brother. Amen.
The symbolism of sacred art, critical to acknowledging history, culture and faith of people, was evident.
By Deacon Ken Greene
All of America has experienced the horrors and indignities cast upon men, women and children because of the texture of their hair, the colorization of their skin or even the dialect of their tongue.
Africans, Irish, Japanese and Hispanics have already been there. Why do we want to continue the false narrative that some of us do not belong in this country?
The Chapel of Our Mother of Africa incorporates the principles of solidarity, unity and diversity. These are the visible dimensions of the social behaviors this nation attempts to undermine.
Diversity of expression is most pronounced in the varieties of chapels, oratories and mosaics that constitute a sacred shrine.
Biblical history suggests that God forever invites us to a renewal of relationships and a permeance of commitment to him.
God has an opening in the kingdom for those who cherish diversity as a standard of our human condition. God creates us to live in community and without bias, for the good of God’s creation.
Conception, Washington D.C.
Abrazando la Compasión por Nuestros Líderes y Nuestra Nación
Cada Cuaresma pienso: “¡Este es el año en que abandonaré ese apego particular que me impide tener una relación más profunda con Jesús!” o “¡Este es el año en que me comprometé a hacer/no hacer X!” A decir no sociales, sino aquello que me abrirá paso hacia mi santidad personal. Y cada año… no logro el progreso que esperaba, o me caigo de bruces. Soy un obra en progreso, por decirlo amablemente. Esto me hizo preguntarme cómo les va a otras personas. Especialmente a las personas que viven su fe bajo el escrutinio público. ¿Están bien?
En medio de debates acalorados, como los que se refieren a la inmigración y la seguridad fronteriza, solemos examinar con atención las posturas políticas de las figuras públicas. Sin embargo, detrás de los titulares se esconden los caminos personales de fe de líderes católicos como el vicepresidente J.D. Vance y el “zar de la frontera” Tom Homan, trayectorias marcadas por la lucha, la reflexión y un esfuerzo genuino por equilibrar el deber público con el llamado del Evangelio.
La carta del Papa Francisco a los obispos de Estados Unidos, publicada el 10 de febrero de 2025, ofrece un profundo recordatorio del compromiso de la Iglesia con la dignidad humana y el mensaje del Evangelio de amor incondicional. En sus palabras, el Santo Padre pide un “ordo amoris” que construya una fraternidad abierta a todos, instándonos a evaluar las políticas públicas a través de la lente de la compasión y el respeto por cada ser humano. Este mensaje no solo habla de la difícil situación de los migrantes,
sino que también nos invita a reflexionar sobre nuestro propio camino de fe y las luchas inherentes a la vivencia de las enseñanzas de la Iglesia.
Los líderes políticos, como todos nosotros, están transitando el difícil terreno de integrar las profundas verdades del Evangelio con los desafíos de la vida diaria. Sus jornadas deberían recordarnos que el llamado a seguir a Cristo no es una garantía de perfección, sino una peregrinación que dura toda la vida, llena de desafíos y momentos de crecimiento. Es demasiado fácil hacer suposiciones sobre las creencias de los demás o criticar nuestra fe vivida sin comprender las batallas internas que enfrentamos cada uno para alinear nuestras acciones con las enseñanzas de la Iglesia.
La carta del Papa Francisco advierte contra las políticas que reducen la compleja realidad de la migración a una simple cuestión de legalidad o criminalidad, y nos insta a ver a cada individuo como una persona con valor intrínseco, independientemente
de sus circunstancias. De la misma manera, deberíamos reconocer las luchas de nuestros líderes públicos. Con demasiada frecuencia, sus conflictos personales con las enseñanzas de la Iglesia y las presiones del servicio público quedan al descubierto ante el escrutinio público, y usurpamos el lugar del Señor al juzgar sus luchas internas.
En el espíritu de la Cuaresma y la promesa de la Pascua, canalicemos estas reflexiones en actos concretos de fe. Esta temporada nos llama a la oración, al ayuno y a la limosna, prácticas tradicionales que no solo profundizan nuestra propia vida espiritual, sino que también ofrecen un poderoso testimonio del amor y la dignidad que cada persona lleva consigo como imagen de Dios. Debemos orar por una reforma migratoria que honre la dignidad humana, instando a nuestros líderes a adoptar políticas que acojan y protejan a los necesitados, salvaguardando al mismo tiempo el bien común. Ayunemos como recordatorio de los sacrificios que
han hecho nuestros hermanos vulnerables en su búsqueda de libertad y seguridad. Demos limosna, en solidaridad con los migrantes y refugiados, apoyando a las organizaciones e iniciativas que trabajan para humanizar la política migratoria.
En este momento, “vemos por un espejo, veladamente” y parece difícil orar por aquellos con quienes no estamos de acuerdo. Pero Jesús nos dice: “… oren por los que los persiguen…”. Al hacerlo, honramos el espíritu del mensaje del Papa Francisco y ayudamos a construir una nación donde las políticas reflejen no solo la letra de la ley, sino el corazón del Evangelio: una nación bendecida por el amor de Dios y unida en la compasión por todos.
Por Leyden Rovelo-Krull, Directora, Oficina del Ministerio Hispano
en la Resurrección
Por el Obispo James Johnston
Entre los principios de la fe cristiana que son únicos está la creencia en la resurrección del cuerpo. El Credo, o como se le conoce algunas veces, la Profesión de Fe, resume las creencias esenciales de la fe cristiana y concluye, como la piedra angular, con estas palabras: “Creo en la resurrección de la carne y en la vida eterna”. Estas palabras adquieren un sentido profundamente significativo en la gloriosa solemnidad de la Pascua de Resurrección y a lo largo del Tiempo Pascual, cuando somos llamados a acoger con gozo las buenas nuevas del Evangelio: Cristo ha resucitado. En este tiempo de gracia, contemplamos con fe y esperanza las apariciones del Señor resucitado, quien, en su infinita misericordia, se manifestó a sus discípulos para fortalecerlos y prepararlos para su misión, desde su Resurrección hasta el día de su Ascensión gloriosa al cielo.
Como evidencia de que Dios ha sembrado en el corazón humano la semilla de la eternidad, la mayoría de las personas (incluso los no cristianos) sienten en lo más profundo de su ser un rechazo instintivo ante la idea de que, al final de la vida terrenal, simplemente seremos aniquilados, extinguidos y desapareceremos para siempre. La fe cristiana en la resurrección es única: establece que nuestra vida en este mundo tiene una continuidad directa con la vida después de la muerte y que tanto el cuerpo como el alma resucitarán; también afirma que todos los muertos resucitarán. La promesa de nuestra resurrección es la principal razón de nuestras esperanzas, y sin el hecho de la resurrección de Jesús en cuerpo y alma, todo colapsa.
Tal como lo escribió San Pablo en su carta a los corintios: “¿cómo dicen algunos de ustedes que no hay resurrección de los muertos? Y si no hay resurrección de los muertos, entonces ni siquiera Cristo ha resucitado; y si Cristo no ha resucitado, vana es entonces nuestra predicación, y vana también nuestra fe, pero ahora Cristo resucitó de entre los muertos, fue el primero de los que resucitarán después de la muerte.” (1 Corintios 15:12-14, 20) Y aun así la resurrección del cuerpo es uno de los aspectos de nuestra fe que están más allá de nuestra capacidad de comprensión. Tenemos mucho en común con el apóstol Tomas quien no estuvo presente aquel primer día de Pascua cuando Jesús se apareció a los demás después de su resurrección. Tomas tuvo la ayuda del mismo Jesús quien le permitió ver y tocar sus heridas de la crucifixión para fortalecer
su fe. Es principalmente a partir de estos primeros testimonios que se fundamenta la enseñanza de la Iglesia sobre la Resurrección, y en ellos encontramos la certeza de nuestra fe.
En la resurrección de Cristo y en la nuestra. Como católicos creemos que nuestros cuerpos resucitarán al final de los tiempos. Las sagradas escrituras dicen que todos los muertos resucitarán, pero habrá dos destinos diferentes: “Aquellos que hayan hecho el bien, a la resurrección de la vida, y aquellos que hayan hecho el mal a la resurrección del juicio” (Juan 5:29; ver también Daniel 12:2) . Y como el cuerpo resucitado de Jesús, nuestros cuerpos resucitados tendrán una conexión con nuestros cuerpos mortales en los que habitamos, pero serán espirituales como el de Él cuándo resuciten. (Filipenses 3:2; 1 Corintios 15:44)
Aunque esto supera nuestra comprensión, sabemos que nuestra resurrección está vinculada directamente a la resurrección de Jesús, por eso, al celebrar su resurrección, también anticipamos la nuestra. El acto especial que nos une a Jesús y a su resurrección es el bautismo. A través de este sacramento, el primero y el más importante, estamos unidos a la muerte de Jesús y a su resurrección. Una vez más, San Pablo nos lo explique: “Y fuimos sepultados con Él en el bautismo, en el cual también fuimos resucitados con Él mediante la fe en el poder de Dios, que lo resucito de entre los muertos … Si ustedes, pues, han resucitado con Cristo, busquen las cosas de arriba, donde está Cristo sentado a la diestra de Dios”. (Colosenses 2:12; 3:1) Esto quiere decir que no solo esperamos la resurrección en el último dia, sino que incluso ahora participamos en la vida de Cristo resucitado. Tal como lo resume bellamente el Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica, “esta vida permanece ‘oculta con Cristo en Dios’. El Padre ’ya nos ha resucitado con Él y nos ha hecho
sentar con Él en los lugares celestiales en Cristo Jesús’”. Al alimentarnos con su cuerpo en la Eucaristía, ya pertenecemos al Cuerpo de Cristo. Cuando resucitemos en el último dia ‘también apareceremos con Él en la gloria’”. (CCC no. 1003; Colosenses 3:3, cf. Filipenses 3:20, Efesios 2:6, Colosenses 3:4) Es solo gracias a la Resurrección de Jesús que podemos verdaderamente exclamar, ¡Feliz Pascua!
Del Obispo
El obispo James V. Johnston, Jr. es el séptimo obispode la Diócesis de Kansas CitySt. Joseph
Scribbles to sacred art
By Allison Vrooman | Photos by Michael Hogan
“Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.” – Pope Saint John Paul II
Sarah Barton, a 16-year-old self-taught artist in the Independence area, is following the words of the great saint. She has been developing her talent and in turn uses it to glorify God.
“I’ve been drawing since I was little … but I think all kids like to draw. It was nothing special,” she shared. “When I was 12, I started taking it seriously. The more I do it, the more I love it.”
Barton began creating art with as many media as she could get her hands on. From crayons to colored pencils to acrylic paint, she continued to learn and experiment. When she tried painting with oil for the first time, she was hooked, exclaiming “I never went back! I only use oil now.”
It takes about a month for Barton to complete one oil painting. After choosing a subject, she goes through several steps of priming, toning, sketching, and painting. This is a gradual process, and it takes multiple layers to reach the finished product.
Barton enjoys creating Catholic art, finding much of her inspiration from older churches. “Churches are so pretty,” she said. “They have so many paintings within them. Each window is an art piece.” She also believes that the purpose of Catholic art is for worship of God and the goal is to create each piece as perfect as possible.
Other than religious subjects, Barton asks her younger sisters to pose as focal points for her work. She notes that most of her family members are STEM-oriented and do not share in her passion. However, faith bonds them. “Being Catholic is in the center of our lives,” she shared.
Barton’s artwork hung in an Independence art gallery before its closing in December of 2024. Being completely self-taught, she is currently focusing on finding classes where she can receive classical art instruction.
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CELEBRATE THE JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE WITH THE MOTHERS' SHRINE
Headed to the Lake of the Ozarks this spring or summer? Add us to your itinerary for a self-guided pilgrimage or join us for one of our outdoor weekend Masses this summer!
Group pilgrimage opportunities are also available!
The National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church is a designated Pilgrimage Site for the Jubilee Year of Hope for the Diocese of Jefferson City. Check our website for a list of upcoming public events.
YOU are invited to engage with the Mothers' Shrine, either online or in-person, during this jubilee year!
Find all our events and learn more about the Mothers' Shrine at MOTHERSSHRINE.COM
The National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church 176 MARIAN DRIVE, LAURIE, MO 65037
THE VINCENTIANS
Celebrating 400 Years in 2025
The Vincentians of the Congregation of the Mission Western Province brought St. Vincent de Paul’s 200-yearold mission and charism to America in 1818.
• Evangelizing the forgotten members of society with ministries to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, and much more
• Forming thousands of clergy members as teachers and administrators in seminaries
• Serving in over 100 parishes in the western U.S. as pastors and parish priests
• Educating the laity in elementary and secondary schools and colleges like DePaul University
• Bringing Christ’s loving message to the people with popular missions, prison ministry, and online ministries like The God Minute
www.vincentian.org
Cultivating growth together
Strategic plan for Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs
By Allison Vrooman
The Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs communities have shown significant growth in recent years. The parishes and schools in this region represent the greatest future population growth in the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph.
In February 2024, Bishop Johnston initiated a strategic study to evaluate these communities and formulate a plan to effectively serve the needs of the people in the area. Over the course of six months, parish and school committees partnered with diocesan leadership and a professional consulting firm to review community demographic projections and parish data trends.
Bishop Johnston announced the finalized plan in January of 2025. The concluded proposal provides an opportunity for all the parishes and schools in Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs to collaborate in new ways and to build on new growth opportunities. The locations include: Our Lady of the Presentation Parish and School, Holy Spirit Parish, St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, St. John LaLande Parish and School, St. Robert Bellarmine Parish and St. Michael the Archangel High School.
Lee’s Summit
It is proposed that Our Lady of the Presentation Parish, Holy Spirit Parish and St. Margaret of Scotland Parish all remain standalone parishes and collaborate with each other to support their building projects and to develop shared ministries.
Father Tom Holder, pastor at Our Lady of the Presentation, played a role in the planning process as a member of the Diocesan Leadership Team. “I really found the process to be refreshing because it gave us an opportunity to think outside the box as we were looking for ways the parishes in
Our Lady of the Presentation Parish, Lee's Summit. Photo by Christy Gruenbaum.
Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs could respond to the continued growth in the area, respond to the faith needs of the population, and strive to be an important presence in the community.”
Pastor of Holy Spirit, Father Joe Sharbel agreed that, “Lee’s Summit is a bustling community that is thriving and growing.”
Recommendations for Holy Spirit include exploring the feasibility of opening a parish school and proceeding with a strategy for debt reduction. Speaking on this, Father Sharbel shared, “For this community and myself, this is an important first step in our growth. We are making great progress.”
Prominent recommendations for St. Margaret of Scotland are to proceed with renovation of the current church, develop a membership growth plan and to hire a director of stewardship to
oversee parish stewardship and communication efforts.
Opportunities for collaboration between the Lee’s Summit parishes include establishing a young adult ministry, coordinating activities for youth, and using a shared stewardship plan.
“I believe the relationships among the parishes have been strengthened through the study and the future looks bright if we work together to implement the plan,” shared Father Holder.
Blue Springs
It is proposed that St. John LaLande Parish and St. Robert Bellarmine Parish remain standalone parishes and collaborate with each other to support their building projects and to develop shared ministries.
St. John LaLande is recommended to increase hospitality efforts and engagement of new members, as well as to study the potential for increased Catholic school enrollment and to proceed with the planning for the proposed capital campaign.
St. Robert Bellarmine received similar recommendations to develop a growth plan. It is also proposed that they conduct a feasibility study regarding a new school and a capital campaign study, as well as develop a master site plan to address future parking and facilities needs.
Opportunities for collaboration between the Blue Springs parishes include considering the development of a city-wide RCIA process, studying the potential for a joint summer faith
day camp and expanding homebound ministries.
Father Sean McCaffery of St. John LaLande expressed his hopeful anticipation of collaborating with St. Robert Bellarmine, adding, “The establishment of joint teams who feel empowered to present their perspective with commitment to action will result in Christ-centered goals. It will create an environment where meaningful work will be accomplished.”
Echoing these thoughts, Father Richard Rocha of St. Robert Bellarmine said, “We are looking forward to making shared ministry a priority.”
Lee’s Summit and Blue Springs Schools
It is recommended that healthy enrollment, Catholic identity and academic quality should not be taken for granted. The schools are encouraged to seek to be as close to building capacity as possible, to provide frequent opportunities for faculty and staff faith formation and to continue offering professional development for teachers. Each school should also work to increase the number of students participating in the MOScholars program.
Holy Spirit Parish in Lee's Summit.
Photo by Ashlie Hand.
A Eucharistic procession at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Blue Springs. Photo by Christy Gruenbaum.
A family enters St. John LaLande Parish in Blue Springs. Photo by Ashlie Hand.
White House Jesuit Retreat Center White House Jesuit Retreat Center offers spiritual retreats for men and women
By Marty Denzer
Photos by Ann Puck
AAcentury ago, as America was still reeling from World War I, Catholic European immigrants in St. Louis, Missouri, held informal retreats in their homes for consolation and spiritual help. Father Francis Xavier McMenamy SJ, the provincial of the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus, saw both the need for retreats and the opportunity to make the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola available to more people. But where?
He commissioned Father James Monaghan, SJ to find somewhere to offer retreats. On the Mississippi River bluffs, Father Monaghan found White House Farms, then owned by the Christopher family. A large white house on the 80-acre property, visible to river traffic, gave the property its name.
The Jesuits purchased the property and in 1922 hosted its first retreat, attended by 12 men.
As time passed, retreat attendance grew, making expansion necessary. A prominent local Catholic family, the Mudds, donated construction funds for a chapel.
Around 1941, Jesuit Father Laurence Chiaminatto started spreading the word about White House retreats, which again spurred attendance. By mid-century, the center was offering 67 three-day retreats based on the Spiritual Exercises, yearly.
In the 1980s, retreats opened to women and married couples so that they could experience the Spiritual Exercises together. Recently, “specialty retreats” have begun, tailoring the Spiritual Exercises to resonate with military veterans, Catholic college students, young adults, members of the Latino community and those recovering from addictions and other afflictions.
White House Retreat Center Director William Schmitt said, “The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius speak to different people in different ways. Anything we can do to help people in all walks of life make that connection to Jesus Christ is time well spent.”
U.S. Navy veteran Ann Puck has attended the Veterans’ Retreats for several years. Now, her Marine Corps veteran husband attends with her.
She said the retreats allow her to “go inside myself to ask, does God really love me? God’s unconditional love can make us hunger
THE 2025 VETERANS’ RETREAT, “Helping Veterans Come to Terms with their Service Years while Embracing the Love given to Us by God,” will be held June 26-29 at White House Retreat Center. For more information and to register, visit www. whitehouseretreat.org/ veteransretreat. for more — in relationships, the sacraments and it offers us hope.”
She said the whole silent retreat experience was one of spiritual growth for her. “I learned to ‘let go and let God.’ My hope is to introduce this experience to others. There’s always something in the retreat experience that draws people closer to God, letting go and letting God. That’s worth sharing.”
Attendees of the 2024 Veterans Retreat at the White House Retreat Center listen in on a presentation.
Fellowship over breakfast during the 2024 Veterans Retreat at the White House Retreat Center.
Madonna and Richard Pope, St. Gregory Barbarigo Parish
“I volunteer because I feel like I am doing what God wants me to do,” stated Madonna (Donna) Pope.
Last fall, 78-year-old Donna and 84-year-old husband Richard were among the 62 individuals honored with a 2024 Bishop’s Recognition Award. St. Gregory Barbarigo Parish in Maryville nominated the Popes for special recognition of their outstanding service and commitment to volunteering within St. Gregory. The Popes have been parishioners of St. Gregory since 1974, but they have become significantly more active in volunteering since retiring from their farm near Pickering and moving into Maryville in 2017.
“They do anything and everything that is needed,” stated St. Gregory Barbarigo Pastor Father Albert Bruecken, OSB.
Shortly after moving to town, Donna first started volunteering by helping with the devotional votive prayer candles. Parishioners and visitors light candles for prayer intentions, and make a donation to cover the expense of the candle. Every four to five days, Donna replaces the candles and cleans the candle holders. At first, there were only small candles that burned for approximately a day. Later, Donna approached Father Bruecken, OSB about having larger candles for people to light as she had seen at other parishes. Father encouraged her to show they would be utilized. Donna accepted the challenge. After placing larger candles on the baptismal font, first six were lit, and then more. A larger stand was installed, and over half the candles are typically lit at any given time.
Richard, who has worked with his hands his entire life, began making items for the atrium for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a full-immersion learning experience of the faith for children. Children as young as 3 learn through using size and age-appropriate liturgical items, wooden representation of Bible stories, models and figurines to help teach and bring their faith alive.
By Sara Kraft
Before they knew it, in addition to helping with the atrium, Richard was helping with other woodworking needs, such as fixing a broken crucifix for the Northwest Missouri State Newman Center. Donna began making baptismal garments, became a sacristan, and also volunteered as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Of course, they also assist with the little things, such as getting candle wax off a new vestment.
Every morning, Richard and Donna pray the morning offering, where they offer up all their prayers, works, joys and sufferings each day. They see their volunteering as an extension of that prayer, and a way to live their faith. “Everything I do is a prayer,” Donna explains. “It is done in respect and honor to God. I just feel good about these things.”
Photos by Michael Hogan
By Allison Vrooman
Photos by Michael Hogan
New leadership, renewed commitment
The Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph welcomed a new director in the Office of Child and Youth Protection in November 2024. Destiny Jackson joined the Chancery with a deep commitment to social justice and a devotion to ensuring protection and care for all children.
Jackson is from the Kansas City area but spent much of her childhood also in the small town of Marrero, Louisiana. She received both a bachelor's and master’s degree in psychology.
For over 20 years, Jackson has worked in child welfare on a grand scale. Reflecting on the differences between her previous organization and her new position with the diocese, she said, “Being able to come here and have more of a focus on the restorative end has been a pleasure for me.”
She also mentioned her gratitude for support and resources available at the Chancery. “When you come from the nonprofit world, the resources are not there. All the hardships, expectations, and work are there but the resources and support are not. So, to come somewhere and to have it … sign me up!”
Jackson feels as though God had led her to this position. She enjoyed and was comfortable
Destiny Jackson leads the Office of Child and Youth Protection
in her previous career for many years. However, she felt like it was time for something new, stating, “I feel like God kind of pushes me to certain places. After doing that for 22 years, I think it was time for me to be shaken up a little bit.”
When she came across the opportunity to work for the diocese, she submitted her application with trust that she would get the job if it was meant for her.
The Office of Child and Youth Protection strives to build trust and positive relationships in the community by acknowledging and repenting for the failures of the past, providing care, support, education and training, and responding appropriately to allegations.
“We are a consulting body to the bishop, making sure that we are handling all our Safe Environment practices and policies effectively and that we are honoring that we are a high reliability organization. We are not looking for
halfway. We are looking for all the way when it comes to compliance. We are looking to make sure that those who are doing the serving and being served are safe.”
“My no. 1 goal is for us to obtain 100 percent compliance with our Safe Environment requirements by Oct. 1 of this year,” Jackson shared. This means that all employees and volunteers working with or potentially crossing paths with children in the diocese will
complete the VIRTUS training. She also has a goal to increase awareness to “show our communities that we are taking what we said seriously and that we are enforcing it.”
She emphasized that the protection of children involves everyone and that her team is there to help. “No one is an exception to the rule. We are going to lead by example and just be there.”
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