Catholic Key Magazine | February-March 2024

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kc sj cathol i c.org FEB R UA RY/MA RCH 2 024

Bigger fish to

Knights of Columbus bring tradition of charity and service to parishes every year during Lent

FRY

F rom the Bishop

mi n i s t ry s p o t l i gh t

RI T E O F E L E C T I O N

The lesson of the crosscut saw

St. Gabriel Archangel School

Catholic from head to toe

PG. 4

PG. 22

PG. 28

t. Anthony’s Senior Living

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The magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph

House of God | St. Mary Parish, Independence | Ashlie Hand and

Cory Thomason

St. Mary Parish in Independence is cele-

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2024 VOL. 4 | ISSUE 2

brating a rare and significant milestone

Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. Publisher Ashlie Hand Editor

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Jenny Pomicter Graphic designer To submit story ideas and news, send emails to hand@diocesekcsj.org

www.FAITHcatholic.com

COVER STORY

ON THE COVER: Richard Venditti (l) and Michael Keiffer (r) are among the St. James Knights of Columbus who have served the Lenten fish fry since it began at the parish nearly 30 years ago.

Photo by Ashlie Hand.

was accepted into the Church.

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Meet Natalie Newville, president of St. Joseph Catholic

for Midwestern Catholic churches.

Academy | Sara Kraft

Through Aug. 15, 2024, it is celebrat-

“We (as Catholic schools) have the

ing 200 years since its founding as the

opportunity not only to impact stu-

mission that would eventually become

dents’ education but also their souls,”-

St. Mary Parish.

explained Natalie Newville, the new president of St. Joseph Catholic

Bigger fish to fry | Ashlie Hand More than 30 parishes in

Recognition of what matters

our diocese hosted a fish fry

most | Robert Sandford

Academy.

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Volunteer spotlight | Ideas into

during Lent in 2023 in nearly every cor-

Some six months after the closing Mass

ner of our 27-county territory. More than

of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, many

200 fish frys take place across Missouri

loving gestures have been offered by

Kris Larkey, business manager at St.

during Lent, and hundreds of thousands

the people of St. Thomas More and

Sabina Parish, supported by her pas-

of dollars are raised for charity from fish

the pastor of both parishes, Father

tor, Father Jeff Stephan, secured a

frys alone. How did the tradition start,

Justin Hoye.

Parish Based Ministry Grant (PBMG)

and why is it so popular? The Knights

Catholic Key (ISSN 27692353, 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 CitySt. 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. ©2022 Catholic Key, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

ulate Conception; later that year, she

of Columbus were one of the first organizations to adopt the Lenten fish fry more than three decades ago. Ask and

to provide flu shots to those without

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To Serve and Lift | Transformative routines through Lent and

beyond | Katie Pike

they will tell you that this annual custom

As we enter the Lenten season, a pe-

is much bigger than a fried fish dinner.

riod of reflection and spiritual growth,

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On the Way: The lesson of the crosscut saw | Bishop James Johnston

While Lenten repentance and conversion is a personal undertaking for each Christian, it is not done in isolation.

22

Father Alex Kreidler, pastor of St. Ga-

matter that points to Christ, the truth.

a new Catholic school | Karen Ridder

Catholic materials and mind-set are so intentional. He’s there!”

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in another year of manual labor.

Archangel School | Marty Denzer

not to the Church. It’s engaging subject

Ann Arbor, Michigan. Now the Holy

Allison Vrooman

harvest and that there will be success Ministry spotlight | St. Gabriel

St. Robert Bellarmine prepares for

schools outside of their home base in

A day of prayer at seedtime |

that crops will produce a bountiful

tion as a ministry may be new to us but

requests each year to teach in Catholic

34

examine our routines.

briel Archangel Parish, said, “Educa-

of the Eucharist receive hundreds of

local community.

The blessing of seeds ignites a hope

the other end.

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother

insurance, serving the health of their

we are called out of our comforts to

Like using a crosscut saw, God is on

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action | Ashlie Hand

Catholic from head to toe |

E n E s pa ñ o l

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Un Dios migrante para un pueblo migrante | Par Leyden

Rovelo-Krull

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En el Camino | La Lección de la Sierra Transversal |

Obispo Johnston

Marty Denzer

In the spring of 2022, Gloria Lorenzo

Spirit is leading them to open a new

attended the Rite of Election Mass cel-

school in our diocese.

ebrated at the Cathedral of the Immac-

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Católica de los pies a la cabeza | Marty Denzer

Marty D enz er

Ashlie Hand

Sara Kraf t

K at i e Pike

K a re n Ri d d e r

Ro be rt S a n d f o rd

A lli s o n Vrooman

is long-time writer in residence for the Catholic Key.

leads the Office of Communications for the Diocese of Kansas CitySt. Joseph.

is a freelance writer in St. Joseph, Missouri.

is the annual appeal manager for Catholic Charities KCSJ.

is a journalist in Liberty, Missouri.

works at St. Thomas More Parish as publications coordinator and is a woodworker and music minister.

is communications specialist for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

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on t he way

THE

LESSON OF THE

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Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

Getty Images/ssucsy

CROSSCUT SAW

F ro m t h e Bi s h o p Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. is the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph

O

ften in the winter months, I would accompany my father to the woods our family owned to cut firewood. Along with axes and a chainsaw, we often took an old crosscut saw

that had been used by my grandfather and my father when he was a boy. It was the normal way to cut trees before the advent of the chainsaw.

A crosscut saw is about six feet long, lined with an impressive array of steel teeth, and with wooden handles for grasping on each end. We used the crosscut rather than the chainsaw when a trunk was especially large or difficult to cut.

To effectively use a crosscut saw requires two people, working together in a kind of coordinated rhythm. If the cooperation breaks down, the saw pinches or stalls and the team must pause and coordinate again. Along with cutting large logs, crosscut sawing makes for a good cardiovascular workout!

As we begin the season of Lent, the crosscut saw presents a helpful image of what God calls us to undertake. God calls

“ F r o m t hat t i m e o n Je su s b e ga n t o p ro c la i m t hi s t he m e : ‘ R e f o r m yo u r li v e s!

T he k i ng do m o f h e av e n i s at ha nd.”

— M t 4:17

us to a deeper conversion, through repentance. We are to intentionally turn from sin and turn to God and fully embrace our identity and life as children of the Father and disciples of Jesus. And while it is a personal undertaking for each Christian, it is not done in isolation. Like using a crosscut saw, God is on the other end. Indeed, if he were not involved as a partner, we would make no progress at all.

Christian life is like that — it requires our personal acts of faith, but they are insufficient by themselves. God, his mercy

and the assistance of his grace are necessary too. Our salvation involves our freedom, but it also requires God’s grace. We cannot save ourselves, yet God made our salvation contingent upon our cooperation. Like a team on a crosscut saw, the person on the other end is always necessary.

As we journey through Lent, look for God on the other end as your partner in the greatest objective you must undertake in life. Practically, this might mean returning to Mass if you have been away or making a thorough examination of conscience and going to sacramental Confession, or practicing charity, or forgiving someone — or several of these and more. Pull your end of the saw and God will pull his.

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f e atu r e

‘FAITH EDUCATION FOR THE WHOLE CHILD’ Bishop James Johnston (center) along with Father Richard Rocha (far right) and Dr. Karen Kroh, Superintendent of Catholic Schools (far left) with members of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist: Sister Mary Elizabeth (lower left), Sister Katherine Rose (upper left), Sister Mary Michael, Vicaress General (left of Bishop), Mother Amata Veritas, Prioress General (right of Bishop), Sister Stephen Patrick (upper right) and Sister Dominica (lower right).

St. Robert Bellarmine Parish in Blue Springs will soon get a new Catholic grade school

By K ar e n Rid d e r

F

or the first time in more than 20 years, a diocesan parish is opening a new Catholic grade school, and it is thanks to a unique

partnership with religious sisters from several states away.

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, have a charism to teach and create Christ-centered school experiences for Catholic children. Their popular and traditional Dominican approach to education has grown in a relatively short period of time. The group, founded in 1997 as a response to Saint John Paul II’s call for a new evangelism, now has 115 sisters serving in 29 schools throughout the country. Four of the sisters currently

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Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

teach at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic High School (SMA) in Lee’s Summit.

In response to the growing needs of the Blue Springs and Lee’s Summit areas, Bishop Johnston recognized the sisters’ successful work with their students at SMA and requested they also consider spearheading the start of a new elementary school here in Missouri.

“Given their impact in our diocese and across the country, I knew that the Dominican Sisters of Mary would be ideal to open a school at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish,” said Bishop Johnston. “They have shared their charism for Catholic education with hundreds of students in our diocese already, adding tremendous value to their education and Christian formation for their lives.”

The Dominican Sisters receive hundreds of requests each year to teach in Catholic schools outside of their home base in Ann Arbor. Now the Holy Spirit is leading them to open a new school in our diocese.

St. Robert Bellarmine has existed for 40 years primarily surrounded by green pastures. Rapid development has seen the farm fields nearby transform into suburban neighborhoods.

Father Richard Rocha, pastor, says for many years there wasn’t a need for a school at the parish. The church is just a

Families line up to be included on the mailing list for updates as the new school at St. Robert Bellarmine Parish develops.

few miles away from St. John LaLande Parish, which already has a school. However, in the four years he’s been at the parish, dynamics have quickly changed.

“We’ve seen a big increase in the number of young families that are coming. That’s been a blessing for us,” said Father Rocha. “All of a sudden, our baptisms doubled and there were more young children walking around and babies crying and young mothers pregnant and expecting.”

Father Rocha estimates about 200 new families have joined their parish since he arrived as pastor.

Bishop Johnston identified the parish as one which might be a good match for the Dominican Sisters and invited them to come for a visit.

Prioress General Mother Amata Veritas and Vicaress General Sister Mary Michael came to Missouri in early 2023 to visit the grounds of St. Robert Bellarmine. They went back home to pray and discern if a school in Blue Springs was part of God’s plan for their order.

By spring, they decided it was.

The Sisters look forward to becoming part of a parish family and serving at a new school on the property of St. Robert Bellarmine. In December 2023, Bishop Johnston announced that there will be a new convent built on the St. Robert Bellarmine Parish campus funded by the diocese and an anonymous benefactor who does not belong to the parish.

The four sisters already on mission at SMA will live in the new convent, along with the sisters that will be assigned to St. Robert Bellarmine School.

Visit “This is truly exciting for the future srbcatholic.org of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, and I am for updates and glad that our diocese can help in this way. details as they I want the parish to have a ‘running start’ are announced. as it goes forward in supporting the new school,” said Bishop Johnston.

“We are thrilled to expand our teaching apostolate in the diocese,” said Mother Amata Veritas, “... and it is really exciting to have continuity from the elementary to high school level.”

The sisters teach and lead from a Dominican perspective, which they describe as a faith education for the whole child.

They emphasize living as a disciple of Christ and practicing the virtues.

Gi ve n t h e i r i mpac t i n o u r d i o c e s e a n d ac ro s s th e c o un try, I k n e w t h at t h e D o mi n i c a n S i s t e rs o f Ma ry w ould b e i de a l t o o p e n a s c h o o l at S t. Ro be rt Be l l a rmi n e Pa r i s h ."

— B i sh o p J am es J o h n st o n

“This is a wonderful opportunity for children to come to know the Lord in a particular way through just learning how the truth pervades all subjects in the truth of Jesus Christ,” said Sister Mary Michael.

Father Rocha says parishioners are excited about having the religious sisters teaching in the school.

“It will be deeply rooted in our Catholic faith, and their style of teaching will be a very traditional style of teaching.

We give thanks to God for this ability to impact the future of our children in this secular world,” said Father Rocha.

So, what made the sisters decide to start a school in Missouri?

“I would love to say there’s a magic formula, but really it’s the Holy Spirit,” said Mother Amata Veritas. “The Holy Spirit and the way He brings everything together to make things clear.”

A member of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist will serve as the principal of the school. That appointment is expected by fall of 2024. The parish is planning to be ready for the school to open in the fall of 2025.

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phot o e s s ay E uc h a r i s ti c Ma ri a n C o n f e r e n c e FEB. 16-18

Completed in late 1865, St. Mary Parish is built in the “Federal” style described in Asher Benjamin’s handbook as a freer version of Neoclassicism. In 1893, the 100-foot-tall steeple was designed by Father Thomas J. Fitzgerald and added to the church. It remains the oldest church building in Jackson County in continuous use. (This Far by Faith, Vol. I-II)

St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 600 N. Liberty St., Independence, MO 64050

Visit stmaryparish.org for more upcoming bicentennial events.

House of God St. Mary Parish, Independence

By A s h l i e Hand | Pho tos by Cory Thomason St. Mary Parish in Independence is celebrating a rare and significant milestone for Midwestern Catholic churches. Through Aug. 15, 2024, it is celebrating 200 years since its founding as the mission that

Several statues from parishes which recently completed their missions in the Independence area have found a new home at St. Mary’s, along with the former parishioners. This statue is from the former St. Ann Parish.

would eventually become St. Mary Parish.

The current baptistry is located in an area that was originally added to the church building as part of the 1962 renovation and housed a third section of pews.

R e ad m o r e parish history at catholickey.org

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Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

St. Mary’s is thought to have been established in 1823 by French missionaries led by Father Charles De La Croix, the first missionary priest assigned to the area. This mission cross is from the Redemptorists, whose first mission is indicated as September 1867. The cross was discovered in a storage room at the parish during renovations in the 1960s.

A signature feature of St. Mary Parish is this mural surrounding the altar. Designed by artist Carl Fougerousse, it depicts Jesus Christ crowning his mother Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, watched on the left by Saints Philomena, John Vianney, Scholastica, Benedict, Teresa of Calcutta and John Paul II, while on the right are Saints Augustine, Monica, Francis of Assisi and Clare and Louis and Zelie Martin, parents of Saint Therese of Lisieux. Below the mural on the baldacchino is a mosaic of the Lamb.

Much of the work was done by parishioners with Fougerousse and his artists.

The altar, the communion railings, the ambo, celebrant and side chairs and the baldacchino were all brought to the church

by Carl Fougerousse with his artists. The parish purchased the marble altar top, which contains the space for the relics placed there during its blessing in 2017.

This Blessed Sacrament altar was constructed from part of the original main altar and now anchors a smaller devotional chapel behind the main sanctuary. The original altar dates to the 1890s, made of rosewood and imported from Germany.

(This Far by Faith, Vol. II)

A commemorative painting commissioned by the parish for its 200th anniversary depicts scenes from the founding of the mission to its current life as a newly combined parish community with St. Ann and St. Joseph the Worker Parishes. The painting was unveiled on Jan. 21 and will be displayed in the south vestibule, which is home to many historical artifacts of the parish.

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c om m e n ta ry

Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the Irish in Kansas City

I

Photo by Hank Young

The Kansas City St. Patrick’ s Day Parade is 50 years old on March 17, 2024. Through the years, several events affiliated with the parade have been established and continue to this day.

n a little over a month, tens of thousands of enthusiastic spectators will be lining the streets along Broadway from Linwood to 43rd Street to witness

the largest annual one-day event in Kansas City: the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Every year since the parade route was moved from downtown to midtown, this grand celebration steps off in front of one of the most iconic and recognizable structures in Kansas City: the historic and magnificent Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

• In recognition of the Great Famine in Ireland from 1845-1852, the Go for the Green Food Drive was created to help address the needs of those suffering food insecurity in Kansas City.

• On Saturday, Feb. 24 at 5 p.m., the annual Gaelic Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. This beautiful Mass includes music, Irish dance, bagpipes and an extremely moving ceremony at the beginning where family members process to the front of the church and lay at the altar an item or memento of a loved one who they have lost in the past year.

• On St. Patrick’s Day, Browne’s Irish Marketplace will be open for business where you can gather before, during and after the parade. The Kansas City Irish Center (Linwood and Baltimore) will also be open for fun and frivolity before and after the parade.

And because this is the 50th anniversary parade, a very special celebration will be held at the Kansas City Irish Center (right down the street from Our Lady of Perpetual Help) on the afternoon of Feb. 18. At this event, the parade committee will announce the grand marshal, the Mike Murphy Irish Person of the Year, the parade flag bearer and the Cullinan Spirit Award-winning family. We’ll see you at the parade!

Some information in this article is drawn from Redemptorist Church: Our Lady of Perpetual Help/Celebrating a Century 1912-2012.

THE FAITH COMES FIRST

P et e r J. M c C l u s key, Jr .

To have the parade begin at Linwood and Broadway is indeed fitting. The Irish have had a strong connection with this part of town since is a board Redemptorist priests and brothers first arrived member and past here in 1878. As noted at the 100th anniversary senior chair of the celebration of the church in 2012, Kansas City’s St. Patrick’s Day famous pioneer priest Father Bernard Donnelly Parade and was first invited the Redemptorists to Kansas City grand marshal of in 1876. They established a house in 1877, the 2022 parade. broke ground for the landmark church in 1907 and had it ready for dedication, though not quite finished, on May 12, 1912. Much of the native limestone used to build the church was hauled from Pat Sullivan’s quarry, located in what is now Roanoke Park. Bishop Lillis consecrated the building that day.

In 1910, the City Beautiful Movement swept Kansas City. It led to the removal of the old shanties in the Penn Valley Ravine, now Penn Valley Park. Broadway became a “premier neighborhood lined with three-story homes, brick apartment buildings and new businesses.”

Many Irish people moved into the area west of Broadway, which came to be known as the “Kerry patch.” These residents would no doubt come to be faithful parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

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Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

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Explaining unity in the Trinity

I

n the vast tapestry of Catholic theology, certain terms sparkle like jewels. The term “consubstantial,” for instance, holds profound

significance. We say it at Mass every week, probably without much thought. However, its formulation was pivotal in shaping our understanding of God and the Trinity.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (262) states, “The Incarnation of God’s Son reveals that God is the eternal Father and that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, which means that, in the Father and with the Father, the Son is one and the same God.” This seems like a simple statement of faith. However, in the early Church, theologians struggled to work out these concepts. The explanation of how Jesus, the man, could also be divine led to many heated debates.

One of the biggest came in the early fourth century with a priest named Arius. He believed God the Son could not be coeternal and equal to the Father because fathers beget and come before sons. That means there was a time when the Son was not. Arius argued that the Son was a divine creation of the Father and a lesser divinity. This just seemed logical to Arius. It turned out he wasn’t the only one. Almost all the Christian world was convinced he was right, including most bishops. However, some pushed back because this was not the constant teaching of the Church.

The controversy prompted the Council of Nicaea in the early 300s to address this doctrinal rift. Recalling what the apostles handed down to them, the bishops formulated a term explaining how the Son could be equal to the Father and, therefore, fully God. It hinged on the concept of “substance.”

In ancient Greek philosophy, substance refers to the essence of a thing beyond its external attributes. The thing that makes it essentially what it is. The council fathers argued the Son was of the same substance as the Father. In the same way the flame on two separate candles was distinct yet both were still the same fire, so, too, the Son was a distinct Person but still the same God. The Son was God from God. Light from light.

True God from true God. Even though he was begotten, he was not made, not a creation of the Father. He was one in being, one in substance with the Father — consubstantial.

They wrote this as a creed, a formulation of precise belief that could be memorized and handed down to future generations to avoid confusion. And now, centuries later, you say the Nicaean Creed at Mass every week.

The term laid the groundwork for understanding redemption. Mankind had to atone for Adam’s transgression because

Pietro Novelli, Public domain

Adam was a man. However, not just any sacrifice would do. It required one of infinite worth to truly make amends — something only the infinite God could do. If Jesus were only a man or a lesser divinity than God, the cross would have no worth, and we would still need redemption. Jesus had to be fully God and fully man.

So, the next time you say the word “consubstantial,” think of the brave men who stuck to their guns for an unpopular, minority belief that ended up defining our most fundamental understanding of God and his great gift to us.

The Holy Trinity, Pietro Novelli 17th century, oil on canvas

Marc C a r da r o n e lla is the director of the Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation.

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c ov e r s to ry (l to r) St. James Knights Richard Venditti, Kevin Casel, Michael Keiffer and Joel Mohr gather in the parish social hall kitchen where it all began in 1997. Venditti, Keiffer and Mohr are among the original Knights who served at the first St. James fish fry that year.

Bigger fish to

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FRY

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

Knights of Columbus bring tradition of charity and service to parishes every year during Lent

St. James Knights of Columbus gather on a frigid January evening for the first Fish Fry planning session of 2024.

By Ashl ie Hand

P hotos by Ashlie Hand a n d St. James Knights of C o l u mbu s

M

aybe you load up the family, brave the bitter cold and even plan your weekend menu around the parish fish fry season each year. There’s no doubt that Catholics have cornered the market on the Lenten fish fry for generations.

How did the tradition start, and why is it so popular?

While fish frys are hosted by various groups within a given parish — Boy Scouts, youth groups, women’s auxiliaries — the Knights of Columbus were one of the first organizations to adopt the Lenten fish fry more than three decades ago. Ask and they will tell you that this annual custom is about much more than what lands on your plate.

Fried fish has a long and storied history in the United States and around the world. The numerous varieties of fish that are well-suited to being breaded and fried, for many cultures over the centuries, have made fish a popular substitute for red meat and poultry.

The fish fry has strong historical ties to Native American cultures and traditions in the Northeast and Southeast United States. Its modern-day roots can be found in the European cultures of the Midwest, particularly in Wisconsin, where German and Polish Catholics settled in large numbers in the 1800s and lake fishing was plentiful.

The fish fry really took off in the 1920s and 1930s in bars and pubs during Prohibition. Fried fish dinners were a profitable alternative to alcohol, and while frying masked any fishy flavor, the saltiness increased thirst — good news for tavern and supper club owners when alcohol sales resumed.

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Members of the St. James Knights of Columbus prep for the parish’s second annual Lent Fish Fry in 1998.

Grand Knight Tom Greufe and Deacon Chuck Koesterer with St. James Knights of Columbus in Liberty.

Fish has been associated with religious holidays since pre-Christian times, though fasting on Fridays to recognize Jesus’ crucifixion dates to the first century AD. The first mention of fish in connection with Lent comes from Socrates of Constantinople, a Church historian in the third and fourth centuries who spoke of abstaining from meat and meat products (such as cheese and eggs) during the 40 days of Lent. The custom was mentioned by Pope Gregory I, who was elected in 590, and was later incorporated into canon law.

Catholic tradition has been that the flesh of warm-blooded animals is off limits on Fridays year-round, although Pope Saint Paul VI loosened those rules in 1960s and the 1983 Code of Canon Law provided for alternative observances of the Friday penance outside of Lent.

The Knights of Columbus have a long history in our Catholic parishes, founded on the principles of charity, unity and

Add your parish fish fry or St. Joseph Table event to our diocesan list on catholickey.org.

Email details to vrooman@diocesekcsj.org

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Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

fraternity in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1882 by Father Michael McGivney. From the very beginning, the Knights of Columbus have existed to bring financial aid and assistance to the sick, disabled and needy members of their parish and their families.

There isn’t a lot of history on the Knights of Columbus connection with Lenten fish frys, but it’s fairly This year’s St. James safe to assume that the Knights’ Fish Fry dates are charitable roots have helped to Feb. 16, March 8 and establish a strong culture of serMarch 22. vice, hospitality and generosity.

Visit It only seems natural, then, that catholickey.org for they would adopt the Lenten fish full details and menus. fry as a way to serve their parishes and raise funds for various needs and ministries. Today, more than 200 fish frys take place across Missouri during Lent, and hundreds of thousands of dollars are raised for charity from fish frys alone.

More than 30 parishes in our diocese hosted a fish fry during Lent in 2023 in nearly every corner of our 27-county territory.

At St. James Parish in Liberty, the Knights of Columbus were one of the earliest to take on this tradition, holding its first Lenten fish fry nearly 30 years ago. “[The St. James Fish Fry] has become a Liberty draw for residents, whether they are Catholic or not, and many sur-

The original menu and prices from the 1998 St. James Lent Fish Fry.

Volunteers set up a well-stocked dessert table during the first St. James Lent Fish Fry in 1997.

rounding communities participate as well,” said Deacon Chuck Koesterer. “This is especially true for our senior citizens, who mingle with each other and others in the community.”

The St. James Fish Fry has experienced tremendous growth over the years, serving 200 guests when it first started to more than 1,000 per week in 2023.

“We believe that providing excellent customer service is everything and gets the people to come back to our fish frys,” said Tom Greufe of the St. James Knights of Columbus Council. “We focus on making sure the attendees are served an excellent meal and have a wonderful experience.”

The proceeds from the St. James fish frys have contributed to the needs of a number of parish projects and ministries, including Respect for Life, youth ministry, Wheelchairs for Helping Hands, the Church Building Fund, St. James School, RCIA, seminarians and missionary ministries.

“We are hoping to set new attendance records this year,” said Greufe. “This will help us to increase the scope of assisting our ministries.”

In addition to 60-65 Knights supporting the full-scale production, serving such a large number of guests requires a large volunteer effort.

“Prior to COVID, our St. James school teachers and wives provided homemade desserts for the events, as well as our youth volunteering. Now we purchase the desserts we serve from local commercial vendors. Our wives and our youth are now involved with serving the desserts and providing

Guests enjoy the first St. James Lent Fish Fry held in 1997, including future Deacon Chuck Koesterer, far left.

customer assistance,” Deacon Koesterer explains.

Like many long-standing parish events, the Lenten fish fry has evolved over the years. The St. James events started in the parish social hall and moved to the larger parish school gym after the first three years. New food options were added, such as baked tilapia and pasta, as well as beer and wine for adult drink selections, in addition to lemonade, tea and coffee.

St. James also added curbside service in 2019, as well as the ability to accept credit and debit card payments.

“The fish fry has allowed Lent to become a way for the parish community to break bread and have a good time together sharing a meal and camaraderie,” Greufe said.

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marriage

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

(Mt 5:7)

Forgiveness

Seeing hurts from God’s perspective

of Catholics. As he died on the cross, Jesus gave the ultimate

example of forgiveness when he said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Lk 23:34) For those who follow Jesus Christ, forgiving others is a command. In the Our Father, we ask for the grace to forgive those who trespass against us. Jesus warns us that if we refuse to forgive others’ trespasses, “neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Mt 6:15) In the Catholic home, disciples have many opportunities to live this command. When we fail to love as we ought, the proper response is to make a good Confession. To restore unity in our home, we also must consider how to apologize, seek reconciliation with and forgive our family members. Pope Saint John Paul II called families to be both realistic and hopeful about the struggle to establish and maintain unity. “There is no family that does not know how selfishness, discord, tension and conflict violently attack and at times mortally wound its own communion ... At the same time, every family is called by the God of peace to have the joyous and renewing experience of ‘reconcilia-

16

tion,’ that is, communion reestablished, unity restored.” (Familiaris Consortio 21) Forgiveness does not necessarily include or lead immediately to forgetting, reconciling or forgoing justice. Psychologists distinguish between decisional and emotional forgiveness.

Decisional forgiveness is the intentional resolution to forgo revenge and behave kindly to the person who gave offense. Emotional forgiveness involves letting go of negative emotions toward the one who did wrong.

Decisional forgiveness is the necessary starting point leading to emotional forgiveness and this may be a longer process. The journey to emotional forgiveness and healing involves replacing negative emotions with positive ones to find a new narrative of forgiveness. “The old story of unforgiveness reinforces an ‘I am a victim’ identity. The new story of forgiveness needs to emphasize the reality that we do have control over how we frame, interpret, and react to the events in question ... We often cannot choose what happens to us, but we can always choose how to relate to what happens to us.”

(The Gospel of Happiness, p. 121)

For Christians, this new story of forgiveness is possible when we approach our hurts from a supernatural perspective, from God’s view. This gives us the ability to see our story as part of God’s story of providence and salvation. “Even

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

D i n o Dur a n do is the Director of the Office of Domestic Church and Discipleship and the Office of Marriage and Family for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. He and his wife Cathy have been married for over 25 years and have 10 children and one grandchild.

negative experiences may be an opportunity for growth because, God, somehow, brings good out of our unfortunate experience ... The Christian story is ultimately about God’s power to bring good out of evil, to bring healing to the sick, and even life to the dead.” (The Gospel of Happiness, p. 124-125)

One method for helping overcome unforgiveness in our life and write a new story of forgiveness is to use a method suggested by Kelly McGonigal in The Neuroscience of Change.

She describes a process for writing an advice letter to yourself to help you deal with negative emotions, and in the case of forgiveness, write a new narrative.

Le a r n m o r e about this letter-writing process and the power of forgiveness at catholickey.org.

Getty Images/PeopleImages

F

orgiveness is central to the faith

2024 Encountering Christ Retreats

Benedictine Spiritualit y

Conception Abbey’s Benedictine Retreats draw from more than 1500 years of wisdom in the Benedictine tradition and are rooted in the principles outlined by St. Benedict in his Holy Rule.

On these retreats you can expect: • Four conferences given by a monk, intended to lead the retreatant to encounter Christ • Participation in the Divine Office and Mass with the monastic community • Specific times for personal prayer and lectio divina • Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacrament of Reconciliation • Silence and a technology “fast”

January 26–28 (Women’s) | February 23–25 (Men’s) | March 8–10 (Women’s) April 12–14 (Men’s) | May 3–5 (Men’s) | May 17–19 (Women’s) | June 7–9 (Women’s) Visit conceptionabbey.org/guests/ or scan the QR code to view all of our retreat listings.

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featu r e

1

REC OGNI T I O N OF

2

what matters most W

hen St. Catherine of Siena (SCS) celebrated its last Mass April 29, 2023, I had been on staff at both St. Thomas More (communications) and St. Catherine of Siena (music) for more than 20 years when SCS

closed. After the closure, I took on both roles at Thomas More and have been on both sides of welcoming St. Catherine’s parishioners.

In times of grief, loving gestures are all the sweeter. When we meet in places cleared for what matters most, God, who is love, lives in our loving gestures. What happens there surely must have a share in eternity, for even the memory of it opens to the grace of the moment.

Some six months after the closing Mass of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, in a magazine that clears space for what matters most, I offer a recollection of just a few of the loving gestures offered to us by the people of St. Thomas More (STM) and the pastor of both parishes, Father Justin Hoye.

Soon after the closure, Father Justin placed a relic of Saint Catherine in the base of the crucifix alongside one of Saint Thomas More.

During the anniversary week of the dedication of SCS’ last church, he placed the altar stone from SCS into the STM altar and blessed the Saint Catherine of Siena statue in its new home near the statue of Saint Thomas More.

Since then, I have seen SCS parishioners gathered around the statue reading the parish history timeline next to it and sharing stories with new friends and old. After one Mass,

By Ro b er t S and f or d

18

I saw a young girl return from the parking lot with her siblings and friends to show them the statue she was telling them about. They stayed, looked and read a bit.

Mary Roach, long-time SCS parishioner and part-time volunteer staff member, said these gestures help her and those who are struggling with the transition. “These things remind us of all the good things we had at SCS and they help me feel more at home in my new home.”

Roberta Aguirre joined STM after having been at the heart of SCS for more than 50 years.

When I asked what she thought of the statue, she remarked how compassionate and caring Father Justin has been throughout the transition.

In what she sees when she looks at the statue, I see the heart of that parish: they were defined by the way they loved each other and the people in the surrounding community.

By way of a loving gesture, the statue in the likeness of Saint Catherine of Siena, installed and blessed in a place of honor, remembers not just the saint but the heart of a community that lived their faith under her patronage.

Gestures like this, offered in recognition of what matters most, give me hope for the church.

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

1. Fr. Justin Hoye placed the SCS altar stone into the STM altar. Knights of Columbus from the councils connected to SCS and STM participated in the ritual.

2. After the closing was announced, STM Celebration Choir members wrote notes inviting us to join them. Here pictured at rehearsal, they sang with us for our last Good Friday as SCS parish.

3. A relic of SCS was added to the base of the STM crucifix.

4. The timeline posted next to St. Catherine of Siena includes the establishment of St. Thomas More from the original parish boundaries of SCS. 5. The Statue of SCS in her new home alongside the statue of STM.

Other gestures to welcome SCS parishioners into the STM family: • In Advent, visited former SCS parishioners to connect and invite them to upcoming parish events • Installed SCS holy water fonts • Placed SCS Book of Remembrance alongside STM book for November • Invited SCS music ministers to serve and bereaved families to attend All Souls’ Mass and reception at STM • Adopted SCS custom of live music for first Sunday Adoration • Updated music area sound in part to include SCS small ensemble music ministers • Use of SCS cloth markers to identify those at Mass who need the Eucharist brought to them • Took over administration of the SCS Facebook page, website and video archive

hi spani c m i ni stry

We are all in flight, migrants on our way home. Just as Christ is the bridge between us and the Father, so are we the bridge between the migrant and a safe place to live.

A migrant God for a

migrant people

M

igration has become a complex and multifaceted phenomenon in our world to-

day. It encompasses various stages,

By L ey den Rovel o-Kr ul l , Director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry

from departure to arrival, and even the possibility of return. Pope Francis invited the Church to reflect on what it means to be “free to choose whether to migrate or to stay.” God recognizes the importance of choice for creatures imbued with a free will.

In biblical narratives, we see examples of forced migrations, such as the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt to escape King Herod’s persecution.

The decision to migrate should always be a free one, but, sadly, many people today are forced to leave their homes due to conflicts, natural disasters or the inability to live a dignified life.

Pope Francis emphasizes the need to address these root causes and create conditions that allow individuals to live in peace and prosperity in their own countries.

As the director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry and an immigrant myself, I am drawn to examine this complicated issue through the lens of what Father Daniel Groody, director of the Center for Latino Spirituality and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, calls the theology of migration.

This is a reflection on the “mystery of God in an age of migration.” And what is the mystery of God? Well, we are image bearers, created by God in his image and after his likeness. We are pilgrims on earth, our final and true home being heaven. The migrant is both image bearer and Gospel bearer

— he is the story of a pilgrim people.

A migrant God invites us to see our brothers and sisters in flight not by labels (illegal, legal, refugee, asylum seeker), which are ultimately political and judgment driven, but by their human identity. Restoring in our own hearts and minds, as well as the hearts and minds of the migrant, a sense of unity and belonging. We are all in flight, migrants on our way home.

Just as Christ is the bridge between us and the Father, so are we the bridge between the migrant and a safe place to live. Migrants believe they will find a better place here. Like the prodigal son, it is the belief in the safe haven of the Father’s love that enables them to journey homeward, notes Hans Urs von Balthasar.

The gift of the Christian faith is also a demand for the Christian faithful.

The history of salvation offers countless examples of God in flight with his people, accompanying them in exile and in the diaspora. To God, we are all migrants in via to our final home.

He chooses to accompany us through his Son and the Holy Spirit. He is a migrant God for his migrant people.

19

Transformative routines

during Lent and beyond

By Katie Pike

T

hink about your morning routine. Do you stretch or go for a jog? Maybe you hop in the shower or grab a cup of coffee. Perhaps you read the paper or scroll your phone. We all typically have a predictable start to our days. It brings us

comfort and helps us prepare for the day ahead.

As we enter the Lenten season, a period of reflection and spiritual growth, we are called out of our comforts to examine our routines. For many of us, Lent involves giving up something significant for the 40 days and abstaining from meat on Fridays and Ash Wednesday. While these practices address the pillar of fasting, it’s essential to remember the other two pillars of Lent — prayer and almsgiving. How are our days amplifying the Lord? How can we give in charity and love to others?

20

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

In the spirit of almsgiving, consider adding to your routine a monthly gift to Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph through our monthly giving program, Be a Simon. This program is named after Simon of Cyrene, a bystander who was plucked from the crowd by Roman guards and chosen to carry Jesus’ cross to Calvary. Although initially reluctant to take on this challenging task, it is traditionally believed that Simon walked away from the experience with newfound faith.

to s erv e and to l i ft

As you examine your routine during Lent, consider how becoming a monthly donor can be a transformative step. By incorporating this act of charity into your life, you are embracing change and making a positive impact on the lives of others. Sign up today at catholiccharities-kcsj.org/beasimon

Why be a Simon?

Monthly commitment: Be a Simon encourages individuals to make a monthly commitment to support the charitable initiatives of Catholic Charities. This steady, ongoing support allows the organization to plan and implement long-term solutions to help those in need.

Embodying the spirit of Simon: By becoming a monthly giver, you are embodying the spirit of Simon of Cyrene — someone who, when unexpectedly called upon, stepped up to bear the burdens of others. Your monthly contribution becomes a tangible way of carrying the cross for those who face difficulties in our communities.

A lifeline for those in need: The Be a Simon program enables Catholic Charities to provide essential services, including food assistance, shelter, healthcare, and education, to individuals and families in need. Your monthly gift becomes a lifeline for those navigating challenging circumstances, offering hope and support.

The 40 days of Lent serve as a powerful opportunity not only to sacrifice but also to adjust habits that can serve us well throughout the whole year. The act of giving to others instills a sense of purpose and selflessness that extends far beyond the Lenten season.

Beyond the 40 days of Lent, incorporating acts of charity into our routines allows us to walk together in faith, compassion, and the spirit of giving throughout the entire year. Embracing change during Lent becomes a lasting gift — one that continues to serve both us and our communities.

By weaving acts of kindness and charity into our daily lives, we create a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond the season of Lent, leaving a lasting legacy of love and compassion.

21

cath o l i c s ch o o l s

St. Gabriel School embraces Catholic liberal arts as a Father Alex Kreidler, pastor of St. Gabriel Archangel Parish, visits with a group of students at the parish school.

MINISTRY OF FAITH

S

t. Gabriel School is currently undergoing the first wave of an educational sea change. Following the lead of St. Pius X

High School and other schools in the diocese, they are embracing the centuries-old Catholic liberal arts pedagogy vision.

Father Alex Kreidler, pastor of St. Gabriel Archangel Parish, said he saw the strides students at Pho tos cou rtesy nearby Borromeo Academy were o f St. Gabriel the making and wanted to investigate Ar c h angel Parish bringing the vision and curricular model to St. Gabriel’s. and School You might wonder how Catholic liberal arts fit in a grade school.

After all, many schools boast of their liberal arts programs.

According to the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education (ICLE) website, this model “cultivates faith and reason for full human flourishing.” Based in the seven ancient liberal arts and sciences — grammar, logic and rhetoric, geometry, arithmetic, astronomy and music — the Catholic Church developed its educational vision, or model, which became the

By M a rty Denzer

22

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

pedagogical gold standard for centuries. It formed many of the finest minds and holiest saints, including Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Thomas More, Saint John Henry Newman and, more recently, Pope Benedict XVI, who said that Catholic education is integral to the Church’s mission: to proclaim the Good News.

Infusing a Catholic mind-set into learning is about raising students who have eyes to see and ears to hear the presence of God, the Creator, in the truth, beauty and goodness of the world around them. Education becomes permeated with joyful hope. The word liberal comes from the Latin liber, meaning free. Catholic liberal arts education, therefore, is one of freedom in Christ as he reveals himself through his Church.

After dialogue with teachers and school parents, Father Kreidler and school Principal Stacey Bresette initiated Phase 1 — implementation — of a three-year transition into the Catholic liberal arts model at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. At first, Father Kreidler said, parents, students and teachers expressed some fears about the change, but those changes were made out of love, so, as the semester continued, they began to be embraced.

Reading curriculum for kindergarten through grade 2 is now phonics based. Grades 1-4 have switched to a new mathematics program and grades 5-8 are implementing the Institute for Excellence in Writing’s program. Father Kreidler teaches two Latin classes.

Mass begins each school day. One parent observed that there’s a difference between occasional reverencing and having Christ as the teacher. She noted there are weekly opportunities for adoration and daily conversations about the cardinal virtues — fortitude, temperance, justice, prudence, faith, hope and charity. Each month, students have the opportunity to go to Confession and to recognize a fellow student for stewardship.

Father Kreidler said parents often attend daily Mass, and monthly educational and volunteer activities exist for them.

Both parents and students have thanked him for daily Mass, the boys’ altar server training and the change in student attitudes. The young ladies are invited to read, sing and serve as sacristans.

“Catholic liberal arts education is a ministry. All truths come from God and lead back to Christ,” he said, “St. Gabriel’s is Christ-centered, and prayer is part of everything we do. This curriculum will bring about a natural blossoming of the human person that, by its very nature, will inform everything else we do. Faith is not a formality, it’s formative.”

Pope Francis, during his June 28, 2023, General Audience, spoke about Saint Mary MacKillop, founder of the Australian religious order the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Remarking that she believed Catholic education was also “a great form of evangelization,” Pope Francis added that “education does not consist of filling the head with ideas ….” Father Kreidler explained he meant that Catholic education is not merely filling the head with ideas.

“Catholic education,” he asserted, “is presenting truth to the mind and love to the heart, creating wonder.”

He anticipates the new curricular model will bring the school to its maximum potential, enhancing its ministries.

Mass begins each Enrollment has also increased school day at St. Gabriel by nearly 25 percent.

Archangel School.

Christ is present in St. Gabriel's Catechesis of the Good Shepherd experience for students age 3 through 12.

Catholic liberal arts education is a ministry.

All truths come from God and lead back to Christ.

St. Gabriel’s is Christ-centered, and prayer is part of everything we do. This curriculum will bring about a natural blossoming of the human person that, by its very nature, will inform everything else we do. Faith is not a formality, it’s formative.”

Father Kreidler said, “Education as a ministry may be new to us but not to the Church. It’s engaging subject matter that points to Christ, the truth. Catholic materials and mind-set are so intentional. He’s there!”

Christ is also present in St. Gabriel’s Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) experience for students aged 3 through 12, led by catechists Jo Thornley Cox and Kara Lizau. Meeting in age groups in a reverentially equipped space called an “atrium,” CGS draws children into their covenant relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Son and the Holy Spirit, through Scripture and Catholic liturgy, using hands-on materials such as child-sized candlesticks, chalice and paten and printed pictures or texts.

MOScholars, the program established by the Missouri General Assembly in 2021 to provide educational opportunities to Missouri students and families, was also touted

by Father Kreidler. The law provides for state tax credits for contributions to approved nonprofit Educational Assistance Organizations, including the Bright Futures Fund of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, which provides financial assistance to families, students and schools within the diocese.

Gifts are tax-deductible.

Father Kreidler said MOScholars is supporting the education of nearly 20 percent of students attending St. Gabriel’s School.

“Our Blessed Mother has been remarkably good to St. Gabriel’s,” he said softly. “As you know, the archangel Gabriel announced to her that she would give birth to Jesus, the Son of God. She wants all children to get to know her Son.”

23

b l ack cath o l ic s p i r i tu a l i ty

T

o say that Black people are not a monolith is an understatement.

preaching and religious dance expressions.

Jesus gave us the command “to love

Black Catholics are not statues in their

God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and

own church — unable to speak, move or

strength.” (Mk 22-30) Our love of God should

have emotions in the presence of the Al-

coincide with our praise of God. Loving

mighty. Noted Black Catholic evangelist

God is truly returning to God the gift of

and Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman

being ourselves: freely, deeply involved to

offered this observation to a gathering of

the depths of our being.

We possess differences of faith,

the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in

Spirituality, with its skin-toned diversi-

education, economics, politics, culture

1989: “We come to our Church fully func-

ty, is a deeper human encounter with the

tioning. We bring our self, our Black self,

Divine. We reach out and respond to the

all that we are, all that we have, all that we

Almighty’s presence. Spirituality engages

hope to become.”

not just the desire to praise God, but also

and even personal preferences. To see one Black person and to associate him with all Black people is simply wrong, and quite racist.

Given the veracity of this statement, should we not be more endearing with

the movements, the emotions and the vocalizations that praise stirs within us.

ourselves, and with others? Can we trust

Black spirituality concretely adds the

that God accepts and welcomes the praise

dimensions of heritage, culture and our

Expressions of Black Catholic spirituality

of all his children, especially when offered

social experiences. We praise God from

are just as diverse as Black life. A candidate

with reverence and sincerity of spirit? God

where we are, and where we have been.

in the RCIA process observed, “Everybody

does not issue demerits for the style of wor-

We praise God amid troubles, and amid

is doing their own thing during the Mass.

ship. He gives grace because we worship.

happiness. We praise God for who God is —

Some pray with their heads bowed, some

Every Catholic does not pray alike, so

the One who loves, heals and comforts us.

read from a missalette, some sing, some

why should we be expected to sway alike

That is why, when the Spirit moves the

shout and some are quiet and do not ap-

in our expressions of worship? Scripture

soul in a response to inspired preaching,

pear reverent.”

says, “With trumpet, and the sound of the

one might hear, “Thank you, Jesus!” “Praise

She did not know how to be “Catholic”

horn, shout with joy to the king, our Lord.”

the Lord!” or “Preach!” — all exhortations

in this Black Catholic environment charac-

(Ps 98:6) Scripture does not say we must

for the preacher to continue to feed us

terized by the infusion of Gospel-inspired

refrain from being too boisterous, serious

with the Word that saves.

hymns and songs, Scripture-referenced

or restrained.

24

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

Getty Images/PixelCatchers

s n o i ss e r p Ex of the self

D e ac o n K e n Gre e n e is husband to Carolyn, father to Wyvonne, Tonya and Dominick, grandfather to five and great-grandfather to nine. He is the RCIA coordinator for St. Monica Parish.

M i ni ster i o Hi spano

Todos estamos en fuga, migrantes de camino a casa. Así como Cristo es el puente entre nosotros y el Padre, también nosotros somos el puente entre el migrante y un lugar seguro donde vivir.

Un Dios migrante para un

L

pueblo migrante

a migración se ha convertido en un fenómeno complejo y multifacético en nuestro mundo actual. Abarca diversas etapas, desde la salida hasta la llegada, e

incluso la posibilidad de regreso. El Papa Francisco invitó a la Iglesia a reflexionar sobre lo que significa ser “libre de elegir si migrar o quedarse”. Dios reconoce la importancia de la elección para las criaturas imbuidas de libre albedrío.

En la biblia vemos ejemplos de migraciones forzadas, como la huida de la Sagrada Familia a Egipto para escapar de la persecución del rey Herodes.

La decisión de migrar siempre debe ser libre, pero lamentablemente muchas personas hoy se ven obligadas a abandonar sus hogares debido a conflictos, desastres naturales o la imposibilidad de vivir una vida digna. El Papa Francisco enfatiza la necesidad de abordar estas causas profundas y crear condiciones que permitan a las personas vivir en paz y prosperidad en sus propios países.

Como directora del Ministerio Hispano e inmigrante, me siento atraída a examinar este complicado tema a través de la lente de lo que el padre Daniel Groody, director del Centro para la Espiritualidad y Cultura Latina de la Universidad de Notre Dame, llama la teología de la

P o r Le y d e n Rov e lo - K r ull

migración. Esta es una reflexión sobre el “misterio de Dios en una época de migraciones”. ¿Y cuál es el misterio de Dios? Somos portadores de imagen, creados por Dios a su imagen y semejanza. Somos peregrinos en la tierra, ya que nuestro hogar final y verdadero es el cielo. El migrante es a la vez portador de la imagen y portador del evangelio: es la historia de un pueblo peregrino.

Un Dios migrante nos invita a ver a nuestros hermanos en exilio no por etiquetas (ilegales, legales, refugiados, solicitantes de asilo) que en última instancia son políticas y basadas en juicios, sino por su identidad humana. Restaurando en nuestros corazones y mentes, así como en los del migrante, un sentido de unidad y pertenencia. Todos estamos en fuga, migrantes de camino a casa. Así como Cristo es el puente entre nosotros y el Padre, también nosotros somos el puente entre el migrante y un lugar seguro donde vivir. Los inmigrantes creen que aquí encontrarán un lugar mejor. Al igual que el hijo pródigo, es la creencia en el refugio seguro del amor del Padre lo que les permite viajar de regreso a casa (Hans Urs von Balthasar).

El don de la fe cristiana es también una exigencia para los fieles.

La historia de la salvación ofrece innumerables ejemplos de Dios en fuga con su pueblo, acompañándolos en el exilio y en la diáspora. Para Dios todos somos migrantes en camino a nuestro hogar final. Él elige acompañarnos a través de su Hijo y el Espíritu Santo. Es un Dios migrante para su pueblo migrante.

25

e n e l ca mi n o

LA

LECCIÓN DE LA

26

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

Getty Images/ssucsy

SIERRA TRANSVERSAL

D e l O bi s p o El obispo James V. Johnston, Jr. es el séptimo obispode la Diócesis de Kansas City-St. Joseph

A

menudo durante los meses de invierno acompañaba a mi padre al bosque que nuestra familia poseía para cortar leña. Junto a las hachas y la motosierra, a menudo llevábamos una vieja

sierra transversal que había sido utilizada por mi abuelo y por mi padre cuando era niño. Era la forma usual en la que se cortaban los árboles antes de la llegada de la motosierra.

Una sierra transversal mide aproximadamente seis pies de largo y está

revestida con una impresionante variedad de dientes de acero y mangos de madera para agarrar en cada extremo. Utilizábamos la sierra transversal en lugar de la motosierra cuando un tronco era especialmente grande o difícil de cortar Para utilizar efectivamente una sierra transversal se requieren dos personas, trabajando conjuntamente en una especie de ritmo coordinado. Si la cooperación se rompe, la sierra se atasca o se detiene y el equipo debe hacer una pausa y coordinarse nuevamente. ¡Además de cortar grandes troncos, el aserrado transversal sirve como un buen ejercicio cardiovascular!

Al empezar la temporada de Cuaresma, la sierra transversal nos ofrece una imagen útil

“ D e sde e nt o nc e s, Je sú s c o m e nz ó a anu nc i a r : C a m b i e n su m ane r a d e pe nsa r y de v ivi r po r q u e e l r e i no d e D i o s ya e stá c e r c a”

sobre lo que Dios nos llama a emprender.

— M at eo 4:17

utilizáramos una sierra transversal, Dios

Dios nos llama a una conversión más profunda, a través del arrepentimiento.

Debemos intencionalmente abandonar el pecado y volvernos a Dios, y abrazar completamente nuestra identidad y vida como hijos de Dios y discípulos de Jesús.

Y aunque es una tarea personal para cada cristiano, no se hace en aislamiento. Si estaría en el otro extremo. De hecho, si Él no estuviera involucrado como socio, no avanzaríamos en absoluto.

La vida cristiana es como ese ejemplo- requiere nuestros actos personales de fe, pero esos actos son insuficientes en sí mismos. Dios, su misericordia y la ayuda de su gracia también son necesarios. Nuestra salvación implica nuestra libertad. No obstante Dios hace que nuestra salvación dependa de nuestra cooperación. Como en un equipo que utiliza una sierra transversal, la persona en el otro extremo es siempre necesaria.

A medida que transitamos la Cuaresma, busquemos a Dios en el otro extremo como nuestro socio en el más grande objetivo que debemos emprender en la vida. En la práctica, esto podría significar regresar a la Misa si usted ha estado alejado o hacer un examen minucioso de conciencia y acudir a la Confesión sacramental, o practicar la caridad, o perdonar a alguien, o varias de estas acciones y más. Tire de su lado de la sierra y Dios tirará del suyo.

27

f e atu r e

Catholic

fr om h ead t o to e

By M a rt y D e nz er P ho t os by C hr is t y G r u enb aum

P l eas e pr ay for all candidates and their families attending the Rite of Election Masses on Feb. 17-18 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

28

G

loria Lorenzo smiled as tears coursed down her cheeks. “Now I’m Catholic from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet, and

I will be Catholic until I die.”

The 36-year-old mother of three was born in Honduras and baptized Catholic. Her father died while she was still young and her mother remarried. That’s when Gloria began doubting her faith.

She was subjected to both verbal and physical abuse and her siblings neither comforted nor supported her.

Gloria was just 15 when a young man of her acquaintance tried to court her, but she refused him. Angered, he waylaid and raped her. Some weeks later, she learned she was pregnant.

Her mother accused her of inviting the rape, and both parents rebuffed her pleas for help and support. She approached an uncle, but he too turned her away. Desperate, she went to the mango grove where she worked, climbed the tallest mango tree she could find and threw herself out. Nothing happened, neither she nor her baby were injured.

Alone, Gloria sought help from friends. She was introduced to a couple who offered to help her and adopt her baby. She agreed, if the baby was a girl, to prevent any abuse. If the baby was a boy, however, she would raise him herself, somehow.

“They were really good to me,” she recalled two decades later. When she went into labor, the couple accompanied her to the hospital and supported her as she gave birth to a boy. Disappointed, they did not reproach her, but they mentioned they liked the name Jason. In their honor, Gloria named her son Jason.

She approached the local Catholic church to see about baptizing the boy, but the paperwork required was daunting and she said, “Forget it.”

By 2013, Gloria had a daughter also, and she, her two children and her siblings immigrated to America, settling in

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

Kansas City. Upon arrival, she made a promise to God to go to a church and thank him for getting her and the children to their new home safely. Her siblings had turned away from the Catholic faith and converted to another Christian denomination and were importuning Gloria to do likewise. Their church left her feeling empty, though, and she didn’t go again.

“I was looking for the true Church of Jesus,” she said.

Some friends told her about Holy Cross Church on St. John Avenue. She went to see the church. Once there, she kept her promise to thank God, but wasn’t certain it was for her. Her attendance was sporadic.

A year or so later, she married in a civil ceremony. In 2016, she and her husband welcomed a baby boy.

Several years ago, Father Olvin Girón, pastor of Holy Cross, invited Gloria to participate in RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) and she accepted, attending with her teenage daughter and beginning their conversion to full Catholicism.

Feeling she needed more, she realized she needed the sacraments of the Eucharist and Confirmation, but her lack of a sacramental marriage impeded her.

During this time, her siblings hounded her, calling her a devil-worshiper due to her devotion to the Blessed Mother, but she did not give up or give in. A white stallion frequently trotted through her dreams and she felt sure God had a plan for her.

In the spring of 2022, she attended the Rite of Election Mass celebrated at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; later that year, she was accepted into the Church, although she hasn’t yet received the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Gloria wants to grow in her faith. “I want to be like the mustard seed and grow to shelter others. I want to move mountains.”

f e atu r e

Católica

de los p i es a l a c a b e z a

G

loria Lorenzo sonrió a medida que las lágrimas corrían por sus mejillas.

“Ahora soy católica de los pies a la cabeza y seré católica hasta el dia en que me muera”.

Madre de tres niños, de 36 años, nació en Honduras y fue bautizada católica.

Su padre murió cuando ella era muy joven y su madre se volvió a casar. En ese momento Gloria comenzó a dudar de su fe.

Sufrió abuso verbal y físico, y sus hermanos ni la consolaron ni la apoyaron.

Gloria solo tenía 15 años cuando un joven que conocía intentó cortejarla y ella lo rechazó. Enojado la asaltó y la violó. Unas semanas más tarde supo que estaba embarazada.

Su madre la acuso de haber provocado la violación, y ambos padres desoyeron sus suplicas de ayuda y apoyo. Ella se aproximó a un tío, pero él también la rechazó. Desesperada, fue al huerto de mangos en el que trabajaba, se subió al árbol de mango más alto y salto al vacío. No paso nada, ni ella ni su bebé resultaron heridos.

Sintiéndose sola Gloria buscó la ayuda de sus amigos. Ellos le presentaron a una pareja que le ofreció ayudarla y adoptar a su bebé. Ella accedió, siempre y cuando

el bebé fuese una niña, para prevenir cualquier abuso. Sin embargo, si fuese un niño ella lo criaría de alguna manera.

“Ellos fueron muy buenos conmigo”, recordó dos décadas después. Cuando se presentó el parto, la pareja la acompañó al hospital y la apoyó hasta que dio a luz un niño varón. Desencantados, no le hicieron ningún reproche, pero le mencionaron que les gustaba el nombre Jason. En su honor, Gloria nombró a su hijo Jason.

Se aproximó a la iglesia católica local para tratar de bautizar al niño, pero los trámites eran abrumadores y dijo, “Mejor me olvido de eso”.

Para el 2013 Gloria ya tenía también una hija, y ella, sus dos niños y sus hermanos emigraron a los Estados Unidos, radicándose en Kansas City. A su llegada, ella le prometió a Dios ir a una iglesia a darle gracias por permitirles llegar sanos y salvos a su nuevo hogar.

Sus hermanos se habían alejado de la fe católica y se habían convertido a otra denominación cristiana, y querían que Gloria hiciese lo mismo. Su iglesia le dejó una sensación de vacío y ella no volvió.

“Yo estaba buscando la Verdadera Iglesia de Jesús”, dijo ella.

Algunos amigos le hablaron acerca de la Iglesia Holy Cross en la Avenida St. John; y fue a visitar la iglesia. Al llegar allí, cumplió su promesa de dar gracias a Dios, pero no estaba segura de que fuera

para ella. Su asistencia fue esporádica.

Hace más o menos un año se casó en una ceremonia civil, y en 2016 ella y su esposo le dieron la bienvenida a un hijo.

Hace algunos años, el Padre Olvin Giron, párroco de Holy Cross, invitÓ a Gloria a participar en RCIA (Rito de Iniciación Cristiana para Adultos, por sus siglas en inglés) y ella aceptó, asistiendo con su hija adolescente y así comenzó su conversión al catolicismo pleno.

Sintió que necesitaba más, y se dio cuenta que necesitaba los sacramentos de la Eucaristía y la Confirmación, pero la falta de un matrimonio sacramental se lo impedía.

Durante ese tiempo, sus hermanos la perseguían, diciéndole que era una adoradora del demonio por su devoción a nuestra Santa Madre, pero ella no se rindió y no cedió a sus presiones. En sus sueños frecuentemente trotaba un semental blanco y ella estaba segura de que Dios tenía un plan para ella En la primavera de 2022, asistió a la Misa del Rito de Elección en la Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción, y más tarde en el mismo año fue aceptada en la Iglesia católica, aunque ella no había recibido todavía el sacramento de la Santa Comunión.

Gloria quiere crecer en su fe. “Quiero ser como el grano de mostaza y crecer para cobijar a los demás. Quiero mover montañas”.

Po r M a r ty De n ze r

Po r favo r ore por todos los candidatos y sus familias asistiendo a las Misas del Rito de Elección el 17 y el 18 de febrero en la Catedral de la Inmaculada concepción.

29

f e atu r e

MEET

Natalie Newville

PRESIDENT OF ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC ACADEMY

“We (as Catholic schools) have the opportunity not only to impact students’ education but also their souls,” explained Natalie Newville, the new president of St. Joseph Catholic Academy. “Catholic schools are safe environments where faith helps to form the decisions of administrators, teachers and even students.” Newville has deep ties to St. Joseph. She is a 2008 graduate of Missouri Western State University and is married to St. Joseph native and Bishop LeBlond alum Kenney. She is also well-

Natalie Newville took over as president of the St. Joseph Catholic Academy in November 2023. Photo by Ashlie Hand.

qualified, holding a master’s in strategic leadership.

By S a ra Kr a f t

The St. Joseph Catholic Academy is a new cooperative model for strengthening Catholic education in St. Joseph. “The academy model is one where the Catholic community can share our expertise, resources and enthusiasm while still maintaining each campuses’ individuality and connection to their parishes,” explains Newville. “Our schools are able to collaborate with each other and build a strong Catholic education community, while our parishes are able to continue to support and connect with their individual schools. Additionally, the academy is able to help facilitate fund development, cross-campus activities and streamlined student recruitment and admission for all of the Catholic schools.”

Catholic education dates back over 100 years in the St. Joseph area. St. Joseph Catholic Academy offers preschool through grade 12 education and consists of five schools in St. Joseph: Bishop LeBlond High School, Cathedral School, St. Francis Xavier School, St. James Catholic School and the St. Gianna Early Childhood Center. Each school is overseen by onsite administration and supported by St. Joseph Catholic Academy.

30

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

“We have a lot of great opportunities with the academy. Right now, I am focusing on meeting with all of our stakeholders so that together we can determine where we go from here. The foundation of the academy has been laid, and I look forward to expanding our reach and impact with our community,” stated Newville. “Ultimately, I would love to see all of our Catholic schools full and “ULTIMATELY, I WOULD thriving with a bigger sense of comLOVE TO SEE ALL OF OUR munity between all of our campuses.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS FULL I love that each school has their own personality, but together we can meet AND THRIVING WITH the needs of our families in providA BIGGER SENSE OF ing a quality Catholic education. Our COMMUNITY BETWEEN St. Joseph Catholic schools are in an ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES.” amazing place, and building on that will only make us all stronger.

“My family is really excited to be back, and be in the community,” added Newville. “My door is always open, and I hope if people have comments or suggestions they will send me an email, call or stop by. We really want to get to know everyone in the community.

I am excited to come in and help build something really great.”

par enti ng

LATE for the BUS

By K ar en R idder

M

y high schooler HAS to get to the bus stop for school. It’s

really inconvenient for me to drive him, and he can’t walk.

He knows this, but he also HATES getting up any earlier

Getty Images/Aleutie

than necessary to get there.

One morning recently he was downstairs and ready at 7:25.

I thought, “Great! he’ll have plenty of time to get to the bus.”

It comes at 7:40 a.m.

But after eating his cereal, instead of heading to the door as I expected, he went downstairs to the basement. Then he ran upstairs to his room. Then he went back downstairs to the basement. It was a lot of up and down.

I said, “What are you looking for?”

“Nothing,” he answered.

A couple of minutes pass. He headed back upstairs.

“It’s past 7:30. Can I help you find something?”

“No, I’m fine.”

A few more minutes pass.

I yell upstairs, “It’s 7:35! You are going to miss the bus.”

No answer.

It’s 7:38.

“Come on! What are you looking for?” I say.

I get no response — though

I’m sure he can hear me.

It’s 7:41.

The bus goes by without him.

Now, HE has to wait. He may be late for school. I miss my time to do what I need. His little sister has to get dressed to go with us. The 30-minute round trip drive to the high school will make her miss her bus, too.

I say, “You missed the bus.

WHAT in the world were you looking for?”

Finally, he says. “Well, I can’t find any clean socks.”

What? Seriously? You’ve got to be kidding me! Why didn’t he just ask me? I’m the one who DOES the laundry. I’m the one who folds it. I am the one who most likely could have brought a quick solution to the problem.

But he didn’t WANT to ask.

He thought he should be able to take care of it himself. He was a little frustrated he couldn’t. So, he missed his bus.

This is exactly what happens when we hesitate to pray.

How many times do we end up running around trying to solve our own problems, instead of taking them to God? We don’t answer the Holy Spirit’s call to ask, because we’re certain it’s something we think we should just be able to take care of ourselves.

I said, “Son, it’s OK to ask me for help. I want to help you.

It’s my job, but I can’t help take care of your needs if you don’t talk to me.”

God is asking to hear about your needs. This is why we pray.

Don’t simply waste time going up and down the stairs instead of asking for help. You will miss your bus.

These days, I pay WAY more attention to my son’s sock drawer. I try hard to make sure he has clean pairs available. That is because I love him. I WANT to provide for him.

This is how God feels about you, too.

Ask.

31

vo l u n te e r s p o tl i gh t

I D E A S INTO A C T I O N Giving in love — St. Sabina Parish flu shot clinic

E

ach year, a portion of donations to the Annual Catholic Appeal is used to support parishbased ministry grants in our diocese. During

fiscal 2022-2023, $135,000 was distributed to support 20 projects benefiting the communities in and around our parishes.

By A shlie Hand P ho t o s c o u rt e sy o f S t. S ab ina Par ish

32

In the fall of 2020, St. Sabina Parish held a flu shot clinic for staff and parishioners. A few of the parishioners didn’t have insurance, so they paid out of pocket. This prompted Kris Larkey, business manager at St. Sabina Parish, to ask her pastor, Father Jeff Stephan, his thoughts about applying for a Parish Based Ministry Grant (PBMG) to provide flu shots to those without insurance.

“Demand for flu shots was high at the time since this was before COVID vaccines were available, and many people were worried about getting sick and wanting to prevent illness if at all possible,” Kris explained. With the support of Father Jeff, St. Sabina applied for a PBMG to host flu shot clinics for

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

Berenice Zayas (far left), Yennifer Escobar (center) and Yakelin Escobar assist with patient check in during St. Sabina's flu shot clinic for uninsured.

those without insurance or those with inadequate insurance in 2021, 2022 and 2023. They were approved for a $5,000 grant in 2021 and 2022, then $5,500 in 2023.

St. Sabina Hispanic Coordinator Berenice Zayas and volunteer parishioner Wendy Mora contacted many people in the community and compiled the list of those needing a flu shot. Berenice also scheduled the volunteers, and she came to help on clinic days.

“I was once in need due to a lack of health insurance,” said Berenice. “I was especially glad to see that an entire family, who had previously been hesitant about getting flu shots, came to get vaccinated. One member of this family had been

hospitalized due to a critical case of the flu in 2022, so it was great to see them taking preventative measures to protect themselves and others.”

Yennifer Escobar, a St. Sabina parishioner and flu clinic volunteer, helped patients get checked in or enrolled, and helped the Spanish-speaking community through interpretation and answers to their questions.

“Volunteering at the clinic helped me understand that when we help others, serve our ministry and community, we are doing what God sent us to this world for,” Yennifer said.

Kris was especially touched by the opportunity to visit with people as they were waiting in line, to ask about their

families, their wedding plans and how school was going. So, while the clinic helped protect the health of parishioners, it gave the parish an opportunity for a little bit of fellowship and for parishioners to experience how much the staff and their pastor care for them.

“At St. Sabina, we hear many homilies about building the kingdom of God in our little corner of the world, by living out our baptismal promises, by going out to love and serve, by thinking of others before self,” Kris recalled. “For me, it is a great privilege to be able to help and serve others. My goal is to come away from the experience a better person, with more insight into the lives of other people, more humble and more grateful, not only for what I have, but for the relationships formed through ministry.”

Yennifer’s advice for those considering a volunteer opportunity in their parish is to “always serve with your heart and never do it to be known or to be seen. At the end, our Lord will know and he will reward us. Many times, we can support our parish by simply praying for each other, being nice with others, letting others know that God is our refuge and strength and, no matter what, that he will always be there for us and will always love us.”

Kris added, “No idea is too small to make a difference in people’s lives. Have enough courage to put your ideas into action.”

“Always serve with your heart and never do it to be known or to be seen.

At the end our Lord will know and he will reward us.”

— Yennifer Escobar

The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas invite you to attend the region's largest Eucharistic Adoration event in more than 80 years:

BEHOLD, Kansas City.

33

f e at u r e

at Seedtime

of life. God has a love for all creation, and it is the people’s responsibility to care for it. In doing so, in the late winter or early spring, the Church seeks God’s blessing, asking especially for the protection of seeds and young plants in fields, gardens and greenhouses.

The diocese will celebrate this blessing during the Day of Prayer at Seedtime on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024.

By A lliso n Vr oo m an

34

Assigned by the Catholic Church centuries ago, Ember Days focus on prayers for successful crops and harvest. Due to the variation of climates and crops around the world, the Vatican permits conferences of bishops to establish a fitting date according to their planting schedule. In our diocese, two days of prayer are respected: the Day of Prayer at Seedtime and the Day of Prayer for Farm Animals.

The blessing of seeds at planting time is especially important to those in rural parish communities, some of which are under the care of Father Ken Criqui.

Catholic Key • February/March 2024 • catholickey.org

He is the pastor at St. Mary Parish in Carrollton and Sacred Heart Mission in Norborne. Many parishioners of these churches have a long family history of farming and rural life. The blessing of their seeds ignites a hope that their crops will produce a bountiful harvest and that they will find success in another year of manual labor.

When asked about the significance of recognizing the start of planting season, as done on the Day of Prayer at Seedtime, Father Criqui commented, “Everything comes from God. Our seeds are the creation of God, and as Christians, we are asking for a powerful crop from the seeds that we are blessing.” In embracing this tradition, participants acknowledge the divine origin of their seeds and fervently seek a bountiful harvest through the blessings of faith and prayer.

Seeds are brought to Mass in person or sent ahead of time. Those especially invited are gardeners, farmers, greenhouse growers and all who work with plants or seeds.

Father Paul Turner, this year’s celebrant of the Mass at seedtime, makes a connection between this blessing and the upcoming liturgical seasons. “In the Northern Hemisphere, the planting often coincides with Lent and Easter, when we are preparing our spiritual lives for rebirth. Even children who plant seeds learn important lessons about the growth of faith in their lives.”

“God also said: See, I give you every seed-bearing plant on all the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the wild animals, all the birds of the air, and all the living creates that crawl on the earth, I give all the green plants for food. And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good …”

— Genesis 1:29-31

Getty Images/HMVart

Planting season — a time of new beginnings, of hope,

R

A

F P O R A Y Y A E D

Cultivating exceptional scholars to know, love and serve Jesus Christ.

Enrollment is happening now at all five campuses of St. Joseph Catholic Academy!

SUPPORT SJCA

Each campus provides an exceptional education by embracing academic excellence and promoting social and spiritual growth.

Find out more information and get started at www.stjoecatholicacademy.com.

35

Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph The Catholic Center 20 W. Ninth St. Kansas City, MO 64105

~ This Is A Holy Place~

it is consecrated ground set aside as a meeting place for God and man.

We will begin offering space in our new mausoleums at Mt. Olivet and Resurrection Cemeteries in Kansas City soon. Special offers will be published in The Catholic Key and parish bulletins.

“Plan Today, Not Tomorrow ~ Together, Not Alone.”

Mt. Olivet Cemetery - KC

7601 Blue Ridge Blvd.

Kansas City, MO 64138 816.353.1900

Mt. St. Mary’s Cemetery

2201 Cleveland Avenue Kansas City, MO 64127 816.241.7663

Resurrection Cemetery

Mt. Olivet Cemetery St. Joseph

5001 NE Cookingham Dr. Kansas City, MO 64156 816.734.2356

26th & Lovers Lane St. Joseph, MO 64506 816.279.5005

Partnering with Catholic Cemeteries are two of Kansas City's most established and trusted funeral homes Steve Pierce 6800 Troost Ave Kansas City, MO 64131 (816) 444-2060

Serving Our Catholic Community Since 1954

family operated

www.muehlebachchapel.com

Charlie Passantino 2117 Independence Blvd.

Kansas City, MO 64124 (816) 471-2844 Family Owned Since 1930

www.passantinobros.com

Before, During and After...

We will be there in your time of need. cemeterieskcsj.org