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The magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St.
JosephBishop James V. Johnston, Jr.
Publisher
Ashlie Hand
Editor
Christy Gruenbaum
Assistant editor
Jenny Pomicter
Graphic designer
To submit story ideas and news, send emails to hand@diocesekcsj.org
‘Play every day like it’s your last’ Ashlie Hand
For many who grew up around Kansas City, John Wathan is a recognized legend of KC Royals baseball, devoting 47 years of his 51-year career to the Royals organization. John retired in 2022, but throughout his successes on the field, in the broadcast booth and in the front office, it was his Catholic Faith that kept him grounded.
www.FAITHcatholic.com
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. ©2022 Catholic Key, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
ON THE COVER:
John Wathan, a life-long Catholic and St. Margaret of Scotland parishioner, recently retired after 47 years with the Kansas City Royals. Photo by Christy Gruenbaum
On the Way | The source and the summit
Bishop Johnston
As the Catholic Church in the United States concludes this first year of a nationwide Eucharistic Revival, our diocese is planning a very special event to proclaim our love for the Eucharistic Lord, Jesus Christ.
House of God | Our Lady of Peace, Kansas City
Ashlie Hand and Cory Thomason
Take in the dramatic beauty of this French Gothic-inspired church, carefully and lovingly restored in 2021 by devoted parishioners and religious in Kansas City’s historic Northeast neighborhood.
2023 Ordinations | Marty Denzer
Meet Father Mark Famuliner and Deacon Sam Horan as they take new steps along their journey of priestly ministry.
To Serve and Lift | The invisible cross
Susan Walker
Marie Justin, mental health ministry coordinator for Catholic Charities, shares perspectives on her work as a new, parish-based mental health program unfolds in our diocese.
Knocking on doors and lighting a fire for Jesus | Karen Ridder
In early 2021, Bishop Johnston gave Father Emmanuel Lopez an assignment to build a Hispanic community ministry at St. John Francis Regis Parish. Two years later, the Spanish Mass, Bible groups and youth ministry are thriving.
Come Home to Communion | Marty Denzer
There are a half a dozen significant events planned for years two and three of the Eucharistic Revival in our diocese. Don’t miss this opportunity to dive more deeply into your Eucharistic devotion.
Teaching God’s blessings through natural family planning | Sara Kraft
Meet Molly Price, APRN, nurse practitioner, wife, mother and the only certified teacher of the Marquette Method of natural family planning in the greater Kansas City area.
Ministry spotlight: Encounter Sunday
Sara Kraft
Encounter Sunday, a ministry of healing prayer, serves the community of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in St. Joseph.
En el Camino | La Fuente y la Cima Obispo Johnston
Tocando Puertas y Encendiendo el Fuego por Jesús | Karen Ridder
in
Karen Ridder is a journalist, wife and mother in Liberty, Missouri.
This past April, the NFL Draft was held at Union Station, with the iconic World War I Memorial in the background on one side and the downtown skyline on the other. As with many other events throughout the history of our community, it has become the signature setting to showcase our city. As the Catholic Church in the United States kicks off the second year of a nationwide Eucharistic Revival, our diocese is planning to use that same venue to proclaim our love for the Eucharistic Lord, Jesus Christ.
The inspiration for such an event originated with the discovery of a remarkable photograph in the diocesan archives of the first Eucharistic Congress of Kansas City, which culminated at an event in front of the World War I Memorial on May 4, 1941. From the photo, it appears that there were several thousand people present. Next year’s event, which will include the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, will be held on May 4, 2024. Planning is well under way and more details will be coming soon.
This June (2023), the Feast of Corpus Christi will mark the beginning of the parish phase of the Eucharistic Revival, with special focus on deepening our love for Christ in the Eucharist, primarily in the Sunday Mass. One of the most beautiful expressions of Church teaching from the Second Vatican Council notes, “The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the fountain from which
From the Bishop Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. is the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
on the way
all her power flows. For the goal of apostolic works is that all who are made sons of God by faith and Baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of his Church, to take part in her sacrifice, and to eat the Lord’s supper.” Indeed, we are never as intimately in union with God and one another as when we are participating fully in the celebration of the Holy Mass.
And there are Eucharistic rites outside of Mass that serve to inflame a deeper love and devotion to Christ, notably Eucharistic Adoration and Eucharistic processions. These reinforce our faith in Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist and lead us back to Mass and the celebration of the Eucharist with the assembly of those who are members of Christ’s Body in our parishes.
Kansas City is known as the “City of Fountains.” During this upcoming year of Eucharistic Revival in our parishes, let us address any indifference that might have
crept into our worship, seek out those who have been absent from our assembly and pray for a profound renewal of Eucharistic faith for all, that every soul may draw from “the fountain from which all [the Church’s] power flows.”
“‘Let me solemnly assure you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.’”
— John 6:53The first Eucharistic Congress was held in the Diocese of Kansas City on May 4, 1941. Photo: Diocesan Archives
Q
Cathi O’Malley owns Missouri Bluffs Boutique, a retail store offering women’s clothing, accessories and gifts in Weston, Missouri (a family business of almost 39 years). Cathi’s journey of faith is familiar, but her choice to use her God-given gifts to enhance the customer experience in her store makes her story unique. Cathi was baptized Catholic and grew up in the Catholic Church. Her family went to Mass together every Sunday, and she attended Catholic school from grade 6 to 12. Cathi drifted away from her faith and the Church in her late teen and early adult years, but after she was married and had a son, she started taking classes through the diocese’s adult faith formation program: The Bishop Helmsing Institute. Cathi says, “It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I learned so much and it made me fall in love with the Catholic Church.”
Is your Catholic faith part of your professional identity?
A: My retail store is primarily a women’s clothing store, but I continue to incorporate more and more Catholic/Christian gifts and clothing items. Many of my staff are friends who I deeply trusted from my church and personally invited them to work with me. Each one brings their beautiful faith into the store and I am very blessed to have them.
Q
In what ways do you express your faith in a professional setting?
A: During the pandemic in 2020, we added a prayer board in the store. We have had so many prayer requests that we are having to come up with some ideas for expanding it. There are many times that my customers are overwhelmed with it and get very emotional. It has been such an honor to be entrusted to pray for so many people. We try to pray over it as much as possible during the week.
We have a cabinet filled with candles by Corda and wooden paintings (retablos) inspired by the saints, angels and the Blessed Mother. I like the fact that it is unexpected by so many people when they enter the store and believe it to be completely secular. I will overhear people get excited because we have Catholic gifts, rosaries and other sacramentals and artwork. Even those who are not practicing Catholics will often get sentimental and talk about memories.
While we play a variety of music, we often play Christian music and get more compliments on it than any other type of music.
Q Does your Catholic Faith influence your interactions and decisions throughout the work day?
A: Many ladies who come in the store are looking for clothing or gift items but often we find ourselves talking with them on a personal level and they often share their faith and stories with us. I sometimes feel like it is a ministry. I recently had a new customer tell me how much she felt the Holy Spirit in our store. This is the most profound and important complement to me.
Q
What is your go-to Catholic/Christian/ faith-based podcast, app, radio program or station?
A: Pray Novena, Amen app with daily readings and commentary by Tim Gray, a spiritual rosary app and, most recently, Formed, which has great Catholic resources.
Cathi is a parishioner at Holy Trinity Parish in Weston, Missouri.
Ever wonder what happened to Jesus after he died? The Creed says, “He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead.” It says hell. That sounds final. Christ’s death is supposed to be triumphant, but it doesn’t sound that way. Is he under Satan’s power? What’s going on here?
First, let’s talk about where Jesus went. Scripture calls it “hell,” because the souls there are denied the Beatific Vision. However, it’s talking about the abode of the dead. The place where the souls of all the dead went before Jesus came. The Jews called it Sheol, or Hades in Greek. It’s like Purgatory because it’s a place of waiting, but not everyone there
was destined for heaven.
We see this in Luke 16:19-31, in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Lazarus is received into the “bosom of Abraham,” and the rich man calls out to him from “Hades.” If they were in heaven and hell, there wouldn’t be any communication between them. Also, Lazarus has it great, while the rich man
is in torment. So, everyone went there after death, but their conditions were not the same. It would be the same with their fate after Jesus’ visit.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (632) says, “... Jesus, like all men, experienced death and in his soul joined the others in the realm of the dead. But he descended there as Savior, proclaiming the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there.” Jesus went down to “hell,” or Hades, like everyone who died before, but he didn’t go as a captive of Satan. Instead, he went down triumphant as a conquering king. He tore down the gates of Hades and plundered from it the souls of the righteous, leading them to heaven.
Hebrews 2:14-15 says those souls were “subject to lifelong bondage” to “him who has the power of death.” But Jesus is Life itself. Satan and death have no power over him. When he went to Hades, he exploded the prison and liberated those in bondage.
“Christ went down into the depths of death so that ‘the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.’” (CCC 635) Not everyone who lived before Jesus was denied heaven. It wouldn’t be just if you lived a righteous life and went to hell because you were born before the Savior came. Also, Jesus didn’t free the damned. He delivered the just who died before he came to give them their reward.
This proves that there is no depth to which God will not go to save us. All people, from every time and place, living and dead, received the offer of salvation. He even traveled to the realm of the dead to release death’s captives. If Jesus did that, he would surely battle Satan and all evil to deliver you from those things that keep you away from him. There is no transgression great enough to keep you under Satan’s fist. Turn to God and confess your sins. Forgiveness, salvation and freedom from death await you.
Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church rises majestically and dramatically against a partly cloudy sky in early spring in the historic Northeast neighborhood of Kansas City. Established in February 1991, Our Lady of Peace was formed from four parishes: St. Stephen, St. Michael, St. Stanislaus and Holy Trinity. The church was designated as a historic landmark in 1985 by the Kansas City Landmarks Commission.
By
The church went through an extensive, nine-month renovation that was completed in May 2021. Updates to paint, new marble floors, repairs to walls, bathroom updates and new wood carved confessionals were all funded or completed by parishioners under the guidance and support of their pastor, Father Andres Moreno. Read more about their remarkable work at catholickey.org
The first cornerstone was laid on April 27, 1919, and the building was home to St. Stephen Parish (est. 1888) until 1991. William E. Brown, of Stroeh, Brown and German, was the architect and Father Cornelius M. Scanlon served as contractor. The original cost to build the church was $50,000.
Father Cornelius Scanlon is said to have worked in the stone quarry located on the parish property, picking the porphyritic granite stones. As stones were being unearthed by the city street building crews, Scanlon and his crew would also salvage them and bring them to the building site for the church. The facade of the church tower is said to be made of these salvaged stones.
The stained-glass design is medieval French and Rhineland Gothic and the windows are separated by stone buttresses. The windows were made in Munich, Germany, and feature images from the Joyful and Glorious mysteries of the Rosary.
The church seats 338 people in its stunning, 125-foot-long sanctuary. There are no pillars and the church features a dramatic vaulted and ribbed ceiling. The capitals, friezes and entablatures are of carved stone.
The church building is a French Gothic design featuring multiple varieties of stone. Variegated stone, ranging from porphyry to ochre, is used inside and out. The building front and towers are of brown granite and the sides are granite and native rock featuring intricately carved reliefs with arches of Gothic design. The embrasures (or areas between the small towers) are of Carthage limestone.
The main altar dates back to 1934. The entire structure stands 17 feet wide and 29 feet high from base to the central spire on top, which is 3’ 2” in diameter. Designed in the “tomb” style, the front panel features a chalice and host with vine and grape and wheat motifs, while the tabernacle door has an original interpretation of the pelican design. At the side and front of the two side towers are life-size statues of the four evangelists: Matthew and Mark on the right, Luke and John on the left.
together in the gym after class for music and creative movement. Someone invited Jolaine to co-teach middle school religion and even though she was a bit unsure if she was qualified in knowing the material, the co-teacher encouraged her to grow in her personal faith while teaching. She did and grew as her own children grew in faith. She cherished the community and sense of belonging. There would be times when she would walk through the parish hall where the children were eating lunch, and they would see her and wave. She said, “It felt so good to be remembered.”
Another invitation came when Jolaine was asked to sponsor someone who was interested in becoming Catholic through RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). She said “yes,” went through a year of classes with the candidate, made a good friend and learned a tremendous amount about her faith. She also enjoyed sharing what she learned in RCIA with her mother.
Think about the last time you received an invitation. Maybe it was a graduation party or birthday party invitation. Did you get a little boost of happiness for being included? Jolaine Zweifel, a member of St. Gregory Barbarigo Parish in Maryville, and recipient of the Bishop’s Volunteer Recognition Award last August, has said “yes” to some invitations. Her “yes,” paired with a willingness to try something new, has led to a fulfilling and blessed life.
Not all of the invitations were formal, often they were face to face. Jolaine’s mother didn’t have the opportunity for religious education when she was young, so she invited and encouraged Jolaine to get involved and learn as much about her faith as she could. “I thank my mother for my faith. She was my role model,” she said. Her mother was an active parishioner at St. Augustine Parish in Schuyler, Nebraska, and Jolaine witnessed her mom sharing her gifts in her parish. Her mother started a long-standing tradition of a Prom Mass when Jolaine was in high school. Before students went out for prom night, they would attend Mass first, then go to prom and stay up all night for the after-party. That was almost 50 years ago, and St. Augustine Parish is still doing Prom Mass every year.
When Jolaine and her husband, Tom, moved
to Maryville, Missouri, in 1985 for Tom’s job, they joined St. Gregory Barbarigo Parish. A deacon’s wife introduced them to other parishioners and eventually invited Jolaine to join a guild circle and help with the quilting of lap robes. Jolaine said “yes” and met and got to know a lot of women in the parish. “And once you meet people, you start getting invited to other things,” she added. Someone in the parish asked her to join the choir. She loved to sing, and although she couldn’t read music, joined the choir and was a part of the music ministry for more than two years.
Jolaine and Tom had two children. When the children were in preschool, Jolaine offered to volunteer as a preschool religious education teacher. Her background at the time was in creative movement. Some of her favorite moments were when the teachers gathered all the kids
The opportunities to say “yes,” grow in faith and grow in community continued as Jolaine and Tom participated in a JustFaith program, which eventually led to a core group of volunteers starting Manna Kitchen in 2009. Manna Kitchen is a weekly meal for anyone in the community who needs it. It is still going strong today and has been a good community builder in Maryville.
With each following invitation, Jolaine would respond, “Yes, I can do that,” even though sometimes she wasn’t sure how she was going to do what was asked. After Jolaine retired, she was given several invitations by Father Albert: to organize the books in the parish library; to organize his office; to help with the gathering space bulletin boards. She said “yes” and always with a bit of excitement, eager to plan how she could help.
Each time Jolaine said “yes” and shared her gifts, she pulled from her experience with mentors, other parishioners, her parents and her education to accomplish what was asked. “I just felt God was with me every step of the way,” she said. With every invitation came a willingness to try something new, to give back, to learn and to grow in community and faith.
Jolaine offered this invitation, “Don’t be afraid to jump in because you receive so much more back than what you end up giving. It’s just an amazing journey to trust in the Lord and share your gifts and to be active in your parish. It’s a wonderful experience full of grace.”
‘yes’can lead to a life full of grace
Learn more
For 1,500 years, The Rule of Benedict has been a guide to countless people for growing in holiness. This has been the case not only for monks and nuns but also religious brothers and sisters, clergy and lay people. Although written for monks in enclosed monasteries, the wisdom Saint Benedict shares is useful to people in many different life vocations.
The Rule outlines many important values such as prayer, stability, ongoing conversion, community, silence, humility, work, chastity, charity, peace, hospitality and obedience.
Unlike some other schools of monasticism marked by long fasts and little sleep, Benedict insists that monks get enough sleep and enough to eat. Reluctantly, he even allows monks a daily portion of wine. While challenging those who embrace it with a dedicated, demanding following of Christ, the Rule is also marked by moderation and personal attention. Saint Benedict insists that the abbot must recognize the different personalities of his monks and then find the best way to motivate them. He reveals his genius by an objective structure that makes allowances for the spiritual well being of the subject.
There are many gems to be found in this work helpful to any Christian. Saint Benedict teaches, “Let them prefer nothing to Christ.” Early in the work, he lists 72 instruments of good works, with the final one being: “Never despair of God’s mercy.” One line that I have found particularly helpful in difficult times is: “We patiently share in the passion of Christ.” Fortunately, he goes on to add, “that we may merit to share in his kingdom.”
Despite some of the mystique surrounding it, much of monastic life represents the sanctification of the ordinary. Saint Benedict offers an incarnational vision of seeing Christ in others, particularly, the abbot, the sick and guests. He calls for monks to treat the work tools of the monastery as they would the sacred vessels.
As with any written work, it is important to consider the context. While not everything he says is applicable today, what is interesting is how much of it actually is applicable. Books have been written connecting the Rule to family life or even to modern business practice.
Saint Benedict describes a monastery as a place where the young are loved and the elderly are honored. As a pastor, that is part of my vision for a parish.
Our diocese is blessed to be home to three Benedictine communities:
Conception Abbey: conceptionabbey.org
Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration: benedictinesisters.org
Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles: benedictinesofmary.org
Search YouTube for these video resources:
• Saint Benedict and the Call to Monastic Life
• Who is Saint Benedict?
• A Day in the Life of a Monk
• A Monk’s Life: Living a Life of Contemplation
• Abbey of St. Walburga: The Prayer and Work of the Benedictine Nuns
• Guided by the Rule of Saint Benedict
• Saint Benedict from Bishop Barron’s pivotal players
• The Rule of Benedict
classic of spiritual literature and let it allow you to prefer nothing to Christ
JOHN WATHAN HAS SEEN THE HAND OF GOD AT WORK IN HIS LIFE AND CAREER
FOR MANY WHO GREW UP AROUND KANSAS CITY, JOHN WATHAN IS A RECOGNIZED LEGEND OF KC ROYALS BASEBALL. JOHN DEVOTED 47 OF HIS 51 YEARS IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TO THE ROYALS ORGANIZATION, RETIRING IN 2022 AS SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO PLAYER DEVELOPMENT. IN ADDITION TO PLAYING CATCHER, JOHN SERVED AS COACH, MANAGER, BROADCASTING ANALYST AND SCOUT FOR THE ROYALS. HE ALSO WAS INTERIM MANAGER AND COACH FOR THE CALIFORNIA ANGELS AND BULLPEN COACH FOR THE BOSTON RED SOX.
John Wathan was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Oct. 4, 1949. Just two years later, his parents split up and John moved to San Diego, California, with his mom and two brothers. It would be in this sunny, beachside Navy town that his love for the game of baseball was born.
“My mom was a saint, raising three boys by herself and working three jobs,”
John recalls. “I grew up by the beach in San Diego where the Catholic church and school were two blocks away, and I rode my bike, skateboarded or walked everywhere.”
Baseball has been part of John’s life since age 5 when he would play in the backyard, then through organized league play at age 8.
“I was adamant at 8 years old I was going to play (in the major leagues). My older brother told me that the quickest way was to be a catcher. Later, I learned to be a multi-position player, which really helped my career,” he explains. The advice paid off, and after three years at the University of San Diego, John signed his first major-league contract when the Royals chose him in the first round of the 1971 January Free Agent Draft. He would go on to play for 15 years, 10 of those in the majors. “God gave me the ability and the timing to be in the right place at the right time to have that opportunity.”
At the top of John’s personal list of highlights is getting into the major leagues, playing in two World Series, including the 1985 Kansas City Royals’ Championship, holding the modern
record for stolen bases by a catcher with 36 in 1982 and getting to manage the Royals at age 37, while seven of his former teammates were still with the team.
Throughout his successes on the field, in the broadcast booth and in the front office, it was his Catholic Faith that kept him grounded.
John credits his mom, and his Catholic school education, with establishing an important faith foundation for his life, “With all [my mom] was doing, she still found a way to go to Mass every day. Her faith in God was unbelievable. I would watch her pray and learned there
“It is extremely important for men of the Catholic faith to stay rooted in Christ, and for professional athletes to participate in the Holy Mass and in the Eucharist. When I walk onto the field they recognize me as a Catholic priest and it is a reminder to them to express a need or a want for God.”
is more to life than just being a kid, and you gotta have something to fall back on when you have hard times. I am very lucky that she gave me that faith.”
Even as John began his career in professional sports, he went to Mass every Sunday, at home and on the road. After a late-night game on Saturday, John would be up at 7 a.m. Sunday for 8 a.m. Mass so he could be ready for the Sunday afternoon game.
“I always felt it was really important to have that hour alone with the time to pray and be with God one-on-one,” he said. “I was never afraid to talk about it.
I believe in our Faith and our religion; that helped me a lot in my life.”
John’s devotion became particularly important when he tragically and unexpectedly lost his mother in 1979. He turned to prayer to ask God to get him through it.
“Everything good that happens to you, I think God is a part of it. And everything bad is sometimes a test. Hopefully there’s more good times than bad times,” he said.
John and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 52 years, raised three children and now are enjoying time with their eight grandchildren. John and Nancy are parishioners at St. Margaret of Scotland in Lee’s Summit. They have passed along the Faith to their children and have watched their grandchildren receive a Catholic education. John’s strategy to passing along the Faith was to live by example, going to church every week, often “dragging them along.”
When it comes to John’s advice for aspiring athletes, he says, “You have to have a passion for what you do. I got to do what I love to do from the time I was 8 years old because I had a passion for it. I never had a bad day on the field ... even when I went 0 for 3 and made three errors!”
After his experience being the manager who had to release Bo Jackson from his major-league contract following a significant injury, John says he learned, “You never know what the last day’s going to be — in the game of baseball or the game of life. Play every day like it’s your last day.”
Father Mark Famuliner was ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, May 27 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. He grew up on his family’s farm outside Carrollton. Farm life instilled in him a strong work ethic, a love of nature and an appreciation for family and community life. However, he “didn’t feel called to farming.”
“Areas of my life needed healing and the Lord was inviting me into that journey outside the seminary. ... The Lord took me on a journey of healing, recovery and mission [for which] I am humbled and grateful.”
By Marty DenzerThe Famuliner family attended St. Mary’s Parish in Carrollton, and Father Mark went to local public schools through high school. After graduating in 2012, he enrolled at the University of Missouri (Mizzou), majoring in agribusiness management, which he described as “a business/economics degree with cowboy boots on.”
Having no Catholic friends at Mizzou challenged his beliefs. “Thus,” he recalled, “it was while attending a public university that God drew me closer to his Church and the beauty of her teachings.”
Internships led to a job offer upon graduation, but “my newfound love for the Catholic faith wasn’t merely intellectual. It was God’s call to be his priest, so I turned the offer down and entered Conception Seminary College in 2015.”
In 2017, Father Mark left Conception, explaining, “Areas of my life needed healing and the Lord was inviting me into that journey outside the seminary.” Following his departure, he said, “The Lord took me on a journey of healing, recovery and mission [for which] I am humbled and grateful.”
Father Mark devoted his energy to volunteer work in Tennessee, then homeless, jail and prison ministries in Alabama. “Working in those ministries profoundly changed my life and understanding of discipleship. I experienced Christ’s healing hands and saw how to be in solidarity with ‘the least of these.’
“The priesthood’s sacramental depth urged returning to the seminary. I’d preached the word of God, but couldn’t bring the Word made Flesh in the Eucharist. I ‘heard confessions,’ but couldn’t absolve sin. As the year ended, I felt the Lord calling me back to the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph to again pursue priesthood.”
View the annual list of priest assignments for the 2023-2024 diocesan fiscal year at catholickey.org
The seminary, he said, “offered opportunities to explore the Church’s rich treasury of history, liturgy and wisdom ... to become ambassadors of Christ’s kingdom to the world.” The surprising variety of “topics and situations presented illustrate the great care the Church takes in priestly formation.”
After graduating from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati and ordination to the transitional diaconate, Father Mark was assigned to St. Therese Little Flower (North) Parish, in Parkville.
St. Mary Parish’s pastor, Father Ken Criqui, has known Father Mark for 27 years. He said, “He’s a fine young man. I really like his sermons. He has a feeling for what people need to hear and know.”
Father Mark celebrated his first Mass at his home parish of St. Mary’s in Carrollton.
He believes priesthood’s most important component is intimacy with God through prayer, and from that place of intimacy, bringing God’s life to his children, sacramentally. He added, “I want to be the kind of priest whom others say was a close friend of Jesus.”
Reverend Mr. Sam Horan, 26, was ordained to the transitional diaconate on Saturday, May 20 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph. He grew up in Kansas City with his parents and younger sister, and calls Our Lady of Good Counsel his home parish.
Deacon Sam was homeschooled through high school and attended St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, Nebraska, before entering Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.
Father Nathan Rueb, diocesan vocations director, described Deacon Sam as caring and loving, a “confidently gentle man.”
Looking back on his seminary years, Deacon Sam said they were very formative.
“They are excellent at preparing men for the priesthood, focusing on teaching and preparing them for parish ministry.
Please remember these men in grateful prayer for their service to Christ and his people. The following anniversaries are being celebrated in 2023:
60 YEARS
• Reverend Kenneth Criqui
• Reverend Thomas Wiederholt
• Right Reverend Marcel Rooney, OSB
• Reverend Reginald Sander, OSB
• Reverend Xavier Nacke, OSB
• Reverend Quentin Kathol, OSB
55 YEARS
• Reverend Lloyd Opoka
• Reverend Charles Tobin
• Reverend Michael Volkmer, CPPS
visit catholickey.org
for photos and more from this year’s ordinations
I am grateful to have received such an amazing education. I learned a great deal that will help me in future ministry.”
His pastoral internship year was served at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in St. Joseph, working and learning with Father Christian Malewski, pastor.
“I was really edified by the faith of the people,” Deacon Sam said. “I had the opportunity to bring Communion to the homebound and teach RCIA and catechism.”
Looking forward, Deacon Horan wants to be “a priest who imitates the Good Shepherd. I was very inspired by Father Malewski and how he lived as a priest in light of the Good Shepherd.”
Deacon Sam said he “tries to be as hardworking as possible. I have had a quiet demeanor all my life, but I like to crack a joke every now and then!”
50 YEARS
• Reverend Michael Emmett McAndrew, CSSR
• Reverend Martin DeMeulenaere, OSB
45 YEARS
• Reverend George Ssebadduka
• Reverend Gary Ziuraitis, CSSR
40 YEARS
• Reverend M. Christopher Smith
• Reverend Garry Richmeier, CPPS
25 YEARS
• Reverend Thomas Kirchhoefer
• Reverend Ravindranath Jose Talari
‘Edified
IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, 1 IN 5 AMERICAN ADULTS WILL HAVE A DIAGNOSABLE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION AND 50 PERCENT OF AMERICANS WILL MEET THE CRITERIA OF A DIAGNOSABLE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION SOMETIME IN THEIR LIFE. THIS DIAGNOSIS BRINGS A HOST OF BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES TO NOT ONLY THE PERSON DIAGNOSED BUT ALSO TO THEIR FAMILIES. IT’S A STRUGGLE THAT OFTEN FORCES FAMILIES INTO THE BACKGROUND OF THE COMMUNITY, AS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN OR UNDERSTAND.
After his daughter Kathleen died by suicide in 2016, Deacon Ed Shoener’s family and friends founded The Katie Foundation to shine a light on mental illness. Deacon Ed serves at St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and is no stranger to the effects of mental illness. Deacon Ed is a founding member of Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers and the Catholic Institute of Mental Health Ministry at the University of San Diego.
One of the programs encouraged and supported by the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers is a parish-based system of peer support groups. Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph received a grant from the association last year to assist parishes in creating these peer groups and is offering training in sustaining the ministry to benefit their parishioners. Mental health issues come with stigma, and often families dealing with these issues feel isolated and alone. The peer group concept helps overcome that distance and connect people with others who have similar issues to deal with.
The Mental Health Ministry Coordinator for Catholic Charities is Marie Justin. We asked her to share about her work with parishes as this new program unfolds.
MARIE: Mental Health Ministry teams offer spiritual companionship by being a listening ear, praying with parishioners, having small groups with a focus on how mental health impacts their faith and trying to grow closer to the Lord through their crosses. They will offer practical support by being familiar with resources available and will follow up with parishioners on how they are doing throughout their recovery journey. They will offer educational opportunities for the parish community by having speakers and workshop events throughout the year.
MARIE: A lot of people are struggling to know where to go for help, which is why it is so important to have a resource guide. I only know of so many people and places that can help, but I always appreciate when others share solid resources with me to add to the guide. Financial strain is also a big component, as most people cannot afford the professional services they need. This is an area I do not know the solution to, but I am hopeful that perhaps having a community to lean on will lighten the burden of those who are suffering.
MARIE: Having people who have been through similar experiences to talk to on a regular basis is so important both for becoming aware of resources they did not know of before, but also just knowing you are not alone in this. Others have gone before you, are with you now, and will come after you. Hearing someone describe how it makes them feel to take care of their loved ones with mental health struggles may make you think, “Wow, it’s like they read my most private thoughts” and make you feel more connected to others. Having that connection with people who get it will give families the support network they need to have better mental health themselves.
What does the process to begin this parish ministry look like?
MARIE: Parishes begin with a blessing from the priest to start a Mental Health Ministry, then they identify someone in the parish who can be a team leader to get things started. They go through an online course called Introduction to Catholic Mental Health Ministry and learn implementation tools through the course. The team leader has the parish announce the ministry and put out a survey to gauge interest in various topics and events. Then they host a volunteer recruitment night with me, presenting to those interested in helping the vision of the ministry all the way down to the details of volunteer roles, next steps, training, etc. Once a volunteer team is established and completes the required training, they can start putting on parish-wide events to create some awareness of the ministry, which will then spark interest in the other ways the ministry team can help. The ministries are very parish-led, as it makes most sense to offer help in the ways people are asking for it.
If you would like more information about Catholic Charities’ Mental Health Ministry program, please visit catholiccharities-kcsj.org/ mentalhealthministry
How do you help support parishes who want to address this issue?
MARIE: I help parishes by mentoring the team leaders as they get things off the ground. I meet regularly with the team leaders to go over their questions and concerns and help them stay on track with the ministry progress so it does not lose momentum. I help put on the recruitment nights and present the information with the team leaders, then I organize the training for their volunteers. I also put together resources as I come by them so that volunteers will be aware of what’s available and can help parishioners become aware of professional services that might benefit them. It seems simple enough on paper, but I sure do keep busy!
How do faith and mental health intersect?
Faith and mental health intersect because we are human beings, created in the image and likeness of God. We are not merely physical, nor are we merely spiritual beings. Caring for our mental health is just like caring for our physical health. In the fullness of our humanity, we cannot ignore our physical/mental health and only focus on the spiritual. Jesus had physical and mental health. He suffered in the garden. He wanted his friends to stay awake with him so he was not alone. That is what these ministries are for: to stay awake and walk with our brothers and sisters who are carrying invisible crosses.
That is what these ministries are for, to stay awake and walk with our brothers and sisters who are carrying invisible crosses.”
If you don’t see the people inside the church — go outside and find them.
This approach has started an evangelism fire at St. John Francis Regis Parish that is growing quickly.
In early 2021, Bishop Johnston gave Father Emmanuel Lopez an assignment to build a Hispanic community ministry at St. John Francis Regis Parish. The position was an outgrowth of a recognition from Bishop Johnston that demographics and lifestyles had changed over time in the neighborhoods surrounding the Blue Ridge Corridor (designated in the diocese as Deanery V). Bishop Johnston outlined a mission to encourage parishes in the area to engage in the New Evangelism by becoming more intentional about welcoming people into their communities and forming lay people into missionary disciples.
Father Lopez was given eight hours a week to accomplish this task.
At the time of the assignment, that may have seemed an appropriate amount. Average Mass attendance at St. John Francis Regis had declined by 24 percent between 2013 to 2018. About 40 percent of the population surrounding the parish is Hispanic but beyond some cultural celebrations at traditionally important Mexican feast days, there was little ongoing community. People were not coming.
Father Lopez looked out at the mostly empty church on Sunday and knew he needed a different approach.
“I thought, ‘Where can I meet the people? I don’t see them in the pews. I need to reach out to them in their homes,’” said Father Lopez.
He decided to go knocking on doors. Father Lopez has a missionary heart and knows about the tradition of knocking on doors from other denominations. Some people don’t believe that kind of thing was for Catholics, but he thought it couldn’t hurt. So, he tried it.
Father Lopez walked the streets surrounding St. John Francis Regis with a
goal of meeting people living in and near the church. He found a lot of first-generation immigrants like himself. Many had come to the church for sacraments, like Baptism and first Communion, but were not coming back. They had a variety of reasons: busy lives; anger with the Church; children who had fallen away. They felt no one had reached out to them or took care of them. There was also a language barrier.
Father Lopez sat in their homes and asked people he met to try again. He invited them to a series of Bible courses which included four topics. The first was basic history of salvation, with lessons on how to read the Bible and why it is important. The second course taught how to have the Holy Spirit in your life. The third covered prayer and evangelism. The fourth examined the sacraments.
Each person who completed the course was asked to commit at least two years to Jesus in active ministry — either teaching the classes, serving at Mass or giving some other catechesis. They were asked to be faithful to their own catechesis once a week, have adoration once a week and look for an individual Holy Hour. He invited them to consider any sacraments they may not have completed. In this way, Father Lopez challenged these church neighbors to become disciples of Jesus — not just followers.
“We gave it a try and we saw a good number. So, I formed this great group of disciples. Then they were empowered to go into the streets and revitalize them and make the group bigger and bigger,” said Father Lopez.
The eight-hour allotment was not enough. Two years later, Father Lopez is now serving full-time at St. Regis. The parish has between 300 to 400 people every Sunday at the Spanish-language Mass alone. The English-speaking congregation is following suit and started taking on the same approach. St. Regis now has between 17 to 20 Bible classes going on every week. Some meet at the church. Some meet in people’s homes. They go where people need them.
“These people are on fire. We have this charism ongoing in our parish. Everyone sees everyone in action and wants to participate,” said Lopez. No one gets left behind. Kids are getting the same lessons as their parents and are asked to commit to Jesus in the same way. The youth group and teen activity are also growing quickly.
Father Lopez says he is just acting on the bishop’s vision and desire for all members of the diocese to grow in holiness and to feel their families are embraced by the Church. He hopes the fire spreads.
“The first step of the vision is this deanery, which is going well. So, praise Jesus for that. It’s working well. Hopefully, with God’s grace and love, we will lift everyone together,” said Father Lopez.
“These people are on fire. We have this charism ongoing in our parish. Everyone sees everyone in action and wants to participate.”
— Father Emmanuel LopezIllustration: Getty Images/arivana ningsih Father Emmanuel Lopez leads a Spanish bible study with (above and right) The Community of Evangelization, Reconciliation and Service at St. Regis Parish. St. Regis Parish has an active missionary youth group, The Jumi, which meets weekly with Sister Nancy Ortiz of the Missionary Sister Servants of the World. Deacon Robert Falke leads the Benediction with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, held every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at St. Regis.
Just watching or listening to the news makes it clear that our nation is hurting. The National Eucharistic Revival launched June 19, 2022, as a three-year movement. Its purpose is to restore understanding and devotion in the United States to the great mystery of the Eucharist. The revival is now entering its second year from June 2023 to May 2024, with a focus on fostering Eucharistic devotion at the parish level. There are half a dozen significant and meaningful events planned over the next two years inviting the community to delve more deeply into Eucharistic devotion.
JUNE 10, 2023
Corpus Christi Vigil Mass and Eucharistic Procession
Celebrant: Father Ken Riley Mass at 5 p.m. | Cathedral of St. Joseph, St. Joseph Procession to follow
JUNE 11, 2023
Corpus Christi Mass and Eucharistic Procession
Celebrant: Father Charles Rowe Mass at Noon | Holy Cross Parish, Kansas City Procession to St. Anthony Parish, Kansas City
SEPT. 9, 2023
Fifth annual diocesan Eucharistic Congress
In His Real Presence
Our Lady of the Presentation Parish, Lee’s Summit. Speaker: Father John Burns of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Daytime cost $10, includes lunch; Youth Night, free. Information and registration at kcsjcatholic.org/ eucharistic congress, or register by mail: Office of Divine Worship, 20 W. Ninth St., Kansas City, MO 64105
SAVE THE DATE! MAY 4, 2024 BEHOLD Adoration Experience
Liberty Memorial North Lawn
This public, outdoor event is being hosted in partnership with the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and will feature nationally recognized live musical performances, speakers and the largest Eucharistic Adoration opportunity in the Diocese of Kansas CitySt. Joseph in more than 80 years.
By Marty DenzerJUNE 29 —
JULY 1, 2024
National Eucharistic Congress Procession
The national procession leading to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis will pass through the Kansas City area with service opportunities, Mass and a one-mile Eucharistic procession with national representatives.
JULY 17-24, 2024
National Eucharistic Congress
Indianapolis, Indiana Register at eucharisticcongress.org
visit kcsjcatholic.org/ comehome, or contact Lorie Sage at sage@diocesekcsj.org or 816.714.2324 for more information.
Can a husband and wife direct the culture of their home in specific ways? If so, how? And to what end?
Every family has a unique culture that impacts its members, for better or worse.
The identity of the Christian family begins with the sacrament of Baptism, which is the foundation upon which the man and woman entrust their lives to one another in the sacrament of Marriage. Their new identity is rooted in the worship of God together. Dedication to God directs the vocation of marriage toward its mission. This mission is loving service to each other and any children they may be gifted by God’s providence (natural or adopted).
Every Catholic family has the opportunity to make intentional decisions about how they will live as faithful disciples through worship (participation at Mass, prayer in the home, etc.) and service (household chores, acts of charity in the home and to those in need in the community, etc.).
This intentional decision-making is most fruitful when the spouses (along with older children, if they have them) discuss it together, prayerfully consider their initial decisions and then write it down. Here, the Catholic practice called a rule of
life (or plan of life) — usually referring to individual believers’ plans — may also be applied to the family. This rule of life is a matter of the heart. As the Lord says, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” What we value in our life directs our heart either toward God or away. How we nurture the lives immediately around us reveals the direction in which we are headed. The overall goal of the rule of life is to respond to God’s calling for us and seek to grow in holiness.
When establishing a rule of life, it is good to avoid making it too difficult. Conversely, if it is too easy, it will not assist with spiritual progress and may lead to spiritual laziness.
The rule of life should cover all aspects of our life, the use of our time, abilities and even our money. It should be reviewed regularly (even as often as monthly) and changed accordingly. When implemented, it can help married couples survive difficulties and challenges together because they are more prepared to weather storms and trust one another and God.
“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
— Matthew 6:20-21Here are a few questions for spouses and families to get started discussing the creation of a rule of life:
• What do you know about what is most essential to loving relationships? How do you plan to communicate love in your marriage?
• In what ways do you want your home to be like/unlike your family of origin? What things from your upbringing do you want to avoid in your home and which would be good to foster?
• In what ways is God calling you to pray as individuals, as spouses and as a family?
• How do we practice Sundays as a day of rest, prayer and recreation? Are we satisfied with our answer? If not, what could we do differently?
• How can you nurture friendships that will build up your family?
• Are there things in your life hindering your family unity, peace or practice of the Faith?
• What can you do to keep trust and romance alive in your marriage?
Some ideas and phrases here are loosely translated from an article by D. Franków, “The Rule of Life” from “The Domestic Church. A Letter to Families,” no. 78.
El pasado mes de abril, se llevó a cabo el Draft de la NFL en Union Station con el fondo del icónico Monumento en Conmemoración de la Primera Guerra Mundial de un lado y el horizonte del centro de la ciudad en el otro. Al igual que en muchos otros eventos a lo largo de la historia de nuestra comunidad, se ha convertido en el escenario característico para exhibir nuestra ciudad. Como la Iglesia Católica de los Estados Unidos concluye este primer año de Renacimiento Eucarístico en toda la nación, nuestra Diócesis planifica utilizar ese mismo lugar el próximo año para proclamar nuestro amor por el Señor de la Eucaristía, Jesucristo.
obispo James V. Johnston, Jr. es el séptimo obispo de la Diócesis de Kansas City-St.
La inspiración para tal evento se originó con el descubrimiento de una importante fotografía en los archivos diocesanos del Primer Congreso Eucarístico de Kansas City que culminó en un evento frente al Monumento en Conmemoración de la Primera Guerra Mundial el 4 de Mayo de 1941. En la foto, se observan varios miles de personas. El evento del año próximo, que incluirá a la Arquidiócesis de Kansas City en Kansas, también se llevará a cabo el 4 de Mayo de 2024. La planificación ya está en marcha y pronto vendrán más detalles.
Este Junio (2023), la fiesta de Corpus Christi marcará el comienzo de la fase parroquial del Renacimiento Eucarístico, con un énfasis muy especial en profundizar nuestro amor por Cristo en la Eucaristía, especialmente en la Misa del Domingo. Una de las más bellas expresiones de las enseñanzas que la Iglesia señala en las notas del Concilio Vaticano segundo dice... “La liturgia es la cima
hacia la cual se dirige la actividad de la Iglesia, al mismo tiempo es la fuente de la que fluye todo su poder”. El objetivo del trabajo apostólico es que todos los que somos hijos de Dios por la fe y el bautismo debemos reunirnos para alabar a Dios en el medio de Su Iglesia, tomar parte en su sacrificio, y comer la cena del Señor”. De hecho, nunca estamos tan íntimamente unidos con Dios y entre nosotros como cuando participamos plenamente en la celebración de la Santa Misa.
Y existen ritos Eucarísticos fuera de la Misa que sirven para encender un amor y devoción a Cristo más profundos, en especial la Adoración Eucarística y las Procesiones Eucarísticas. Esto refuerza nuestra fe en la Presencia Real de Cristo en la Eucaristía y nos lleva de regreso a la Misa y a la celebración de la Eucaristía con la reunión de los miembros del Cuerpo de Cristo en nuestras parroquias. Kansas City se conoce como la “Ciudad de las Fuentes”.
Durante este año de Renacimiento Eucarístico en nuestras parroquias, permítanos abordar cualquier indiferencia que pudiera haberse infiltrado en nuestra adoración, busque a aquellos que han estado ausentes de nuestra asamblea, y recen por un profundo renacimiento de la fe Eucarística para todos, que cualquier alma pueda tomar de la “fuente de la cual fluye todo el poder de la Iglesia”
“Les digo la verdad: si ustedes no comen la carne del Hijo del Hombre y beben su sangre, no tendrán la verdadera vida dentro de ustedes”
— Juan 6:53
Si no ve a las personas dentro de la iglesia- salga y encuéntrelas.
Este enfoque ha iniciado el fuego por la evangelización en la parroquia St. John Francis Regis.
Al principio de 2021, el Obispo Johnston le dio al Padre Emmanuel López la tarea de construir un ministerio comunitario Hispano en la parroquia St. John Francis Regis. La posición fue un aumento del reconocimiento del Obispo Johnston de que la demografía y los estilos de vida en los vecindarios que rodean el Corredor Blue Ridge han cambiado con el tiempo (designado en la Diócesis en el Diaconato V). El Obispo Johnston diseño una misión para animar a los párrocos del área a comprometerse con la Nueva Evangelización siendo más intencionales al dar la bienvenida a la gente en sus comunidades y al formar a los laicos como discípulos misioneros.
Al Padre López le asignaron 8 horas a la semana para completar esta tarea.
Al momento de la asignación, esa cantidad de tiempo parecía adecuada. El promedio de asistencia a la misa en St. John Francis Regis disminuyó en un 24 por ciento entre 2013 y 2018. Alrededor del 40 por ciento de la población que rodea la parroquia es Hispana y la iglesia ofrece Misas en Español. Sin embargo, más allá de algunas celebraciones culturales en días de fiesta tradicionales importantes de México, había pocas cosas en curso en la comunidad. Las personas no estaban asistiendo.
El Padre López miró la Iglesia casi vacía el Domingo y supo que necesitaba un enfoque diferente.
“Yo pensé, ¿Dónde puedo encontrar a la gente? No los veo en los bancos de la iglesia. Necesito llegar a ellos en sus hogares” , dijo el Padre López.
Y decidió tocar sus puertas. El Padre López tiene un corazón misionero y conocía acerca de la tradición de otras denominaciones de tocar en las puertas. Algunas personas no creen que ese tipo de cosas sea para los Católicos, pero pensó que no causaría ningún daño.
Así que decidió intentarlo.
El Padre López caminó por las calles que rodean a St. John Francis Regis con el objetivo de conocer a las personas que viven en la parroquia y sus alrededores. Encontró un gran número de inmigrantes de primera generación como él. Muchos vinieron a la iglesia por los sacramentos, como el Bautizo y la Primera comunión, pero luego no regresaron. Tenían una variedad de razones: vidas ocupadas, enojo con la iglesia, niños que se han apartado. Sentían que nadie se había acercado o se había preocupado por ellos. También había una barrera de idioma.
El Padre López se sentó en sus casas y les pidió que trataran de regresar nuevamente. Los invitó a una serie de cursos de la Biblia que incluyeron cuatro temas. El primero trató la historia básica de la salvación, con lecciones acerca de cómo leer la biblia y por qué es importante. El segundo curso les enseñó como tener al Espíritu Santo en sus vidas. El tercero cubrió la oración y la evangelización. El cuarto examinó los sacramentos.
Se le solicitó a cada persona que finalizó el curso comprometerse con Jesús por al menos dos años en un ministerio activo - bien fuese enseñando las clases, sirviendo en la Misa o en alguna otra catequesis. Se les solicitó ser fieles a su propia catequesis una vez a la semana, hacer adoración una vez a la semana y buscar una Hora Santa individual. Los invitó a considerar cualquier sacramento que no hubiesen
recibido. De esta manera, el Padre López desafió a estos vecinos de la iglesia a transformarse en discípulos de Jesúsno en simples seguidores.
“Lo intentamos y vimos a un gran número. Así que, formé este gran grupo de discípulos. Entonces se sintieron con poder para ir a las calles y revitalizarlas y hacer el grupo más y más grande” , dijo el Padre López.
Las ocho horas asignadas no eran suficientes. Dos años después, el Padre López ahora sirve a tiempo completo en St. Regis. La parroquia tiene entre 300 y 400 personas que asisten cada Domingo solo a la Misa en Español.
La congregación de habla inglesa está siguiendo su ejemplo y ha comenzado a utilizar el mismo enfoque. St. Regis tiene ahora entre 17 y 20 pequeños grupos de clases de Biblia cada semana. Algunos se reúnen en la iglesia. Otros se reúnen en las casas de las personas. Ellos van donde las personas los necesitan.
“Estas personas están encendidas. Tenemos ese carisma en curso en nuestra parroquia. Cada uno ve al otro en acción y quiere participar”, dijo López.
Nadie se siente dejado atrás. Los niños están recibiendo las mismas lecciones que sus padres y se les pide comprometerse con Jesús de la misma manera. El grupo actividades para jóvenes y adolescentes está creciendo rápidamente.
El Padre López dice que solo está actuando de acuerdo con la visión del Obispo y el deseo de todos los miembros de la diócesis de crecer en santidad y sentir que sus familias son acogidas por la iglesia. Él tiene esperanzas de que el fuego se extienda.
“El primer paso es la visión de esta Diócesis, que va bien. Así, alabado sea Jesús por eso. Eso está funcionando bien. Esperanzados, con el amor y la gracia de Dios, los elevaremos a todos juntos” dijo el padre López.
“Estas personas están encendidas. Tenemos ese carisma en curso en nuestra parroquia. Cada uno ve al otro en acción y quiere participar.”
— Padre Emmanuel Lopez
ITHOUGHT HE WAS A GONER. I REALLY DID. FREDERICK, THE HERMIT CRAB, HAD NOT EMERGED FROM HIS BEDDING FOR TWO MONTHS. NO WATER. NO FOOD. NOTHING IN HIS AQUARIUM POINTED TO CONTINUED LIFE.
He was my third son’s pet. It seemed like we should give up and clean out the aquarium, but we didn’t have the heart to do it. Every night before bed, we started saying, “Let’s give him one more day.”
Hermit crabs are known to disappear often. It’s part of their thrilling allure. They bury themselves for days at a time. Just when you think you will never see them again, they pop back up as if to say, “Ha! Here I am! Were you worried about me? No need.”
If the aquarium doesn’t smell bad, it is best to leave a buried hermit crab alone and wait.
I have enjoyed this little crab much more than I expected — or than seems normal. I kind of find pure delight in Frederick’s reclusiveness and intermittent appearances.
So, when he disappeared, we started out confident and patient. He had been gathering shells in his aquarium. It seemed he was preparing to molt. I thought, “We just have to wait.”
But it really had been too long this time. For weeks and weeks, it was clear he had not touched his food or water — how could he have survived? It seemed impossible.
Then one night, my son cried out, “Mom! Come quick! It’s Frederick! He’s alive!”
So, he was. Sitting in his water bowl looking at us as if nothing amiss had happened. Like, I was clearly the one with a problem — a doubter.
We showered love on him, gave him fresh fruit and water. It seemed a little miracle had happened. Frederick wasn’t a goner at all. He was just doing things in his own way in a time frame we didn’t understand.
My son said: “I guess it just goes to show when someone is changing, you can’t hurry them along.”
So true.
Karen Ridder
is a parishioner at St. James Parish in Liberty and a convert to the Catholic Faith. She graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has written for numerous publications in the Kansas City area. Karen and her husband Jeff have three sons and a daughter.
In Romans (12:2), Saint Paul tells us transformation is necessary for us to discover God’s “good pleasing and perfect will.”
It cannot be hurried along. It is hard. It takes time. It is tempting to doubt. Most want transformation in our families, for our kids, our spouse, ourselves to happen on our own schedule.
Frederick’s story reminds me, it simply doesn’t work that way.
Transformation that leads to God’s will has its own timeline. If we are not patient, it may hurt the process. See, when hermit crabs molt, they are very vulnerable. Giving up on Frederick and cleaning out the aquarium would have likely crushed him in the process. He WOULD have been a goner — right in the middle of his transformation.
If someone you know is going through change, and it seems hope must surely be lost, don’t be a doubter. Remember Frederick. He’s doing great now — just because we didn’t lose heart and kept giving him one more day.
“It’s been an honor to teach women and couples more about their bodies and how their own fertility works. It is a very personal subject, and it is a privilege to walk alongside and advise couples who are living out the Catholic Church’s teachings,” stated Molly Price, APRN.
Molly is the only certified teacher of the Marquette Method of natural family planning in the greater Kansas City area, and a nurse practitioner. “The Marquette Method,” Molly explained, “is one of the newer methods. It uses biomarkers such as urinary hormones, collected at home, to monitor hormone levels.” This allows a woman to know when she is fertile in order to achieve or avoid pregnancy. “It is very scientific, and very accurate. It can also be much easier for couples to accurately assess fertility postpartum.”
Molly practices with Dr. Patrick Herrick at Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM) which is located at Olathe Health Family Medicine-Blackfoot, a part of The University of Kansas Health System. The practice name was chosen intentionally to fully encompass fertility and ensure patients understand they aim to identify and correct underlying causes of fertility
issues as well as teach natural family planning (NFP). The family practice sees patients from pediatrics to geriatrics. Most health insurance is accepted.
“The hope,” explained Molly, “is to continue to add natural family planning providers, letting this grow as big as God wants it to be.”
“There are many benefits of practicing NFP within a marriage, and some of my favorite reasons are that, statistically, it drastically decreases the rate of divorce. It increases communication and the need to work together month to month between spouses,” stated Molly.
“In addition, I love that NFP works with a woman’s God-given fertility and not against it. When you take any type of birth control, it is suppressing a healthy part of your body. NFP allows your body to work properly and be healthy. It’s a beautiful part of marriage and family, and ultimately leaves the rest up to God.”
The practice offers free, one-hour classes in the Marquette Method that satisfy the NFP marriage preparation requirement for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. These classes dive into male and female fertility and the basics of Marquette, including what materials are required. Upcoming sessions are July 25 and Sept. 26 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit olathehealth.org/events/ natural-family-planning/
Molly also encourages couples to make an in-office or telehealth appointment to develop a personalized fertility protocol.
“Charting is so important, as well as having doctors available to view the charts and see what’s going on,” stated Molly. “We can help with medical interventions, especially with those having trouble conceiving children in line with the Catholic Church teachings.”
NFP ALLOWS YOUR BODY TO WORK PROPERLY AND BE HEALTHY. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL PART OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, AND ULTIMATELY LEAVES THE REST UP TO GOD.”Molly Price, APRN (r), is the only certified teacher of the Marquette Method of natural family planning in the KC area. Molly Price, APRN and Dr. Patrick Herrick practice together at Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM) at Olathe Health Family Medicine-Blackfoot. — Molly Price, APRN
I am writing because I keep coming back to the same question, “Am I a good person?” I am taking care of my husband who suffers from Alzheimer’s, as well as my parents who need a lot of attention. I can’t always find the time to pray the rosary every day (like St. John Paul II or St. Teresa of Calcutta did), and I just can’t escape the Catholic guilt that I feel all of the time.
Thank you for such a heartfelt question. I want to get to a clear and helpful answer to your primary question of “Am I a good person?” But before that, it might be helpful to note three things.
First, when it comes to “Catholic guilt,” it might be helpful to cut through this right away. I’m sure that all of us have heard of “Catholic guilt.” But is that really a thing? My mom used to say, “There is nothing ‘Catholic’ about guilt ... it’s just guilt. If I’ve done something wrong, then I ought to feel guilty; there is nothing specifically ‘Catholic’ about it!” That always made sense to me.
Think about it: Guilt is a good and necessary thing. Try to imagine a person who never felt guilty. This would not be a healthy or emotionally balanced person. They might experience what psychologists would call antisocial personality disorder. A sociopath is someone who doesn’t feel remorse when having done something wrong or when they choose to not do the right thing. I have the sense that we would not want that.
Guilt is good. Guilt is a sign that our conscience is working. At the same time, there is “false guilt.” False guilt is when I feel guilty for no real reason. This is not a virtue, and it is not at all helpful. It does not honor God, nor does it benefit anybody in the least. Therefore, one of the challenges of maturing in our emotional and spiritual development is discerning between true guilt and false guilt. What is God asking of me, and what is he not asking of me? Just because one person is called to pray a certain way or to live a certain way does not mean that God is asking that same thing of you. St. Teresa of Calcutta was called to run a religious community of sisters who cared for the poorest of the poor; you are called to care for the people in your own family. One practice that might help a person in figuring out the difference between false guilt and real guilt might be to give yourself an honest assessment of what you are able to do and what you are not able to do. God does not expect us to do something we are incapable of.
Second, I wonder if a more accurate phrasing of your question is not “Am I a good person?” but rather “Am I good enough?” As a being made in God’s image, it is good that you exist. Your very existence is a blessing. Beyond that, we hopefully all can recognize that there is both good and evil in us. As Alexander Solzhenitsyn stated, “The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.” If we give ourselves even a cursory examination of conscience, I think we will all quickly discover that we choose both good and evil regularly.
Because of this, I think the question we all want answered is, “Am I good enough?” I already know that I’m not as good as I could be. Even more, I already know that I am not as good as the Lord himself. So all I am left with is the hope, “Is there enough good in me that I can go to heaven?”
The answer is yes and no. Yes, you are made in God’s image. If you are baptized, you are also an adopted child of God. Because of this, you are good. You also choose many good things: you serve, you pray, you love, you forgive. Therefore, you could be described as a good person. And yet, none of us is good enough. I could serve better, I could pray more, I could love more truly, I could forgive more fully. We are not “good enough.” And we never will be.
Now, I know that some people will read this and condemn themselves. Some will read this and throw up their hands and say, “Then what’s the point?” And that discouragement and despair would be valid, except for one significant reality: Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus Christ (the only truly good person who ever walked the earth), we always have hope. Even when we are not good enough, even when we do not love enough, even when we fail to be the people God has created us to be, we still have hope. Our problem is that we think that our hope lies in our goodness. It does not! Our hope is in Jesus and in what Jesus has done for us.
Because the Second Person of the Trinity took on our human nature and lived, suffered, died and rose from the dead in our human nature, we have the possibility of experiencing new life. Because of what he has done, we can have eternal life. Because the good God has met us in our misery, we do not have to worry about being “good enough.”
And this leads us to the third thing to remember: You are loved.
Your call is not to be good enough. Your call is to allow God to love you, and to respond to that love with love.
This might sound too “fluffy” or too basic. This might sound too easy! But I have discovered something in almost 20 years of being a priest and in trying to remind people about God’s love for them. Most people I meet have heard that God loves them. But most people do not believe that God loves them, they believe that God tolerates them.
Most people have never given God permission to do the one thing that the entire Bible is building toward: to allow God to love you as you are.
When we allow God to love us as we are, we no longer ask the question “Am I good enough?” because we know that we are not. We simply keep coming back to the better question (truly, it is the only question): “Does God have my permission to love me as I am right now?” Because if he does, then everything changes. When we are succeeding, we do not become prideful because God is the one who loves us. When we are failing, we do not despair because God is the one who loves us. When we sin, we come back to him because God is the one who loves us. And when we are not good enough, we cast all of our weaknesses on him because God is the one who loves us.
1815-79 | Feast: June 27
Despite illness and suffering, St. Marguerite Bays still asked, “What can we do to love God more?”
Marguerite was born in 1815 to farmers in Switzerland; she was very pious from a young age, spending a great deal of time serving and adoring the Lord. Between working on her family farm and her job as a seamstress, her days were interspersed with prayer at her altar dedicated to the Blessed Mother, daily Mass, and teaching children who visited the farm about the life of Jesus. Marguerite often visited the sick and poor, whom she referred to as “favorite friends of the Lord.” She brought them food from the farm and even mended their clothes. Instead of pursuing religious life as her friends and family encouraged her to do, Marguerite became a member of the Secular Franciscan Order.
She developed intestinal cancer while in her 30s. Marguerite asked for the Blessed Virgin Mary’s intercession, praying to align her suffering more closely with that of Jesus. And suffer like Christ she did, because although she was miraculously cured of the cancer on the same day Pope Pius IX pronounced the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, she began experiencing the stigmata every Friday, physically and spiritually reliving Christ’s Passion.
Despite her own pain and sufferings, Marguerite never showed signs of distress. She united her suffering to that of Christ’s, offering it up and uniting it with Jesus as she continued to pray for the faith and salvation of others. She died in 1879 on a Friday at 3 p.m. She was canonized by Pope Francis in 2019.
By Candace Bryant-Lester | Art by Matt Watters
“We had a gentleman come in who had arthritis. He experienced healing from that arthritis,” explained Encounter Sunday Prayer Team member Kevin Hummer. “It was very emotional for him. He was in tears.”
Encounter Sunday, a ministry of healing prayer, was recently started by Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in St. Joseph. It is composed of trained parishioners who are simply present to pray for the needs of those attending. Topics prayed for can include help in life’s circumstances, physical healing, emotional healing, help forgiving oneself or others or any other kind of spiritual request. The ministry sprang forth from the observation that there are so many individuals who are hurting and a simple conviction that prayer is effective. God really desires to act.
Team members begin by introducing themselves and then simply ask for the individual’s prayer request. Team members then ask Jesus to act and to come into the healing process. “As a person praying over them, I turn everything over to the Lord and help them understand that God loves and cares for them, and he will bring good to them no matter what happens,” explained Jennifer Unger. “If there is healing or no healing, God still loves them.” Team members pray with the individual for a few minutes and may ask for feedback.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish offers Encounter Sunday once a month, on the first Sunday of the month from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. While it’s a relatively new ministry, team members say there has already been fruit for both the attendees and the team members, including attendees returning to the sacraments.
“One time, the item that came up was forgiveness. The gentleman said he had difficulty with it,” stated Kevin. It had been a long time since the gentleman had been to Confession. “Through the Holy Spirit, he came into awareness that he wanted to go to Confession and have cleansing with the priest.”
“I take these people into my heart and prayer,” explained Jennifer. “It has increased my ability to pray for others, and increased my compassion. In a big way, it has increased my patience. It’s not a 30-minute sitcom. God heals when it’s the best time for the person and the whole body of Christ.”
Seminarian Ethan Osborn, who helped train the prayer team, urges community members to step outside their comfort zone and ask for prayer. “This ministry is so needed. Take a leap of faith and try it out. We all have many needs and burdens that can benefit from God’s grace that is brought into these situations, especially when we come with an attitude of humility and total reliance on God.”
Just as the monks of Engelberg Abbey made a year-long journey to arrive at and establish Conception Abbey, we too are making this 150th anniversary a journey through 2023. We invite you to visit our home this year for retreats and tours, and to seek Christ alongside our monastic community. Here are some reasons to visit Conception Abbey this year:
Retreats and workshops themed on Benedictine values
Tours of our recently enhanced Basilica sanctuary and restored historical display cases
Plenary indlugence granted by the Holy Father
Prayer and fellowship with the monastic community
Gun violence is out of control in America. It seems rarely a week goes by without another mass shooting in our schools, on our streets, and in our communities.
The U.S. bishops stated in their pastoral message, Confronting a Culture of Violence: A Catholic Framework for Action, “We have an obligation to respond. Violence -- in our homes, our schools and streets, our nation and world -- is destroying the lives, dignity and hopes of millions of our sisters and brothers.”
This issue of Messenger details gun violence statistics, proposed legislation, and what Catholic leaders are saying.
