THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 48, NO. 2 | JULY 24, 2026
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Archbishop Shawn McKnight blesses the new TurnStyles Thrift Store on June 25. The new store is located at 12065 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park. It is Catholic Charities’ fourth TurnStyles store.
‘WE’RE SO EXCITED TO GET THESE DOORS OPEN’ Fourth TurnStyles Thrift Store opens in Overland Park
By John Sorce Special to The Leaven
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VERLAND PARK — Another TurnStyles Thrift Store is now open in Johnson County. The new store is located at 12065 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park. It is the third store in Overland Park, with the fourth being located in Mission. The store opened on June 25 with a blessing from Archbishop Shawn McKnight followed by a ribbon cutting. “Our Catholic Charities is very strong and very important in our mission as a local church,” Archbishop McKnight said. “Whenever we feed the hungry, give protection to those who need it and clothe the naked, we’re performing our mission. And that is a tangible, concrete way for us to proclaim our belief in Jesus and his resurrection.” “We’re so excited to get these doors open,” added Lauren Solidum, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. “TurnStyles is so
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Lauren Solidum, president/CEO of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, and Kiesha Gracius, senior director of Social Enterprise Operations with Catholic Charities, together cut the ribbon at the opening of the new TurnStyles Thrift Store. Archbishop Shawn McKnight had previously blessed the store. much more than a thrift store. We’re so grateful to have this ministry to be able to support the broader mission of everything we do, and we’re so grateful for the hard work that went into this.”
Kiesha Gracius, senior director of Social Enterprise Operations with Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, feels the location will be a popular one. “We have been looking to
expand and this space was available,” Gracius said. “It is in a great spot and is very visible. We feel we can draw a lot of shoppers and donations to this location. “We’ve curated some great
products that will be available at a price people aren’t going to find anywhere else. But when someone shops with us, it’s not just shopping. It’s helping in >> See “TURNSTYLES” on page 4
2 LOCAL NEWS
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Keeler offers bilingual mental health counseling By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org
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ANSAS CITY, Kan. – Are you anxious or depressed? Are you at an impasse in life and need support? Is there an issue you’d like to discuss with someone impartial and nonjudgmental? Do you just need someone to listen? “These are all good reasons to seek counseling,” said Dr. Silvia Byer, director of counseling services at Keeler Women’s Center in Kansas City, Kansas. Don’t worry if English isn’t your first language; Byer is also fluent in Spanish, Italian and French. Don’t worry if you can’t afford to pay. The service is free and available to anyone regardless of race, religion, gender or immigration status. Just call Keeler Women’s Center to schedule an appointment. It’s that simple. “There’s a lot of support here,” said Byer. “And now there needs to be awareness.” Keeler Women’s Center recognized the need for a bilingual mental health professional on staff when attendees at grief retreats and groups for spiritual direction expressed a desire for more support. The need was further highlighted by priests in the archdiocese who were meeting with parishioners that needed counseling beyond spiritual direction. “Of course, they wanted somebody who was Catholic, somebody who would clear the credentials for the archdiocese,” said Keeler Center director Sister Bridget Dickason. “Silvia, luckily, passed the scrutiny.” Argentinean-Italian roots and an upbringing in Buenos Aires and Turin, Italy, has shaped Byer’s deep appreciation for cultural diversity. Add to that 35 years married and raising a family in the United States, and Byer can relate to anyone. Her journey to mental health counseling involved a major career shift that is nothing short of divinely inspired. After studying linguistics and earning her doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Byer spent more than 25 years as a professor and lecturer in
ARCHBISHOP MCKNIGHT July 23 Serra Club of Kansas City dinner – St. Patrick Church, Kansas City, Kansas July 30 Catholic Cemetery Board of Trustees meeting — chancery July 31 Pitching for Priests — Legends Field, Kansas City, Kansas Aug. 1 Deacon Convocation Mass — Savior Pastoral Center Chapel Aug. 4 Seminarian send off Mass and dinner — Holy Trinity Church, Lenexa
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD
Dr. Silvia Byer, counseling services director at Keeler Women’s Center, is fluent in Spanish, Italian, English, and French and is available to meet with clients Monday through Thursday.
Check out Keeler Keeler Women’s Center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are welcome to take part in a variety of free classes, seek social services or counseling, or just have a moment of peace. Keeler Women’s Center 759 Vermont Ave Suite 100-B Kansas City, KS 66101 (913) 689-9375 Español: (913)708-0286 kwc@mountosb.org
modern languages and a published author on Renaissance mystic writers. Then she felt God leading her to a new vocation. “Even though, as a professor, you serve the students,” she said, “I felt the call to serve more.” So, in prayer and consultation with her pastor and spiritual directors, she discerned a great need for help in the field of psychotherapy, especially within Hispanic communities. Byer had two master’s degrees and a doctorate, she said, so, “When I decided to go back to school to get a third master’s (in social work), my kids were like, ‘She’s crazy.’ “But I do feel like I can have an impact, and I can serve the community in a better way.” Byer believes there has long been
a stigma about seeking counseling, especially among Hispanics. But in recent years that has changed. “Now I think we’re in this new phase where the community accepts seeing a psychotherapist,” she said. “So that alone is opening more doors. “The problem, conversely, is that many do not have the means to afford counseling.” At Keeler Women’s Center, donations are welcome, but payment is never required. “Anybody can receive counseling,” said Sister Bridget. “We have Silvia who is a paid counselor, Jackie is a volunteer, Michelle is a volunteer, and MOCSA has a counselor that comes here; we provide space.” Byer’s doctorate is not medical, so she cannot prescribe medication, but she can diagnose and recommend that patients see a physician if necessary. The Keeler Women’s Center is supported by donations, grants and Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison. It operates under the Rule of St. Benedict, emphasizing hospitality, listening “with the ear of your heart,” and welcoming all guests as Christ. “There’s no judgment here,” said Sister Bridget. “There’s no problem you can’t come here with. Nobody is going to ask who’s Catholic, who’s not, who’s legal, who’s not. “We don’t ask a whole lot of questions. We just treat everybody as Christ.”
Aug. 5 School year kickoff commissioning Mass and presentation on AI in the classroom — St. Michael the Archangel Church, Leawood Aug. 9 Serra Club Religious Sisters Appreciation Day event — Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Shawnee Aug. 11 Lansing Correctional Facility confirmation Mass — Lansing
ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS NAUMANN July 25 Extreme Camp closing Mass — Prairie Star Ranch Aug. 6 RAAP leadership board meeting
Girls achieve Stars and Stripes rank SHAWNEE — Gianna Whalen, a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Shawnee, and Anna Gast, a member of Good Shepherd Parish, Shawnee, are the fifth and sixth girls to achieve the American Heritage Girls rank of Stars and Stripes in the archdiocese. Whalen creGianna Whalen Anna Gast ated a pro-life story board for Gabriella’s Little Library which provides books and care for families at the time of loss of infants and children. Gast created a memorial garden dedicated to Father Jim White. The garden is a beautification project added on to the community vegetable garden which provides food for the hungry.
LOCAL NEWS 3
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
St. Michael the Archangel, Leawood, parishioner John Sweeney thought he would be donating a kidney to a friend. But God had other plans, and Sweeney ended up donating his kidney to a stranger.
HEROIC GIFT
Faith leads Leawood parishioner to donate a kidney to a stranger By John Sorce Special to The Leaven
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EAWOOD — St. Michael the Archangel parishioner John Sweeney never thought he would be an organ donor. But God planted a seed and, despite some roadblocks, Sweeney remained dedicated to the calling. The initial seed was planted after listening to a story while volunteering on a food rescue mission with Catholic Charities about three years ago. “I listened to the guy’s story and felt sorry for him,” Sweeney said. “But I wasn’t sure what to do in a situation like that in the moment. So, I just listened and didn’t think anything more about it.” But things changed a few weeks later when a childhood friend by the name of Mark McIntosh posted on Facebook that he had been diagnosed with amyloidosis — a rare bone-marrow disorder that damages your organs. “His post said he was going on dialysis, but the doctors told him that he would eventually need a kidney transplant,” Sweeney said. “So, I reached out
I STARTED PRAYING ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD DO, AND I COULD FEEL THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDING ME TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROCESS. JOHN SWEENEY ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL PARISHIONER
and he invited me to listen in on a few Zoom meetings with an organization that he is part of. “I sat and listened, learning what I could and was just soaking it all in.” It was not lost on Sweeney that he read his friend’s online post just a few weeks after being touched by someone else’s story while volunteering. He felt it was God trying to grab his attention. “I thought that was probably not a coincidence,” Sweeney said. “I looked upward and told God I heard him,
and that moved me in the direction to become a donor.” The process to become an organ donor was an extensive one. First, Sweeney had to be tested to see if he was eligible. This included blood work, imaging and speaking with about a dozen health professionals. The initial tests done by KU Medical Center concluded that Sweeney’s blood pressure would be too high for him to be an organ donor. But after starting medication and flying to Denver, where McIntosh was located, to retake the tests at AdventHealth Porter, he was eventually accepted. But along the way, McIntosh received a kidney from somebody else after a match through the National Kidney Registry. Still, Sweeney decided to continue with the process, and it is at this point where it became a spiritual journey for him. “When my friend received a kidney, I thought my journey was over,” Sweeney said. “But I started praying about what I should do, and I could feel the Holy Spirit guiding me to continue with the process. I didn’t have anybody else particularly in mind. But if I was
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ultimately approved, I would go ahead and do it anonymously. “At this point in the process, I was convinced I was now part of the community of people who donate or need to receive a kidney. It didn’t take long for me to come to the conclusion that I was going to see this through until its natural conclusion.” Sweeney’s kidney ultimately wound up going to someone in Minneapolis. It was delivered and received by the recipient on the same day of his operation. “I had the surgery at 6 a.m. in Denver,” Sweeney said. “It was flown to Minneapolis and received by the recipient that same day.” While Sweeney is not sure who ultimately received his kidney, he is glad he went through with the process and is grateful he could help extend somebody’s life. “So many people are in awe that I would do something like that,” Sweeney said. “But I don’t feel that way about it. I’m healthy, I’ve been approved to be an organ donor, and I was able to help extend or save somebody’s life. So, to me, it’s why wouldn’t I do that?”
4 LOCAL NEWS
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
TurnStyles opens new location >> Continued from page 1
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Archbishop Shawn McKnight addresses the 2026 graduates of the Donnelly College in Prison Program, as Donald Jones and Paul Kiser, representatives of Donnelly and the Lansing Correctional Facility, listen.
Donnelly’s prison program changes lives
By Jay Soldner jsoldner@archkck.org
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ANSING — From a podium inside the visitation room at Lansing Correctional Facility here, two of the newest Donnelly College graduates reminded those gathered that college graduation is about much more than receiving a diploma. It is about transformation. “Most people don’t picture a place like this when they think of graduation,” graduate Donald Jones said as he opened his commencement address. “But today isn’t about where we are. It’s about how far we’ve come.” Donnelly College’s prison education program gives incarcerated men the opportunity to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in business. Since the program began in 2021, 42 incarcerated men have completed their degrees — and found personal meaning and new opportunities while serving their sentences. For Jones, earning a college degree once seemed impossible. “Standing here as a graduate is something I used to believe was meant for other people, not someone like me,” he said. Jones spoke openly about accepting personal responsibility for the choices that brought him to prison while refusing to allow those mistakes to define him for the rest of his life. “I stand before you today as a man who has made mistakes, who has faced the consequences of those mistakes and who decided to change,” he said. He described a turning point during his incarceration when he began asking himself difficult questions about the person he wanted to become and how he would use the time before him. “I made a decision,” Jones said. “I was not going to let my worst mis-
take define my entire life. So, I chose to grow; I chose to learn. I chose to believe that I could be a better man than I used to be.” Completing the college coursework while incarcerated took self-discipline and perseverance, he said. Through the experience, he discovered something unexpected: purpose. “Even in a place like this where so much can feel limited,” Jones said, “I learned something — your mind doesn’t have to be, your growth doesn’t have to be, and your future doesn’t have to be.” Addressing his fellow graduates, Jones said their accomplishments demonstrated that change is possible. “We’re not stuck. We’re not finished. And we are not limited to who we used to be,” he said. He concluded his speech by encouraging his classmates to see graduation not as the end of their journey but as a commitment to continue their journey of growth. “A mistake doesn’t have to be the end of your story,” he said. “It can be the point where your story changes.” Fellow graduate Paul Kiser echoed that message. “The common theme that I keep hearing today is transformation,” he said. “That’s what education does. It transforms you from one thing to another.” Kiser admitted he never imagined becoming a college graduate. “I never thought I’d be a college graduate,” he said. “We are not our crimes. We are who we are today and this day forward. From this day forward, I’m a college graduate.” After the graduates spoke, Archbishop Shawn McKnight said that the graduates had already spoken the most meaningful words. “I will keep my remarks very brief because I do believe the graduates who spoke to us gave a good sermon,” he said. “That message of transfor-
mation is what it’s all about.” The archbishop noted that Donnelly College’s prison education program reflects the collaborative mission of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison and Donnelly College. “Donnelly College is a team effort between the Archdiocese of Kansas City and the good Sisters up in Atchison,” he said. “As the archbishop, I’m very proud of this institution.” He went on to say that the Catholic Church’s commitment to education is rooted in its mission to bring people closer to Christ and to transform the world. “It is our mission, as followers of Jesus Christ, to transform the world into the Kingdom of God. That is quite a task,” he said. “Education is an important means of doing that, one person at a time.” Looking directly at the graduates, he added simply, “And it’s worth it. You are worth it.” The commencement concluded with Archbishop McKnight asking God’s blessing upon the graduates, praying: “God of promise and hope, you have called each of us to know you, to love you, and to serve you so as to live in fellowship with you and with one another. And even when we pause or falter in our trust of you, you do not abandon us to despair, but gently restore us by your grace. Bless these graduates in this milestone of their accomplishment. Sustain them in wisdom and the commitment to serve. Keep them faithful to their best selves always. And draw them and their families and friends ever more closer to you. May they walk always as children of light, reflecting your goodness in all of their future aspirations and accomplishments. Lead them always on the path to salvation. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.
the community. When you make a purchase, that money is going to move on and help someone else.” Each store also participates in a Register Round-Up program that was initiated two years ago. The cashier will ask at checkout if the customer would like to round up their change to support Catholic Charities’ various food programs. “The majority of our customers know that we are serving the community and our food programs are so important,” Gracius said. “We have people who have been served by our pantries shop in our stores and understand what the pantries do for them. So, many of them are willing to round up their change so we can extend the help to others.” One hundred percent of round-up funds go directly back into Catholic Charities’ food programs. The program raised about $20,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30 between the three pre-existing stores. The target goal for the fiscal year starting July 1 is $25,000 between four stores, and the hope is to exceed that number. There are posters on the sales floor and near the registers that tell the donor where these funds will directly go. Gracius said work on the Metcalf store began in February and it has been a team effort to arrive at the grand opening. “It has been so exciting to see it all come together from the shell of a building to seeing our vision come to life,” Gracius said. “So many departments came together to bring us to where we are today. It’s exciting to be in a new community.” People can donate to TurnStyles at any of their four locations. There are also donation bins at various parish parking lots and people can also call to schedule a home pickup for larger donations by calling (913) 433-2100. Gracius wants people to remember that when individuals donate or shop at one of the TurnStyles stores, they make an impact beyond that act. “When people donate or shop at one of our stores, this is not where it ends,” Gracius said. “Their donations and purchases continue on and really change lives, and that’s what this is all about.” More information about TurnStyles can be found on their website at: catholiccharitiesks.org/turnstyles.
SOLUTION
LOCAL NEWS 5
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
New committee brings unified approach to development By Lisa McKelvey Special to The Leaven
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or many years, two groups helped guide and assist with the Archbishop’s Call to Share. The first, the Clergy Advisory Committee, made up of priests from across the archdiocese, advised on the annual appeal, theme, timing, training and more. The second, the ACTS Allocation Committee, consisted of lay repre s e n t a t i ve s from across the archdiocese, along with a few priests. This committee reviewed grant requests from the offices of the chancery and Catholic entities across the archdiocese who receive funding from what is now called the Archdiocesan Call to Share annual appeal, to ensure that your gifts are hard at work and being used as intended. As the Archdiocesan Call to Share entered its 51st year and the archdiocese welcomed a new archbishop, it became clear that bringing these two groups together would create a more effective and unified approach to supporting the annual appeal. As a result, the Clergy Advisory Committee and the ACTS Allocation Committee were combined to form the newly established Development Committee. As a subcommittee of the Archdiocesan Finance Council, the Development Committee provides strategic guidance for the annual appeal while also overseeing the responsible stewardship and allocation of appeal funds. By combining these responsibilities within a single committee, the archdiocese is able to streamline decision-making, strengthen accountability, and ensure a comprehensive approach to fundraising and donor stewardship. When establishing the Development Committee, the goal was to create a group that fully represents the archdiocese. The committee includes donors, parish staff leaders, priests, and fundraising professionals from Catholic entities across our archdiocese. Members represent both urban and rural communities, ensuring a broad range of perspectives as the committee carries out its work. The ACTS Allocation Subcommittee is now responsible for reviewing and allocating the funds raised through the Archdiocesan Call to Share. To avoid conflicts of interest, fundraising professionals employed by an ACTS funded ministry do not participate in allocation decisions. Having feedback and insight from parish staff, priests and donors about how your gifts are invested in ministries is one way to maintain transparency and show you how your gifts make an impact. Early in the preparation phase of establishing the Development Committee, I was speaking with Ernie Straub,
PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
The Clergy Advisory Committee and the ACTS Allocation Committee were recently combined to form the newly established Development Committee. Members are, back row, from left: Kurtis Grothoff, Deacon Tom Greer, Ernie Straub, Derek Lyssy, Father Mike Hawken, Rob Lisch, Father Carter Zielinski, Father Scott Wallisch, Father Joseph Arsenault and Mitch Nolan. Front row, from left: Jan Lewis, Lisa McKelvey (committee chair), Carla Mills, Molly McKeithan and Laura Haeusser. Not pictured: Ben Clouse, Janel Wiederhold, Vince Anch, Matt Kemnitz and Jane Rall. Greer, Straub, Lyssy, Father Hawken, Lisch, Father Zielinski, Father Wallisch, Lewis, McKelvey, Mills, McKeithan, Haeusser, Clouse and Wiederhold are also members of the ACTS Allocation Subcommittee.
I AM HOPEFUL THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WILL FOSTER GREATER COLLABORATION, PROVIDE VALUABLE SUPPORT TO MINISTRIES ACROSS THE ARCHDIOCESE, AND HELP ALL OF US WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY IN ADVANCING OUR SHARED MISSION. MOLLY MCKEITHAN DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS, ST. ANN PARISH, PRAIRIE VILLAGE who now serves on the committee, and he asked me if “we were ever going to get a calendar of Catholic events and stop double-booking similar events amongst our parishes and with our friends across state line.” In May, with the help of the committee, the Catho-
lic events calendar was launched. You can find the calendar online at: www. archkck.org/fundraisingevents. Parishes, schools and ministries are encouraged to email their events to: development@archkck.org and the development team will post them on the calendar. You can check out the calendar website and learn more about the many events this fall. Hopefully the calendar introduces you to a ministry whose mission inspires you and provides an opportunity to support its work. This committee also reviews parish and school emergency grant applications and makes recommendations to Archbishop Shawn McKnight. During the 2025-2026 fiscal year, four emergency grants were awarded: to Bishop Ward High School to repair a water leak, to Holy Name School to fix the school elevator, to the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle to repair leaks in the roofs of the rectory and chapel, and to St. Mary-St Anthony Parish to replace the air conditioning system in the church. All these emergencies were unexpected, and your gifts to the Archdiocesan Call to Share demonstrate the appeal’s ability to respond when critical needs arise. The development office and the De-
Guadalupe Home Plus
Guadalupe Home Plus is a new 6-bed senior care home in St. Mary’s, KS, now accepting residents! We offer personalized care, home-cooked meals, and a family atmosphere rooted in Catholic values. Under Our Lady’s mantle, we are all family. Visit guadalupehomeplus.com to learn more, call or stop by for a visit—we’d love to meet you!
velopment Committee exist to serve donors, parishioners, parishes and priests in their fundraising and philanthropic efforts. As a committee of the finance council, we work to ensure that fundraising processes and procedures remain both professional and transparent. As stewardship is a key component of fundraising, especially within our faith communities, we recognize that our resources are not ours alone, but gifts entrusted to us by God. We are called to use these resources wisely, responsibly and selflessly, considering the needs of others and promoting the common good. Thank you for doing exactly that with your gifts to the Archdiocesan Call to Share and know that the Development Committee is committed to ensuring that your gifts are used faithfully and responsibly for the common good of our archdiocese. If you have any questions about the Archdiocesan Call to Share or your philanthropic support of the archdiocese, you can contact me at: LMcKelvey@archkck.org or call (913) 647-3071. Lisa McKelvey is the director of parish campaigns and archdiocesan appeals.
6 LOCAL NEWS
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Bishops consecrate nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
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RLANDO, Fla. — On June 11, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops did something extraordinary. In anticipation of the nation’s 250th birthday, the bishops consecrated the country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus during a Mass celebrated at Queen of the Universe Shrine in Orlando, Florida. The moment had been highly anticipated since the bishops’ announcement late last year. Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore served as the homilist. Head of the nation’s first diocese founded in 1789, Archbishop Lori is successor to the first American Catholic bishop, John Carroll. Bishop Carroll was a cousin of Charles Carroll, the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence. “What a remarkable moment of grace we are privileged to share,” Archbishop Lori said in opening. “On the threshold of our nation’s 250th anniversary, we gather, not first to celebrate ourselves, but to consecrate. To entrust. To place the church in the United States, and indeed the
ACROSS 1 Fine cotton fabric 7 Reckless 11 Arizona time 14 Bird sanctuary 15 Women’s magazine 16 Expression of surprise 17 Writing tool 18 Phoenician god 19 Neither’s partner 20 Adios 22 Affliction sent against Egypt 24 Pouch 27 Dignitary 29 Antes 30 __ hoop 32 Chooses 35 Where Noah’s ark landed 37 Biblical weed 38 Compass point 41 She was too busy with chores 42 Worlds 44 Deer relative 45 Fake butter 48 Clothing brand name 49 Headache medicine 51 Word written on the wall (Daniel) 52 Zeus’ wife 55 Tribe of Israel
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OSV NEWS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER
This statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was on display at the Basilica of Mary Queen of the Universe in Orlando, Florida, June 1, during their spring plenary assembly before the U.S. Catholic bishops consecrated the country to the Sacred Heart. whole nation, into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ.” “Consecration is an act of faith,” he went on to say. “It is an acknowledgment that history is not simply the story of what human beings accomplish; it is the story of God’s
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Relating to the hearing Lewis’ partner Legume Creative work Booth Fish basket Oolong and pekoe Sailor’s “hey” Throat infection Dard Organic compound Revolutions per minute Electroencephalograph (abbr.) Jacqueline Kennedy ___ Thai Lyric poem “You’re in good __” Identical Flowing Love Last word of a prayer What a mosquito bite does Scat! Mother of Jesus For Modern Compass point __ Francisco Solution on page 4
faithful love at work in the world. We give thanks for the blessings of these past 250 years, but we do so with humility, recognizing in faith that every nation stands in need of God’s mercy, wisdom and guidance.” Moreover, he said, “It is a declaration that the future does not belong merely to political movements, economic forces or human plans. The future belongs to God. And so we place into his heart, not only ourselves but generations yet unborn, and all those who will inherit the church and the nation we leave behind.” The bishops encouraged all Catholics to embrace this consecration by incorporating it into the life of their domestic church at home. Archdiocesan parishes, in turn, are encouraged to help families in this process. One way families can do so is by making a personal act of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at home, enthroning an image of the Sacred Heart in their home. (See resources below.) Offering novenas to the Sacred Heart is another way. Though June is uniquely associated with the Sacred Heart, chancellor and moderator of the curia Father Mike Hawken wrote, “home enthronement need not be limited
to a single month. Parishes may wish to encourage this beautiful tradition more frequently on a monthly or bimonthly basis, as part of family faith formation, or when welcoming new parishioners and newly initiated Catholics into the life of the church. Parishioners would be invited to bring their image of the Sacred Heart to a particular Mass for a blessing and receive instructions to take home for enthronement.” In his June 26 column in The Leaven, Archbishop Shawn McKnight echoed the call made by his brother bishops as he invited “every household in the archdiocese to enthrone an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and observe a novena of family prayer as a means of extending our national consecration throughout our archdiocese and into each domestic church. “By bringing this devotion and prayer into our homes, we open our hearts to a profound spiritual renewal centered entirely on the love and mercy of God.” For more information, for resources on enthroning an image of the Sacred Heart in your home or for other ways to extend the consecration, visit: archkck. org/consecration-to-sacred-heart.
LOCAL NEWS 7
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG Betty and Steve Klemencic, members of St. Patrick Parish, Kansas C i t y , Kansas, will celebrate their 50th we d d i n g anniversary on July 31. The couple was married on July 31, 1976, at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, Kansas City, Kansas. The couple will celebrate with a dinner and dance as well as a family week at Grand Lake. Their children are: Jessica, Adam, Lindsey, Ashley and Haley. They also have 11 grandchildren. Mark and Kay Farley, members of Sacred H e a r t of Jesus Parish, Shawnee, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on July 16. The couple was married on July 16, 1976, at St. Francis Xavier Church, St. Joseph, Missouri. Teresa and Tom Eck, members of Most Pure H e a r t of Mary Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with family on Aug. 8. The couple was married on Aug. 6, 1976, at Most Pure Heart of Mary. Their children are: Tim and Teddy. They also have two grandchildren.
Leonard and Mary Jo (Dreher) Mohlman, members of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on Aug. 19 with family and friends. The couple was married on Aug. 19, 1961, at Assumption Church, Topeka. Their children are: Mark and Michael Mohlman. They also have seven grandchildren.
Bob and Karen Thomas, members of Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on July 30. The couple was married on July 30, 1966, at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Pittsburg. They have three children and six grandchildren. The couple celebrated the milestone with family during a recent family vacation.
Noel and Leo Handzlik, members of Immaculate Conception Parish, Louisburg, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on July 30. The couple was married on July 30, 1966, at St. Bernard Church, Buffalo, New York. Their children are: Laura and Christopher. They also have two grandchildren.
Loretta and Vernon Weller, members of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, Kansas, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 7 with a family dinner. The couple was married on Aug. 7, 1976, at St. Joseph Church, Kansas City, Kansas. They have three sons: Jason, Sierra Madre, California; Brad, Gardner; and Scott, Shawnee. They also have seven grandchildren.
Loretta (Lutgen) and Ray Kovar, members of the Immaculate Conception Parish, St. Marys, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary with a private family dinner. The couple was married on July 30, 1966, at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church in Topeka. Their children are: Brian Kovar and Lucinda Martin. They also have five grandchildren.
ANNIVERSARY SUBMISSIONS POLICY: The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th anniversary notices. DEADLINE: 10 days before the desired publication date. INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: The couple’s names, parish, date they were married, church and city where they were married, what they are doing to celebrate, date of the celebration, names of children (no spouses), number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren WHERE TO SUBMIT: Email: todd.habiger@theleaven.org.
Sisters Mary Grosdidier dies July 5 in Atchison
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TCHISON — Sister Mary Grosdidier, OSB, 92, a Benedictine Sister of Mount St. Scholastica, died July 5 at the monastery. Sister Mary Grosdidier (formerly Sister Rochelle) was born on Dec. 4, 1933, the sixth of nine children born to Louis and Alice Vitt Grosdidier. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Webster College in St. Louis before entering the Mount community in 1957. She received a master’s degree in history from the University of Detroit in 1968 and later earned an administration certificate from Creighton University. Sister taught for over 30 years in elementary and high schools in Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Colorado. She had a sense of adventure and loved traveling to new places and to visit family and friends. She traveled to Europe and Japan, as well as many cities in the United States from Maine to California. After returning to the monastery, she served as office manager of Dooley Center and receptionist. When walking became difficult, she used an electric scooter to attend prayers and activities, as well as to help outdoors with groundskeeping tasks.
On May 11, the Daughters of Isabella St. Jude Circle of Lawrence celebrated their 60th anniversary with a dinner hosted by past regents Jean O’Toole (charter member), Connie Rockers, Debbie Kurtz, Janet Huss, Dorothy Henley, and Sandy Hare. Past Kansas state regent Jeanette Gunkel addressed the circle, and Father John Toepfer (above) presented an engaging talk to over 30 Daughters of Isabella members, plus special guests, Father Mike Stubbs and Father Luke Doyle. The evening’s highlights included Regent Sheri Thomas presenting past regents with handmade, lighted, cut paper tabletop decorations in the shape of tiered flower bouquets, and members new this past year receiving a special rosary from the circle. The St. Jude Circle was chartered on May 1, 1966.
Msgr. Swetland to speak on ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ LEAWOOD — Msgr. Stuart Swetland will offer a presentation on Pope Leo XIV’s landmark first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas — On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 10 at St. Michael the Archangel Church here.
Drawing on Scripture, the tradition of Pope Leo XIII’s “Rerum Novarum,” and the vision of the new evangelization, Msgr. Swetland will guide those in attendance through the key themes of the encyclical and what they mean for our lives, our families and our world.
Archdiocese announces investigation involving Father Eric Flood, F.S.S.P.
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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has been informed by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (F.S.S.P.) that the Archdiocese of Omaha recently received an allegation concerning Reverend Eric Flood, F.S.S.P., involving alleged misconduct with a minor occurring more than 20 years ago. This allegation was immediately reported to law enforcement, in accordance with mandatory reporting requirements. Consistent with the archdiocese’s commitment to the protection of children and persons in vulnerable situations, and pending the outcome of investigations by civil authorities and the Archdiocese of Omaha, Father Flood has been temporarily withdrawn from the public exercise of priestly ministry, including celebrating Mass and other public ministerial duties. This administrative measure is intended to protect all parties, including Father Flood, and should not be interpreted as a determination regarding the allegation. No conclusion has been reached, and Father Flood is entitled to the presumption of innocence and to a fair and impartial process. Father Flood is cooperating fully with the investigation and adamantly denies the accusation. We ask the faithful to pray for everyone affected by this situation, including the individual who reported the concern, Father Flood, those responsible for conducting the investigation, and our community. We ask all to refrain from rumor and speculation and instead entrust this matter to prayer and the proper processes of law enforcement and the church. During the investigation, Father Flood has relocated outside of the state of Kansas. We recognize the serious nature of any safe environment concern and remain committed to transparency, justice, and respecting the privacy and dignity of all individuals involved as this matter is carefully reviewed. The archdiocese is cooperating fully with civil authorities, the Archdiocese of Omaha, and the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. Upon completion of this investigation, the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas’ Independent Review Board will conduct a review and provide recommendations to the archbishop, who will determine any appropriate action. Because this matter remains under investigation, no further comment will be made at this time. Anyone with information relevant to this matter is encouraged to contact the Douglas County, Nebraska, District Attorney at (402) 444-7040. The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas takes all allegations of abuse and misconduct by church personnel very seriously and works to respond to survivors’ needs with urgency, respect, and compassion. We encourage anyone with knowledge about any misconduct by a church volunteer, employee, religious or clergy member — regardless of when the abuse may have occurred — to contact civil authorities first, and then call or text the Archdiocese’s confidential report line at (913) 2768703 or online at www.archkck.org/ reportabuse.
FAITH IN FULL SWING PHOTOS BY JAY SOLDNER
Prairie Star Ranch may have gone through some administrative changes this year, but the heart of the camp — its faith-filled experience wrapped in a package of fun — remains the same. As the camping season draws to a close, The Leaven sent photographer Jay Soldner to Williamsburg to capture all the action of the final junior high camp.
Camp counselor Isaac Trotter, far right, hypes up his team before a series of soc and challenges. With hands up in the background are Grant Herspring, Blessed Parish, Wichita, and Jameson King, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Shawnee.
Above, campers hit the bicycle course during morning activities. Prairie Star Ranch offered three sessions of Camp Tekakwitha for junior high students this summer — all of which were nearly filled to capacity. Right, Tessa Johnson, a member of St. Matthew Parish, Topeka, looks around triumphantly as she reaches the top of the rock wall.
Luke Toepfer, a member of St. John Paul II Parish in Olathe, takes part in a game of archery tag.
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The crowd in the hangar was fired up for the start of the camp’s World Cup challenge.
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Assisting Archbishop Shawn McKnight with Mass are, from left, Zane Roberts, St. Joseph Parish, Flush; Deacon Dana Nearmyer, director of Camp Tekakwitha and advancement; Gabe Pryor, Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish, Topeka; and Isaac Trotter, St. Benedict Parish, Atchison.
Junior high campers kneel and pray during Mass celebrated by Archbishop McKnight on July 15.
fills the hangar as all the campers gather and sing together following the Camp Tekakwitha World Cup soccer challenge, a series of games and skills competitions. Team North America was announced as winner.
Dudley and Natalie DeThrone, both students at Ascension School in Overland Park, enjoy a peacenoe ride on the camp’s clear blue lake.
Crosby Wood, a member of Good Shepherd Parish, Shawnee, takes his shot during the camp’s World Cup challenge.
10 LOCAL NEWS
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
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Decree of Establishment In order to ensure the prudent stewardship of ecclesiastical goods, the proper planning and execution of construction and renovation projects, and the preservation of the sacred character of ecclesiastical buildings, it is fitting to establish a stable body of experts to assist the Diocesan Bishop in these matters. In accordance to Canons 1276 §1 and 1284 of the Code of Canon Law, which entrust the Diocesan Bishop with vigilance and oversight of the administration of all ecclesiastical goods, and mindful of the obligation to safeguard the patrimony of the Church (cf. Cann. 1254-1256), as well as to ensure that sacred buildings are suitable for divine worship ( cf. Can. 1215 § 1 ), I hereby decree the establishment of THE ARCHDIOCESAN BUILDING COMMISSION to assist the Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas in matters pertaining to the construction, renovation, restoration, and maintenance of ecclesiastical buildings and other archdiocesan properties. The establishment of the Archdiocesan Building Commission is effective immediately. The Commission, its functions, and its membership shall be governed by its Charter, which is to be reviewed annually and updated as necessary. The Commission shall function in a consultative capacity and shall offer its recommendations to the Archbishop or his delegate. Its role does not diminish the authority of the Archbishop or those who exercise administrative responsibility in accord with law. This decree is to be published on the website of the Archdiocese and in the next edition of the Leaven. Given at the Chancery in Kansas City, KS on the 14th day of July, the Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, in the year of Our Lord 2026.
The Most Reverend Shawn McKnight Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas
Rev. Anthonly J. Saiki, J.C.L. Chancellor
LOCAL NEWS 11
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
McSorley built a lasting legacy at The Leaven >> Continued from page 16
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
From left, parishioners Sue McKay, Amanda Logan and Judy Broyles serve Irish soda bread and Watergate salad to a guest at this year’s St. Patrick Day celebration in Emerald.
Irish leave their mark on the archdiocese By Therese Horvat Special to The Leaven
IRISH
St. Patrick Parish, Emerald
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he Catholic community of St. Patrick, Emerald, dates to 1859 when the first Mass was offered in the home of an Irish immigrant. Upon completion of the log-cabin church, a priest from Scipio travelled by horseback to offer Mass every two weeks in Emerald. Parishioner Joan Gagnon’s ancestors were likely in attendance. Her great-great uncle Henry Collins donated property on which the church currently stands. A great uncle operated the post office out of his home. Gagnon thinks the Irish settled in the area because farmland was inexpensive and the terrain and its rockiness resembled their homeland. Parishioners quarried rock to build their second church. The can-do spirit of the Irish prevailed. Over the years, German settlers joined the community, and by 1899, the brick church opened for worship. Forty years later, a devastating lightning strike required rebuilding. The mason who did the brickwork completed the job at a price parishioners could afford. In the 1950s, a new basement was dug and constructed under the church, creating space for gatherings, including bazaars that attracted guests from the surrounding area. For the past 30 years, the parish has hosted a celebration the first Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day with traditional Irish food and music. Gagnon says St. Patrick has never been a large parish. In her youth, there were 50 families, each averaging 10 to 12 children. From 1899 to 1961, the parish operated a public school with women religious as
HOW CATHOLIC IMMIGRANTS BUILT AMERICA This is the second article in a series.
A lifetime of achievement
teachers. Today, the congregation is served from St. Francis Xavier Parish in Burlington. Descendants of some of the original Irish settlers still reside in Emerald. Gagnon lives in the house where her father was born. She values St. Patrick Parish as a true small faith community. St. Columbkille Parish, Blaine Upon seeing the plight of Irish immigrants living in slum-like conditions in St. Louis, Father Thomas Butler took action. The Irish priest helped organize a colonization project in Kansas. With their purchase of shares to buy land, 60 families came west and platted a town in 1879. Jim McCormick’s great-grandfather was among these settlers. The town was initially named Butler City in honor of the priest. McCormick has heard two different stories behind the name change to Blaine — one that it was done by the post office and the other that it was changed by the railroad that came to town in 1881. There’s no doubt about the Irish connection of the church’s name. St. Columbkille was and remains a popular saint of Ireland. McCormick credits the settlers with being industrious. Within a couple of years of arriving, they built the church and parish house from scratch. Later, they constructed another church building that required
seriously she took the responsibility of telling stories that mattered to our community and our faith,” said her eldest, Colleen Hager. “More than anything, she was passionate about learning about other people and sharing their stories and experiences,” she continued. “She truly cared about the individuals and communities she wrote about, and she spent her career uplifting and supporting those around her.” Hager said her mom’s work “was never just a career to her — it was a calling.” “What means the most to me is that, despite all the time and energy she devoted to her work, she was also an amazing mom,” said Hager. “She somehow balanced deadlines, responsibilities and family life with grace, always offering love, guidance and support.” Father Goldasich said McSorley and her children extended that love to his own family. They adopted his late mother, Angeline, “as another grandma,” he said. “When Mom was in assisted living and the nursing center, they were always popping in on her,” said Father Goldasich. “Whenever Mom would go to the hospital, I’d give Anita a holler and, without fail, she’d come and, if nothing else, just sit with me. “Many times, she would go when I couldn’t. If I had Mass or something on the weekends, she’d go and sit with Mom at the hospital. “She’s just a very compassionate, kind person.”
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
St. Columbkille Church in Blaine was established by the Irish in the 1800s looking to escape slum-like conditions in St. Louis.
major restoration following a storm in 2010. St. Columbkille had an elementary and high school taught by the Benedictine Sisters of Atchison. For a time, the Sisters boarded students in the convent when families were unable to transport them to school. While descendants bearing the names of seven of the original 60 families remain in the area, McCormick no longer thinks of Blaine as an Irish town. But he believes that people still rely on the faith and dedication of those who preceded them. There’s continuity of engagement in the parish. Parishioners volunteered to help build the new parish hall. McCormick acknowledges those who teach religious education and instruct young servers. He senses the resurgence of interest of young people in the church. Today, St. Columbkille is a mission of Annunciation Parish in Frankfort.
Her deadline days have come to an end, but walking away from the legacy she’s built at The Leaven won’t be easy for McSorley. “She has given her all to her employees and to the people of the archdiocese for 38 years,” said Habiger. Father Goldasich hopes her first priority in retirement will be to rest. “The second thing I’d tell her is to knock down that to-be-read pile of books that she has,” he said. “I think she’s earned this — more than earned it,” he added. Hager is excited for her mom to enjoy the next stage of her life. “Her retirement marks the end of an extraordinary chapter,” she said, “and I hope she knows just how much of an impact she has had — not only through her work, but also on the people who have had the privilege of knowing and loving her.” “Retirement will also mean spending more time with her wildly smart and energetic granddaughter,” she continued, “who very well may have inherited those traits from her grandmother. “I have a feeling she’s about to discover that keeping up with a four-yearold is a full-time job in its own right.”
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12 CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT Sacramental coordinator - The Church of the Nativity in Leawood is seeking a full-time sacramental coordinator. This position serves as the primary focal point for couples and families seeking baptism and marriage. You will be the consistent, supportive guide throughout the process to plan, communicate, schedule and prepare for these sacramental celebrations. You will partner with the pastor, clergy, parish staff and volunteers to ensure each sacrament is both pastorally and liturgically sound. The coordinator will foster an atmosphere of warm hospitality, evangelization and welcome. A proven ability to provide caring services to others plus excellent multi-tasking, interpersonal and communication skills are required. The position also requires patience as plans change. To request more information or to apply, go to: jobapplication@kcnativity.com. Music director - The position is at Mother Teresa of Calcutta Church in Topeka. Please see description at: mtcctopeka.org. To apply, please submit your resume to: office@mtcctopeka.org by Aug. 10. Call Lisa at (785) 286-2188 with questions. Accountant - St. Joseph Church, Shawnee, is seeking an organized and detail-oriented accounts receivable specialist to support accurate financial operations through the processing, reconciliation, tracking and reporting of accounting transactions. This position plays an important role in maintaining financial records, resolving discrepancies, preparing reports and providing excellent service to parishioners and staff. Interested applicants should apply on the St. Joseph website or email Melissa Thomas at: MThomas@stjoeshawnee.org. Crisis-focused support specialist - Help turn moments of crisis into opportunities for hope. As a crisis-focused support specialist, you’ll use empathy, de-escalation and resource expertise to support individuals and families facing housing, utility, food and other financial emergencies. Join a mission-driven team where your compassion, critical thinking and ability to remain calm under pressure can make a lasting difference in someone’s life. For more information, please go to: catholiccharitiesks.org/careers/. Family support coordinator - Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic is seeking a family support coordinator (fulltime) to provide support and resources for women and families during and after pregnancy. Qualifications: Experience in case management or social services. Leadership experience with staff, volunteers or interns. Strong organizational and communication skills. Commitment to WPC’s mission and values. Bilingual English/Spanish preferred. Benefits: PTO, 70% employer-paid health insurance and a supportive, collaborative work environment. To apply, submit your resume to Angela Maldonado at: amaldonado@ wpcnetwork.org. In-home care assistant - We are looking for an engaging in-home caregiver for our son with special needs in western Shawnee. He loves music, interacting with others, reading books and is learning new life skills. Help needed on Mon., Wed. or Fri. evenings and on weekends. $17/hr. Please call (785) 393-1589. Maintenance professional (part-time) - St. John Paul II Church and Academy in Olathe is seeking a dependable, self-motivated part-time maintenance professional to help care for our rectory, church and school facilities. This flexible, as-needed position is ideal for someone who enjoys a variety of maintenance tasks and takes pride in keeping buildings and grounds safe, clean and well-maintained. For more information, please visit our website at: stjpii.org/employment-opportunities or email us at: operations@stjpii.org. Campus minister - The St. Lawrence Center is seeking a full-time campus minister to create a culture of belonging, discipleship and mission on the KU campus. Responsibilities include student outreach, hospitality and belonging events, mentoring students and supervising interns. Candidates should be faithful Catholics, strong relationship-builders and energized by ministry on a secular university campus. Email resume and cover letter to: apetty@kucatholic.org. Development officer - Help shape the future of Catholic campus ministry! St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center seeks a dynamic, relationship-focused development officer to build donor partnerships through frequent weekly in-person meetings, inspire generosity and advance our mission of forming disciples and serving students at the University of Kansas. Fundraising, sales, nonprofit or business development experience preferred. Passion for the Catholic faith and strong people skills required. Make an eternal impact. Apply by sending cover letter and resume to Matt Kemnitz, chief operating officer: mkemnitz@ kucatholic.org. More information: kucatholic.org. Executive assistant - The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas (CFNEK), a 501(c)3 organization affiliated with the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, is seeking to hire an executive assistant. This position provides administrative, clerical and operational support working under the guidance and direction of the executive director, and leadership team to accomplish the mission of the foundation. Will occasionally work unusual hours, which may include evenings and weekends, beyond the regularly expected weekly 40 hours. This position is full-time and benefits-eligible. To apply, visit: archkck.org, scroll to the bottom of the home page and click “Employment Opportunities.”
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG Part-time lunchroom coordinator - Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Shawnee is seeking a part-time lunchroom coordinator to oversee the daily operation of our student lunchroom. The position is responsible for coordinating lunchroom set-up and close-down, supervising operations, promoting positive student behavior, working collaboratively with kitchen staff and volunteers and ensuring the lunchroom operates efficiently each day. The ideal candidate is a joyful servant who embraces our core values: unapologetically Catholic, joyful servants and grit. This is a school-year position working approximately 15 hours per week (Monday–Friday, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.). Interested applicants are encouraged to inquire or apply online at: shoj.org/employment-opportunities. Part-time kitchen aide - Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Shawnee is seeking a part-time kitchen aide to support the daily operation of our school lunch program. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys serving children, works well as part of a team, and takes pride in maintaining a clean, welcoming and faith-filled environment. The kitchen aide assists with meal preparation, serving lunches, maintaining food safety standards and keeping the kitchen and lunchroom clean and organized. The ideal candidate is a joyful servant who embraces our core values: unapologetically Catholic, joyful servants and grit. This is a school-year position, working two days per week, 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m. (5 hours per day). Please inquire and/or apply on our website: shoj.org/employment-opportunities. Housekeeper - The Savior Pastoral Center is seeking a housekeeper. This position performs a variety of cleaning tasks in order to ensure a clean and hospitable retreat environment. This position handles all areas of housekeeping in the dormitories, ensuring that all guest rooms are cleaned thoroughly and in a timely fashion. This position is part-time, Monday through Friday, will average 20–25 hours per week and fully on site. For more information or to apply, visit: archkck.org, scroll to the bottom of the home page and click “Employment Opportunities.” Building attendant - The Savior Pastoral Center is seeking to hire a building attendant. This position will provide hospitality, security, maintenance and custodial services. The job averages 18–20 hours per week, includes a fully paid spacious one-bedroom apartment, and requires the ability to work evenings, weekends as needed and every other Saturday at the front desk. High school diploma or GED required. To apply, visit: archkck.org, scroll to the bottom of the home page and click “Employment Opportunities.” Director of religious education (DRE) - St. Agnes Parish, Roeland Park, is seeking a part-time director of religious education to provide vision, leadership and administrative oversight for the religious education program (PREP/CCD) serving students in grades 1 through 8. The ideal candidate is an intentional disciple who fosters a culture of evangelization, builds dynamic partnerships with parents and ensures full compliance with all archdiocesan frameworks. This position includes oversight of both traditional parish religious education programming and a family faith formation option that equips parents to serve as the primary educators of their children in the Catholic faith. Please inquire and/or apply on our website: stagneskc.org/director-of-religious-education/. Bilingual receptionist - Good Shepherd Parish, Shawnee, is seeking a bilingual (English/Spanish) parish receptionist. The receptionist must be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the church. She or he will welcome and greet parish office visitors, answer incoming calls and assist them as needed. The receptionist will provide secretarial and administrative support to the pastor and parish administrative staff. Must be fluent in English and Spanish in both oral and written communications. At ease in a fast-paced, multi-task environment. If interested or to learn more, please contact the parish manager at: mgomez@gsshawnee.org. Bilingual director of faith formation - Good Shepherd Parish, Shawnee, is seeking a director of faith formation and sacramental preparation for a bilingual (English/Spanish) program. This director must be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the church. He or she is a person of prayer, committed to the authentic teaching of the Catholic faith. A fully bilingual candidate is preferred, but at a minimum, this candidate must have the skills, resources and enthusiasm to facilitate and to clearly communicate with English and Spanish-speaking families. The director is a professional catechetical leader who assists children, adolescents, and their families in their faith formation. The director will work with other staff members to foster and maintain a positive working environment where worship, prayer, hospitality and learning are the primary motivators. If interested or to learn more, please contact the parish manager at: mgomez@gsshawnee.org. HR professional - The Diocese of Salina is seeking a full-time mission-driven HR professional. The role is supporting our pastors, principals, diocesan leaders, employees and our parish staff. This HR role supports functions such as recruiting, job descriptions, compliance, protection of minors and personnel. Qualifications: Desire to support the mission of the Catholic Church; degree in human resources, business administration or related field; mid-level HR experience, SHRM or PHR/SPHR certification preferred. Send resume to: Diocese of Salina, HR department, P.O. Box 980, Salina, KS 67402-0980 or for a copy of the full job description, call (785) 342-0819 or email: kim.hoelting@salinadiocese.org.
Housekeeper - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is the Catholic Church in Northeast Kansas: Growing as Disciples of Jesus; Making Disciples for Jesus. Savior Pastoral Center is currently seeking a housekeeper. This position performs a variety of cleaning tasks in order to ensure a clean and hospitable retreat environment. This position handles all areas of housekeeping in the dormitories, ensuring that all guest rooms are cleaned thoroughly and in a timely fashion. This position is full-time, fully on-site and averages 40 hours per week. To apply, visit: archkck.org, scroll to the bottom of the home page and click “Employment Opportunities.” Custodian/housekeeper - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is the Catholic Church in Northeast Kansas: Growing as Disciples of Jesus; Making Disciples for Jesus. The chancery and Savior Pastoral Center are seeking a custodian/housekeeper to support both buildings. This role performs a variety of cleaning and custodial tasks to maintain clean, welcoming office and retreat environments. Duties include a variety of cleaning tasks, ensuring guest rooms are thoroughly cleaned and prepared in a timely manner, as well as general custodial services throughout the chancery and Savior Pastoral Center facilities. This is a full-time, on-site position, averaging 40 hours per week: 3:30 a.m. to noon. Benefits-eligible. Marketing manager - Use your marketing skills to make a meaningful impact in the community. Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is seeking a missiondriven marketing manager to lead a team and help advance agency-wide marketing and brand strategies that increase awareness, engagement, donor support and revenue growth across 25+ life-changing programs, special events and social enterprises. Key qualifications include: 3-5 years of professional writing, digital marketing and social media experience; and 1-2 years of direct supervisory experience leading a team. To learn more or apply, visit: catholiccharitiesks.org and click on “Careers.” Gift planning consultant - The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas (CFNEK) is seeking to hire a gift planning consultant. This position will build and maintain relationships with pastors, individual donors and professional advisors and encourage personal stewardship and general endowment funding through work with archdiocesan entities and leadership. The position is on-site, full-time, 40-hours per week, benefits-eligible and requires some evening and weekend hours. Please visit the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas website for more information or to apply, contact: cfnek.org/employment. Teachers - St. Joseph Early Education Center is looking for caring, passionate and dedicated teachers to join our preschool team. The ideal candidate should have experience working with early childhood, have an understanding of child development, and strive to support and model our Catholic faith within the classroom. Interested applicants should email Kristan Mora at: kmora@stjoeshawnee.org or call (913) 6310004. Residential services coordinator - Help us walk alongside mothers and families as they build safety, stability and hope for their futures. Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is seeking a compassionate residential services coordinator to serve as a primary advocate for residents of Our Lady’s Sanctuary of Grace and Olathe Haven, providing individualized case management, resource coordination and emotional support. Required: bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, human services or a related field and a minimum of two years of experience in case management or social services; bilingual English/ Spanish strongly preferred. To learn more or apply, visit: catholiccharitiesks.org and click on “Careers.” Video/multimedia marketing specialist - Help Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas tell compelling stories of hope through the art of video, photography and graphic design. This role will support and promote the agency’s mission of providing help, hope and hospitality to the most vulnerable. Required: 1-3 years of video, photography and graphic design experience and bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications or related field. To learn more or apply, visit: catholiccharitiesks.org and click on “Careers.” Paraprofessional - Sacred Heart School in Shawnee is hiring a K-8 paraprofessional for math, reading, and the resource room for the 2026-27 academic year. Applications must be submitted online at: www. shoj.org under “Employment Opportunities.” Maintenance/custodial technician - St. Joseph Church is seeking a full-time maintenance/custodial staff member to support the care and upkeep of our campus in Shawnee. This position is responsible for maintaining a clean, safe and welcoming environment across our 20-acre campus, which includes seven buildings, a football field, a track and related facilities. Interested applicants should apply on St. Joseph’s website or email Sam Petty at spetty@stjoeshawnee.org. Small equipment cleaning/repair - a small locally-owned family business is currently seeking fulltime candidates to provide cleaning and repair services on microscopes. Expenses paid, work done in the field and each day is different! No previous experience necessary; on-the-job training provided. Needs to be a detail-oriented service team player with good time management and customer service skills. Some travel with the team is required. Please contact us at: techneeded23@gmail.com or call (913) 631-3000.
Caregivers needed - Daughters & Company is looking for compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide sitter services, light housekeeping and light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care management and occasional transportation for our clients. We need caregivers with reliable transportation and a cellphone for communication. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match hours desired. Contact Gary or Laurie at (913) 341-2500 if you want to become part of an excellent caregiving team. Children’s ministry coordinator (part-time) - Prince of Peace in Olathe is seeking a passionate and experienced leader who desires to help families form and nurture their children’s faith. This position is responsible for the organization and implementation of age-appropriate programs throughout the year for pre-K–7th grade students, including the parish school of religion, summer programming and assisting in sacramental preparation. If you feel called to make a meaningful impact in the lives of children and families, send your resume and cover letter to April Bailey at: abailey@popolathe.org. After-school care team member - Do you love working with kids and making a difference in their day? Nativity Parish School in Leawood is looking for a caring, energetic and reliable team member to work with our after-school care program! This job is perfect for college students, retirees or anyone passionate about helping children grow and thrive. Hours: 3 to 6 p.m. daily and can range from 15 to 20 hours per week. Duties: Assist with homework and learning activities; lead fun games and crafts; supervise group activities; and create a safe, positive and engaging environment. Apply today and be part of a growing program and team that inspires young minds every day! Please contact Becky Parker at: becky.parker@ kcnativity.org or by phone at (913) 406-6616. Administrative assistant - St. Therese Church in North Kansas City, Missouri, is seeking a full-time administrative assistant to provide comprehensive secretarial and office support to the parish staff. This role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail and a welcoming, service-oriented approach reflecting a spirit of hospitality and Christian charity. This position is full-time with benefits and averages 35 hours a week. For more information and to apply, visit: https://kcsjcatholic.org/start/job-openings. Catholic financial planners - The Knights of Columbus Mahon Agency has openings throughout all of NE Kansas and western Missouri, including Kansas City, Topeka, Holton, Wamego, Lawrence, Gardner, Liberty and Chillicothe. We have much to offer professional, disciplined and determined men who would like to share needed life insurance, disability income, longterm care and annuity products with other Catholics. This is a full-time position with excellent, multi-tiered training and benefits, allowing the successful field agent to earn a professional level income. It’s an exciting career opportunity that may be the right fit at the right time for you, or someone you know. For more information, contact John Mahon at (785) 4088800, or john.mahon@kofc.org.
HOME IMPROVEMENT Father and Son Home Remodeling - We specialize in kitchen/bathroom and basement remodeling, from start to finish. We also do decks, covered decks, porches, sun-rooms and room additions! If you’re not sure we do it, just call. From my family to yours, thank you for supporting my small business. To contact me, call (913) 709-7230 and ask for Josh.
SERVICES Footprints Floors Family-owned and operated. St. Paul parishioners. Hardwood, tile, stone, vinyl and more Call for free estimate: (913) 372-3007 Footprintsfloors.com/kansas-city. Exterior roofing, siding and painting Insurance quotes and adjusters no problem. Quality work at a fair price. Text or call (913) 206-4524. Jack Harrison Heating & Air Conditioning - Proudly serving Johnson County, Kansas, parts of KCK and KCMO, we’re your trusted local experts in residential and light commercial HVAC. Whether you need a repair, seasonal tuneup or full system replacement, we’ve got you covered — with honest advice, quality work and friendly service. We’re a family-owned and operated company, rooted in the community as members of St. Paul Parish in Olathe. Call Jack Harrison Heating & Air today at (913) 308-3131 or visit: www. JackHarrisonAir.com to schedule online. Let our family take care of yours! Does your child struggle with reading? Targeted Support for Struggling Readers Real Progress • Real Results Janel Setter, Reading Specialist (M.S.) 785-304-9800 setterreading.com Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704.
>> Continued on page 13
CALENDAR/CLASSIFIEDS 13
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
FAMILY LODGE VOLUNTEER DAYS reStart 3517 Main St., Kansas City, Missouri Ongoing
We are welcoming individuals and groups to help clean, paint, organize and prepare rooms as families move in to the Family Lodge. Volunteers can serve for as little as an hour or stay for several hours, depending on their availability. Register on our website: restartinc.org/supportvolunteer.
SIPS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS Boulevard Brewing Co. 2501 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri Aug. 1 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Join for an evening of delicious food, unlimited wine and beer and great company to help raise need-based scholarship funds for students at Resurrection School, Kansas City, Kansas. Learn more at: rcskck. org/sips-for-scholarships.
ROAST BEEF DINNER Sacred Heart Church (parish hall) 1405 2nd Ave., Leavenworth Aug. 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Join Sacred Heart-St. Casimir’s annual roast beef dinner. Cost is $14 for adults; and $6 for children (12 and under). Carry-outs available.
ST. STANISLAUS PARISH PICNIC St. Stanislaus Church 701 S Main St., Rossville Aug. 8 from 3 to 7 p.m.
The parish picnic is happening in conjunction with Rossville’s Tall Corn Festival. Join us for bingo, a fried chicken dinner ($12 per person) and Mass at 7 p.m.
BREAKFAST WITH THE KNIGHTS Divine Mercy Church 555 W. Main St., Gardner Aug. 9 from 8:30 to 10 a.m.
The breakfast will include eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, waffles and drinks. Cost is $6 for those over the age of 13; free for ages 12 and under. Proceeds are used for scholarships and charitable works throughout the year.
MARIAN CONSECRATION RETREAT Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meagher Rd., Easton Aug. 14 to 16
Guided by Dr. Scott Hahn’s “Hail, Holy Queen,” this retreat offers Marian conferences, eucharistic adoration, Mass, confession and quiet time for prayer, reflection and walking in the beauty of God’s creation. Cabins/courtyard rooms: $180, single/$270, couple or single guest rooms: $110 (meals included). Fill out the individual retreat form at: ChristsPeace.com or call (913) 773-8255.
CROATIAN FESTIVAL St. John the Baptist Church 708 N. 4th St., Kansas City, Kansas Aug. 15 after 4 p.m. Mass
Join us for traditional Croatian food, beverages and music. Sarma dinners are available for pre-order at StJohnthe BaptistCatholicChurch.com or on festival night. Cash preferred. There will be booths for povitica, apple strudel and salami and kids games. Information: kckcroatianfestival @gmail.com or (913) 371-0627.
SISTERS, SERVANTS OF MARY JUBILEE CELEBRATION Cathedral of St. Peter 416 N. 14th St., Kansas City, Kansas Aug. 15 at 9 a.m.
All are welcome to join the Sisters at Mass in celebration of the 175th anniversary of the foundation of the congregation. Reception following in parish center.
>> Continued from page 12 Kitchen, bath or whole house remodeling - Great price on cabinets with lifetime warranty. Quartz and tile installation. Higher quality and more selection than most places. We have decorators, architects, engineers, electrical and plumbing if needed. Text or call: (913) 206-4524. Bill Dean Mechanical LLC Electrical Plumbing American Standard Heating & Cooling Furnace, AC and Water Heater Install and Service Email: Wmdean14@hotmail.com Web site: billdeanmechanical.com Joco lic # 2026-0008446, Text or call 913-724-3294 Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee. DASH Fencing Wood Fencing Repair and Replacement Free Estimates - Senior Discounts Available Reliable Service You Can Trust (913) 420-0197 Ephesians 3:18-19 K-12 tutoring - Tutor has classroom experience and has taught for 19 years. Tutor teaches in a fun and meaningful context. For more information, please call/text Kathleen (913) 206-2151 or email: klmamuric @yahoo.com. Double A’s Lawn Service Mowing, Mulch, Gutters, Leaf Cleanup, Debris Removal & Brush Trimming Free Estimates & Insured Alex Spoerre (913) 488-5195 Popcorn ceiling texture removal Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144. 30 years’ experience. Interior painting specialist. Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. TOTAL HOME REPAIR All aspects of interior home repairs. Retired master plumber. Professional interior painting, general repairs, tile work. Handyman services. Lifetime of experience. Army veteran. Ascension parishioner. (913) 488-4930
MIKE HAMMER MOVING - A full-service mover. Local and long-distance moving. Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload. In-home moving and office moves. No job too small. Serving the KC metro since 1987. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, parishioner. Call the office at (913) 927-4347 or email: mike@mikehammermoving.com. Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick, block and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second-generation bricklayer. Member of St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 271-0362.
CAREGIVING Prestige Home Care of Kansas - Catholic owned and operated. We have been in business for 19 years. We provide the full range of non-skilled care to help seniors and those with disabilities to remain in their residence. We specialize in assisting veterans. Visit our website at: www.ksprestigehomecare.com or call us at (913) 680-0493. Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management and transportation for seniors in their home, assisted living or nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Pat or Gary.
FOR SALE For sale - One cemetery plot. Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens. Garden of Valor. Lot 65, block A, space 1, sect 3. Containing one double-depth interment space. Asking price is $3,500. Email: nlloyd2278@ gmail.com or call (682) 471-1735. For sale - 2 plots at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa. RS-1, lot 178, sec. A 1 & 2. $2,500 each plus $250 processing fee. Contact Peggy at (406) 314-1977 or email: sallyracine@gmail.com. For sale - Cemetery plot for sale at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Kansas City, Kansas. Space: Disciples H115 (double depth). Vaults: lawn crypts already there. Marker: classic pine 16x24 on 20x28 granite. Two openings and closings. $7500. Call (913) 4888634.
Joe’s Decks & More Deck and fence repair, mowing and handyman services Member of St. Joseph in Shawnee (913) 449-9848
For sale - Two cemetery plots at Johnson County Memorial Gardens in the Garden of Apostles, lot 213, spaces 1 and 2. Valued at $9750, asking $3750 per lot for a total of $7500 or best offer. Call Bailey at (913) 449-4699.
Rios Painting - Transforming your home one paint coat at a time. Over 20 years of residential and commercial interior and exterior painting. Reliable, professional, and affordable. Insured. Call or text Ramiro today for a free estimate! (913) 579-5016.
For sale - Two burial plots, full package $12,500. Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa, Veterans Garden: V8, sec B, space 3 & 4. All cemetery goods & services included. Contact Vic at (913) 957-9846.
GARAGE DOOR REPAIR EXPERTS New Garage Doors & Openers A Total Door, Inc. Since ’83. Leaven Discount buffy@atotaldoor.com or (913) 236-6440 www.atotaldoor.com Sacred Heart Counseling - Are you looking for counseling from an authentic Catholic perspective? We have offices in Olathe, Leawood, Lenexa, Shawnee & Atchison. Book online at SacredHeartCounselingKC. com, in person or telehealth.
For sale - Two plots in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, KCK. Located in S.W. area, sec 11, lot 12, spaces 7 & 8. Price is $2,000 each. Contact Charles at (913) 669-1809. For sale - Plot for sale at the Mount Calvary Cemetery lot, west in the Rossiter addition. Located in Topeka. $2000. Contact Vickie Cartwright at (785) 383-9453. Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishioners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC.)
For sale - Two cemetery plots. Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens. Garden of Valor. Lot #37. Section D. Spaces 4A and 4B. Containing two interment spaces. Asking price is $4,500. Email: klhall_1964@yahoo. com or call (913) 370-1776.
WANTED TO BUY $$Paying Cash$$ - Antique Furniture, crocks, tin and cast iron toys, old tools, glassware, American coins, jewelry. Most anything old. Please call Patricia at (913) 515-2950. A member of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa. BUYING OIL & GAS ROYALTIES Simplify your life. Paying 48 times average last 6 months income. Call Dan (913) 980-0946. Vehicle wanted - A family in need is seeking transportation for work, medical appointments and daily living. If you have a vehicle you would donate or sell at a reduced price, your generosity will make a wonderful difference in their life. Please contact Msgr. Tank at (913) 708-2877. Thank you for your kindness and generosity. WANTED TO BUY - PAYING CASH Antiques & Collectibles: jewelry, military items, railroad items, sterling, OLD holiday/toys & more. Renee Maderak (913) 475-7393 St. Joseph, Shawnee. Wanted to buy Do you have a spare car or truck that you need to get rid of? If you do, CALL ME! I’m a cash buyer. We’re Holy Trinity parishioners. My name is Mark. (913) 980-4905. CASH PAID FOR COIN COLLECTIONS! Silver dollar coins, half-dollars, quarters, dimes, old pennies. Cash in hand. Also paying cash for old paper currency. Cash in that old dusty box of coins! Call Kirk (913) 213-9843. Member of Holy Trinity Parish. Please sell to local people.
REAL ESTATE Paul O’Toole – Real Estate Agent (KS & MO) Weichert Realtors – Welch & Company (913) 489-1229 (mobile) | (913) 647-5700 (office) We buy houses and whole estates - We are local and family-owned and will make you a fair cash offer. We buy houses in any condition. No fees or commissions and can close on the date of your choice. Selling your house has never felt so good. Jon & Stacy Bichelmeyer, (913) 599-5000.
Classified Advertising The Leaven reaches approximately 47,000 subscribers. Cost is $20 for the first five lines, $1.50 per line thereafter. To purchase a Leaven classified ad, email: olivia.martin@theleaven.org The appearance of advertising in The Leaven is not an endorsement by either the newspaper or the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The Leaven attempts to screen advertisers and copy, but is not responsible for claims and representations made in advertisements.
14 COLUMNISTS
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
DAILY READINGS SEVENTEENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME July 26 SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME 1 Kgs 3: 5, 7-12 Ps 119: 57, 72, 76-77, 127-130 Rom 8: 28-30 Mt 13: 44-52 July 27 Monday Jer 13: 1-11 (Ps) Dt 32: 18-21 Mt 13: 31-35 July 28 Tuesday Jer 14: 17-22 Ps 79: 8-9, 11, 13 Mt 13: 36-43 July 29 Martha, Mary and Lazarus Jer 1: 10, 16-21 Ps 59: 2-4, 10-11, 17-18 Jn 11: 19-27 July 30 Peter Chrysologus, bishop, doctor of the church Jer 18: 1-6 Ps 146: 1b-6b Mt 13: 47-53 July 31 Ignatius of Loyola, priest Jer 26: 1-9 Ps 69: 5, 8-10, 14 Mt 13: 54-58 Aug. 1 Alphonsus Liguori, bishop, doctor of the church Jer 26: 11-16, 24 Ps 69: 15-16, 30-31, 33-34 Mt 14: 1-12 EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Aug. 2 EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Is 55: 1-3 Ps 145: 8-9, 15-18 Rom 8: 35, 37-39 Aug. 3 Monday Jer 28: 1-17 Ps 119: 29, 43, 79-80, 95, 102 Mt 14: 22-26 Aug. 4 John Vianney, priest Jer 30: 1-2, 12-15, 18-22 Ps 102: 16-24, 29 Mt 14: 22-36 Aug. 5 The Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major Jer 31: 1-7 (Ps) Jer 31: 10-12b, 13 Mt 15: 21-28 Aug. 6 THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD Dn 7: 9-10, 13-14 Ps 97: 1-2, 5-6, 9 2 Pt 1: 16-19 Mt 17: 1-9 Aug. 7 Sixtus, II, pope, and companions, martyrs; Cajetan, priest Na 2: 1, 3; 3: 1-3, 6-7 (Ps) Dt 32: 3c-36b, 39abcd, 41 Mt 16: 24-28 Aug. 8 Dominic, priest Hb 1: 12 —2: 4 Ps 9: 8-13 Mt 17: 14-20
D
Got a vocation? How I realized mine
uring my college sophomore year at KU, I began regular conversation with then-diocesan vocation director Father Scott Wallisch. I wanted to address some things I had on my mind, among them my purpose in life and what motivated me. Through those exchanges, God spoke directly into my life circumstances. Filled with excitement and a desire for the priesthood, I asked to start the seminary application process. Despite my youthful liveliness and certitude, the psychological evaluation provided insight that, while difficult to receive, increased self-awareness. I was not ready for seminary. I deferred the application. It was the right thing to do. Father Scott remained supportive, and I was grateful. Committed to returning to the application process upon graduating from KU, I was determined to be more open to discernment,
ALONG THE WAY
FATHER TIMOTHY SKOCH Father Timothy Skoch is the archdiocesan director of vocations and chaplain at Bishop Ward High School.
though my approach still lacked discipline. With the church’s help, I am confident in God’s grace: Glory stories can be written with curvy lines. Throughout seminary formation — and here I give thanks to the seminary community and the formation team — I lived my journey in the context of God’s mercy. This is one of the key aspects of formation: It gives a young man the necessary
space and resources to discover what Jesus Christ is doing in one’s life. I began to prioritize my desire for Jesus. I wanted to be open to offering my entire life to him. My sense of personal freedom deepened. There is growth in freedom and discernment in understanding that God is less about what choice one makes than he is about one making a choice for love. Resolving to choose both for love of God and love of neighbor is sufficient. With this new foundation, I began to see and appreciate how Jesus has repeatedly chosen to love me. “Please give
me an opportunity to return a sacrifice of praise” became a recurring prayer. Life is not random but is part of a greater plan. Reared in Nebraska, I grew up a Jayhawk fan, largely because my old man convinced me this was the way to go. I learned in elementary school how special Allen Fieldhouse can be. Both of my parents were raised in Nemaha County, Kansas, a reality that had little relevance in my youth. My dad played the pipe organ at St. Mary’s Church in St. Benedict, Kansas, from age 10 through his high school graduation. The significance of this? It is the same parish where I was blessed to serve a summer assignment during my seminary experience, and the same church where I prayed my first Mass as a newly-ordained priest. During my summer experience in St. Benedict, I discovered that next door to the church rectory, my paternal great-great grandparents
and great-grandparents are buried in the cemetery. My paternal grandparents are laid to rest just to the west of St. Benedict, in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Baileyville, Kansas. I have since traveled to the Czech Republic to offer holy Mass in the country church where my great-great grandparents were married shortly before immigrating to the United States. I knew that I was born into a family of generations of northeast Kansas farmers. What I didn’t know — and what I had yet to appreciate — was how God’s hand had been at work in the Skoch family, quietly planting, watering and cultivating a vocation to the priesthood. Now, as vocation director for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, it becomes my privilege to help others discover God’s will for their lives and know more intimately God’s infinite mercy.
There is an answer to our yearning — but we have to choose it
I
recall something St. Faustina wrote once in her diary, a secret she knew. It’s something I think I know; at least it’s something I sense and struggle to seek. It’s probably something you seek, too, struggling just like I do. If you’re a Christian, I’m sure you do. “Hidden Jesus, in you lies all my strength,” she wrote. Simple words but powerful because they’re just true. No gimmicks, no unnecessary eloquence, these words reveal the enduring and anchoring truth that Jesus is our strength. He is the solace and fortification that our souls always seek. I’m talking about what prayer can do. Wearied by the world, tired of it all, tired even of myself because of my sins, nonetheless, when
FATHER JOSHUA J. WHITFIELD Father Joshua J. Whitfield is pastor of St. Rita Catholic Community in Dallas and author of “The Crisis of Bad Preaching” and other books.
I take a deep breath and find the silence of prayer, I find him, my hidden Lord. He comes to me; I find rest in him. Sinful, worn out, frightened, it doesn’t matter: Jesus, gentle and lowly, gives himself to me (Mt
11:29). And he comes as mercy, as peace which passes understanding (Phil 4:7). Such is the sabbath rest that is Christ himself, what we find in Christ, for “he himself is our peace” (Eph 2:14). Such is the rest without which St. Augustine said we will always be restless. Again, I think you probably grasp what I’m talking about, because you’re looking for Him the same as me. Another word for it is kingdom. The sabbath rest that is Christ, the peace which passes understanding: it’s also the kingdom of God. It’s what Jesus said is “at hand” (Mt 4:17). When he announced the arrival of the kingdom, Jesus announced his own arrival. He was talking about his dwelling among us in the flesh and his voice which
only believers would hear (Jn 1:14; Jn 10:3-5). Now what this means is that the whole purpose of the Christian life, the fundamental purpose of all human life, is that we were created to find this rest, this kingdom, Christ himself. The old Latin way of putting it: We humans are “capax Dei,” capable of God. That is, what we discover in ourselves to be restlessness is nothing other than our yearning for God in Christ. It’s a yearning we’ve always had; even after the fall, we still yearn. And this is what we’re looking for when we’re looking for rest, for peace, even for a simple breath, for the solace of prayer. This is what everyone is looking for, even atheists. Ultimately, we’re all looking for
Christ and his kingdom. We’re looking for exactly what we lost in Eden and what God has always wanted to return to us — the joyous perfection of God’s original gift, union with him. How many times have I given up prayer for the screen? How many times have I given up charity for judgment? How many times have I given up the kingdom of heaven for the kingdom of the world? You see what I’m saying? Every time we stand before an altar or even a simple image of Christ, or even in our minds when we merely remember Christ and his invitation, Jesus is offering us his kingdom. But the question is do we want it? Only those who have changed their lives can say so.
BLESSED JOHN DUNS SCOTUS c. 1265-1308
Born in Duns, Scotland, John was ordained a Franciscan priest in 1291. He studied in Paris, Oxford and Cambridge, and through his writings and teaching at the University of Paris became the preeminent English-speaking philosophertheologian of his age. His Franciscan minister-general wrote of his “most subtle genius,” which led to the later title “doctor subtilis.” In 1307, following his disagreement with the French king in a dispute with the pope and his espousal of the thencontroversial doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, he was sent to the University of Cologne for his own safety. The cause of his death a year later is unknown. This great medieval scholastic and doctor of the church was beatified in 1993.
LOCAL NEWS 16
JULY 24, 2026 | THELEAVEN.ORG
THE LEAVEN’S ‘ENGINE’ RETIRES AFTER 38 YEARS Anita McSorley, the brains behind the scenes, calls it a career
LEAVEN FILE PHOTO
Anita McSorley sits at her desk in this undated file photo. McSorley retired as managing editor of The Leaven on July 24 after 38 years. Her vision helped shape The Leaven as many know it today.
By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Most readers of The Leaven have never met Anita McSorley. But they’ve encountered her heart — it’s embedded in the headlines, photographs and stories that fill the pages of the award-winning archdiocesan newspaper every issue. “I always think of her as the engine in The Leaven,” said former editor Father Mark Goldasich, “because she was behind the scenes for the most part. “But she literally kept The Leaven running.” McSorley has been its managing editor for the past 38 years. On July 24, she’s turning the page of her own story as her time with The Leaven comes to a close and her retirement chapter begins.
Mentor and friend A member of St. Patrick Parish in Kansas City, Kansas, McSorley grew up in Wyandotte County and, after graduate school and working in editing and public relations in New York for six years, returned home and began her career at the paper. “The Leaven has been her life for almost 40 years,” said Todd Habiger. “And she really has poured her heart and soul into it during all that time. “She’s devoted her life to The Leaven and to the people of the archdiocese — to inform, educate and entertain them.” Habiger, who has taken the reigns as interim managing editor, joined The Leaven’s staff in 1995 as its production manager. He first met McSorley two and a half years prior through his wife, Lori, who worked for the paper after graduating college. “Anita is a good boss,” he said, “but she’s a better friend. She has a really good heart, and she cares about her employees.” “People that have worked here have stayed here for a long time,” he continued, “and I think that’s a tribute to the culture that Anita and Father Mark have given us for 30 years.” McSorley didn’t just lead by example, said Habiger, but she strived to set her staff up for success. “When somebody cares about you like that, you want to give them your best,” he said.
LEAVEN FILE PHOTO
Anita McSorley and her husband Pierre Majeau visit Benedictine College in Atchison in 2014, where she received the Offeramus Medal from the college. The award is presented annually during the Raven Alumni Reunion to honor outstanding alumnae.
Bold vision
Adaptable approach
More than 1,500 issues of The Leaven were produced under McSorley’s direction. The content within them was consistently recognized on a national level by the Catholic Media Association (formerly the Catholic Press Association) at its annual awards ceremony. “The Leaven has won hundreds of awards over the years,” said Habiger. “I would say Anita’s fingerprints are all over those awards. “She’s a very good editor. She could be a tough editor, too. She really wants to put out the best product available.” Father Goldasich praised McSorley’s unique vision for Catholic storytelling. “She helped people appreciate the day-to-day faith,” he said. “It isn’t just about the priests or the bishop or nuns or religious brothers doing things — it’s ordinary people. “She got that from her family. Her dad and her mom were really wonderful people, really faithful people. I think she picked up a lot of that stuff.”
McSorley worked under four archbishops throughout her career, including Archbishop Emeritus Joseph F. Naumann, who was president of The Leaven for more than 20 years. “Anita helped to make The Leaven very readable and engaging by the use of photography and featuring many human interest stories,” said Archbishop Naumann. “As the former archbishop, I was always impressed by the number of people who read The Leaven and found it a great tool for their formation in the faith,” he added. Archbishop Shawn McKnight also praised McSorley’s work. “Anita exemplifies what it means to be a lay woman whose leadership has had an incredible impact on our local church for more than 40 years,” he said. “Because of her professional expertise in Catholic communications, she has brought our mission to life in the pages of The Leaven.” McSorley not only adapted to the ex-
pectations of each archbishop, said Habiger, but she also met the demands of the ever-changing newspaper business. From typing articles line by line into a compugraphic machine in the late ‘80s to learning how to operate a computer in the early ‘90s and now prioritizing a robust social media presence, McSorley has kept up with the rapid technological advancements. “Anita’s always wanted to be on the cutting edge of technology and be out in front of things,” said Habiger. “She pushed for our first website before a lot of papers were doing websites. “She could see where journalism was heading and wanted to be at the forefront of that.”
One of a kind McSorley’s three children had a front row seat to her tireless work ethic over the years. “Growing up, I always knew how much her work meant to her and how >> See “McSORLEY” on page 11