10 17 25 Vol. 47 No. 10

‘WALK

Church must

POOR WITH THE POOR’ to

serve Christ, says Pope Leo in new exhortation

By Gina Christian OSV News

ROME (OSV News) — In his first apostolic exhortation, Pope Leo XIV has taken up the call of Pope Francis for Christians to see in the poor the very face of Christ — and to be a church that “walks poor with the poor” in order to authentically live out the Gospel.

“Dilexi Te” (“I Have Loved You”) was publicly released Oct. 9, having been signed on Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, whose radical embrace of poverty and service to the poor is presented as a key example in the exhortation.

The document, which totals more than 21,000 words spanning five chapters, takes its title from the Book of Revelation (3:9), in which Christ addresses “a Christian community that, unlike some others, had no influence or resources, and was treated instead with violence and contempt,” wrote Pope Leo.

The exhortation completes one that “Pope Francis was preparing in the last months of his life” — namely, an apostolic exhortation on the church’s care for the poor that built on the late pope’s 2024 encyclical “Dilexit Nos,” said Pope Leo.

“I am happy to make this document my own — adding some reflections — and to issue it at the beginning of my own pontificate, since I share the desire of my beloved predecessor that all Christians come to appreciate the close connection between Christ’s love and his summons to care for the poor,” wrote Pope Leo, who retained Pope Francis’ planned title for the work.

Pope Leo said he, like his predecessor, considered it “essential to insist on this path to holiness,” since — as Pope Francis wrote in his 2018 apostolic exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate” — “in this call to recognize him in the poor and the suffering, we see revealed the very heart of Christ, his deepest feelings and choices, which every saint seeks to imitate.”

The exhortation draws extensively on Scripture, papal and conciliar documents, the works of the Church Fathers and the lives of numerous saints — as well as the “ecclesial discernment” of the Latin American bishops, to whom Pope Leo said he was “greatly indebted,” having previously served as an Augustinian missionary in Peru for several years.

>> See “CHURCH” on page 11

Decree of Appointment

Whereas the Very Reverend Mark Mertes began his service as Vicar General & Vicar for Priests on 1 October 2025 to assist me as the Diocesan Bishop in my pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and its presbyterate;

Whereas the need has been presented to offer similar pastoral care for the diaconate of the Archdiocese;

Having considered the options to offer the necessary care to the diaconate, and finding it expediate to expand the service of the Vicar for Priests to care for all the clergy of the Archdiocese, I hereby decree the following appointment:

• The Very Reverend Mark Mertes, from Vicar for Priests to Vicar for Clergy (cf. Can 476), while continuing

Dennis and Karen Koerner, members of St. Patrick Parish in Kansas City, Kansas, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 25. The couple was married at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Dodge City, by Msgr. Norbert Temaat and Father Alvin Werth, great-uncle of Dennis. Their children are: Reanna Fields, Broomfield, Colorado; Brian Koerner, San Tan Valley, Arizona; Kris Alan, Liberal; and Nicholas Koerner, DeSoto. They also have nine grandchildren and two great-grandsons. They will celebrate with family and friends.

as Vicar General (cf. Can. 475 §2), Ecclesiastical Notary (cf. Can. 483, §1), and Pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Kansas City, KS; 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 7th day of October, The Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, in the year of Our Lord 2025.

The Most Reverend Shawn McKnight, S.T.D. Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas

Rev. Anthony Saiki, J.C.L. Vice-Chancellor

Published without editorial alteration

Richard and Colette (Hermreck) McDonnell , members of Corpus Christi Parish, Lawrence, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 11 while attending their grandson’s wedding. The couple was married at Holy Angels Church, Garnett. Their children are: Jeremy McDonnell, Derek McDonnell and Lexee Cruz. They also have eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Nov. 15 retreat to focus on women’s discernment

WILLIAMSBURG — Young women are invited to join Sister M. Karolyn, FSGM, and a host of other women religious for a weekend retreat designed to help them learn more about all things associated with a vocation to the consecrated religious life.

a.m.) to Nov. 16 (ending at 5 p.m.) at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg.

Love’s Reply Discernment Retreat will be held Nov. 15 (beginning at 10

Sponsored by the archdiocesan vocation office, Love’s Reply is free and open to all young women (juniors and seniors in high school up to age 29).

Questions? Contact the vocation office at (913) 6470303 or send an email to: vocation@archkck.org.

Scan the QR code to register.

ARCHBISHOP MCKNIGHT

Oct. 18

Cor Christi Campus Center benefit dinner — Mater Dei Event Center, Topeka

Oct. 19

Confirmation — Holy Family, Eudora

Oct. 20

Josephinum board of trustees meeting — Pontifical College Josephinum, Columbus, Ohio

Oct. 22

Santa Marta member meeting and reception with residents — Santa Marta

Oct. 23

Confirmation — Corpus Christi, Lawrence

Oct. 25

Family vocations event and Mass — Bishop Miege, Roeland Park

Bishop Miege Foundation dinner — Miege

Oct. 26

Confirmation — St. Stanislaus, Rossville

Oct. 29

Catholic Charities members meeting

Catholic Charities annual joint board meeting — Savior

Catholic Charities vespers — Savior main chapel

Catholic Charities reception — Savior

ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS NAUMANN

Oct. 19

Mass of Innocents — Holy Spirit, Overland Park

Oct. 20

Duc in Altum schools collaborative summit Mass — St. James Academy, Lenexa

Oct. 21

Vitae dinner event — Fiorella’s Event Space, Overland Park

Oct. 23

Kenrick-Glennon board meeting — St. Louis

Oct. 25

Life Runners finish line blessing

Poor of Jesus Christ 25th jubilee year opening Mass — Christ the King, Kansas City, Kansas.

Oct. 26

Visit to Topeka Juvenile Detention Center with the Community of the Lamb

Oct. 29

Mass for All Better Health Team — Queen of the Holy Rosary, Overland Park

Saint Paul VI Institute offers options to infertility

By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

OMAHA, Neb. — Infertility can be isolating.

“Because it’s so heavy on your heart, it’s very hard to talk about,” said Erin Swindler, a parishioner at Church of the Magdalen in Wichita. “And so, it doesn’t get talked about.”

Women experiencing infertility often have reproductive issues that go undiagnosed.

Physicians might try hormone treatment, and if that’s unsuccessful will likely refer them to fertility clinics that offer in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI).

IVF combines sperm and eggs in a laboratory dish to create embryos. IUI inserts specially prepared sperm directly into the uterus during ovulation.

Because the Catholic Church opposes both methods, it can leave women who don’t want to pursue either one feeling lost.

“They feel like they don’t have resources,” said Cloe Noll, a parishioner at Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood. “They’re just going off what their doctors are telling them.

“Hopefully, people will read this and see [there is] another option.”

After years of infertility, Cloe and Erin, who are both nurses, received treatment through the Saint Paul VI Institute in Omaha, Nebraska, which specializes in the research, diagnosis and treatment of women’s health care within a pro-life ethic.

“People that I come into contact with that feel like they’ve tried everything — I always encourage them to go there,” said Erin.

“They take time to look so deeply and really get to the root [causes of infertility],” she added.

An unexpected breakthrough

Erin and her husband Jason were on a pilgrimage in Rome with her parents, who are parishioners at Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa, when they met Cloe’s mom, who’s also from Holy Trinity.

Later on, they realized that Cloe and Erin were both receiving treatment from Saint Paul VI. The women connected on Facebook and bonded over their shared experience.

The Nolls had been trying for a baby for around six months when Cloe had a gut feeling

something was wrong.

She went to her OB-GYN, who said everything looked normal and that if she wasn’t pregnant after a year, she could try a fertility clinic.

Cloe wasn’t interested in IVF or IUI. She had also experienced a miscarriage and wanted to get to the root cause of her issues.

“I remembered that I kept my marriage prep booklet,” she said, “and there was this page in there that had Catholic resources for infertility.”

She was ultimately referred to Dr. Teresa Hilgers, an OB-GYN at Saint Paul VI.

Those like Cloe who don’t live in Omaha can submit their health charts and history and undergo hormone testing remotely.

“For most people who have infertility and don’t have a known cause yet, they will recommend doing an exploratory laparoscopy,” said Cloe.

She opted for the procedure, which examines the abdominal and pelvic organs, and was diagnosed with endometriosis, which Hilgers told her she finds 95% of the time.

Hilgers also looks inside the fallopian tubes during the procedure.

“And if they find blockage, they can actually go in and remove whatever is blocking it so that you have an open tube,”

said Cloe.

Cloe’s blockage was removed, but her endometriosis was severe enough for Hilgers to recommend a second surgery.

After taking a blood test the day before that procedure was scheduled, Cloe found out she was pregnant.

She believes clearing out her fallopian tubes was a major breakthrough.

“It was definitely a miracle,” she said. “We believe that it would not have happened if we had not gone through all this and found Pope Paul.”

“It was absolutely unbelievable news given our circumstances and the fact that Cloe was supposed to be having surgery the next day,” said Gabe.

Their son Levi is now 6 months old.

Gabe called Saint Paul VI “an unexpected answer to our prayers.”

“They take the time to find the actual root cause of the issue and come up with ways to better your health and not just try for a quick fix,” he said.

A transformative experience

The Swindlers also understand the suffering infertility causes. They tried for a baby for seven years.

About the Saint Paul VI Institute

The Saint Paul VI Institute was founded by Thomas W. Hilgers, MD, in 1985 to offer reproductive health care that respects life completely.

It developed the Creighton Model FertilityCare System and NaPro Technology, which work together to improve the reproductive health of women by medical and surgical approaches. It also developed a surgical technique called pelvioplasty, which eliminates scar tissue that forms after endometriosis surgery to prevent it from coming back.

The institute treats clients from out of state and other countries and offers support throughout pregnancy.

To learn more, visit the website at: saintpaulvi.com.

Erin had symptoms like severe pain during menstruation and eventually underwent an exploratory laparoscopy surgery but was told she didn’t have endometriosis.

She was encouraged to pursue IVF or IUI but instead chose to try medicated menstrual cycles, still with no success.

“It felt very clinical,” said Erin. “It didn’t feel like we’re dealing with something precious here.”

The Swindlers took two years off from seeking medical help before Erin heard about Saint Paul VI through women at her church.

She saw Hilgers, who performed an exploratory laparoscopy surgery in two-anda-half hours. Erin’s previous exploratory surgery had only taken 20 minutes.

“That right there says so much to me,” said Erin. “She really took her time, and not just inside of my uterus. She spent a lot of time going through my entire abdominal cavity looking everywhere.

“[The endometriosis] wasn’t inside my uterus, but it was everywhere else.”

Erin had a second procedure that required the additional help of a general surgeon so she could have a bowel resection.

“I had to lose about five inches of small bowel and then my appendix as well,” she said. Eleven months after the second surgery, she found out she was pregnant.

“I burst into tears,” said Erin. “It was hard to believe after so many negatives.”

The Swindlers now have a 3-month-old daughter named Annabelle.

“She’s brought us so much joy — the whole family, the whole community,” said Erin. “So many people loved her before she even got here.”

The experience tested the Swindlers’ faith, but they never gave up hope.

“The journey of faith has a lot of ups and downs,” said Jason, “and we have to learn to be thankful for the hard times as well as the good, because the hard times are there to teach us and help us grow.”

It’s also opened Erin’s eyes to the issues surrounding infertility treatment.

“You can’t throw the same medication at the same five women and have the same results,” she said. “We’re all so different.

“And that is how [Saint Paul VI] approaches everything. They take time to look so deeply and really get to the root.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Erin and Jason Swindler hold their daughter Annabelle. The couple tried for a baby for seven years before they were able to conceive after Erin received treatment from the Saint Paul VI Institute in Omaha, Nebraska.

COURTESY PHOTO

Cloe Noll, with her husband Gabe at her side, holds their 6-month-old son Levi. The couple struggled with infertility before Cloe sought help from the Saint Paul VI Institute and they were able to have a baby.

Hostages freed, ceasefire holds — but peace vulnerable

By Paulina Guzik OSV News

TEL AVIV, Israel (OSV News)

— Scenes of joy, relief and tearful welcomes flooded media across the world Oct. 13 as the remaining Israeli hostages were freed from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip as part of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.

As part of the U.S.-proposed deal, 250 Palestinian prisoners were also released by Israel, with 1,650 more to be freed.

Minutes before U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the Knesset on Oct. 13, Joseph Hazboun of the Catholic Near East Welfare AssociationPontifical Mission spoke to OSV News and said that with the deal reached, he was “very happy at long last” but “not optimistic enough to say” it’s “a peace agreement” but “a ceasefire.”

“This is the day that we’ve been waiting for for two years,” said Hazboun, regional director for CNEWA-Pontifical Mission’s Jerusalem office.

“The people that were ordered to evacuate and move all around the Gaza Strip for several times are finally going back to their . . . areas of residency,” he told OSV News. “I’m not sure what they will find there — probably the ruins of their homes, but at least they will be safe. There is no more bombing from air or from the sea or from the land.”

Hazboun, who spoke to OSV News from Jerusalem, said that Trump “deserves the credit for putting an end to the war” as he “basically informed Netanyahu he has to stop. And now, Trump is the guarantor of the end of the war.”

He also warned that with earlier attempts to stop the war, the parties “on several occasions shifted position for whatever reason,” therefore in the Holy Land, “we have our hands on our heart praying that this agreement will last.”

Now, Hazboun said, all eyes are on Gaza, where tens of thousands began to make their way back to their homes, or what’s left of them.

Many Palestinians returned to see only mostly rubble left, with Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of Gaza City’s Catholic parish, saying the entire enclave has experienced a “tsunami”

Vof destruction.

Asked about the Christian community sheltering in the Holy Family Parish and St. Porphyrios Greek Orthodox Church compound, Hazboun said they will for now “remain in the church compound, because most of them, they lost their homes and their apartments.”

However, Hazboun said, “people will have the freedom now to go and check on their homes,” but “it will take time” to see “who has his home or his apartment intact and can move back, who has minor destruction, who has full destruction.”

What gives people a sense of relief is that “there is no more bombing around them,” he continued, but at the same time “there is no infrastructure, there is no electricity, there is no water, there is no sewage” and “life is going to be complicated for the coming period.”

Hazboun predicted that “we will witness an exodus from Gaza for the Muslims and for the Christians” and that for Christians, it will be “more catastrophic because of the few, the little number of the Christian community

that has remained in Gaza. So, every person that leaves is a great loss.”

Hazboun said that most probably “will need tents. All those families that are coming back to Gaza and are looking for their destroyed homes will require tents to live in for the coming probably year or so. So, I expect that that will be a big need,” adding that to make more detailed assessments, two to three days are needed.

Asked how Catholics across the world can help, Hazboun said first of all, with prayers “that this truce, this ceasefire, will hold and move forward towards a permanent peace agreement where Gaza will have the opportunity to flourish.”

By flourishing, he meant open borders so goods can come in freely, access to the sea and freedom of movement. “Early this morning,” he said, “reports claimed that the Israelis are not allowing everything needed to go in, as was the case after every war since 2009. And this is one of the reasons why the situation in Gaza continues to be dramatic and why every now and then we have attacks and counterattacks.

It’s because the people of Gaza have been denied the opportunity to have a decent life.”

He said that amid a sea of destruction, “bringing in all the materials that the strip requires without limitations” is crucial.

“Because how can you rebuild Gaza if wood is not permitted or iron is not permitted or cement is not permitted?” Hazboun asked, while admitting he’s hopeful that “it is possible to rebuild, maybe even much better than it was.”

“They say they require two to three years to remove the debris. The hundreds, thousands of tons of destroyed material . . . but it all depends on the will of the people in power,” he said. Assessing humanitarian efforts of the past two years, he said that CNEWAPontifical Mission, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Caritas Jerusalem and Catholic Relief Services, “and many other organizations . . . did marvelous work . . . in circumstances that were at times extremely challenging.”

“People risked their lives to deliver the goods that were required to save lives,” added Hazboun.

Pope Leo meets ‘Pope Augustine’ from Chicago

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Among the more than 60,000 pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 8 was a group of students from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy in Chicago with Cardinal Blase J. Cupich. The students were wearing white and scarlet outfits and a four-cornered hat similar to what a cardinal wears. One student was dressed as a Swiss guard.

According to the Chicago Catholic archdiocesan publication, they had held a “mock papal conclave” May 6, two days before the real College of Cardinals elected Chicago native Cardinal Robert F. Prevost in Rome.

In their own schoolwide rendition, the children had elected on their third ballot Augie Wilk, a fourth grader, who took the name Pope Augustine.

“Students had to apply to be one of the 20 cardinals; five sixth graders portrayed cardinals over 80 who could not vote but helped run the conclave,” the publication reported.

Teachers made the costumes, including the red “mozettas” or capes, out of felt, and the hats out of cardstock, it reported.

Cardinal Cupich, who was one of the 133 cardinals in the conclave that elected Pope Leo, visited the students at their school June 2 to watch their enactment, it said, “and to answer their questions about the real conclave.”

Freed Palestinian prisoners, released by Israel as part of a hostages-prisoners swap and a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, celebrate in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Oct. 13.

CNS PHOTO/LOLA GOMEZ

Pope Leo XIV greets fourth grader Augie Wilk, who was elected “Pope Augustine” in a mock conclave at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy in Chicago, during the pope’s weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Oct. 8, 2025. Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago looks on.

School counselor’s actions avert a tragedy

By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org

MERRIAM — For Jessica Compton-Crocker, Wednesday, Sept. 10, started out like any other school day.

A counselor at Good Shepherd School in Shawnee, she was driving from her home in Overland Park to work.

Around 7:20 a.m., as she turned onto 75th St., she saw a man who had climbed the black chain link fence on the bridge above I-35. Seeing that he had one leg draped over the fence, she realized he was thinking of jumping off the bridge.

Putting her car in park, she turned on the hazard lights and instructed her son to stay put.

“I knew time was of the essence,” Compton-Crocker said, “so I ran. I held onto the man’s hand and wrist and said, ‘I’m here. I’m here. I’ve got you.’ I am a small woman, but somehow the Holy Spirit gave me the strength to pull this man down. He was crying and distressed, and we hugged. I told him my name, and he shared his (we will refer to him as “Jude” for the purposes of this story).

“Jude shared he felt he couldn’t do [life] anymore,” she said. “I promised Jude that he is loved and has worth and dignity.”

Having left her phone in the car, she realized someone had called 911. Officers from the Merriam Police Department arrived on the scene.

“Instead of coming in with sirens and flashing lights, they were careful not to startle him,” Compton-Crocker said. “They were incredibly patient — as I was — with Jude as he was not wanting to go with the police.

“I assured Jude that he would get help and again, that he is loved. I then asked Jude if I could pray over him, and he said, ‘Yes.’ I invited the officers to pray with me.

“There, on a busy overpass, we stood in prayer over Jude. I begged God to come into Jude’s heart in a very real and profound way, to remind him he is loved and never alone. Jude asked if I could go with him, but I knew I could not. I touched my heart and said he would be right there and continually prayed for.

“And he has been and will be every single day.”

Ann McGruff, principal of Good Shepherd, said she wasn’t surprised by her employee’s actions.

“She didn’t hesitate; she just stepped in to help,” said McGruff. “That’s who she is every day. She’s calm, caring and steady, and people trust her because they feel that from her. What she did that day was remarkable, but it was also completely in character for her.”

The interchange at I-35 and 75th St. in Johnson County sees thousands of cars each day. Compton-Crocker’s quick thinking and actions averted a tragedy, saving not only a man’s life but potentially those of others.

“Helping others is just part of who she is,” McGruff added.

Compton-Crocker later learned she truly was in the “right place at the right time.”

Not only is September National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, but Sept. 10 was World Suicide Prevention Day. The timing, she said, gave her butterflies.

“God’s timing is always perfect if we listen and answer his call,” she said.

And that’s something with which Katie Stilwell, a licensed professional counselor and a consultant to the archdiocesan school office, agrees.

“When Jessica shared her story at our recent school counselors’ meeting, the room fell silent. We could all feel the

weight of the moment,” she said. “Everyone was deeply moved by her courage, quick action and the simple but profound power of her words: ‘I’m here.’”

“Many of us,” Stilwell continued, “were brought to tears as we reflected on the gravity of that moment and the life that was spared because she chose to stop.

“Her response embodied what it truly means to uphold the dignity and value of every human life — not just in theory, but in action.”

Having provided suicide prevention training many times, Stilwell said the training never focuses on intervening in the act itself but warning signs and available resources.

“In that instance, this man felt so completely alone,” said Stillwell. “Jessica showed him that he wasn’t. That simple act was so powerful.”

“So often, people worry they won’t have the right words, but her response shows that sometimes it isn’t about saying the perfect thing — it’s about showing up,” added Stilwell. “By being there and taking his hand, she communicated that his life mattered.”

Editor’s note: Jude’s real name has been changed to protect the man’s privacy.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

Jessica Compton-Crocker, a school counselor at Good Shepherd School in Shawnee, stands on the bridge overpass at 75th Street and I-35, where, on Sept. 10, while driving to school, she observed a man about to take his life by jumping off the bridge. She quickly got to his side, hugged him and told him that his life had meaning and value. When officers from the Merriam Police Department arrived on the scene, she invited them to join her in praying over the man. September was National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in the United States.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

WIn noisy times, God silently speaks to the heart

e live in a noisy world. I’m not just talking about rush hour traffic or the planes that make an approach to the Philadelphia airport far above my head at night.

I’m talking about the noises that occupy our minds due to our cellphone addictions, social media impact, the endless news cycle and mean-spirited online remarks.

One morning, a sixth-century Irish monk reminded me to make an effort to quiet this barrage.

I knew nothing about St. Kevin, the founder of Glendalough monastery in a lush valley in County Wicklow near Dublin.

But I follow Eric Clayton on the website at: www.jesuits.org. He writes and podcasts in a refreshing and personal way about Ignatian spirituality. One morning recently, he explained in his “AMDG: A Jesuit Podcast” why a statue he had once seen of St. Kevin holding a nest of blackbird eggs intrigued him. The statue was dedicated to a treasured mentor of Clayton’s. But what exactly was the connection?

On a recent trip to Ireland, Clayton wanted to learn about St. Kevin, whose

monastery is a principal Irish pilgrimage site. Fortunately for him, Clayton had a ready guide in Jesuit Father Brendan McManus, an Irish author of books on spirituality and pilgrimage.

Traveling to Glendalough, the two explored the site of St. Kevin’s monastery. The pictures posted of the old stone remains, the many graves within it and its beautiful surroundings are wonderful.

But so much about ancient saints is shrouded in legend and tradition. Like, for example, those blackbird eggs.

According to legend, St. Kevin was deep in prayer, lifting his open hands to God, when a mother blackbird laid her eggs

in his hand. Because of his deep reverence for the created world and his commitment to silence, the saint held the eggs until they hatched.

A silly story? Can’t possibly be true?

Here’s where we get at the truth of something that may not be literally accurate but truthful on the deepest level. Kevin was a man who came to live in a cave, originally, where he committed himself to God, the God who lives in silence. The God who lives in the

extraordinary beauty of the created world.

The God who was calling Kevin to engender this silence in others through a monastery.

Remember the famous Scripture reading about Elijah, waiting for the visit promised by God (1 Kgs 19:12)? A violent wind erupts, but God wasn’t in the wind. There’s an earthquake. Then, there’s a fire. Surely, God must be speaking in all this noise?

But no, after this comes what some translations describe

as a “still, small voice.”

But in the translation given us by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, it’s “a light silent sound.”

There God speaks. How can a sound be silent? I think it’s because silence speaks to the heart. God speaks in silence. You have to be listening quietly to hear a silent, wordless sound. To come into the presence of silence is to come into the presence of God. It’s prayer at its deepest.

Clayton’s mentor must have been a man

known for leading people to silence, the goal of St. Kevin’s life.

The morning I learned about St. Kevin, I had a decision to make. I was flailing, praying noisily and distractedly, with my own words. I decided to go to Mass, and to sit silently. Pushing thoughts away, giving them to God, is hard. But it brought me peace.

The noise of this world makes a home in our minds. God’s soft, silent sounds live in our hearts.

We all need more silence.

EFFIE CALDAROLA

Effie Caldarola is a wife, mom and grandmother who received her master’s degree in pastoral studies from Seattle University.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/FERGUS MANIFOLD

Cormac’s chapel is seen in a file photo on the ancient monastic site at Glendalough in County Wicklow, Ireland. St. Kevin founded the monastery in the sixth century, and it flourished following Vikings conversions. The grounds are now kept by the state as a national park.

DIGNITY IN DEMENTIA

LOVING THE PERSON BEHIND THE DISEASE

By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — It often starts with minor memory issues, like losing items around the house and difficulty finding the right word during a conversation.

Over time, it develops into forgetting details about one’s own life, challenges with daily tasks and severe confusion.

“Dementia is a condition that can take away so much — memories, independence, a sense of time or place,” said Priscilla Salinas, who works in social services at Catholic Community Health in Lenexa.

“But what it doesn’t take away is the person at the heart of it all,” she said.

Sister Lucero Garcia, of the Sisters, Servants of Mary, said the dignity of the person is always there because each human being is made in the image of God.

“Our dignity does not come from what I can do, how I think, how profitable I am or how useful I am to society,” she said. “My dignity comes from being a child of God.”

As a member of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, in Kansas City, Kansas, Sister Lucero takes care of the sick and dying in their own homes.

She has seen firsthand the struggles family members of those with dementia face and wants to reassure them.

“The person that you once knew, the person that you once loved — regardless of whatever behavior they display — is still there,” she said.

“Most of all, the Lord is walking this journey with you,” she added. “You’re never alone.”

Defining dementia

Dementia is not a specific disease but a group of symptoms that can result from a variety of diseases and injuries affecting the brain.

>> Continued on the next page

DEMENTIA STATISTICS

7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older, in 2025, are estimated to have Alzheimer’s dementia.*

$384 billion is the projected cost of caring for people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the U.S. in 2025.*

$415 billion is the approximate cost family and friends provided in unpaid caregiving in 2024, and nearly 12 million caregivers provided 19 billion hours of unpaid care.*

42% of Americans over the age of 55 will eventually develop dementia.**

1 million new dementia cases are projected to occur in 2060.**

60% of caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia were employed this past year.*

The most common cause is Alzheimer’s disease.

Symptoms of dementia include issues with memory, thinking skills and behaviors.

It’s complex, with varying degrees of severity that typically worsen over time.

“No two journeys are alike,” said Salinas. “Progression isn’t linear. There are clear, engaging days followed by confusion or withdrawal.

“That unpredictability requires compassionate flexibility.”

Eventually, when someone with dementia no longer remembers their loved ones, it can be difficult to grasp.

“Dementia makes people uncomfortable,” said Renee Porter, administrator of Dooley Center, a nursing home for the aging Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison. “But if you see the brain, it’s incredible.”

Porter used the analogy of a bath sponge with holes.

“Those holes might be really deep, and it’s completely hollow,” she said. “But then [in] other parts, these holes are really deep, but there’s some sponge matter way deep down.”

“It’s OK that they don’t remember,” assured Porter. “Their brain is shrinking, and there are parts of their brain that are literally deteriorating.

“I think dementia is really more about how the family can cope and make that person still feel loved.”

Meaningful time

Creating quality time with a loved one who has dementia can feel daunting, especially when each visit might be different from the last.

“I talk with my families about meeting their loved ones in that moment in time,” said Salinas.

She encourages them to connect through emotion, not memory.

Two ways to do that are by listening to their loved one’s favorite music and looking through photos, said Salinas.

alive. You’re 98.’”

Instead, ask questions about their mom and what she was like, said Porter.

“Go down that journey and learn about their life,” she continued. “It’d be amazing what you find out.”

During challenging days, Sister Lucero emphasized how impactful a calming presence can be.

“When dealing with them, they may not respond to commands,” she said. “But they do respond to gentleness.

“Sometimes, they get very anxious or combative or irritable. If you maintain a calm attitude and your approach to them is gentle, most times it kind of disarms them because they don’t feel threatened.

“They know they are safe, and they can trust you.”

Spiritual connections

When a person of faith has lost most of their memory through dementia, religious devotions they once held dear can still be a point of connection.

“Catholic prayers and rituals like the Sign of [the Cross] or familiar hymns often remain deeply ingrained, offering comfort even in late stages,” said Duke Onkoba, executive director at Catholic Community Health.

“OUR DIGNITY DOES NOT COME FROM WHAT I CAN DO, HOW I THINK, HOW PROFITABLE I AM OR HOW USEFUL I AM TO SOCIETY. MY DIGNITY COMES FROM BEING A CHILD OF GOD.”

SISTER

SISTER,

LUCERO GARCIA

SERVANT OF MARY, MINISTER TO THE SICK

If a loved one isn’t remembering anything in the moment, “go ahead and tell them about your life,” said Porter.

“Share your stories. Share your thoughts,” she continued. “And if it gets to a point where you can no longer do that, continue to talk to them like they’re a normal person that understands.”

If the person with dementia begins talking about their own past, “take that moment to learn something that you may not have known about that era of their life,” said Porter.

“Because that’s where they’re at [mentally],” she continued. “If they’re talking about Mom and Dad, they’re a young adult or a young child.”

Caregivers might be tempted to correct them when they’re talking about a parent who has passed away, for example, but Porter discourages that.

“We try to use a distraction technique where we still reminisce with them,” she said, “but we’re not agitating them by saying, ‘Your mom’s not

“Hymns and prayers act like ‘music with memory,’ unlocking peace, smiles and recognition even when much else is forgotten,” added Kacie Lynn, RN, MDS and PEAK coordinator at Villa St. Francis in Olathe.

Kelly Swancoat, RN, staff development director at Catholic Community Hospice, said the simple presence of religious items can make a big difference.

“I’ve seen residents calm immediately when holding a rosary or hearing prayers, even if nonverbal,” she said. “Long-term memory of rituals can bring great peace.”

Sister Lucero has found that holy cards, Scripture passages and playing worship music, a talk by a favorite preacher or a televised Mass can also be sources of comfort for those with dementia.

“They may forget about everything,” she said. “They may not know the prayers anymore. But what is in their heart is still there. It doesn’t go away.”

That’s a helpful reminder for everyone, continued Sister Lucero.

“Whatever you build up, whatever you nourish during your lifetime —

it stays with you all the way until the end,” she said.

Emotional toll

“Dementia is harder on the family and the caregiver than it is on the person with dementia,” said Porter, “because they don’t remember that they don’t remember you.”

But the emotional toll it takes on loved ones can be intense.

“I’ve seen families go through a wide

range of emotions — from sadness and confusion to guilt and frustration,” said Salinas.

“One of the biggest challenges is accepting the changes in their loved one,” she continued. “It’s hard watching someone you’ve known your whole life slowly lose pieces of who they once were.”

Annalyne Mutai, assistant director of nursing and staff development nurse at Villa St. Francis, highlighted another challenge.

Spending quality time with a loved one who has dementia can feel daunting, especially when each

Old photos can be a powerful tool for engaging individuals with dementia. It may not bring the loved it does offer the opportunity to learn about a loved one’s past and, for a brief time, to join them there.

“For staff and families, it can feel like helplessness — repeating care tasks without recognition,” she said, “or watching decline without a cure.”

Down the road, loved ones will experience a unique type of grief.

“Families mourn twice — once as they watch the spark of their loved one fade,” said Lynn, “and later when they lose them physically.”

said Porter.

“When a family member is feeling lost and they feel like they’ve lost everything,” she said, “I would encourage them to look for the gift that that loved one is still giving.

“In dementia, no matter how far progressed you are, there’s a gift that this person has probably naturally given their whole life. It might be comfort, it might be their smile, it might be the sparkle in their eyes.

“You may only get it once every six weeks, but they’re still giving that gift.”

Practical advice

What side of the bed do you normally get up on?

It’s one of the first questions Dooley Center staff ask when a new resident moves in.

“They wake up where they’re already somewhat disoriented because they’re in a new environment,” said Porter.

“Now, you have them getting up on the wrong side of the bed, and their stability is not what it would be because they’re disoriented,” she continued. “So now, you have a fall.”

Setting up patients’ rooms in a way that they’re used to can prevent falls and help with overall orientation, said Porter.

Dooley Center utilizes an age-inplace model, so once Sisters move in, that’s their room until they pass away.

Keeping a routine is key.

SEVEN STAGES OF DEMENTIA

Porter shared the seven stages of dementia and some symptoms to expect.

One:

No noticeable impairment

No noticeable cognitive impairment

Two:

Very mild cognitive decline

Minor memory problems; losing things around the house

Three:

Mild cognitive decline

Difficulty finding the right word during a conversation or remembering the name of a new acquaintance; planning and organizing become more daunting because of memory issues

Four:

Moderate cognitive decline

Difficulty with arithmetic; forgetting details of their own life history; loss of shortterm memory

Five:

Moderately severe decline

Significant confusion; inability to recall simple details about themselves like their phone number or address; difficulty getting dressed

Six:

Severe confusion

Unaware of environment and surroundings; personality changes and potential behavior expressions; need for assistance bathing; may not recognize faces of friends and relatives close to them; wandering

Seven:

Very severe decline

Terminal and nearing death; complete loss of ability to communicate; forgetting how to swallow; may sleep a lot; failure to thrive; complications from dementia will lead to death

a sign on it that says, “I’m your friend. Take me with you,” she added.

When unusual behaviors arise, Sister Lucero encourages caregivers to not get frustrated.

“When they pace, sometimes that calms them down,” she said. “Let them pace. Let them wander, just watching them.”

Creativity, patience and low expectations can be fruitful ways for caregivers to cope when challenges arise.

“In our mind, we do not realize that they don’t have the ability to do what they once were able to do,” said Sister Lucero. “Sometimes, it’s very hard to accept that.

“We should not expect something from them that they are not able to give.”

Digging deeper

People with dementia might act out in a variety of ways.

Porter finds value in seeking the root cause.

“When you have a behavior, it’s a definition of an unmet need,” she said.

Often, individuals act out situations from their past. One example Porter recalled is a Sister who started tearing up chapel books.

Instead of telling her to stop, Porter encouraged the other Sisters to find an alternative and gave her a piece of paper to tear up instead.

“Then, we try to figure out why are they doing it,” she said.

“So, we got her a stack of magazines [to tear], and it instantly stopped her behavior,” said Porter.

“In that instance, in her mind and in her process, she was no longer an 80-something-year-old Sister,” recalled Porter. “She was a 40-something-yearold Sister, and she was teaching.”

Another Sister kept putting her bedding on the floor during the night, and upon investigating, Porter discovered why.

“She had a really terrible childhood,” said Porter. “And when she would get scared at night, she would crawl under her bed and sleep on the floor.

“We took her bed out of the room and laid her mattress on the floor. Her sleep was better. Everything about her whole demeanor the next day was better, because she wasn’t waking up scared trying to hurry and get herself on the floor.”

Seeking support

One of the greatest challenges loved ones will face is striking a balance between caregiving and self-care, said Sister Lucero.

Caregivers often face social isolation, financial strain and exhaustion, she said. Yet they feel guilty when they do something good for themselves.

Salinas said reaching out for help is not a failure but an act of love.

Although their ability, behavior and memory isn’t the same, people with dementia still have something left to give,

For residents who can’t remember the schedule for the day but can still read a marker board, staff will write out what the day has in store, said Porter.

If they don’t recognize an object they need, like a walker, staff might put

In this case, Porter discovered the Sister had been a college instructor, and during her career she had torn out pages of magazines for lesson planning.

“Over the years of working in dementia care,” she said, “I’ve seen so many families carry the weight of caregiving with incredible devotion.

“But I’ve also seen how that love can

each visit might be different from the last. Try to be present, meeting your loved one where they are. loved one back to the current time and place, but there. >> Continued on the next page

come with guilt — especially when the care becomes too much to manage at home.

“As needs increase, it’s not only OK to seek additional support — it’s often necessary to ensure your loved one’s safety and quality of life.”

Sister Lucero urges individuals to reach out to people who might be able to help, and if possible, find a support group.

Most importantly, “Find your strength in God,” she said.

She shared a simple prayer: “Give me whatever I need to take care of this person that you’re putting in front of me.

“Give me the patience, give me the compassion, give me your heart so I can actually care for them as you would.”

“You cannot make it without the help of God,” said Sister Lucero.

Help for the caregivers

“I find in our ministry that many, many people want to help,” said Sister Lucero, “but they do not know how.

“Sometimes they think, ‘What can I do? I cannot really do anything.’

“Nothing is small when it comes to helping a caregiver.”

Start by reaching out, letting them know they’re not alone, and be proactive.

“If you know of something that’s actually needed, just go ahead and do it,” said Sister Lucero, who shared a handful of ideas.

Run errands for the caregiver or stay with their loved one so they can run errands themselves, go to church,

attend an appointment or take a break.

Mow their lawn or assist with daily tasks like laundry and meals.

Give them a gift card so they can dine out or enjoy a sweet treat.

No matter what it is, commit to what you offer, said Sister Lucero.

“Reach out to them, let them know you’re there and mean it,” she said. “Whatever you say and whatever you do, mean it.”

Christ at the center

When the Sisters, Servants of Mary are caring for someone who is sick or dying, they first see Christ in that person.

“Jesus said, ‘I was sick, and you visited me.’ ‘Whatever you do for the least of my brethren, you did to me,’”

said Sister Lucero, citing the 25th Chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

“We do believe that every time we work with our patients, we’re actually going to see Jesus,” she said, “because he said so.

“That’s the core of our spirituality. We know it’s actually Jesus who we’re taking care of.”

Sister Lucero said there’s nothing about Jesus being sick in the Gospel.

“But we see him sick, experiencing all kinds of pains and sufferings on the cross to the highest degrees,” she said.

She believes caregivers have a unique opportunity to be like Mary, who stayed with Jesus until the end.

“That’s something that we try to emulate — the presence of our Blessed Mother at the foot of the cross of Jesus,” she said, “who is actually still suffering in our brethren who are sick.”

Letting go

It’s a tough conversation, but finding out the wishes of your loved one when they reach the end of their life can take a weight off caregivers, said Porter.

Ask: “If you don’t know who I am and you can’t remember anything and you become ill, what would you like me to do?” she said.

“Find out the answers,” she continued, “because if you do that ahead of time, then you have peace knowing that they decided what the fate of their life was, and [it’s] not you having to make the decision for them.”

As is true of many people at the end of their lives, “a lot of times, the family needs to give them permission to let go,” said Porter.

“They may not have known you for five years,” she continued, “but upon death, they still need the OK that you’re going to be OK without them.

“And a lot of times, that’s all they need to let go so they’re not stuck in that turmoil of holding on.”

Porter said witnessing the Sisters’ faith at the end of life has shaped her own view of death.

“The Sisters have lived their entire life to make their final journey of walking with Jesus,” she said. “There’s no greater reward.”

For Sister Lucero, it’s a privilege to be with those as they pass away.

“It is very beautiful,” she said, “because when you get to be with these patients at the end of life, it’s a reminder of what is truly important in life, what truly matters.

“It is that encounter of heaven and earth.”

When a person of faith has lost most of their memory through dementia, religious objects and devotions they once held dear can still be a point of connection.

Church displays its most authentic self in service to the poor

>> Continued from page 1

Poor as a priority

Throughout the document, Pope Leo urges Christians to recognize God’s oneness with the poor, and to prioritize them according to the demands of faith.

“Love for the Lord . . . is one with love for the poor,” wrote the pope, observing later in the document that “Jesus’ teaching on the primacy of love for God is clearly complemented by his insistence that one cannot love God without extending one’s love to the poor.”

In an even more direct passage, Pope Leo admitted, “I often wonder, even though the teaching of Sacred Scripture is so clear about the poor, why many people continue to think that they can safely disregard the poor.”

He stressed that poverty is “a multifaceted phenomenon,” and that “there are many forms of poverty.”

Among those are material impoverishment; social marginalization; moral, spiritual and cultural poverty; “personal or social weakness or fragility”; and “the poverty of those who have no rights, no space, no freedom.”

In addition, said Pope Leo, forms of poverty have continued to evolve in ways that are “sometimes more subtle and dangerous.”

He warned that “in general, we are witnessing an increase in different kinds of poverty, which is no longer a single, uniform reality but now involves multiple forms of economic and social impoverishment, reflecting the spread of inequality even in largely affluent contexts.”

Globally, women often bear the brunt of poverty in its various manifestations, said Pope Leo, citing Pope Francis’ 2020 encyclical “Fratelli Tutti.”

Causes, challenges of poverty

Throughout the text of his exhortation, Pope Leo examined personal, cultural, social and systemic factors that both incur poverty and prevent its eradication — all of which, in essence, derive from a disregard for the sanctity of every human life.

“The poor are not there by chance or by blind and cruel fate. Nor, for most of them, is poverty a choice,” said Pope Leo. “Yet, there are those who still presume to make this claim, thus revealing their own blindness and cruelty.”

He pointed to a culture — one “sometimes well disguised” — that “discards others without even realizing it and tolerates with indifference that millions of people die of hunger or survive in conditions unfit for human beings.”

The pope also deplored “that specious view of meritocracy that sees only the successful as ‘deserving.’”

Such views fuel structures of sin in society that, as Pope Francis said in “Dilexit Nos,” are often “part of a dominant mindset that considers normal or reasonable what is merely selfishness and indifference,” wrote Pope Leo.

As a result, said Pope Leo, “it then becomes normal to ignore the poor and live as if they do not exist,” and “likewise seems reasonable to organize the economy in such a way that sacrifices are demanded of the masses in order to serve the needs of the powerful.”

Christians themselves have not been immune from “attitudes shaped

by secular ideologies or political and economic approaches that lead to gross generalizations and mistaken conclusions,” wrote Pope Leo.

“The fact that some dismiss or ridicule charitable works, as if they were an obsession on the part of a few and not the burning heart of the church’s mission, convinces me of the need to go back and reread the Gospel, lest we risk replacing it with the wisdom of this world,” he reflected. “The poor cannot be neglected if we are to remain within the great current of the church’s life that has its source in the Gospel and bears fruit in every time and place.”

Pope Leo noted that almsgiving “nowadays is not looked upon favorably even among believers,” being “rarely practiced” and “even at times disparaged.”

While “the most important way to help the disadvantaged is to assist them in finding a good job,” he said, “we cannot risk abandoning others to the fate of lacking the necessities for a dignified life.”

“Almsgiving at least offers us a chance to halt before the poor, to look into their eyes, to touch them and to share something of ourselves with them,” a way of bringing “a touch of ‘pietas’ into a society otherwise marked by the frenetic pursuit of personal gain,” said Pope Leo.

A ‘preferential option for the poor’

Since Christ chose to become poor by taking on human frailty and flesh, “we can also speak theologically of a preferential option on the part of God for the poor,” said Pope Leo.

He explained that the expression — which “arose in the context of the Latin American continent” and has been “well integrated into subsequent teachings of the church” — does not imply “exclusivity or discrimination” towards other groups, but rather speaks of God’s compassion.

“God has a special place in his heart for those who are discriminated against and oppressed, and he asks us, his church, to make a decisive and radical choice in favor of the weakest,” said Pope Leo.

He cited in detail several of the “numerous witnesses from disciples of Christ spanning almost two millennia” who have exemplified that choice in their lives: the first deacons in the early church, the Church Fathers, monastics, mendicants, popular movements and modern saints, including St. Teresa of Kolkata.

Pope Leo said that St. Augustine, patron of his religious order, saw the poor as “not just people to be helped, but the sacramental presence of the Lord” — and “caring for the poor as concrete proof of the sincerity of faith.”

Migrants have always been of special concern to the church, since “the experience of migration accompanies the history of the people of God,” said the pope, adding that “the church’s tradition of working for and with migrants continues,” with such service

now “expressed in initiatives such as refugee reception centers, border missions and the efforts of Caritas Internationalis and other institutions.”

‘A history that continues’

The church’s long history of caring for the poor continues, formed and forged in particular by the development of its social doctrine over the past 150 years, said Pope Leo.

Among the examples he listed were “Rerum Novarum,” the 1891 encyclical on capital and labor issued by Pope Leo XIII, and the documents of the Second Vatican Council, which Pope Leo described as “a milestone in the church’s understanding of the poor in God’s saving plan.”

The works of St. John Paul II consolidated “the church’s preferential relationship with the poor, particularly from a doctrinal standpoint,” he said, with the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI on the subject taking “a more distinctly political turn” in the face of “the multiple crises that marked the beginning of the third millennium.”

Pope Francis recognized the insights of national and regional bishops’ conferences regarding the church’s relationship with the poor, he said.

And, said Pope Leo, “the epochal change we are now undergoing” requires “a constant interaction between the faithful and the church’s magisterium” on the matter, while also listening to the impoverished themselves, who are “possessed of unique insights indispensable to the church and to humanity as a whole.”

“Lives can actually be turned around by the realization that the poor have much to teach us about the Gospel and its demands,” wrote Pope Leo.

In the poorest of the poor, he said, “Christ continues to suffer and rise again” — and “it is in them that the church rediscovers her call to show her most authentic self.”

OSV NEWS PHOTO/AMANDA PEROBELLI, REUTERS

A woman burns wood on the street to cook a meal for her husband and their daughter outside their home in São Paulo Sept. 16, 2022.

OSV NEWS PHOTO/PAUL JEFFREY

A child carries home a plate of rice and beans from a feeding program for children carried out by a small Catholic community in a slum section of Manila, Philippines, Sept. 20, 2022.

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Staff job openings - Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, a Catholic college offering higher education for those who may not otherwise be served. Job openings: English literacy instructor - P.A.S.S. (Preparing Academically Successful Students) - part time. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.

Administrative assistant - COME JOIN OUR TEAM! A small family-owned company located in Lenexa is looking for an assistant to answer phones, invoicing, vendor relations, some shipping/receiving and assist in the sales process. We need a team member who is organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, trustworthy, has a positive attitude and, above all else, gives excellent customer service. Schedule flexibility. Send your resume to: YourCareer101@gmail.com or call (913) 6313000. Please call me with any questions.

Associate director of music - The Church of the Nativity Parish and School in Leawood seek a full-time associate director of music to join our team. The associate director of music collaborates with the director of music and our pastor to oversee the liturgical life of the parish and lead our community in song at Masses, sacramental celebrations and other liturgies and parish events. A deep love of Jesus Christ and an authentic desire to support our community’s full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy animate the ministry carried out by the associate director of music. Qualified candidates will possess strong organ and piano accompaniment ability, experience working with cantors and choirs, outstanding communication skills, a passion for excellence and a desire to collaborate with the director of music in all areas of the music ministry program. Competitive salary and benefits are offered commensurate with experience. For a full job description and application instructions, please visit: https://kcnativity.org/ employment-music-ministry.

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.

SERVICES

Joe’s Decks & More Deck and fence repair, mowing and handyman services Member of St. Joseph in Shawnee (913) 449-9848

Landscaping Design or Renovate! Light tree trimming/gutters Fall cleanup/leaf removal Free estimates; local parishioners. Call Charles or Emily (913) 605-8145.

Pure Touch Cleaning KC Summer’s dust out, autumn’s fresh in! Make your home clean, fresh & cozy this fall. We’ll clear away summer’s dust so you can enjoy a warm, inviting space all season long. Family-friendly, reliable & professional. Call and book today! (913) 999-6267.

Popcorn ceiling texture removal

Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144. 30 years’ experience. Interior painting specialist. Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.

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.

Two men and a brush - Refresh, repaint, renew your home with painting you can trust! Call for a free estimate on your house, deck or fence! Call John at (402) 763-7244.

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!

Double A’s Lawn Service

Lawn mowing, Mulching, Gutters, Leaf Removal Brush Removal & Hedge Trimming Free Estimates & Insured Alex Spoerre (913) 488-5195

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.

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

Aluminum wheelchair ramp - Sales and installation customized to your needs. Serving all of northeast Kansas. Call McCourt Construction at (785) 224-4961.

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.

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

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Haus to Home Remodeling - Transform your space with affordable remodeling done right. Bathrooms, basements and everything in between — crafted with honesty and quality. Family-owned with free estimates. Haustohomekc.com | Cole (913) 544-7352.

Shepaint Cabinets - Looking for a stunning, high-quality cabinet transformation? Shepaint Cabinets is a women-owned and operated business. I bring precision, passion and a personal touch to every project. Detail-driven service with a personal touch, reliable, efficient and customer-focused. Your dream kitchen is just a coat of paint away! Call/text (816) 806-4375 for a free quote. Let’s create something beautiful together!

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.

FOR SALE

For sale - One cemetery plot located in Lenexa at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd St. and Quivira Rd. Location: lot 116, section A, space 4. Asking $2000. Buyer pays transfer fee of $250. Contact Terry at (913) 888-9590 or email: terryhensel22@gmail.com.

Small farm/business operation opportunity - STA Home Repair is moving to another state. Looking to sell property and business assets: 1955 Oregon Road, Princeton, Kansas. 3 buildings, 1 Barndo/Shop, RV hookups – 200 Amp service with portable heat and AC – office, kitchen area – 10-foot garage door and entry door, 1 cabin with wood stove and AC/shop, 1 pole barn, 2 sinks, 1 shower, 1 toilet, stocked pond, boat and equipment storage over half fenced, multiple gardens, minifarm, bring the horses. Great for contractor with trailers, 25-30 minutes to Gardner or intermodal facility; 35-40 minutes to Olathe and Overland Park; and less than 10 minutes to Ottawa. Close to the Hillsdale and Pomona lakes. Asking $290,000. Cash and/ or pre-approved financing. Showing by appointment only. Text name and number to (913) 579-1835.

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 - Single plot for sale at Resurrection Cemetery 83rd and Quivira, Lenexa. Fee of $250 waved for transfer which will be paid by owner. Lot is in Queen of Heaven. Price drop also to $1800. Contact Jody at: jagstanton@gmail.com or (816) 591-0826.

For sale - Single plot at Gate of Heaven, KCK: Saint Gabriel, lot 74B, space 4. Prime location, asking $2,845. Includes transfer fee! Text Michael at (913) 424-4409 (please no calls) or email: mtaylor65020@aol.com.

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.

PILGRIMAGE

Mexico City Pilgrimage — Join Archbishop Emeritus Joseph F. Naumann on pilgrimage to Mexico City Feb. 27 to March 2, 2026. Four-day, life-changing experience! Stand before the miraculous image created by God on St. Juan Diego’s tilma at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and visit the Sisters of Mary Girlstown, where faith and education transform lives. Limited space! Register by Jan. 30 at https://worldvillages.org/events/naumann/. Email pilgrimages@worldvillages.org or call 1 (800) 662-6316. Pilgrimage to Medjugorje - Dec. 27. 2025, to Jan. 3, 2026. $2895 per person, which includes airfare, bus transportation, accommodations, 2 meals/day and daily local guide. Hosted by visionary Mirjana Soldo. For details, email Grace Legaspi at: mgracelegaspi@gmail.com.

WANTED TO BUY

Accessible minivan - Want to buy a minivan with a ramp or lift for our adult grandson who has cerebral palsy. Contact Patty Orth at (913) 209-9490.

>> Continued on page 13

GIFT AND CRAFT BAZAAR

St. Joseph Church (McDevitt Hall)

11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee

Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There will be more than 50 tables with hundreds of gifts and craft items. A continental breakfast and lunch are available at a nominal fee. Raffle tickets will be sold for a solar bird bath and feeder, birdseed and two fall potted flowers. Contact Linda (913) 710-3314 for more information.

FALL FESTIVAL FUNDRAISER

St. Leo Church 1320 1st Ave. E., Horton

Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

St. Leo’s Altar Society will be serving chicken and noodles, chili, broccoli and cheese, vegetable beef soup, baked potatoes, hot dogs and desserts for a freewill donation. All-you-can-play kids games for $10. Adults can explore the mystery bottle wall, country story, silent auction and raffle for a John Deere Gator. Visit St. Leo’s Facebook for more information.

WILLIAM BAKER FESTIVAL SINGERS

Holy Angels Church

15438 Leavenworth, Rd., Basehor Oct. 19 at 4 p.m.

There will be a one-hour program with music from the singers’ upcoming concert season that begins in November. A freewill donation is requested. A reception follows the concert in the narthex.

ADULT AUTISM SUPPORT GROUP

St. Michael the Archangel Church 4251 Nall Ave., Leawood Mondays at 4 p.m. (Oct. 20)

Join a community to talk about your experiences, challenges and successes as an autistic adult (18+). The cost: is $60 per session (inquire about scholarships). To register, send an email to: dwalter@sacred heartcounselingkc.com.

FORGIVENESS PRESENTATION

Christ the King Church (Yadrich Hall) 5973 S.W. 25th St., Topeka Oct. 20 at 5:30 p.m.

Chuck Jansen with The Forgiveness Institute of Kansas City will give a presentation on experiencing the transformative power of forgiveness. Join us at 5:30 p.m. in the church with a potluck; the presentation begins immediately after in Yadrich Hall.

WIDOWED WOMEN OF FAITH

Perkins Restaurant (back room)

1720 S.W. Wanamaker Rd., Topeka

Oct. 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Join us for lunch and companionship. No RSVP is needed, just come and invite others. We meet every month on the third Tuesday through 2025. Come join us! Questions? Send an email to: Widowed WomenofFaith@gmail.com or call Julie at (913) 558-0191.

DINNER AND QUARTER BINGO

Most Pure Heart of Mary (Culhane Room)

3601 S.W. 17th St., Topeka

Oct. 23 from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Christian Widows and Widowers Organization is hosting a pizza dinner; attendees are asked to bring side dishes or desserts. Quarter bingo will be played after dinner. This is a free event. For information, text Gen at (785) 230-2473.

ESTATE PLANNING 101

St. Patrick Church (St. Brigid Hall)

309 S. 6th St., Osage City

Oct. 23 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

This educational workshop will cover wills and trusts, avoiding probate and leaving a legacy with your loved ones. Register online at: www.cfnek.org/events/ estate-planning-101-4.

WOMEN’S RETREAT

(ENGLISH AND SPANISH)

St. Patrick Parish (center)

1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 25 at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

The cost is $15 per session; $20 for all day. The English session is from 8 a.m. to noon; the Spanish session from 1:30 to 6 p.m. For information, call Theresa at (913) 299-3370.

FALL FESTIVAL

Sacred Heart Church

408 S. Cedar, Ottawa

Oct. 26 from noon to 4 p.m.

Join us for hamburgers, brats, hot dogs, Mexican food and homemade desserts. Entertainment includes a cakewalk, bingo, petting zoo, kids games and more. For more information, send an email to: bbirzer@yahoo.com or call/text (785) 4185701.

SAUSAGE DINNER

Sacred Heart Church

22298 Newbury Rd., Paxico Oct. 26, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The dinner begins after 10:30 a.m. Mass. There will be bingo, games, raffles, silent auction. Cost for the meal is: adults, $14; ages 5-12, $7; 4 years and under are free. Contact Sue Flach at (785) 249-3595 or send an email to: msflach03@gmail.com.

LITTLE FLOWER CIRCLE

Christ the King Church (Yadrich Hall)

5973 S.W. 25th St., Topeka

Oct. 25 at 12:40 p.m.

The Daughters of Isabella will pray the rosary. Bingo will follow; please bring items for prizes.

MEDICARE WORKSHOP AND Q&A

Holy Spirit Church

10300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park

Oct. 28 at 6:05 p.m.

Speaker Greg Davis has a background in pharmaceuticals and experience as a financial adviser. Mass is available prior to the workshop at 5:30 p.m. Register online at: hscatholic.org or call (913) 492-7318, ext. 180.

FALL LUNCHEON AND CARD PARTY

St. Ann Parish (hall)

7231 Mission Rd., Prairie Village

Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A box lunch and beverage is included in the $25 ticket. There will also be a raffle and door prizes. To make a reservation, go online to: www.stanpv.org/lunchandcard party.

MODERN SAINTS PRESENTATION

Sacred Heart Church

1100 West St., Tonganoxie Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. Nov. 2 at 12:30 p.m.

Gracie Morbitzer, author and artist, will speak to adults about her work on the saints on Nov. 1. Wine and cheese will be provided after the 5 p.m. Mass as well as child care; her presentation will be at 7 p.m. On Nov. 2, she will also lead activities for the whole family at 12:30 p.m.; a light lunch will be served beforehand after the 10:30 a.m. Mass. All events are free. For child care on Nov. 1, send an RSVP to: mrseastesfhsu@gmail.com.

SOUP LUNCHEON AND FALL BAZAAR

Holy Family Church

1st St. and Kansas Ave., Alma Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Chili, chicken noodle, potato and vegetable soups with homemade pie for dessert will be served for a freewill donation. There will also be a country store, bingo, bounce house and raffle with many great prizes and lots of cash. For more information, go to Facebook or send an email to: holyfamilyparishalma@gmail.com.

FALL BAZAAR

Holy Trinity Church

509 E. Chippewa, Paola

Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Join for lunch, desserts and raffle. The cost for adults is $15; children (5-10) $7; and under 5 eat free.

WORKING IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

Virtual Zoom Event

Nov. 6 from 4 to 5 p.m.

Are you a new or soon-to-be college graduate? A public school teacher looking to work in Catholic schools? A professional looking for a career change? The offices of Catholic schools in the archdiocese and the dioceses of Dodge City, Salina and Wichita are hosting an informational Zoom session. Register online at: archkckcs.org/ register.

JUBILEE PILGRIMAGE

Sacred Heart Church

1405 2nd Ave., Leavenworth

Nov. 8 from 3 to 6 p.m.

Receive a plenary indulgence at this pilgrimage. Confessions will be from 3 to 4 p.m.; Mass and prayer for the pope is at 4:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served in the hall.

SHAMROCK FUNDRAISING EVENT

St. Patrick Parish (center)

1080 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas

Nov. 8 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Join us for dinner, drinks, music and an auction. Funds raised will be used for facility updates and student scholarships at the school. All are welcome to attend. Go online to: stpatrickkck.org/shamrocks-event for tickets and partnership opportunities.

LEAD WITH CONFIDENCE WORKSHOP

St. Ann Church

7231 Mission Rd., Prairie Village Nov. 8 at 8:30 a.m.

This workshop, led by Father Daniel Brandenburg, includes Mass, a keynote address, two breakout sessions, discussion and closing address. The cost of $25 includes breakfast, lunch and snacks. To register, send an email to: janepeck1@ gmail.com.

COFFEE AND TOUR

reStart Inc.

918 E. 9th St., Kansas City, Missouri Nov. 13 at 10 a.m.

Come for coffee, conversation and a tour of reStart Inc. every second Thursday of the month at 10 a.m. This is an opportunity to meet reStart team members, tour our interim housing location and learn more about responding to homelessness in the local Kansas City metro area. Send an RSVP to: www.restartinc.org/coffee-andconversation-form.

ENCOUNTER SCHOOL OF HEALING

Sacred Heart of Jesus Church 5501 Monticello Rd., Shawnee Nov. 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 15 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Encounter School of Healing will teach you to partner with the Holy Spirit to experience healing miracles. Jesus’ healing ministry is at the heart of his Gospel of power and he expects his disciples to minister his healing on the earth (Mk 16:15-20). Come experience the greater works Jesus has in store for you. Information and registration are online at: EncounterKC.com.

SPECIAL NOTICE

The Leaven will not publish on Oct. 31. Please plan announcements accordingly. Notices are due 10 days before the desired publication date. Send notices to: olivia.martin@theleaven.org. We will resume our regular weekly schedule on Nov. 7. Because of space, announcements may only run twice.

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.

Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.

Wanted to buy - Antiques & Collectibles: jewelry, military items, railroad, sterling, OLD holiday/toys and more. Renee Maderak (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.

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.

$$Paying Cash$$ - 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.

REAL ESTATE

Looking to buy or sell a home? - Buy or sell a home with someone who understands your values. We are a Catholic-owned, faith-driven team of Realtors, dedicated to helping fellow Catholics buy or sell homes in our community. We bring integrity, compassion and a commitment to your needs. Let us be part of your journey. Call Kevin Holmes (owner) at (913) 553-0539.

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.

We are local people who can buy your house - Big companies from all over the nation come here buying houses, but that’s not us. We are parishioners of Holy Trinity Parish and we enjoy giving you personalized service. We can offer you a fair price and are flexible to your needs. If I can help, call me, Mark Edmondson, at (913) 980-4905.

CAREGIVING

PRIVATE DUTY LPN - 30+ years of skilled nursing. Experienced in all aspects of your needs. Caring Christian who is dependable and trustworthy. You will receive the best care ever! Travel to and from doctor’s visits. References available. Call (913) 6453779. Leave a message and I will call you back. Homecare - 15 years’ experience. Background check available, references from past employers available. Nonsmoker. Call (913) 999-4340.

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.

Caregiver - 40 years of experience — a.m., p.m. and evening sessions available. Call Ophelia at (913) 5797276 or Rhonda at (913) 279-1281.

Caregiver - Homecare CNA with 15 years’ experience. Monday-Friday. Call (913) 526-0797.

DAILY READINGS

TWENTY-NINTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME

Oct. 19

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Ex 17: 8-13

Ps 121: 1-8

2 Tm 3:14 – 4:2 Lk 18: 1-8

Oct. 20

Paul of the Cross, priest

Rom 4: 20-25 (Ps) Lk 1: 69-75

Lk 12: 13-21

Oct. 21

Tuesday

Rom 5: 12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21

Ps 40: 7-10, 17 Lk 12: 35-38

Oct. 22

John Paul II, pope

Rom 6: 12-18

Ps 124: 1b-8

Lk 12: 39-48

Oct. 23

John of Capistrano, priest

Rom 6: 19-23

Ps 1: 1-4, 6 Lk 12: 49-53

Oct. 24

Anthony Mary Claret, bishop

Rom 7: 18-25a

Ps 119: 66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94

Lk 12: 54-59

Oct. 25

Saturday

Rom 8: 1-11

Ps 24: 1b-4b, 5-6

Lk 13: 1-9

POPE SYLVESTER I died 335

Thought to be Roman, Sylvester (or Silvester) served as pope from 314 to 335. His papacy ran almost concurrently with the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great, 306-337, but it was Constantine who dominated the times. Sylvester had little influence on Constantine’s pro-Christian decrees and was invited to attend the Council of Nicaea in 325 as one among the church’s bishops. Sylvester did not attend, but sent two legates, who signed the council decrees after the president, a bishopfriend of Constantine’s, had signed them. Through the emperor’s generosity, Sylvester built Rome’s first great churches. Buried in the cemetery of Priscilla, he was among the first non-martyr saints to be venerated in Rome.

“That doggone purse!” I probably said this phrase hundreds of times over the years.

The purse was my mom’s constant companion. What made it “doggone” was its completely black color that blended seamlessly with my car’s floor mats. Inevitably, as we were driving somewhere, Mom would say in a panicked voice, “Mark, Mark, where’s my purse?!?” My left eye would begin twitching as I’d say (for the “millionth” time), “It’s right down there by your feet!”

The purse episodes got more frequent as Mom aged. She took the purse everywhere even when there was no reason to. And several times each trip, Mom would panic about the whereabouts of her purse. I came to understand that the “doggone purse” was a sort of security blanket for my mom; she was comfort-

This one’s a little old school

MARK MY WORDS

FATHER MARK GOLDASICH

Father Mark is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989.

ed by its presence. My irritation transformed into humor. When she’d panic about it, I’d say, “I swear, I’m gonna wrap that doggone purse in luminous tape so you can see it!” (I never did.) She’d look down, find it and have a good chuckle. Mom was 101 when she died and only experienced a moderate degree of dementia. She’d repeat stories over and over and get confused

when she had to go into the hospital. Also, her short-term memory was, well, really short. But she knew me and others and was funny and pretty sharp. Oh, and she loved to break into song — loudly — with her favorite Croatian tunes.

I wish that I’d had Moira Cullings’ superb article on dementia on pages 7-10 of this issue while my mom was still alive. It would have been of immense help in navigating the waters of a loved one who was aging. In any event, please take the time to read Moira’s article, especially as you interact with folks of an older generation.

I’d end with this poignant German folktale: There was once a couple who lived with their only son Conrad at the edge of a great forest. Though not rich, they lived a comfortable and happy life.

One day, the husband’s father came to live with the young couple. The old man’s eyes had grown dim, he was nearly deaf and his hands shook like leaves in the wind. When he ate, he was unable to hold the spoon without spilling food on the tablecloth, the floor and himself.

For months, the couple discussed the irritating behavior of the old man. Finally, they set a table for him in the corner of the kitchen. As he ate, he looked sadly at this family. When he spilled his food, he’d sob.

One day, the old man’s trembling hands could no longer hold the glass bowl, which fell to the floor and shattered. The woman scolded him and went to purchase a wood-

en bowl. As the days passed, the old man said very little as he sat in his corner eating out of his wooden bowl.

Late in the fall, the father came home from a long day’s work to find Conrad carving a block of wood. “What are you making, son?” asked the father.

“It’s a present for you and Mommy,” answered the child. “I’m carving two wooden bowls so that you’ll have something to eat from when you come to live with me in your old age.”

The husband and wife looked at each other and began to weep. That evening, they moved the grandfather back to the family table. From that day on, he always ate with them, and they said nothing even when he spilled his food. (Story adapted from William R. White’s “Stories for Telling.”)

Incidentally, I still have my mom’s “doggone purse” . . . but can’t remember where it is! (Touché, Mom!)

The kingdom of God is something both already and not yet

Luke tells us immediately what this parable is about.

What the disciples are to learn is that they ought “to pray always without becoming weary” (Lk 18:1). Jesus had just been talking about the coming of the kingdom, that the time is nigh “when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it” (Lk 17:22).

The times now are betwixt and between; the kingdom, as the theologians put it, is both already and not yet, something now but also something yet to come. Thus, the proper disposition of the disciple is to pray without

Father Joshua J. Whitfield is pastor of St. Rita Catholic Community in Dallas and author of “The Crisis of Bad Preaching” and other books.

losing heart, without giving up.

The believer should imitate the widow,

“importunate” she’s called. It’s quite possible here that this parable is meant to be humorous. The characters are drawn such, almost cartoonishly, to underline the moral; The judge’s stoneheartedness is cinematic while the widow’s annoying persistence is equally dramatic. Yet it all serves a simple message: Although the kingdom is indeed in a genuine sense “at hand,” something “fulfilled in your hearing,” it will also at times feel distant and unfulfilled, something you look for and long for, and sometimes painfully — like the widow waiting for her “just decision” (Mk 1:15; Lk 4:21; Lk 18:3).

About the Christian life, there is what St. Paul called a longing. We “long to put on our heavenly dwelling,” he said, a strange and mysterious way to put it (2 Cor 5:2). We long for the “revealing of the sons of God” (Rom 8:19). And it is a longing that can seem to be a kind of groaning.

What Jesus teaches by way of parable, St. Paul teaches by means of a description of feeling. We Christians feel our desire for the kingdom. That is, there is something about being a follower of Jesus that instills a providential restlessness for the sake of God’s true rest. We are meant to feel something of the angst

of the widow; we are meant to be restless and to pray with an urgent purpose just like her. Because we are not indifferent. We really do long for the kingdom just as a kid waits for Christmas.

Here I naturally recall St. Gregory of Nyssa and his famous dictum that “the one who looks up to God never ceases in that desire.”

What I mean is that the parable of the importunate widow reminds me never to despair. It reminds me of the fact that there will indeed be days when I will feel the need to pray so passionately that it feels like this widow taking it to the judge.

World must come together to fight climate change, Pope Leo says

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) — People of faith cannot love God while despising his creatures, and people cannot call themselves Christians without caring for everything fragile and wounded, including the earth, Pope Leo XIV told climate activists and political and religious leaders.

“There is no room for indifference or resignation,” he said, inaugurating an international conference celebrating the 10th anniversary of

Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.”

Seated behind a slowly melting chunk of ice from a glacier in Greenland, the pope said, “God will ask us if we have cultivated and cared for the world that he created, for the benefit of all and for future generations, and if we have taken care of our brothers and sisters.”

“What will be our answer?” he asked.

Pope Leo spoke Oct. 1 during the opening session of a three-day conference titled, “Raising Hope for Climate Justice.” The event brought together some 500 delegates representing global leaders, faith-based organizations, governments and NGOs active in climate justice in order to celebrate what has been achieved since Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical was published in 2015.

FATHER JOSHUA J. WHITFIELD

Help us help ensure Catholic education for future generations

The fall season always brings a sense of new beginnings: the chaos of packing lunches, new school supplies and the hopeful energy of a new school year.

For our family, this fall was especially meaningful. After returning to Kansas City, our children began at a new Catholic school in our wonderful archdiocese.

As the executive director of the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas and as a former Catholic school student, I deeply believe in the power of Catholic education. But

What

Perhaps the most tragic political development for Catholics in the United States in the last 60 years has been the wedge issue of abortion.

In every presidential election where abortion has been an issue, Catholics have voted around 50/50. In doing so, we effectively cancel out our political power to bring about change.

I agree with the U.S. bishops: The issue has a special claim on Catholic conscience. I used to think this 50/50 vote split was a divide between “good” and “bad” Catholics.

FACILITATING CATHOLIC GIVING

this fall, I experienced it in a new and profoundly personal way. I had the opportunity

if we

to attend the parentteacher conferences at our children’s new school. Walking into that classroom, I expected the usual discussion about academic progress. What I didn’t expect was for the teacher to open the meeting with a heartfelt prayer for our child.

The teacher thanked God for the unique gifts and character traits our child brings to the classroom. Then, they prayed for specific virtues our child can grow in, asking God to help them become not just a good student, but a faithful and virtuous young Catholic. That moment stayed with me. It was intentional, edifying and encouraging. I walked away from this experience not only with a progress report, but with a renewed sense of gratitude for our child, for their teacher and for the mission of our Catholic schools. This wasn’t just education.

It was the formation of the whole person: mind, body and soul. And I couldn’t help but think: What if every child could have access to this kind of environment?

At the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas, we steward more than 262 active funds. Many of these are endowments and scholarships that directly support our Catholic schools across the archdiocese. These funds make it possible for more children to experience the kind of education that nurtures both academic excellence and strong Catholic identity.

If you’re passionate about Catholic education as a parent, alum or parishioner, we invite you to join us. Whether by growing an existing endowment or starting a new scholarship fund, you can help ensure that future generations of students have the opportunity to thrive in our Catholic schools.

Together, we can make this vision a reality for today’s children and tomorrow’s church. Contact us today online at: cfnek@archkck.org or call (913) 647-3062 to learn more.

came to see everyone through a pro-life lens?

DO UNTO OTHERS

Deacon Scholl is the archdiocesan consultant for social justice. You can email him at: socialjustice@archkck.org.

However, as I’ve learned more and

spoken to more people, I have come to see this as a result of most of us trying to apply the Gospel pragmatically, but in different ways.

For many who don’t vote pro-life, I wonder if they are actually, instead, trying to vote in ways that help the poor

and working class. If I’m being honest, while I vote pro-life, I have often felt like I was being held hostage by the issue because the candidate was so weak on other social justice issues, particularly care for the poor.

It can be hard to vote against abortion with its invisible suffering when we see so much visible suffering in the world.

This makes me think of the words of the apostle John: “For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.”

What if we came to see each and every person through a prolife lens? What if we are both pro-life for the invisible victims — the unborn, and the mothers and fathers who carry trauma in secret — and pro-life for visible suffering immigrants?

I know that abortion and immigration are not the same in principle. Governments have a duty to enforce laws and secure borders.

Immigration reform isn’t so clear-cut as the abolition of abortion. But perhaps if we could start to look at the issue of immigration through the lens of

pro-life, we could also get others to see the tragedy of abortion.

The archdiocesan office for social justice is honored to join Catholic Charities to speak at this year’s Respect Life event, “Life: Our Sign of Hope,” on the topic of immigration, seen through pro-life eyes. In this jubilee year of hope, may we see all who struggle for life and coordinate our advocacy. Dare we dream of a day when Catholics vote to make our country a little more like the kingdom Christ wants? If we could, both political platforms could be changed overnight.

DEREK LYSSY

Derek Lyssy is the executive director of the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas.

DEACON BILL SCHOLL

Kids’ Kids’

CHRONICLE CHRONICLE

Jesus gets in trouble for curing a woman on the Sabbath

By Jennifer Ficcaglia Catholic Courier

nce, when eating at the home of a Pharisee, Jesus did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.

When the Pharisee expressed his amazement, Jesus admonished all Pharisees for their hypocrisy, because they always told the people how to follow the laws of God but did not do so themselves.

Jesus even warned his followers: “Beware of the leaven — that is, the hypocrisy — of the Pharisees.”

One day, Jesus was teaching in the synagogue. It was the Sabbath, which the Jewish people observed as a day of rest and a day to worship God.

There was a woman in the synagogue who had been crippled by an evil spirit, and for the past 18 years, she had not been able to stand up straight.

As Jesus was teaching, he looked up and noticed the woman.

“Woman,” Jesus called out to her, “you are set free of your infirmity.”

Jesus walked over to her and laid his hands on her. She immediately stood up straight and began to glorify God.

Just then, the leader of the synagogue came over to Jesus. He was not happy about what Jesus had done. He thought it was a terrible thing for Jesus to heal the crippled woman, because, after all, it was the Sabbath. No work was to be done that day, not even by a person’s animals.

The leader of the synagogue looked at the crowd.

“There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath day,” he announced.

Some people in the crowd agreed.

Jesus looked at the people who were angry at what he had done.

“Hypocrites!” Jesus said to them. “Does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for 18 years now, ought she not to have been set free on the Sabbath day from this bondage?”

The angry people hung their heads and were embarrassed by their actions. The rest of the people who witnessed the miracle Jesus performed rejoiced in what the Lord had done.

1. Why was the woman crippled?

2. Why was the synagogue leader angry with Jesus?

I

Bible accent

n Luke 6, we read about another time that Jesus cured a person on the Sabbath.

At the beginning of the chapter, Jesus’ apostles had picked and eaten heads of grain on the Sabbath while walking through a field. Some Pharisees noticed and wanted to know why Jesus’ friends were doing something unlawful on the Sabbath.

Jesus reminded the Pharisees of what David had done in 1 Sm 21:1-6.

David was fleeing from King Saul. David and his companions were hungry, so they went to the house of God and ate the bread offering that only the priest could lawfully eat.

“The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath,” Jesus added.

Soon after, Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on a day when a man with a withered right hand was there.

The Pharisees and scribes were watching Jesus closely to see if he would cure the man so they could accuse Jesus of wrongdoing.

Jesus was well aware of what was going on.

“Come up and stand before us,” he said to the man with the withered hand.

Jesus addressed the people he had been teaching.

“I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” he asked.

Jesus turned back to the man.

“Stretch out your hand,” Jesus told him.

The man stretched out his hand, and the withered hand was restored.

WORD SEARCH

St. Martin of Tours was born into a pagan family in Hungary in the early fourth century. His father was a member of the Roman army who moved the family to Italy, which is where Martin became a catechumen.

He joined the military, and after he was discharged, he lived a monastic life. He founded France’s first monastery, and the people of Tours, France, declared him their bishop in 372. Martin was the first non-martyr to be honored as a saint. He died in 397, and we remember him on Nov. 11.

St. Martin of Tours