FEBRUARY 10, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
Whom will we let into the lifeboat?
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espect for the human person considers the other ‘another self.’ It presupposes respect for the fundamental rights that flow from the dignity intrinsic of the person” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1944). “The differences among persons belong to God’s plan, who wills that we should need one another. These differences should encourage charity” (CCC, 1946). Of the many memorable moments in the Oscar-winning film “Titanic,” one in particular came to mind this week. It is the scene following the sinking of the ship and the people in the lifeboats listening to the cries for help coming from the cold dark night on the northern Atlantic. Those lucky enough to be in a lifeboat convince themselves that taking on any more from the icy waters would be
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BISHOP JAMES V. JOHNSTON JR. Bishop Johnston is the bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
dangerous and ill-advised. There may be too many; it may jeopardize their own safety. There are other rational reasons. As the night goes on, the cries subside and then stop. The reason this scene came to mind was the occurrence of two important events over the past weekend: the March
for Life and the [Trump] administration’s executive order temporarily limiting some refugees. Both relate to issues that affect scores of vulnerable human beings. The March for Life occurs every January, marking the Roe v. Wade decision which made abortion on demand legal in all 50 states throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy. As technology and science advance, it is no longer arguable that when an abortion takes place, a child is killed. When an
ultrasound picture shows the face of the baby in the womb smiling and sucking her thumb, when the beating heart is noticed only several weeks after conception, it is hard to argue otherwise. The only argument left is one of power, fear and self-interest. Will the unborn child be allowed into the lifeboat? The actions regarding refugees are similar. They are fleeing unimaginable violence and terror, arguably some of which was precipitated by America’s poor foreign policy decisions. They seek a safe harbor for themselves and their children. The decision to turn away refugees and to close the door to those who are fleeing persecution is wrong. The fact that they are Muslim should not impede us from providing help. Welcoming the stranger, the migrant, the immigrant and the refugee has long been a hallmark for the best that
is America and is rooted in our Christian convictions. Likewise, as Catholics, we believe it is our responsibility to care for the most vulnerable who come across our path needing help. Will the refugee be allowed into the lifeboat? Self-interest and fear are real parts of the human condition. We are not wrong to want security and safety, which is why we have laws and law enforcement. Nations need borders for security much as our homes need locks for the doors. And yet, there is another good to be considered when we meet others in danger and needing help. Jesus captures this in what has come to be known as the Golden Rule: “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Mt 7:12; cf. Lk 6:31). Catholic social teaching develops and applies
Retreat offers camp experience to women By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
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ILLIAMSBURG — For years, moms have asked Debbie Nearmyer and the Camp Tekakwitha staff here when they can have their own camp experience like their kids do each summer. Nearmyer, co-director of Camp Tekakwitha and director of faith formation at St. James Academy in Lenexa, finally can tell them the time has come. The first-ever Camp Tekakwitha women’s retreat, called “Abundant Love,” will be held this April. “The purpose of the retreat,” said Nearmyer, “is to give women an opportunity to relax, rejuvenate and reconnect.” “The retreat will offer time for silence, personal and communal prayer, sacraments, space to enjoy the beauty of Prairie Star Ranch and an opportunity to build community with other women in the archdiocese,” she added. “Abundant Love” will take place from April 28-30 and is open to women age 21 and older. Early bird registration costs $125 and ends March 1. Registration starting March 2 costs $140 and ends April 15. A team of nine women will lead the retreat and Father Scott Wallisch will serve as chaplain. “These are women who have been on staff, who were campers or have a deep desire for the new evangelization,” said Nearmyer. “They are also women from varying ages and stages of life and experience.” Kimberly Rode, consultant for adult evangelization in the archdiocese and part of the retreat team, has
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LEAVEN PHOTO BY DOUG HESSE
The first-ever Camp Tekakwitha women’s retreat, called “Abundant Love,” will be held April 28-30. high hopes for the women who say “yes” to the opportunity. “The retreat is for women that are seeking the heart of Christ to come together,” said Rode. It’s a rare chance, she said, “to really be out in nature and disconnect in a way from the busyness.” The retreat will offer large and small group sessions, individual reflection, Mass, reconciliation and eucharistic adoration. It will also include Taize-style prayer, crafting and free time to relax and explore the Prairie Star grounds. “Because this is a Camp Tekakwitha women’s retreat, it will have some elements of camp and even give the women a chance to enjoy the adventure of bunk beds and cabin living,” said Nearmyer. Both women believe this will be a chance to escape the chaos of everyday life and relax in the presence of God.
“In our fast-paced, scheduled world,” said Nearmyer, “it seems important to take time and allow ourselves to receive the abundant and ever-flowing love of God. “The world tears us down, tells us what we need to be, but Our Lord wants us to know who he made us to be.” It will also be a way for women around the archdiocese to get to know one another and build community. Rode hopes the women who attend will experience “growth in their faith and deepening in friendships, and just to feel loved and cherished by Christ and other women who are seeking the same thing.” To register or find out more about the “Abundant Love” retreat, visit the website at: www.camptekakwithawomensretreat.com.
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this even further, explaining that every human person has an inviolable dignity and is created in the image and likeness of God. As members of the human race, we are also in solidarity with all other persons. God has made us dependent on one another as well as himself. We share a common home, the planet Earth, given for the good of all. As the vulnerable in the womb and of the world turn to us for help, let us resist the temptation to see their plight through a polarized political lens, or to respond out of fear and self-interest. Rather, let us realize we are blessed to be in the lifeboat. When we hear a cry for help, will we allow another in? Reprinted with permission from The Catholic Key, newspaper of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
USM presents 19th annual Lincoln event
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EAVENWORTH — The University of Saint Mary here will host prominent 13th Amendment historian Dr. Michael Vorenberg for its 19th annual Lincoln Event. He will speak on “Lincoln, the 13th Amendment, and the Struggle for American Peace & Freedom” — exploring the key moments in the passage of the amendment and the activities in the last months of Lincoln’s presidency to ensure the permanence of freedom — at 7 p.m. on Feb. 20. Admission is free. The program will be in Xavier Theatre on USM’s main campus, located at 4100 S. 4th St. Seating is limited. A reception will follow. For more information, visit the website at: stmary.edu/ Lincoln. “The University of Saint Mary is, once again, very pleased to host its annual Lincoln Event,” said university provost Dr. Bryan Le Beau. “We are honored to have Dr. Vorenberg, a nationally known historian presenting at this year’s Lincoln Event.” Vorenberg’s first book, “Final Freedom: The Civil War, the Abolition of Slavery, and the Thirteenth Amendment,” was a finalist for the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize, a prestigious annual award honoring the finest literature on the Civil War era, and referenced by producer Steven Spielberg in the creation of his epic 2012 historical drama, “Lincoln.” “Lincoln” captured the brilliant maneuvering of the 16th president to pass the 13th Amendment in Congress, but what is left untold is Lincoln’s work after its passing on Jan. 31, 1865. The amendment still needed to be ratified by the states, and Lincoln played a decisive role in the process, though he did not live to see its declaration in December 1865. Vorenberg’s presentation will address Lincoln’s plan for peace following the amendment’s ratification and the question of whether the peace and freedom following the Civil War fulfilled Lincoln’s vision. Attendees will be able to view pieces from USM’s extensive Bernard H. Hall Lincoln Collection, including a rare original copy of the 13th Amendment signed by President Lincoln.
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