03-14-14 Vol. 35 No. 30 by The Leaven

theleaven.com | vol. 35, no. 30 | march 14, 2014

Pope Francis: Year One

A look back at the historic first year of the Pope Francis papacy Stylin’

Pope Francis has shown a different type of papacy from his predecessors. Page 4

Top 10

Here is a list of the top 10 things you may not know about Pope Francis. Page 5

Go forth

A common theme of the pope has been his love for the poor. Page 6

Quotable

We’ve compiled some of the pope’s most memorable quotes. Page 7

Have mercy Pope Francis encourages priests to be good confessors. Page 16

Photo by Stefano Spaziani

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theleaven.com | march 14, 2014

Life will be victorious

True equality respects, honors and celebrates differences

ne of my favorite movies is “Chariots

Archbishop’s baptismal ministry to support larger families

of Fire.”

This 1981 Academy Award-winning film depicts two athletes who competed in track for Great Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympics. One was Harold Abrahams, who was the Jewish son of Lithuanian immigrants, and the other was Eric Liddell, the son of Scottish Christian missionaries. Both were outsiders in English society. Abrahams was motivated to compete to overcome anti-Semitism. Liddell ran as a means of glorifying God. Eric Liddell was slated to represent England in the 100-meter race, but declined to run when the event was scheduled on Sunday. Despite pressure from the English Olympic Committee and the Prince of Wales, Liddell refused to break his observance of the Lord’s Day by competing in the race. One of Liddell’s teammates, who already had won an Olympic medal, allowed Liddell to take his place in the 400-meter race. Liddell won a gold medal, upsetting the favored American runners. About two years ago, it was brought to my attention that the state high school wrestling competitions had become coed. Because there are not enough girls interested in the sport of wrestling to field a female team, the state requires that high school girls and boys compete against each other. I suppose I should not be startled anymore by what our culture has come to consider not only normal, but progressive. It is incredible to me that the state not only permits teenage boys and girls to wrestle competitively, but boys are forced to forfeit the opportunity for a state championship if they fail to comply. It not only hurts the individual athlete, but it also handicaps the team, saddling them with an automatic loss for that particular match. I discussed this matter thoroughly with our superintendent and consulted with my administrative team. Our high school staffs work hard to cultivate a proper respect for young women by our

archbishop Joseph F. Naumann young men and vice versa. To me, it is incredulous that the state sanctions the intimate physical contact between males and females required in competitive wrestling. In any other context, such physical contact by a young man with a young woman would be considered assault. I totally agree with the intent of the policy which I presume is to promote the equal dignity of men and women. Sadly, our culture confuses equality with both sexes doing everything the same. In the name of equality, our culture ignores the reality of physical as well as other differences between the sexes. True equality respects, honors and celebrates our differences. It actually undermines the dignity of women when our culture demands for women to deny their femininity to be considered equal to men. The equal dignity of men and women is not contingent on doing everything the same. After praying and deliberating over this issue, I asked our superintendent to institute a policy for our Catholic high schools that boys would not wrestle girls, even if, as a consequence, they forfeited a match which denied them the opportunity for a state championship. A couple weeks ago, I became aware that Stephen Tujague, a member of the St. James Academy wrestling team, who was ranked number one in his weight division, had drawn a female wrestler in an early round of the state competition. Stephen’s parents wrote to me and very respectfully asked that I reconsider our policy. They informed me of how hard Stephen had worked to excel as a wrestler and expressed what a profound disappointment it would be for Stephen not to be allowed to compete for the state championship. They also feared that it could

To show his personal support for those couples open to raising larger families, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann has offered to participate in the baptism of the third or greater child of any family (by birth, adoption, or blending through valid marriage) interested. The first of these baptismal celebrations will take place on May 18 at 2:30 p.m. at Church of the Ascension, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park. Additional celebrations are scheduled for July 27, Sept. 7, and Nov. 16. For 2015, celebrations are scheduled for Jan. 18, March 15, and May 17. Please contact your parish office for more information. Additional information is also available from the archdiocesan office for liturgy and sacramental life at (913) 647-0330 or online at: liturgy@archkck.org.

affect his opportunity for college scholarships. I met with Stephen and his parents. I reviewed with them again the rationale for our policy. Stephen expressed well and respectfully his viewpoint. I told him that I felt terrible about his being denied the opportunity to win the state tournament. I shared with Stephen my conviction that our Catholic schools should hold students to a higher standard rather than simply conform to the culture. I reminded Stephen that sometimes we have to make heroic sacrifices for our Catholic faith. I was impressed by Stephen’s response. While, understandably, he still wished that he would have the opportunity to win the state wrestling title, Stephen agreed that our faith does hold us to a higher standard. He said that he always hoped that he would have the strength to sacrifice in order to be a witness for his faith. Even though it was crushing the dream he had worked so hard to achieve, Stephen was willing to offer this sacrifice to God and hoped God would use it for good. I prayed for Stephen in the days leading up to the tournament. I knew that I could not fully appreciate his disappointment from being eliminated from the state competition in this way. I prayed the Lord would bless his sacrifice and make it a grace for Stephen and for others. After the state competition was finished, on his blog a wrestling coach from a public school expressed admiration

for the manner in which Stephen handled himself in this very difficult situation. There was no denying Stephen’s disappointment at losing the opportunity to finish first in the state. After forfeiting this one match, he won five successive matches and finished third in the state. This coach respected the class with which Stephen conducted himself throughout the competition. Stephen is blessed with some remarkable parents. Without their support, it would have been very difficult for Stephen to respond to this challenge as he did. Some may disagree with my decision and the policy for our wrestlers. Yet, we can all be proud of Stephen Tujague and the way in which this young man represented our Catholic faith. In my mind, Stephen is a modern day Eric Liddell. Whatever college Stephen chooses to attend will not only gain a superb wrestler but, more importantly, a quite remarkable young man. I see hundreds of young men and women like Stephen in our Catholic high schools, in our parish youth programs, working as camp counselors at Prairie Star Ranch, serving as Totus Tuus catechists, participating in our college campus ministry programs, serving as FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionaries, postulants in religious communities and seminarians. From what I experience in our young people, the future bodes well for the church! After the Olympics, Eric Liddell became a Christian

calendar archbishop

Naumann March 14-15 Conception Seminary board meeting March 15 Pastoral visit — Holy Spirit, Overland Park March 16 Pastoral visit — St. Matthew, Topeka Rite of Election — Christ the King, Topeka March 17 “Shepherd’s Voice” recording March 19 Presbyteral Council meeting Community Mass and dinner — St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison March 20 Administrative Team meeting Installation ministries of lector and acolyte for Brothers Benoit and Mariano March 21 New Evangelization seminar — Benedictine College, Atchison March 22 Pastoral visit — St. Benedict’s Parish, Atchison March 23 Pastoral Visit — Immaculate Conception/St. Joseph, Leavenworth

archbishop

keleher March 15 Pro-Life Mass — Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Kansas City, Kan. March 16 Confirmation — Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Topeka March 19 Mass — Federal prison March 23 Confirmation — St. Patrick, Kansas City, Kan.

missionary in China. I can hardly wait to see what Stephen Tujague and many of his contemporaries will do in the service of God, the church and humanity. Thanks to them, our future is bright!

second front page 3

march 14, 2014 | theleaven.com

Annual men’s retreat draws record crowd By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

VERLAND PARK — In the spirit of the new evangelization and with the archdiocesan initiative “Proclaim It!” as their watchword, more than 1,000 men attended the Men Under Construction 18 event on March 8 at Ascension Parish here. The annual archdiocesan wide men’s retreat is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and organized by the Kansas City Catholic Men’s Fellowship. One attendee was Robert Baker, a member of Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park. Baker has been to eight MUC conferences — four with his son Matt, now 18. This year, he brought along 11-year-old son T.J. “I didn’t know what it was at first, but now that I’m here for the first time, I’m really liking it, and the spiritual growth I can learn from it,” said T.J. “It’s been a great bonding experience to share this with both of my boys,” said Robert Baker. “With Matt being 18, who knows what he’ll be doing after high school? This is an opportunity for the three of us to have a spiritual bonding experience.” This year’s MUC was dedicated to the memory of Paul Welsh, one of the founders of the annual event, who died last year. This year’s lineup of speakers included Gov. Sam Brownback as keynote, Catholic apologist and purity speaker Matt Fradd, Atlanta Falcons’ assistant special teams coach Eric Sutulovich, noted English convert and acclaimed author Joseph Pearce, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann The day was also enhanced by the

Leaven photo by Elaina Cochran

Men from all over the archdiocese listen to speakers at the annual Men Under Construction event March 8 at Church of the Ascension in Overland Park. talents of two performance artists, live art performance painter Mike Debus who painted an image of Jesus, while musical artist Mike McGlinn played keyboard and sang. McGlinn, who played in four bowl games for Notre Dame, and Sutulovich both talked at a special Catholic youth athlete breakout session. The day began with Mass, followed by a continental breakfast and welcome by Dan Spencer, executive direc-

tor of the National Fellowship of Catholic Men and master of ceremonies. The first speaker was Fradd, who first instructed the men to ask themselves three questions to demonstrate that what they deep-down want of themselves is what God wants of them as well. The questions were: What kind of man do you want to be? What kind of man do you respect? And how do you want to be remembered when you are dead?

“God’s commandments toward us . . . [do not] require the repression of our deepest desires, but call for an expansion of our deepest desires,” said Fradd. In his talk, Brownback touched on many topics, including an encounter with Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. It was when Brownback was serving in the U.S. Senate and still a Methodist >> See “ARCHBISHOP” on page 11

Statement of Kansas Faith Leaders:

Religious freedom must be protected before same-sex marriage becomes law

e support the efforts of the Kansas Legislature to put in place religious freedom protections related to same-sex marriage. In two short months, five federal judges have nullified the votes of almost six million Americans in Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Virginia by declaring that those states’ marriage laws are now unconstitutional. Not one of those judges’ decisions provided any protection for the religious civil rights and liberties of the millions of Americans whose sincerely held religious beliefs say that marriage is a union between one man and one woman. All people deserve to be treated with respect and dignity in civil society. We do not condone demeaning or unjust treatment of anyone. Marriage involves unique religious convictions that are rooted in the deepest aspects of faith, personal identity, and conscience. And because the redefinition of legal marriage threatens to compel people by law to participate in, or otherwise support, relationships and celebrations to which they object in conscience, legal protection is required. We thus commend the efforts of members of both parties in the Kansas Legislature to try to ensure that, if same-sex marriage becomes law in Kansas, existing

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) President: Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann

religious civil rights and liberties of Kansans will be protected. We consider the House bill a good-faith effort to incorporate thinking from numerous faith communities and religious freedom experts, with a focus on ensuring that a future court decision does not diminish religious liberty in Kansas. Like most important civil rights legislation, we would expect that it would be amended and clarified through the legislative process. Protections for religious freedom must safeguard clergy and faith institutions, including houses of worship, religious schools, religious charities, and the like. No church, synagogue, mosque, or temple — and no minister, pastor, rabbi, imam, or priest — should be compelled by law to participate in a same-sex wedding. At its core, religious freedom — like freedom of speech — is an individual right. Government, therefore, must never force religious individuals to participate in a samesex marriage to which they hold a sincere religious objection. All such anti-religious coercion by government is contrary to the most basic American and Kansan conceptions of freedom. Many legislators in both parties who have been using their best efforts to protect religious freedom have been subjected to unfair and inaccurate criticism about their motives. We know many of these men

and women, and they are dedicated public servants trying to sort through legally and emotionally complex issues. We, therefore, commend all Kansas legislators who have been working together to protect existing religious civil rights and liberties. Finally, we request that all parties to this debate conduct their public discourse with decency and civility. The name-calling, threats, and intimidation to which legislators have been subjected are not appropriate tactics in this or any discussion. We call on everyone to work together in good faith to ensure that, if same-sex marriage becomes law in Kansas, religious freedom does not become a casualty. Charles Allen IV President, The Urban Scholastic Center Most Rev. John B. Brungardt Bishop of Dodge City, Kansas

Reporter Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita@theleaven.com

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

Advertising Coordinator Julie Holthaus julie@theleaven.com

Rev. Benjamin Stephens Senior Pastor, Trinity Temple Church of God in Christ Bishop Lemuel Thuston Kansas East Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ Rev. Eliseo Vega District Presbyter (Kansas Section) Midwest Latin American District Council of the Assemblies of God

Rev. Jim West Lead Pastor, Colonial Presbyterian Church

Rev. Clemente Maldonado District Superintendent, Midwest Latin American District Council of the Assemblies of God

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd@theleaven.com

Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas

Most Rev. Edward J. Weisenburger Bishop of Salina, Kansas

Elder Donald Deshler North American Central Area The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints

Editor Reverend Mark Goldasich, stl frmark@theleaven.com

Dr. Bob Mills Executive Director, Kansas Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists

Rev. Terry Yancey District Superintendent, Kansas District Council of the Assemblies of God

Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $18/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.

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Lessons in style

He has colorful work experience on his resume

In addition to having worked sweeping floors in a factory and running tests in a chemical laboratory as a teenager, the pope also used to work as a bouncer. Later, when he was no longer kicking troublemakers out of clubs, he taught high school literature and psychology, which, he said, helped him discover the secret to bringing people back . . . to church.

Pope’s gestures, choices are teaching moments

Top 10 3

1 4

He has a way with birds

Pope Francis expertly handled a white dove and a green parrot during different general audiences in St. Peter’s Square. According to the pope’s sister, Maria Elena Bergoglio, the future pope had a parrot when he was in the seminary. And because he loved to play jokes, she said, “I wouldn’t put it past him that he taught the little beast a swear word or two instead of how to pray.”

PHOTO BY STEFANO SPAZIANI

NEITHER SNOW NOR RAIN . . .

Wednesday audiences at the Vatican have become the place to be in Rome these days, as historic crowds pack St. Peter’s Square to see the pope. Pope Francis routinely spends more than an hour after his audience traveling around the square, often stopping the popemobile to visit with pilgrims personally. By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

rom the moment Pope Francis, dressed simply in a white cassock, stepped out on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time and bowed, he signaled his pontificate would bring some style differences to the papacy. Some of the style changes are simply a reflection of his personality, he has explained. Others are meant to be a lesson. But sometimes, the two coincide. Answering questions from students last June, he said the Apostolic Palace, where his predecessors lived, “is not that luxurious,” but he decided to live in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, a Vatican guesthouse, “for psychiatric reasons.” Living alone or in an isolated setting “would not do me any good,” he said, because he’s the kind of person who prefers living in the thick of things, “among the people.” However, he added that he tries to live as simply as possible, “to not have many things and to become a bit poorer” like Christ. Unlike his choice of residence, his decision to travel in Rome in a blue Ford Focus instead of one of the Mercedes sedans in the Vatican motor pool was meant to be a message. Meeting with seminarians and novices last July, he said too many people — including religious — think joy comes from possessions, “so they go in quest of the latest model of smartphone, the fastest scooter, the showy car.” “I tell you, it truly grieves me to see a priest or a Sister with the latest model of a car,” he said. For many priests and religious, cars are a necessity, “but choose a more humble car. And if you like the beautiful one, only think of all the children who are dying of hunger.” A few days after his election, Pope Francis told reporters who had covered the conclave, “How I would like a church which is poor and for the poor.”

CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters

A lamb sits around the neck of Pope Francis as he visits a Nativity scene at the Church of St. Alfonso Maria dei Liguori in Rome Jan. 6. Last October, he traveled to the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi and met clients of Catholic charities in the room where St. Francis had stripped off his cloak and renounced his family’s wealth. The pope said he knew some people were expecting him to say or do something similarly shocking with the church’s material goods. Living simply is important, he said, not just out of solidarity with the poor, but because it is so easy to get attached to worldly possessions, turning them into idols. The church, he said in Assisi, “must strip away every kind of worldly spirit, which is a temptation for everyone; strip away every action that is not for God, that is not from God; strip away the fear of opening the doors and going out to encounter all, especially the poorest of the poor, the needy, the remote, without waiting.” The first year of Pope Francis’ pontificate also has been one of encounters.

A pope, like priests around the world, celebrates Mass every day. Before he became very infirm, Blessed John Paul II would invite visiting bishops and special guests to attend his early morning Mass in the chapel of the papal residence. Pope Benedict XVI’s morning Mass generally was more familial, including his secretaries, his butler and the women who ran the apartment. With a much larger chapel in the Domus Sanctae Marthae and more priests and bishops in residence there, Pope Francis has had a larger congregation for his morning Masses. Although the Masses are considered private by the Vatican, Pope Francis has been inviting Vatican employees to attend, beginning with the garbage collectors and gardeners. While transcripts of his morning homilies are not printed in the Vatican’s official daily news bulletin, excerpts are provided by the Vatican newspaper and Vatican Radio.

In the first months of his papacy, especially as the weather warmed up, he’d go for a walk, dropping in on Vatican workers in the garage or the power plant. And, when he has a request of a Vatican office or wants to make sure something he requested is being done, he simply picks up the phone. Every Vatican office — not to mention the Jesuits and other religious orders — has a funny story about someone answering the phone and thinking it’s a joke when they hear, “This is Pope Francis.” But his phone calls go well beyond the inner circle of the Vatican and the church. Pope Francis has called journalists and people either he has read about or who have written to him with stories of suffering and desperation. His telephone calls, in some ways, have taken the place of his Buenos Aires habit of riding public transportation and walking the streets of the poorer neighborhoods to stay in touch with how people really live. While he will pose with pilgrims for photos and “selfies,” reciprocate when given a big hug, sign autographs for children and accept cups of “mate” — an herbal tea popular in parts of Latin America — he learned in Argentina that there are times when the ministry of an archbishop or pope can be used by the powerful, and he has taken steps to make sure that does not happen. At his morning Mass and at his large public liturgies, Pope Francis gives Communion only to the altar servers and deacons, then he sits down and prays. In a 2010 book written with Buenos Aires Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Pope Francis said that at large Masses for special occasions — Masses attended by government officials and leading business people — “I do not give Communion myself; I stay back and I let the ministers give it, because I do not want those people to come to me for the photo op.”

He is a homebody with missionary zeal

Even though he has traveled extensively, the future pope considers himself “a homebody” who easily gets homesick. However, he wanted to join the Society of Jesus because of its image as being “on the frontlines” for the church and its work in mission lands. He wanted to serve as a missionary in Japan, but he said his superiors wouldn’t let him because they were concerned about his past health problems.

things most people don’t know about

Pope Francis By Carol Glatz

he Has an achy back

When the pope was 21, the upper half of his right lung was removed after cysts caused a severe lung infection. While that episode never caused him further health problems, he said his current complaint is sciatica. The worst thing to happen in his first month as pope was “an attack of sciatica,” he said. “I was sitting in an armchair to do interviews and it hurt. Sciatica is very painful, very painful! I don’t wish it on anyone!”

He was a Jesuit Schindler

When then-Father Bergoglio was head of the Jesuit province in Argentina, he ran a clandestine network that sheltered or shuttled to safety people whose lives were in danger during the nation’s murderous military-backed dictatorship.

He was a strong papal contender to benedict in 2005

If the Argentine had been elected pontiff then, he would have chosen the name John after Blessed John XXIII and taken his inspiration from “the Good Pope,” according to Italian Cardinal Francesco Marchisano. However, during the 2013 conclave, Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes told the newly elected pope, “Don’t forget the poor,” and that, the pope said, is when it struck him to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, “the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation.”

he Starts his day at 4:30 a.m.

“I pray the breviary every morning. I like to pray with the psalms. Then, later, I celebrate Mass. I pray the rosary,” he has said. His workday includes reading letters, cards, documents and reports as well as meeting cardinals, bishops, priests and laypeople. He eats lunch between noon and 1 p.m., then rests for about 30 minutes before returning to work. But his favorite part of the day is eucharistic adoration in the evening, when he often falls asleep in prayer. “Between 7 and 8 o’clock, I stay in front of the Blessed Sacrament for an hour in adoration. But I pray mentally even when I am waiting at the dentist or at other times of the day,” he said.

He can juggle a lot of plates

Jesuit Father Juan Carlos Scannone, the pope’s friend and former professor of Greek and literature, said the pope is “a oneman band” who can juggle many different tasks at the same time. “Once I saw him writing an article on the typewriter, then go do his laundry, then receive someone who needed spiritual guidance. Spiritual work, a technician and a manual laborer all at the same time and with the same high quality,” the priest said.

He travels light

When he boarded the papal plane for Brazil last July, people were stunned the pope was carting around his own carry-on bag. What’s inside? “It wasn’t the key for the atom bomb,” he told journalists. “There was a razor, a breviary, an appointment book, a book to read. I brought one about St. Thérèse, to whom I have a devotion. I have always taken a bag with me when traveling — it’s normal.”

he Had his ‘Hog’ help the homeless

Pope Francis briefly owned what became the most expensive 21st-century HarleyDavidson motorbike in the world. Though he prefers walking and cheaper car models, Harley-Davidson gave him a brand new Dyna Super Glide in June that the pope autographed and put up for auction, raising a hefty $326,000 for a Rome soup kitchen and homeless shelter.

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theleaven.com | march 14, 2014

‘Go forth’

Pope Francis constantly reminds everyone to evangelize, help the poor

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

ope Francis’ most frequent advice and exhortation to Catholics — from laypeople in parishes to bishops and cardinals — is: “Go forth.” In Italian, the phrase is even snappier: “Avanti.” As the world’s cardinals gathered at the Vatican in early March 2013 to discuss the needs of the church before they entered the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI, “avanti” was at the heart of a speech by then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The speech captured the imagination of his confrere, Havana Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino, who received permission to share it after Pope Francis was elected. “Put simply, there are two images of the church: a church which evangelizes and goes out of herself” by hearing the word of God with reverence and proclaiming it with faith; and “the worldly church, living within herself, of herself, for herself,” Cardinal Bergoglio told the cardinals before they elected him pope. He also used another image that has become a frequent refrain during his first year as head of the church: “In Revelation, Jesus says that he is at the door and knocks. Obviously, the text refers to his knocking from the outside in order to enter, but I think about the times in which Jesus knocks from within so that we will let him come out.” The need for the church to go out into the world with the Gospel also was the central theme of his first apostolic exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium” (“The Joy of the Gospel”), published last November. In the document, the pope called on Catholics to go out into the world, sharing their faith “with enthusiasm and vitality” by being living examples of joy, love and charity. “An evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral,” he wrote. Over and over during the first year of his pontificate, Pope Francis has asked practicing Catholics to realize the grace they have been given and accept responsibility for helping others

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Pope Francis’ most quotable quotes

“ “ “ “

“

Brothers and sisters, good evening. You all know that the duty of the conclave was to give a bishop to Rome. It seems that my brother cardinals have gone almost to the ends of the earth to get him . . . but here we are.”

Ask yourselves this question: How often is Jesus inside and knocking at the door to be let out, to come out? And we do not let him out because of our own need for security, because so often we are locked into ephemeral structures that serve solely to make us slaves and not free children of God.”

(First words as pope: March 13, 2013)

(First Angelus as pope, March 17, 2013)

Gossip can also kill, because it kills the reputation of the person! It is so terrible to gossip! At first, it may seem like a nice thing, even amusing, like enjoying a candy. But in the end, it fills the heart with bitterness, and even poisons us.”

CNS photo/Paul Haring

experience the same grace — especially the poor, the sick and others left on the “peripheries” or margins of society. The health of the church depends on it, he has said. If Catholics jealously hoard the gift of being loved by God and the joy of salvation, not sharing it with others, “we will become isolated, sterile and sick Christians,” he said in his message for World Mission Sunday 2013. “Each one of us can think of persons who live without hope and are immersed in a profound sadness that they try to escape by thinking they can find happiness in alcohol, drugs, gambling, the power of money, promiscuity,” he told parish leaders from the Diocese of Rome last June. “We who have the joy of knowing that we are not orphans, that we have a father,” cannot be indifferent to those yearning for love and for hope, he said. “With your witness, with your smile,” you need to let others know that the same Father loves them, too.

Even in countries like Italy where the majority of inhabitants have been baptized, most people do not practice their faith. “In the Gospel, there’s the beautiful passage about the shepherd who realizes that one of his sheep is missing, and he leaves the 99 to go out and find the one,” Pope Francis told the parish leaders. “But, brothers and sisters, we have only one. We’re missing 99! We must go out and find them.” Sheep metaphors are frequent in Pope Francis’ speeches and homilies. Urging priests and bishops to spend time among people, he told them they should be “shepherds living with the smell of sheep.” In a morning Mass homily Feb. 14, the feast of the great evangelists Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Pope Francis said Christians always remember they are sheep in Christ’s flock. They must preserve their humility as they go into the world with the Gospel, even if they find themselves among wolves.

“Sometimes, we’re tempted to think, ‘But this is difficult, these wolves are cunning, but I can be more cunning,’” he said. “If you are a lamb, God will defend you, but if you think you’re as strong as the wolf, he won’t, and the wolves will eat you whole.” Celebrating Mass with an estimated 3 million young people at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro last July, Pope Francis said, “Evangelizing means bearing personal witness to the love of God. It is overcoming our selfishness, it is serving by bending down to wash the feet of our brethren, as Jesus did.” The obligation to share the Gospel and care for others comes with baptism, and no one is excused from the task, he said. “Jesus did not say, ‘One of you go,’ but ‘All of you go.’ We are sent together.” Pope Francis told the young people in Rio, as he told others before and since: “Be creative. Be audacious. Do not be afraid.”

(Chrism Mass, March 28, 2013)

(Pentecost vigil, May 18, 2013)

The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for forgiveness.”

Pope Francis meets with the poor in 2013 at the archbishop’s residence in Assisi, Italy. Pope Francis’ most frequent advice and exhortation to Catholics is: “Go forth.”

“

This is precisely the reason for the dissatisfaction of some, who end up sad — sad priests — in some sense becoming collectors of antiques or novelties, instead of being shepherds living with ‘the odor of the sheep.’ This I ask you: Be shepherds, with the ‘odor of the sheep,’ make it real, as shepherds among your flock, fishers of men.”

(Angelus, Feb. 16)

“

Men and women are sacrificed to the idols of profit and consumption: It is the ‘culture of waste.’ If a computer breaks, it is a tragedy, but poverty, the needs and dramas of so many people end up being considered normal. . . . When the stock market drops 10 points in some cities, it constitutes a tragedy. Someone who dies is not news, but lowering income by 10 points is a tragedy! In this way, people are thrown aside as if they were trash.” (General audience, June 5, 2013)

The perfect family doesn’t exist, nor is there a perfect husband or a perfect wife, and let’s not talk about the perfect mother-in-law! It’s just us sinners.” A healthy family life requires frequent use of three phrases: “May I? Thank you, and I’m sorry” and “never, never, never end the day without making peace.”

“

You may know all the commandments, all the prophesies, all the truths of the faith, but if this isn’t put into practice, is not translated into works, it serves nothing.”

(Meeting with engaged couples, Feb. 14)

(Mass, Feb. 21)

“

An evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral.” (“Evangelii Gaudium,” Nov. 24, 2013)

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Young Jesuits share their talents with the archdiocese and their insights into our Jesuit pope

Bill McCormick, nSJ:

Centering yourself on something other than yourself — namely, Christ — means to live for and through Christ. You live for Christ because he is our great goal as Christians, and through Christ because only his grace is enough. Now, Christ is not only other than you, but beyond you. What this means is that every Christian in centering himself on Christ is being pulled outside of himself, for he must follow Christ. Francis has made this idea concrete with his every action as pope. First, in emphasizing the pope’s role as servant rather than leader, he has underlined that no earthly authority trumps Christ. Second, his call for Christians to live with joy and hope — a joy and hope that Francis radiates — calls us out of our narrow, sometimes selfobsessed introspection and back to the Resurrection. Third, his push for the church to live with evangelical zeal rather than institutional security reminds us that the church exists for all of the children of God.

t’s only been a year since Cardinal Bergoglio walked out onto the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square as Pope Francis — and the first Jesuit pope in the history of the Catholic Church. But during that time we have learned a lot about him — especially how his training and experience as a Jesuit informs everything from his understanding of service to his relationship with Christ. Since all Jesuits spend many years in formation learning to think, pray, and serve just as the pope has, The Leaven invited the six Jesuit novices from the New Orleans Province who ministered here in the archdiocese recently to share how Pope Francis illustrates the basic principles of Jesuit spirituality. But first we had to catch up with all of them — assigned, as they were, to various “mission” assignments in the Kansas City area. They are pictured below preparing breakfasts for the hungry at Morning Glory Ministries at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Mo.

Living in community is an important part of Jesuit life. How do you see Pope Francis making up for this loss of “community” when he became pope, as you have come to understand it?

Nick Courtney, nSJ: One of the main advantages of living in community is the experience of sharing your life with people of very different backgrounds and personalities. Wendell Berry emphasizes that one does not choose the members of his or her community, but finds himself or herself among them. This is how Jesuit community works, and such unchosen relationships are part of what challenge us to find God in new ways and to have a center outside of our own perspectives. In these respects, Pope Francis seems to be very intent on surrounding himself with people who will provide that challenging atmosphere; his living at

Nick Courtney, nSJ

Hometown: New Orleans Age: 26 Years in novitiate: First year Assignment in the archdiocese: Chaplaincy at Providence Hospital; Turnaround program in Kansas City, Mo.

the crossroads of the Vatican only furthers that goal. Still, I think his humility, openness, and genuine love for people demonstrate that the gifts community offers are already deeply planted in Pope Francis’ spirit and are bearing much fruit for the church.

Novice master Father Mark Thibodeaux, SJ, far right, and his assistant Father Jim Goeke, SJ (in gray sweatshirt), have brought their novices from the Province of New Orleans to the archdiocese for the last several years. The group lived with Father Harry Schneider, rector of the Cathedral of Kansas City, Kan., and ministered throughout the Kansas City area during their six-week stay.

Q. Discernment is a churchy word, but is fundamental to the way Jesuits make decisions. First, could you explain briefly what Jesuits mean by discernment, then say how you see the pope exhibiting the kind of discernment you are encouraged to do.

Colten Biro, nSJ: Discernment certainly is a big topic, but basically it is the skill and practice of discovering God’s desires for us within our own desires and experience of Christ. . . . So where do we see this in Francis? There are a lot of little things that Fran-

Bill McCormick, nSJ

Hometown: Raymondville, Texas Age: 29 Years in novitiate: First year Assignment in the archdiocese: Resurrection School and Providence Hospital, Kansas City, Kan.

cis says and does that demonstrate his centering in prayer and in discernment. He wakes up very early to spend time in prayer before he begins his day, which shows the centrality of prayer in his life. Every now and then, he says little things that demonstrate a definite reliance upon the Spirit, which shows a spiritual freedom which comes from listening carefully to God’s great desires for you (and in Francis’ case, listening also to God’s great desires for the church). . . . One other thing to note about Francis and discernment is that he seems to be fearless. The clearest example of

someone having full faith in the Spirit’s guidance is a freedom that transcends fear. We see that in Francis. In fact, if there was one thing that inspires me, it would be his peace and fearlessness. In Argentina, he washed and kissed the feet of AIDS patients. Now in one of the most public roles on earth, he doesn’t hide behind bulletproof glass — he reaches out and fearlessly touches others.

The Jesuits have been described in the past as the intellectual shock troops of the Vatican. Yet

Jonathan Calloway, nSJ

Hometown: Morristown, Tenn. Age: 26 Years in novitiate: First year Assignment in the archdiocese: Journey to New Life and Resurrection School

Pope Francis had some hard acts to follow in the smarts department. What did he say or do that suddenly made you realize the breadth and depth of his learning?

Jonathan Calloway, nSJ:

Although the Jesuits are known for our intellectualism, I believe there is also a side of us that reflects a heart for simplicity. Pope Francis is an educated man, but I see much of his learning in his unlearning. His theology draws us to God in a way that is refreshingly simple, even childlike. For me, Pope Francis’ washing the feet of prisoners

Daniel Everson, nSJ

Hometown: St. Louis Age: 23 Years in novitiate: 6 months Assignment in the archdiocese: Southwest Boulevard Family Health CARE and Journey to New Life.

on Holy Thursday was a poignant example of his theology: God is love, and love is experienced in giving yourself to others. It is a profoundly simple and beautiful concept.

The goal of every good Jesuit is, ironically, to center himself on that which is other than himself. Could you explain that concept, and then name a couple ways in which you see Pope Francis doing that, which could serve as an example to every Catholic on the planet?

Michael Mohr, nSJ

Hometown: Baton Rouge, La. Age: 26 Years in novitiate: First year Assignment in the archdiocese: Bishop Ward High School. Kansas City, Kan.

The Jesuits have also been described as contemplatives in action, yet that seems to be an oxymoron. What has that phrase traditionally meant to the order and, in particular, what light has Pope Francis’ example shed on your understanding of it?

Michael Mohr, nSJ: “Contemplatives in action” quite simply means that Jesuits live a life in tension. It is a careful balance with which I struggle daily. For the order, it quite simply means that we live a life of discernment, constantly called to reflect on our actions through prayer. Ignatius stressed that every Jesuit should, if nothing else, pray the “examen” twice daily. This prayer invites the Spirit to help us remember the presence of God in our life, to reflect on the ways we have experienced Christ throughout our day, to confront the ways we have failed to respond adequately to him,

Colten Biro, nSJ

Hometown: Lafayette, La. Age: 25 Years in novitiate: Five-and-a-half months. Assignment in the archdiocese: Cristo Rey and Journey to New Life, a new agency that helps recently released prisoners to reenter society.

and to seek pardon and grace in moving forward through the day to respond more generously to Christ’s invitation. Pope Francis’ prayer life, as he once stated, is a prayer “full of recollection.” When we reflect on our actions, particularly when we seek to find God in them, our daily experience becomes prayerful. It helps Jesuits, the pope, and all people to invite Christ into their mundane experience of the world and to see that God is in all things at all times. While the tension exists between prayer and work, the Spirit helps unify the two to make all action well discerned in the Spirit of God.

Even the average Catholic in the pew could tell you by now why Pope Francis could be described as radically pastoral. But how has he made that concept more concrete for you? How will you change how you move forward in your formation as a result?

Daniel Everson, nSJ: I think of the way Pope Francis visited a prison on Holy Thursday and washed the inmates’ feet, including the feet of two Muslims. I think of his flight home from World Youth Day, when he emphasized the need to integrate gay persons into our church and our society. I think of the ways he has reached out to atheists and non-Catholics. We so often think about what’s worrisome or what’s wrong with these groups of people. But when Francis encounters these people — as when Francis encounters anyone, it seems — he first sees what is right about them. He sees them as children of God, and he loves them. This is radically pastoral, and it affects the way I see people, starting right here in this diocese. We visit the Lansing Correctional Facility every Wednesday and, on each visit, I have a chance to view the inmates not as criminals but as children of God. I aim to respect them and love them just as Francis would — and just as God would.

Photos by

Joe McSorley

10 local news

theleaven.com | march 14, 2014

Run with it Topeka parishes collaborate to strengthen 5K fundraisers By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

Le Tour de Parish — upcoming events

OPEKA — When a couple of Topeka parishes hit on an idea that might help their 5K races take off even faster, they ran with it — and they’re hoping others will lace up their shoes and join them. Runners can now find six 5K runs to race this year — all of which support Topeka churches — through a new collaboration called Le Tour de Parish. The various churches had already been holding the races on their own. But this coordinated plan helped them line up their events so people can participate in all of them, and they can cross-promote and support one another. The Mater Dei Irish Fest 5K Fun Run on March 15 will launch the series of races — and runners may register the night of March 14 or the morning of March 15 if they’d still like to participate. (See info box for details.) “We wanted to pool our resources and really try and make all of these events something that competitive runners can come to, as well as parishioners,” said Christopher Schulz. Schulz helps coordinate the Irish Fest Fun Run and also coaches track at Mater Dei School and works with the Topeka Parochial League’s track program. “What better way to help one another out than to combine our efforts a little bit?” said Cari Phillips, who coordinates the Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish Brat Trot 5K. Running 5Ks has really taken off for quite a few people, and this set of Catholic events can help people inside and outside these parishes set running goals over the next several months, she added. The conversation started several months ago between Phillips and Carrie Jo Gros, coordinator of the SummerFest 5K for Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish. Their two parishes’ runs had ended up taking place on the same day for a

March 15: Mater Dei Irish Fest 5K Fun Run (See info box for details) May 17: Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish SummerFest 5K May 31: Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish Brat Trot 5K June 28: Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Fiesta Mexicana 5K Sept. 6: Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish Holy Smokin’ 5K Oct. 25: St. Matthew Parish Fall Festival 5K For information on this collaboration among parishes, visit the Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ TourDeParish.

Despite wet conditions, last year’s Irish Fest Fun Run drew a huge crowd. couple of years, and the Sunflower Striders Running Club suggested they coordinate with one another and schedule them so people could participate in both, said Gros. Out of that discussion, the idea for Le Tour de Parish was born. Organizers are especially looking forward to using a brand-new timing system they purchased that will benefit not only these events — collecting times throughout the series — but the young runners who participate in the Topeka Parochial League’s running program. People who would like to participate in all or most of the upcoming races may purchase a Tour de Parish T-shirt for $12, and that shirt will serve as a keepsake “passport” of sorts. They can mark off which of the races they’ve run. Organizers hope many people will mark off at least five — if not all six. “You can wear your passport with pride around town,” said Gros. The T-shirts are the group’s source of funding; Le Tour de Parish won’t pull from the proceeds of the races. They

want to make sure the entry fees for the individual parish fundraisers do what they’re intended to do: benefit the parishes. Le Tour de Parish plans to have an information booth at each of this year’s 5Ks, where people can learn more and add their names to the database. Additional information is available on its Facebook page at: www.facebook. com/TourDeParish. The group hopes 2014 is just the starting line for Tour de Parish. Leaders envision a thriving organization that serves as a resource to each of the races. Some of the races are bigger — often tied into festivals and food celebrations — while some are smaller. And runners have the opportunity to experience what makes each special. Schulz and his wife decided they would try to run every race this year — and they look forward to both the physical fitness and the fellowship. “They can run hand in hand,” he said. “One of the greatest things about the races themselves is that they run

Irish Fest Fun Run — important note The Irish Fest 5K Fun Run, which benefits Mater Dei School, starts at 9 a.m. on March 15. The entry fee is $25 per participant, and the Knights of Columbus offer a post-race pancake feed. Late registration will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on March 14, and race-day registration runs from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. on March 15 — both dates in the Mater Dei Assumption Church basement at Eighth Street and Jackson in Topeka. The 5K race (and a 2.5K route for walkers) on March 15 kicks off the annual Irish Fest in downtown Topeka, which benefits Mater Dei Parish. For more information, visit the website at: www.irishfestfunrun. com.

through the communities in which the parishes live,” said Gros. “You’re running through areas where the people who go to those parishes live. It gives you a sense of the community.”

local news 11

march 14, 2014 | theleaven.com

Archbishop promotes ‘culture of encounter’

>> Continued from page 3

that he met Mother Teresa. “She was very frail, very small. . . . Most of the time I was with her, she said, ‘Pray for the Sisters, pray for the Sisters.’ [And I thought] Why do you want a bunch of dirty politicians to be praying for the Sisters? You pray for us, I thought,” said Brownback. “She was asking for the most valuable thing I could give her.” “I was taking her out to her car . . . and she grabs my hand, stares me in the eye, and says three words, four times: ‘All for Jesus! All for Jesus! All for Jesus! All for Jesus!’” he continued. “The car door shut and the car drove away, and I thought, ‘I just got the wisdom of the universe in three words.’” Pearce, who became Catholic in 1989, told the story of his conversion. He grew up nominally Protestant in a family that had no life of faith. As a member of neo-Nazi and white nationalist political movements, he ended up with two prison terms due to his activities. While in prison, he began to consider the Catholic faith. “When you get so far into these things, the most irrational and most evil seems rational to you,” he said. A big part of his conversion was

the interest he developed in the Catholic writer G. K. Chesterton. Eventually, Pearce became a Catholic, married a Catholic, and moved to the United States. Today, he is a writer-in-residence and professor of humanities at a number of Catholic universities. Sutulovich, a 1996 graduate of Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kan., talked about his professional sports career and growth in the knowledge and love of his Catholic faith. Sutulovich became motivated to learn more about his Catholic faith after hearing it libeled at his fiancee’s family’s evangelical church. “I felt like I had my brains bashed in for an hour solid,” he said. What he heard was misleading, untrue, inaccurate and out of context — and it made him mad. “I said, ‘This is it, I’ve had enough. I’m going to learn my faith and do whatever I need to do to get it done,’” he said. “I’m drawing a line in the sand right here. The next time I see that man, it’s going to spew out of me like a faucet, and he’s not going to be able to take it.” Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann concluded the event with a talk on the new evangelization. “We all have a great story to tell,” said the archbishop. “Part of what I

think is essential for the new evangelization — which the church has been summoning us to for two decades — is for us to become aware of what that story is — the way in which the Lord has worked in each of our lives.” Pope Francis, he said, talks about a “culture of encounter” — that in every encounter with others, we have an opportunity to bring Christ’s love. The new evangelization is about the “culture of encounter,” meeting people on their own terms and trying to understand their difficulties and joys. “No one is going to care about what we think or believe if they don’t first believe that we truly care about them,” said Archbishop Naumann. “This new evangelization has to begin with prayer,” he continued. “I would ask you — as homework from this day of Men Under Construction — to do this simple exercise: to spend some time in prayer tomorrow or sometime during the coming week. Ask the Lord in your prayer, ‘Lord, who are you calling me to be an instrument of your grace [for] at this particular moment in my life and their life?’” Archbishop Naumann ended the day with a final prayer and blessing.

Joan and Bill Fuhrman, members of St. Benedict Parish, Bendena, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on March 17. The couple was married on March 17, 1954, at the cathedral in St. Joseph, Mo., by Msgr. Charles Nowland. Their children and their spouses are: Al and Nancy Fuhrman, Severance; Chuck Fuhrman, Severance; Jeff and Brenda Fuhrman, Highland; Matt and Beth Fuhrman, Rochester, Minn.; Cindy and Steve Krug, St. Joseph, Mo.; Laura Caton, St. Joseph, Mo.; and Susan and Marshall Willey, Wichita. They also have 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. To celebrate, a family dinner is planned. Cards can be sent to the honorees at 1356 Hwy. 120, Severance, KS 66087.

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Irish eyes are smiling when you journey to Ireland with an Irishman! Complete tour of the entire Emerald Isle April 30 - May 13 Call Gerry at (913) 648-1560 Pilgrimage in France - Sept. 8 - 13, 2014. Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Bernadette, healing baths, St. John Vianney, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, St. Thérèse, beaches of Normandy (70th anniversary), Mont St. Michel, Our Lady of Pontmain, St. Catherine Laboure, St. Vincent de Paul, Paris. Chaplain: Fr. Ernie Davis, St. Therese Little Flower Kansas City. $4,559. Send an email to: frernie3@gmail. com or call (816) 444-5406.

REAL ESTATE Wanted to buy - Houses that need an upgrade or are very old that you’re having difficulty selling or are in need of selling quickly. I can pay cash within 20 days. Please call Mark Edmondson at (913) 980-4905. Holy Trinity Parish member. Own Your Own Lodge - Approximately 5,860 square feet. Perfect for large families or a business getaway. 240 feet of lake frontage. Seasonal, summer or winter. Three stone fireplaces, 3 master suites with 3 additional bedrooms, 6 baths, 2 wet bars, 3 living areas for family and friends. Fully furnished. 3-well oversized dock. Sunrise Beach, Mo., in the Ozarks. $695,000. Call (913) 208-8074.

for RENT For rent - Shawnee home for rent; ranch, 3 BR, 1.5 BA. Very nice, $1,200 per month. Contact Ken at (913) 4846942.

for sale Residential lifts - Buy/sell/trade. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. Recycled and new equipment. Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood. Call Silver Cross KC at (913) 327-5557. For sale - First Communion dress sets for 18” or American Girl dolls. Includes dress, veil, shoes, tights, and cross necklace. Full line of doll clothes and accessories in south Johnson County. Will mail anywhere if needed. Call Patty at (913) 345-9498. For sale - 3 cemetery lots. Good location, St. Mary’s Cemetery, Louisburg. $600 each. Call (913) 904-4122. For sale - Religious items, rosaries, statues in various sizes of porcelain and carved wood, misc. Holy Cross Parishioner. Call Mary Grace at (913) 579-0279. For sale - 1890 furniture from England and France. Needlepoint ottomans. All very good condition. Other furniture, paintings, 1950s Evening in Paris perfumes etc., lots of jewelry, household items. Many Tiffany-style lamps. Replica of 15th-century leaded-glass Ciprian dining room table, 4 Eastlake chairs. More. Holy Cross parishioner. Call Mary Grace at (913) 385-0309 or send an email to: marygraceboreen@kc.rr.com.

wanted to buy Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, lighters, fountain pens, post card collections, paintings/prints, pottery, sterling, china dinnerware. Renee Maderak, (913) 631-7179. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee Antiques wanted - Old canning jars, pop bottles, pharmaceutical bottles, old boxes of ammunition, old cash register. Call (913) 593-7507. 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.

MISCELLANEOUS Our Lady of Hope. Catholics with an Anglican and Methodist heritage. Formal and friendly. Visitors welcome. Mass Saturdays at 4 p.m., St. Therese Little Flower, 5814 Euclid, Kansas City, Mo. Fulfills Sunday obligation. Father Ernie Davis. Dr. Bruce Prince-Joseph, organist. For more information, send an email to: frernie3@gmail.com or call (816) 729-6776.

Cost to advertise is: $17.50 for five lines or less; $1.50 each additional line; Email: julie@ theleaven.com; Phone: (913) 647-0327

calendar 13

march 14, 2014 | theleaven.com

March An Irish celebration will be held March 15 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 606 S. Elm, Louisburg. A corned beef and Irish stew dinner will be served, and entertainment will be provided by Michael O’Laughlin of Irish Roots Cafe. The cost to attend is $10 for adults; $5 for children. There will also be a silent auction and a quilt auction.

A memorial liturgy for deceased loved ones will be held at 8 a.m. on March 15 at Curé of Ars Parish, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. Following the Mass, the bereavement ministry will have its monthly support meeting in the Father Burak Room. The topic will focus on carrying your cross during grief. For more information, call (913) 649-2026. Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher will celebrate the archdiocesan monthly prolife Mass at 8 a.m. on March 15 at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, 44 N. Mill, Kansas City, Kan. Immediately following Mass is a rosary procession to an abortion clinic approximately four blocks away. Eucharistic adoration is available for those not processing. Benediction concludes services by 9:45 a.m. The third annual Mater Dei Irish Fest and 5K Fun Run will be held on March 15 at Mater Dei Assumption Church, 8th and Jackson, Topeka. Both events will begin at 9 a.m. The cost to attend the fun run/walk is $25. For more information, visit the website at: www.materdeiirishfest.com. The SociaLIGHT Committee of Christ the King Church, 3024 N. 53rd St., Kansas City, Kan., will host a corned beef and cabbage dinner following 5:30 p.m. Mass on March 15. All proceeds will benefit this year’s annual ice cream social. St. Patrick’s Day taco bingo will be held from 6:15 - 7:15 p.m. on March 15 at Msgr. Mejak Hall, 513 Ohio, Kansas City, Kan. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., following a 4 p.m. Mass in the Holy Family gym. Bingo starts 7:30 p.m. The cost to attend is a $15 donation, which includes one taco dinner, coffee, cold beverages and one bingo card. For tickets, call Sandy Sachen Cannon at (913) 396-1564 or the church office at (913) 371-1561. Attendees must be age 21 and over. The Prince of Peace Knights of Columbus, Council 7909, will host a St. Patrick’s Day dinner in the parish hall, 16000 W. 143rd St., Olathe, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. on March 15. The menu includes corned beef, cabbage, roasted root vegetables, Irish soda bread, desserts, beverages, and a special menu item for children. The cost to attend is $8 for adults; $5 for children. The Singles of Nativity will host a St. Patrick’s dance on March 15 from 7 - 11 p.m. at Church of the Nativity Parish hall, 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood. The cost to attend is $25 at the door; $20 for those wearing green. There will be a baked potato bar, desserts, and drinks. Music will be provided by the Loose Change Band. For more information, send an email to Ivette at: iarangomaps@gmail.com.

St. Michael Parish, Axtell, will host a soup supper and auction at the parish hall, 605 Elm St., from 5 - 8 p.m. on March 16. The cost to attend is: $6 for adults; $3 for children ages 6 - 12; $1 for children under 6. There will also be children’s games, a country store, and a cakewalk for everyone to enjoy. The auction will begin at 8 p.m.

St. Benedict Parish, Atchison, will host a St. Patrick’s Irish Fest on March 22. A 5K and 10K trail run and pancake breakfast will begin at 8 a.m. The cost to attend the run is $30. For a registration form, send an email to: john son.brooke@att.net. For more information, call Brooke Johnson at (913) 683-8027 or Jason Johnson at (913) 683-8029.

St. Patrick Parish, 302 Boyle St., Scranton, will host a feast day dinner on March 16 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetable, coleslaw, roll, pie and drink will be served. The cost to attend is $7 for adults; $4 for children ages 5 and under. There will also be a quilt raffle.

Deepen your Lenten prayer journey on the beautiful grounds of Sanctuary of Hope, 2601 Ridge Ave., Kansas City, Kan. Join Sister Therese Steiner, SCL, to pray with the Scriptures that lead up to Easter on March 22 from 9 a.m. - noon. The cost to attend is a suggested donation of $20. Scholarships are available. Call Sanctuary of Hope to sign up at (913) 321-HOPE. For more information, visit the website at: www.sanctuaryofhope. org.

St. Patrick Church, Emerald, will host a corned beef cabbage dinner on March 16 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Live music will be provided by Tullamore. The cost to attend is a freewill donation. A St. Joseph Table spaghetti dinner will be held March 16 from noon - 3 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Peter, 409 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kan. Homemade baked items, wine, fruit baskets and religious items from the table will be available for purchase. The cost to attend is a freewill donation. The March rosary rally in honor of Our Lady of Fatima will be held March 16 from 3 - 4:15 p.m. at Holy Family Parish, 274 Orchard, Kansas City, Kan. All are welcome to attend. For dates of future rallies, visit the website at: www.rosaryrallieskc. org. The Daughters of Isabella, St. Faustina Circle, Gardner, will meet March 17 at the Divine Mercy Parish center, 120 E. Warren, Gardner. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the meeting will begin at 7 p.m. For more information, call Judy Hadle at (913) 884-7321 or send an email to Gini Liveley at: ginil@kc.rr.com.

The Altar Society of Annunciation Church, 740 N. 6th St., Baldwin City, will host a potato bar and silent auction on March 17 from 5 - 7 p.m. The cost to attend is a freewill donation. The bereavement support group at Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe, will meet March 20 at 7 p.m. in the faculty lounge. Father Gary Pennings is the speaker. Anyone in need of support during this difficult journey is welcome.

A Mass with prayers for healing, sponsored by archdiocesan charismatic prayer groups, will be held at 7:30 p.m. on March 20 in the Father Burak Room at Curé of Ars Parish, Leawood. Father Anthony Ouellette will preside. For more information, call (913) 649-2026. The 2014 Symposium for Advancing the New Evangelization 21-22 will be held March 21 - 22 at Benedictine College, Atchison. Keynote speakers are Dr. Denis McNamara, assistant director of the Liturgical Institute, University of St. Mary of the Lake; Dr. David Bentley Hart, author, theologian, philosopher and cultural commentator; and Dr. Regis Martin, professor of theology, Veritas Center for Ethics in Public Life, Franciscan University of Steubenville. For information or to register, visit the website at: www.benedictine.edu/ ima.

The Axtell Knights of Columbus, Council 1163, will host their annual boiled shrimp and smoked pork chop dinner at the Axtell Community Building on March 22 from 5 - 8:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $15 in advance; $17 at the door. The cost to attend for children ages 6 - 13 is $7 in advance; $8 at the door. For tickets, call Craig Ronnebaum at (785) 268-0393, Bill Buessing at (785) 736-2390, any K of C member, Peschel’s Food Mart, CJ Express, Henry’s Liquor Store, or Hometown Lumber. All proceeds will benefit various charities. Queen of the Holy Rosary Church, 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park, will host a fundraiser for Honor Flight KC on March 22 from 6 9:30 p.m. Music will be provided by Harvest Moon. Food and drink will be available, plus a silent auction. Honor Flight KC flies veterans to Washington, D.C., for a free to visit to reflect on war memorials. Bring a veteran, honor a veteran or come have a good time. All proceeds of the event will benefit Honor Flight KC. Annunciation Parish, Frankfort, will host a fried chicken dinner and country store on March 23 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $9 for adults; $4 for children ages 10 and younger. Takeout meals will be available by calling (785) 292-4351 the day of the dinner, or by calling the parish office in the morning at (785) 292-4462.

The winner of the 6th-grade essay contest on vocations will be announced and will present his or her essay at noon on March 26 at the KCK Serra Club meeting. The meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5th and Minnesota, Kansas City, Kan.

Legion of Mary — Spouse of the Holy Spirit Curia invites all active and auxiliary members, both adult and junior, to attend the annual Acies ceremony on March 23 at 3 p.m. in the Holy Angels chapel, 15408 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor. The ceremony will conclude with Benediction and will be followed by a reception in Father Quinlan Hall. Anyone interested in finding out more about the Legion of Mary is also invited to attend. A grief and loss support program for persons encountering the loss of an infant — due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or early infant death — is being offered on four upcoming Thursday evenings (March

27, April 3, 10 and 24) from 7 - 9 p.m. Couples or individuals are welcome. For more information or reservations, contact Mary Helen Dennihan at (913) 491-4268 or send an email to: dennihan6@kc.rr.com. The Christian Widow and Widowers Organization will host a potluck dinner at 5 p.m. in the Formation Room at Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish, 17th and Stone, Topeka. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call (785) 272-0055. A women’s day of reflection, “Unleashing the Power to Conquer Your Demons: Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving,” will be sponsored by the Daughters of Isabella on March 29 from 8 a.m. to noon in the Social Room at Holy Trinity Church, 9150 Pflumm, Lenexa. All women are invited to be a part of this Lenten opportunity to pray, listen and reflect. The guest speaker will be Troy Hinkel, an instructor with the School of Faith. The cost to attend is $10 per person; $15 at the door. Send payment by mail to: Pat Wineland, 8914 Renee, Lenexa, KS 66215. For more information, call (913) 219-4731.

Cristo Rey Kansas City High School will host the 8th annual Dancing with the Kansas City Stars at 6 p.m. on March 29 at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center. To reserve a seat or to vote for a star, visit the website at: www. dancingwiththekansascitystars.org. For more information, call Meghan Tallman at (816) 457-6044. The Catholic Men’s Conference of Wichita will be held March 29 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. in the St. Francis of Assisi Parish gym, Wichita. The featured speaker will be apologist and Holy Land travel guide Steve Ray. Also speaking will be Jake Samour and James Lewis. The cost to attend is a suggested donation of $25, which includes lunch. To register, visit the website at: catholicmenICT2014.eventbrite.com. For more information, call Rick Riggs at (316) 461-6481. Father Kent O’Connor will present the “Jesus” concert, a multimedia presentation of music, reflections, and images about the person of Jesus Christ on March 31 at 7 p.m. The concert will be held at Sacred Heart Church, 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kan. There is no cost to attend; however, a collection will be taken up for Our Lady of Unity School. All are invited to attend.

Summer Saint Thomas Aquinas High School offers a variety of camps for grades K-8. Sportsrelated camps include baseball, football and strength training, basketball, soccer, cross country, cheer, speed and agility, volleyball (individual and team) and wrestling from June 2 - Aug. 9. Costs range from $50 to $100. Saint Thomas Aquinas also offers several non-athletic camps from May 28 - July 27, including: “Act Like a Saint,” designed for aspiring actors entering grades 5-8; chess for grades 3-8; and two cooking classes — cake decorating for grades 5-12 and kids in the kitchen for grades 3-8. Costs range from $35 to $85. For more information, call (913) 319-2416 or send an email to: www. stasaints.net/summercamps.

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14 commentary Scripture Readings

theleaven.com | march 14, 2014

mark my words

second week of lent March 16 second SUNDAY OF LENT Gn 12: 1-4a Ps 33: 4-5, 18-20, 22 2 Tm 1: 8b-10 Mt 17: 1-9 March 17 Patrick, bishop Dn 9: 4b-10 Ps 79: 8-9, 11, 13 Lk 6: 36-38 March 18 Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop, doctor of the church Is 1: 10, 16-20 Ps 50: 8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23 Mt 23: 1-12 March 19 JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 2 Sm 7: 4-5a, 12-14a, 16 Ps 89: 2-5, 27, 29 Rom 4: 13, 16-18, 22 Mt 1: 16, 18-21, 24a March 20 Thursday Jer 17: 5-10 Ps 1: 1-4, 6 Lk 16: 19-31 March 21 Friday Gn 37: 3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a Ps 105: 16-21 Mt 21: 33-43, 45-46 March 22 Saturday Mi 7: 14-15, 18-20 Ps 103: 1-4, 9-12 Lk 15: 1-3, 11-32

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What are you waiting for? Avanti!

vanti! According to Catholic News Service reporter Cindy Wooden, this Italian word — meaning, “Go forth!” — is one most frequently used by Pope Francis. It’s his call for Catholics to go out into the world and share their faith by living in joy and charity. I’d put a finer spin on it, though. For me, “go forth” can sound like marching orders issued by a commander to his troops. While they head off blithely to do his bidding, the commander stays safely in the background. That’s certainly not the case with this pope. Instead, I see him using the Italian word, “Andiamo,” which means, “Let’s go!” or “Hurry up!” Francis is there with the troops, so to speak, eagerly leading the charge. What a year it’s been since Pope Francis’s election last year. Every day, it seems, he says something that challenges me to become a more authentic Christian. I sometimes feel like the husband in the following story: After his annual physical, a guy said to his doctor, “No big, complicated medical terms. Just give me your

Father Mark Goldasich Father Mark Goldasich is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989. diagnosis in plain English.” “OK,” said the doctor. “You’re overweight, have high cholesterol and high blood pressure from bad eating habits, you sit around too much, and you have only yourself to blame.” “Right,” said the man. “Now, can you give me some big, complicated medical terms so I can explain all this to my wife?” Pope Francis, while not in any way discounting the importance of the doctrines of our faith, doesn’t let us hide behind any lofty or complex words or concepts. Want to become a saint? Then, he says, “purposely avoid gossip.” Lusting after the latest technological gadget? “The

culture of prosperity deadens us; we are thrilled if the market offers us something new to purchase. In the meantime, all those lives stunted for lack of opportunity seem a mere spectacle; they fail to move us.” Regularly toss food? “Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of those who are poor and hungry.” Couldn’t care less about the crisis in the Ukraine or the latest local murder? “The culture of comfort, which makes us think only of ourselves, makes us insensitive to the cries of other people, makes us live in soap bubbles, which, however lovely, are unsubstantial.” Please, Pope Francis, could you please be less clear in your teaching? Can’t we just form another focus group or committee and sit around complaining about the state of the world? I’m begging you not to ask us to roll up our sleeves and actually get to work at creating “a poor church for the poor.” Before he was elected pope, Francis said: “When the Church does not come out of herself to evangelize,

she becomes self-referential and then gets sick. . . . In Revelation, Jesus says that he is at the door and knocks. Obviously, the text refers to his knocking from the outside in order to enter, but I think about the times in which Jesus knocks from within so that we will let him come out. The self-referential Church keeps Jesus Christ within herself and does not let him out.” Well, Francis has certainly thrown open that door to let Christ out . . . and he wants us to do the same. He asks us to engage the world, not be afraid of it or beat it over the head. In a recent message to the Vatican Congregation for Bishops, he urged church leaders (and, by extension, all Christians) to “appeal to the world to charm it with the beauty of love [and] to seduce it with the freedom bestowed by the Gospel.” On his first anniversary, say a quick prayer for the pope. Then hit the streets. Francis is calling, “Avanti! Andiamo!” And he’s already way ahead of us at helping the world be charmed by Christ.

In the beginning

Lord’s design answers individual’s and community’s needs

efore coming to Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park, I served as pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lansing. When I told people that, they would sometimes ask, “Lansing, Michigan?” I would answer, “No, Lansing, Kansas.” There is more than one Lansing, just as there are several cities by the name of Springfield in the United States. It was a similar situation with the home town of Abram, later called Abraham. He originated from the city of Ur, which the Bible specified as Ur of the Chaldeans, to distinguish it from the other Ur (Gn 11:31). The same passage in Genesis informs us that Abram later moved to the city of Haran, close to the modern-day Turkish-Syrian

Father Mike Stubbs Father Mike Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University. border. But he was not to remain there long. Sunday’s first reading, Gn 12:1-4a, focuses upon the Lord’s call to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.” People will move away from the city where their family lives for various reasons. Sometimes, it is economic. A job opportu-

Pope francis A new comic book hero is fighting for truth, justice and the Christian way. “Pope Francis: I Believe in Mercy” is a new biography written by Regina Doman, a Front Royal, Va., resident and parishioner at St. John the Baptist Church. Sean Lam, an artist based in Singapore, illustrated the book in the Japanese style of comics, manga.

nity lands them in another part of the country. Sometimes, a young married couple will move away to establish some distance between them and the inlaws, to gain more independence. And in some extreme cases, a person will move away from his or her family to escape destructive behavior and bad influences. The passage in Genesis does not mention any of these reasons. It explains the Lord’s call to Abram to leave as flowing from the Lord’s desire to “make of you a great nation.” However, later Jewish tradition elaborated upon that motive. It held that Abram’s father made his living by fashioning idols and operating a shop that sold them. The Lord’s call to Abram to leave his father’s house

“For a long time, I have been looking for an opportunity to get involved in a more visual project,” said Doman, a writer whose background is in television production. The book, released in August, is an attempt to “evangelize the culture,” she said. It is particularly intended for audiences like college-age men, who are key consumers of manga. Until a few years ago, Doman herself didn’t know much about manga. She learned quickly after Manga

would take him away from a harmful environment that promoted the worship of false gods. The Lord called Abram to leave, not only as part of a plan to create the nation of Israel, but also to help Abram grow spiritually. The Lord wanted to free Abram from the bad influences of home. That is the way God works. When God calls us, it often fits into a larger design, to serve the community, to benefit the world. At the same time, that call also beckons us to grow spiritually, to deepen our trust in God. In answering God’s call, we will find blessings. (When the Lord speaks to Abram in our reading from Genesis, the word “bless” or a variant of the word appears four times.)

Hero, the publisher of Pope Francis, enlisted her help on a different project. “Manga is something that my kids are interested in more than I have been,” said Doman, who is expecting her ninth child. “When I was younger, I never encountered any sort of Japanese comics,” she said in an interview with the Arlington Catholic Herald, newspaper of the Arlington Diocese. — CNS

16 pope francis

theleaven.com | march 14, 2014

Ministry of mercy

Pope encourages priests to be good confessors

“ B By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

ecause his cassock doesn’t have a breast pocket, Pope Francis said he wears a cloth pouch under his white robes to carry the crucifix he took from a deceased priest. Meeting March 6 with pastors of Rome parishes, Pope Francis said that while he was vicar general of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, he went to pay his last respects to a Blessed Sacrament priest, an extremely popular confessor, who had died in his 90s. In the crypt of the church, the priest’s body was lying there, but there were no flowers, he said. “I thought, this man forgave the sins of all the clergy of Buenos Aires, including mine, and not a single flower. So I went out to the florist’s.” Then, the pope “confessed” that he “started preparing the coffin with the flowers and I looked at the rosary in his hand. Immediately that robber that is in each of us came out and, while I arranged the flowers, I picked up the cross of the rosary and with a little effort, I pulled it off. I looked at him and said, ‘Give me half of your mercy.’” He put the crucifix in his breast pocket and carried it there until his election as pope on March 13, 2013. “But a pope’s shirts don’t have pockets,” so now he carries it in a cloth pouch under his cassock. “And when I start having a bad thought about someone, I always put my hand here,” he said, showing the priests where the crucifix is. The pope’s annual Lenten meeting with Rome pastors focused on the priest’s call to be a minister of mercy. While he followed a prepared text, he added comments and anecdotes from his own life and ministry. Repeating his frequent call to go out into the world and meet people where they are, Pope Francis told the priests that their ministry of mercy, which reaches its highest point in the sacrament of penance, is especially needed by “people who have left the church because they don’t want anyone to see their wounds.” “There are many wounded people, people wounded by material problems, by scan-

Aseptic priests — those who seem like they are working in a laboratory and are all clean and perfect — don’t help the church. We priests have to be there, close to the people.” Pope Francis dals, including scandals within the church,” he said. Pope Francis urged the pastors to devote time to hearing confessions and to avoid being either very lax or very strict. “It’s normal that different confessors have different styles, but these differences cannot be ones of substance, that is, involving healthy moral doctrine and mercy,” he said. Neither the very lax nor the very strict priest witnesses to Christ, because “neither takes seriously the person in front of him,” he said. “The rigorist, in fact, nails the person to the law as understood in a cold and rigid way; the indulgent, on the other hand, only appears merciful, but does not take seriously the problems of that person’s conscience, minimizing the sin.” Pope Francis said he has some standard questions he asks priests who come to him for counseling, questions he asks himself “when I am alone with the Lord.” The first, he said, is: “Do you cry?” Jesus was moved by people who seemed like “sheep without a shepherd,” and those in spiritual or physical pain, he said. A priest must be a “man of mercy, compassion, close to his people and the servant of all.” “Aseptic priests — those who seem like they are working in a laboratory and are all clean and perfect — don’t help the church,” he said. The world is messy and filled with people who have been bloodied by the battles of life. “We

CNS photo/Paul Haring

Pope Francis embraces a woman in a wheelchair during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on March 5. priests have to be there, close to the people.” The sick, the aged and children, he said, help priests learn to be merciful. “Do you know how to touch them? Or are you embarrassed?” the pope asked. “At the end of time, those who will be allowed to contemplate the glorified flesh of Christ are only those who were not embarrassed to touch the flesh of their injured and excluded brothers and sisters,” he said. Priests, he said, must have the compassion and the strength to “suffer for and with people, like a father and a mother suffer for their children and worry about them.” Pope Francis spoke about another Buenos Aires priest, one who is a little younger than he is and a very popular confessor, who said that whenever he had scruples about forgiving too many people, “I go into the chapel and I tell [Jesus in] the tabernacle, ‘Sorry, it’s all your fault because I’m just following your example.’” “That’s a beautiful prayer,” the pope said.

Open for confession Time: 6-7 p.m. Date: Every Wednesday of Lent Place: Every parish in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.* * Parishes that share a priest should check with their parish office as to the availability of confession.