08 14 20 Vol. 42 No. 4

THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 42, NO. 4 | AUGUST 14, 2020

TEAM CATHOLIC LEAVEN UNVEILS NEW WEBSITE

T

he Leaven has a new website! In these challenging times, we know how important it is to stay connected. We want to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible for our readers to stay up to date on news in the archdiocese.

Check out our website at: theleaven.org and let us know if you need help exploring it by sending an email to: moira.cullings@ theleaven.org.

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We are grateful for your continued readership and can’t wait to continue sharing stories with you.

Former Benedictine College football players convert to Catholicism

BY TODD HABIGER LEAVEN PHOTO BY LORI WOOD HABIGER

INSIDE THIS ISSUE OF THE LEAVEN

PHOTO BY TODD NUGENT, COURTESY OF BENEDICTINE COLLEGE

Former Benedictine College wide receiver Logan Harris, top, and quarterback Shaefer Schuetz, above, converted to Catholicism in July of this year. The two helped take Benedictine to the NAIA Championship game in 2018.

FEED THE HUNGRY

Catholic Charities works during the summer to make sure children don’t go hungry. Page 3

FAITH, FAMILY AND A FOOD TRUCK

The Catholic Education Foundation makes it possible for families to give their children a Catholic education. Page 5

A

TCHISON — For five* years, Shaefer Schuetz and Logan Harris were part of the Benedictine College football team here. On July 26, the two joined a different team — the Catholic team.

That’s right, Schuetz and Harris converted to Catholicism during a ceremony at St. Benedict’s Abbey. The two came to Benedictine to play football and get an education. They left with so much more.

Strange new world Before arriving on the Benedictine campus, both Harris and Schuetz’s

exposure to Catholicism was limited.

Schuetz grew up as a non-denominational Christian while Harris was raised Methodist. Suddenly, they were surrounded by Catholicism.

“It was uncomfortable at first, just trying to understand what everything meant,” Harris said. “I had the football team to fall back on because there were a lot of other non-Catholics on the team and we could relate on those things and talk about them.”

Harris said that, even though Catholicism was ingrained strongly in the Benedictine culture, there was never any pressure on him to do anything he didn’t want to do.

“The biggest thing for me was that it was never overbearing,” he said. “There was never a push for me to become Catholic. They weren’t forcing people to go

to Mass or anything, but the option was always there.”

Schuetz admits to being a little “freaked out” at first.

“I remember coming in during fall camp and it’s 105 degrees and there are these guys walking around in black robes,” he recalled. “I was petrified of all of them because I had never seen a monk before. I was thinking, ‘What in the world are these guys doing?’”

Schuetz quickly found out there was nothing to be afraid of.

“What’s cool is that those guys are so present. They go to games. They go to different school functions. They are superinvolved. I got to know those guys and realized that they are normal human beings and good dudes,” he said. >> See “TEAMMATES” on page 2

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

2

Teammates enter the Catholic Church together Becoming Catholic

>> Continued from page 1

An invitation After a couple years on campus and soaking up the Benedictine experience, Schuetz and Harris received an invitation from athletic director and assistant football coach Charles Gartenmayer to attend the rosary that Benedictine president Steve Minnis offers every Wednesday morning.

“I saw a little bit of light in each of them,” Gartenmayer said. “They are both special young men and they had made some strong friendships with people who had a really strong walk with Christ. I think they were wondering, ‘Well what is all of this?’”

They both accepted the invitation and to make things easy, Gartenmayer gave them a sheet of paper that showed them how to pray the rosary.

It was more curiosity than anything that led the two to attend the rosary.

“Whenever Coach reaches out to you and offers something, you want to give it an opportunity to see if it’s something that you like,” Harris said.

Both Harris and Schuetz discovered it was something they liked a lot.

Wednesdays quickly became their favorite day of the week, starting with the rosary and, afterward, having breakfast with Gartenmayer.

“It became a blast. It was something we would look forward to every week — it was rosary and then breakfast and it was awesome,” Schuetz said.

Harris agreed.

“I felt like Wednesdays were always my most productive days,” he said.

“My buddies and I always felt so much better on Wednesdays because we got up and did something like that. It was a great way to start the day.”

With Schuetz and Harris fully invested in the Wednesday rosary, they soon began extending invitations to their friends to come check it out.

“That’s one of the really cool things

CALENDAR CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC & PRAYER Sophia Center via Facebook Aug. 19 at 2 p.m.

During these challenging and stressful times, Sophia Center wants to offer some time to pause and pray. You can join in live or later via the Sophia Center’s Facebook page.

Sister Susan Barber, OSB, will play the organ to accompany your time of prayer.

CANDLELIT ROSARY AND CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY Fiorella’s Event Space 9000 W. 137th St., Overland Park Aug. 22 from 8-10 p.m.

Join the School of Faith in a candlelit rosary procession starting at Fiorella’s parking lot.

Participants must follow all local COVID-19 pandemic guidelines for masks and social distancing.

PROJECT CHRYSALIS Church of the Ascension (St. Mark Room) 9510 W. 127th St, Overland Park Aug. 25 from 7 to 8:15 p.m.

Project Chrysalis is a ministry offering hope through sacred Scripture and community to parents/grandparents who have lost a child or grandchild. Msgr. Tom Tank will be the guest speaker. Participants can come in person or join via Zoom. For more informa-

PHOTO COURTESY OF BENEDICTINE COLLEGE

Logan Harris, left, and Shaefer Schuetz enjoy the moment following their entrance into the Catholic Church on July 26. that transpired from this — the fact that soon they were asking friends to come,” Gartenmayer said.

The rosary’s origin For more than a decade, Minnis has been offering the Wednesday morning rosary at the abbey church.

“When I got married, my wife challenged me personally to say the rosary every day, so I’ve been doing this since we’ve been married,” he said. “Then when I became president, I asked myself, ‘What can we do to increase the prayer life here at Benedictine?’ And so I just decided to do one rosary every week for the entire school. We have it at 7:30 on Wednesday morning and it’s done before the 8 o’clock classes start.”

Minnis said that typically 50 to 60

tion, contact Deacon Ken Billinger at (913) 634-4210 or send an email to: kbillinger@ archkck.org for the Zoom link.

FOSTER CARE MINISTRY FAIR Savior Pastoral Center 12601 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, Kansas, or via Zoom Aug. 27, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

There are currently 7,500 children in care and only some 2,000 foster families, and the need is expected to grow. Learn more about the resources available to make a difference.

Registration is required for both in-person and virtual participation. For more information, contact Debra Niesen at: dniesen@arch kck.org.

BIOSPIRITUAL FOCUSING Sophia Center via Zoom Aug. 28 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Aug. 29 from 9 a.m. to noon

Presenters Deborah and Jane King will lead this retreat featuring experiential reflection and an opportunity for sharing. Cost is $40.

To register, go online to: www.mountosb.org/ ministries/sophia-spirituality-center.

VENERATION OF THE RELICS OF PADRE PIO Divine Mercy Parish, 555 W. Main St., Gardner Sept. 1 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The veneration will be closed from 3-4 p.m. for a private veneration for priests. There

people attend the rosary, including Gartenmayer, the academic deans, the vice president for student life and many other leaders on campus.

But it’s the students that impress him the most.

“When you see these kids get out of bed on Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. and they come to the top of the hill (the abbey is on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River) and pray a rosary, and when you see them leave, you just think, ‘OK. The world’s a better place because these kids are in it,’” he said.

But Schuetz and Harris were two that especially impressed him.

“Most of the kids that were going to the Wednesday morning rosary were Catholic,” said Minnis. “But those two were non-Catholic — and they never missed a day. I was really inspired by them.”

will be a Mass at 6 p.m. All are welcome. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, guests are required to wear masks upon entering the church, disinfect hands with hand sanitizer and respect social distancing during the veneration.

COPING WITH LIFE ALONE Beginning Experience via Zoom Saturdays, Sept. 1 to Oct. 31 from 1 to 3 p.m.

“Coping with Life Alone” is a Beginning Experience grief support program that meets each week for eight weeks. The program helps those who have lost a love relationship — due to death, divorce or separation — move through the experience of grief and loss into a future with renewed hope. Contact Donna at (816) 305-3760 for more information. Registration is required by Sept. 1.

ST. BENEDICT — WORK AND HOLINESS RETREAT Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meager Rd., Easton From 5:30 p.m. Sept. 11 to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 13

Learn and put into practice “Ora et Labora” as taught in the rule of St. Benedict.

There will be conferences about the rule and life of St. Benedict, time given to work on various projects, eucharistic adoration, Mass, confession, and time for prayer and reflection. Cabins and courtyard rooms are $170; single rooms are $250; couple or single guest rooms are $100 (meals Included). To attend, send an email to: info@christspeace.com or call (913) 773-8255.

The rosary may have gotten the ball rolling on Schuetz and Harris’ road to Catholicism but there were other forces at work as well.

One of the main forces was the culture of the college. The Benedictine monks were a constant presence.

FOCUS missionaries were available to talk to. And there were ample Bible studies and other religious opportunities always available.

“I really appreciate that Benedictine made it readily available for you to have access to Catholic resources,” Schuetz said. “It wasn’t jammed down your throat. BC did a really good job [of both] allowing it to be your decision and cultivating an environment for discussion.”

Harris said being around successful Catholics that he admired made him want to explore Catholicism.

“The past two years I really started to think more and more about converting,” he said. “I was surrounded by people who were Catholic, who were really living out their faith, and it started to become more attractive to me.”

The two had plenty of time to think about their decision to convert. They were supposed to enter the church in April, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they didn’t enter until July.

“I always wanted to receive the Eucharist and obviously never did prior to becoming Catholic,” said Schuetz.

“So, when I was finally able to receive it after going to Mass for years without receiving it, that was pretty awesome and pretty special to me.”

Harris echoed the sentiment.

“If I wanted out, I would have done so by now,” Harris said. “I’m super happy with my decision.” * Schuetz and Harris graduated in 2019 with their bachelor’s degree, but stayed to complete their master’s in business in 2020 as part of BC’s unique 5-year program.

Correction In the July 31 issue of The Leaven, John Caulfield’s byline was mistakenly left off the drone photo of the first Communion class at Church of Nativity in Leawood. The Leaven regrets the error.

Msgr. Bergman dies After a short period of hospice care, Msgr. Robert Bergman, 74, died Aug. 11 in his rectory at Immaculate Conception Parish in Louisburg, where he was serving as pastor.

Msgr.

Bergman was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on March 5, 1946, and was ordained a priest of the archdiocese on Dec. 17, 1971, in Rome.

Funeral arrangements will made available as soon as they are finalized through the archdiocesan and Leaven websites and their social media channels.

A full obituary will appear in the next issue of The Leaven.

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

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RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Program makes sure kids don’t go hungry during pandemic

By Jan Dixon Special to The Leaven

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Summer has always been hard for hungry children.

Many kids in the archdiocese are dependent on free or low-cost school breakfasts, lunches and after-school meals for their basic food needs.

But during the summer, when schools are closed, those meals disappear.

For these children, the answer is free summer lunch programs.

Traditionally, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas has run a kids summer food program yearly from June to August.

The meals have been served at partner facilities and in a familystyle setting with educational activities included.

Last year, they served 12,283 meals to children and youth under the age of 18.

When schools abruptly closed in March of this year as part of an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus, and daily meals were stopped early, PHOTO BY JACOB BENTZINGER these children were at risk of A young girl keeps her distance as she waits for her turn for a meal from one of Catholic Charities’ mobile units. When schools closed in March, so did many going hungry. children’s access to food. To date, Catholic Charities has served nearly 60,000 meals.

“Feeding America tracks Once schools open, Huston child food security in the the bagged meals — enough and the joy it has brought to the for five days for each child. children. hopes there will be the normal United States and in Kansas,” The sack lunches for the “Each week, we would try transition to the After-School explained Denise Ogilvie, chief summer program are pur- to give the kids something a Meal Program, also operated mission officer for Catholic “SECURING THE

by Catholic Charities.

Charities of Northeast Kansas. chased from a variety of local little extra with their lunches, vendors. Each contains a pro- such as desserts or books,” she While the need for a reli“And they are projecting an VOLUME OF FOOD able, nutritious food source has overall 47.6 percent increase tein, a whole grain, fruit and said. “Since the kids knew we NEEDED HAS BEEN OUR become a major issue during would be visiting at the same in child food insecurity due to vegetable, plus milk.

Shelf-stable meals can be time each week, they would the problem of food COVID-19.”

GREATEST CHALLENGE. COVID-19, stored safely wait at the window and wave insecurity is not new. And the But Cathand for longer to us when we pulled up or run Kids Summer Food Program’s olic CharOUR VENDORS WERE periods of outside to hug us and help us main goal always has and will ities’ Kids time and put lunches together. remain the same.

Summer Food IMPACTED BY COVID To volunteer, send an email to: make deliv“The summer food program “We must get food to kids Program, dicolberding@catholiccharitiesks.

AND THAT MADE OUR who need food,” Huston said. ery to rural gave these kids something to rected by org. Donations to support the areas feasible. look forward to each week, The answers to the quesJosh Huston, GETTING FOOD Kids Summer Food Program Lunches are which has been a blessing for tions of how long this public quickly swung can be sent to 9720 W. 87th delivered to them.” health emergency will last and into action.

DIFFICULT.” St., Overland Park, KS 66212 each of the The new system seems to be how many more meals will “We had or online at: www.catholic many sites working very well. Carol Cowneed to be delivered are unto apply for charitiesks.org. once weekly. drey, director of marketing and challenge,” said Huston. “Our known. This is the landscape waivers from C l a i r e media relations for Catholic vendors were impacted by the food program is navigating the state and COVID and that made our getright now. the federal government who Doyle is a VISTA volunteer Charities, said that “to date, working at Catholic Charities we have served nearly 60,000 ting food difficult.”

“None of us are called to do fund the program to make Because the Kids Summer everything, but we are called to changes in the service and of Northeast Kansas. (VISTA, meals. And that number is expected to climb with the start Food Program is funded prido something,” said Ogilvie. delivery model,” Huston said. which stands for Volunteer in marily by U.S. Department of Jesus taught us the corpo“We had to move from an Service to America, places vol- of school delayed.”

Making deliveries to nu- Agriculture and the Kansas ral works of mercy in Verses on-site location where kids unteers throughout the United States to help fight poverty merous sites locally — as well Department of Education, 31-46 in Chapter 25 of Matcould congregate to an off-site through work on community as to several rural areas every all lunches must meet strict thew’s Gospel, she continued, mobile delivery system.” week — has presented multi- guidelines requiring certain and feeding the hungry is right In the past, lunches have projects with organizations like Catholic Charities.) She has ple challenges, such as feeding combinations of food. there among them. been served at public libraries “Sometimes, we could not “The Summer Food Proor Catholic Charities offices. helped with two different food more children with less help Now, the Kids Summer Food locations this summer — one at from volunteers while follow- get the right foods or could not gram is one way we can be the hands and feet of Christ and Program has been using public the Overland Park Food Pantry ing social distancing protocols. get them on time for our delivBut the greatest challenge has eries,” he said. combat child insecurity in our parks and parking lots for and the other at a bus route in been the food.

The food program is expectarchdiocese,” Ogilvie said. pickup or a drive-thru system Kansas City, Kansas. She has “Securing the volume of food ed to continue through Labor where parents pull up in their seen the impact the program Day — and longer, if needed. cars and workers hand them has had on the communities needed has been our greatest

“

How you can help

President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)

Editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

Social Media Editor/Reporter Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

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 $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

Three honored with Echo of Kateri award

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

W

ILLIAMSBURG — Sending a child to Camp Tekakwitha or serving as a camp counselor here has become an annual experience for some archdiocesan families, even becoming a generational tradition.

For those families, it just wouldn’t be summer without Camp Tekakwitha, which is held annually at Prairie Star Ranch near Williamsburg.

Two people who exemplify that generational relationship with the camp are Katie and Ryan Burton, members of Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park.

Katie came to camp as a counselor in 2000 when she was a 19-year-old rising college sophomore. Her husband Ryan, her then-boyfriend, used to visit her between sessions. Katie was a counselor for three summers.

The Burtons have kept a close relationship with the camp ever since.

They even named their first child Kateri, after St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

When the last camp session of this summer ended on July 25, the Burtons were honored for their support of the camp with the Echo of Kateri award, given to them by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann during the closing Mass.

“Working as a counselor helped prepare Katie for her vocation as a mother, as she grew in her devotion to the Blessed Mother by praying the rosary with other counselors,” said camp co-director Debbie Nearmyer at the Mass.

“Now, instead of counting her eight campers,” she continued, “she counts her six — soon to be seven — children as they journey out for adventures to glorify the Lord.”

The Burtons have attended multiple Family Camps and Katie served on the Camp Tekakwitha Women’s Retreat team. Their children have begun to attend the camps, too. Katie has worked in youth ministry, vacation Bible schools and other ministries at her parish. Katie and Ryan are also members of the Family of the Apostles of the Interior Life.

The Echo of Kateri award was also given to Father Scott Wallisch during a Mass on July 16 at Camp Tekakwitha.

“Because of how much Camp Tekakwitha and Prairie Star Ranch mean to me

4

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“BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH CAMP TEKAKWITHA AND PRAIRIE STAR RANCH MEAN TO ME ON SO MANY LEVELS, THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST HONORS I’VE EVER RECEIVED.”

PHOTO BY NICOLE TUBBESING

The Echo of Kateri award was given to Father Scott Wallisch (above) during a Mass on July 16 at Camp Tekakwitha. Father Wallisch displays the award. Deacon Dana Nearmyer and Debbie Nearmyer are pictured in the background.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE BOLLIG

Katie and Ryan Burton, members of Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park, also received the Echo of Kateri award during the final session of camp on July 25. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann presented the couple with the award at an outdoor Mass at which Deacon Dana Nearmyer (back) assisted. on so many levels, this is one of the biggest honors I’ve ever received,” he later said.

But it is one he feels he doesn’t deserve.

“I am very grateful not only for this

honor but for all that Camp Tekakwitha and Prairie Star Ranch do for our archdiocese and me personally.”

Not only has Father Wallisch frequently celebrated Mass and offered the sacrament of reconciliation at the camp, he has also been active in youth ministry and formation during all of his assignments. Currently, he is pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented many challenges to Camp Tekakwitha.

Some activities were canceled. There were new rules about social distancing, mask wearing and handwashing.

“These kids have had so many disappointments,” said camp co-director Deacon Dana Nearmyer. “This was the first activity — especially faith formation — that they’ve been able to do. For many of them, this was the first activity outside of their families that they’ve been able to do.”

The summer camp hosted 10 sessions as usual, but they were shorter.

Normally the camp hosts 1,400 campers during the summer sessions, but this year there were 756.

The final Extreme Camp for high school-aged campers was reduced from nine days to four, with most campers spending three nights in tents instead of the bunkhouses. Some commuted daily from home.

“We’re super grateful to the parents [of the campers] and to our staff for rolling with the punches and for all the adaptations they had to make,” said Deacon Nearmyer, “and to prioritize the mission with all the constraints.

“It was a heroic effort to make this summer happen.”

New Our Lady of the Rosary Memorial blessed at Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa

L

ENEXA — In its continuing efforts to beautify the cemeteries it manages and with the support of a generous donation, Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas has added the new Our Lady of the Rosary Memorial at Resurrection Cemetery here, located at 83rd and Quivira.

Father Ken Kelly, past member of the Catholic Cemeteries board of trustees and pastor of St. Pius X Parish, Mission, blessed the memorial in early May. The memorial and surrounding garden were made possible through the generosity of the Robert A. Brenner family. The Brenner family dedicated the memorial in remembrance of their mother, who had a deep devotion to the rosary.

Robert A. and Mary Ann (Kuzila)

Brenner are both deceased and entombed in Queen of Peace Mausoleum at Resurrection Cemetery. The couple, who were members of St. Pius X, would have marked their 72nd wedding anniversary on May 1, the day the memorial was blessed.

The memorial, located west of the cemetery mausoleums, is accessible by a wooden footbridge that leads to the garden area. A wooden cross of Christ rises behind the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Two tall posts toward the outer edges of the memorial symbolize the crosses of the two men crucified with Christ. Completing the space are a wooden trellis for plantings and a brick plaza in front of the memorial.

Tom Waliczek built the wooden items and the foundation for the base of the statue. The statue and its base came from Johnson Granite Supply.

Left to right, Deborah Ann Brenner, Michael Robert Brenner, Father Ken Kelly, Jennifer Susan Brenner and Gary Robert Brenner are pictured at the new Our Lady of the Rosary Memorial at Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa. The Brenner family dedicated the memorial in remembrance of their mother.

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

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FAITH, FAMILY AND A FOOD TRUCK Family relies on faith, Catholic education

Paulina, the oldest of the six Cortes children, relays an order to her parents in the kitchen of the family’s food truck, Poblanos Grill.

The Cortes family gathers in the kitchen of the family’s food truck, Poblanos Grill, amid preparations to open for the lunch crowd.

Special to The Leaven

T

OPEKA — The Cortes family of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish here is passionate about three things: faith, family and Mexican

food.

The entrepreneurial family of eight owns and operates Poblanos Grill, a Topeka-based food truck serving up authentic Mexican food six days a week.

The oldest three of the six Cortes children help the family business with cooking, cleaning and serving madefrom-scratch meals to customers.

servers and volunteers at parish events — it wasn’t until their priest introduced them to the scholarships available through the Catholic Education Foundation that they considered the possibility of faith-based education for their children.

“Once they knew about the scholarships, my parents were determined to take us to a Catholic school,” said Paulina. At the time, she was finishing 7th grade at a local middle school. The family’s scholarship applications were quickly accepted, and Paulina started at Holy Family School the following year.

Putting faith first

CEF scholarships pave the way to Catholic schooling

But despite the early mornings and busy weekends, parents Israel and Clemencia Cortes have always made sure to put faith first — from the wooden rosary and image of Our Lady placed prominently behind the cash register, to the education of their children.

While the Cortes family has always been heavily involved with parish life — as eucharistic ministers, lectors, altar

Paulina’s is one of more than 1,500 scholarships, valued at over $2.5 million, that CEF provided in the 2019-20 school year alone, with even more slated for the upcoming semester. Currently, CEF has a 99% graduation rate among its scholarship recipients.

The Cortes family has benefited from CEF scholarships for the past five years,

with all six children attending Hayden High School or Holy Family Elementary School.

“The scholarships have impacted my family a lot,” said Paulina. “We have all grown very close together. We talk about religion, we talk about our faith and we talk about how we can help others.”

“We like to debate religion a lot,” she added, “and it’s really fun because everyone is really passionate about it. We have gotten closer as a family.”

Paying the gift of education forward As Paulina looks ahead to life after graduation, her sights are set on bringing the gifts she has been given back to her family, friends and community.

“No one in my family has ever been to college. I will be the first. It’s a lot of responsibility, and I really hope I can show my younger siblings the way,” said Paulina. “I want to go into business administration so I can help my family’s business grow.”

“I have seen my parents tired and still working; they have encouraged me to fight for my dreams,” she continued. “My mom wants to open a restaurant. That’s her dream, and I want to help her achieve that.”

In the meantime, the family continues to let their three big passions lead the way as they serve their community.

“There are a lot of people who can’t afford our food, or people experiencing homelessness, who visit the food truck,” said Paulina, “and we’d give them food and try to help them out. I remember one person in particular who would come a lot during the winter.

“And now, he has a job, and he comes, and he pays, and he tips us and thanks us.”

“Being patient with people has helped me a lot in a Catholic way,” she added.

“You see people, and you don’t judge them. You just do your part.”

For more of Paulina’s story, and to learn more about the Catholic Education Foundation, go to the website at: cefks.org.

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

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Bible study series offers online flexibility

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — What’s the next best thing to going to a Bible study at your parish?

It’s having your Bible study come to you.

Ascension (formerly known as Ascension Press), has adapted its “The Great Adventure” Catholic Bible studies series so it can be done by individuals or groups, in-person or online, or even through a combination of in-person and online.

It has the flexibility individuals and parishes need during this uncertain time when there is a need to get creative to work around pandemic restrictions.

The latest in Ascension’s 19installment series is “Hebrews: The New and Eternal Covenant,” a study of the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews, authored by Andrew Swafford, associate professor of theology at Benedictine College in Atchison.

The goal is not just learning, but falling in love with Jesus, being formed and becoming a disciple. “[Its purpose] is to inform, inspire and challenge,” said Swafford. “Yes, we want to get into the text and learn, but it’s not just school. It’s also about transformation.”

The “Hebrews” study program, which has a video component that can be viewed in-person with DVDs or online, features Swafford and Jeff Cavins, a Catholic evangelist, author, biblical scholar and creator of “The Bible Timeline.”

“

The latest in Ascension’s 19-installment series is “Hebrews: The New and Eternal Covenant,” a study of the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews, authored by Andrew Swafford, associate professor of theology at Benedictine College in Atchison.

“Hebrews” offers an eight-week program that takes students through a guided tour of the epistle. Students — individually or as a group — read and fill out the workbook, view the videos (on DVD or online) and hold group discussions.

The Ascension Bible study programs are designed to be flexible, said Lauren Joyce, communications

“WITH HEBREWS, WE GET TO GO BACK IN TIME, AND WE GET TO TALK WITH AND BE WITH THE FIRST GENERATION OF CHRISTIANS.”

specialist for Ascension.

With the “digital option,” each participant buys the workbook for $26.99 and receives free, one-year access to the online streaming study videos.

(After the first year, individuals can purchase another year of online video access for $10.) Group discussions can be done via videoconferencing like Zoom. Ascension’s partner platform for video streaming is “Thinkific,” an online class portal.

Some parishes may begin by using the more “traditional” in-person, classroom approach, said Joyce. In this case, a parish will purchase the “Hebrews” DVDs for $99.95 and show them in an in-person class, with discussion. If, for some reason, the in-person Bible study can’t continue, the teacher can shift the class to the “digital option” without interruption.

Swafford is excited about this Bible study.

“In a powerful way, the [Letter to the] Hebrews gives us the Catholic faith in its very beginnings,” said Swafford. “It helps us to see that the new covenant is not just a text, it’s living covenant family reality — especially a liturgical reality. With Hebrews, we get to go back in time, and we get to talk with and be with the first generation of Christians. We get to hear their struggles and hear their living faith.”

Ascension has several other online, digital study programs. For information about the Bible studies and more, visit the Ascension website at: ascensionpress.com.

Be ‘guardians of human life,’ archbishop tells health care professionals

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Catholics face new health care challenges during a time of pandemic and societal conflict.

But there are reasons for hope, according to organizers of an online health care conference that included among its presenters Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.

“Catholic Healthcare and the Foundation of the Culture of Life: A Cause for Hope” was held on July 18 and drew about 700 participants, including doctors, nurses and health care professionals.

The gathering was sponsored by the Christ Medicus Foundation and the Catholic Medical Association.

This digital conference was a followup to an earlier conference held in May, said Becky Escher, marketing and communications manager for Christ Medicus Foundation, part of CMF CURO. “The conference in May introduced

the idea that we are moving into a new health care normal,” said Escher. “This particular conference’s . . . purpose was to encourage Catholics to seek hope through authentically Catholic health care and to mobilize Catholics to get involved to advocate for more person-centered health care and help build a culture of life.

“Having Archbishop Naumann introduce that topic at the conference set the stage for what the conference was going to accomplish.”

Escher said the sponsors of the conference hope that the two conferences will build toward a Catholic religious freedom campaign they will promote in the coming months.

In his presentation, Archbishop Naumann said that the COVID-19 pandemic presented enormous challenges in health care throughout the world.

Layered on top of that was the tragic killing of George Floyd, which has led to a healthy re-examination of racism’s impact on American society, but was also exploited to foster violent civil unrest.

“This is a perfect time to have a conference on the purpose of authentic Catholic health care to this worldwide health crisis,” said Archbishop Naumann. “The conference addresses a wide range of important issues, but it does so through the lens of Christian hope.”

March 25 was the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s encyclical “Evangelium Vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”). In it, he described the crises of our time that produced a “culture of death,” said the archbishop.

These crises are the crisis of the family, the crisis of democracy, the crisis of truth and the crisis of faith.

Archbishop Naumann quoted this from “Evangelium Vitae”: “A unique responsibility belongs to health care personnel: doctors, pharmacists, nurses, chaplains, men and women religious, administrators and volunteers. Their profession calls for them to be guardians and servants of human life.

“In today’s cultural and social context, in which science and the practice of medicine risk losing sight

Listen to the archbishop’s talk Archbishop Naumann’s presentation is unlisted on YouTube, but can be found by entering this in the YouTube search window: youtu.be/ Wk7atmYdtiPw.

of the inherent ethical dimension, health care professionals can be strongly tempted at times to become manipulators of life, or even agents of death.”

Being on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, he urged Catholic doctors and nurses to “resist embracing the secular view of the practice of medicine.”

Archbishop Naumann thanked the health care professionals for bringing the love and compassion of Jesus to those entrusted to their care and reflecting to them their dignity as they minister to them as to Christ himself.

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS Mariann (Seelbach) and Gerald Slavik, members of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 29.

The couple was married on Aug. 29, 1970, at Holy Spirit Church, Parma, Ohio, by Father Lawrence Slavik. Their children are: Matthew Slavik, Catherine Clark and Christine McClure. They also have five grandchildren.

Penny and Mike Purslow, members of St. Benedict Parish, Atchison, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Aug. 18. The couple was married on Aug. 18, 1960, at St. Joseph Church, Atchison,

by Father George Spiegelhalter, OSB. Their children are: Polly Holmes, Tobin Purslow, Thad Purslow, Amy Thompson, Micah Lutz and Brock Purslow. They also have 13 grandchildren. A big family gathering was planned, but put on hold because of COVID-19.

Margaret and William Oades, members of Church of the Nativity, Leawood, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug, 22. The couple was married on Aug. 22, 1970, at Visitation Church in Kansas City, Missouri, by Msgr.

Arthur Tighe. They will celebrate with a family Mass at Nativity on Aug. 22, followed by a family dinner. They will take a car trip a few days later. Their children are: Angie Oades Smith, Dan Oades, Melissa Oades Grams, Billy Oades Jr., Rebecca Oades Brown and Jimmy Oades. They also have 20 grandchildren.

Joe and Jane Lehmann, members of Church of the Nativity, Leawood, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 29.

The couple was married on Aug. 29, 1970, at Mother of Perpetual Help Church in Milwaukee, by Father Joe Wolf. A Mass, family dinner and party are planned at a later date. Their children are: Joel Lehmann and Jennifer Hirsch. They also have five grandchildren.

Carol (Feuerborn) and Jerry Pickert, members of St. Boniface Parish, Scipio, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Aug. 1. The couple was married on Aug. 1, 1960, at Holy Angels Church, Garnett.

They celebrated with an outdoor prayer service in the prayer garden at St. Boniface, led by Father Jerry Williams, O.Carm., and Father David Simpson, O.Carm., with the couple’s family in attendance. Their children are: Ron Pickert, Cindy Pickert, Lisa Adkinson, Denise Adkinson, Amy Pickert, Stacey Pickert, Jason Pickert, Stephanie Jumet and Erica Burroughs. They also have 21 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Ginger (Jordan) and Jim Schuetz, members of St. Leo Parish, Horton, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Aug. 12. The couple was married on Aug. 12, 1950, at St. Peter Parish, Mercier. They have four children: Russ Schuetz, Vickie Finger, Cindy Shaffer and Pete Schuetz.

They also have 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Their children are hosting a card party to help them celebrate.

Cards can be sent to: 232 W. 13th St., Horton, KS 66439.

Rudy

and

Rosemary

(McDonnell) Papper t, members of St. Pius X Parish, Mission, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 8. The couple was married by Father Francis Glowacki at St. Pius X. Their children are: Kristi Flack, Karri Habiger and Kevin Pappert.

They also have five grandchildren. Due to COVID-19, the couple is planning a quiet celebration now, and a celebration with family and friends next year.

Mary (Schwab) and Jim Foster, members of St. John the Baptist Parish, Kansas C i t y , Kansas, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 22. The couple was married on Aug. 22, 1970, at Holy Family Church in Kansas City, Kansas, by Msgr. Heliodore Mejak. They will celebrate with a family trip at a later date. Their children are: Patrick Foster and Shannon Foster. They also have 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Ray and Mary Ann (Plank) Sherley, members of St. Francis de Sales Parish, Lansing, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary with a family Mass at the church on Aug. 16.

A family celebration will follow.

The couple was married on Aug. 13, 1960, at St. Joseph Church in Shawnee, by Mary Ann’s cousin, Father Thomas Kearns. Their children are: Catherine Trowbidge, Mary Elizabeth Riccio, Raymond Sherley Jr., Janet Crouse and James Sherley.

They also have nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Joan (Harris) and Lee Veronie, members of Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish, To p e k a , will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 14. The couple was married in Eudora and later had their marriage convalidated at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church by Father Thomas Culhane. Their children are: Stacey Noble and Jason Veronie. They also have six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

They hope to celebrate with a trip to Italy at a later date.

Thomas and Mary (Bissell) Phillips, members of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa, will c e l e b ra t e their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 22.

The couple was married on Aug. 22, 1970, at St. Mary Church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri,

by Father Edward Eftink. Their children are: Catherine Quinn and Valerie Higgenbotham.

They also have four grandchildren.

Eileen and Herbert “Herb” Comstock, members of Church of the Nativity, Leawood, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 16. The couple was married on Aug. 16, 1970, at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Floral Park, New York.

Their children are: Pamela Siems, Andrew Comstock and Matthew Comstock. They also have two grandchildren.

Tom and Arlene (Dalrymple) Heere, m e m bers of St Joseph Parish, Topeka, will c e l e b ra te their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 14. The couple was married on Aug. 14, 1970, at Holy Name Church, Topeka. Their children are: Erin Ostrowski and Elizabeth Mott. They also have two granddaughters.

Madelyn and Ed Regan, members of Church of the Ascension, Overland Park, will ce l e b rate their 60th wedding anniversary on Aug. 27. The couple was married on Aug. 27, 1960, at Blessed Sacrament Church in Kansas City, Kansas. They have three children and seven grandchildren. A family celebration is planned for a later date.

Mary Jo and Don Swietek, members of St. Matthew Parish, Topeka, will c e l e b ra te their 60th wedding anniversary Aug 26.

The couple was married on Aug 26, 1960. Their children are: Gregg, Tim and Lorrie. They also have seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A celebration is planned at Lake Shawnee on Aug. 29 for family and friends.

Pat and Frank Bisang, members of Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Aug. 30 with a family Mass. The couple was married on Aug. 27, 1960, at Sacred Heart Church, Atchison.

Their children are: Claude Bisang, Liz Coleman, Evelyn Dean and Janette McElwain.

They also have eight grandchildren.

7

Bill and Elaine Gaughan, members of Holy Rosary Parish, Bucyrus, will c e l e b ra te their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 22.

The couple was married at Holy Ghost Church in Sharon Springs. Their children are: Amy Landin, Doug Gaughan and Brad Gaughan.

They also have seven grandchildren. A family celebration is planned for later in the year.

Alexis and Bill Ebert, members of St. Stanislaus Parish, Ro s sv i l l e, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 22.

The couple was married on Aug. 22, 1970, at St. Joseph Parish, Flush, by Father Joseph Biehler. They will celebrate at a later date with family and friends. Their children are: Melanie Gehrt, Megan Ebert, Melissa Thompson and Matthew Ebert. They also have seven grandchildren.

Carol (Bello) and James Skinner, members of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 22. The couple was married on Aug. 22, 1970, at St. John the Baptist Church in Kansas City, Kansas. They will celebrate with family later this year in South Carolina. They have two children: Mary Carolyn Skinner, Irmo, South Carolina; and Catherine Ann McKiniry, Indian Head, South Carolina. They also have one granddaughter.

Tina and Dan Torline, members of Holy A n g e l s Parish, B a s e h o r, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on July 11.

The couple was married on July 11, 1970, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Hutchison. They celebrated with a family gathering. Their children are: Stacy Hagley, Christopher Torline, Kevin Torline, Diana Burnett, Nicholas Torline and Lisa Torline. They also have 18 grandchildren.

ANNIVERSARY submissions

POLICY: The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th anniversary notices. They are for parishioners in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas DEADLINE: 10 days before the desired publication date.

INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • The couple’s names • their parish • the date they were married • church and city where they were married • what they are doing to celebrate • date of the celebration • names of children (no spouses) • number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren;

WHERE TO SUBMIT:

Notices are only accepted by email.

Send notices to: todd.habiger@ theleaven.org.

HOMEWARD BOUND T

LEAVEN PHOTOS BY JAY SOLDNER

his year’s annual seminarian pilgrimage kept the 21 participating seminarians close to home, thanks to COVID-19 restrictions. But the five days of activities included some workshops, a trip to the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas in Lawrence and a trip into the heart of Kansas City, Kansas, to evangelize with the Community of the Lamb.

PREP TIME

Deacon Keith Chadwick sets the Book of Gospels on the altar at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center as he prepares for Mass.

TAKING IT TO THE STREETS

Seminarian Brian Jacobson and Little Sisters Pauline, left, and Oliviana try to keep a social distance as they visit with

AT PRAYER

Seminarian Aaron Waldeck prays during a Holy Hour at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center chapel.

TOUR DE

Father Mitchel He explained th

MASS TIME

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann incenses the altar at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center during a Mass he celebrates with the seminarians.

DOWNTIME

Seminarian Sudeep Kodigandla takes a shot from the rock ledges of the miniature golf course at Smiley’s Golf Complex in Lenexa after a full day of activities.

h Charles and Regina McBee on their porch in Kansas City, Kansas, instead of inside as they once would have.

E FORCE

FOCUS

From left, seminarians Brian Jacobson, Will Carey, Abraham Khadivi and Alex Rickert work on a Gospel reading meditation and focus exercises with Little Sister Amaya, left, and Little Sister Marie-Jeanne of the Community of the Lamb.

l Zimmerman, director and chaplain of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas, leads seminarians on a tour of the center grounds. he programs and services offered by the center as well as the challenges of evangelizing at KU.

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

FAMILY LIFE

A

10

Pray more and complain less, advises Pope Francis

few months ago, when I was planning this column, I did not expect that in August we would still be worried about the pandemic.

Then came May 25, 2020, and the death of George Floyd, which exposed many raw emotions around issues of race and justice. Because of this, today we are experiencing tension in our society and in our families.

People have strong opinions about wearing or not wearing masks, or about sending children back to school. And at the same time, crowds have mobilized to protest racial injustice.

What has become transparent is that as a country, we are not united. The divisions we experience reveal an attitude that tears us apart: a lack of respect for one another as brothers and sisters, as children of the same Father.

We are losing sight

JOHN BOSIO John Bosio is a former marriage and family therapist, director of religious education and diocesan family life coordinator. He is a member of the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers.

of what unites us, of our fundamental common ground.

The attitudes that promote mutual respect are formed in our homes. What parents do and say in the presence of children about the people they disagree with or about current events form the minds and the attitudes of the next generation.

As parents we need to ask ourselves: Are the points of view that our children learn from us teaching attitudes that foster unity or attitudes that keep us divided?

Pope Francis offered some advice on this subject in his homily on the occasion of the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29. He stressed the importance of striving for unity despite our differences.

According to our Christian tradition, we find our unity in Jesus.

Peter and Paul were two very different individuals, said the pope. They disagreed and even argued heatedly but saw one another as brothers in the Lord. Pope Francis reminded us that Jesus did not ask us to like one another. He commanded us to love one another.

Jesus is the one who unites us. He unites us in our differences.

In his homily, the pope showed us a path to unity. He said that when Peter was arrested, the community

was scared but did not waste time blaming or insulting the authorities.

Instead, they joined in prayer.

“Unity is the fruit of prayer,” said the pope, for prayer allows the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to hope, shortens the distances between our differences and holds us together as one.

In other words, it is in prayer that we are united as individuals with differences.

“What would happen if we prayed more and complained less?” asked the pope.

Then, he challenges us: “Are we praying for one another?” The pope explained that when we pray, God expects us to be mindful of those who do not think as we do, those who have hurt us and even those we find it hard to forgive. “Only prayer paves the way to unity,” he said. Praying for one another leads us to develop an attitude of mutual respect.

At home, whatever your opinions are, they

will often be different from the opinions of others in your family or in your community.

Teach your children to respect others, even when they are different and have different opinions. Teach them to withhold judgment and to pray for mutual understanding.

Teach your children to pray for those whose actions we do not approve. It is through prayer that the Holy Spirit intervenes, said the pope — to open our hears and connect us to one another.

This is a homily for our times. It is a message for each family to ponder because from each family come the citizen and leaders of tomorrow. The pope’s message challenges us to examine ourselves.

And so, in the middle of the pandemic and the painful disunity, let’s resolve to pray for one another.

In our home, we find daily prayer a source of unity in time of stress and sorrow. Teri’s father

Question for reflection: Who do you pray for the most?

Do you pray for those you do not like?

is seriously ill and in hospice care in Florida.

The family, which is scattered across the United States, is not allowed to visit him at his nursing home.

So we pray. Each day at 1:30 p.m., the family members who can gather via Zoom and join the patient in praying the rosary together. In times of social isolation and social divisions, prayer and technology can keep us connected and give us hope.

Criticize and complain less and pray more.

And with the help of the Holy Spirit, make an effort to understand those that are different from you.

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

NATION/WORLD

Twitter gives Catholic school a financial boost

By Peter Finney Jr. Catholic News Service

N

EW ORLEANS (CNS) — Kenneth St. Charles, president of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, has toiled in fundraising and development for nearly a quarter century.

But nothing in his previous experience of dealing with foundations and philanthropists prepared him for this: a $1.5 million windfall, electronically wired to the school this summer from a foundation established by the co-founder and CEO of Twitter, with virtually no paperwork involved.

But there was nothing “virtual” about it. This was real cash.

“This was unique,” St. Charles said in mid-June, still overwhelmed by the $1.5 million gift from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s #StartSmall initiative, the largest single gift ever made to the historically African American boys school founded in 1951 by the New Orleans Archdiocese and the Josephites.

How the donation came about is even more intriguing. On Jan. 13, the day Louisiana State University played Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in New Orleans, T.J. Adeshola, head of sports partnerships at Twitter, visited the Catholic high school in part because of his friendship with Aulston Taylor, chief development officer at St. Augustine.

“Fundraising is all about relationships, and we were very fortunate, very blessed that the gentleman came to see the school,” St. Charles said.

As an accomplished executive, Adeshola was asked to address two classes of seniors about how his education had prepared him for business success.

“We try to share with our students successes and career-type information from alumni visitors and people from the community at large,” St. Charles said. “Our purpose was to provide an example of a person who was a leader in his profession.

He’s African American, and we try to expose our kids to those visitors and leaders who can provide words of encouragement, words of wisdom.

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COVID forces shrine to close to discourage crowds

K CNS PHOTO/FRANK J. METHE, CLARION HERALD

Kenneth St. Charles, president of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, talks to drum majors in the school’s “Marching 100” band in this 2016 file photo. St. Charles officials said they felt overwhelmed by a $1.5 million donation from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s #StartSmall initiative, the largest single gift in the school’s 69-year history.

“He came to the school early in the morning and walked around, and I think he became impressed with the kids and certainly understood the mission of the school. A few months later, we got a phone call, and we were invited to speak to the head of their foundation.”

That phone call lasted only 20 minutes, and the school was subsequently asked to submit a short wish list of priority items, along with a brief narrative explaining why these were important.

“The next thing we know, we get a phone call, and they said they were sending a gift,” St. Charles said.

“There was no formal request. There was no proposal. So, in that regard, it was unique.

“I think I’m safe in saying that once you enter St. Augustine, there’s a special feeling. This is a spiritual place.

This is a special place. Our kids are delightful to interact with, and the next thing you know, he just felt some type of motivation that this school was deserving of this level of support.”

The $1.5 million can be used by the school to support its most critical

priorities. St. Charles said the school’s board of directors will discuss “our most pressing needs,” which include making improvements to its academic programs and curriculum as well as upgrades to facilities, classrooms and technology.

The school also hopes to financially assist families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. St. Charles still is working through the timetable for using the unexpected windfall.

“There is no immediate timetable because this was truly, truly a surprise to us,” St. Charles told the Clarion Herald, New Orleans’ archdiocesan newspaper. “This was not budgeted, it was not expected, it was not hoped for. I was not necessarily skeptical, but being in this business for so long, I was just not expecting the immediacy and the urgency that the donor felt, which we greatly appreciate.”

St. Charles said St. Augustine has a national reputation for excellence and producing leaders. Beyond the $1.5 million donation, the school raised $512,000 from more than 1,000 alumni and other donors during its “Give Purple” day June 16.

11

NOCK, Ireland (CNS) — The Marian shrine at Knock announced Aug. 10 that in addition to postponing the popular Knock Novena and pilgrimage because of the COVID19 pandemic, the shrine and its church would be closed for the Aug. 15 feast of the Assumption of Mary to ensure pilgrims do not arrive anyway.

“Father Richard Gibbons, rector at Knock, has appealed to people not to travel to Knock on 15th August as the shrine and grounds will be closed in order to prevent large gatherings in the context of COVID-19,” said a statement posted Aug. 10 on the shrine’s website.

The feast of the Assumption traditionally is the centerpiece of the Knock Novena and normally would draw 20,000 pilgrims to the shrine, the statement said. Over the course of the novena Aug. 14-22 as many as 150,000 people normally would go to the shrine for prayer and lectures.

“In the light of the current escalation of COVID-19 cases around the country together with the sheer impossibility of having the resources necessary to deal with the potential of large numbers of people gathering” at the shrine Aug. 15 and, “extremely conscious of our responsibility for the safety of our parishioners, pilgrims, visitors, staff, volunteers and priests,” Father Gibbons said, the shrine will close at 8 p.m. Aug. 14 and not reopen until 7 a.m. Aug. 16.

“This decision was taken after detailed discussions with church and state bodies,” the rector said. “We are appealing to people therefore, not to travel to Knock for the 15th August as the shrine and grounds will be closed off to everyone in order to prevent large gatherings.”

Leaving the shrine open, he added, would be “ambiguous and cause confusion.”

During the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, the shrine’s livestreamed Masses and offer allowing people to virtually light a candle there proved very popular. For the feast of the Assumption, the shrine said, “Masses will be celebrated online only and behind closed doors” at noon, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

VATICAN

12

Weapons must be set aside for peace to flourish, pope says

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

V

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — For peace to flourish, weapons of war must be set aside, especially nuclear weapons that can obliterate entire cities and countries, Pope Francis said on the 75th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima.

“May the prophetic voices” of the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki “continue to serve as a warning to us and for coming generations,” he said in a written message sent Aug. 6 to Hidehiko Yuzaki, governor of the Hiroshima prefecture, who led a peace memorial ceremony.

The pope also invited people to pray for a nuclear weapons-free world after reciting the Angelus Aug. 9.

Recalling “the tragic atomic bombardments” of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and his visit there in 2019, which stirred within him “deep emotion and gratitude,” Pope Francis told visitors in St. Peter’s Square, “I renew the invitation to pray and the commitment to a world completely free of nuclear weapons.”

In 1945, during World War II, the

CNS PHOTO/KYODO VIA REUTERS

People wearing protective masks release paper lanterns on the Motoyasu River facing the gutted Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima, Japan, Aug 6, 2020, the 75th anniversary of the world’s first use of an atomic bomb in war.

United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima Aug. 6 and on Nagasaki Aug. 9 in an effort to get Japan to surrender. The cities were decimated and, by year’s end, at least 200,000 people had died from the blasts or the aftereffects.

Those who survived, called hibakusha, were honored at the Aug. 6

ceremony, and the pope greeted them as well as the organizers and others taking part in the ceremony.

The pope’s message and others were published on the Hiroshima For Global Peace website: hiroshimaforpeace. com.

“I was privileged to be able to come in person to the cities of Hiroshima

and Nagasaki during my apostolic visit in November last year, which allowed me to reflect at the peace memorial in Hiroshima and at Hypocenter Park in Nagasaki on the destruction of human life and property wrought in these two cities during those terrible days of war three-quarters of a century ago,” the pope wrote.

“I continue to hold in my heart the longing of the peoples of our time, especially of young people, who thirst for peace and make sacrifices for peace. I carry, too, the cry of the poor, who are always among the first victims of violence and conflict,” he said.

“It has never been clearer that, for peace to flourish, all people need to lay down the weapons of war, and especially the most powerful and destructive of weapons: nuclear arms that can cripple and destroy whole cities, whole countries,” the pope said.

Reiterating what he said in Hiroshima in 2019, Pope Francis wrote that the use of atomic energy for war and the possession of nuclear weapons are both “immoral.”

The pope ended his message with “abundant divine blessings” for all those commemorating on this “solemn anniversary.”

Pope baptizes twins after successful surgery to separate them

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

V

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Their heads encased in white bandages covering the wounds where they had been conjoined, 2-year-old twins named Ervina and Prefina were baptized by Pope Francis Aug. 6 in the chapel of his residence.

The babies from the Central Africa Republic are still hospitalized at the Vatican-owned Bambino Gesu pediatric hospital in Rome, a spokesman said Aug. 10. But their mother, identified only as Ermine, “really wanted the pope to baptize them.”

A team of doctors, led by Dr. Carlo Marras, chief of neurosurgery at the hospital, performed the final separation surgery June 5. The hospital held a news conference a month later to announce the successful separation of the conjoined twins and their progressive recovery.

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Pope Francis visited a hospital when he went to the Central African Republic in 2015; returning to Rome, he asked the Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome to begin a project there.

Mariella Enoc, president of the Rome hospital, met Ermine and her newborn twins during a visit to Bangui in July 2018 as part of the project to establish a pediatric medical center there, the hospital said. The twins and their mother arrived in Rome two months later.

After more than a year of tests and studies, particularly given how many veins the babies shared, they underwent their first surgery in May 2019; a second operation followed a month later. New veins and grafts were allowed to grow for a year before the final surgery to separate the girls, who had been joined at the back of the head.

A news release from the hospital July 7 said, “June 29 they celebrated their second birthday looking in each other’s eyes.”

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CNS PHOTO/COURTESY OSPEDALE PEDIATRICO BAMBINO GESU VIA REUTERS

Twin sisters Ervina and Prefina, who had been joined from the back of the head since birth, are pictured with their mother, Ermine, at the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome in this photo released July 8, 2020. The twins were baptized by Pope Francis Aug. 6 in the chapel of his residence.

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT Community live-in assistants - L’Arche Heartland of Overland Park serves adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities in day program support services and in residential services. We are seeking assistants who are looking for a unique opportunity in a faith-based organization. We are in immediate need of live-in assistants and potential live-out assistants to work in our day program serving 30 adults. We have a recycling program and community activities. Our core members participate in distributing for Meals on Wheels and Rise Against Hunger. They also attend community events such as the library, movies, bowling and going to parks. We also have a need for live-in and live-out assistants in our five residential homes. If interested, contact Jamie Henderson, community leader, by email at: jamie@larcheks.org.

Position available - For a mature full- or part-time female caregiver/companion for a woman with autism who lives in her own home in Lawrence. Active and fun-loving with a pleasant demeanor. Applicants must be highly responsible and strictly adhering to social distancing guidelines. For complete details and to apply, call Carole at (785) 266-5307 or send an email to: soelterservices. com. Include a phone number. A phone interview will be conducted prior to an in-person interview.

Board members - Santa Marta – Johnson County’s premier life-care community sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, is actively seeking board members for the term beginning January, 2021. The board meets during the business day six times a year, and each board member also serves on a committee that meets six to twelve times a year. We are seeking applicants with an expertise in marketing, business management, law, finance and IT. Individuals that have the time and interest in providing input and seek to assist in fulfilling the mission of Santa Marta are encouraged to apply. Those who wish to be considered for appointment to the Board are encouraged to submit a letter of interest, resume or details of relevant experience and home parish to Heidi Abeln at: habeln@santamartaretirement.com by August 30, 2020. Any questions regarding the application process can also be emailed to this address, and a current Board member will reply. Be sure to include your phone number and mailing address. Additional information about Santa Marta can be viewed at: www.santamartaretirement.com.

Facilities manager - St. Patrick Church has an opening for a full-time, benefit eligible, facilities manager for the parish campus located at 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kan. This position will oversee the management and operations of the church and school facilities, providing oversight for the buildings, grounds, parking lots, equipment, buildings systems, general security and ensuring the facilities are fully operational, clean and safe. Equipment includes HVAC, plumbing, electrical and mechanical. The manager will act as the facility representative with outside contractors and inspectors. Previous experience maintaining equipment required. Knowledge of email and Microsoft Excel and Word is helpful. Professional communication and organizational skills and the ability to multitask are important. Monday - Friday daytime hours are normal; some evening and weekend days may be required. Contact Patty Dickinson at (913) 299-3370, ext. 107 or email: pdickinson@stpatrickkck. org and request a job application. The deadline for application is August 18.

Preschool director - St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood, Kansas, is seeking applicants for our preschool director position. Applicants must have 3 - 5 years of teaching and/or director-level experience and a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education or equivalent.

We are looking for a caring, team-focused leader with a passion for teaching God’s children. The successful candidate will be self-directed, possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills, and embrace and practice the Catholic faith. Job description, application and benefits information are available at: www.stmichaelcp.org/ employment-opportunities.

After-school care supervisor - St. Michael the Archangel School is seeking an after-school care program supervisor. This position is responsible for schoolchildren in kindergarten through 8th grades from 3:25 - 6 p.m.

Job responsibilities include coordinating snacks and monitoring homework, outdoor play and free-play activities. The ideal candidate will be someone who loves and has prior experience working with children. Contact Dr. Lorenzo Rizzi, school principal, at (913) 402-3965 or send resume and cover letter to: lorenzo.rizzi@stmichaelcp. org.

Caregivers needed - Daughters & Company, a nonmedical, companion care provider is looking for several compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to ambulatory seniors in their home at this time. We provide light housekeeping, light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care management and occasional transportation services for our clients. Caregivers need to have reliable transportation and a cellphone for communication. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match up hours desired per week. Please contact Laurie or Gary at (913) 341-2500, or send resume to: ghamilton@daughtersonline.com if you would like to become part of an excellent caregiving team.

Resource teacher’s assistant - St. Michael the Archangel School is seeking a resource teacher’s assistant.

This person will work with small groups of students from K - 4th grades. If interested, please contact the principal, Dr. Lorenzo Rizzi, at: lorenzo.rizzi@stmichaelcp.org.

Assistant beginning preschool teacher - Nativity Day School is seeking an assistant preschool teacher. Responsibilities include engaging children in activities and play that stimulates their development; assist them with activities of daily life; appropriately supervise children while keeping them safe at all times; and work in collaboration with the classroom lead teacher. Competitive salary. The hours are M - F from 7:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Qualified candidates will have previous licensed day care experience.

Contact Katie King at: Katie.King@kcnativity.org.

Lead preschool teacher - Nativity Day School is seeking a lead preschool teacher. Responsibilities include engaging children in activities and play that stimulates their development; assist them with activities of daily life; and appropriately supervise children while keeping them safe at all times. Implements the approved lesson plans and daily classroom schedules. Competitive salary. The hours are M - F from 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The qualified candidate will have previous licensed day care experience as well as coursework in early childhood education. Contact Katie King at: Katie.King@kcnativity.org.

Spanish and/or Latin teacher - St. Michael the Archangel School is seeking a Spanish and/or Latin teacher.

The preferred candidate will be a practicing Catholic. Desired start date is on or about Aug. 11. Pay and hours will be based on skills and experience. Please send resume and cover letter by mail to the parish school principal: Dr. Lorenzo Rizzi, 14251 Nall Ave., Leawood, KS 66223; by email at: lorenzo.rizzi@stmichaelcp.org; or call (913) 402-3965.

We need your help! - Caring and reliable drivers needed to transport K - 12 students to and from school in Johnson and Wyandotte counties in company minivans. We offer competitive wages, flexible schedules and the ability to make a difference in your community by helping those in need. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply.

Call (913) 262-5190 or visit: AssistedTransportationcom to learn more and apply online. EEO. Executive director for stewardship and development and the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking to fill the role of executive director for stewardship and development and the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas (CFNEK). This position builds, directs and coordinates a comprehensive stewardship and fund development program for the archdiocese and its agencies and CFNEK by ensuring that proper planning, communications and fundraising activities are implemented. This position is responsible for advancing the mission of the archdiocese through professional relationship-building activities, and develops, organizes and implements a spiritually based archdiocesan approach to stewardship.

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in finance, marketing, business administration, nonprofit administration or related field; five years’ relevant work experience of professional management, planning and administering fundraising programs; five years’ experience in managing staff and volunteer groups. A complete job description can be found at: www.archkck.org/jobs. Qualified individuals should submit a cover letter, resume and application (available on website) to: jobs@archkck.org, title “Executive Director.” Deadline is Aug. 15.

Middle school math teacher - St. Michael the Archangel School is seeking a middle school math teacher. If interested, please contact the principal, Dr. Lorenzo Rizzi, at: lorenzo.rizzi@stmichaelcp.org.

Part-time stylists - Are you addicted to the TV show “Say Yes to the Dress”? Are you self-motivated, love fashion and enjoy helping people look their best? If so, we want to talk to you! Sincerely Susan, a unique destination shop that specializes in dresses for mothers of the bride/groom and galas is looking for part-time stylists.

Our boutique is a warehouse environment where clients come in by appointment only. You must have a sense of style and a great personality to be able to interact with our “Moms.” Hours are flexible. Must be willing to work a minimum of one evening per week and weekends. Must be able to stand and walk on concrete for long periods of time and reach overhead to pull gowns. Previous retail experience preferred, but not necessary. Hourly rate is based on experience. If interested, call (913) 730-8840.

Home schooling - Former teacher can home school your child/children, full or part time, for parents who have to work. For more information, call Beth at (913) 645-8778.

Part-time administrative assistant for in-house counsel - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking qualified candidates to fill the position of administrative assistant for our in-house legal counsel.

Part-time flexible schedule working 20 – 25 hours per week with the possibility of increased hours in the future. The office is located in the northern Overland Park area. Qualified applicants must have experience with office and document management; correspondence; must be proficient using the Microsoft Suite of office products (including Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet and the ability to learn other software and online systems as required; must be a practicing Catholic in good standing; and an active and faithful steward in their parish. Previous experience working in a legal office is preferred but not required. The successful candidate must also have a valid driver’s license and the ability to pick up and deliver documents to various courthouses, chancery offices or other law offices. For a complete job description and to download the job application, go online to: archkck. org/jobs. Completed application and resume/cover letter can be emailed to: jobs@archkck.org. Position open until filled.

Event facilitator - Holy Name of Jesus School is seeking an event facilitator. With the assistance of the principal and the Holy Name business team, the facilitator will work with the Holy Name staff and volunteers to envision, plan and execute a Signature Event in January 2021. The event facilitator will assist in developing and cultivating event donors and community relations to allow Holy Name School to fulfill its mission. This is a parttime position. Send resume to Randy Smith, Principal, Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School, 1007 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, KS 66103; (913) 722-0132; rsmith@ archkckcs.org.

Extended care aide - Nativity Day School is seeking an extended care aide. Responsibilities include assisting the lead teacher with the supervision and care of students. Will assist with homework, snack and playtime.

A perfect job for a high school or college student, must be at least 16 years of age. Hours are 3:10 - 5:30 p.m., M - F throughout the upcoming school year. Contact Katie King at: Katie.King@kcnativity.org.

Staff for preschool - John Paul II Preschool/Child Care is seeking staff for our after-school program with regular hours from 3 - 6 p.m., Monday - Friday. Additional hours are available when school is closed. Year-round employment is possible, if desired. Applicants must be 18 years of age. Experience working in a licensed child care setting is preferred. Contact Donna at: dhogue@archkckcs. org for more information or to apply.

Preschool teachers - Full-time and part-time positions are available at St. Patrick Early Education Center, located at 1080 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas. Related experience is preferred and a degree is a plus. Applicant will need to meet KDHE state requirements and be a practicing Catholic. Please contact Patty Dickinson for an application at: pdickinson@stpatrickkck.org or (913) 299-3370, ext. 107. Deadline is Aug. 18.

Accounting - cash receipts specialist - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has a full-time, benefits eligible position open for accounting - cash receipts.

This position creates invoices; records receipts and payments in Accounts Receivable software; remotely deposits checks at appropriate bank(s); balances AR to general ledger; reconciles gifts received through fundraising database to bank account; and issues monthly statements. Additional duties include reviewing annual parish and school reports; resolving questions with parish and school staffs; and providing support to Accounts Payable. A bachelor’s degree in accounting or business administration is preferred; two years’ prior experience required. The incumbent should have the ability to complete tasks in a timely, efficient and accurate manner, with an excellent attention to detail. The incumbent should also have effective communication skills and a proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and Word. A complete job description can be found at: www.archkck.org/jobs. Qualified individuals should submit a cover letter, resume and application (available on the website) to: jobs@archkck.org, title “Cash Receipts Specialist.” Deadline is Aug. 31.

Assistant pre-K teacher - Nativity Day School is seeking an assistant pre-K teacher. Responsibilities include engaging children in activities and play that stimulates their development; assist them with activities of daily life; appropriately supervise children while keeping them safe at all times; and work in collaboration with the classroom lead teacher. Competitive salary. The hours are M - F, 7:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. The qualified candidate will have previous licensed day care experience. Contact Katie King at: Katie.King@kcnativity.org.

President - Incarnate Word Academy in St. Louis, a college-preparatory secondary school for young women, challenges young women of faith to achieve their Godgiven potential as academically successful women of the Word, following the example of Jesus, the Incarnate Word, by promoting human dignity, thereby empowering themselves and others to make a positive impact on the world. Position summary: Incarnate Word Academy is seeking a president for the 2021-22 school year and beyond who can provide visionary leadership, overall direction and administration of the school’s operation, consistent with the school’s mission statement and the charism of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, the sponsoring entity of the academy.

Minimal requirements: must be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the church; and a master’s degree or above is desired. Application deadline is Sept. 10. For further information, go online to: www.iwacademy.org/ PresidentSearch. Interested candidates should submit cover and resume via email to: iwasearch@iwacademy. org.

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Painting - Diamond Painting, (913) 648-4933, Residential/Commercial, Exterior/interior, Free Estimate, Affordable, Decks, DiamondPaintKc.com, Kcmo/Overland Park Metropolitan area.

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Windows - Doors - Decks - Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and be glad you did.

Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com Concrete construction - Tear out and replace amped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com.

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Fully insured, serving Kansas for 27 years Call or text Jerry at (913) 206-1144.

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NELSON CREATIONS Affordable home remodeling: Kitchens, baths, basements and room additions.

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SERVICES Handyman - Furloughed railroader trying to keep the bills paid for my family. I advertised here as Father and Son Home Exteriors and Remodeling for 13 years previously. I can do carpentry, windows, doors, trim, siding and decks. Also paint, sheetrock and tiling. No project too big or too small. Give me a call and ask for Josh at (913) 709-7230.

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Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload and in-home moving. No job too small. Serving JoCo since 1987. St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner. Call Mike at (913) 927-4347 or send an email to: mike@mikehammermoving.com.

Garage Door Repair New Garage Doors Platinum Amarr dealer, Elite Home Advisor top rating.

Call Joe, mention The Leaven discount.

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Faith-based counseling to cope with life concerns - Kansas City area. Call Mary Vorsten, licensed clinical professional counselor, at (913) 909-2002.

Win disability benefits - Disabled and no longer able to work? Get help winning Social Security disability benefits. Free consultation. Eight years’ experience. No fee unless you win. Call (785) 331-6452 or send an email to: montemace2000@yahoo.com or visit montemacedisability.org.

Custom countertops - Laminates installed within five days. Cambria, granite and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee.

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Call or text Kathi at (816) 809-7739 Email: imagewellness2@gmail.com Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr. com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer. com. Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress. >> Classifieds continue on page 15

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

COMMENTARY

Will you become an Earth Angel?

TWENTIETH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Aug. 16 TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Is 56: 1, 6-7 Ps 67: 2-3, 5-6, 8 Rom 11: 13-15, 29-32 Mt 15: 21-28 Aug. 17 Monday Ez 24: 15-24 (Ps) Dt 32: 18-21 Mt 19: 16-22 Aug. 18 Tuesday Ez 28: 1-10 (Ps) Dt 32: 26-28, 30, 35c-36b Mt 19: 23-30 Aug. 19 John Eudes, priest Ez 34: 1-11 Ps 23: 1-6 Mt 20: 1-16 Aug. 20 Bernard, abbot, doctor of the church Ez 36: 23-28 Ps 51: 12-15, 18-19 Mt 22: 1-14 Aug. 21 Pius X, pope Ez 37: 1-14 Ps 107: 2-9 Mt 22: 34-40 Aug. 22 The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ez 43: 1-7ab Ps 85: 9ab, 10-14 Mt 23: 1-12 TWENTY-FIRST WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Aug. 23 TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Is 22: 19-23 Ps 138: 1-3, 6, 8 Rom 11: 33-36 Mt 16: 13-20 Aug. 24 BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE Rv 21: 9b-14 Ps 145: 10-13ab, 17-18 Jn 1: 45-51 Aug. 25 Louis; Joseph Calasanz, priest 2 Thes 2: 1-3a, 14-17 Ps 96: 10-13 Mt 22: 23-26 Aug. 26 Wednesday 2 Thes 3: 6-10, 16-18 Ps 128: 1-2, 4-5 Mt 23: 27-32 Aug. 27 Monica 1 Cor 1: 1-9 Ps 145: 2-7 Mt 24: 42-51 Aug. 28 Augustine, bishop, doctor of the church 1 Cor 1: 17-25 Ps 33: 1-2, 4-5, 10-11 Mt 25: 1-13 Aug. 29 The Passion of John the Baptist 1 Cor 1: 26-31 Ps 33: 12-13, 18-19, 20-21 Mk 6: 17-29

I

’m already making my list and checking it twice. I hope you are, too, because that special day will be here before we know it.

Naturally, I’m talking about Be an Angel Day, which is coming up on Saturday, Aug. 22.

What, you thought I was talking about something else?

So, what does it take to be an angel? It’s simple: You have to be a messenger from God. We do that primarily by making God’s love visible through our words and actions. We’re called to give people hope, to be a light to others, to extend a helping hand.

In other words, we shift our focus from ourselves to other people.

I love the story of a rookie police officer who was on foot patrol one evening in a particularly dangerous part of town. He noticed a young woman waiting by herself for a bus. He approached her and asked, “Want me to wait with you?”

“Thank you,” the woman replied, “but

T

14

MARK MY WORDS

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

that’s not necessary. I’m not afraid.”

“Well, then,” said the officer with a sheepish grin, “would you mind waiting with me?”

Quite simply, we need each other in life and there’s no better way to build bridges than by being kind — angelic — to one another. It’s really much easier than you think as the following story, told by the Rev. Dr. Jim Schibsted, pastor of the First Congregation-

al Church of Anaheim, California, shows: While [my wife] Penny and I were walking in the park the other day, a 10-year-old boy came racing around a tree and almost ran into us and said, “Dad, where’s Amy?” Instantly, he realized his mistake and said, “Sir, I’m sorry.

I thought you were my dad.”

“That’s OK,” I replied.

“Everybody makes mistakes.”

As he began to walk away, I noticed he had a limp as well as the features of a child with Down syndrome. After about 10 yards, as an afterthought, the boy turned around and retraced his steps toward us.

“My name is Billy,” he began. “You both were very nice to me. Can I give you a hug?”

After giving each of us a tight hug, he said, “I just wanted you to know that you’re my friends and I’m going to be praying for you! I have to go and find my sister Amy. Bye and God bless you!”

Tears came to Penny’s and my eyes as we watched him head to the playground. After Billy went down the slide, his mother came over to him and gave him a big hug. It was obvious that he was a special child to her.

Sometimes, God uses the Billys of this world to break down our walls of sophistication to show us what genuine kindness is all about.

We must never underestimate the impact that a hug, smile or encouraging word may have on a person’s life.

(Adapted from “At the Playground,” found in “Illustrations Unlimited,” edited by James S. Hewett.)

This is what being an angel is all about. Sadly, this pandemic has not

just taken a physical toll on people, but an emotional and spiritual one as well. It has laid bare some disturbing attitudes of nastiness and selfishness, dividing us even further from one another.

So, now’s the perfect time to bring on the angels and infuse kindness, respect and generosity back into our society.

With social distancing, we’ve certainly got to be more creative than ever in our angelic interactions. But it can, and must, be done. And, let’s face it, being an angel is downright fun!

You don’t need a list from me on practical ways to be kind. But remember that an angelic person can also be kind by not doing things — things like gossiping, being snarky online and off, or seeing the worst in people.

Say, as long as you’re getting your idea list ready for Be an Angel Day, why wait until Aug. 22 to get started? Do something angelic today . . . and keep the world from having the devil to pay!

Prophet Isaiah’s words speak to us still

his weekend’s readings spur me to think about our family becoming white.

My grandfather Saverio came from southern Italy to New York at the beginning of the last century. He met Rose, a native New Yorker, who lived in the tenement next door. They fell in love and got married.

For marrying an Italian immigrant, the law of the time stripped Rose of her citizenship.

The lawmakers welcomed Italians for their labor, but didn’t want them to settle here.

Nana could no longer vote.

Clearly, Italians — and Italian Americans who married them — were not white. White society’s attitude to such people could be summed up with an adaptation of the disciples’ words about a foreigner in today’s Gospel (Mt 15:21-

SPEAK TO ME, LORD

KEVIN PERROTTA Perrotta is the editor and an author of the “Six Weeks with the Bible” series, teaches part time at Siena Heights University and leads Holy Land pilgrimages. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

28): “Send them away.”

Fifty years later, their younger son — my dad — and my mom bought a house in a New Jersey suburb. The family in the house whose backyard abutted ours was Black.

Their street, one over from ours, was in the

little neighborhood in town where Black families were allowed to buy houses — a mini-ghetto.

The contrast between our freedom and their lack of it demonstrated that the Perrottas were now white.

How convenient for us. How inconvenient for our Black neighbors.

They were still back there in the category my grandparents had been in: “Your labor is wanted, but not you.”

I wonder how the children who grew up on the next street fared in

POPE FRANCIS Let Mary inspire and guide young people today, Pope Francis told participants at the annual International Youth Festival at the Marian shrine in Medjugorje.

Mary will always be “the great model of the church” because she is ready to follow Christ with vitality and docility, he said in a message to those attending the festival Aug. 1-6 in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

He said, “her ‘yes’ means getting involved and

“

FOR MARRYING AN ITALIAN IMMIGRANT, THE LAW OF THE TIME STRIPPED ROSE OF HER CITIZENSHIP. THE LAWMAKERS WELCOMED ITALIANS FOR THEIR LABOR BUT DIDN’T WANT THEM TO SETTLE HERE. life. Their prospects were not so good. And what about their grandchildren today?

Even more, I wonder: What is it about us humans? We seem to be hardwired for a kind of group thinking: “If you’re part of my group, I welcome you — but not if you’re part of that other group. Our group is superior; your group is inferior. We control you; you don’t control us.”

I would like to suppose that this kind of thinking has ebbed somewhat in our society over the

past few decades. But, of course, I do my supposing from the position of someone whose family has become white.

I do believe that God’s word can change us. In today’s reading from Isaiah (56:1, 6-7), God says: “The foreigners who join themselves to the Lord . . . I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; . . . for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

“All peoples.” Let’s think about that.

taking a risk, without any guarantee besides the certainty of being the bearer of a promise,” and her example continues to show the beauty in freely entrusting oneself completely to the hands of God. “May her example captivate and guide you!” he said.

The pope’s message, released to journalists Aug. 2, was read at the festival Aug. 1. Though it was the 31st edition of the annual festival, it was the first time a papal message was sent to the event after it became an officially approved church festival in 2019. That approval came three months after Catholic pilgrimages to the site in Bosnia-Herzegovina were authorized by the pope.

— CNS

AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

15

>> Continued from page 13 Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided.

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REAL ESTATE Rental properties - Getting into this kind of investment can be scary. How about if you could have access to a seasoned investor after the sale as a consultant? I am selling some of my investments that are in the KCMO area that you might be interested in. I am not a realtor, but I have owned these properties for a long time. Call (785) 883-2936, leave me your contact information and I will return your call within 24 hours.

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LEAVEN PHOTO BY DOUG HESSE

This photo of Mary Jo Mahoney, director of music and liturgy at St. Pius X Parish in Mission, demonstrating how droplets are released in the air during singing, has been shared nearly 20,000 times on Facebook.

CORONA-VIRAL Leaven photograph becomes a Facebook sensation “

By Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

M

ISSION — Doug Hesse has taken thousands of pictures in his photography career, but none have earned him as much attention as the photo he took for the June 5 issue of The Leaven of Mary Jo Mahoney singing.

Mahoney, the director of music and liturgy at St. Pius X Parish in Mission, was demonstrating how droplets are released in the air from the mouth while singing. The photo accompanied an article explaining why singing would not be allowed in parishes while COVID-19 was spreading throughout the nation.

When Hesse uploaded the photo to his personal Facebook page, it — ironically — went viral. To date, the photo has been shared nearly 20,000 times and drew more than 1600 comments.

“When I started the assignment, I didn’t think we’d see anything,” Hesse said. “I didn’t think singing would produce spray like that. I was blown away at how much there was and how far it went.”

“So, once The Leaven published, I wanted to get it online just to show my friends,” he said. “I knew the virus was serious; I just had no idea just how much spray there could be.”

Hesse said the photograph was a difficult one to compose. As he worked with Mahoney, he could see the droplets coming out of her mouth but capturing those took some work.

He set her up against a dark background and used studio lighting below and behind her to make the droplets more visible.

Hesse, who has done freelance photography for The Leaven for more than 30 years, thinks the image has

“I DIDN’T THINK SINGING WOULD PRODUCE SPRAY LIKE THAT. I WAS BLOWN AWAY AT HOW MUCH THERE WAS AND HOW FAR IT WENT.

Leaven freelance photographer Doug Hesse shared the photo of Mahoney on his Facebook page and it quickly went viral. been shared so many times because it’s such a strong visual representation of what happens when singing and speaking.

“It’s resonated with people to show why it’s important to mask,” he said.

“There’s a lot of great illustrations out there now, but at the time when I posted it, there weren’t many pictures of droplets coming out of your mouth.

We knew wearing a mask was important — we just didn’t know how much spray was really coming out.”

Hesse said that within a week of posting the photo, he had to turn off his Facebook notifications because they were coming in so fast and furious that he couldn’t keep up. Most comments were positive and respectful, but some were angry and hateful.

Hesse said he’s heard from people all over the United States from coast to coast about the photo, and got a number of friend requests based on the photo.

Mahoney said she’s shocked about how popular the photo has become but thinks it’s a good image to help illustrate why there isn’t singing in churches right now.

“You realize that there’s so much we do not see with the naked eye and why we have to wear masks,” she said. “To me, this is just proof positive that this is something serious to deal with.”

For Mahoney, the pandemic and the restrictions on singing have been hard. As director of music and liturgy, she wants to sing but realizes that for the greater good, it’s important not to sing right now.

“This is my life,” she said. “I’ve spent 40 years encouraging people to sing. I don’t think we have really appreciated how far liturgy has come — we have worked so hard to get our congregation to lift up their prayer in song, to not just sit back and listen to everything, to really actively participate.”

Mahoney said she agreed to have her photograph taken for the article because it was something she believed needed to be shown.

“I just wanted to spread the message about this virus and this epidemic that we are in right now,” she said, “so I wanted to do anything I could to help.”

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AUGUST 14, 2020 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

16

El Centro ‘just had to pivot’ and keep working, says CEO Katie Peterson Special to the Leaven

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in early March, many businesses have been forced to close and people have been laid off or furloughed from jobs, causing financial stress for many.

But for the Latino community in Wyandotte and Johnson counties, El Centro Inc. has done everything it could to combat those effects.

“We here at El Centro never really stopped working,” said Irene Caudillo, president and CEO. “We just had to pivot in a way that was listening to what the community’s needs were.”

“That was really powerful for our organization to be able to say, ‘We can continue,’” she added. “It was just learning how to be fair with everyone and challenge our resources in an effort to make sure we’re not contributing to the unemployment but supporting those that were either laid off or furloughed.”

El Centro was founded by Father Ramon Gaitan, OAR, in 1976. Father Gaitan approached the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas for help with the project and received a $10,000 grant to help establish it.

Now, El Centro is one of 40 ministries that benefit from Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann’s Call to Share program, as it attempts to support more than 18,000 Latino households through educational, social and economic opportunities.

El Centro staff and volunteers have done their best to continue those services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the educational programs for kindergarten through sixth-grade students have not been able to continue, El Centro has been able to carry on with its dual language preschool program for 2-1/2- to 5-year-olds.

Parents bring their children to the program, Caudillo explained, because “Spanish is the primary language spoken in their home, and they just want their kids to be ready for kindergarten.

“Our motto is present it [such that] parents embrace the language as an asset,” she said.

To help avoid spreading the virus, only 40 children and 10 teachers are able to be in the building at any one time, meals are eaten in their classrooms and masks are worn by everyone except the children during nap time. Parents also drop off and pick up their children outside the building.

Along with childhood education, El Centro volunteers also provide health education ranging from smoking cessation to diabetes management to healthy eating on a budget and more, Caudillo said.

“We call them our health promoters,” Caudillo said. “They’re like community health workers that really just help give knowledge and really guide and give resources to our community.”

Because this part of outreach includes tours of grocery stores and live recipe demonstrations, the program has had to make adjustments.

“A lot of what they’re doing now is more virtual, like classes,” Caudillo said.

The second portion of the health initiative is dedicated to teaching people to navigate the health care

LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATIE PETERSON

Lorena Holguin, El Centro health navigator, right, interprets COVID-19 forms for a client before she goes in for her free mammogram screening July 23 outside the El Centro Academy for Children in Kansas City, Kansas. Health navigators were there throughout the day to provide free mammogram screenings to uninsured individuals.

How to help El Centro has many volunteering opportunities. For more information, call (913) 677-0100.

For more information about how to donate funds, visit the website at: elcentroinc.com or follow El Centro on Facebook at: elcentrokc or on Twitter at: elcentroinc.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATIE PETERSON

Amanda Vega-Mavec, the director of the El Centro Academy for Children, opens the door for 3-yearold Benicio Ojeda, while his mom Christina Ojeda signs him out at the end of the day July 23. Because of COVID-19 precautions, parents are not allowed to come into the building when picking up and dropping off children. system. Staff members of El Centro called “health navigators” work to help members of the community get health insurance or provide assistance for those who don’t qualify to get the health care they need.

“This program is really about helping keep folks away from the emergency room and really look at prevention,” Caudillo said.

The pandemic has slowed that program some since “a lot of appointments are based face-to-face,” she said.

“But we still continue to do prescriptions because we can work with our safety net clinics and our clients on the telephone and online.”

The economic empowerment program of El Centro, meanwhile, works

to help families who need financial assistance with things like rent and utilities until they get on their feet.

“The idea is that we’re going to support you in times of crisis, but we want to make sure you don’t have to come back here — or any system,” Caudillo explained. “We want you to be able to move forward.”

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of assistance has increased.

“We’ve spent almost $70,000 to help assist in rent and utilities just for April and May,” she said.

The final component of El Centro’s outreach involves advocacy, which includes citizenship classes and encouraging participation in both the census and upcoming elections. Normally,

this would mean going door to door in order to educate the community, but because of the virus, staff has had to improvise by using megaphones and driving through neighborhoods and utilizing social media.

“Those are two important civic engagement pieces that we really try to promote,” Caudillo said. “The census is important because of the dollars that come into our community to support programs. Their vote is their voice.”

Through everything, Caudillo said, nothing was going to stop El Centro from serving.

“We really did not close our doors.

We’re not actually open to the public, but we did not stop working,” Caudillo said. “For most of us [who provide] social services, it is important for folks to understand that we actually continued even during this pandemic.

“Some might say we weren’t essential workers, but we were for a population and a community that we knew was very much hurting.”

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