08 30 19 Vol. 41 No. 5

THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 41, NO. 5 | AUGUST 30, 2019

GOALORIENTED 2014 grad returns to Bishop Ward to teach math, coach soccer and give back STORY BY ELLIE MELERO | PHOTOS BY DOUG HESSE

Tony Subasic, left, a 2014 graduate of Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, and a Catholic Education Foundation Scholarship recipient, returned to Ward this year as a teacher and assistant soccer coach. Top right, he meets with some of the returning soccer players. Above, he and head coach Tyler Heying talk about what they’re seeing on the practice field.

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — When Tony Subasic walked across the stage at his high school graduation, he had no idea that one day he would be back. But here he is.

Subasic graduated from Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, in 2014, and from Kansas State University with a degree in secondary education mathematics in May. In August, he returned to Bishop Ward as a math teacher and assistant soccer coach.

“It’s definitely different,” admitted Subasic.

“It’s kind of strange — a little bit funny. But once I get onto a first-name basis with [the other teachers], rather than ‘Mr. and Mrs. Last Name,’ it’ll be a little bit more normal.”

Subasic is excited to begin his teaching career at his old alma mater, but his path hasn’t always been easy.

Subasic, the oldest of three children, came to the United States when he was just 10 months old. His parents, originally from Bosnia, moved to Croatia in the early ’90s. But in 1997, they were forced to leave because of civil war.

The Subasics originally came to Florida, but

they moved to Kansas City after about six months because they had heard about the Croatian community on Strawberry Hill. They have lived in the Kansas City area ever since.

Subasic’s parents are devout Catholics and wanted their children to attend Catholic schools.

Subasic went to elementary school at St. John the Baptist (which became Resurrection Catholic School) before moving on to St. Patrick’s and eventually Bishop Ward.

“All the teachers — they took care of you at >> See “CEF” on page 15

AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

2

Summer program helps refugee children prepare for school

By Ellie Melero @eleanor_melero

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Going to a new school is hard.

But it’s even harder when that new school is in a new country.

That is the prospect many children from refugee families living in the Kansas City area are facing this month.

Every year, thousands of people immigrate to the United States as refugees. They come seeking asylum from civil wars and religious, racial and ethnic persecution, among other things. They come seeking a better life for themselves and their families.

When they arrive, they need help starting their new lives.

Catholic Charities’ Refugee and Immigrant Services helps resettle almost 400 refugees in the Kansas City area each year, and many of these people are families with school-aged children.

Many of these children have never gone to school before, or they have never gone to school in the United States, and the transition to the American classroom can be a little overwhelming.

Therefore, Refugee and Immigrant Services hosted its third Refugee Youth Summer Program July 15-19.

“The whole goal of the program is to kind of introduce them to the school and get them comfortable in a school setting,” said Alex Kolker, the program coordinator. “The school setting is really different [here].

“Most of them have grown up in refugee camps, so their schools maybe were outdoors. They maybe met once a week or twice a week at different times.”

“There was probably little to no consistency,” Kolker continued, “so following those school rules can be really tough and getting adjusted to a school schedule can get tough as well.”

The summer program is a camp intended to prepare students from ages 6 through 14 for school in the fall. This year, the program hosted 29 refugee children, most from Eritrea and the Congo.

There were a few students who could already attest to how different American schools were from the ones they attended before.

ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN Sept. 1 Installation of Father Francis Bakyor — St. Lawrence, Easton Sept. 3 Southern Region priests meeting — Prairie Star Ranch Administrative Team meeting Sept. 4 Mass — Bishop Miege High School LEAVEN PHOTO BY MATT MCCABE

A refugee child named Sabrin takes part in Catholic Charities’ Refugee and Immigrant Services third Refugee Youth Summer Program July 15-19. The goal of the program is to take children who may have never attended school before and help them get acclimated to going to school in the United States.

Unlike many of the kids at the camp, Florence Kato and Flori Simon, 13-yearold twins from Uganda, have experience in American schools because they went to school for about two months in California before moving to Kansas.

“In Africa, we don’t use computers,” Simon said. “We are using a board to write our notes. And you can’t use Google to tell you the answers. You need to use your brain.”

Not having to walk to school here and having the opportunity to go on field trips were also new. Both said they prefer American schools.

Even though Kato and Simon have some experience in the American classroom, they both said they still appreciated the program.

The program split the kids into two classes by age, and they were given basic English as a Second Language classes and taught basic school etiquette, like how to sit during class and walk in a line.

Kolker said it’s important to teach the students things like how to ask to go to the bathroom because those are basic classroom expectations that likely won’t be taught in class. “[These are] things we wouldn’t think of learning because we’ve been in school or been in the States so long,” Kolker said. “But they need to be taught if you’re entering school for the first time.”

In addition to learning about life in the American classroom, the kids also participated in fun activities, like soccer drills taught by Global FC and art classes taught by representatives from the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum.

The two classrooms were run entirely by volunteers who gave their time not only during the week of the camp, but also in the weeks leading up to it to learn how to teach ESL. Stephanie Christopher, one of the volunteers, said she was impressed by the children. She said most of them spoke English well and were learning quickly in the classroom, and she said it was fun to work with them.

“As it turns out, there’s really not a huge difference between American kids and kids from Uganda,” Christopher said. “They want to be loved, they want to have friends, they want to play.

It’s been really fun.”

The kids were excited to learn, and many of them caught on to the lessons very quickly. Many are looking forward to the new school year because they understand the impact a good education can have on a person’s life and they are hoping the transition to their new schools goes well.

“If you don’t go to school, you’re going to have a bad life,” Simon said.

“If you go, you’re going to have a good life.”

Quarterly meeting with newly ordained priests, vespers and dinner Sept. 5 Evening of Life banquet — Overland Park Convention Center Sept. 8 Installation of Father Michael Guastello — St. Charles Parish, Troy Sept. 9-11 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting — Washington, DC Sept. 12 Religious Alliance Against Pornography conference call Catholic Education Foundation board meeting — Our Lady of Unity School, Kansas City, Kansas Sept. 14 “Fire on the Mountain” youth pilgrimage opening Mass — St. Philippine Park, Mound City School of Love benefit — Sheraton Overland Park Hotel Convention Center National Day of Remembrance for aborted children — Gate of Heaven Cemetery Sept. 15 Installation of Father Mark Mertes — St. Patrick, Kansas City, Kansas Baptism of third or more child — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kansas

KU Med Center chaplain Father Kuttukaran dies

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — In his work as a chaplain at the University of Kansas Medical Center here, Father Rafi Kuttukaran was known as a dedicated and faithful priest who gave comfort to the sick and consolation to those who mourned.

He was also known as an avid gardener, and it was while working in his garden at home that Father Kuttukaran, 58, unexpectedly died on Aug. 10.

Father Kuttukaran was born on Oct. 6, 1960, in the town of Thrissur, in the state of Kerala, located on the west side of the southern tip of India. He was the fifth of eight children of Lonappan Kuttukaran and Rosy Thekkekara.

He was ordained a priest on Dec. 30, 1992, for the Diocese of Imphal, located in the state of Manipur in far northeastern India. After ordination, he held pastoral assignments (including Sacred Heart Church in K. Chanshil) and served as his bishop’s secretary.

Priests in that region of India were sometimes targeted for kidnapping and extortion, or simply murdered.

Father Kuttukaran was himself kidnapped once and injured, but he escaped and returned to the state of Kerala.

Afterward, he went to the United States and served in various capacities and locations at parishes, as a contract chaplain for the U.S. military, and as

a hospital chaplain beginning in 2005.

Eventually, he became a U.S. citizen.

While at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Father Kuttukaran was known for his deep Marian devotion and his dedication in ministering to patients, their families, visitors and the staff. It was said that he considered the medical center to be “his parish” and those there as “family.”

Also, it was his delight to celebrate holidays with patients who were unable to go home.

A funeral Mass was celebrated for Father Kuttukaran on Aug. 20 at Holy Name Parish in Kansas City, Kansas. The main celebrant was Archbishop Joseph

Past assignments • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana, 2005-2007 • Diocese of Belleville, Illinois, 2008 • Archdiocese of Miami, Florida, 2011-2015 • Archdiocese of St. Louis, 20162017 • Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, 2017-2019

F. Naumann and the homilist was Father Jomon Palatty, pastor of Annunciation Parish in Baldwin and St. Francis Parish in Lapeer. The family requested no flowers but suggested contributions to Holy Name Parish.

AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

3

Archdiocese graduates new Hispanic lay leaders

By Ellie Melero @eleanor_melero

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Juan Garduno was nervous.

When his name was called, he walked up to the podium and took a deep breath. Then he gave his presentation.

He spoke quickly and stumbled over some of his words, but he gave his presentation.

When he was done, he sat back down for a little bit before his name was called again. Then he walked back up, smiling this time, to receive his certificate.

Garduno, a parishioner at Blessed Sacrament in Kansas City, Kansas, was one of the 22 people who graduated from the Hispanic ministry’s School of Basic Theology on Aug. 7.

The school, previously known as the School of Evangelization of Our Lady of Guadalupe, is a three-year program intended to form lay leaders for Hispanic ministry in parishes around the archdiocese.

“You want these leaders of the Hispanic community to have this kind of formation,” said Father Gianantonio “Giani” Baggio, the director of Hispanic ministry in the archdiocese. “You want them to have not only the ability to lead groups, but also the theological formation in order to ensure that what they teach and the way they lead is following the teaching of the Catholic Church.”

The program is meant for members of parishes with Hispanic ministries who have an interest in taking up leadership roles within their parishes.

Over the course of three years, students study such topics as sacramental theology and sacred Scripture as well as the role of lay leaders in the church.

At the end of the three years, they have to complete and present a final project.

“They have to go to their parish and see what the parish needs,” said Sister Maria Orozco, SCL, the Hispanic ministry’s coordinator of adult catechism and evangelization. “Whether it’s catechism classes or formation for lectors and ushers — whatever the parish needs. They talk with the priest, and the priest gives the green light to do the project.”

This year, the projects ranged from the creation of an immigration ministry to starting summer Bible schools.

Garduno’s proposal was to create a Catholic soccer league.

“I coach five soccer teams with kids from 5 to 18 years old,” Garduno said. “I love seeing the happiness from the kids and the effort of working as a team, and also bringing them to know Christ through the sport and through prayer and participation.”

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann was impressed with the various presentations. He said his favorites were the ones that dealt with evangelization.

He even mentioned Garduno’s soccer league as one that particularly interested him.

“When I was a child, every parish had a soccer team,” Archbishop Naumann said. “Sports is a way that we can really form our young people. Coaches

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann blesses 22 people who graduated from the Hispanic ministry’s School of Basic Theology on Aug. 7.

The school is a three-year program that forms lay leaders for Hispanic ministry in parishes around the archdiocese.

Maria Pérez delivers her final project to Archbishop Naumann. Each graduate of the School of Basic Theology delivered a presentation.

“

“I THINK IT’S BEEN A TREMENDOUS BLESSING. YOU CAN JUST SEE THE ANIMO (ENERGY) FOR THE PEOPLE, FOR THEIR FAITH. YOU CAN SEE GROWTH IN OUR PEOPLE, AND IT’S A WELCOME THING FOR US.” can have such a powerful influence on the young.”

Archbishop Naumann said the growth of Hispanic ministries at parishes throughout the archdiocese gives him hope for the future, and he credits much of that growth to the School of Basic Theology.

President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

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

Since the program’s inception in 2004, it has more than doubled in size.

The first class of 10 people graduated in 2007, and this year, the fifth class, had 22 graduates.

Part of the school’s rise in popularity is due to the satisfaction of past graduates. As more graduates become more involved in their parishes, more people want to attend. Father Giani said he and Sister Maria have already interviewed 40 people who are interested in enrolling for the next cycle.

The results of the program can already be felt in many parishes.

Father John Cordes, the pastor at Our Lady of Unity in Kansas City, Kansas, has had parishioners participating in the school since its inception, and this year 12 graduates were from Our Lady of Unity.

“The people that have gone, I can see it’s been very fruitful for them and also for the church,” Father Cordes said. “They just get very involved in different ways, like eucharistic ministers

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

Reporter Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org

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and lectors. They just really love their parish and want to do whatever they can to help.”

Some graduates have gotten involved with the parish by helping organize retreats and starting different ministries within the parish, such as a Communion ministry and a cleaning ministry, and even more people want to get involved.

Father Cordes said about eight people have already approached him about enrolling in the school, and he is excited to have more people formed as leaders for his parish.

“I think it’s been a tremendous blessing,” Father Cordes said. “You can just see the animo (energy) for the people, for their faith. You can see growth in our people, and it’s a welcome thing for us.”

The graduates are just as pleased with the school as the priests are.

Garduno said he learned a lot about his faith and leadership, and he encourages others to look into the school if they have any interest in helping out more in their parishes.

“It was beautiful,” Garduno said.

“They taught us about sacred Scripture, Christology, Mariology, human relations. It was very beautiful and very complete. I hope God continues to strengthen this ministry and continues giving many fruits to the entire community.”

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 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

4

Local Legatus Chapter receives charter, inducts officers

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Mo. — It only took five years, but the newest chapter of Legatus was finally able to celebrate its founding.

The Kansas City Chapter of Legatus celebrated its long-awaited chartering at a vigil Mass on the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Aug. 14 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Kansas City, Missouri.

Bishop James V. Johnston of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph was the main celebrant. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann was the homilist.

“I’m not sure, but we may hold the record for the longest time it took to get a chapter off the ground, but it was worth the wait,” said Archbishop Naumann.

The kickoff for the Kansas City Chapter was held in November 2014, but it took a while for the ad hoc founding group to attract the minimum 20 qualifying members to charter a chapter, said Stephen M. Henley, executive director of Legatus. That threshold was reached in December 2018.

Legatus, which describes itself as the “world’s premier membership organization for Catholic business leaders,” was founded in May 1987 by Domino’s Pizza and Ave Maria University founder Tom Monaghan. Legatus, which means “ambassador” in Latin, has 5,500 members in 90 chapters in the United States and Canada. “[Our membership] is composed of Catholic business executives of a certain level of achievement and experience,” said Bill Kirk, the local chapter’s president. “It’s a high bar to be asked to join.”

Local charter members are grateful for the support of Bishop Johnston and Archbishop Naumann, he said.

“We are the only chapter . . . that spans two dioceses and two states,” said Kirk.

In his homily, Archbishop Naumann thanked the 22 founding charter members and their spouses for starting the local chapter and striving to grow in the knowledge of their Catholic faith

LEAVEN PHOTO BY DOUG HESSE

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann (left) and Bishop James V. Johnston “commission” the officers of the Kansas City Chapter of Legatus. They are: (from left) Brian Gillespie, Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee (treasurer); Bill Kirk, Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Kansas City, Missouri (president); Nick Manning, St. Thomas More Parish, Kansas City, Missouri (vice president); and Nelson Newcomer, Curé of Ars Parish, Leawood (membership chair). Not pictured is Jennifer Lindsey, Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park (program chair). and in holiness.

“As a member of Legatus, you are expressing a desire to do the will of God in every aspect of your life — in your professional life, in your responsibilities as a business leader and employer, in your vocation as a husband or wife, in your role as a Christian parent — being the first and most influential teachers of the faith to your children — and in your leadership role within the civic community,” said the archbishop.

Concelebrants included chapter chaplains Father Ken Riley and Msgr. Stuart Swetland, and Our Lady of Good Counsel pastor Father Adam Johnson. Assisting were associate pastor Father Andrew Mattingly and Deacon Ralph Wehmer.

Officers of the Kansas City Chapter of Legatus • Bill Kirk, president • Nick Manning, vice president • Brian Gillespie, treasurer • Jennifer Lindsey, program chair • Nelson Newcomer, membership chair

Following the Mass, Bishop Johnston inducted the founding chapter members.

“Will you seek to fulfill this call with fidelity, integrity and courage?” asked

Bishop Johnston.

“I will, by the grace of God,” the inductees responded in unison.

Next, each couple or individual came forward to receive a certificate and congratulations from the two bishops and Legatus CEO Monaghan. Men received a lapel pin and women received a pendant.

Lastly, Archbishop Naumann commissioned the first five officers of the local chapter.

Following the liturgy, induction and commissioning, the clerics and chapter members gathered at the Mission Hills Country Club for a reception and dinner, which included a “fireside chat”

by Monaghan.

Workshop for parish musicians, liturgists kicks off the fall

By Katie Peterson Special to the Leaven “[Speak] to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord” (Eph 5:19).

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The office of divine worship of the Diocese of Kansas CitySt. Joseph and the office of liturgy and sacramental life of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas will co-sponsor the“Skills and Spirituality: United by Faith” workshop on Sept. 28 at Nativity of Mary Church in Independence, Missouri. The respective chapters of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians on both sides of the state line are also sponsors. “[This workshop] dates back to the late 1990s when Steve Obarski, the former head of the KCMO office of worship, started the event as a goal to assist parish musicians and liturgists to develop not only their musical skills, but also to hone in on the importance of spirituality in ministry,” said Dr. Mario Pearson, event coordinator and diocesan music

“

“BEING A CANTOR IS NOT ABOUT BEING A SOLOIST PERFORMING FOR THE CONGREGATION. A CHOIR MEMBER IS MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER VOICE IN THE CROWD.” director of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

The program went on hiatus in 2007, but Pearson rekindled the biennial event in 2017.

“In my role as a parish musician, I noticed how far our music programs grew apart,” he said. “Building and rekindling strong relationships [between our dioceses] was a great need.”

The event, which will run from 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m., was planned by Pearson and an eight-member steering committee and will include guest speakers and

two 50-minute breakout sessions. The breakouts will cover a variety of topics, ranging from music directors, choirs, cantors and chants to instrumentation and youth ministry.

“Most workshops focus on honing one’s abilities in church music, whether that is in leading a group or participating in one,” said Matt Winterhalter, steering committee member and breakout session leader.

“While these sessions will address some technical or “skills” aspects of the ministry, it is the spirituality side that is being emphasized.

“Being a cantor is not about being a soloist performing for the congregation,” he said. “A choir member is more than just another voice in the crowd.

“The accompanist for Mass inspires confidence in a singing congregation.

Defining each role as a ministry is the goal.”

Winterhalter said all the presenters are experts in their respective fields.

“Our presenter for cantors has attended numerous national workshops on cantoring, and our presenter for small parishes works with rural churches in the Archdiocese of Omaha,” he said.

How to register Preregistration is $20 for adults and $10 for high school students and is due Sept. 13. Same-day registration is $25 for adults. Fees include breakfast and lunch. Visit the website at: kcliturgy.wixsite.com/ sands2019 to register.

“And who better to lead a session on chants than a monk that practices the art daily?” he added.

Pearson said the workshop is a good way to start the upcoming year.

“September is the time when parish choirs and music restart full steam after the summer break,” he said. ‘This is a great time to enhance and reinforce the role of ministers.

“The opportunity for growth, collaboration and support is key to continue building our parish ministry programs.

Our faith is a relational one and, along with the theme ‘United by Faith,’ we have an opportunity to gain more insights into our roles as servant ministers.”

AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

5

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Beulah Carrington of Topeka has never let her own disability get in the way of helping others. One of Catholic Charities’ Friendly Visitors for 22 years now, Carrington is pictured above in her Topeka home calling one of her clients. Seven days a week, she has provided them with companionship, support and, sometimes, reminders to take their medications.

Friendly Visitors have your number —and they’ve got you covered

By Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org

T

OPEKA — Starting out was a bit awkward.

Sophia Moreau had never met the two women she was visiting before, but she found herself sitting in their living room for an hour just chatting.

They talked about everything from the events of their day to doctor’s appointments and Netflix shows.

And the next week, she visited them again. And the week after that.

Now, she’s been visiting them once a week for three years, rain or shine.

Moreau, a graduate student at the University of Kansas and a parishioner of St. Raphael Church in Naperville, Illinois, volunteers with Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas’ Friendly Visitors program in Lawrence.

Originally a wellness check program of the Topeka Police Department, Friendly Visitors has provided home visits, assistance reading mail and writing letters, daily medication reminder calls, transportation to medical appointments and more for 45 years.

And the program owes its success over the years to exceptional volunteers like Moreau.

And Beulah Carrington.

No obstacles to giving “Beulah started volunteering with Friendly Visitors right after she [retired from] the Topeka State Hospital,” said Marilyn Thomas, Friendly Visitors coordinator for Shawnee and Douglas counties. “She doesn’t let anything

stand in her way.”

And she means anything.

An African-American woman born with congenital glaucoma, Carrington graduated from the Kansas School for the Blind in 1950 and the University of Kansas in 1954. Her vision continued deteriorating and she is now completely blind with prosthetic eyes.

“I would call Catholic Charities to accompany me and my mom to her doctor’s appointments,” said Carrington, “[And] after I retired, [they] asked me if I needed somebody to call me every day.

“I said no, so [they] asked if I’d help them call!”

That was May 1997.

“I’ve been calling for 22 years,” said Carrington. “I call seven days a week.”

Typically, Carrington wakes up at 6 a.m. on weekdays, 6:30 on weekends and always makes her calls between 7 and 9 a.m.

She calls people who need reminders to take their medication, support as they deal with mental and physical illnesses, or just need to chat.

One of those daily calls goes to Portia Albert, who is homebound and lives in Hoyt. She has been on Carrington’s call list since 2010.

“Beulah is my contact with the outside world,” said Albert. “I don’t have any family. So what I know, I hear from her.”

Albert and Carrington talk about everything from politics to Carrington’s involvement in Lion’s Club to their personal lives.

“She’s contributed a great deal to my life,” said Albert, “not only as a charity and caller, but personally.

“She’s a wonderful woman.”

Another call goes to Donna Robinson in Topeka.

“I have a disability and I have to take medication,” said Robinson. “Beulah calls me at ten minutes to eight every morning and checks to make sure I’m doing OK, that I’m taking my meds and that I’m up and about instead of wasting the day away.

“She’s so encouraging, and I just love her.”

For Carrington, friendship is the goal of her volunteer work.

“I don’t just call and say ‘Hello, how are you?’ I ask them if they’re up and out and what they’re doing,” she said.

“I just enjoy people; it’s a pleasant interaction.”

Moreau agrees.

Her relationships with some she visits has grown such that, “I sometimes forget that I’m volunteering,” said Moreau. “I feel like I can talk to [these women] about anything in my life.”

Looking forward Recently, Carrington has felt it is time for a change in her life.

“In September, God willing, I’ll be 87,” said Carrington, “so I thought it would be nice to begin my 87th year with a little more ‘me’ time in the morning!”

So, this August, Carrington retired from Friendly Visitors for some well-deserved “me” time.

“Beulah has been a joy to work with,” said Thomas. “All of her participants have let me know over the years that they love her and appreciate her.”

And she will certainly be missed.

How to help If you or a loved one could either use a Friendly Visitor or would like to become one, please contact the Friendly Visitors program at: • Johnson/Wyandotte counties: (913) 433-2059 Betsy Holzworth bholzworth@catholiccharitiesks. org • Lawrence/Topeka: (785) 233-6300, ext. 1313 Marilyn Thomas mthomas@catholiccharitiesks.org • Leavenworth: (913) 353-9150 Amybeth Richardson arichardson@catholiccharitiesks. org

“[Friendly Visitors] is a worthwhile service,” said Carrington. “I will miss the people I talk with.”

For Moreau, her work has just begun.

Her experience volunteering for Friendly Visitors has helped her recognize she wants to work in geriatric social work after grad school.

“People in their 90s often are forgotten about because there are not a lot of people who are willing to put effort in, who are willing to care,” she said. “I’ve learned to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

“When I’m 90, I want someone to treat me like a human being, too.”

AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

FAMILY LIFE

D

id you know the family is a school of love?

The Second Vatican Council declared this teaching, St. John Paul II deepened it and Pope Francis affirmed it. Our Catechism of the Catholic Church spells it out clearly: The family is “a community of grace and prayer, a school of human virtues and of Christian charity” (1666).

But after a long summer with kids crawling up the walls at home or a challenging season of family reunions or vacations, we might be doubting how well we care for those we’re called to love.

Take heart. A new school year is upon us — the perfect time to sharpen our pencils, roll up our sleeves and redouble our efforts to learn from this school of love.

No matter our vocation or stage of life, all of us are part of families — those we came from and those we choose to build.

Family teaches, forms, tests and changes us.

But the family is not a school of success. For

Sharpen your pencils for the school of love

LAURA KELLY FANUCCI Fanucci is a mother, writer and director of a project on vocation at the Collegeville Institute in Collegeville, Minnesota. She is the author of several books, and blogs at: www.motheringspirit.com.

better or for worse, there are no grades, no awards and no graduation. We’re in it for the long haul.

(How many of us have laughed or groaned that we’d never pick our family, but we’re stuck with them?)

Yet we can still move together toward love, inching forward in fits and starts, trying to grow in wisdom even when we fall back.

Robert and Diane (Monroe) Eisele, members of Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 30. The couple was married on Aug. 30, 1969, at St. Ann Church, Prairie Village, by Msgr.

A.M. Harvey. Their children are Jenny Sanders and Trisha Weber. They also have five grandchildren.

Mary Lynn (Doran) and Charles Holl o r a n , members of Holy Angels Parish, Garnett, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary with a reception at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Garnett hosted by their family. The couple was married on Aug. 27, 1959, at Holy Angels. Their children are Tracey, Tammra, Chuck, Marty and Kevin.

They also have 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Barb (Faust) and Mel Carney, members of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to Ireland. The couple was married on Sept. 6, 1969, at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Parish, St. Louis.

Their children are: Stacie, Patrick and Ryan. They also have six grandchildren.

This school is no summer vacation, full of ease and escape. We have to work hard. We fail sometimes. We get in trouble.

But the beauty of this school of love is that we each get to specialize.

We don’t have to be an expert in anyone else’s family problems or peccadilloes. (What a relief!)

We simply have to learn how to love the particular people God gives us to love — and keep relearning how to love them over time.

Want to grow in

William and Rosalyn (Bergman) Neary, m e m bers of St. Stanislaus Parish, Rossville, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 23. The couple was married on Aug. 23, 1969, at St. Mary Church, St. Benedict.

Their children are Bill Neary and Julie Brewster. They also have eight grandchildren.

Phil and Beth (Dulle) Anthony, members of Good Shepherd Parish, Shawnee, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with their family. The couple was married on Sept. 6, 1969, at St. Joseph Cathedral, Jefferson City, Missouri, by Msgr. Gerald Poelker. Their children are Julie Balmer and Scott Anthony.

They also have five grandchildren.

Jim and Cathy Lowry, members of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa, will be celebrating their 50th anniversary on Sept.

1.

The couple was married on Sept. 1, 1969, at Sacred Heart Church, Atchison. In July, they celebrated with a family trip to Rome. They toured the Vatican and received the pope’s blessing. Their children are Jaime Lowry Duke and Bryce Lowry. They also have one grandchild.

your school of love this year? Here are three ways: • Pick your subject.

Sometimes, the people who seem hardest to love are precisely the ones God calls us to love.

Rather than avoiding a particular relative you find repulsive, ask God for the strength and wisdom to meet them where they are — through conversation or prayer.

You may never change their mind, opinion or behavior, but you can extend a glimmer of God’s mercy their way.

• Gather your supplies. This year, the average family is projected to spend over $500 on each school child. (Please don’t let my kids see this, since there’s no way we’re spending that much on them!)

But what matters most in the school of love is free for all. Joy. Forgiveness. Patience.

Encouragement. Peace.

Pray for what you need most this year and keep your petition daily before your eyes.

• Ask questions.

Jesus’ approach with

Arlene (Tinkel) and Douglas Friedly, members of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 30. The couple was married on Aug. 30, 1969, in Great Bend. Their children are Duane and Dawn. They also have six grandchildren.

Rosemary (Uhlrich) and Dennis Pratt, members of Sacred H e a r t Parish, Ottawa, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 7 with a Mass and blessing at St. Joseph of the Valley Church, Leavenworth.

The couple was married on Sept. 6, 1969, at St. Joseph of the Valley by Father Pat Fitzgerald. They celebrated with a trip to Ireland, Denmark and Norway. Their children are: Diane Jones, Denise Pratt, Karen Winsky, Gary Pratt and David Pratt. They also have 21 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Donald

and

Margie

(Hoffman) Reece, m e m bers of St. John Paul II Parish, Olathe, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 10 with family and friends. The couple was married on July 12, 1969, at St. Mary Cathedral, Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Their children are: Donnie Reese, Jamie Reese and Carey Ann Conley. They also have 10 grandchildren.

6

difficult people or sticky situations was to ask questions. Rather than leaping to judgment or condemnation, choose curiosity first. Keep asking questions until you get to the heart of the matter. (Google “The 5 Whys” for a clever approach.)

In the school where I grew up, one sign caught my attention — and I notice every time I’ve seen it in countless Catholic schools since: “Let it be known to all who enter here that Jesus Christ is the reason for this school, the unseen but ever-present teacher of all its classes, the model of its faculty and the inspiration for its students.”

Could the same be said of my family? That Jesus Christ is the reason for our being? That God is our teacher and model?

That the Spirit is our inspiration?

No family is perfect.

But we can keep trying with love.

Sharpen your pencils.

It’s back-to-school time, and all of us have plenty to learn.

Eugene “Gene” and Jolene (Biehler) Ohlman, members of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Emporia, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends at Twin Rivers Winery and Gourmet Shoppe in Emporia. The couple was married on Sept. 6, 1969, at St. John the Evangelist Church, Herington. Their children are: Allison Moeding, Anthony Ohlman, Ashley Ohlman and Andrea Swisher. They also have eight grandchildren.

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

INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • The couple’s names and parish • the date they were married • church and city they were married in • what they are doing to celebrate • date of the celebration • names of children (no spouses) • number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: • Announcements must be typed.

• If you would like your photo returned, include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

WHERE TO SUBMIT: Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or email: todd. habiger@theleaven.org.

AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

Thinking of becoming Catholic? Sign up soon in a parish near you

By Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org

with

who teach the faith. The community aspect is fundamental because it educates the enquirer to the nature of the church: a people who stay together because Christ is present among them.

RCIA participants meet regularly and receive formation and education that introduces them to the Scriptures and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

consultant for the archdiocesan office of evangelization

Q. How often does RCIA meet?

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — A person born to Catholic parents and baptized into the faith as an infant is sometimes called a “cradle Catholic.”

But how does someone join the Catholic Church as an adult?

Kimberly Zubillaga, consultant for the archdiocesan office of evangelization, sat down with The Leaven to explain how adults go about becoming Catholic.

The program is called the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA, for short.

Q. Where does someone who wants to become Catholic start?

A. The first step is to find the closest parish and call the office. This is as simple as asking a Catholic friend or family member for his or her parish’s phone number or looking up a Roman Catholic parish online. But the important thing is picking up

KIMBERLY ZUBILLAGA

the phone and asking about RCIA. Q. What is RCIA? A. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the process by which adults are received into the Catholic Church.

Q. Who is RCIA for?

RCIA is for: • Any non-Catholic adult interested in becoming Catholic • Any adult who has been

baptized Catholic who has not made his first Communion or who hasn’t received the sacrament of confirmation.

• Any Catholic adult seeking to deepen her faith.

Q. Is RCIA something you undertake on your own?

A. No, RCIA is fundamentally undertaken in community — a community comprised of people with questions about the church; Catholic sponsors who journey alongside them; and catechists

A. It varies by parish. Most RCIA groups meet weekly.

Contact your parish for details about the meetings and how to enroll.

Q. What if I want to begin RCIA but I don’t know any Catholics who could be my sponsor?

A. This happens all the time. Contact your parish and they will help you find someone who can walk with you.

Q. When does RCIA start?

A. Typically, RCIA classes

begin meeting in September or October. Some parishes can accommodate late joiners; others cannot. Contact your parish for more information.

Q. Do I have to know for sure I want to become Catholic to start RCIA? A. No, and you can change your mind at any time during the process.

Q. If I do decide to become Catholic, when do I become one?

A. RCIA participants “become” Catholic (or enter into full communion with the Catholic Church) at the Easter Vigil, at which time they receive all the sacraments of initiation (baptism, Eucharist, confirmation), as appropriate.

Q. How much does RCIA cost?

There is no cost to participate in RCIA.

7

FARMING, FAITH AND 4-H Tonganoxie family raises livestock for Leavenworth County fair

T

STORY BY OLIVIA MARTIN

|

PHOTOS BY JAY SOLDNER

ONGANOXIE — There’s nothing like the simple joy of sleeping late during the summer. And few people enjoy that luxury as much as Cadence Dare.

Because she usually gets up early — really early.

“During the school year, I wake up at 4:30,” said Cadence, 16. “I go out, feed the dogs first, then I go out to the first pasture.”

And that’s when the day’s chores begin.

Cadence, her siblings — Veda Alvarez, 9; Westyn, 11; and Corbin Reischman, 6 — and their parents Shannon and Josh Reischman live on a 10-acre farm just outside Tonganoxie. A blended family and parishioners of Sacred Heart there, the Reischmans have worked all year raising beef cattle, bucket calves, chickens and rabbits in preparation for the Leavenworth County fair July 28 to Aug. 3.

And the work is not for the faint of heart.

Head, heart, hands and health Hard work finds a home in 4-H. A national youth leadership development program, 4-H provides an opportunity for youth to learn and complete hands-on projects in areas like science, arts and crafts, health, leadership, agriculture, community engagement — and livestock.

After nine years of 4-H involvement, the Reischmans can clearly see its influence on their livestock production — and their faith.

According to Shannon, the four H’s in 4-H — head, heart, hands and health — are deeply grounded in Christian principles.

“4-H is very faith-based,” she said.

“It’s about community and hard work and being healthy and choosing the right choices.”

And one thing 4-H teaches well is responsibility.

“As 4-Hers, we are stewards of the land . . . of our community,” said Shannon. “And as Catholics, we are asked to do the same thing. They work together.”

That responsibility is something Veda is proud of.

“In the morning, I always check on my bunny,” she said. “I feed and water

CALF CARE

PREPPING

Cadence Dare, 16, combs out her cow before a showing at the Leavenworth County Fair which ran from July 29 to Aug. 3. him, check his case and make sure it’s not wet.”

Smiling, she added, “I’m not sure why, but I call him my baby.”

This connection with the animals doesn’t stop at Veda. In fact, it’s the key to farming well.

“You have to get to know each animal,” said Cadence. “You can’t really follow a

manual or anything. [Care] varies with each animal.”

Shannon agreed.

“There’s something spiritual about working with the animals, getting your hands in the dirt and being grateful for everything that we’re given,” she said.

“They are on this earth for us, so we have to take care of them. I think people

Corbin Reischman, 6, makes sure the calves are fed participate in 4-H. forget that.”

Shannon stressed the importance of caring for the environment in the process of raising livestock, which is something she feels strongly.

“If we take a little, we always have to put something back,” she said. “On a small scale, you can do that responsibly for the environment and still feed your family and make a profit.”

SHOWTIME

Veda Alvarez, 9, shows her bucket calf at the Leavenworth County Fair. Her family finds involvement in 4-H to be deeply grounded in Christian principles.

JUST WIN, BABY

Westyn Reischman, 11, shouts words of encouragement to his bucket calf before its showing.

d and watered at the county fair. Corbin and his four siblings live on a 10-acre farm near Tonganoxie and

Farming for the future One of the major trials of farming, of which the Reischmans are keenly aware, is that all of their hard work is a gamble — and it may not pay off as planned. “[Raising cattle] has taught me that sometimes you don’t have the fix for everything, just like in life,” said Shannon.

“Sometimes it works out and sometimes

it doesn’t. You just have to keep faith.”

But Shannon and her family don’t let the uncertainty of farming get in the way of their strong work ethic.

“The rule of the house is that the animals eat before we eat,” said Shannon. “[Caring for livestock] teaches the kids compassion and also . . . where our food comes from.”

From watering horses and cows to stringing fence and feeding chickens,

each member of the Reischman household has daily chores. The kids can even be found helping out on neighbors’ farms.

“People know they are capable of taking care of everything,” said Shannon.

“It takes a lot of communication.”

And the Reischman kids also have to monitor their livestock’s nutrition carefully.

When livestock is brought to the fair, 4-H requires that each animal weigh within a certain range in order to be “auctioned” for a premium sale at the end of the fair.

Individuals and local companies pay the premiums to the exhibitor — or young livestock owner — as a recognition of the work the youth put into their livestock.

It also ensures the youth has money to raise the following year’s livestock.

The exhibitor receives this premium at

the end of the sale and maintains ownership of his or her animal.

But raising an animal within the desired weight range is a hard balance to strike — but not too hard for the Reischmans this year.

“It’s cool to see how [hard work] pays off based on how much grain you give them,” said Cadence, gesturing to her steer. “We had to really heavily feed him and make sure he got enough water to make weight!”

As a high school junior, Cadence has already started thinking about her future studies — hopefully, in bovine genetics.

But Cadence believes her work with livestock has made her a better person as well.

“They teach you to not be quick to be frustrated,” she said.

And that, as the 4-H motto goes, really is a step toward making the best better.

AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

NATION

10

Migrant children will suffer most under new detention rule

W

ASHINGTON (CNS) — The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ migration committee said Aug. 23 he sees “heartbreaking consequences for immigrant children” in a final rule issued by the Trump administration that allows the federal government to hold immigrant children in family detention indefinitely.

The new rule was issued jointly by the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services that will end a long-standing legal agreement put in place in 1997— known as the Flores Settlement Agreement — to ensure the safety and care of children in immigration detention settings.

Pope Francis has deemed immigrant children “the most vulnerable group among migrants,” and they will be most affected by this new rule, said Bishop Joe S. Vasquez of Austin, Texas, who is chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Migration. “[This] is an attempt by the administration to circumvent existing obligations and undermine critical protections for these children,” the bishop said in a statement. “This rule will jeopardize the well-being and humane treatment of immigrant children in federal custody and will result in children suffering long-lasting consequences of being held for prolonged periods in family detention.”

“We oppose this rule that we believe is unlawful and inhumane. Countless children will be harmed by this new

CNS PHOTO/LOREN ELLIOTT, REUTERS

Asylum-seekers in Hidalgo, Texas, turn themselves over to U.S. Border Patrol officers Aug. 23. rule and this is simply not acceptable,” he said.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also opposed this rule when it was initially proposed by DHS and HHS by submitting comments Oct. 23, 2018, detailing concerns with the rule and urging it be rescinded. The government received more than 98,000 comments in response to the proposed rule-making.

The Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. said it likewise submitted comments, calling the proposed rule “unlawful and immoral” as it negates “the child-friendly provisions in the Flores agreement.”

Bishops welcome proposed rule on religious employers’ rights

W

ASHINGTON (CNS) — The chairmen of three U.S. bishops’ committees Aug. 21 welcomed a proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor aimed at clarifying religious protections that may be invoked by federal contractors, including faithbased organizations.

“Faith-based groups should have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field as they seek to partner with the federal government to provide critical social services,” the bishops said in a statement. “These proposed rules protect religious liberty, a core constitutional right, by clarifying existing religious exemptions consistent with federal law and recent Supreme Court precedent.”

The statement was issued by Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester, Massachusetts, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty; Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; and Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln,

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Nebraska, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage.

The proposed rule would clarify that religious organizations may make employment decisions “consistent with their sincerely held religious tenets and beliefs without fear of sanction by the federal government,” the Labor Department said in announcing it Aug. 14.

The proposal was issued by the department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, known as OFCCP. Acting Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella said in a statement: “Today’s proposed rule helps ensure the civil rights of religious employers are protected. As people of faith with deeply held religious beliefs are making decisions on whether to participate in federal contracting, they deserve clear understanding of their obligations and protections under the law.”

The American Civil Liberties Union opposed the measure, saying it will “let government contractors fire workers who are LGBTQ , or who are pregnant and unmarried, based on the employers’ religious views.”

Said Anna Gallagher, CLINIC’s executive director: “This rule would destroy long-term child protection standards created by our government and the courts. There is no justification to keep families and children in immigration jails longer. Separation of children from their parents is inherently wrong.

The same is true for keeping children in detention.”

“Once again, the Trump administration is using children as pawns in its attack on immigrants,” said Lawrence E. Couch, Director of the National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd.

Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan of the Department of Homeland Security said the new guidelines would help the government maintain the “integrity of the immigration system.”

“The facilities that we will be using to temporarily house families under this rule are appropriately, fundamentally different than the facilities where migrants are processed following apprehension or encounter at the border,” McAleenan said in announcing the rule.

Currently, there are only three family immigration detention facilities in the U.S., one in Karnes City, Texas, one in Dilley, Texas, and another in Leesport, Pennsylvania, which together have 3,335 beds, according to the USCCB’s Migration and Refugee Services.

The Flores Settlement Agreement has protected children in immigration custody by guaranteeing them the least restrictive setting. Courts have interpreted this rule to limit family detention to a maximum of 20 days in facilities that are not state licensed to provide child care. Opponents of the Trump administration’s rule say it will allow the government to keep families in detention indefinitely.

According to a CLINIC news release, Flores “not only spells out the time period children can be kept in detention, but also mandates the type of conditions facilities must provide, including sanitary, temperature-controlled conditions, as well as access to water, food, medical assistance, ventilation, adequate supervision and contact with family members.

Institute offers free online video series on thought of St. Thomas Aquinas

W

ASHINGTON (CNS) — The Thomistic Institute in Washington has launched “Aquinas 101,” a free online video course that instructs interested viewers in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas.

“Aquinas 101” will consist of 85 to 90 videos released over the course of the year. The series will introduce the basics of the Catholic intellectual tradition with St. Thomas Aquinas as a guide. The first three videos can now be viewed on aquinas101.com or on YouTube.com.

The videos in the course each feature a Dominican friar/professor and are animated to illustrate the doctrines described. The priests featured include Fathers Dominic Legge, Thomas Joseph White, Thomas Petri, James Brent and Gregory Pine.

The course proceeds through an introduction to St. Thomas, a basic

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description of his philosophy and an in-depth study of his masterwork: “Summa Theologiae.”

“At the end of the course, the viewer can expect to have gained a basic mastery of the essentials of Aquinas and to have acquired the tools to engage many difficult issues of faith and science, reason and revelation, and beyond,” said a news release from the Thomistic Institute announcing the course.

By enrolling in the free video course, subscribers also will have access to selected readings, recommended podcasts and further resources.

This series is funded in part by a grant titled “Growing the Conversation on Science and Faith” from the John Templeton Foundation.

The Thomistic Institute was founded 10 years ago and seeks to promote Catholic truth in the contemporary world by strengthening the intellectual formation of Christians especially at top-tier universities.

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AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

WORLD

Pope urges action to save burning Amazon

V

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Describing the Amazon rainforest as “vital for our planet,” Pope Francis joined the region’s bishops in praying for action to extinguish the massive fires burning there.

“We are all worried about the vast fires that have developed in the Amazon,” the pope said Aug. 25 after leading the recitation of the Angelus prayer. “Let us pray that with the commitment of all they will be brought under control quickly. That forest lung is vital for our planet.”

Leaders of the Latin American bishops’ council also urged international action to save the Amazon rainforest from the fires.

“We urge the governments of the Amazonian countries, especially Brazil and Bolivia, the United Nations and the international community, to take serious measures to save the lungs of the world,” said the statement Aug. 22 by the top officers of the council, known by its Spanish acronym, CELAM. “What happens to the Amazon is not just a local issue, but is of global reach,” the bishops said. “If the Amazon suffers, the world suffers.”

The Amazon produces 20% of the world’s oxygen, according to scientific

tions have strongly denied the allegations.

In its edition released Aug. 23, the front page of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, led with two articles about the Amazon fires. The first, titled “The Amazon must be protected,” included general coverage of the fires’ scope and the alarm launched

by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. A second article reported on the CELAM statement under the headline, “Save the forest to save the world.”

In their statement, the bishops noted that the upcoming October Synod of Bishops for the Amazon will discuss the plight of the indigenous living in the area as well as the deforestation of the region. Sixty percent of the Amazon rainforest is in Brazil.

“Hope for the proximity of the Amazon synod, convened by Pope Francis, is stained by the pain of this natural tragedy,” the bishops said. “To the brethren indigenous peoples who inhabit this beloved territory, we express all our closeness and join our voices with yours to shout to the world for solidarity and pay attention to end this devastation.”

measurements.

Brazil’s space research institute, which is responsible for satellite monitoring of the Amazon, had reported that the number of wildfires, common in July and August, had reached a record number already in 2019, with 72,843 fires spotted.

The U.S. space agency, NASA, Aug. 21 and 22 released satellite imagery showing how smoke from the fires had created “a shroud that is clearly visible across much of the center of South America.”

French President Emmanuel Macron called on world leaders to place the fires at the top of their agenda as they met in France for the Group of Seven summit Aug. 24-26.

Attendees included President Donald Trump, Macron and the leaders from Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has said publicly that he believes nongovernmental agencies — including Catholic-backed agencies such as the Land Pastoral and the Indigenous Missionary Council — are behind the illegal burnings because they have opposed his call for development of the rainforest. The organiza-

Firefighters near Robore, Bolivia, walk where wildfires have destroyed the forest Aug. 19.

CNS PHOTO/DEPARTMENT OF SANTA CRUZ VIA REUTERS

Vatican pharmacy employs robot to improve service

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

V

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — The 145-year-old Vatican pharmacy has a new hire: a state-of-the-art robot working behind the scenes to manage the stockroom, retrieve medications and deliver the drugs quickly to the sales floor.

The Vatican, which claims to have the busiest pharmacy in the world, recently adopted the new automated system by the Germany-based BD Rowa firm.

The pharmacy’s director, St. John of God Brother Binish Thomas Mulackal, said the automated technology will revolutionize the way they serve some 2,000 customers who come through the doors each day.

Because the pharmacy robot takes in the order, scans for it in storage, picks it up with a mechanical arm and quickly delivers it via a series of conveyer belts, it will allow the pharmacists to remain with the customer at the counter longer to give needed instructions and advice, he told the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, Aug. 25.

The faster delivery system also means customer wait time at the counter can be cut by 30%, he added.

CNS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA

A pharmaceutical robot is seen at the Vatican in this undated photo. The Vatican pharmacy, which serves some 2,000 customers a day, has started using a pharmacy robot to more efficiently manage its stock, automatically retrieve medications and deliver them quickly to the sales floor.

Having a fully automated stockroom means the amount of space set aside for storage can be reduced, freeing up room that can be dedicated to the display and sales floor or to provide new services to customers, Brother Mulackal said.

The system, he said, will track sales

and lighten the load when it comes to inputting and inventorying stock. Its optical recognition technology also includes reading when medicines are close to expiring so they will not be dispensed.

11

Lofty titles do not guarantee entrance to heaven

By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service

V

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — A life marked by humility, faith and love determines whether Christians enter heaven, not who they know, Pope Francis said.

Before praying the Angelus prayer with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square Aug. 25, the pope said that the Lord will recognize those worthy of experiencing eternal joy if they have lived “a life of faith that translates into deeds” and not whether they have attended conferences or rubbed shoulders with church leaders.

“The Lord does not recognize us by our titles,” he said. “’Look, Lord, I belonged to this association; I was a friend of that bishop, of that cardinal, of that priest.’ No, titles do not count; they do not count,” he said.

Greeting pilgrims after the prayer, Pope Francis had special words of welcome for the new seminarians, most from the United States, beginning their studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

The pope urged the men to maintain a strong commitment to their spiritual lives and “fidelity to Christ, to the Gospel and to the magisterium of the church. Without building on these columns, it will be impossible to truly construct your vocation.”

In his main talk, the pope reflected on the Sunday Gospel reading from St. Luke in which Jesus, while preaching in a village, is asked if only a few people will be saved.

Jesus’ response, the pope explained, doesn’t focus on how many will be admitted into heaven but rather on the duty of God’s children to “strive to enter through the narrow gate.”

“With these words, Jesus makes it clear that it isn’t a question of numbers, there isn’t a limited number in paradise! But it is a matter of following the right path now, and this right path is for everyone, but it is narrow,” he said.

The pope said that Jesus doesn’t deceive his followers and tell them that the path to heaven is “a beautiful highway with a large door at the end,” but rather is a confined passageway.

To save oneself, he explained, “one must love God and neighbor, and this is not comfortable.”

“It is a ‘narrow gate’ because it is demanding; love is always demanding, it requires commitment, indeed, an ‘effort,’ that is, a firm and persevering will to live according to the Gospel,” the pope said. “St. Paul calls it ‘the good fight of faith.’ It takes an effort every day to love God and one’s neighbor.”

To obtain the joy of heaven, Pope Francis said, Christians are called to be in communion with Christ by praying and receiving the sacraments and reading the Word of God which “keeps us in faith, nourishes our hope and revives charity.”

“And in this way, through the grace of God, we can and we must spend our lives for the good of our brothers and sisters, fighting against all forms of evil and injustice.”

AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CLASSIFIEDS

EMPLOYMENT Drivers - Assisted Transportation is now hiring caring and reliable drivers to transport K-12 students to and from school and other activities in company minivans. Positions are now available in Olathe, Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas. Competitive wages and flexible schedules. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply. Call (913) 262-3100 or apply online at: AssistedTransportation.com. EEO. Community 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 day service 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.

DRIVERS NEEDED Seeking caring and reliable drivers. Work up to 40 hours per week. Transport elderly and disabled individuals to and from medical appointments.

CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply.

Competitive wages and benefits. EOE. Learn more or apply online at: www.assistedtransportation.com (913) 262-5190 Full-time preschool teachers - St. Joseph Early Education Center is currently looking for candidates for an opening for a full-time teacher who can support on multiple levels at our center. We are also looking for candidates for infant through preschool rooms in hopes of expanding our ability to care for the children on our waiting lists. Infant, toddler and twoand-a-half year old teacher positions needed. Salary is at or above the norm, and the benefits are excellent. Contact us if you are interested; you may call our school secretary, Ms. Patricia, at (913) 248-4588; our general number at (913) 6310004; or send an email to: pfraley@stjoeshawnee.org.

Business and office manager - Christ the King Parish in Topeka is seeking a qualified individual for a business and office manager position. This position assists the pastor in caring for the material and financial affairs of the parish.

The applicant must have excellent leadership, team-building and management skills; and knowledge of software such as automated accounting system, MS Word and Excel. Must have minimum five years’ administrative management experience in a business financial environment. Degree in business, finance or accounting preferred. Interested applicants may contact Father Matthew Schiffelbein at (785) 273-0710 or send an email to: frmatthew@ctktopeka.org, with inquiries or to submit resumes.

Youth minister - St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood is seeking to hire a youth minister. As a member of the Christian formation and evangelization (CF&E) department, our youth ministers are responsible for the planning, organization and implementation of all evangelization and formation for the middle school and high school youth of the parish. The successful candidate for this position must be prepared to manage the financial resources and volunteers available to them to create new, and maintain existing, programs to further the goal of forming, in each youth, a missionary disciple. The ideal candidate should have an active spiritual life that they are willing to share with others and be able to adapt their spirituality to meet the youth where they are in their faith journey. This is a permanent, full-time position and includes the archdiocesan benefits package. Salary will be commensurate with experience. For additional details and a complete job description, go online to: www.stmichaelcp.org and click on “Our Parish/Employment Opportunities.”

Director of youth ministry - Prince of Peace in Olathe is seeking an exceptional and experienced leader to be director of youth ministry. This is a full-time, leadership and administrative position that will be responsible for the implementation of a weekly youth program for junior and senior high, with an emphasis on preparing middle school students for the sacrament of confirmation. Seeking a Catholic experienced in youth ministry who will encourage and train catechists and youth team leaders. Full job description and application details may be found at: www.popolathe.org.

Applications must be submitted by Sept. 1.

Tutor - We are a homeschooling family with 8th- and 5thgrade students. We are looking for a Catholic tutor for Fridays only. Duties will include administering spelling and math tests; help with editing papers; some grading; and light lunch prep. Six hours/day and compensation between $12$14/hour. We need someone who can commit to the entire school year, with breaks for holidays, spring break, etc. We are members of St. Joseph, Shawnee. For more information or to apply, call (317) 459-0398.

Assistant director - Holy Trinity Early Education Center in Lenexa is accepting applications for an assistant director.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of three years of experience in a licensed early education program and possess a minimum of an AA in early childhood education.

Applicants with good communication skills, an ability to lead and excellent organizational skills are encouraged to apply by contacting Mary Kay Scanlon at (913) 492-7380 or by email at: mscanlon@htlenexa.org.

Accountant - St. Agnes Parish currently has a job opening for a parish accountant. A qualified candidate will possess strong interpersonal and organizational skills; advanced Excel and Parish Data System skills; three years of recent, hands-on experience with payroll and benefit software systems; and at least an associate’s degree in accounting. Must also be able to multitask; be detail-oriented and self-directed; be a willing team player; understand and implement best practice guidelines as prescribed by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. A full job description can be found at: www.stagneskc. org, click on “Contact Us,” then click on “Careers.”

Custodian - Sacred Heart Parish in Shawnee is seeking a part-time custodian to care for the daily needs of the parish campus. Duties include general custodial and janitorial tasks, as well as lawn care; minor repairs; painting; and other routine maintenance. To be considered for the position, send an email to Mike Billquist at: mike.billquist@shoj.org.

Board members - Villa St. Francis, a skilled nursing community sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, is actively seeking board members. We are looking for candidates with a strong health care background. If you are interested in giving your time and talent to the Villa’s mission, submit a letter of interest and resume to: rwhittington@ villasf.org.

Open positions - Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph (CCKCSJ) serves those in need by taking direct action to relieve their anxieties and remove their burdens while simultaneously lifting them to the dignity of self-reliance.

CCKCSJ is a fun and faith-based environment. Associates of CCKCSJ enjoy a compressed workweek by working Monday-Thursday weekly (dependent upon each position), with almost every weekend as a three-day weekend. We currently have the following position open: Family Development Specialist. To apply and to view all available opportunities at CCKCSJ, go online to: careers.hireology.com/catholic charities-kansascityandstjoseph.

After-school chess coach – The Knight School is looking for a part-time chess coach who is great with kids and has strong integrity and character; a highly gregarious and professional personality; a love for laughter; and reliable transportation. No prior chess knowledge is needed, as we teach the chess. The pay we’re offering is $16/hour. Applicant must pass a background check, be Virtus trained and register for the MVP program at SMSD. To apply: go online to: www.theknightschool.com/after-school-coach-app. html. Email Brian Harris at: brian@theknightschool.com with questions or for more information.

House cleaning - Elderly couple needs house cleaning every other week in Bonner Springs. Dust, vacuum, sweep, mop and other light housekeeping. Call Mary at (913) 5266235.

Career opportunity – Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding a financial representative in the Kansas City, Kansas, and Missouri metro areas, St. Joseph, Mo., and Maryville, Mo. This is ideal for a determined, high energy, high expectation, professional, self-disciplined, independent individual, who desires to serve others yet earn a better than average income. We provide top-rated financial products to our members and their families, and will provide excellent benefits and training. This is a full-time position. For more information or an interview, please contact John A. Mahon, General Agent, 1275 S.W. Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66612; call (855) 3564849; or email: mahonagencymail2@kofc.org.

School bus and van drivers - Cristo Rey Kansas City, a Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth high school, is seeking to hire a full-time CDL bus driver and one part-time van driver. A complete job description is available at: www. cristoreykc.org.

We love our teachers - Come see why your want to work here! The Goddard School Olathe Northwest is looking for dynamic, energetic, professional teachers to add to our faculty. The Goddard School is a premiere preschool for children from 6 weeks to 6 years who are encouraged to develop at their own pace in a nurturing environment, lovingly guided by our highly skilled, professional teachers.

We are hiring for the following positions: full-time preschool teacher; full-time young toddler or infant teacher; assistant teacher to multiple classrooms; and part-time assistant teacher from 2:45 - 6 p.m. or 1 - 6 p.m.

HOME IMPROVEMENT 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.

Rusty Dandy Painting, Inc. – We have been coloring your world for 40 years. Your home will be treated as if it were our own. Old cabinets will be made to look like new. Dingy walls and ceilings will be made beautiful. Woodwork will glow.

Lead-certified and insured. Call (913) 341-9125.

Water-damaged basement walls? - Remove and replace insulation, dry out, mold treatment and painting. Fully insured, serving Johnson County for 25 years. Call Jerry at (913) 2061144 or email: jbuck@kc.surewest.net.

Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick, block and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second-generation bricklayer. Member of St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 829-4336.

The Drywall Doctor, Inc. – A unique solution to your drywall problems! We fix all types of ceiling and wall damage — from water stains and stress cracks to texture repairs and skim coating. We provide professional, timely repairs and leave the job site clean! Lead-certified and insured! Serving the metro since 1997. Call (913) 768-6655.

EL SOL Y LA TIERRA *Commercial & residential * Lawn renovation *Mowing * Clean-up and hauling * Dirt grading/installation * Landscape design * Free estimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!! www.elsolylatierra.com Call Lupe at (816) 935-0176 Local handyman - Painting int. and ext., wood rot, power washing, staining, masonry (chimney repair, patio’s) gutter cleaning, water heaters, junk removal, lawn mowing, window cleaning, honey - do list and more!! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913)927-4118.

DRC Construction We’ll get the job done right the first time.

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 Popcorn ceiling removal - Renew your ceiling and walls with a fresh coat of paint. Replace drywall or plaster repaired with no mess!! 25 years experience. Call anytime. Jerry (913) 2061144.

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

Call Joe, mention The Leaven discount.

A Total Door (913) 236-6440.

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

STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail. com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.

NELSON CREATION’S L.L.C. Home makeovers, kitchen, bath. All interior and exterior remodeling and repairs.

Family owned, experienced, licensed and insured. Member St. Joseph, Shawnee. Kirk Nelson.

(913) 927-5240; nelsport@everestkc.net

SERVICES 8 to Your IdealWeight Get Real, Get Healthy, Get Empowered.

Release your weight and restore your power in 8 weeks! http://8toyouridealweight.com/coach/kathi/ Tree Trimming Tree Trimming/Landscaping Insured/References Free Estimates/Local Parishioner Tony (913) 620-6063 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.

HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.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.

Clutter getting you down? - Organize, fix, assemble, install! “Kevin of all trades” your professional organizer and “Honey-do” specialist. Call or email me today for a free consultation at (913) 271-5055 or KOATorganizing@gmail.com.

Insured. References.

Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover.

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.

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: monte mace2000@yahoo.com or visit: montemacedisability.com.

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Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided.

Call (913) 940-2959.

Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704.

Rodman Lawn Care Lawn mowing, aeration, verticutting, mulching, Hedge trimming, leaf removal, gutter cleaning Fully insured and free estimates John Rodman (913) 548-3002

CAREGIVING Looking for assisted living at home? - Before you move, call us and explore our in-home care options. We specialize in helping families live safely at home while saving thousands of dollars per year. Call today for more information or to request a FREE home care planning guide. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www.benefitsofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591.

Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation for seniors in their home, assisted living or nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time.

Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Pat or Gary.

Home care - Caregiver has CMA and 15 years’ experience.

Has also had a background check. Please call (913) 999-4340.

Caregiver - CNA has many years of experience with elderly and dementia patients. Will do meal prep, doctor appointments, errands, medication setup and companionship. Call Johnna at (816) 786-1093.

Caregiver - Reasonable rate, years of experience with all kinds of medical issues, conditions and challenges. Can help with shopping, food preparation and basic personal care. Call Pam at (913) 602-1289.

PILGRIMAGE Pope Francis authorized pilgrimages to Medjugorje.

Fiat Voluntas Tua organizes pilgrimages to Medjugorje.

Oct. 29 – Nov. 10, 2019: Pilgrimage to Medjugorje and Fatima Call Grace for more information. (913) 449-1806

FOR SALE Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishioners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC) For sale - White micro-crib in excellent condition for $100 and a four-drawer chest of drawers that needs repainting for $30.

Call Chole at (816) 830-1412.

For sale - Inside tandem space for two traditional entombments. Tier F, Mount Calvary Mausoleum, Holy Trinity in Topeka, last ones available. Call (785) 215-9540 or (785) 580-3928.

REAL ESTATE CASH FOR YOUR HOME (913) 980-4905 Any condition in the metro area Mark Edmondson - local parishioner http://www.buykcproperty.com WE SELL HOMES - Looking to sell? This is a seller’s market.

Call for a free consultation detailing the steps to selling your home. Ask about our 39-day sales guarantee. Mention this ad for a special offer. Call Jim Blaufuss, Re/Max Realty Suburban, at (913) 226-7442. Jimblaufuss@remax.net.

Whole Estates Need to sell a home and everything in it?

We buy it all at once in as-is condition.

Call (816) 444-1950 or send an email to: www.wholeestates.com.

We buy houses and whole estates - We are local and family-owned, and will make you a fair cash offer. We buy houses in any condition. No fees or commissions and can close on the date of your choice. Selling your house as is never felt so good.

Jon & Stacy Bichelmeyer (913) 599-5000.

WANTED TO BUY Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, sterling, etc. Single pieces or estate. Renee Maderak, (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.

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

Wanted to buy - Old cars or hot rods. Uncompleted project cars in any condition, with or without titles. Cash buyer. Call (913) 980-3559.

AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CALENDAR INTEGRATED HUMANITIES PROGRAM MEMORIAL DEDICATION St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center 1631 Crescent Rd., Lawrence Aug. 31 and Sept. 1

On Aug. 31, there will be a barbecue at Clinton Dam Outlet Park — 1316 E. 902 Rd., West Shelter — at 4 p.m. The cost will be $12 for adults and $4 for kids 6 - 12. On Sept.

1, there will be a Mass at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at 11 a.m. followed by a champagne reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres in the St. Lawrence social hall.

Register online at: fundihpmemorial.org and click on “Memorial Dedication Event.”

Sept. 7 - Oct. 19 from 2 - 4 p.m., Saturdays

“Coping with Life Alone” is a Beginning Experience grief support program that meets each week for seven 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.

UNITY FEST 2019 Our Lady of Unity Parish 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

There will be barbecue and traditional Mexican- style food and drinks. There will also be carnival games and inflatables for the kids.

All day entertainment will include different musical groups: mariachi, Hispanic dance groups and much more. There will also be a silent auction in the church basement.

HOLY SMOKIN’ JAMBOREE Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish 2014 N.W. 46th St., Topeka Sept. 7, 8 and 9

PARISH PICNIC Sts. Peter and Paul Parish 411 Pioneer, Seneca Sept. 1 at 4:30 p.m.

The cost for a dinner of roast beef and ham will be $10 for adults and $4 for kids. There will also be concessions, bingo and other games, a beer garden and a teen dance. A live auction will follow at 8:30 p.m.

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY Holy Trinity Parish (Father Quigley Center) 13615 W. 92nd St., Lenexa Thursday mornings, beginning Sept. 5, from 9:30 - 11 a.m.

This Bible study will cover the books of Joshua, Judges and Ruth. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is offered for kids ages 12 and under. Kids under the age of 3 are welcome to stay with Mom in a “moms’ study group.” New this year for 7th- and 8th-graders, is a junior Bible study. Also new this year is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for the babies. To register, go online to: www. htlenexa.org and click on “Catholic Women’s Bible Study.” Registration is due by Aug. 26. Mail to Kathryn Burditt at 11414 Acuff Ln., Lenexa KS 66210. For more information, call Laura Haeusser at (913) 341-9057 or Kathryn Burditt at (913) 451-3680 or send her an email at: tkburditt @hotmail.com.

TAIZE PRAYER Annunciation Chapel 4200 S. 4th St., Leavenworth Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.

Taize prayer is a meditative, candlelit service that includes chants sung repeatedly, silence, and prayers of praise and intercession. These prayer services emerged from an ecumenical community of monks in Taize, France. For more information, visit the website at: www.marillaccenter.org or call (913) 680-2342.

‘COPING WITH LIFE ALONE’ PEER-TO-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT St. Therese Parish, North (lower level, Birkel Room) 7207 N.W. Hwy. 9, Kansas City, Missouri

FALL FESTIVAL St. Joseph Parish 11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee Sept. 14 at 5 p.m.

Dinner will be served in the church basement from 5 - 7 p.m. The cost for a dinner of fried chicken and sides will be $8 for adults and $4 for kids. There will also be games, raffles and family entertainment. Mouse races are scheduled from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. in the parking lot. For more information, call Rod and Judy Coday at (913) 268-3145.

SINGLES OF NATIVITY DANCE Church of the Nativity Parish (hall) 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood Sept. 14 from 7 - 11 p.m.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. All singles are welcome. The cost of $20 per person includes food, beer, soft drinks and wine. There will be a dance contest with prizes. Dress is casual. For more information, contact Robert by email at: dyervision@sbglobal.net.

Festivities begin with a Smoke-Off competition on Friday afternoon. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be kids games, a silent auction, craft sale, cakewalk, raffle prizes, a barbecue dinner and more. There will also be a 5K run, a poker run, car show and more. For more information, go online to: mtcctopeka.org.

BREAKFAST WITH THE KNIGHTS Divine Mercy Parish 555 W. Main St., Gardner Sept. 8 from 8 - 10 a.m.

Come join the fun and fellowship and enjoy a hot and hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy. The cost is: $6 for adults; $3 for kids 6 - 12; and free for kids 5 and under.

LUAU St. Leo Parish 1340 First Ave. E, Horton Sept. 8 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

A meal of veggie kabobs, cheese potato casserole and sides will be served for a freewill donation. There will also be Hawaiian beverages, kids games, bingo, a raffle and cow plop ($500 prize).

CHRISTIAN JOY RETREAT Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meagher Rd., Easton Sept. 13 - 15

The retreat begins on Sept. 13 at 5:30 p.m. and ends on Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. There will be conferences, eucharistic adoration, Mass, confession and time for private prayer, reflection and walking. The cost for cabins/ courtyard rooms is: $170/single; $250/ couple; or $80 for a single guest room. For more information or to register, call (913) 773-8255 or send an email to: info@christs peace.com.

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church hall. RSVP is encouraged. For questions or additional information, send an email to Steve James at: sjames0192@gmail.com.

BINGO NIGHT Sacred Heart Parish 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.

Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus will host bingo. There will be cash prizes. Concessions will be sold. For more information, call (913) 850-3348.

ANNUNCIATION CHURCH PICNIC Cigna Center 402 N. Maple, Frankfort Sept. 15 from 4 - 7 p.m.

There will be a dinner of roast beef with all the trimmings for the cost of $10 for adults; $5 for kids ages 10 and under. There will also be a cakewalk, bingo, church poker, children’s games, train rides, pot-of-gold and lots of fun. Takeout meals and home delivery are available. Call the parish office during morning hours (M - F) at (785) 292-4462 to order delivery meals.

BREAKFAST Sacred Heart Parish (hall) 106 Exchange St., Emporia Sept. 15 from 8 - 11 a.m.

The Knights of Columbus will be offering breakfast. The suggested donation is a freewill offering.

BURGERS, BUCKS AND ’QUE Corpus Christi Parish 6001 Bob Billings Pkwy., Lawrence Sept. 14 at 5 p.m.

Following the 4 p.m. Mass, there will be a barbecue dinner and raffle. There will also be music and fellowship. Tickets can be purchased online at: www.cccparish.org/2019 bbq. There will also be a barbecue competition. The entrance fee for each team is $50.

The winner in each category will win $50, with the overall grand champion winning an additional $100. For more information or to sign up, go online to: www.cccparish. org/queteam or send an email to Shaun at: shaunw@cccparish.org.

KANSAS CITY MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR VICTIMS OF ABORTION Gate of Heaven Cemetery N. 126th St. and Parallel Pkwy.

Kansas City, Kansas Sept. 14 from 1 - 2:30 p.m.

A solemn prayer service will be held nationwide to honor the memory of more than 60 million unborn victims of abortion. This national event is sponsored by Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, Priests for Life and the ProLife Action League. The speakers will be Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Jim Marcum from the International House of Prayer.

BLUE MASS Divine Mercy Parish 555 W. Main St., Gardner Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m.

The St. Faustina Fourth-Degree Assembly 3733 is sponsoring a Blue Mass to honor all first responders that serve and protect our communities and to remember those who have died in the line of duty. All first responders, past or present, are invited to attend and encouraged to wear their uniforms. There will be a reception and meal afterward in the

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING Sacred Heart Parish (offices) 27 Cottonwood St., Emporia Sept. 15, 20 and Oct. 13 from 1:30 -3:30 p.m.

This is a three-class series in the natural family planning method SymptoPro. The cost is $120 for the course, plus one year of personal follow-up and charting support. A discount is available for enrolled college students. For more information or to enroll, send an email to Megan Mahoney at: meganohayes@gmail. com.

CALLED TO LOVE AGAIN RETREAT Conception Abbey 37174 State Highway VV Conception, Missouri Nov. 3 - 10

Delve deeper into being a gift to others as we heal from the pain of divorce. We emphasize prayer and silent reflection as we seek freedom from guilt, resentment, hurt and loneliness. The cost is: $112 for a single room and 4 meals; $102 for a double room (roommate) and 4 meals; or $172 for double room (no roommate) and 4 meals. A deposit of $20 is due

by Sept. 22 to secure your spot and registration. Send a check to: Church of the Ascension, Attn: Katie Palitto c/o Jean Hinman, 8519 W. 127th St., Overland Park, KS 66213. Once registered, you will receive more details prior to the weekend. For more information, send an email to: calledtolove143@gmail.com.

HOLY ANGELS BAZAAR St. Rose School 530 E. 4th St., Garnett Oct. 20 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

A dinner of chicken and noodles, turkey, roast beef and sides will be served along with homemade bread and pies. The cost is: $9 for adults; $5 for kids 10 and under; and $12 for takeout. There will also be crafts for sale, a drawing and raffles.

TWENTY-SECOND WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Sept. 1 TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Sir 3: 17-18, 20, 28-29 Ps 68: 4-7, 10-11 Heb 12: 18-19, 22-24a Lk 14: 1, 7-14 Sept. 2 Monday 1 Thes 4: 13-18 Ps 96: 1, 3-5, 11-13 Lk 4: 16-30 Sept. 3 Gregory the Great, pope, doctor of the church 1 Thes 5: 1-6, 9-11 Ps 27: 1, 4, 13-14 Lk 4: 31-37 Sept. 4 Wednesday Col 1: 1-8 Ps 52: 10-11 Lk 4: 38-44 Sept. 5 Thursday Col 1: 9-14 Ps 98: 2-6 Lk 5: 1-11 Sept. 6 Friday Col 1: 15-20 Ps 100: 1-5 Lk 5: 33-39 Sept. 7 Saturday Col 1: 21-23 Ps 54: 3-4, 6, 8 Lk 6: 1-5 TWENTY-THIRD WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Sept. 8 Wis 9: 13-18b Ps 90: 3-6, 12-17 Phlm 9-10, 12-17 Lk 14: 25-33 Sept. 9 Peter Claver, priest Col 1: 24 – 2:3 Ps 62: 6-7, 9 Lk 6: 6-11 Sept. 10 Tuesday Col 2: 6-15 Ps 145: 1b-2, 8-11 Lk 6: 12-19 Sept. 11 Wednesday Col 3: 1-11 Ps 145: 2-3, 10-13b Lk 6: 20-26 Sept. 12 The Most Holy Name of Mary Col 3: 12-17 Ps 150: 1b-6 Lk 6: 27-38 Sept. 13 John Chrysostom, bishop, doctor of the church 1 Tm 1: 1-2, 12-14 Ps 16: 1b-2a, 5, 7-8, 11 Lk 6: 39-42 Sept. 14 THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS Nm 21: 4b-9 Ps 78: 1b-2, 34-38 Phil 2: 6-11 Jn 3: 13-17

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AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

COMMENTARY

W

Hear! Hear! You’re never too old to learn

hat is our education system coming to? Has the teacher lost her mind?

That’s probably what a mother was thinking when her 6-year-old daughter came home and announced that her entire class was going to go see the “handsome gorilla.”

Shocked, the mother immediately called the school and asked the teacher what the deal was with the field trip to the zoo to see the “handsome gorilla.”

The teacher burst out laughing. After catching her breath, she reassured the distraught mother that the first-grade class was actually going to see a performance of “Hansel and Gretel.” (Adapted from “Quotes & Anecdotes: An Anthology for Preachers & Teachers,” by Anthony P. Castle.)

It’s so easy for kids’ minds to turn something unfamiliar into something that, when deciphered, is pretty funny.

Closer to home, I was doing an anointing of the sick several years ago during the weekend Masses right before Lent.

After saying the thanksgiving prayer over the

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.

blessed oil, I headed into the congregation.

I asked those who wanted to be anointed to raise their hands and I’d come to them.

I didn’t notice this, but a mother was apparently having a difficult time keeping her daughter from raising her hand.

The girl kept insisting that I needed to come over to her.

Finally, the mother said, “You are not sick!

This isn’t for you!”

But the daughter replied, “Yes, it is! Father Mark said he’s going to put oil on those who are annoying, and that’s what

you say I am all the time!”

I can’t help but smile every time now as I administer the “annoying” of the sick!

And don’t get me started on how many times after Mass parents have come up to me rolling their eyes, telling me about something their little ones found amusing in what I said.

Recently, I was talking about our Christian duty.

The little boy turned to his mom at that point and exclaimed, “Mommy, Father Mark just said doody!”

Kids have a lot to learn — about academic subjects and about life.

They need to be instructed in their Catholic faith as well. Catholic schools and religious education programs do a wonderful job with this.

But learning about the

Catholic faith certainly doesn’t stop when we graduate from school or leave an RE program. In reality, though, sometimes our faith education does stop there. I’m sometimes surprised at The Leaven or in the parish when something I assumed was “common knowledge” about the faith isn’t so common after all.

With that in mind, we’re introducing in this issue of The Leaven an occasional feature called “CatholicSpeak: The Language of the Church Explained.” It’s no secret that the church has a language of its own — “consubstantial,” anyone?

— and, sometimes, professional church people speak in a sort of shorthand.

In this feature, we’ll tackle some of those concepts and explain them in a simple Q&A format, relying on experts in these various fields to break things down.

We’ll kick it off with explaining what RCIA means. You probably see those letters a lot at this time of year in the parish bulletin and maybe wonder why. (I once had someone ask me what RICO — Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt

Organizations — had to do with instruction in the faith. (The typo in the bulletin read RICA, but he saw RICO!) Kimberly Zubillaga, of the archdiocesan office of evangelization, will clarify the meaning of this term on page 7 in this issue.

I devote one of my RCIA classes to “Catholic words.” Words like “archbishop,” “diocese,” “cardinal,” “religious order,” “novena,” “social justice,” “encyclical,”“Triduum” and many others give those studying about Catholicism a glimpse into our rich and long history.

We have a good number of topics already on tap, but I’d like to invite readers to submit words or concepts that you’d like explained in a deeper way. You can email those to me at: frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org or by mail to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy. Kansas City, KS 66109.

Something I might have our experts explain is why we sing in the Christmas hymn “Away in a Manger”: “The cattle are blowing the baby away.”

You hear that, too, right? (You will from now on!)

Seek humility, says Scripture, so as to be open to God

W

hen the Scriptures address someone as a child, it often does not refer to the person’s chronological age.

Paul calls the Christians in Corinth his children, because he is their spiritual father: “I am writing you this not to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

Even if you should have countless guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel” (1 Cor 4:14-15).

Similarly, the letters of John often address their audience as children: “My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not

IN THE BEGINNING

FATHER MIKE STUBBS Father Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.

commit sin” (1 Jn 2:1).

Here, though, it is not only the relationship to the writer that inspires this term. God’s relationship

to us places us in that category as well. Consequently, the writer includes himself as a child of God: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are” (1 Jn 3:1).

In using the term “children,” these writings of the New Testament follow the lead of the Old Testament. We see that in Sunday’s first

POPE FRANCIS Popular movements can spark the change needed to ensure a future that is no longer in the hands of elites and powerful people, but includes the poor who have the inalienable right to a life of dignity, Pope Francis said.

Grassroots organizations representing the poor, the underemployed, indigenous communities and farmworkers are “a sprout that, like a mustard seed, will bear much fruit: the springboard of a great social transformation,” the pope wrote in the preface of a book that will be published in September by LEV, the Vatican publishing house.

“Popular movements, and this is the first thing I

reading, Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29.

It begins with the words: “My child, conduct your affairs with humility.” The reader is called “my child” to cast him or her into the role of listening to an older, presumably wiser, adult.

That in itself should inspire humility.

It’s all about humility.

The reading points out that humility impresses other people: “You will be loved more than a giver of gifts.” Humility will also impress God: “You will find favor with God.” Those who are humble will recognize their own limitations.

That is why the reading instructs us: “What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not.”

Humility will lead us to value the wisdom that comes from others: “The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise.”

We should note that humility corresponds to the direct opposite of pride, one of the seven deadly sins. In fact, pride often ranks as the chief among them.

Having a positive self-image is not what is meant by pride as a deadly sin. Rather, it’s an inordinate emphasis upon one’s self. It’s self-glorification and self-reliance, to the point of refusing help from anyone else, even from God. In contrast, humility opens us up to God’s grace. That is why it is so important.

would like to highlight, represent in my opinion a great social alternative, a profound cry, a sign of contradiction, a hope that everything can change,” he said.

According to Vatican News, the new book, titled “The Emergence of Popular Movements: Rerum Novarum of Our Time,” was prepared by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and will be published in Spanish.

“Rerum Novarum” was Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical on workers’ rights and is considered the foundational document for the church’s social teaching. The new book explores a series of World Meetings of Popular Movements held since 2014 and supported by Pope Francis, Vatican News reported.

— CNS

AUGUST 30, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

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CEF scholarship makes Catholic education attainable >> Continued from page 1 Bishop Ward,” Subasic said. “Everybody knew everyone because we had something like 350 kids in the school. It’s more of a family. Everybody’s tight-knit at Ward.”

Subasic loved his time at Ward as a student, but he almost wasn’t able to attend.

When he started high school in 2010, his family was still struggling from the economic recession of 2008, and money was tight. Luckily, he received a scholarship from the Catholic Education Foundation that enabled his parents to enroll him at Bishop Ward.

CEF raises money to help families that would normally be unable to afford a Catholic education send their child to a Catholic school. For the 2018-19 school year, CEF provided about $2.4 million in scholarships to help students attend 24 schools in the archdiocese.

The majority of students who receive CEF scholarships live near or below the federal poverty line — $25,100 for a family of four.

“These [scholarships] are for people who otherwise would not be able to attend a Catholic school,” said Vincent Anch, the executive director of CEF. “They get an opportunity to go to a high-quality Catholic school, to get a great education, and also be able to grow in their faith and live their faith

The scholarship Subasic received to attend Bishop Ward was money well spent as he graduated from college and returned to teach and coach at Ward. every day where they couldn’t at a public school.”

CEF has three scholarships people can apply for, the first of which — the traditional CEF scholarship — was established in 2006. Subasic is just one of more than 15,000 people who was able to attend a Catholic school thanks to

this particular scholarship. “[CEF] helped my family out in a time of need,” Subasic said. “Me being the first of my siblings to go into high school in America, they helped stabilize that transition from middle school to high school, they helped guide my choice of where I wanted to go and started the point on the circle that I’ve now come full around to.”

Subasic was grateful to be able to attend Bishop Ward, and he made the most out of his time there. He was involved in sports and clubs, and he always made sure he kept on top of his studies.

Kelly Lipovitz, Subasic’s former English teacher, said Subasic was a leader at the school.

“He was a really hard worker,” Lipovitz said. “He would be a typical teenager and have fun in class, but when it was time to get stuff done, he got down to business and did what he needed to do.

“He really wanted to do his best all the time.”

Subasic said Bishop Ward taught him many of the organizational and social skills he needed to succeed in college, and he maintained many of the relationships he forged during his time there.

That was part of the reason it was so easy for him to decide to come back.

“When I [interviewed at] Ward, I just felt the comfort and the relative sameness of the school as compared

to when I went there,” Subasic said. “I felt it was best for me to go somewhere where I knew the system and knew how things worked going into my first year of teaching, especially because the first year is the hardest year of teaching.”

Subasic is not the only one who is happy he is returning to Bishop Ward.

His little sister Stella is a junior at Bishop Ward. Though she won’t have any classes with her brother, she said she was still excited for him to be there.

“I was really excited for him and I was happy,” Stella said. “I was kind of excited because I knew I was going to have someone to talk to who knows me, and I was happy that he was going back to something he liked in a place he was comfortable with.”

Subasic has come a long way since applying for a CEF scholarship his freshman year of high school, and he said he is grateful to his parents and family and all of his past teachers — from St. John’s through K-State — for helping him get to where he is.

He is also excited to have an opportunity to give back to a place that helped shape him growing up.

“I love the students,” Subasic said.

“I’ve always loved working with students.”

As for coaching soccer, he is looking forward to that, too.

“I want to contribute as much as I can,” he said.

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Largest area outdoor Mass to be celebrated at Irish Fest

By Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Sept. 1 at 9:30 a.m., join around 2,000 worshipers at the most popular event of the Kansas City Irish

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Trey Faimon, 14, a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Burlington, participates in a game of GaGa Ball during the “Start a Fire” Southern Region youth and family rally on Aug. 18.

Speaker talks about growth through suffering at rural youth rally

By Ellie Melero @eleanor_melero

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ILLIAMSBURG — After days of rain, parishioners young and old from the southern part of the archdiocese gathered at Prairie Star Ranch here to celebrate their faith and the end of summer.

The “Start a Fire” Southern Region youth and family rally was held Aug. 18. In addition to games, food and Mass, the rally featured two talks by Noelle Garcia.

Garcia is a recording artist and speaker who shares her struggles with depression with her audiences and also talks about keeping faith during times of suffering.

Garcia’s message, interwoven with accounts of her own life experiences, was that suffering gives people an opportunity to grow. “[Suffering] can bring out the best of us,” she said, “make saints of us. But we need that fire of the Holy Spirit.”

Garcia talked about the story of Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead, and how through that and Jesus’ own resurrection, Jesus shows death is not the end. She said in times of suffering, God is giving people an opportunity to trust him even more.

“The biggest thing is trusting that God has not abandoned us,” Garcia said. “A lot of times when we go through something hard, we think that he’s far away and he’s just left us and he doesn’t care about what we’re going through.

“But he is all present, all the time.”

Anna Schuckman, a member of the Northeast Kansas Rural Youth Council who helped plan the rally, said she enjoyed listening to Garcia speak.

Fest: Mass.

Father Rick Storey, pastor of Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood, will celebrate the Mass this year at Crown Center Square in Kansas City, Missouri.

Each year, the Mass’ collection plate, which usually amounts to between $4,000 and $7,000, is donated to a charity. Past recipients have included the Little Sisters of the Poor Jean Jugan Center, Operation Breakthrough and Kansas City Hospice House & Palliative Care.

This year Uplift Organization Inc., a charity serving the poor and homeless in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, will receive the money.

Additionally, volunteers from Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park and Christ the King Parish in Kansas City, Kansas, will staff beverage stands — each year, volunteers raise thousands of dollars for their parishes.

Kansas City Irish Fest opens Aug. 30 and ends Sept. 1.

Visit the website at: kcirishfest.com for tickets and more details.

Flood-ravaged area of India needs recovery help

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER

Recording artist Noelle Garcia gave two talks at the “Start a Fire” rally on Aug. 18 at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg.

She said hearing Garcia’s stories of struggle and how they led her to a deeper relationship with God was inspirational.

“It’s really inspiring,” Schuckman said, “to see how she lives her life and gives it all to God. And she travels so much just in his name. She’s just reminded me to lay it all down and give it to him.”

Damian Foster, an attendee of the rally, said Garcia’s talks helped him put parts of his life into perspective.

“It’s definitely made me see life a lot different,” Foster said. “God is in control of your life, and you can lose it in a matter of seconds, so don’t take it for granted.”

Angie Bittner, the rural youth ministry outreach coordinator, said she invited Garcia to speak because she was a new voice for people to listen to, and she thought Garcia did a good job.

Bittner said the hope of “Start

a Fire” was to teach people how Christ is alive in their lives and how to grow in their faith in him.

Garcia, said Bittner, was the perfect person to deliver that message.

“She’s someone that I’ve wanted to bring in for a while,” Bittner said.

“I hope every parishioner understands what it means to have a beautiful relationship with the Lord that stirs their hearts to love him more and to serve others and love other people better.”

Garcia said she was happy to come to the rally and hopes people were able to take something away from listening to her speak.

“I hope that they’re just reinvigorated to start up their relationship with God again if maybe it’s been kind of on the back burner,” Garcia said. “Or maybe just continue realizing its importance in their life, their family’s life and, ultimately, in the world.”

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EW YORK — Catholic Near East Welfare Association has received urgent requests for aid from partners in flood-ravaged Kerala in southern India.

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy (diocese) of Palghat reports that torrential rains have triggered landslides in the hilly areas of the Palakkad District, burying houses, people, livestock and patches of agricultural lands in mud several feet deep.

Bishop Jacob Manathodath of Palghat and the bishops in the neighboring eparchies of Mananthavady and Thamarassery have asked CNEWA for monies to help clean and restore homes for the poorest families affected by the flooding and landslides, as well as funds to help subsistence farmers clear their devastated plots.

Donations may be made online to: www.cnewa.org/web/emergencyindia.

In the United States, donations can also be made online at: www.cnewa. org; by phone at (800) 442-6392; or by mail to: CNEWA, 1011 First Ave., New York, NY 10022-4195.

Since the torrential rains began on Aug. 8, more than a quarter of a million people have been displaced and housed in temporary shelters, including parish community centers.