theleaven.com | vol. 35, no. 9 | october 4, 2013
Grammy Award-winning opera singer Joyce DiDonato is shown above performing exclusively for the students of her alma mater, St. Ann School in Prairie Village. Today the mezzo-soprano is world-renowned and has performed with many of the world’s leading opera companies.
‘Here me roar’
Diva sings for alma mater — St. Ann’s Tigers
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RAIRIE VILLAGE — Imagine a place filled with more than 400 children, yet so quiet you can hear someone breathe. That was the scene at St. Ann School in Prairie Village last week — and the person doing the “breathing” was world-renowned opera star and Grammy Award winner Joyce DiDonato. “The only way I can make my voice travel is if I make it go on my breath,” she told the students gathered for a mini-concert in the church. Her audience was mesmerized as she demonstrated her point by singing a note softly and then adding breath until her voice filled the church from altar to foyer. How did these students rate a private session with one of the world’s greatest
Story and photo by
By Jill Ragar Esfeld opera singers? DiDonato is actually from this area and returned home to star in the Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s production of Bellini’s “Capulets and Montagues.” Visiting St. Ann School was part of her homecoming. DiDonato grew up in St. Ann Parish, attended school there, and went on to graduate from Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park. The sixth of seven children in a closeknit Catholic family, her older sister is St. Ann music director Amy Hetherington. DiDonato told her audience that when she used to be a cantor at St. Ann and perform in musicals at Bishop Miege, she dreamed of becoming a pop star someday.
“Opera was something I didn’t understand,” she confessed. After high school, DiDonato attended Wichita State University with a more realistic dream of becoming a music teacher. But God had a very different plan. Through her college music classes, DiDonato developed an appreciation for opera that soon turned into a passion and — after lots of hard work — a career. Today, she is a leading mezzo-soprano, which means her voice is lower than a soprano, but higher than a contralto, and can sing what are called “trouser roles” — a female singer playing a male character. For example, in the performance at the Lyric Opera she just concluded, DiDonato played the role of Romeo. “I like opera because I like to >> See “Opera” on page 5
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theleaven.com | october 4, 2013
No place like home
Life will be victorious
Grandfather’s example one of creativity — and persistence
W
hen I was a young boy, my grandfather was the manager of one of the Wonder Bread bakeries in St. Louis.
archbishop Joseph F. Naumann
We (my mother, brother and I) lived in the upstairs of a two family flat with my grandparents dwelling downstairs. Almost every evening, we ate supper with my grandparents. My brother and I always looked forward to my grandfather’s arrival home, because he would often have Hostess CupCakes or Twinkies for us. Because my father died before I was born, my grandfather was a significant male role model in my life. Unfortunately, he also died when I was only eight years old. After my grandfather’s death, I enjoyed hearing stories about him. My grandfather was a natural salesman. He did not get discouraged when he failed to make a sale. He did not consider “no” a final answer. He loved the challenge of overcoming whatever the obstacles might be to close a sale. I remember some of my relatives and his co-workers
talking about how persistent and determined my grandfather was to get Wonder Bread on the shelves of some of the first supermarkets in St. Louis. Initially, he was turned down by the manager of one of the supermarkets. According to the legend, having made several follow-up calls with the same negative results and the manager telling him not to pester him anymore, my grandfather was not discouraged but energized by this challenge. On more than one occasion he wore Groucho Marx glasses, or some other equally ridiculous disguise, to get his foot in the door one more time to keep his product in the minds of the relevant supermarket executives and no doubt providing them with a little entertainment on an otherwise dull day. Eventually, he went into a full-court press, even sending flowers to the manager’s
wife, motivating her to intercede with her husband on behalf of Wonder Bread. Eventually, his persistence paid off and he got the account. Like the nagging widow in the Gospel (Lk 18: 1-8) or the neighbor who comes in the middle of the night to borrow some bread (no doubt Wonder Bread) (Lk 11: 5-8), the manager agreed to stock Wonder Bread. Of course, once one of the major supermarkets provided a particular brand, this placed pressure on their competitors to follow suit. As I reflect more and more on the new evangelization, the call of the church to find new ways to present Jesus Christ and his Gospel in the context of an increasingly secular culture, I think of my grandfather. With a quality product to sell, my grandfather was convinced that he could make a sale to anyone. Part of the responsibility of a priest and a bishop is to present (sell, if you will) Jesus Christ and his Gospel to those who have not yet accepted Our Lord and embraced his bride, the church. What better “product” could one have to sell? Though Jesus tells potential followers that they must take up their cross in order to follow him, ultimately Our
Lord promises his disciple abundant life in this world and a share in his eternal life. The commission to make disciples is not just the responsibility of bishops, priests and religious Sisters or Brothers. It is the work of the entire church. In fact, it is the laity that has access to those we need to reach with the Gospel. It is the responsibility of every baptized, confirmed Catholic not only to get to heaven, but to bring many others. This is accomplished, in part, through the family. Christian parents are the first and most important teachers of the faith to their children. The Catholic family is called to be a school of faith and virtue. However, the responsibility to bring others to Christ does not end with the family. Each of us is called to be prepared to introduce others to Jesus Christ and to the beauty of our Catholic faith. As St. Peter counsels the early Christians: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Pt 3: 15). The memories of my grandfather challenge me in striving to make disciples for Our Lord to be as persistent and creative as he was in selling bread to supermar-
calendar archbishop
Journalist finds spiritual home with Benedictine Sisters in Kansas
Naumann
By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com
Oct. 1-8 Pilgrimage — Footsteps of St. Paul
TCHISON — Some people see life in black and white, others in shades of gray, and some through rose-colored glasses. You might say Judith Valente views life through a lens of blue — “Atchison blue.” The phrase describes the background color of the stained-glass windows over the chapel at Mount St. Scholastica Monastery. The Kansas elements weathered the original blues over the decades into this unique shade of gray-blue. “Atchison Blue” is also the title of Valente’s recently published book, which invites readers to experience monastic life through the moments and conversations she shared over several years with the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica. “You hear these stories all the time of people going to a place and it changes their lives,” said Valente, a journalist who covers the religion beat for “Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly” on PBS TV. “That really happened to me at Mount St. Scholastica,” she said.
Oct. 9-10 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Communications Committee meeting — Washington, D.C. Oct. 10 Religious Alliance Against Pornography conference call Oct. 11 Kansas Department of Corrections visit with Little Sisters and Brothers of the Lamb
archbishop
keleher Oct. 7-11 Teach class — Mundelein Seminary
kets. If my grandfather was able to sell Wonder Bread so successfully, then I should be able to “sell” people on Jesus and the real Wonder Bread — the Eucharist.
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october 4, 2013 | theleaven.com
emphasizes balance, she found, and their encouragement to stop working and enjoy leisure time seemed foreign at first to her work-focused mindset. “I began to write up my own reactions to what the Sisters were telling me,” she said. The insights wove their way into her life — whether she was dealing with a difficult relationship with a colleague or trying to connect with her adult stepdaughters. “More and more I was thinking: This applies in my life, too,” said Valente. Her reflections became the basis for her book.
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Cultivate silence Valente first met the Sisters when she and her husband, Charles Reynard, presented a workshop on poetry and the soul in Atchison in 2007. She had been invited by Sister Thomasita Homan, OSB, of the Mount, who had learned of her through her brother, Dick Homan. Homan knew Valente through their shared time at The Washington Post and had recommended that his sister invite Valente to give a poetry workshop at the Mount. And that’s how it all began. The trip to Atchison, Valente recalls, fell during an exhausting stretch. Valente and Reynard — a circuit court judge in Illinois — focused on their careers during the week and packed their weekends with poetry presentations. “I wondered how I was going to speak to a retreat group later that day about nourishing the soul when I hadn’t fed my own soul a decent meal in weeks,” Valente wrote in the book. She visited the chapel, where
Read more
“Atchison Blue” by Judith Valente was published in September by Sorin Books. The book is available in both print and electronic formats. It can be ordered online through sites such as: www.ave mariapress.com and www. amazon.com.
Journalist Judith Valente started writing a book to coincide with the Benedictine Sisters of Atchison’s 150th anniversary. Along the way, she fell in love with the community — and found a spiritual home. her gaze fell onto a window image of St. Benedict with outstretched arms. A few Latin words traveled straight to her soul. “At all times, cultivate silence.” “And it occurred to me I had really been living a paradox,” she said. “I had been talking and talking to help lead other people in a more contemplative life. What was missing in my own life were moments of silence.” When her stay at the Mount wrapped up, she offered — not really envisioning a specific project — to return to the monastery to interview more Sisters and do some writing. In 2008, as the Sisters started planning ahead for their community’s 150th anniversary celebration, they asked Valente if she was serious. She was, and readily immersed herself in this centuriesold way of life, lived according to the Rule of St. Benedict.
Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) President: Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann
Spiritual home Valente moved into the community for a week or two about once a month over the next three years. “I was impressed by their love for community,” said Valente. “The love that they had for one another was very palpable.” The Sisters kept to their daily routines of prayer and work, not altering a thing for their guest during her stay. “She fit right in,” said Sister Thomasita. “I think a lot of things were a surprise to her — she had such a fast-paced life. . . . We slowed her down a bit.” Valente found tremendous value in their simplicity, and now seeks to apply it to her everyday life. “I grew up in an area that’s about as far from what Atchison, Kansas, is as can be,” said Valente. Raised Catholic in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City, she was used to a hectic pace. Her career in journalism, which eventually landed her in Chicago — her first taste of the Midwest — brought more of the same. “I slowly became aware there
was a whole other Midwest out there that was not Chicago,” said Valente, who today resides in Chicago and Normal, Ill. “I really took to the Midwest — the bluffs and the plains and the rolling hills.” And in Atchison, of all places, she fell in love with the community — and found a spiritual home.
Life lessons She discovered the value of silence in a place where Sisters seemed to live out a maxim attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel always. Use words if necessary.” The ease with which they carried out their days came in sharp contrast to her own angst-ridden journey, filled with worries about work, family and needing to be everything to everyone. “They had a sense about them that everything was going to be OK, “ said Valente. She sees prayer as the root of that. “They’re pausing several times a day for prayer. And what are they praying? They’re praying the psalms,” she said. “It’s every emotion known to man.” The Sisters’ prayers for everyone — the suffering, the wartorn, political leaders of every party — touched her deeply. Everything about their lives
Editor Reverend Mark Goldasich, stl frmark@theleaven.com
Production Manager Todd Habiger todd@theleaven.com
Reporter Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com
Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita@theleaven.com
Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com
Advertising Coordinator Julie Holthaus julie@theleaven.com
Benedictine values The monastic spirituality emphasizes stability, listening, humility, simplicity, hospitality, prayer, praise and other values that can guide everyday life in today’s world, discovered Valente. St. Benedict’s Rule reminded her to show respect first, and to listen to the youngest person. And “day by day, remind yourself you are going to die,” reads the Rule of St. Benedict. “That’s a very powerful thing,” said Valente. “You want to do things that will make you proud on your deathbed.” Though death had always terrified her, Valente came to understand it differently during her time with the Sisters, especially through the way they lovingly tended to a Sister who was dying. “The Sisters believe so greatly in eternal life,” said Valente. “They use an expression that the Sister has ‘entered eternity,’ and that’s a way I can look at it now.” Valente came home to Atchison again this fall, this time as the featured presenter at the annual Fellin Lecture on Sept. 22. The lecture coincided with the community’s yearlong 150th anniversary celebration, and the auditorium at Benedictine College was packed as she shared passages from “Atchison Blue.” “You could have heard a pin drop,” said Sister Thomasita. But it won’t be Valente’s last trip to the historic town on the Missouri River. Valente has become a lay Benedictine Oblate. To her, the Sisters are now family — and they feel the same way. “Judy was a special blessing to us,” said Sister Thomasita simply.
Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $18/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.
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LOCAL NEWS 5
october 4, 2013 | theleaven.com
George and Kathy (O’Brien) Smirl, members of Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 12 with family and friends. The couple was married on Oct. 12, 1963, at St. Patrick Church in Great Bend. Their children and their spouses are: Karen and Wayne Leiker, Holton; and Stacy and Spencer Stromgren, Osage City. They also have three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Readers share their fall festival favorites
By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com
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For more recipes, including the Keane family recipe for spaghetti sauce, visit the Leaven’s website at: www.theleaven.com.
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Fall is in the air and the leaves are starting to change. And what better way to celebrate the season than indulging in some of its flavors. Readers from across the archdiocese sent in their favorite recipes — including many that have been a hit at parish fall festivals. Whether you’re looking to spice things up with pumpkin or serve a new fall comfort-food side dish, this selection has you covered. To see all the recipes readers shared, be sure to visit the Leaven website at: www. theleaven.com.
Creamy Parmesan Potatoes 1/2 stick butter 8 ounces cream cheese 5 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk (a little more or less, depending on consistency) 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 teaspoons garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese Six 15-ounce cans whole new potatoes
Oven Stew 3 pounds stew meat, sirloin tips, or roast, cubed 1 tablespoon salt 3 large carrots, diced 3/4 cup pearl onions or 1 large white onion 20-ounce can tomatoes 20-ounce can tiny peas 1/2 cup consommé beef soup 1/2 cup white wine (or red) 4 tablespoons minute tapioca 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 1 bay leaf
(Recipe from Mildred Rieke, St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee)
Heat oven to 375 F. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add flour, stir, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes to cook out the taste of the flour. Add milk a little at a time to make a roux. Add cream cheese and stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy (it should be about the consistency of gravy; add more milk if it is too thick). Add seasoned salt, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley flakes and Parmesan cheese. Stir until smooth; remove from heat. Open and drain 6 cans of potatoes, rinse, and place in a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Pour creamy Parmesan sauce over the potatoes and stir well. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 to 45 minutes until the potatoes are hot.
“Served with green salad and French bread makes a meal!” said Rieke.
(Recipe from Jessica Hammer, Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Topeka)
Pumpkin Crunch
For the best taste, recommends Hammer, after combining ingredients, cover the dish and place it in the refrigerator. “This allows the flavors to marry, and the taste is best if baked the following day,” she said. “Increase baking time to 1 hour to an hour and a half, depending on your oven, as the potatoes will be cold,” said Hammer, whose recipe was served at the parish’s Holy Smokin’ Jamboree in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Heat oven to 250 F. Mix ingredients, cover baking dish, and bake 6-7 hours.
Crust: 1 3/4 cups crushed graham crackers 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup melted butter Filling: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 small packages vanilla instant pudding 3/4 cup milk 2 cups canned pumpkin 1 teaspoon cinnamon Dash of nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger 1 cup of Cool Whip Topping: Cool Whip 1/2 cup chopped nuts Heat oven to 350 F. Combine the crust ingredients and press into a 9-by-13-inch pan. Combine the cream cheese, sugar and eggs. Beat until fluffy and pour over graham cracker crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, beat pudding mixes and milk together. Add the pumpkin, spices and 1 cup of Cool Whip. Spread over cool cream cheese layer. Top the pumpkin layer with additional Cool Whip, and then sprinkle the nuts on top. Refrigerate for several hours before serving. May be made the day before it is served. (Recipe from Lyn Petro, Church of the Nativity, Leawood)
Hot German Potato Salad Servings: 8-10 4 pounds potatoes 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped 3/4 cup sugar Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 pound bacon 3/4 cup very hot water 3/4 cup cider vinegar Boil potatoes until tender; pare and cube while still warm. Heap chopped onion in center of potatoes. Top with sugar, salt and pepper. Fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. Add water and vinegar to bacon grease and bring to a boil. Pour over potatoes and onions and toss to mix well. Add bacon, crumbled. Simmer until well mixed and seasoned. (Recipe from T.C. Schrick, St. Joseph Parish, Nortonville) “It is delicious and easy to make,” said Schrick, who received the recipe from her sister-in-law Evelyn Chmidling. This dish has been served at past fall festivals at the parish.
Grilled Tomatoes (oven method) Tomatoes, washed, cored and sliced in half Spices — basil, oregano, pepper Parmesan cheese (or cheese of choice) Sprinkle tomato halves with spices and cheese. Broil until bubbly. (Recipe from T.C. Schrick, St. Joseph Parish, Nortonville)
Crunchy Pea Salad Servings: 8 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed 1 cup diced celery 1 cup cauliflower florets 1/4 cup diced green onion 1 cup chopped cashews 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup to 1 cup ranch dressing 1/2 cup crisply cooked bacon, crumbled (optional) Combine peas, celery, cauliflower, onion, cashews, sour cream and dressing in a salad bowl; mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Top each serving with crumbled bacon. (Recipe from Mary Newell, Immaculate Conception Church, Valley Falls)
Joseph’s Coat Salad 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup water 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons mustard 3 tablespoons flour 20 ounces frozen mixed vegetables, cooked and drained 1/2 cup celery, cut fine 1/2 cup onion, cut fine 1/2 cup green pepper, cut fine Combine first five ingredients and cook until thick. Cool and pour over all other vegetables. Combine well. Let stand in refrigerator for 24 hours. Optional: Drain and wash 1 can of red kidney beans and add to mixture before combining it with other vegetables. (Recipe from Francie Sachen, St. John the Baptist Church, Kansas City, Kan.) “Keeps in fridge a long time,” said Sachen. “The longer you keep it, the better it gets.”
Principal on the roof
Sounds like a great storyline for a children’s book: The school principal works for a day on the roof of the school. That really happened at Sacred Heart School in Shawnee on Sept. 30. Principal Maureen Engen climbed a ladder to the top of the building and spent the beautiful fall day there, along with her laptop, a desk, a bullhorn and some fun surprises for the kindergartners through fifth-graders who headed outside to visit her. Her journey to the roof fulfilled a promise she made when she and Scholastic Books challenged the students to read over the summer. And read they did — logging the 93,473 minutes it took to score first place in the state of Kansas. Engen called down to the students below by bullhorn, and wanted to hear them say, “I am a reader!” She also celebrated some of the older students’ summer reading achievements.
Opera star to students: The sky’s the limit >> Continued from page 1 pretend,” she told students. “It’s kind of fun to play a boy.” DiDonato also described opera as having mental, spiritual and psychological components. “This is everything that I am as a person,” she said. Students applauded when DiDonato told them one of her favorite singers is Adele — and laughed when she told them Hetherington used to change her diapers. She admitted to the group that she is prone to stage fright and cited as an example a London concert when she had an audience of 5,000 . . . with another four million watching on television. “How do I keep from getting nervous?” she said. “I remember what my purpose is, and my purpose is to sing.”
When asked if she had a most embarrassing moment, DiDonato recalled once slipping on stage and hurting her leg. She continued her performance using a crutch. Later that evening, she found out she had a fractured fibula. Students plied DiDonato with a wide variety of questions including: Can a voice really shatter glass? The singer answered positively — though she said it didn’t happen often and depended on a very high voice vibration. “I don’t have that kind of voice,” she said. “But I used to wait tables — and I broke a lot of glass!” The highlight of the afternoon came when DiDonato explained the role of Rosina in the famous opera “Barber of Seville,” and then brought the role to life singing “Uno Voce Poco Fa.”
Once again, the students were mesmerized. DiDonato told her audience that she’d performed in 50 different operas, but didn’t have a favorite. She also talked about places she’d visited all over the world, but said she always loves coming home to Kansas City. DiDonato finished her private performance by singing one of her favorite songs, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Referring to the St. Ann School mascot, she told students, “I’m one of you guys. I’m a Tiger!” She recalled going to Mass there every Sunday and sitting in the front row. “You’re sitting right here,” she told her young audience. “And you have no idea what you can do with your life. “I want to remind you the sky is the limit — what you dare to dream really can come true!”
D. Darlene and Delmer B. Rausch, members of Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Topeka, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 1. The couple was married on Oct. 1, 1953, at St. Boniface Church in Sharon. They have 12 children, 33 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. A family celebration will take place at their home in Hoyt. Cards may be sent to: 15309 110th Rd., Hoyt, KS 66440. Teresa (Guthrie) and Miguel Rico, members of Holy Name Parish, Kansas City, Kan., will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 11. The couple was married on Oct. 11, 1963, at Our Lady of Remedies Church in La Paz, Bolivia. The couple will celebrate with a Mass of thanksgiving, followed by a family dinner. Their children and their spouses are Gemma and Kurt Campbell, Overland Park; and Michael and Debbie Rico, Lenexa. They also have five grandchildren.
Anniversary policy
• The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th notices. • Announcements are due eight days before the desired publication date. Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or send an email to: Todd@theleaven. com.
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Changing the world one bead at time By Marc and Julie Anderson Special to The Leaven
By the numbers United States priests ordained in 2013
32
The median age of men ordained to the priesthood in 2013
67%
Leaven photo by Joe McSorley
Dr. Marsha Dannenberg (left), a pediatrician and governing board member, and Barbara Belcher, foundress of Nativity House KC, stand in front of the newly renovated Nativity House KC, a residence for homeless women in crisis pregnancies in Kansas City, Kan. Belcher was inspired during eucharistic adoration to launch the ministry.
Nativity House for ‘precious daughters’ By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com
Nativity House will have room for four mothers and one housemother, who will provide supervision. It will furnish housing and various ANSAS CITY, Kan. — services by tapping resources in Finding the little plaster the community. Social work will be Magi in a wall during rendone by Wyandotte County. Belcher ovations was surely a sign. doesn’t want to duplicate services So, too, were the plaster “praythat can be accessed through other ing hands” sculpture and the plasentities. ter plaque with the 86th Psalm, also “We won’t provide it ourselves, found during renovations. but we’ll help [the mothers] find a Signs from God were what led doctor and medical services, MedicBarbara Belcher to launch Nativity aid and WIC,” said Belcher. House KC, a crisis pregnancy home Nativity House will also for homeless women in Kanwork with Wyandotte Pregsas City, Kan. What made it a nancy Center, Donnelly Colreality were the biggest signs lege and the Keeler Women’s of all: an outpouring of generCenter. osity from family, friends, doEach mother will be pronors and sponsors, businessvided with a spiritual menmen and tradesmen — they tor and a shepherding family. have all made Nativity House Each mother will receive leshappen. sons about the Catholic faith, An open house for the but there is no expectation newly refurbished home, lothat they become Catholic. cated just a block and a half Mothers of all faiths are welfrom Christ the King Church, was held on Sept. 7. If enough Father Roger Schmit, OSB (left), and Deacon Darwin Dupree, come. A mother can stay at Nafunding comes in, the first res- chaplains for the Providence System hospitals, pray during tivity House all through her idents will move in after Jan. 1, the Nativity House KC open house on Sept. 7. pregnancy and delivery, and 2014. “We want our young mothers to through the first year of her baby’s Belcher was a nurse for 20 years and worked as a director of legisla- know that they are precious daugh- life. Belcher would like to expand tive affairs for Merck Pharmaceuti- ters of God and have great worth and the Nativity House to help women cals in a four-state region. While she dignity, and God has great potential who already have one or two children. was driving home after a legislative and plans for them,” said Belcher. “I see Nativity House [someday] She learned of a house on the hearing in 2011, she prayed the “scary prayer”: Let it be done unto me ac- market that would be perfect for having a maternity home compotheir needs, two stories and six bed- nent, a postpartum component, a cording to your will. transitional component, and I see “I said, ‘OK, Lord, whatever you rooms, about 1,500 square feet. It was a foreclosure, had been va- the need [for a component] for a want for me, I’m ready,’” she said. “I didn’t realize within a few weeks I’d cant since 2011, and needed a lot of mother who has one or two todcleaning and refurbishing. Belcher dlers,” said Belcher. be in retirement.” She has no doubts that this will In 2012 during eucharistic adora- and her husband Vin bought the tion at her parish, Queen of the Holy house and lease it back to Nativity succeed. “If it was just personal, it wouldn’t Rosary in Wea, the idea came to her House KC for $1 a year. The Belchers organized Nativity be this successful this quick,” said — that a maternity home was needHouse as a Kansas charitable orga- Belcher. “It’s not of us. He’s wanting ed in Wyandotte County. It just seemed that God was pre- nization with not-for-profit 501(c) it, not us, ‘he’ being the Holy Spirit.” For more information, call paring her for something like this (3) status pending. Since it is a resthrough her work as a nurse and idential home that falls under the Belcher at (913) 220-6869; email her lobbyist, her spiritual direction definition of “family,” it is an unli- at: barbarab@nativityhousekc.org; through the Apostles of the Interi- censed group home and does not or visit the website at: www.nativity or Life, and her pursuit of a master’s require a special license or zoning. housekc.org. Funding will come from donations. degree from the Maryvale Institute.
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“I can see the big influence the Apostles of the Interior Life and Maryvale had in putting this house together,” said Belcher. “I’ve taken things from both: the total trust in divine providence the Apostles [of the Interior Life] have, and [from Maryvale] the anthropology of man — the inherent dignity we have as children of God.” The women who will stay at Nativity House, ages 16 years and older, will be scared and worried when they arrive.
are Caucasian
80%
have parents who are both Catholic
9%
are converts
67%
G
ARNETT — Like many parish ministries, it started out small — and as a means to help one specific family. In late 2012, Teresa Nicolas, a member of Holy Angels Parish in Garnett, was diagnosed with cancer for the second time. That’s when two of her friends and fellow parishioners — Sandie Fritz and Linda Huettenmueller — organized a rosary prayer group to pray for Nicolas, her family, and the needs of the millions diagnosed annually with cancer worldwide. The parish’s new pastor, Father Matthew Schiffelbein, wanted to start a rosary prayer group anyway. So the pair obtained his permission to start one on Sunday evenings at the church. At the time Nicolas received her diagnosis, Huettenmueller said she offered a rosary at least once daily for Nicolas and her family. “I’d be on my treadmill, doing my exercise, and I’d pray the rosary. I’d pray a decade for Cris (Teresa’s husband), a decade for Teresa. And then, I got a format of praying the rosary for cancer patients from a church in Iola,” said Huettenmueller. “So, that’s what we started out with.” The format to which Huettenmueller referred was shared by someone from St. John Parish roughly 30 miles away in nearby Iola. That parish had received the format from Our Lady of
Leaven photo by Marc Anderson
Linda Huettenmueller, left, and Abbie Fritz lead the rosary on June 17 at Holy Angels Parish in Garnett. the Fields in Millersville, Md. The adapted rosary is known as the Rosary of Life for Those with Cancer. Composed by Bob McWhorter, with input from his daughter Jennifer Marie, the rosary was written in 2010 as Jennifer Marie underwent treatment for melanoma. With encouragement from his wife Rosa, McWhorter began praying the rosary in the specific format he had written at his parish each Tuesday evening. Each of the four sets of mysteries of
the rosary (joyful, sorrowful, glorious and luminous) includes an introductory prayer for healing and a novena prayer to St. Jude, also known as the patron saint of the impossible. Then, the first mystery begins with a short reflection, followed by specific needs or intentions for each of the 10 beads on which are prayed the Hail Mary. The rosary offered for Teresa Nicolas always ended with a prayer to St. Peregrine, the patron saint of those with cancer, followed by a hymn of
gratitude to Mary, the Mother of God. Although Teresa Nicolas died in late March, her husband Cris wanted the communal rosary to continue. In fact, according to parish secretary Sheila Wilson, when Cris came in to plan Teresa’s funeral, he told Wilson and Father Schiffelbein that the rosary should not stop just because Teresa died. She would always be a part of the rosary — just from a different place now. So, Fritz and Huettenmueller changed the format slightly and made it more inclusive of other needs. For example, since April, the rosary has been prayed for such intentions and groups as St. Rose School, peace, mothers, those in the military, farmers, fathers and sinners, to name just a few. Although the intentions are different, the format is essentially the same with each decade and each Hail Mary bead being offered for a specific need. For example, the rosary prayed on June 16 was offered for all fathers, both living and deceased, and included prayers for biological fathers as well as fathers in faith, such as priests, bishops and the pope. At least 20 to 25 regularly gather for the rosary, but sometimes the number reaches 50 or so, including some non-Catholics. Each week, the upcoming rosary’s intention is published in the church’s bulletin or distributed via email. Huettenmueller thinks the regular publication of the intentions helps to encourage parish participation.
say they were encouraged to consider a vocation to the priesthood by a parish priest
31%
were born outside the United States
63%
completed college before entering the seminary
23%
entered the seminary with a graduate degree
67%
served as an altar server
20%
participated in a World Youth Day before entering the seminary
42% attended a Catholic elementary school
source: Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate
Highlights…Daily Mass, Scripture Teachings, and Guided Spiritual Reflections An unparalleled experience for the Catholic Pilgrim Mike Scherschligt, Catholic Theologian and School of Faith Director, offers a unique learning experience tracing the life and ministry of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior. Father Francis Hund and Father John Riley will celebrate daily Mass in the holy places revered by all Catholics.
Speaking love to power ‘She evangelized for the church in a way that didn’t require rallies and banners, and handing out tracts on the corner. She evangelized by the way she treated others.’ By Joe Bollig
The barrier breaker
Quoteables
Bea Burdette was born into a devoutly Catholic family. She and her family belonged to the predominantly African-American Our Lady of Perpetual Hope Parish in Kansas City, Kan.
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Conference executive directors quickly recognized the many talents of Bea Swoopes, and soon she was a well-known figure in Topeka and at national meetings of state Catholic conference directors as she took on a lengthening list of responsibilities.
ference. And at the same time, she raised two boys and went to night school to earn a bachelor’s in English from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, graduating in 1972. “Those were wonderful years with Vince,” said Swoopes. “They were learning experiences. He had a great deal of confidence in me and my abilities. That’s when the foundation of the conference was established.” “Vince was a gentleman and a statesman,” she continued. “He was a bridge builder. He was all-inclusive, as far as the issues that we lobbied for. . . . Nobody could tell if Vince was a Democrat or a Republican, because he presented himself to both sides equally. That’s when it was a ladies and gentleman’s game. No matter how differing
you were in your opinions, you were respected. There was true dialogue, true compromise — it was a different ballgame.” Certainly, the bishops of Kansas and thus the conference supported the viewpoint and particular concerns of the Catholic Church, but the goal of the conference was the common good, not merely the promotion of sectarian interests. “We brought another dimension to the debate,” said Swoopes. “We always asked that question, ‘Is this for the common good?’ in all the different issues. That faith dimension would not have been there if we did not exist.” The conference’s advocacy included such things as social justice, farm issues, the life issues, and education. Swoopes, naturally, was often the point person. Jan Lewis got to know Swoopes through the conference and through Swoopes’ service to Catholic Charities, most recently as a current member of the board of directors. “She has been uncompromising in her vocation and her values,” said Lewis, former president and chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. “In my working with her on the board and her work with the conference, I found her to be someone who always has God’s people in front of her. She truly and firmly believes that it’s our responsibility to be the voice of the voiceless. . . . And she has been a good advocate for the people we serve. She is everything that our current political world is not. She can disagree
“You’re not able to pass legislation unless you can build coalitions. Bea was an excellent coalition builder and networker. People enjoyed being around her. When she spoke, they respected her concerns. You could always rely on her if you needed help or information. She was always there and always reliable.” Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, Senate president
“In the brief time I have served as the bishop of Salina, I have found Bea Swoopes to be very welcoming. She wasted no time in helping me to get a rich understanding of the important works undertaken by the Kansas Catholic Conference. I will always be grateful for her good service.” Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger, Diocese of Salina
The bishops of Kansas, like Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher, would often depend on Bea Swoopes to educate them about legislative and political matters, and keep them abreast of the latest developments. Growing up, the Burdette children attended the Church of Our Lady School at Fifth and Parallel. It was not far from the historic ruins of Quindaro, an important station on the Underground Railroad and site of the Quindaro Freedman’s School, the earliest school for African-Americans west of the Mississippi River. “Our family walked past the white Catholic [St. Rose of Lima] School at Eighth and Quindaro to get down to Fifth Street, where Our Lady School was,” said Swoopes. “And so my father, not seeing the rationale behind that, because St. Rose was closer, went to the pastor [of St. Rose] and said he’d like to enroll us,” said Swoopes. “We, along with another family down the street, were the first [African-American children] to enroll in St. Rose.” There, she excelled in her studies and became captain of the volleyball team. Later, the Burdettes and Dwights became the first African-American families to integrate Bishop Ward High School. Bea Swoopes graduated in 1964. “There were three black kids in my high school graduating class,” said Swoopes.
“Bea Swoopes is by nature a very positive person, and that comes across very quickly. She is a very engaging person. She’s very polished. She’s very competent and she knows her issues well. She has the ability to get along with different people and not get rattled. She is, in every meaning of the word, a class act.” Robert Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois and president of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors
Between her junior and senior year, Ward principal Father Francis Maher asked her to be one of the school’s delegates to the American Legion’s Girls State Convention in Topeka. “It was mock state government,” said Swoopes. “He asked me what office I was going to run for, and I said, ‘Well, if I’m going, I’m going for governor.’ ” The young Swoopes campaigned hard and did, indeed, became the first African-American Girls State governor — which created a nervous moment for the organizers. Traditionally, the Girls State and Boys State governors were a couple at a joint dance. “This was hot at the time,” said Swoopes. “There were very few black gentleman at this dance. So, we were an interracial couple — in 1963.”
Nothing coincidental Swoopes won a scholarship to Marymount College in Salina, but married before she graduated. She was working for the Sears department store chain as a collection agent (a job she disliked), with a one-year-old son,
“[Bea] would keep the directors in touch with the latest information that she often was able to retrieve about what was going on in the governor’s office. Some folks found her so easy to talk with that they would share with her developments that would be of assistance to the conference director. Part of her ability to gain the confidence of the staffs of the House and Senate was the fact that she was so genuine and people were always relaxed in her presence. She found it easy to gain the confidence of many.” Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher
Mike Farmer, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference until 2007, and Bea Swoopes, associate director, conferred on the Capitol’s south steps before meeting with legislators and their aides. when she heard from Father Maher once again — in December 1967. “They were looking for a minority to fill the position as the administrative assistant,” said Swoopes, at a new agency that would serve as the lobbying arm of the Kansas bishops. Swoopes, who developed an interest in government at Girls State, was excited about the job. She took a typing test, passed, and was hired. The Kansas Catholic Conference was to be the church’s public policy voice, bringing Christian witness into the arena of government. Kansas was among the first four or five states in the nation to have a Catholic conference. A story about the first executive meeting of the conference
“Bea had a kind and gentle voice of advocacy. She was ever present, but often not noticed. You could always count on her when you needed something. She responded so quickly and easily, and was very helpful. I have a great appreciation for her dedication to the church. I value her friendship and the opportunity to work with her. I will miss her.” Deborah Snapp, executive director of Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Dodge City
appeared on page one of the Dec. 15, 1967, issue of the Eastern Kansas Register, the forerunner of The Leaven. The accompanying photo showed eight persons: two laymen and six clerics — all men, all white. The conference was in need of a little diversity, and the first executive director, Vince DeCoursey, understood that. He respected Swoopes and her role soon began to expand. She became involved in all aspects of the conference.
The personal is the political Swoopes has been affectionately called “the mother of the conference” for her role in establishing and growing the con-
“Bea’s role has been very vital. I can’t imagine that most people have any idea of how much she did behind the scenes to advance repeal of the death penalty. A lot of work for repeal goes on behind the scenes, in terms of talking to people in one-to-one situations, working with testimony, helping people understand the perspectives of those against the death penalty, smoothing away misunderstandings of what the Catholic faith perspective is. . . . She’s been very good at representing those perspectives.” — Mary Sloan, executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty
with someone but still recognize their humanity.”
No permanent enemies Former executive director and state legislator Mike Farmer (who died in 2007) would tell Swoopes that the conference has permanent interests, but no permanent enemies. This nonpartisan, commoninterest, honest broker approach gave Swoopes and her colleagues the ability to talk to anyone and opened many doors. She learned that trust, compromise, credibility and relationships comprised the grease that made the gears of government grind. “The personal relationships that we built through the years served us well,” said Swoopes. “Our stand on the issues was pretty much constant . . . so we incrementally succeeded in changing a lot of things.” The conference sought input from all kinds of people. Conference meetings included Catholic newspaper editors, diocesan school superintendents, Catholic Charities directors, and rural life office directors. The bishops also got input from lay advisory groups. “We were a very collaborative entity, and it had its pros and cons,” said Swoopes. And for many of those early years, she was still the only woman at a meeting. “I was the only woman in all of these situations except when we had invited guests,” she said. “I’m not going to say I spoke for every woman, but I brought a feminine viewpoint.”
“In politics you can’t just strong-arm people. You have to be calm and bring your point of view. There are days you win and days you lose. Some days when you’ve gained an inch, that’s a victory, and I think she understood that . . . and knew in the end you don’t get everything you exactly want and compromise is what you have to work for.” Rep. Jerry Henry, D-63rd Dist.
‘Bea-attitudes’ During her more than four decades with the conference, Swoopes has done it all, serving in every position possible — from administrative assistant to acting executive director when two executive directors fell ill or died. She even held offices in the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors. “She has always been well respected among the other state conference directors,” said Robert Gilligan, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois and president of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors. “She has also brought to the table those years of experience in dealing with all different types of elected officials,” he continued. “She has a way of dealing with people that is to be emulated.” Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann praised Swoopes for her communications skills and congeniality. “Bea’s attitude has always been so positive,” said Archbishop Naumann. “One thing that made her so effective in her role was her warmth and ability to communicate easily with all sorts of different people, whether it was parishioners or pastors, or legislators. Bea was able to communicate with them all, with great congeniality.” Swoopes needed those skills, because the conference often had to fight an uphill battle. “The Legislature is all about communications,” said Sen. Susan Wagle, R-30th District and Senate president. “It’s all about building relationships, it’s all
“I got to know Bea briefly in the past couple of years as bishop of Dodge City. I’ve been impressed by her dedication and faithfulness to the conference. She expressed such a joy of working with the church and our legislative leaders, and always a great hope in Christ just exuded from her.” Bishop John B. Brungardt, Diocese of Dodge City
Turning over the next page For the first time in 46 years, Swoopes wakes up without a full agenda demanding immediate attention. She can afford to have a quiet morning It won’t stay this way for long, however. That’s not her style. She cares too much about too many things to just rest and rust. “There were so many issues that we could not delve into deeply [at the conference],” said Swoopes. “There were so many times I really wanted to spend time with an issue and find out the systemic reasons there was achievement or failure, and delve into the social justice issues.” At present, she is seeking something to do that aligns with her interests and passions. Even as she does so, she looks back at her years at the conference with gratitude. “I can only say that it’s been remarkable, it’s been incredible. It’s been a life of service. It’s been a life well lived,” said Swoopes.
“Bea has complete integrity. She was a great witness for the church, for our faith in Christ in the way she lived out her life and the way she conducted herself in a very secularized environment. She was the light of Christ in those [Capitol] halls. And she evangelized for the church in a way that didn’t require rallies and banners, and handing out tracts on the corner. She evangelized by the way she treated others. She did it in a way that reflected Christ, and I really honor her for that.” Jan Lewis, former president and chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas
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K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The year 1967 stormed across America like a prairie supercell, bringing lightning bolts of social upheaval, torrents of political activism and churning vortices of new ideas. There were race riots and civil rights protests. American troops fought a war in South Vietnam while antiwar protesters occupied college campuses. The new National Organization for Women agitated for a new feminist ideology. Timothy Leary urged hippies to “turn on, tune in and drop out.” It was a year of “firsts” for African-Americans: • Thurgood Marshall was appointed the first U.S. Supreme Court justice. • Carl B. Stokes was elected the first mayor of a large American city. • Robert H. Lawrence Jr. became the first accepted for astronaut training. And in Kansas, there was Bea Swoopes. The 21-year-old mother became the first woman and African-American member of the Kansas Catholic Conference. Swoopes was a stalwart foot soldier of the conference for 46 years. She served under the leadership of 17 bishops and five executive directors and rose to be associate director by the time she retired at the end of June. “I loved the Kansas Catholic Conference,” she said. “It was my life. Family came first, but this was my home for 46 years. You can’t help but own something in that time.”
about advocating for a position and winning other people over to your side. And she had that ability and was respected.” “In 1996, we passed that first pro-life bill, the Women’s Right to Know Act, with a minority [of pro-life legislators] in the House and Senate,” Wagle continued. “It took a lot of gentle persuasion to get that bill passed, and Bea Swoopes had the ability to get that done.” Sometimes the atmosphere on tough issues could get heated to the point of boiling, but Swoopes knew how to keep the kettle turned down. “She had a very calming personality,” said Rep. Jerry Henry, D-63rd District. “Some people, when you challenge their point of view, get upset.” “Bea would stay very calm and say what she believed in,” he continued. “You could tell she did her homework on what different faiths believed, and could point in that direction and why the point she was advocating for was important not only for her faith, but all faiths.” Swoopes would not let the political process become impersonal and technical. “She could tell a story,” said Lewis. “And take an issue out of the debate and make it real and personal about someone who would be impacted. It’s one thing to talk facts and figures, but it’s another to put a face to the issue, and that was something Bea always tried to do — to bring the humanity of the issue forward. There’s no price you can put to the benefit of that.”
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day of enrichment for marriage Nov. 2, Savior Pastoral Center
Featuring Coleen Kelly Mast Coleen Kelly Mast, nationally known and respected author, speaker and co-host on Catholic radio’s show, “The Doctor Is In” with Dr. Ray Guarendi, will present a day of enrichment for marriage and family at the Savior Pastoral Center. She will speak on: Unity or Division in Marriage: how the qualities and gifts of being male and female can bring couples closer together. She will also address: Couples raising love-wise kids: practical tips for educating children on sexuality so that they can remain innocent without being ignorant. Sponsored by the Archdiocesan Office of Marriage and Family Life. For more information, contact Deacon Tony Zimmerman, Lead Consultant, Marriage and Family Life, (913) 647-0329.
world 11
october 4, 2013 | theleaven.com
Pope calls for less ‘Vatican-centric,’ more socially conscious church By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service
V
ATICAN CITY (CNS) — In his latest wide-ranging interview, Pope Francis said that he aimed to make the Catholic Church less “Vatican-centric” and closer to the “people of God,” as well as more socially conscious and open to modern culture.. The pope’s remarks appeared in a 4,500-word interview, published Oct. 1 in the Rome daily La Repubblica, with Eugenio Scalfari, a co-founder and former editor-in-chief of the newspaper. Scalfari, an avowed atheist, publicly addressed the pope in a pair of articles on religious and philosophical topics over the summer, and Pope Francis replied in a letter that La Repubblica published Sept. 11. The journalist reported that the two met in person at the Vatican Sept. 24. Their conversation touched on a range of topics, including economic justice, dialogue between Christians and nonbelievers, and reform of the Vatican bureaucracy. “Heads of the church have often been narcissists, flattered and thrilled by their courtiers,” the pope said. “The court is the leprosy of the papacy.”
Pope Francis said that the Roman Curia, the church’s central administration at the Vatican, is not itself a court, though courtiers can be found there. The Curia “has one defect,” he said. “It is Vatican-centric. It sees and looks after the interests of the Vatican, which are still, for the most part, temporal interests. This Vatican-centric view neglects the world around us. I do not share this view and I’ll do everything I can to change it.” “The church is or should go back to being a community of God’s people,” he said. “Priests, pastors and bishops who have the care of souls are at the service of the people of God.” In response to Scalfari’s opinion that “love for temporal power is still very strong within the Vatican walls and in the institutional structure of the whole church,” and that the “institution dominates the poor, missionary church that you would like,” Pope Francis agreed, saying: “In fact, that is the way it is, and in this area you cannot perform miracles.” Yet the pope offered reason for hope in the eight-member Council of Cardinals advising him on church governance and reform of the Vatican bureaucracy, which he convened for three days of initial meetings that began Oct. 1.
“The first thing I decided was to appoint a group of eight cardinals to be my advisers, not courtiers but wise people who share my own feelings,” he said. “This is the beginning of a church that is not just top-down but also horizontal.” Pope Francis called for greater commitment by the church to the alleviation of social problems, particularly those of the young and the elderly. “The most serious of the evils that afflict the world these days are youth unemployment and the loneliness of the old,” he said. “This, to me, is the most urgent problem that the church is facing.” Pope Francis also recounted what he said was one of his rare mystical experiences, just after his election as pope, when he was “seized by a great anxiety” and even contemplated refusing the office. “At a certain point, I was filled with a great light,” he said. “It lasted a moment, but it seemed to me very long. Then the light faded, I got up suddenly and walked into the room where the cardinals were waiting and the table on which was the act of acceptance.” For the full interview, go online to: http://www.repubblica.it or look for a link on The Leaven’s website: www.the leaven.com.
‘G-8’ established as permanent Council of Cardinals By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service
V
ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis made his international advisory panel on church governance a permanent council of cardinals, thereby emphasizing the importance and open-endedness of its work among his pontificate’s various efforts at reform. The Vatican made the announcement Sept. 30, a day before Pope Francis was scheduled to meet for the first time with the panel, which has been informally dubbed the “Group of Eight” or “G-8.” The new Council of Cardinals will have the “task of assisting me in the governance of the universal church and drawing up a project for the revision of the apostolic constitution ‘Pastor Bonus’ on the Roman Curia,” Pope Francis wrote in his decree, dated Sept. 28. “Pastor Bonus,” published in 1988, was the last major set of changes in the Roman Curia, the church’s central administration at the Vatican. Corruption and mismanagement in the Vatican bureaucracy, sensationally documented in the 2012 “VatiLeaks” of confidential correspondence, were a major topic of discussion among members of the College of Cardinals during meetings prior to the papal election in March. As he has said several times since the advisory panel was announced last April, Pope Francis noted in his decree that the council was a response to suggestions by his fellow cardinals at the pre-conclave meetings. The council’s field of potential concern extends far beyond Vatican reform, and Pope Francis has said that its deliberations will include the question of the eligibility of divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion. The eight council members, who
Pope Francis has set April 27 as the date for the canonization of Blessed John XXIII, left, and Blessed John Paul II, right. The two pontiffs will become saints on Divine Mercy Sunday.
Date set of canonizations for John XXIII, John Paul II VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Recognizing that Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II have widespread reputations for holiness and that years of studying their lives and actions have proven their exceptional virtue, Pope Francis announced he would declare his two predecessors saints at a single ceremony April 27. The pope made the announcement Sept. 30 at the end of an “ordinary public consistory,” a gathering of cardinals and promoters of the sainthood causes of the two late popes. The consistory took place in the context of a prayer service in Latin and included the reading of brief biographies of the two sainthood candidates. Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, read the biographies and highlighted the “service to peace” and the impact both popes had “inside and outside the Christian community” at times of great cultural, political and religious transformation. The testimonies of their lives, “completely dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel, shine in the church and reverberate in the history of the world as examples of hope and light,” the cardinal said. Blessed John Paul, known as a globetrotter who made 104 trips outside Italy, served as pope from 1978 to 2005 and was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on Divine Mercy Sunday, May 1, 2011. Blessed John XXIII, known particularly for convoking the Second Vatican Council, was pope from 1958 to 1963; Blessed John Paul beatified him in 2000.
Vatican bank publishes its first annual report
CNS photos
Pope Francis made his international advisory panel on church governance, unofficially dubbed the “Group of Eight” or “G-8,” a permanent council of cardinals. He was scheduled to meet for the first time with the panel Oct. 1. The eight are from top, left to right: Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, Chilean Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, Indian Cardinal Oswald Gracias, German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Congolese Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, U.S. Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, Australian Cardinal George Pell and Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga. include Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley and Sydney Cardinal George Pell, represent six continents, with the largest number — three members — coming from the Americas. In his decree, Pope Francis left open the possibility that he would change the size of the council. He suggested last summer that he plans to add at least one representative of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Though the pope’s first meeting with the entire council was scheduled for Oct. 1-3, he has spoken separately with its members on numerous occasions since last April, said the Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, at a briefing for reporters Sept. 30. Several members had already been meeting in Rome in the run-up to their
sessions with the pope, the spokesman said. Father Lombardi said that the Vatican had received approximately 80 documents containing proposals for the council’s consideration, apart from whatever the members themselves would bring to the table. Given the volume of material, the spokesman said, it would be unrealistic to expect the three days of discussions to produce any public announcements other than the dates of the council’s next meeting. The council is only the most prominent of Pope Francis’ reform initiatives. He has established a panel to review the activities and mission of the Vatican bank, and another to investigate accounting in Vatican offices and devise new strategies for greater fiscal responsibility and transparency.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As part of its continuing efforts to promote transparency and to demonstrate its stability and adherence to industry standards, the Vatican bank published its annual report for the first time in its history. The Institute for the Works of Religion, as the bank is formally known, released its independently audited report Oct. 1, publishing the 100-page document on its website: www.ior.va. In his introduction to the report, Ernst von Freyberg, president of the institute, said, “2012 was a successful year for the IOR and for our clients. The IOR posted earnings of 86.6 million euros (about $117 million), which allowed us to contribute 54.7 million euros toward the budget of the Holy See, while transferring 31.9 million euros to our general operating risk reserves.” The bank’s earnings for 2012 were more than four times greater than the 20.3 million euros it earned in 2011, mainly due to an increase in the value of the securities it invested in, the report said. In a statement published with the report, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, president of the cardinals’ commission overseeing the bank, said, “The IOR has embarked on a course of reform, of which transparency is a key element.”
12 classifieds Employment Pastoral associate for evangelization - The Office of Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking a full time pastoral associate for evangelization to assist the director of evangelization in promoting the new evangelization and provide administrative support to the director of evangelization. The position requires exceptional organization and communication skills. Responsibilities include office administration and correspondence, hospitality, event planning, managing websites and coordinating new media. A degree in theology or a related field is preferred. Minimum two years administrative experience, experience in a religious education/evangelization setting strongly preferred. Experience in a customer service environment preferred. Must be a practicing Catholic in full communion with the church, be faithful to the church’s magisterium and have a deep love of Jesus Christ, the Catholic church, and the new evangelization. Applicants are required to submit the following: a cover letter addressing why you want to work for the church; resume; application; and letter of support from your pastor. Please mail to: Kathleen Thomas, Director of Human Resources, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Evangelization Search, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, Kan., 66109; or submit by email to: jobs@archkck.org. Submission deadline is Oct. 11. The full job description may be viewed on the website at: www.archkck.org/jobs. Executive vice president business development - This position is newly created and serves as a key leadership team member and active participant in making strategic decisions impacting Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. The role will be an important business partner with the CEO and be responsible for providing strategic input to the organization’s high potential social enterprise efforts, external relations, development activities as well as managing fundraising. The EVP business development will help forge relationships to build Catholic Charities’ visibility, impact and financial resources; design and implement a comprehensive plan for developing key external alliances that involve cultivating individual, philanthropic support and embraces community awareness across our 21-county network. MBA, MPA or MNA highly preferred. At least 8+ years of executive level nonprofit, advancement or broad-based business management/leadership is required. This leader will need to be innovative, well above average in intellect, energetic, relationship centered, strategic minded and must be able to fully embrace the mission and ministry of CCNEK. If qualified, please email resume and letter of interest to: admin@ michaelshirleyassociates.com. Front desk administrator - Busy outpatient physical therapy clinic is seeking a part-time or full-time front desk administrator. Medical office experience preferred, basic knowledge of Microsoft Office required. Various tasks include, but not limited to, insurance verification, scheduling patients, communication with MDs. Candidate’s hours would need to be flexible. Hours of operation are 6 a.m. - 7 p.m., Mon. - Fri. Located in Overland Park, Kan. If interested, please send an email to: aholzhueter@kcsportsrehab.com. Nurses - Seeking CMAs/CNAs for the state of Kansas to join our team! ComfortCare Homes of Kansas City has unique, eight resident or less, actual home settings that provide care for the elderly living with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Must have a good attitude and be willing to work as a team. For more information, visit the website at: www.comfortcarekc.com. Online is an application that must be filled out. Email the completed application to: info@comfortcarekc.com, stating your interest in a position and contact information, or mail to 3848 W. 75th St., Prairie Village, KS 66208, or fax to (913) 273-1520. School program staff members - John Paul II Preschool/ Child Care, Overland Park, is seeking extended-day and after-school program staff members to work 2:30 - 6 p.m., Mon. - Fri. Contact Donna at (913) 432-6419. Financial representatives - Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding a financial representative in the Kansas City metro, Lawrence, Topeka and the Seneca - Sabetha area. Ideal for a determined, high energy, high expectation, professional, self-disciplined, independent individual desiring 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. Please contact John A. Mahon, general agent, for more information or an interview by sending an email to: john.mahon@kofc.org, by phone at (785) 408-8806 or at 1275 Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66612.
Services 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.
Garage door and opener sales and service - 24-hour, 7-day-a-week service on all types of doors. Replace broken springs, cables, hinges, rollers, gate openers, entry and patio doors, and more. Over 32 years of experience. Call (913) 227-4902. Housecleaning - Let me beautify your home. Offering the fees and scheduling that fit your needs. Call (913) 669-2327 or send an email to: cppantoja53@yahoo.com. Brick mason - Brick, stone, tile and flat work. 19 years of residential/commercial experience. FREE QUOTES - KC metro area. Small and large jobs accepted. Call Jim at (913) 485-4307. www.facebook.com/faganmasonry. ALL AREA CATHOLICS WELCOME Christ the King Parish Federal Credit Union 5417 Leavenworth Rd., Kansas City, Kan. Good Car Loan and Share Loan Rates (913) 287-8448 or (913) 980-2192 Hours: 7 - 9 p.m., Mon., Wed., Fri. SPOTLESS CLEANING - Housecleaning services, leave your cleaning to me so your time will be free. Detailed! Thorough! Dependable! Residential, commercial and builders. Outstanding references available. Plan ahead for your holiday cleaning. Southern Johnson County area. Call (913) 957-8189. Financial advisor to the Catholic community – I’m Bill McMahon with Morgan Stanley, dedicated to helping Catholics accumulate and grow, or derive more income from your wealth. To find out how, please contact me for a complimentary portfolio review. Bill McMahon | Financial Advisor (913) 402-5267 bill.j.mcmahon@morganstanley.com 11161 Overbrook Road, Leawood, KS 66211 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. Housecleaning - I love what I do and you can love it, too! 20-plus years experience. Excellent references. Southern JoCo area. Call (913) 548-8702. 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: mikehammermoving@aol.com. Tree service - Pruning trees for optimal growth and beauty and removal of hazardous limbs or problem trees. Free consultation and bid. Safe, insured, professional. Cristofer Estrada, Green Solutions of KC, (913) 378-5872. www.GreenSolutionsKC.com. Tim the Handyman - Small jobs, faucets, garbage disposals, toilets, ceiling fans, light fixtures, painting, wall ceiling repair, wood rot, siding, decks, doors, windows, and gutter cleaning. Call (913) 526-1844. Quality craftsmanship at a reasonable price! - Wood rot and house painting. Fiber cement siding/James Hardie. Window replace or repair, decks, basements and baths. Interior and exterior painting. Call Mike at (913) 991-3955. Electrician - Free estimates; reasonable rates. JoCo and south KC metro. Call Pat at (913) 963-9896. 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. We moved! Come check out our new office in Lenexa. Tutoring - Available for K-12th grades and test preps available. For more information, please call Kathleen at (913) 206-2151 or send an email to: Klmamuric@yahoo. com.
Machine quilting - by Jenell Noeth, Basehor. Also, quilts made to order. Call (913) 724-1837. Lawn Mowing Spring Cleanups/Landscaping Local Parishioner Insured/References Free Estimates Call Tony (913) 620-6063
Caregiving
October
Caregiving - CNA home health care specialist provides quality home comfort and care for the elderly. Available anytime. References. Affordable/seasoned/nonsmoker. Call (816) 521-1336.
Home Improvement Adept Home Improvements Where quality still counts! Basement finishing, Kitchens and baths, Electrical and plumbing, Licensed and insured. (913) 599-7998
Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation to the elderly and disabled in home, assisted living and 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, Debbie or Gary.
Is your home ready for FALL and cooler temps? There is still plenty of time to get those leaky windows fixed or replaced. Wood rot is something we fix in every season. Schedule for winter months and save some money. 25 years experience and fully insured. You won’t find better work out there. I personally take pride in every job, no matter the size. Making your home look its best is my passion. Basements, baths, kitchens, decks, siding, windows, interior and exterior paint and doors. I am a James Hardie fiber cement siding expert. Call Mike at (913) 991-3955. 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) 491-5837 or (913) 5791835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. Swalms Organizing Service - Reducing Clutter - Enjoy an Organized Home! Basement, garage, attic, shop, storage rooms - any room organized! Belongings sorted, boxed and labeled, items hauled or taken for recycling, trash bagged. For before and after photos, visit: www. swalmsorganizing.com. Over 20 years of organizing experience; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115. Detail construction and remodeling - We offer a full line of home remodeling services. Don’t move — remodel! Johnson county area. Call for a free quote. (913) 709-8401. Perfect Roof - Free estimates; roofing repairs if needed. Hail and wind damage inspections. Insured and reasonable. Call (816) 288-1693. 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. Exterior painting, drywall projects, wood rot repair, bathroom and kitchen remodels, and tile work - Quality products. 20 years experience. References. Call (913) 206-4524. House painting Interior and exterior; wall paper removal. Power washing, fences, decks. 30 years experience. References. Reasonable rates. Call Joe at (913) 620-5776. 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!! Call Lupe at (816) 252-3376 Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite, and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee.
Rodman Lawn Care - Mowing, leaf removal, mulch and more. Call John Rodman, member of Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, at (913) 548-3002 or send an email to him at: Rodman.Lawn@yahoo.com.
Heating and cooling repair and replacement - Call Joe with JB Design and Service. Licensed and insured with 20 years experience. Member of Divine Mercy Parish. Call Joe at (913) 915-6887.
Specializing in Foundation Repairs Mud-jacking and Waterproofing. Serving Lawrence, Topeka and surrounding areas. Topeka (785) 233-3447 Lawrence (785) 749-1696 In business since 1963 www.foundationrepairks.com
october 4, 2013 | theleaven.com
Looking for high quality home care? - Whether you’re looking to introduce care for your family or simply looking to improve your current home care quality, we can help. Our unique approach to home care has earned us a 99% client satisfaction rating among the 1,000-plus families we have assisted. We are family-owned, with offices in Lenexa and Lawrence. Call Benefits of Home - Senior Care, Lenexa: (913) 422-1591 or Lawrence: (785) 727-1816 or www.benefitsofhome.com.
MEDICATION SETUP & MANAGEMENT - RN support visits for filling weekly pill boxes & managing medication. Affordable and convenient. To learn more, call Home Connect Health Services at (913) 627-9222.
Agua Fina Irrigation and Landscape The one-stop location for your project! Landscape and irrigation design, installation and maintenance. Cleanup and grading services It’s time to repair your lawn. 20% discount on lawn renovations with mention of this ad. Visit the website at: www.goaguafina.com Call (913) 530-7260 or (913) 530-5661
Wagner’s Mud-Jacking Co.
theleaven.com | September 27, 2013
vacation Mountain cabin in Winter Park, Colo. - 2 BR, 1 BA, fully furnished; sleeps four. View of Continental Divide from deck. Close to points of interest and activities. $95/night. Call (913) 642-3027. For pictures, visit the website at: www.tillmancabin.com. Pilgrimage to France with St. Thérèse - Lourdes, Paris, Lisieux, Normandy. Sept. 8 - Sept. 18, 2014. From Kansas City, $4,499. Call Father Ernie Davis at (816) 444-5406. Bahamas beachfront condo - Enjoy the crystal clear waters, beachfront pool and beautiful sunrises from our newly remodeled condo that sleeps four. $125/night; $750/ week. Local owner will rent to mature adults and families. To view, visit the website at: www.coralbeach1602.com or send an email to: coralbeach1602@gmail.com.
for sale For sale - Exclusive rights for two burial easements at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd and Quivira Rd. These easements are located in the mausoleum, corridor Queen of Holy Rosary, tier C, crypts 107. Today’s selling price at this level would be $12,000. We are offering this space for $9,000 (or best offer). Contact Ambrose Kelly at (913) 649-9691. Residential lifts - Buy/sell/trade. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. Recycled and new equipment. Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood. Call Silver Cross KC at (913) 327-5557.
MISCELLANEOUS Donate a vehicle. Make a difference. Donate your vehicle to Catholic Charities to support those in need. Your tax-deductible donation of a vehicle helps children and families served by Catholic Charities and is an environmentally wise way to recycle your vehicle. Cars for KC Kids is a partnership between Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas and Catholic Charities of Kansas City - St. Joseph. Call (866) 430-9499 or visit our website at: www.cars4 kckids.com.
Catholic Education Foundation is hosting a pumpkin patch day on Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Kansas City Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, 29755 W. 191st St., Gardner. Spend a day of fun and help CEF provide needy kids with scholarships to attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The cost to attend is $40 for a family pass. Passes include a hayride, corn maze, zip line, barrel train, pedal go-karts, petting zoo, and much more. To register or to be an event sponsor, visit the website at: www.cefks.org/ futures or call Erica at (913) 647-0379.
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The Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus, 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kan., will host a spaghetti dinner from 5 - 7 p.m. on Oct. 5. The cost to attend is: $7 for adults; $4 for children ages 6 - 12; and free for children under the age of 5. Divine Mercy Parish will host an Oktoberfest on Oct. 6 from 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the parish center, 122 E. Warren St., Gardner. Dinner will feature American and German foods. The cost to attend is: $8 for adults and teens; $4 for children ages 4 - 12; and free for children under the age of 4. There will also be crafts, games, and bingo.
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St. Boniface Church, Scipio, will host its annual fall bazaar on Oct. 6 in the parish hall. A roast beef dinner will be served from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. The cost to attend is: $8 for adults; $4 for children ages 5 10; and free for children ages 4 and under. Carryout dinners are available. St. Theresa Church, Perry, will host its annual fall bazaar on Oct. 6. A turkey and ham dinner with homemade pie will be served in the new parish hall from 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Carryout dinners are available. The cost to attend is $8 for adults; $4 for children. There will be a silent auction, baked goods, a country store, a cakewalk, bingo, and lots of fun games for kids. St. Francis Xavier Parish, Mayetta, will host its annual bazaar on Oct. 6. A roast pork and turkey dinner will be served from 3 - 6 p.m. The cost to attend is $7 for adults; $3 for children. There will also be a silent auction, quilt and miscellaneous raffles, a clown, games, bingo, and a cakewalk.
calendar 13 St. Mary - St. Anthony Church, 615 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan., invites you to join them for a fall afternoon of bingo and fun at 2 p.m. on Oct. 6 in Bishop Forst Hall. The cost to attend is $5 for a bingo card, free desserts, popcorn and coffee. For more information, contact Carol Shomin at (913) 897-4833 or the rectory office at (913) 371-1408. St. Thomas Aquinas High School, 114th and Pflumm Rd., Overland Park, will host an open house on Oct. 6 from 1 - 4 p.m. for elementary age students and their parents. Tour the school, meet teachers, coaches and administrators and learn about this 2012 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. “Aubry’s Angels” rosary garden dedication will be held Oct. 6 at 3:30 p.m. at Christ the King Parish, 5973 S.W. 25th St., Topeka. A living rosary is planned as part of the dedication. Please join us in this happy and holy event. For more information, visit the website at: www. ctktopeka.org/parish-life/rosary-garden. Sacred Heart - St. Casimir Parish, 1405 2nd Ave., Leavenworth, will host its annual fall fest from noon - 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 6. A turkey and ham dinner will be served along with entertainment, an auction, a white elephant sale, a country store and fun games for all ages. St. Michael the Archangel Church, Leawood, will host “Consoling the Heart of Jesus” for 10 consecutive weeks, beginning at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 in the St. Gabriel Room. This is the follow-up retreat to Father Michael Gaitley’s “33 Days to Morning Glory” Marian consecration. Bring your own copy of the book or you can order a personal retreat packet. For more information, contact Christi White at: christiwhite@christi white.com or call (913) 322-6282.
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St. Leo Church, 1340 1st Ave. East, Horton, will host a fall bazaar beginning at 11 a.m. on Oct. 7. The KCK Serra Club will host a luncheon meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5th and Minnesota, Kansas City, Kan., at noon on Oct. 9. Msgr. Tom Tank and Gary Pratt, planned giving officer for the archdiocese, will present the Catholic Legacy Society, the resources available to Serra Club members to help them leave a legacy for seminarians and the church, and how endowments are helping to support religious
wanted to buy Wanted - Old drugstore soda fountain. Apothecary and candy jars, signs, slot machines, Coca-Cola. Spool, thread, dye. Nut and bolt cabinets. Advertising clocks, small antique display case and store displays. Hunting and fishing old duck decoys and fishing lures. Autographed baseballs. Call (913) 593-7507 or (913) 642-8269. Wanted to buy - Lionel Trains. Call (913) 485-6700 *** Wanted to buy *** Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, prints, sterling, etc. Renee Maderak (913) 631-7179 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.
They’re happy for a reason.
God called these future priests. They responded & found joy and fulfillment. Come and see if you are being called too.
Project Andrew Dinner Oct. 13 – Christ the King, Topeka 4-7 p.m. Oct. 27 – Ascension, Overland Pk. 4:30 – 7:30 p.m. • Meet inspiring priests. • Pray with Archbishop Naumann and ask him questions. • Hang out & have dinner with other guys. • Invite your parents for a special parent Q & A.
Will you answer the call? Register at kckvocations.com
vocations in the archdiocese. “Optimizing Your Health,” a program designed for senior citizens and those who suffer from chronic illness or serve as caregivers, will be held from 1 - 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays from Oct. 9 - Nov. 20 at Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. To register, call (913) 906-8990.
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Father Tom Hesse will conduct an organizational meeting of Emotions Anonymous at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10. Meetings will be held every Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in Room 2 of St. Francis Hospital, 1700 S.W. 7th, Topeka. For more information, call (785) 887-6276.
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Keeler Women’s Center is recruiting additional women to join Keeler & Company Players. This small theater group rehearses weekly on Thursdays, beginning Oct. 10, from 2:30 - 4 p.m. It is available for performances in the community. Contact Keeler Women’s Center at (913) 9068990. Bishop Miege High School Class of 1983 will hold a 30th year re11-12 union on Oct. 11 - 12. The cost to attend is $30 in advance. For more information, send an email to Maggie Collins Bradley at: mbradleyrn@yahoo.com or Lupe Ybarra Stedman at: plstedman@ yahoo.com. Christ’s Peace House of Prayer, Easton, will offer a weekend re11-13 treat from Oct. 11 - 13. The retreat will consist of conferences along with time for discussion, private prayer and reflection. The cost to attend is $150, which includes all meals. For more information, send an email to: directorcp@hotmail.com or call (913) 773-8255. A Beginning Experience Weekend will be held Oct. 11 - 13 at Sanctuary of Hope, Kansas City, Kan. The ministry serves the widowed, separated and divorced who are suffering the loss of a love relationship and may feel left out by their church, uneasy around married friends, unsure of themselves and uncertain about their futures. Registration is required before Oct. 7. For more information, visit the website at: www.beginningexperience.org or send an email to: beweekendkc@hotmail.com. In Lawrence, contact Jerry at (785) 8432079.
St. Pius X Church, 5500 Woodson, Mission, will host its Oktoberfest on Oct. 12 from 5:30 10:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $15 for adults; $5 for children. The Alpen Spielers Band will play from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. For more information, contact Marisa Bade at (913) 244-5732 or send an email to: marisabade@yahoo.com. To make your table reservation for eight, contact the parish office at (913) 432-4808 by Oct. 6.
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Sacred Heart Parish, 1100 West St., Tonganoxie, will host its annual turkey dinner and bazaar on Oct. 13. Dinner will be served from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Carryouts will be available until 2:30 p.m. The cost to attend is: $9 for adults; $5 for children ages 3 - 12; and free for children under the age of 2. There will also be a country store, bingo, raffles, and children’s games.
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St. Aloysius Church, 615 Wyandotte, Meriden, will host its annual fall bazaar and turkey and ham dinner on Oct. 13 from 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The cost to attend is: $8 for adults; $4 for children ages 5 12; free for children under the age of 4; and $8 for a carryout. There will also be a country store, games, raffles, bingo and more. For more information, contact the parish office at (785) 484-3312. Single men in high school and older are invited to a Project Andrew dinner hosted by Archbishop Naumann and the vocation office. The evening is informative, relaxed, spiritual, and includes a parent session. Discover how joyful and fulfilled our seminarians are, and have your questions answered. Attend either the session on Oct. 13 from 4 - 7 p.m. at Christ the King Church in Topeka or on Oct. 27 from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Ascension Church, Overland Park. Register online on the website at: kckvocations.com or call (913) 647-0303. St. Bede Church, Kelly, will host its annual soup supper and auction on Oct. 13. Dinner will be served from 4 - 7 p.m. The cost to attend is a freewill donation. There will be games for all ages from 5 - 8 p.m. in the parish gym, followed by an auction of handmade quilts and many other items at 8 p.m.
Buying a classified ad Email: julie@theleaven.com Phone: (913) 647-0327
14 commentary Scripture Readings
theleaven.com | october 4, 2013
Oct. 6 TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Hb 1: 2-3; 2: 2-4 Ps 95: 1-2, 6-9 2 Tm 1: 6-8, 13-14 Lk 17: 5-10 Oct. 7 Our Lady of the Rosary Jon 1:1 – 2:2, 11 (Ps) Jon 2: 2-5, 8 Lk 10: 25-37 Oct. 8 Tuesday Jon 3: 1-10 Ps 130: 1-4ab, 7-8 Lk 10: 38-42 Oct. 9 Denis, bishop, and companions, martyrs; John Leonardi, priest Jon 4: 1-11 Ps 86: 3-6, 9-10 Lk 11: 1-4 Oct. 10 Thursday Mal 3: 13-20b Ps 1: 1-4, 6 Lk 11: 5-13 Oct. 11 Friday Jl 1: 13-15; 2: 1-2 Ps 9: 2-3, 6, 8-9, 16 Lk 11: 15-26 Oct. 12 Saturday Jl 4: 12-21 Ps 97: 1-2, 5-6, 11-12 Lk 11: 27-28
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vocations corner
mark my words
twenty-seventh week of ordinary time
C
commentary 15
October 4, 2013 | theleaven.com
You’ve got to be kidding me
repe hangers. Many recent books, TV shows and movies would have us fear being feasted upon by zombies or vampires. Me? I’m not afraid of either, since they’re not real. It’s the crepe hangers, which do exist, that give me the willies. What is a crepe hanger? According to UsingEnglish. com, it’s “one who always looks at the bad side of things and is morbid or gloomy. In olden days, crepe was hung on the door of a deceased person’s home.” Not to scare you or anything, but crepe hangers are all around us — in the “talking heads” of TV news, on the editorial pages of newspapers, on countless blogs, and in the halls of state and national governments. They appear to be especially rampant on talk radio. Listening to them, it’s hard to imagine why they even get out of bed in the morning. To be honest, most of the time, crepe hangers don’t bother me too much. What does make me sad, though, is when the crepe hangers are Christians, people of faith. I wonder where — or even if — they see the role
Father Mark Goldasich Father Mark Goldasich is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989. of Jesus in their lives and in the world. Yes, there are problems, even big ones, that plague us, but this imperfect world has always had them (and, honestly, always will; after all, this isn’t heaven). As Catholics who celebrate Respect Life Month in October, maybe we need to remind ourselves of the life that we have in Jesus. Some signs of that life are a joyful confidence and hope. We don’t have to look far to find an excellent example of this in Pope Francis. In his booklet “10 Things Pope Francis Wants You to Know,” John Allen Jr. writes: “Francis wants to be an evangelizing pope, someone who can reach out beyond the confines of the already convinced and represent
Christianity to the wider world. He knows that doing that with a smile rather than a frown is likely to be a more winning missionary strategy. . . . Francis seems to be telling Catholics at every level that it’s quite all right to laugh.” So, let’s lighten the mood a bit with a few tidbits from Deacon Tom Sheridan’s first “Book of Catholic Jokes” (ACTA Publications, 128 pgs.; $10.95): • How cold was it the other day? So cold the diocesan director of development had his hands in his own pockets! • A priest was asked by a politician, “Name one thing the government can do to help the church.” The priest replied, “Quit making $1 bills.” And my favorite (adapted just a bit): • A deacon, a priest and a bishop were about to be executed for preaching the Gospel in a foreign land. They bring out the deacon first, and the guard shouts, “Ready, aim . . .” and suddenly the deacon yells, “EARTHQUAKE!” While everybody scatters, the deacon slips away. Next, they bring out the priest, and the guard shouts,
“Ready, aim . . .” and suddenly the priest yells, “TORNADO!” When everyone ducks, the priest runs off. Lastly, they bring out the bishop. Following the example of the other clerics, when the guard shouts, “Ready, aim . . .,” the bishop confidently yells, “FIRE!” During this month, especially if besieged by crepe hangers, turn to the saints for relief. For example, St. Teresa of Avila once said, “God save us from sour-faced saints.” And St. Francis of Assisi reminds us in his “Canticle to the Sun” that, in the midst of our flawed world, the hand of God can be seen in all of creation. Finally, if all else fails — or if you find yourself morphing into a crepe hanger — turn to this St. Francis de Sales prayer: “Have no fear for what tomorrow may bring. The same loving God who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. God will either shield you from suffering or give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.” And that’s no joke.
In the beginning
The Eucharist makes the Word tangible to us
S
ome people are visual learners. It is not enough to tell them something. They must be shown. And like any good teacher, God knows this.
As a master teacher, God does not merely speak to us. God also communicates with us by showing us a vision of what is yet to come, of what God has in mind. We see a good example of that in Sunday’s first reading, Hb 1:2-3; 2:2-4. In his dialogue with God, the prophet Habakkuk complains about the ineffectiveness of his words to God: “How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen!” Instead of hearing any an-
Father Mike Stubbs Father Mike Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University. swer from God, the prophet only continues to view destruction and suffering in his world: “Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery?” In response, God is not satisfied simply to speak to the prophet, to give him a verbal message. God shows the prophet another alternative through a vision. And in relaying that vision to other people, the prophet is not
Pope francis Visiting an Italian region especially hard hit by the European economic crisis, Pope Francis blamed high unemployment on globalization driven by greed and said those who give charitable aid to the poor must treat their beneficiaries with dignity. “We want a just system, a system that
to simply tell them about it: “Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily.” God wants the vision displayed for all to see. It is not enough for Habakkuk to write it down on a scroll of papyrus. He is to inscribe it on tablets, much as the Ten Commandments were inscribed on tablets for Moses to present to the people. Throughout the dialogue between God and the prophet, the visual predominates over the audible. Words can only point to what we see. They cannot fully express it. Our words are only a faint echo of what we experience. Personally, that is really difficult for me to admit, since I have a special interest in Scripture and have devoted much time and energy to it. I recognize its great power
lets all of us get ahead,” the pope said Sept. 22, in his first address during a full day on the Italian island of Sardinia. “We don’t want this globalized economic system that does us so much harm. At its center there should be man and woman, as God wants, and not money.” Sardinia has an overall unemployment rate of nearly 20 percent, rising to nearly 50 percent among young adults.
and ability to change our lives. At the same time, despite Scripture’s enormous potential, I also recognize its limitations. We need more. That is why, when we celebrate the Mass, we do not stop with the Liturgy of the Word, but continue on with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The sacrament makes tangible what we have heard in the reading of Scripture and gives it flesh. In a sense, the mystery of the Incarnation happens all over again. The Word becomes flesh. Christ comes to dwell in our midst once again. The words of the prophet find their fulfillment: “For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.”
Before speaking to a crowd of about 20,000 near the Cagliari city port, Pope Francis heard a series of speeches in greeting, including one from an unemployed father of three, who spoke of how joblessness “wears you out to the depths of your soul.” — CNS
Learning to think global — and grateful — about vocations
R
ecently, I had the opportunity to spend a few days at a conference with other
vocation directors from around the United States, Canada, and Australia. It was such a great learning experience. The first three days were specially designed for new vocation directors like me. We learned about building a culture of vocations, helping men discern God’s call in their life, screening potential candidates for the seminary, working with the seminaries to form seminarians, and living the priesthood more
father Scott Wallisch Father Scott Wallisch is the archdiocesan vocations director. fruitfully in our own lives. There were lots of great ideas, and I tried to soak in as much as I could. In addition to the talks and sessions, the conference was a great occasion for meeting other priests and staff that work in vocation offices. I was humbled by
the dedication of the people I met, and their witness inspired me to want to be a more effective instrument of the Holy Spirit, who is the church’s real vocation director. As I met my fellow directors, the conversation would inevitably turn to a discussion of numbers. How many Catholics in your diocese? How many priests? How many seminarians? How many new guys this year? Some directors would respond that they have large numbers of seminarians. Others would acknowledge that vocations were hard to come by in their dioceses. I was proud to share that our archdiocese had a growing number of great men study-
ing in seminary, thanks to the hard work of Archbishop Naumann, Father Mitchel Zimmerman, Msgr. Mike Mullen, my fellow priests, and all those who support vocations in Kansas City. And as I shared stories and numbers with my brother priests, I was reminded frequently of two things. First, it is so important for us to think about vocations on a national and global level. There are many areas of our country and world where priests are scarce. This means that many of our fellow Catholics do not have ready access to the sacraments. This also means that there are numerous priests who are spreading themselves
very thin to serve their flocks. I was reminded to increase prayers for vocations in these areas. Second, it is good for us to recognize how blessed we are here in our archdiocese. We have so many holy, dedicated priests; we have hope, thanks to our 36 seminarians; and we have parishes, schools, camps, and a chancery full of men and women with a heart for finding and supporting vocations. I was reminded to increase prayers of thanksgiving. There is much work to be done, but there is much for which to be thankful. I invite you to join me in prayer for holy vocations here and around the world.
simply stewardship
Stewardship and climbing Rambam’s ladder
I
n early November, the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas will recognize a Catholic family and a Catholic parish with its prestigious Deo Gratias awards. These awards are meant to acknowledge not only the faithful service to God demonstrated by the honorees, but also to focus attention on what it means to be Christian stewards. I recently read a book
Lesle knop Lesle Knop is the executive director of the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development. You can email her at: lknop@archkck.org. called “Rambam’s Ladder” by Julie Salamon. The book is a meditation on generosity and why it is necessary to give. In the book, the author describes what the philosopher and physician known as Maimonides (known as Rambam) said when he
developed the “ladder of charity” — a lesson on righteousness and obligation. The eight stages or “degrees” on Rambam’s ladder begin with the first rung of the ladder, or “reluctance.” The individuals on this rung will contribute and give to a cause, but they do so grudgingly. As individuals recognize and develop their understanding of the nature of giving, they climb the ladder, getting higher and higher. From reluctance, a person climbs to “proportion,” where an individual gives less to the poor than is proper, but they do so cheerfully. On the next level — “solicitation” — an individual will
give money without being asked. The fourth level is “shame,” at which a person will give without being asked but will make the recipient feel embarrassed. The fifth level, “boundaries,” finds those who give to people they don’t know, but want their name to be known. The sixth level is “corruption”: giving to someone you know, but the recipient does not know from whom he is receiving help. The seventh level is “anonymity,” in which we give to someone we don’t know and we give anonymously. The eighth level is “responsibility.” At this level, we find the gift of self-reliance. We give help, a loan, or enter
into partnership with someone so that they never again have to beg. In other words, the anonymous giver ranks above the giver who wants to be known. The lowest giver is a reluctant giver. The highest givers are those who help individuals become self-reliant. As I pondered my own motivation for giving, I couldn’t help but think of all those selfless, anonymous souls who give and give generously to participate in the mission of the church. On Nov. 7, the CFNEK will honor many individuals, including those who have already climbed Rambam’s ladder.
Church and State
Has religious freedom gone the way of the rotary phone?
A
merica remains the home of the brave — if you doubt that, Google the name Michael Monsoor — but is it
Michael schuttloffel
still the land of the free? This question is ever more on the minds of religious Americans, who are very much on the defensive these days. The first line of the First Amendment is dedicated to the protection of religious freedom, and religious freedom was widely understood at the time of the founding to be one of the very pillars of the American project. But times have changed. The
culture is now openly hostile toward religion and religious people. The First Amendment has been turned on its head, being widely understood now as protecting the public square from unwanted religious influences. In the contemporary mind, religious freedom is nothing more than a freedom
Michael Schuttloffel is the executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference.
of private worship. As long as you are not dragged off to jail in handcuffs for going to Sunday Mass, your religious freedom has been respected. However, the freedom to live one’s faith in one’s daily life as a full participant in society — in other words, the freedom to exercise one’s religion (see the First Amendment) — well, this has gone the way of the rotary phone. Catholic adoption agencies in Boston, Washington, D.C., and Illinois have been shut down by the government for insisting on placing kids in families with a married mother and father. Catholic business owners nationwide are now required to provide their employees with health plans that cover contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs.
Across the country, Christian florists, bakers, and photographers have been fined by government agencies for declining to serve same-sex weddings on the basis of their religious beliefs. Even Topeka has taken the first step toward such a law. If Americans are no longer free to operate a private business without being forced by the government to provide services that violate their sincerely held religious beliefs, the question is not whether America respects religious freedom anymore. The question is whether America is America anymore. After all, this was the first nation on earth to be founded not upon an ethnicity but upon a set of ideas. If those ideas are
now defunct, this is, in some fundamental sense, another country. While First Amendment rights long held to be sacrosanct are trumped by novelties like same-sex marriage and free birth control, Americans are still free to obtain late-term abortions legal in only three other countries in the world: North Korea, China, and Canada. Unlike religious freedom, this right is apparently inviolable. Twenty-three years ago, Pope John Paul II wrote, “A democracy without values easily turns into open or thinly disguised totalitarianism.” What was dismissed by many as alarmism has taken on the appearance of prophecy.
16 Local news
theleaven.com | october 4, 2013
Dark shadows
Domestic violence lies hidden in families By Frank J. Moncher Special to The Leaven
D
omestic violence is a hidden scourge on our families and communities. Those who are victimized often keep it a private matter for various reasons: fear, shame, wellintended efforts to preserve the family. Aggressors, if they even recognize their problem, are not likely to have it addressed. Yet it touches many, and knows no boundaries of race, social class, ethnicity, creed or age (most victims are first abused as teens). Statistics suggest one in four women experience domestic violence in their lifetime, and three in four Americans are reported to know a victim, though most episodes are not October is reported to the Respect Life authorities. AlMonth. Throughthough the maout the month, jority of victims The Leaven will are female, an run a series of estimated 15 perarticles highcent are males. lighting various Domestic life issues. violence and emotional abuse are typically used together in a relationship to control the victim. Persons may be married, living together, or dating. Examples of emotional abuse include name-calling, put-downs, restricting contact with family or friends, withholding money, preventing a partner from working, actual or threatened physical harm (hitting, pushing, shoving), sexual assault, stalking, and intimidation. In “The Gospel of Life,” Blessed John Paul II highlighted the gravity of the issue: “At the root of every act of violence against one’s neighbor there is a concession to the ‘thinking’ of the evil one, the one who ‘was a murderer from the beginning’ (Jn 8:44).” He also outlined the importance of the family as the primary community of life and love in which children are nurtured. How vital it is, then, to understand how to keep family members safe from violence in their homes, and how to heal and reunite families where violence has occurred, when possible.
Life matters
The person being harmed Persons experiencing domestic violence are often termed “victims,” or if the situation has resolved, “survivors,” but it is most important to recall they are children of God, with inherent dignity and deserving our love and respect. This is especially true because as abused per- sons they are often plagued by feelings of shame, fear, and depression, and have lost sight of the essential fact of their dignity and worthiness to be loved. At times, they may also make decisions that cause an observer (family member or friend) to question their judgment, or become frustrated with them for remaining in what seems to be an obviously dangerous or hopeless situation. It is commonly accepted that domestic violence is rarely an isolated incident, but is a pattern of behavior aimed at es-
tablishing and maintaining power and control over another. The pattern is typically described as a “cycle of violence,” and the seriousness escalates with each occurrence. The “cycle” begins with a “setup” phase: The abuser creates a situation in which the victim has no choice but to react in a way that, in the abuser’s mind, justifies the abuse. After the violence, the abuser may fear being held accountable, and so may apologize or make excuses for his or her behavior, pledge to never do it again, or use gifts as a way of coping with guilt or preventing the victim from telling. Next, however, the abuser may excuse the incident as the victim’s fault, or resume “life as usual” as if nothing happened. The abuser expects that the victim will participate in the cover-up. Finally, the abuser thinks about the past and the future in a manner that drives the abuser to mentally “set up” the next episode of violence. Some victims of domestic abuse have a tendency to “normalize” violent behavior based on experiences in their family of origin, where they struggled with their sense of self-worth, setting boundaries, or emotional dependence. Even though the family of origin was dysfunctional, its unhealthy equilibrium may have been the only thing the person knew. Consequently, some may feel guilty about considering betraying the abuser, or fear they will be judged or further deprived of affection if they disclose or attempt to leave. These persons benefit from counseling that affirms their inherent dignity, helps them understand the dysfunctional patterns in their past and current relationships, and assists them in establishing a safe home and relationships.
Who are the abusers, and is there hope? Although common characteristics have been identified, there is no “typical” abuser. In public, they may appear friendly and loving to their family, while the violence and its consequences are
The violence does not happen randomly, or solely because of stress or substance abuse; abusers use violence to get what they want. hidden from view. The violence does not happen randomly, or solely because of stress or substance abuse; abusers use violence to get what they want. This being said, it is important to recognize that the abusers were not “born that way,” but have their own history of developmental and family problems (often being abused) that can explain how they learned to be aggressive. Because abusers often have a poor sense of self-worth, they do not take responsibility for their actions and try to blame the victim instead. Thus the person perpetrating the violence needs his own help and healing. Aggressors must first become aware of their need for psychological assistance before they can recover and exercise healthier patterns of bonding and communicating. It is difficult for people to seek help, often burdened by shame, fear of being judged, or psychological issues (e.g., addictions). Once the problem is recognized, there is reason for hope: Psychotherapists can help such persons with their thinking, forgiveness, emotional stability, and relationship skills. These skills (e.g., empathy) should be developed first with close friends and family members (initially not the victim), so that the aggressor can experience a healthy manner of dealing with his emotions and disappointments. Although this work can be lengthy and painful, as the perpetrator’s own dignity and worth are rediscovered and affirmed, his ability to then approach and attempt reconciliation with the offended person is greatly enhanced.
The role of friends and extended family Although this problem tends to be hidden, friends, colleagues, and extended family can play a critical role in fostering peace. Victims generally ask for help only when the risk of violence increases. An important step to help in preventing or stopping violence is recognizing certain risk factors such as jealousy, hypersensitivity and possessiveness, or controlling, explosive or threatening behaviors. If you believe someone you know may be in a troubled situation, you should call a hot line number for assistance, or encourage the person to do so themselves (911, the local hot line, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1 (800) 7997233/TTY 1 (800) 787-3224). Research shows that accessing domestic violence shelter resources reduces the incidence and severity of future violence substantially. When recovering from abuse, victims need guidance in planning for their safety. Consultation with legal advisers can help them to understand how to report and ask for further protection. In sum, the gravity and difficulty for families touched by domestic violence is severe. Although the struggle toward healing and recovery can be difficult, our faith gives us reason for hope. On the World Day of Peace in 1997, Blessed John Paul II focused on this theme, as demanding as it is vital: “Offer forgiveness and receive peace. . . . I know well that it is hard, and sometimes even appears to be impossible to forgive, but it is the only way, because all revenge and all violence give rise to further revenge and violence. It is certainly less difficult to forgive when one is aware that God never tires of loving and forgiving us. . . . Let us never forget that every- thing passes, and only the eternal can fill the heart.” Frank J. Moncher, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist of the Diocese of Arlington (Va.) and managing director of integration and training for Catholic Charities Diocese of Arlington.