THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 39, NO. 12 | OCTOBER 27 , 2017
RELIC OF POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II DRAWS ALL AGES
PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM WENDLING
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LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE MCSORLEY
traveling first-class relic of
Photos from top: n A first-class relic of St. John Paul II drew long lines at Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park on Oct. 19. n Brian Ring, with his daughter Caeli, kisses the container holding the St. John Paul II relic, a small vial of blood that is still liquefied. n Elijah Montgomery gets a little help viewing the relic which is encased in a Book of the Gospels.
St. John Paul II, a small vial of blood from the late pontiff, made its way to Queen of the Holy Rosary and Holy Cross
churches, both in Overland Park, on Oct. 19. The relic is on pilgrimage throughout the United States and Latin America this year, and is encased in a white and gold Book of the Gospels. The blood is still liquefied; no agents were added to the blood to make it coagulate. The relic is brought from the
PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM WENDLING
Vatican to the United States by the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
ARCHBISHOP
D
uring my homily at our recent Archdiocesan Convocation of Parish Ministries, I offered my top 10 reasons why I love being Catholic. Frankly, it was difficult to narrow the list to 10. The following are my 10 through six choices. 10. 2,000 year history: The famous English 19th-century convert to Catholicism, Cardinal John Henry Newman, said: “To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant.” Conversely, to know history is to be Catholic. Many former Protestants have read themselves into the Catholic Church by studying the writings of the early Fathers of the Church. 9. Biblical church: The Bible is both the fruit of the Catholic Church and its guide. Sadly, many Christians who proclaim that the basis of their faith is “sola scriptura” — “the Bible alone” — have no idea of the origins of the Bible. Jesus did not hand his first disciples a copy of the Gospels or the entire New Testament. The Gospels were the written memoirs of the early church regarding the ministry, teaching and, most importantly, the meaning of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The New Testament, as we know it today, was not codified and ratified by the church (synods and councils of bishops) until the fourth century. As Catholics, we believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the authors of the
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I love being Catholic. And here’s why!
LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN biblical books, as well as the church’s bishops in determining which of the early Christian writings to include in the Bible. For a large part of Christian history, the personal reading of the Bible was inaccessible to most believers because they were illiterate. If pondering the biblical text is necessary for knowing and encountering Jesus, how is it possible that for at least three-fourths of Christian history, the vast majority of Christians had no opportunity to read the Scriptures? Jesus did not give his disciples copies of the New Testament. Instead, Jesus gave his apostles the authority to communicate faithfully his teaching, part of which made it possible for their successors, the pope and bishops, to compile the New Testament. The Mass from the earliest times has included the oral proclamation of what became the New Testament. The Bible came out of the church and it is revered by
Catholics as God’s written revelation. As Catholics, we pray over most of the New Testament and a good sampling of the Old Testament during the three-year liturgical cycle. 8. Rich and diverse spirituality: The Catholic Church offers a wide variety of options for developing and enriching our prayer life. The Catholic Church includes many methods and approaches to prayer, e.g., contemplative, meditative, charismatic etc. Many of the religious orders within the church developed their own unique spirituality, e.g., Ignatian (Jesuits), Carmelite (based on the writings of St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, etc.), Benedictine, Dominican and Franciscan. The Catholic Church offers a rich diversity of devotional practices, e.g., eucharistic adoration, the rosary, novenas, pilgrimages, lectio divina (the prayerful reading of the Bible), etc. 7. Church of beauty: Catholics have expressed our faith through beautiful art (paintings, frescoes and mosaics), incredible music and magnificent architecture. The church has used art both to
catechize and inspire. You do not have to go to Europe to visit magnificent churches that are examples of amazing Catholic architecture and art. It is impossible not to be inspired by visiting and, more importantly, praying in churches such as: the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.; St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York; the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis; the San Francisco cathedral; Conception Abbey Church in Conception, Missouri; St. Mary Church in St. Benedict (one of the eight architectural wonders of Kansas), etc. Michelangelo, Caravaggio and Raphael are a few of the more well-known Catholic Renaissance artists. Currently, our own archdiocesan pastoral center is hosting an exhibition of incredible religious art created by contemporary Catholic artists. 6. Church of joy: Catholics are always celebrating. In addition to the great feasts of Christmas and Easter that take an entire season (weeks) to celebrate properly, our liturgical calendar throughout the year observes the feasts of remarkable Catholic heroes, whom we call saints. For two millennia now, Catholics always have celebrated festivals. All of the parishes in the archdiocese carry on this beautiful tradition with parish picnics and dinners that always feature great food and fun. The church in our country has been one of the largest sponsors of
ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN
Christ the King, Topeka
Oct. 28 Our Sorrowful Mother’s Ministry conference — Vandalia, Illinois Oct. 29 Pastoral visit to Mother Teresa of Calcutta — Topeka Little Sisters postulancy Oct. 30 Priests small group meeting
Annual Bishop Miege High School Foundation Mass and dinner Nov. 5 Pastoral visit — Immaculate Conception in St. Marys and St. Stanislaus, Rossville Nov. 6 Mass for special-needs conference — Savior Pastoral Center Priests small group meeting
Holy Hour with Deacon Justin Hamilton and formation team Oct. 31 Curia meeting — Savior Pastoral Center
Confirmation at Sts. Peter & Paul — Seneca Nov. 7 Archbishop’s Call to Share homily recording Priests Personnel meeting
Nov. 1 All Saints’ Day Mass — Bishop Ward High School, KCK Mass — Benedictine College, Atchison Nov. 2 Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas Deo Gratias dinner — Savior Pastoral Center Nov. 3 Holy Hour with Deacon Justin Hamilton and seminarians
Administrative Team meeting
ARCHBISHOP KELEHER Oct. 29 Mass — Federal prison camp Nov. 1 All Saints’ Day Mass — University of St. Mary, Leavenworth
Red Mass — Our Lady of Sorrows, Kansas City, Missouri
Nov. 4 Priesthood ordination of Justin Hamilton — Christ the King, Topeka
Nov. 4 Priesthood ordination of Justin Hamilton —
Nov. 5 Mass — Federal prison camp
youth athletics. Historically, Catholic parishes have often had drama clubs. It is fun to be Catholic.
Stay tuned next week for my top five choices for the reasons I love being Catholic!
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OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann celebrates Mass with pastor Father Larry Bowers at the 150th anniversary of St. Patrick Parish, Scranton, as well as the 100th anniversary of the church.
St. Patrick in Scranton celebrates twin anniversaries By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
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CRANTON — Peggy Towle Foster was one of some 200 parishioners to attend the sesquicentennial celebration of St. Patrick Parish and the centennial anniversary of the church. At age 86, Foster recalls making her first Communion at the church and, in 1949, marrying her best friend there. “I had him for 65 years,” she said. Joe Heise was another parishioner there to celebrate. At age 85, Heise is the third generation of his family to belong to the parish. Before Mass, Heise recalled sometimes his family rode horses to Mass, especially if there was a lot of snow. His favorite memory is of being an altar boy. “I started serving Mass under Father Portelance. That would have been about 1938,” he said. “I was so little I couldn’t lift the book up high enough,” he added with a chuckle. At the offering of gifts, Heise’s wife Johncie carried a ledger up to the altar — one of 12 gifts representing the parish’s history. But one of the other gifts was bittersweet. It was a set of building plans
Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) President: Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann
carried by Monica Greenwood and Lee Kraus. Due to structural issues, the parish plans to build a new church. Presided over by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and concelebrated by pastor Father Larry Bowers, the anniversary Mass was both a celebration of the past and a glimpse into the future. In his homily, the archbishop recalled how the faith was planted in Kansas before the Pilgrims had even landed at Plymouth Rock. “The Catholic faith was brought to Kansas at a very early time,” he said, sketching the life of Father Juan de Padilla, who came with the Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in the 1540s, and stayed in the area after the explorer left. The priest died a martyr in 1542. Elsewhere in his homily, the archbishop said anniversaries offer people not only a chance to honor the sacrifices of those that came before, but a chance to imagine the future. He expressed gratitude to parishioners — of the past, present and future. Near the end of Mass, Father Bowers, too, thanked all “those families who have gone before us” and said that two of the original stained-glass windows given by Foster’s grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Towle, will be moved to the new church. He called it “a great
way to honor the past.” The move, agreed the archbishop, will be cause for mixed emotions. “The important thing is that the faith will continue to be celebrated,” he said. Helping to ensure that the parish offers its best with its new design is building committee member Lois Shuck. She is the seventh generation of her family to belong to the parish. “I was baptized in this church 73 years ago,” she said. “I’m a lifetime member. I never went anywhere else. “My first memory of being in church was my sister’s baptism. I was 6.” Not too long after that came her grandfather’s funeral. “I was in third grade, and I remember the bell tolled as his body left the church. I didn’t know what it was at first, but I thought it was beautiful. People around town, of course, knew it and counted the number of times [the bell] rang,” she said. Then, after being out of service for years, the bell was repaired — in time for her mother’s funeral. Finally, when Shuck’s daughter was killed in a car accident, the bell tolled 23 times, once for each year of her life. Although the bell tower is unsafe today, the bell will be incorporated into
Editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org
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Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
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Peggy Towle Foster visits with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann after the sesquicentennial celebration of St. Patrick Church in Scranton on Oct. 22. the new church, Shuck said. And she’s glad. “It was beautiful,” she said. “It was meaningful, and it was awesome.”
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OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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Deo Gratias honors Dunn family, Leavenworth By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
K LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Bishop James V. Johnston of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and Bishop Rodger R. Gustafson of the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America lead the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
Catholics, Lutherans hold joint Reformation commemoration
By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
K
ANSAS CITY, Mo. — For Catholics, October 31 is the vigil before two solemnities: All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1 and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2. But for Lutherans and other Protestants, October 31 is Reformation Day. Reformation Day is the anniversary of when a German monk and priest named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of All Saints Chapel at Wittenburg Castle in 1517. This was the fuse that lit the explosion of the Protestant Reformation. This fall, Catholics and Lutherans around the world have gathered for special 500th anniversary commemorations of the seminal event of 1517. On Sept. 29, a joint LutheranCatholic Commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation was held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri. Leading the event were Bishop James V. Johnston of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph; Bishop Rodger R. Gustafson of the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The commemoration was a time for participants to pray, express sorrow for the shattering of Christian unity and voice hope for the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel of John “that they may all be one, as we are one.” The prayer service included music, Scripture readings, prayers of repentance, the exchange of peace, two sermons and a recitation of the Apostle’s Creed. Catholic and Lutheran representatives took turns reading commitments to the Five Ecumenical Imperatives in
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“THE REFORMATION IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE AS CATHOLICS CAN CELEBRATE. FOR US, IT WILL ALWAYS BE A REMINDER OF THE TRAGIC FRACTURING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.” Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann the text “From Conflict to Communion” from the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity. Lutheran and Catholic representatives also offered intercessory prayers. The first sermon was given by Archbishop Naumann, and the second by the Rev. Dr. Mari Larson of Reformation Church in Wichita. In his sermon, Archbishop Naumann recalled his associations with Lutherans and Lutheran institutions while growing up in St. Louis, during seminary, while as a pastor and when he was consecrated an auxiliary bishop. He also talked about what the 500th anniversary meant to Catholics. “Dear Lutheran brothers and sisters, I trust you understand that the Reformation is not something that we as Catholics can celebrate. For us, it will always be a reminder of the tragic fracturing of the body of Christ,” he said. “We can, however, prayerfully commemorate with you what was indeed a tremendously significant event in the history of Christianity,” he continued. “Indeed, it is an event of such importance and magnitude
that we must commemorate it, lest we forget the lessons to be learned and repeat the mistakes that we as Catholics have made. “We are honored and grateful to observe this prayerful commemoration with you whom we consider to be very much our brothers and sisters in Christ. We also understand that this is an important anniversary for you.” In her sermon, Rev. Larson also recalled childhood memories of her associations with Catholics. She talked about the person of Martin Luther and the mixed legacy of the Reformation — having brought many closer to Christ, but also dividing Christians. In our lifetime, however, a new chapter is being written in the story of divided Christians, she said. “Conversations have happened on school buses and at coffee tables and in meeting rooms all over the world. And in the last 50 years, our official dialogue has been significant,” said Rev. Larson. “And we are learning that, with the 32 agreements discussed in ‘Declaration on the Way,’ we can stand together, pray together, learn from each other and work together for the sake of Jesus Christ,” she continued. “We can acknowledge that differences — significant differences — remain but that there is no need for vast chasms of separation,” she added. Disputes between Lutherans and Catholics over the Eucharist, apostolicity and ordination can be put on hold while they feed the hungry, bring good news to the imprisoned and welcome the stranger. “Our differences are important, but they need not divide us more than they already have,” she said. The commemoration ended with all praying the Lord’s Prayer and singing a closing song.
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The generous spirit of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas doesn’t go unnoticed. To demonstrate its gratitude for fund holders, pastors, and leaders of parishes and Catholic organizations, the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas will host a Deo Gratias appreciation dinner Nov. 2. The event will take place at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas. “It’s an opportunity to thank all of the fund holders and the leadership in the parishes, schools and Catholic organizations of the archdiocese who have entrusted their funds to the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas,” said Lesle Knop, executive director. Deo Gratias will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner, an invocation and award presentation, and a final blessing by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. It is free to attend. “The board of directors of the Catholic Foundation chose several years ago to use this opportunity to identify individual families and Catholic organizations who demonstrate excellent stewardship in all aspects of their lives,” she said. This year’s first honoree is the William H. Dunn family and the organization honoree is Immaculate ConceptionSt. Joseph Parish in Leavenworth. William Dunn is the son of John Ernest Dunn, who founded JE Dunn Construction Company in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1924. After his father’s death, the son carried on his work and commitment to their shared core values. He has guided the company since 1974 and remains an active leader as chairman emeritus. Multiple generations of the Dunn family are involved in the company, and they have given back to the Catholic community in many ways. The company itself annually commits more than 10 percent of its pretax earnings to charities. Immaculate Conception-St. Joseph Parish has a history of stewardship, dating back to when the first pioneers settled in the area. It continues today. It became a pilot parish in the Planned Giving Initiative in 2009 under the leadership of Father David McEvoy, O.Carm., and has given back in countless ways. Knop hopes those who attend Deo Gratias feel how appreciated their generosity is. “I know the archbishop appreciates the opportunity to thank people from throughout the archdiocese for their examples of stewardship and to elevate them as role models for the rest of us,” said Knop. “I hope that it reaffirms for them the beauty of the Catholic Church and the mission we have to go and make disciples of all nations,” she said. “It’s not the assets that matter. “It’s what the church allows us to do to lead souls to Christ — to lead souls to heaven.” To register for Deo Gratias, go online to: www.cfnek.org/deogratias.
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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LITTLE STEPS
Series of small steps led Deacon Hamilton to the priesthood By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — One day after Mass, the late Father Norbert Lickteig asked one of his “ace servers” Justin Hamilton an important question. “Have you ever thought about going to a high school seminary?” said the priest. “What’s that?” asked a puzzled 9-yearold Hamilton. Father Lickteig revised his question. “Have you ever thought about becoming a priest?” said Father Lickteig. “I remember shaking my head ‘yes,’ because I had thought about it,” said Deacon Hamilton. “But I remember that inside I was shaking my head ‘no.’ I had, but I was pretty sure I wasn’t going down that road,” he recalled. “I didn’t want to give homilies every day, and I didn’t want to pray 24/7.” Strangely enough, those things have become a big part of Deacon Hamilton’s life. He was ordained a transitional deacon by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann on May 20 at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas. And at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 4, he’ll be ordained a priest by the archbishop at Christ the King Parish, 5973 S.W. 25th, Topeka. There were a lot of small steps between that first question from Father Lickteig and his priestly ordination, and a little procrastination, too, said Deacon Hamilton. He was born and raised in Topeka, one of the six children (three girls and three boys) of David and Linda Hamilton. He was born into a devout Catholic family, and his mother home-schooled the kids from kindergarten to high school level. Cornerstone Family Schools, the group to which they belonged, was largely Protestant. “Most of my friends were Protestant growing up, because of the organization we were part of,” he said. “We were one of just a handful of Catholic families in the group, because we didn’t have a Catholic home-school group at the time.” “So I learned ecumenism at a very early age,” he added. “During car rides to soccer games, the guys would ask me, ‘Why do you worship Mary?’ and ‘Why do you wear a scapular?’ or whatever random questions I had to figure out answers to.” The core of the Hamilton children’s
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS
Deacon Justin Hamilton prays in the chapel at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, where he serves as chaplain. He will be ordained a priest on Nov. 3 at Christ the King Church in Topeka. education was daily Mass, usually at various times and locations. “I admire the fact that Mom and Dad made it a priority,” said Deacon Hamilton. They’d also pray a family rosary most evenings. The young Hamilton would occasionally try to sneak downstairs to play video games, but his parents would reel him back in. “Dad would lead us in the rosary,” said Deacon Hamilton. “He’d fall asleep some of the time just because it was after dinner and a full day of work. He’d drift off and start mumbling, so we’d poke him, which we always thought was funny.” He loved to play soccer, and thought it would be awesome to grow up and play British professional soccer for 100,000 screaming fans. That, however, didn’t seem likely. So, during his senior year of high school and first year as a student at Allen County Community College, he worked on the computer help desk at the Veterans Affairs Health Revenue Center in Topeka. “Mom and Dad during my senior year
asked, ‘Have you thought about what you’re going to do?’” he said. “You’ve got to start thinking about that,” they told him. “You make a decision soon.” Thoughts of the priesthood had never really been in the forefront of his mind — but they’d never been banished either. Occasionally, random parishioners would tell him, “I think you’d be a good priest.” “My whole vocation story is a series of a lot of little steps,” he said. “I wanted a dramatic moment where God would give me a definitive signal, and there wasn’t one. “Which was why I felt it took more trust, and I often doubted.” The VA office was next to Most Pure Heart of Mary Church, and Deacon Hamilton would often stop by there after work to sit before the Blessed Sacrament in the adoration chapel for 10 or 15 minutes. “I’d just sit there in the front chair and look at Our Lord straight on and ask him, ‘What do you want me to do with my life? You’ve got to talk with me. I’m
not hearing anything.’ “And I’d do that over and over.” He asked the Lord to grant him some peace about going down the road to priesthood. And, gradually, that’s what happened. Once he was certain, he gave archdiocesan vocations director Father Mitchel Zimmerman a call. “Hearing confessions was a strong desire in my heart,” he said. “Of course, saying the Mass, too, but I was drawn to the idea of God’s infinite mercy, and the depth and beauty of it. I’ve never met such a romantic, noble and desirable love as the one I encountered going to confession and receiving Our Lord. Encountering that type of love made me want to live that love.” What advice would he give to other men considering a vocation to the priesthood? “Trust,” he said. “If the Lord wants you to be a priest, he will provide. “He calls the weakest. He calls the little ones. “It’s a beautiful, amazing gift to be a deacon and a priest.”
PERSONALLY SPEAKING
MEET JUSTIN HAMILTON Age: 28 Hometown: Topeka Parents: David and Linda Hamilton Siblings: Brian Hamilton, Amy Hamilton, Angela D’Souza, Joseph Hamilton, Bethany Knight Current parish: Curé of Ars in Leawood (Sacred Heart–St. Joseph in Topeka was my home parish before ordination) Education: • Home-schooled through high school graduation, 2007 • Seminary: Bachelor of Arts from Conception Seminary, 2011
• Master of Divinity from the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Chicago, 2017 Last movie seen: “Dunkirk” Favorite TV show: “The Walking Dead” Favorite kind of music: chillstep, trailer music, classical My most notable encounter with the famous/infamous: Bishop Robert Barron My favorite superhero is: Captain America, because, as scrawny as he was, he didn’t need fancy weapons, but only a willing heart to do what was right. The most inspirational Christian I’ve met: I’ve met too many quiet, humble, sacrificial “salt of the earth” saints to pick just one.
My favorite class in seminary was: modern church history Books now reading: “Love in the Ruins” by Walker Percy, and “The Last Mile” by David Baldacci Favorite food: butter chicken; General Tso’s chicken Least favorite food: mushrooms Favorite childhood toy: King’s Castle: Crusader (Lego castle) When I was growing up, I wanted to be: a professional soccer player Dream vacation: hiking the Appalachians (while checking out local breweries along the way), or hanging out in a cozy glass igloo in Finland to watch the Northern Lights
Worst job I’ve ever had: ServiceMaster (cleaning up sewage, mold), although one with irreplaceable memories and experience Best job I’ve ever had: IT support for the VA Health Revenue Center Favorite leisure activities: reading, watching/playing soccer, movies, running, camping/hiking, video games, smoking a pipe and playing chess while sipping on an IPA What I’m most looking forward to in my priestly ministry is: hearing confessions, offering Mass, anointing the sick, getting to know my parish family over dinners, drawing people closer to Christ
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS TOOLS FOR FAMILIES Growing as Disciples of Jesus
Because she said so... Each Sunday evening, our family gathers together to pray the rosary. We do it not because it is the most peaceful and prayerful moment of our week. It’s not. Much of the time, it is a mess. We gather because Mary asked us to. And because, every once in a while, we see glimmers of fruit shining through the chaos. ARTWORK BY NEILSON CARLIN, 2015 Set a time and place to pray. Strive to honor it. Begin with special intentions. Let each member share what is on his or her heart. Encourage someone different to lead each decade. Consider inviting another family to pray with you. — Jennie Punswick, School of Faith
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Answering the call as a consecrated laywoman By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org
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VERLAND PARK — For Karen Bonkiewicz, the path to a consecrated life was forged by family. “My parents are not rich,” she said. “They’re not well-known. They’re not the heads of companies or anything. “They’re just good people to the core.” Growing up, spending time together was the priority in her home. “We would say the rosary every Sunday no matter what,” Bonkiewicz recalled. “We had family meals every day.” LEAVEN PHOTO BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD And sacrifices were made to Karen Bonkiewicz took vows on Sept. 9 as a consecrated laywoman with the lay conseensure the children attended Cath- crated branch of the Apostles of the Interior Life — a community dedicated to evangeliolic school. zation and helping people grow in their relationship with Jesus. “I think my vocation took birth from going to Mass every day,” said in mental prayer. Bonkiewicz. “That wasn’t my choice, Bonkiewicz says she’s taking care but that’s what my school did and so of her soul so she can take care of that’s what I did. other souls. And, as a high-school “MY LIFE WILL BE A “And that’s when I fell in love Spanish teacher, she has plenty of with the Eucharist.” opportunity for that. COMBINATION OF As early as third grade, “For many years now,” she said, TEACHING, PRAYER Bonkiewicz felt God tugging at her “students just drop by my classroom heart. all the time and they want to talk AND COMMUNITY. I’VE “It was as if he was asking me, about a problem. inviting me,” she said. “I wasn’t ex“They feel comfortable talking ALREADY BEEN LIVING actly sure what that to me, and I can get meant at the time, them to the right THE RULE OF LIFE BEFORE only that I felt his people for counselCONSECRATION.” deep love for me.” ing. On Sept. 9, “And I have stuBonkiewicz took dents coming to me If you’d like to learn her vows as a conall the time asking spouse of Christ and then continue more about the Apostles secrated laywoman for prayers, because her teaching, which she loves. of the Interior Life, visit with the lay conthey know I pray.” the website at: www. “She could continue being close apostlesofil.com. secrated branch of Bonkiewicz said to her family, but be a part of our the Apostles of the her first encounter family, too.” Interior Life (AVI) with the AVI Sisters, Three years ago, Bonkiewicz — a community dedicated to evanwhen she was a graduate student at started discerning to become a congelization and helping people grow the University of Kansas, had a great secrated laywoman. in their relationship with Jesus. impact on her future. First, she became a member of Members of the Apostles’ lay “I went to Mass [at the St. Lawthe AVI family group — lay Cathconsecrated branch profess their rence Center]” she recalled. “And olics who live the AVI charism of vows to Sister Susan Pieper, general [the priest] said, ‘There’s going to prayer and evangelization. superior of the AVI. be three Sisters coming from Italy.’ “And then, I think it was two addi“They live out in the world like a And I imagined them as old women tional years of formation,” she said. layperson,” Sister Susan explained. in black habits. In a note to family and friends in“But they have vows of poverty, “The next week they came, and vited to attend the celebration of her chastity and obedience.” they were young, joyful — and not vows of consecration, Bonkiewicz As a consecrated laywoman, in habits. explained the role of a consecrated Bonkiewicz will continue to teach “And I was just blown away. laywoman. at Pius X High School in her home“It opened me up to the possibili“She responds to the call of loving town of Lincoln, Nebraska. ty of being a Sister.” Christ with an undivided heart as his She’ll also continue her formation Bonkiewicz entered the Marian spouse,” she wrote. “She witnesses with the AVI community through Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln, God’s love in and for the world. Skype, and by traveling to Kansas Nebraska, but, for health reasons, “In my case, I witness his love every few months for community was not able to continue at the conas a daughter, sibling, aunt, friend, events. vent. teacher and co-worker.” “My life will be a combination of She then learned about the lay After the celebration of vows, teaching, prayer and community,” consecrated Branch of the Apostles, Bonkiewicz admitted that, though she said. “I’ve already been living which already had two members — she is quiet and reserved by nature, the rule of life before consecration.” Mary Grace Lasquety, a doctor in it was difficult for her to contain her By “rule of life,” Bonkiewicz Chicago, and Renee Anne Paulin, a joy. means that she attends daily Mass, professor in Texas. “I wanted to lift my arms to the does a daily Holy Hour, a daily “She began thinking seriously sky,” she said. “I wanted to dance. rosary, weekly confession and that this could be a way for her to “Once I said my vows, it was just Divine Mercy chaplets. Within her live out a consecrated life,” said joy and peace.” Holy Hour, she spends 30 minutes Sister Susan. “She could be the
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Apostles of the Interior Life
St. Leo, Horton Address: 1340 1st Ave. E., 66439 Phone: (785) 486-3971 Pastor: Father Daniel Gardner Mass times: Saturday, 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8:15 a.m. MORE PHOTOS AND A VIDEO TOUR of this church can be seen online at: www.theleaven.org.
WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE
TEAM OF THE WEEK
GOLF
Hayden The Hayden High School girls golf team captured the Kansas Class 4A state championship Oct. 16 at Lake Shawnee Golf Course in Topeka. Hayden’s Caroline Setter also won the individual Class 4A title. The Leaven’s Jay Solder captured the action. To see his photos, go to The Leaven’s Facebook page.
Mary and John Weber, members of St. Pius X Parish, Mission, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Oct. 22 with family and friends. The couple was married on Oct. 18, 1952, at Holy Cross Church, Kansas City, Missouri. Their children are: Mark Weber, Ann Lundine, Sue Upton and Janet Turcotte. They also have seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Gary and Vivian (Jarrell) Foreman, members of Good Shepherd Parish, Shawnee, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 26. The couple was married on Oct. 26, 1957, at St. Clement Church, Baltimore County, Maryland. Their children are: Gary Jr., Kevin, William and Megan. They also have five grandchildren.
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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Leavenworth parishioner shares the gift of the rosary By Katie Peterson Special to The Leaven
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EAVENWORTH — One hundred handmade shadow-box rosaries later, David Peterson is still enjoying one of his favorite hobbies. “Watching people at church, how they act, how they raise their children and how well they’re attentive of their religion — it’s inspiring,” said Peterson. “So it’s a gift that I make just to let them know that their faith is appreciated,” he said. Peterson makes each rosary by hand, then gives them to parishioners at Immaculate Conception-St. Joseph Church in Leavenworth as a surprise. He made his first in 1983 as a gift to his maternal grandmother, Margaret Brite, after she suffered a heart attack. “I felt like I wanted to do something for her, and I felt like it was something she would appreciate and like,” said Peterson. The idea to make the rosary came to him when he remembered the passing of his paternal grandmother, Louise Peterson, in 1976. “My aunts made her a rosary out of silk flowers that draped her casket,” he said. “And it was with that image that I was able to come up with a way to make the flowers for the rosaries. “It was self-taught.” Peterson began giving his rosaries away regularly in 2000. “While in church one night, I was
LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATIE PETERSON
David Peterson puts together his latest rosary on felt and foam board at his home. Peterson made his first shadow-box rosary in 1983 for his maternal grandmother, Margaret Brite. upset and asked the Blessed Mother for her intercession to get through it,” said Peterson. “And shortly after that, it was as though someone hugged me from behind and a calm came completely over me.” “It felt like the Blessed Mother embraced me,” he added. Peterson has always had a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother, particularly
because he and his wife Carol suffered three miscarriages. He believes it was through Mary’s intercession that they were able to have two children. Sharing the gift of the rosary, therefore, is a way to honor Mary. Vita Brown is one parishioner who Peterson surprised with a rosary. “I felt very honored and was really
surprised that he noticed how I looked and acted when I worship Our Lord,” said Brown. “I was teary-eyed and could not believe that he chose such a gift for me and my home, made from his skilled hands.” “It hangs in the living room, in a place of honor,” she concluded. “It’s a blessing hanging in my home, and I will always cherish it.” Peterson makes each flower with two different colored materials and cuts them into squares. He then punches a hole in the center, glues in the stamens and stiffens the material. Once it dries, he cuts out each flower and makes the petal using two flowers of each color and attaches them to the wire, which holds it to the board. When the rosary is put together on the board, Peterson attaches two separate inscriptions to the board — the Hail Mary and often the Sign of the Cross or custom writing for special occasions. Making over 100 rosaries was a feat that, just a year ago, Peterson wasn’t sure he’d accomplish. An accident when he was 3 years old that broke his finger continued to affect him throughout life. But early last year, a surgery to correct it turned out to be just what he needed to continue his ministry. “Now the finger doesn’t really get in the way when I use the scissors,” said Peterson. “So it actually ended up being more of a blessing. “Now I feel great about it and I’m glad I’m back to making them.”
When the
Spirit
moves you
Story by
MOIRA CULLINGS
K
moira.cullings@theleaven.org
A N S A S CITY, Kan. — Every now and then, the Our Lady & St. Rose choir gets a little emotional. “We sing from our heart,” said member Carol Welch. “Certain songs really touch your heart and it brings the Spirit out in you,” she said. “You feel the love.” Each fall, the Our Lady & St. Rose Choir inspires a packed church during its annual gospel choir concert. This year, the 11th annual concert was held Sept. 24 in front of a full house at Our Lady & St. Rose Church in Kansas City, Kansas. The purpose of the concert is threefold, said member Carole Kelley. “One is, it’s our way of evangelization and reaching out to the community,” she said. “Two is, we are beginning a major renovation campaign, so it’s to raise funds.” “And then, it’s just something we enjoy doing,” she added.
ADVENT REVIVAL The Our Lady & St. Rose Gospel Choir will perform at the parish’s Advent Revival Nov. 26-29. The revival schedule is as follows: • Nov. 25 - Blessed Sacrament Church, Kansas City, Kansas - 8 a.m.; Christ the King Church, Kansas City, Kansas - 9:30 a.m.; and Our Lady & St. Rose Church, Kansas City, Kansas - 11 a.m. • Nov. 27-29 - Our Lady & St. Rose, Kansas City, Kansas - 7 p.m. Father Maurice Nutt will lead the revival. Father Maurice is a member of the Redemptorist Parish Mission Preaching Team based in Chicago. He is also a member of the faculty of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, where he teaches homiletics.
Carole Kelley’s emotional solo brings some members of the choir to tears. The choir members describe themselves as a diverse group that mixes traditional Catholic music with their African-American heritage. “This church has a diversity of people in the congregation,” said Lorraine Long, minister of music and lead pianist for the choir. “So when the choir sings for regular Mass on Sundays, they incorporate traditional Catholic music that can be heard in other churches all over the city,” she said. “However, because it’s predominantly African-American here,” she continued, “the music is sprinkled with spirituals because of the cultural heritage of the church.” The annual concert leans toward a soulful gospel vibe. Long spends about six months putting the concert’s music together, balancing the program with a variety of songs and styles. “I try to be trendy with what’s current in urban and contemporary gospel — the up-and-coming music that’s out there,” she said. The rest of the choir practices for a couple months, and the sacrifices it takes are worth it because of the joy they get from their ministry, said Welch. “The music is so good, you just feel the spiritual in it,” she said.
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“CERTAIN SONGS REALLY TOUCH YOUR HEART AND IT BRINGS THE SPIRIT OUT IN YOU.” “You know you’re not doing it for you, you’re doing it for the Lord,” continued Welch. “So you’re feeling what you’re singing.” The gospel choir was founded in 1981 by Father Richard Etzel, and many members have been part of it since then. When Long became the minister of music nearly two decades ago, member Peggy Robinson admits they were a little nervous. “This was the first gospel choir she initiated and we were all scared stiff,” said Robinson. “You get cold feet anyway if you’re up there on a solo with all these people out there,” she said. “But it’s just wonderful to do and to see the results when it all comes together.” Singing together means a lot to the choir, said longtime member Barbara Bailey. “Most of us went to grade school together,” she said. “So
it’s not really work — it’s enjoyable.” Bailey and her fellow members are grateful for the participation of Our Lady & St. Rose pastor Father Mark Mertes. “He’s good!” she said. “He plays his guitar, and he really [participates].” The choir invites every parish in the archdiocese to attend the concert, so Long makes the performance the best it can be. “I put songs in a certain order to get people pulled into the experience of the enjoyment of praising God,” she said. “I work really hard it at,” Long continued, “because if people enjoy it and at the end of the experience everybody feels good and is on a spiritual high, I feel that we’ve worked toward making a connection with the Holy Spirit.” The choir members simply enjoy inspiring those in attendance. “They say when you sing you pray twice,” said Robinson. “So we try to encourage the congregation to sing with us.” And they normally do. “It’s heartfelt, it’s moving, it’s faith-filled,” said member Beatrice Swoopes. “We’re small,” she added, “but we’re mighty.”
Photos clockwise from top left: Choir member Beatrice Swoopes takes her turn at the mic. Swoopes, who grew up in the parish but moved just south of Kansas City for 30 years, felt called back home to Our Lady & St. Rose. She remains inspired by the family atmosphere and tight-knit community within the parish and the choir. Heritage Dance Ministry, which includes people from various cultures and denominations, performs as a guest group during the concert. Conductor Linda Kay Bailey leads the choir. Several of the members don’t read music and have to learn the songs by ear. Thanks to leaders like Bailey and minister of music Lorraine Long, that disadvantage goes unnoticed when the choir performs. Father Mark Mertes does more than support and promote the choir. The group loves that their pastor sings with them and are inspired by the work he puts into the music. In addition to being pastor of Our Lady & St. Rose, Father Mertes is also pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church and Christ the King Church, both in Kansas City, Kansas. Hazel Davis takes a solo at the annual concert. Many members admit they still get nervous when singing alone, but they find strength in knowing their voices are part of a music ministry meant to bring others closer to God. Charles Whiters, a guest musician from Metropolitan Baptist Temple in Kansas City, Kansas, plays organ during the concert. The Our Lady & St. Rose choir invites a variety of Christian denominations to join them. — PHOTOS BY JOE MCSORLEY
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
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Catholic groups actively working on Puerto Rico’s recovery By Wallice J. de la Vega Catholic News Service
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UEBRADILLAS, Puerto Rico (CNS) — A month after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, Catholic organizations, groups and individuals were still among the most prominent responders to the needs of a suffering people. Despite early logistical obstacles, as of Oct. 20, the local Caritas chapter had disbursed over $1.1 million in aid to an estimated 50,000 people — including food, clothing, first aid supplies, potable water and sundries. At its San Juan office, hot lunches also were being distributed daily to members of the community. “We had to blindly design a response plan,” Father Enrique “Kike” Camacho, executive director of Caritas Puerto Rico, told Catholic News Service Oct. 19. “But after communications opened somewhat, we began improving the plan based on diocesan reports. Today, we have a well-coordinated relief system at Puerto Rico’s 500 parishes in all six dioceses.” Caritas has been closely working with Catholic Charities USA on Puerto Rico’s recovery since Hurricane Irma brushed the island’s northern coast two weeks before Maria followed Sept. 20. Kim Burgo, senior director of disaster operations for Catholic Charities, told CNS: “One of our biggest challenges is money because there were two other hurricanes before . . . but then Maria comes along, which in many ways was worse than Harvey and Irma, and people have donor fatigue and it is very difficult to get donations for Puerto Rico. The need here is so much greater, yet the financial resources are so much less.” Puerto Rico’s post-hurricane recovery efforts have been largely a grassroots impulse, mainly spearheaded by newly formed young adult movements and religious groups that have become an alternative to slow, complex and bureaucratic government procedures. Most of these groups, local and coming from the U.S., include Catholics. Katherine Riolo, a Catholic volunteer with the Canadian relief foundation Impact Nations, came to Quebradillas, a town of 25,000 residents in northwest Puerto Rico, with a team of four to help distribute 300 portable water filters around isolated homes deep in the mountains. Riolo is a retired schoolteacher and a 30-year missionary veteran who is a member of the Sangre de Cristo Parish in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This was her first disaster-related mission. “All the devastation . . . when you see this, no electricity, families living with no water to bathe in, it’s hard and they are traumatized,” Riolo told CNS while distributing the water filters around Quebradilla’s Guajataca sector Oct. 21. “When you come into someone’s house, they don’t forget that, and when you tell them, ‘God thinks about you so much that he sent us . . . and there’s a whole lot of people in my town thinking about you,’ they don’t forget that.” Asked about what drives her to do missionary work, Riolo simply answered: “We are the hands and feet of Jesus.” Bishop Daniel Fernandez of Arecibo touched on that exact sentiment from Riolo at a Mass at St. Raphael the Archangel Church in Quebradillas Oct. 22,
CNS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER
A volunteer hands food to a victim of Hurricane Maria Oct. 21 in Utuato, Puerto Rico. The town has been without power or water for more than a month after the hurricane devastated the island.
Help Puerto Rico ANNIVERSARY submissions Donations can be sent to help Puerto Rico via the following methods: MAIL: Caritas Puerto Rico Po Box 8812 San Juan PR 00910-0812 CARITAS’ FACEBOOK PAGE: www.facebook.com/ caritaspuertorico/ www.catholicextension.org/give/hurricane-support CATHOLIC EXTENSION: www.catholicextension.org/give/ hurricane-support
CNS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER
People fill containers with spring water from a mountain Oct. 21 in Utuato, Puerto Rico. The town has been without power or water for more than a month after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. World Mission Sunday. “The Father sent his son into the world — mission means to send,” said Bishop Fernandez during his homily. “If sending means mission or mission means send, then Jesus was the first missionary.” Just as the church cannot avoid being missionary, the bishop said, neither can
Catholics avoid it. Therefore, he said, offering witness of our faith has to be practiced with good deeds “in times of hurricanes like this one.” Parishes in the inner mountain regions of Puerto Rico have fared the worst after Hurricane Maria. Not only have their congregations’ financial support diminished due to massive unem-
ployment, but also federal and local government support is not being received in their towns. Many parishes, like St. Raphael the Archangel, are holding ongoing relief collections for them. Before Mass, Bishop Fernandez told CNS the Diocese of Arecibo is distributing all aid coming from Caritas directly to its 59 parishes. His diocese and the Diocese of Mayaguez are the most damaged of the dioceses. The island has one archdiocese, San Juan, and five dioceses. “I’m perceiving much unity and even calm within the faithful,” said Bishop Fernandez. “However, [the priests and I] are attentive because we know that as time passes and, if the situation doesn’t improve at an adequate pace, tolerance levels might diminish as the physical exhaustion rises.” Recovery after Hurricane Maria, one of the most destructive in Puerto Rico’s history, has been slow. Official reliable statistics about hurricane damage, including an accurate death toll, have been scarce and widely debated by experts. The latest government timetable for recovery announced Oct. 19 says 90 percent of the island will have its electric power normalized by Dec. 15. That recovery plan is said to yield a totally new and diversified power grid that would bring back hydroelectric systems and add solar power components.
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
NATION
Unique rosary collection found in small muesum By Mitch Finley Catholic News Service
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TEVENSON, Wash. (CNS) — Travelers who happen upon a regional museum in Washington state are frequently surprised to find there the largest collection of rosaries in the world — according to no less an authority than “Ripley’s Believe It or Not.” Located in southeastern Washington, on the north side of the Columbia River Gorge, near the picturesque town of Stevenson, the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center houses a collection of some 4,000 rosaries that can easily take hours to examine closely. The display of rosaries was the life’s work of the late Donald A. Brown of North Bonneville, who was a founder of the Skamania County Historical Society. Born April 27, 1895, in Tualatin, Oregon, he died in a traffic accident Dec. 14, 1975, at age 80. In an article he wrote for a regional newspaper, Brown remarked: “Perhaps the most common question asked by visitors to my rosary chapel in North Bonneville (the site of the rosary collection during Brown’s lifetime) is how did I ever happen to originate such an unusual collection?” Brown explained that his collection began in 1917 when he was living in The Dalles, Oregon, but his interest in the rosary as a devotional prayer began years earlier, before he became a Catholic, while he was confined to the Mercy Hospital in North Bend, Oregon, recovering from pneumonia. He observed the rosary being worn on the habits of the Sisters of Mercy who staffed the hospital. Later, Brown embraced the Catholic faith. The rosaries in the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center are organized according to size. The smallest ones are made from beads the size of a pin head, while the largest rosary on display is over 16 feet long. This rosary’s “beads” were made from Styrofoam balls by children in Malden, Massachusetts, for a school play. Most of the rosaries in the collection were donated by ordinary people who wanted to help Brown with his collection. However, a few of the rosaries have special historical significance. For example, Brown received rosaries from Father Edward J. Flanagan, of Boys’ Town fame; musician and television celebrity Lawrence Welk; and from Al Smith, the first Catholic to run for the office of president, in 1928. One rosary was donated by a small church community in Bavaria. It had been left there by Robert Kennedy. The parish sent the rosary in Kenne-
Mercy Sister recognized for outreach to women, girls
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CNS PHOTO/MITCH FINLEY
Rosaries are seen Sept. 20 at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum near Stevenson, Wash., in Skamania County. The center’s collection of rosaries has been verified as the largest in the world. dy’s memory, when they heard of his assassination, which took place June 5, 1968. Yet another rosary arrived soon after the interpretive center opened in 1995, from Lou Holtz, head football coach at the University of Notre Dame 1986-1996. The most historically significant rosary in Brown’s collection, however, is the one donated by President John F. Kennedy. This is the only rosary in the collection requested by Brown himself. He wrote to Kennedy’s campaign headquarters when he heard that the Massachusetts senator was running for president. In 1960, Brown received a small wooden bead rosary that, apparently, was used by the future president during World War II. Undoubtedly, the rosary that causes a stir most frequently is one that, instead of having a crucifix attached, has a large metal swastika. A handout given to visitors by the center explains in detail that, centuries before it was adopted as the symbol for Adolf Hitler’s Nazis, the swastika was used by various religions, including Hindu-
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ism, Buddhism and various Native American traditions. Indeed, the word “swastika” is from ancient Sanskrit, although its meaning is forgotten. Each rosary in the collection has an assigned number, and here are a few other noteworthy rosaries: • Rosary 98: Made by Brown himself, using seeds from the catalpa tree. In place of the Our Father beads, there are small staurolites, or “Fairy Crosses.” According to the U.S. Geographical Society Survey, staurolite is “the most curious material found in the United States, otherwise known as Fairy Stone. An iron aluminum silicate found only in Virginia, the reddishbrown and brownish-black crystals occur in well-defined crosses.” • Rosary 516: A rosary from Palestine made with small olive wood beads. This is the rosary donated by Father Flanagan. On the back of the crucifix is the priest’s autograph. • Rosary 1324: A 25-decade rosary made of rather crude handmade beads carved from white bone. It was made by St. Lucia dos Santos, one of the Fatima visionaries.
11
ENVER (CNS) — It would have been impossible to walk away from a downtown Denver hotel where this year’s Opus Prize was announced Oct. 12 and not feel that urge to “go forth and set the world on fire.” In front of an audience of students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the greater Denver community, Jesuit Father John P. Fitzgibbons, president of Regis University, named Mercy Sister Marilyn Lacey and her nonprofit organization, Mercy Beyond Borders, as this year’s $1 million Opus winner. Working in Haiti and South Sudan, Sister Lacey and her California-based organization are helping women and girls escape extreme poverty through educational, economic and empowerment opportunities. Jesuit-run Regis University played host to the 2017 Opus Prize, one of the world’s largest faith-based awards for social entrepreneurship. The Opus Prize Foundation funds the $1 million award and also awards two finalist prizes of $100,000 each in recognition of social entrepreneurship. The foundation partners with a university or college to present the honor and “to inspire the next generation to pursue lives of service.” The prize is awarded annually to an individual or organization of any religious background, anywhere in the world. Recipients must demonstrate a pioneering approach to solving the root cause of social problems in their community. “I felt called by God to help these women and girls who are suffering,” Sister Lacey commented. “In serving others, we can find a connectedness, a kinship that leads to binding joy.” One finalist prize went to Sister Stan Terese Mumuni, a member of the Marian Sisters of Eucharistic Love, who is the founder of Nazareth Home for God’s Children in Ghana. It cares for children born with physical, mental or behavioral disabilities. The other $100,000 prize went to Drs. Jason Reinking and Noha Aboelata, whose work through Roots Community Health Center is providing health care to impoverished people living on the streets of Oakland, California. “Your work truly restores hope and ignites the possibilities for those who live at the margins,” Father Fitzgibbons said, addressing all three finalists. “We are inspired and moved by your example.”
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT Legislative assistant - The legislative position has a wide variety of responsibilities. Primary is the advocacy on behalf of the Kansas Catholic Conference (the public policy arm of the Catholic Church in Kansas). Other responsibilities: meeting with senators, state representatives, submitting written testimony and delivering spoken testimony at committee hearings. Public speaking is an important part of this position. This position also involves clerical and administrative responsibilities. The person must be a practicing Catholic in good standing with a robust understanding of the Catholic faith and social teaching; strong interest in public policy and the legislative process; flexibility in many situations; willingness to work sometimes long hours; skilled in Microsoft Office; undergraduate degree. For complete information about this position and the requirements, go to the website at: www.kscathconf.org/2017/10/11/ open-position-legislative-assistant. To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to: resume@kscathconf.org. Drivers - Ready for the summers off? Join our school transportation division and live like a kid again! Our drivers have the opportunity to serve our community and still get those precious summer breaks. Assisted Transportation seeks caring and reliable drivers to transport K - 12 students in Johnson and Wyandotte counties in our minivans. CDL not required. $12 per hour. Retirees encouraged to apply. Learn more or apply online at: assistedtransportation. com or call (913) 262-5190 for more information. EOE. Career opportunities - Catholic Charities of Kansas CitySt. Joseph is offering rewarding career opportunities to individuals interested in full-time positions as an AmeriCorps Veteran Peer Navigator member or staff accountant in our Kansas City office. In our St. Joseph office, we are offering a part-time employment specialist position. To learn more about these opportunities and to apply, please visit our website at: www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org. Do you enjoy driving? - The Kansas City Transportation Group is looking for chauffeurs to drive our guests to events, airport, dinner, etc. Business is growing and we are in need of workers with flexible hours, those who are retired, etc. Great pay and benefits. Send resume to: jkalbert@kctg.com or in person at Carey, 1300 Lydia Ave., Kansas City, MO 64106. Teacher assistant - Special Beginnings, Lenexa, is seeking full- or part-time after school teacher assistants at all locations. We are looking for a teacher assistant candidate who has an excellent work ethic, heart for children and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education. Experience and/or education is a plus, but we will train the right candidate. Teacher assistants will work with the lead teacher to care for and educate the children. Primary responsibilities include assisting the lead teacher with: care and supervision of children, lesson plan implementation, parent communication, and cleanliness and organization of classroom. Starting hourly pay ranges based on experience and education. Pay increases are based on job performance. Opportunities for advancement are available, as the company prefers to promote from within. Apply by sending an email to: chris@specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, KS 66215. Sales professional - We respect your many years of experience; we value and need your wisdom. We only ask if you are “coachable”? If so, Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas has openings for sales trainees in our Johnson, Shawnee and Wyandotte counties area cemeteries. An excellent earning of $40K to $50K+ in commissions is legitimate income potential for the first year. Training allowance your first 30 days, then draw commission with bonus opportunities. Medical, life, dental, optical, prescription, 401(k) plans, etc., are some of the many perks our employees receive. Excellent opportunities for women and men interested in a sales career and in helping people. Advancement opportunities are available for hard-working and focused individuals. Must be willing to work some evenings and weekends when our client families are available to see us in their homes. Once you learn our formula for success, your schedule is determined by you. Please email your resume and contact information to: dvanthullenar@cathcemks.org or fax to (913) 353-1413. Caregivers - Daughters & Company is looking for several compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to ambulatory seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide light housekeeping/light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care management and occasional transportation services for our clients. We need caregivers with reliable transportation and a cellphone for communication. A CNA background is helpful, though not mandatory. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match hours desired. Contact Pat or Murray at (913) 341-2500 to become part of an excellent caregiving team. Softball coach - St. James Academy is seeking a head girls softball coach for the 2017-18 spring season. If interested, contact athletic director Mark Huppe at (913) 254-4284 or send an email to: mhuppe@sjakeepingfaith.org. International student coordinator - This is a work-fromhome opportunity. Twinn Palms is seeking a part-time international student coordinator to manage local host families and international high school students. Qualifications: must be personable, detail-oriented; must have valid driver’s license; must be willing to host student(s) until host family is found. Additional compensation will be awarded. If interested, send an email to Erin Martinez at: erinm@twinnpalms.com.
Drivers - Special Beginnings Early Learning Center is seeking part-time drivers for its school-age program located in Lenexa. Candidates must be able to drive a 13-passenger minibus, similar to a 15-passenger van. CDL not required, but must have an excellent driving record. Candidates would pick up children from area schools and then work directly with them when arriving back at the center. Experience preferred. Must have strong work ethic and the ability to work with children. Insurance provided. Background check will be conducted. Great opportunity for retired persons or those seeking a second job. Job responsibilities include: ensuring safety and well-being of children who are being transported at all times, including loading and unloading. Driving short, round-trip routes to elementary schools in Lenexa/Olathe area. Summer only: Driving short, round- trip routes to two Lenexa city pools. Maintaining mileage log. Keeping interior of vehicle clean. Apply by sending an email to: chris@ specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, KS 66215. Assistant coaches - Bishop Miege High School is in need of assistant coaches for the 2017-18 school year in the sports of wrestling, baseball, diving, and track and field. Persons interested in any of these positions should contact athletic director Mike Hubka at (913) 222-5802, or send an email to: mhubka@bishopmiege for further information. Praise and worship music leader - St. John the Evangelist Church in Lawrence is currently looking for someone to be responsible for planning and leading music for the Sunday 5 p.m. Mass. Music is largely contemporary praise and worship style, but also includes traditional hymns. The leader coordinates a group of 5 - 10 singers and instrumentalists. Piano playing and singing capabilities are preferred. Other opportunities for leading worship will also be available throughout the year. Monthly stipend. Send an email to Lisa Roush, director of liturgy and music, at: lroush@saintjohns.net. Administrative assistant - St. Michael the Archangel Parish has an immediate opening for an administrative assistant in the parish office. Job duties include: maintaining the parish membership database; scheduling rooms and managing the parish calendar for parish ministries and rentals; coordinating the parish’s Virtus compliance; and assisting with a variety of clerical tasks. This is a year-round, full-time position and is eligible for the archdiocesan benefits package. A complete position description is available at: www.stmichaelcp. org; click on the “About Us” tab, scroll down to “Employment Opportunities” and click on “Administrative Assistant.” Custodian - Sacred Heart Church in Shawnee is seeking an individual to fill a full-time maintenance/custodian position. General duties include general maintenance, repair, and the care and cleaning of the campus buildings. This position is eligible for the archdiocesan benefit plan. For further information, send an inquiry email and resume to: julie.krause@ shoj.org. Health and wellness advocate for clergy – The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking an experienced nurse, case manager or social worker to fill the part-time (approximately 10-20 hours per week) position of health and wellness advocate for clergy. Duties include: visiting retired priests on a regular basis; managing priests’ conditions and care; serving as an advocate during appointments and hospitalizations; and assisting priests with health insurance and Medicare. The ideal candidate will be a practicing Catholic in good standing and have a minimum of five years’ experience in adult health care, case management or social work; one year of health care management preferred. College degree in related field required, registered nurse preferred. A complete job description, application and benefits information are available on the archdiocese’s website at: www.archkck.org/ jobs. Interested individuals should mail cover letter, resume, application and pastor’s letter of support to: Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Office of Human Resources, Health and Wellness Advocate Search, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, or send via email to: jobs@archkck.org.
SERVICES All Souls’ Day Memorials We will place a candle, rosary and holy card at the grave of your loved one - $25 Personalized grave-care services available for all occasions PERPETUAL LIGHT (785) 816-0054 www.perpetual-light.net Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr.com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer.com. Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress. Tree Trimming Tree Trimming/Landscaping Insured/References Free Estimates/Local Parishioner Tony Collins (913) 620-6063 Water damage restoration - Framing, insulation, painting, Sheetrock, mold treatment and lead-safe certified. Insurance claims welcome. Serving Wyandotte and Johnson counties for 25 years. Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144. Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite, and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee.
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Rodman Lawn Care Lawn mowing, aeration, verticutting, mulching, Hedge trimming, leaf removal, gutter cleaning Fully insured and free estimates John Rodman (913) 548-3002
HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.com
Professional window cleaner - Residential only, fully insured. Over 40 years experience. Free estimates. Contact Gene Jackson at (913) 593-1495.
Thank you for another great year - Through your support, my family has been blessed and my business has grown. We do windows, trim, siding, doors, decks, interior and exterior painting, wood rot, bathroom renovations, tile and Sheetrock. If you need work done around your home, we can do it. Josh (913) 709-7230.
Speedy Guzman Moving and delivery Licensed and insured Anytime (816) 935-0176 Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover. Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload, and in-home moving. No job too small. Serving JoCo since 1987. St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner. Call Mike at (913) 927-4347 or send an email to: mike@mikehammermoving.com. Fall tutoring - Sessions begin in August and are customized to fit student’s needs. Single sessions or packages available. Tutor has 15 years experience in K - 12 subjects, French Spanish, piano and voice. Call/text Kathleen at (913) 244-3655 or send an email to: Klmamuric@yahoo.com. Life Simplified - Professional organizing for home and business. We organize tools to toys, closets to attics. Pre- and post-moving support for upsizing or downsizing. We advise on what to keep, donate, recycle or toss and offer personalized strategies on keeping organized. Supportive and nonjudgmental. Call (913)-725-8151 or email: info@lifesimplified.biz www.lifesimplified.biz Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided. Call (913) 940-2959. Quilted memories - Your Kansas City Longarm shop Nolting Longarm machines, quilting supplies and machine quilting services. We specialize in memorial quilts - custom designed memory quilts from your T-shirt collections, photos, baby clothes, college memorabilia, neckties, etc. For information or to schedule a free consultation, call (913) 649-2704. Visit the website at: www.quiltedmemoriesllc.com. Clutter getting you down? - Organize, fix, assemble, install! “Kevin of all trades” your professional organizer and “Honey-do” specialist. Call or email me today for a free consultation at (913) 271-5055 or kev@koatindustries.com. Insured. References.
HOME IMPROVEMENT The Drywall Doctor, Inc. – A unique solution to your drywall problems! We fix all types of ceiling and wall damage — from water stains and stress cracks to texture repairs and skim coating. We provide professional, timely repairs and leave the job site clean! Lead-certified and insured! Serving the metro since 1997. Call (913) 768-6655. EL SOL Y LA TIERRA *Commercial & residential * Lawn renovation *Mowing * Clean-up and hauling * Dirt grading/installation * Landscape design * Free estimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!! www.elsolylatierra.com Call Lupe at (816) 935-0176 Rusty Dandy Painting, Inc. – We have been coloring your world for 40 years. Your home will be treated as if it were our own. Old cabinets will be made to look like new. Dingy walls and ceilings will be made beautiful. Woodwork will glow. Lead-certified and insured. Call (913) 341-9125. 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) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. Local handyman - Painting int. and ext., staining, wood rot, power wash, decks, doors and windows, masonry, hardwood floors, gutter cleaning, water heaters, toilets, faucets, garbage disposals, ceiling fans, mowing and more!! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118. NELSON CREATION’S L.L.C. Home makeovers, kitchen, bath. All interior and exterior remodeling and repairs. Family owned, experienced, licensed and insured. Member St. Joseph, Shawnee. Kirk Nelson. (913) 927-5240; nelsport@everestkc.net Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second-generation bricklayer. St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 829-4336. Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com. Swalms organizing - downsizing - cleanout service - Reduce clutter – Any space organized. Shelving built on-site. Items hauled for recycling and donations. 20 years exp.; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115. WWW. SWALMSORGANIZING.COM.
DRC Construction We’ll get the job done right the first time. Windows - Doors - Decks - Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and be glad you did. Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com
FOR SALE Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishioners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC) For sale - Double lawn crypt at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa, Garden of Hope section, double lawn crypt, lot 78 C, space 4. Conveyance fee included. $8100. Call Lou at (512) 294-2869.
FOR RENT For rent - House recently remodeled. Entry level BR, large loft BR, kitchen with dishwasher, basement garage with opener. Large yard, quiet secure neighborhood. No smoking, no pets. References required. Call (913) 238-2470. Serious interest only. Shawnee Sacred Heart member, owner.
WANTED TO BUY Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee. Wanted to Buy Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, prints, sterling, etc. Renee Maderak (913) 475-7393 St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee
REAL ESTATE Whole Estates Need to sell a home and everything in it? We buy it all at once in as-is condition. Call (816) 444-1950 or send an email to: www.wholeestates.com. Home for lease - Brick ranch in Lenexa; completely renovated three BR, one BA (marble), granite kitchen. New hardwood floors throughout, full basement, one-car garage, stainless steel appliances, washer and dryer; lawn care included. $1500/month. Call Matt, Holy Trinity parishioner, at (913) 721-6543. I NEED HOUSES! - We are members of Holy Trinity Parish and we pay cash for any real estate without any realtor commissions or fees. If you would like an easy, no-hassle sale at a fair price, please call me. We have 13 years of experience. Mark Edmondson (913) 980-4905.
CAREGIVING Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation for seniors in their home, assisted living or nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Pat or Gary. Retired nurse - Can work days, nights, do hospice care. 30 years’ experience. Currently available. Call Pam at (913) 5795276. Situation wanted - Retired nurse will do private care. Experience with hospice, Swedish massage and cosmetology. $20 per hour. Superior personalized care. Call (913) 938-4765. Medication support - Need help filling weekly pill boxes? Need daily medication reminders? We can provide these services in your home with daily or weekly visits. Call to learn about our exciting new medication solutions that allow you to continue living safely at home. Call Home Connect Health at (913) 627- 9222. Looking for assisted living at home? - Before you move, call us and explore our in-home care options. We specialize in helping families live safely at home while saving thousands of dollars per year. Call today for more information or to request a FREE home care planning guide. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www.benefitsofhome.com or call (913) 4221591.
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CALENDAR OKTOBERFEST DANCE St. Anthony Church (basement) 615 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 28 from 6 - 10:30 p.m.
The dance is sponsored by the GermanAmerican Edelweiss Society. The admission price of $20 for adults includes dinner, drinks and dancing to the Willie Kirst Band. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Raffle prizes will be available. Families are welcome. For more information, call Patty Orth at (913) 371-2466.
PANCAKE BREAKFAST Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish (hall) 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park Oct. 29 after the 7, 9 and 11 a.m. Masses
Boy Scout Troop 295 will host a pancake, sausage, biscuits and gravy breakfast. It is all-you-can-eat for $6 per plate, or $20 for a family of four or more.
A reasonable course fee is charged, and online registration is required at: www.ccli. org. Call Dana or Eric Runnebaum at (785) 380-0062 for more information including the class location and availability of selfpaced, online classes. Learn more about this class online at: nfptopeka.blogspot.com.
AUTUMN HARVEST DINNER/DANCE St. Paul Parish (gym) 900 S. Honeysuckle, Olathe Oct. 28 at 6 p.m.
Tickets are $15 per person (adults ages 21 and over only) and include dinner and dancing. Beer and wine will be available; BYOB welcome. Proceeds from ticket sales go to the Knights of Columbus emergency disaster assistance program. For more information, call Chris or Vicki Dieterman at (913) 780-6428.
CHICKEN DINNER Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish (basement) 312 N.E. Freeman Ave., Topeka Oct. 28 at 5 p.m.
A fried chicken dinner with sides, desserts and drinks will be served by the Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Altar Society. There will also be a sneak preview of the St. Anthony Guild craft/bake sale that will happen the next day.
COMMEMORATION OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED Bishop Ward High School (auditorium) 708 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kansas Nov. 1 at 10 a.m.
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann will celebrate Mass to celebrate the earthly lives of all Bishop Ward alumni who have passed away this year. A litany of names of the deceased will be read before Mass. There will be a small, informal reception following Mass.
CRAFT AND BAKE SALE Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish (basement) 312 N.E. Freeman Ave., Topeka Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
The St. Anthony Guild will have its annual craft and bake sale in the basement hall. There will be quilts, crafts, baked goods, bierocks, cinnamon rolls and much more. Breakfast will be served.
PANCAKE BREAKFAST TO BENEFIT SISTERS, SERVANTS OF MARY St. Patrick Parish (center) 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
A pancake and sausage breakfast will be served. The cost is $6 for adults; and $4 for children under the age of 10. There will also be a bake sale, a variety booth and raffles. For more information, call (913) 371-3423.
SANCTUARY OF HOPE BENEFIT DINNER AND LIVE AUCTION Abdallah Shrine 5300 Metcalf Ave., Mission Nov. 4 from 5 - 10 p.m.
SOUP LUNCHEON St. Patrick’s Parish Corning Community Center 5th and Main St., Corning Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
FALL BAZAAR AND GROUNDBREAKING Mater Dei Parish 934 S.W. Clay St., Topeka Nov. 4 at 4 - 8 p.m. Nov. 5 at 11:30 a.m.
FALL DINNER Church of the Risen Savior (Valentine Hall) 197 Hwy. P, Rhineland, Missouri Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
On Nov. 4, there will be a marketplace that includes homemade arts and crafts, a silent auction that includes a wine auction, a book nook, home-baked goods and a concession stand. On Nov. 5, after the 10:30 Mass, the groundbreaking for the new parish hall will be held. There will be a traditional turkey dinner for the cost of $9 for adults ages 13 and up; and $4 for kids ages 4 - 12. The country store will be open, and there will also be kids games.
TAIZE PRAYER Annunciation Chapel 4200 S. 4th St., Leavenworth Nov. 2 at 7 p.m.
In this retreat, participants will learn how to “read” images and will pray with the art of Mount St. Scholastica monastery. For more information or to register, call (913) 3606713 or visit the website at: www.sophia spiritualitycenter.org.
FRIENDSHIP TEA Holy Cross Parish (Lickteig Hall) 8311 W. 93rd St., Overland Park Nov. 4 at 10:30 a.m.
There will be a brunch followed by a speaker, Pat O’Neill. He will discuss his book “From the Bottom Up: The Story of the Irish in Kansas City.” Tickets are $10 per person. For reservations, call Donna Heit at (913) 4026843 or send an email to: donnamheit@ gmail.com.
CRAFT SHOW AND BIEROCK SALE St. Rose Philippine Duchesne School 520 E. 4th St., Garnett Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
There will be a dinner of country fried chicken, whole hog sausage and sides as well as dessert. The cost for dinner is: $11 for adults; $5 for kids ages 6 - 12; free for kids ages 5 and under. There will also be a country store, quilt raffles and religious articles for sale.
FALL OPEN HOUSE St. James Academy 24505 Prairie Star Pkwy., Lenexa Nov. 11 from 9 - 11:30 a.m.
POLKA DANCE Knights of Columbus Hall 11221 Johnson Dr., Shawnee Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. FALL FESTIVAL Sacred Heart Parish (hall) 106 Exchange St., Emporia Nov. 5 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
The meal will include turkey, sides, dessert and drinks. The cost is $9 for adults; and $5 for kids ages 3 - 10.
TURKEY DINNER Annunciation Parish Cigna Center 402 N. Maple, Frankfort Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
A turkey dinner with all the trimmings will be served. The cost is $10 for adults; $5 for kids ages 10 and under. There will also be a country store with food items, a pot of gold, crafts and handwork items.
FALL BAZAAR Holy Family Parish Alma Community Center 244 E. 11th St., Alma Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
There will be soup and homemade desserts for the cost of a freewill donation. There will also be a country store, children’s games, drawings for prizes and much more. Proceeds will benefit the church building fund. For more information, call (785) 449-2841.
TURKEY AND TRIMMINGS DINNER St. Benedict Parish 676 St. Benedict Rd., Bendena Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Fresh-baked “famous St. Rose bierocks” and packaged, frozen bierocks will be sold during the day. There will also be many craft booths.
The cost to attend is a freewill donation. There will also be a raffle for a quilt created by parishioner Marie Lamb, cash and other donations. Carryout orders will be available at the door.
CRAFT FAIR Holy Angels Parish 15440 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
FALL BAZAAR Holy Trinity Parish 501 E. Chippewa St., Paola Nov. 5 from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
There will be 25 booths featuring items
There will be a variety of soups, sandwiches, hot dogs and chili dogs, as well as homemade pies and cupcakes. Following lunch there will be an auction, bingo, cards and games for kids of all ages.
An open house will provide an overview of the school and include campus tours led by students. Coaches and club sponsors will be available to answer your questions. The whole family is welcome.
Bring your journal, stories and poems and work with other writers to share, critique and improve your writing.
‘VISIO DIVINA: PRAYING WITH ART’ Sophia Spirituality Center 751 S. 8th St., Atchison Nov. 3 from 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
There will be a home-smoked German sausage supper served buffet style. The cost is: $12 for adults; $4 for kids ages 4 - 12; and free for kids under the age of 4. There will also be bingo, raffles and other games, as well as a silent auction.
Takeout dinners are available from noon 2:30 p.m. and are $10 for adults; $5 for kids ages 10 and under. There are other activities for adults and kids as well.
WOMEN WRITERS Keeler Women’s Center 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas Nov. 2 (first Thursday of each month) from 1 - 2:15 p.m.
Taize prayer is a meditative, candlelit service that includes simple chants sung repeatedly, silence and prayers of praise and intercession. For more information, call (913) 6802342 or visit the website at: www.marillac center.org.
GERMAN SAUSAGE SUPPER Sacred Heart Parish (hall) 22298 Newbury Rd., Newbury Oct. 29 at noon
from dried flower arrangements to jewelry and Christmas crafts. Refreshments will be available. For more information, call Annie Clark at (913) 724-2212.
Tickets for a delicious meal and a fun evening are $50 per person. To purchase a ticket, call Julie at (913) 321-4673 or send an email to: julie@sanctuaryofhope.org.
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING Topeka Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.
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There will be a turkey dinner. The cost is $9 for adults; $4 for kids ages 10 and under.
The Brian McCarty Band will be playing polka music and timeless dance music. The cost to attend is $10 per person. Beer setups and snacks will be provided or BYOB. Proceeds go to the priest and seminarians fund. Call Dan Nicks at (913) 406-8717 for table reservations for six or more.
GIFT GALLERY Curé of Ars School 9403 Mission Rd., Leawood Nov. 10 from 6 - 8 p.m. (preferential shopping evening. Tickets: $20) Nov. 11 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Tickets: $5)
This is a premier shopping event that brings together more than 40 artisans and vendors selling unique and upscale items. This fundraising event is hosted by Curé of Ars Mothers of Young Children in partnership with Country Club Bank. Proceeds benefit local children’s charities and scholarship funds.
PANCAKE MEAL St. Mary Parish 9208 Main St., St. Benedict Nov. 12 from 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
There will be pancakes, eggs and sausage, juice and coffee. The suggested donation is a freewill offering. Everyone is welcome.
FALL LUNCHEON Grand Street 4740 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Missouri Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. for social hour 2 p.m. for lunch
The KC Alumni Council of the University of St. Mary invites all alumni, family and friends to attend its fall luncheon honoring Sister Anne Callahan. The cost is $30 per person. Register and pay online at: stmary.edu/KCcouncil or RSVP to Maxine Mitchell Staggs at (816) 304-3286. Mail checks by Nov. 7, payable to Kansas City Alumni Council, to: Penny Lonergan, 736 Seneca St., Leavenworth, KS 66048.
CALENDAR POLICY
Calendar notices are due eight days before the publication date. Send notices to: beth. blankenship@theleaven.org.
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY
This is one principle that we should adopt
THIRTIETH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Oct. 29 THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Ex 22: 20-26 Ps 18: 2-4, 47, 51 1 Thes 1: 5c-10 Mt 22: 34-40 Oct. 30 Monday Rom 8: 12-17 Ps 68: 2, 4, 6-7, 20-21 Lk 13: 10-17 Oct. 31 Tuesday Rom 8: 18-25 Ps 126: 1-6 Lk 13: 18-21 Nov. 1 ALL SAINTS Rv 7: 2-4, 9-14 Ps 24: 1bc-4b, 5-6 1 Jn 3: 1-3 Mt 5: 1-12a Nov. 2 THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS’ DAY) Wis 3: 1-9 Ps 23: 1-6 Rom 5: 5-11 Jn 6: 37-40 Nov. 3 Martin de Porres, religious Rom 9: 1-5 Ps 147: 12-15, 19-20 Lk 14: 1-6 Nov. 4 Charles Borromeo, bishop Rom 11: 1-2a, 11-12, 25-29 Ps 94: 12-13a, 14-15, 17-18 Lk 14: 1, 7-11
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“E
pluribus unum.” Those words are found on the back of pennies and dollars, but the print is so small, you have to squint to see the letters. I started a talk with those three words last Friday when I had the privilege of addressing the Chieftain football team at Tonganoxie High School. Matt Bond, one of the team’s coaches and a parishioner, invited me. He explained the program like this: “Each year, with our captains and coaches, we set our Team Core Covenants. We use these covenants to help teach our young men how to become productive citizens throughout life. . . . Each week, we have a word of the week. The kids discuss these in small groups and then must get up in front of the entire team and recite what it means.” My word was “unity,” and what better place to begin than with that Latin phrase “E pluribus unum,” which means, “Out of the many, one.” Naturally, it refers to
MARK MY WORDS
FATHER MARK GOLDASICH Father Mark is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989.
those original 13 colonies that joined to fight for independence from Britain. But those words can also apply to football . . . or life in general. If any team is going to be successful, it has to work as one, even though it’s comprised of many members. There has to be a common goal that all are working toward, or all its efforts will be in vain. There’s a difference, though, between “unity” and “uniformity.” Unity respects differences in the pursuit of a common
goal. Uniformity means that everyone does the exact same thing in the exact same way. Can you imagine a football team where everyone was a quarterback? It would be complete chaos and an utter failure. That’s why any successful team strives for unity, not uniformity. But unity demands two byproducts: respect and humility. Because everyone has different gifts, a respectful person is grateful for that diversity and encourages the sharing of those various gifts for the common good, to make the whole better. The other byproduct is humility. The older we get, the more we become aware of how dependent we are on
others. For example, someone made the clothes that we’re wearing. And someone else drove the clothing to a store, using fuel produced by someone else and driving on roads built and maintained by still other people. In other words, we need each other to keep the world ticking. One person can’t do alone. This story makes that point well: One day, a young girl came home from school crying because she had only a small part in the school play while her playmate got the lead. After drying the girl’s eyes, her mother took off her watch, put it in her daughter’s hand and said, “What do you see?” “A gold band, a watch face and two hands,” answered the girl. Opening the back of the watch, the mother again asked what the daughter saw. Looking closely at the internal watch mechanism, the girl noticed many little wheels, springs and other tiny pieces. “This watch would be useless,” said the
mother, “without every part — even the tiny ones you can hardly see.” The girl never forgot this lesson, which helped her throughout life to see the importance of every person, no matter how seemingly insignificant. (Adapted from a story by Mrs. Floyd Crook, found in “Sower’s Seeds of Encouragement,” by Brian Cavanaugh, TOR.) Before I spoke to the football team, they’d already heard about focus, purpose, servanthood, confidence and poise. All these lessons will make these young athletes models for the whole school and beyond. We adults are called also to model these values in our lives to make our families, churches, cities and nation successful. In a world that so often preaches uniformity over unity, disrespect over respect, and egotism over humility, our rallying cry must be: E pluribus unum. Hey, it’s worked for the Chieftains, the Twelve Apostles and the 13 original colonies. There’s no reason it can’t work for us as well.
Bible hangs on Jesus’ two commandments of love
S
ome words just go well together: salt and pepper, ying and yang, fish and chips. They just fit together. Another pair of items frequently pops up in the New Testament: “the law and the prophets.” Specifically, these words appear in Mt 5:17, 7:12, 22:40; Lk 16:16, 24:44; Acts 13:15, 24:14 and 28:23. This stock phrase occurs in Sunday’s Gospel reading, Mt 22:34-40. Jesus has just presented his twin commandments of love: love of God and love of neighbor. He then informs his audience: “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” At the time of Jesus, these words referred to
THE GOSPEL TRUTH
FATHER MIKE STUBBS Father Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.
the two categories of Scripture that constituted the Bible for the Jewish people. It corresponded basically to what we now call the
POPE FRANCIS
Christians can find hope even at the hour of death, which faith teaches is not a closed door but a wide-open passage to a new life with Christ, Pope Francis said. While all men and women are “small and helpless in front of the mystery of death,” Jesus’ victory over death assures Christians
Old Testament. The law, or Torah, was made up of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The second category, the prophets, is fairly self-explanatory, except that it also included books that we now classify as historical books, such as 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings. That is why the two figures of Moses and
Elijah stood beside Jesus at the moment of his transfiguration (Mt 17:1-9, Mk 9:2-10, Lk 9: 28-36). Moses, who gave the Ten Commandments, represented the law. Elijah, who was the first prophet, represented the prophets. Their appearance with Jesus indicated Jesus’ continuity with the law and the prophets, with the Old Testament. The point that was made visually and through action at the transfiguration now is made verbally through Jesus’ teaching: “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Jesus is emphasizing the continuity of his teachings with the Old Testament. In addition, Jesus is maintaining that the
of the joy of the resurrection, the pope said Oct. 18 during his weekly general audience. Despite chilly temperatures in Rome, thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square to greet the pope who rode around St. Peter’s Square in the popemobile, stopping frequently to greet pilgrims and kiss babies. Making sure one child was kept warm, the pope pulled up the hood of the baby’s jacket
whole Bible depends upon his two commandments of love. The whole Bible hangs upon these commandments of love, much as clothes might hang upon a peg. The many words of Scripture boil down to one thing. They express God’s will that we love God totally and completely, and that we love our neighbor as ourselves. God is all about love. The question that prompts Jesus’ answer, however, does not ask for two commandments but, rather, for one. Jesus’ two-for-one reply underlines the fundamental unity of the two commandments. They are inseparable, like Siamese twins. Divide them into two, and they will perish.
before he was taken back to his parents. Continuing his series of talks on Christian hope, Pope Francis reflected on death, which is “a reality that our modern civilization tends to eradicate” so completely that “when death comes to us or those around us, we are unprepared.” — CNS
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY
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Patience, planning will help us all through crowded Christmas
Y
ou’ll be reading this about Oct. 27, but the timing is right, because we’re all going to need some time to prepare for CHRISTMAS ON A MONDAY (DUN-DUNDUUUUN!). Yes, once again, Dec. 25 this year falls on a Monday, which means Christmas Eve is on a Sunday, which is also the Fourth Sunday of Advent. But which does NOT mean a “two-for-one” Mass special. No, you cannot go to Mass on Christmas Eve and have it also count for Sunday. The church simply doesn’t do things that way. The final Sunday of Advent is important, and so is the feast of
M
AS THE CHURCH PRAYS
MICHAEL PODREBARAC Michael Podrebarac is the archdiocesan consultant for the office of liturgy and sacramental life.
Our Lord’s birth. They’re both important, and they are both obligatory as far as Mass attendance goes.
Back-to-back as they are, they will present both challenges and opportunities for priests and deacons, for pastoral musicians, for the folks who prepare the sacred art and environment, for those coordinating family gatherings and for “kids from 1-to-92.” We all know the challenges. So let’s consider
a few opportunities here, and then prepare ahead. Families: Consider attending Saturday evening Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and then either Christmas Eve or Christmas morning for the Lord’s birth. In between, make something special of placing the infant Jesus in your home Nativity scene and taking a little time to pray with the children there. Pastors: Consider adding an additional Saturday anticipated Mass for those who would do better with a little more time between the two celebrations. Consider also your “noon” Sunday Mass and whether or not it might be prudent to
eliminate it on Dec. 24 for an added Saturday evening Mass. Consider also how your homilies on the Annunciation Gospel reading for Sunday and the Nativity reading for Christmas can work together. These two mysteries will be as seamless as ever this year. Musicians: Consider how some carols can effectively be used for both celebrations. A few come to mind: “The Angel Gabriel”; “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”; “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (verses 1 and 4 for Sunday, adding the other verses later); “It Came upon the Midnight Clear,” etc. Art and Environment Volunteers: Consider building gradually
toward Christmas in your Advent settings, perhaps even putting the trees in place but not lighting them until Christmas, preparing an Advent manger scene to welcome the arrival of Mary, Joseph and Jesus on Christmas Eve. A few strategically placed poinsettias, with more added later might work. Gaudete Sunday could really serve as a turning point toward Christmas this year. But start subtle and build from there. And when any are feeling especially stressed, take a few moments and Google “Linus Christmas speech” for some needed perspective. It’ll all work out just fine. It always has.
On Dec. 12, Share the Journey with Our Lady of Guadalupe
ary, the virgin destined to become the Mother of God, was a Galilean, a Jewish woman of Nazareth who, through saying “yes” to God, made our salvation possible. As such, the Virgin Mary is revered in every form as an icon of the church — being everything that we, as followers of her son Jesus, are called to be. As we approach the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, how fitting that we meditate on how Mary migrated. Mary appeared to Juan Diego as a beautiful brown-skinned Queen of Heaven, pregnant with
DO UNTO OTHERS
BILL SCHOLL Bill Scholl is the archdiocesan consultant for social justice. You can email him at: socialjustice@ archkck.org.
the Christ. She asked for a church to be built and
so ushered in a great conversion that would see 11 million people baptized over the decade. Our Lady of Guadalupe models how we as Catholics, 500 years after her visit, are called to reach out to those on the margins.
Pope Francis recently launched a special initiative called Share the Journey. The aim of this two-year campaign is to promote the culture of encounter in communities where migrants and refugees leave and return, the areas they travel through and where they choose to make their homes. In response, the U.S. bishops have asked that Catholics in the Americas make the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe a time to be in solidarity with migrants and refugees in our communities. In our archdiocese, every Catholic is invited to mark Dec. 12, the feast of Our Lady of
Guadalupe, as a day to reach out to migrants and refugees in prayer and, if possible, to migrate to a special Mass. We are blessed to have a number of parishes that have a tradition of special devotions on that day. Please make plans to bring your family to worship that day at one of these parishes. For a complete list and more details, visit the website at: archkck.org/social justice. Mary migrated for a time here to the Americas with a message. She said to Juan Diego and to us, “I am truly your merciful Mother, yours and all the people who live united in this
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land and of all the other people of different ancestries, my lovers, who love me, those who seek me, those who trust in me. Here I will hear their weeping, their complaints and heal all their sorrows, hardships and sufferings.” As disciples of her son Jesus, we can do no less. While fear and politics can harden our hearts into indifference toward youth affected by the repeal of DACA or the plight of refugees affected by drastic reductions in the number our government allows, our faith and Our Lady remind us that we are called to Share the Journey.
OCTOBER 27, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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Physician-assisted suicide law of the land in several states By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
Find out more
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — What if the people you trusted to take care of you decided — without your knowledge or consent —
to kill you? It’s happening in Europe. Earlier this year, a review panel cleared a Dutch doctor for killing an 80-year-old woman with dementia who lived in a nursing home. Supposedly, the woman said in the past that she wanted to be euthanized (put to death) at some vague, future date when “she was ready.” The woman and the doctor had not discussed her euthanization more recently. Nevertheless, the doctor decided that “she was ready.” The doctor laced the woman’s coffee with a sleep-inducing drug, planning to give her a lethal injection while she was incapacitated. But something went wrong. The elderly woman woke up and began to struggle. The doctor asked the woman’s family to hold the woman down while he injected the killing drug into her. And they did. Later, a review panel found the doctor “acted in good faith.” By no means is this a rare event in the Netherlands. An increasing number of people are being euthanized — voluntarily and involuntarily — for any number of reasons. These include sick infants and children, and persons with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, schizophrenia, depression and dementia. And the practice has spread from the Netherlands to Belgium and Luxembourg. People go to Switzerland to practice “suicide tourism.” Other European countries are considering adopting the Dutch practice. Physician-assisted suicide is even happening in the United States. It’s legal in the District of Columbia, California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Montana has not legalized physician-assisted suicide, but doctors can use a patient’s own request as a defense in the courts for prescribing intentionally lethal overdoses. Promoters of palliative care and the patient’s rights fear that so-called “death with dignity” proponents are building a slippery slope so that the weak, vulnerable and elderly will be
For guidance and resources, visit any of the following websites: www. catholicendoflife.org/resources; the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at: www.usccb.org/issues-andaction/human-life-and-dignity/ end-of-life; or the National Catholic Bioethics Center at: www.ncbcenter. org. The NCBE offers a free consultation service by a credentialed bioethicist. For additional information, call (215) 877-2660.
CNS PHOTO/ART BABYCH
A woman holds up a sign during a rally against assisted suicide in 2016 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. In a Toronto speech, Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, urged Canadians to work to reverse euthanasia rulings. killed rather than cared for. “As an undergraduate philosophy major, one of the things we were always told is that ‘slippery slope’ arguments are lazy arguments and shouldn’t be used, because they don’t happen,” said M.C. Sullivan, the chief health care ethicist and director for initiatives on palliative care and advance care planning for the Archdiocese of Boston. “Well, if we just look at this one topic we can see indeed this is a slippery slope we have put our feet upon,” she noted, “and in Europe, they are sliding down it in almost free form.” Physician-assisted suicide goes by many names, including doctor-assisted suicide, medical aid in dying, medical assistance in dying, and others. “It all comes down to the same thing,” said Sullivan, “It means that in the jurisdiction where any of those things are legal, a physician may without criminal liability write a prescription whose sole purpose is death — to kill the patient.” Why do some people want their doctors to kill them? In a single word: fear. They worry about unmanageable and unmitigated pain, said Sullivan. They worry about loss of control. They worry about being a burden to their families.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR LAWYERS
November 2nd to 4th The national gathering of Catholic attorneys comes to Kansas City! For a full list of speakers, and to register, visit www.catholicbar.org.
November 16th
The Catholic Lawyers Guild of Kansas City presents
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“The Christian Practice of Law” Go to clgkc.com and click on “calendar” for details
Making it easy to kill oneself or others is bad public policy, she said, especially when a better alternative exists. That better alternative is palliative care. According to the National Cancer Institute, palliative care is “care given to improve the quality of life of patients who have serious or life-threatening disease. Palliative care’s goal is “to prevent or treat the symptoms and side effects of the disease and its treatment, in addition to the related psychological, social and spiritual problems.” It is also called comfort care, supportive care and symptom management. “Why would we ever go to any policy like [physician-assisted suicide] . . . before we have robustly and vigorously implemented palliative care, which responds to so many of the reasons people give for [considering] physician-assisted suicide,” said Sullivan. The movement to legalize physicianassisted suicide nationwide is a threat to the promotion of good palliative care. And there is a real danger that the United States is going the same route as Europe, she said. More states could join the six (plus the District of Columbia) where it is already legal. “Within the last couple of legisla-
tive cycles, more than 25 states have had proposals for the legalization of physician-assisted suicide brought before [their legislatures],” said Sullivan. “So this is very much a national movement. And it’s something of which all Catholics should be informed about and concerned.” The church points to the right way of caring for the seriously ill, she said. While the church teaches the spiritual value of redemptive suffering, it also teaches about the relief of temporal suffering. “Very often, I think people misunderstand or are ignorant of the church’s understanding that there are times when the burdensomeness of ongoing, aggressive curative treatment may be disproportionate to any benefit that might be derived,” said Sullivan. “The church absolutely not only allows but teaches us about how to think about when it might be time to say, ‘Now I prepare myself for death; I don’t continue to seek or accept ongoing aggressive treatment because of that disproportionality, and the burden is too much,’” she added. Catholics need to familiarize themselves with the church’s teaching and make the appropriate preparations. “This is where advance directives and the durable power of attorney in a Catholic will and end-of-life [planning] come in,” said Alli Donohue, archdiocesan pro-life consultant. “It’s very important people have discussions in their families before these things happen,” she continued, “and they have a health care proxy who knows what their wishes are and is able to carry them out, and fight for their wishes if they need to.”