THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 45, NO. 17 | DECEMBER 8, 2023
ONE IN A MILLION
‘The Chosen’ star sponsors Unbound’s millionth friend By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Millions know him as the actor who plays Jesus in the TV series “The Chosen.” But to a 12-year-old boy in Tanzania and a 5-year-old girl in Rwanda, he’s a friend who’s helping them achieve a brighter future. “I think any time you have an opportunity to step into somebody’s shoes and literally experience their life firsthand,” said Jonathan Roumie, “you become more empathetic to their struggles and their trials.” A desire to make a difference for families living in poverty led Roumie to become an Unbound sponsor four years ago. He recently became the sponsor of an additional child and the nonprofit’s one millionth sponsored friend. “We were excited to learn that Jonathan came to us on his own, led by his personal connection to faith and desiring to support an organization that aligned with his values,” said Ashley Hufft, interim president/CEO of Unbound. As for Unbound reaching the milestone of one million sponsored friends? “It’s a big achievement,” said Hufft, “and it’s only the beginning.”
Opening doors Roumie visited Unbound’s headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas, on Nov. 14, where he met with team members and learned more about the organization’s history and mission. Originally founded as Christian Foundation for Children and Aging in 1981 by three Catholic brothers — Bob, Bud and Jim Hentzen — and their friends, the foundation was deeply rooted in Catholic teaching. “It really fills out the impression I had that they were an organization of people that were deeply committed to improving the human condition in other parts of the world,” said Roumie. “It has made me more proud to be a pre-existing member of the organization,” he added, “even before anybody knew my name.” Four years ago, Roumie was working steadily and wanted to help others. “I started looking for different charities that reflected my values and my faith and the things that I wanted to do,” he said. A CharityWatch search drew him to Unbound. “I looked into them, and I thought, ‘This looks like a pretty awesome way to help give back,’” said Roumie. At Unbound, sponsors choose a child or aging person from one of 17 >> See “ACTOR’S” on page 4
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Actor Jonathan Roumie, star of the TV series “The Chosen,” visited Unbound’s headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas, on Nov. 14, where he met with team members and learned more about the organization’s history and mission. Roumie has been involved with Unbound for four years.
2 ARCHBISHOP
T
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Cathedral to be home of new shrine to St. Maria Soledad
his past Saturday at the Cathedral of St. Peter, I dedicated a shrine in honor St. Maria Soledad, the foundress of the Sisters, Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick. The Sisters, Servants of Mary were born in Madrid on Aug. 15, 1851, when St. Maria Soledad, along with six other women, made their solemn profession of vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. It was providential that we celebrated the dedication of the shrine on Dec. 2, because it was on this date in 1826 that Bibiana Antonia Acosta (the future Sister Maria Soledad) was born in Madrid. Bibiana desired to become a Dominican nun, but ironically was not accepted because of her poor health. In 1851, Father Michael Martinez asked Bibiana to minister to the sick and the poor of his parish in their homes. She, along with six other young women, accepted Father Martinez’s invitation and began a ministry to the poor and the sick. It was at this moment that Bibiana took the name Maria Soledad. The founders of what would become the Sisters, Servants of Mary took the name Handmaids of Mary Serving the Sick. Sister Maria Soledad was appointed superior. The new order gained fame because of their care for the sick during a cholera epidemic. The order grew in number rapidly. By 1875, Mother Maria Soledad opened a convent in Havana. A year later in 1876, the Sisters, Servants of
LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS
ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN Mary received papal approval, being granted the status of a pontifical community. St. Maria Soledad died in Cuba on Oct. 11 (now her feast day) in 1887. At the time of her death, there were 46 convents in Europe and Latin America. The community grew rapidly because of the beauty and importance of its ministry as well as the zeal and dedication of St. Maria Soledad and her companion Sisters. The Sisters, Servants of Mary were pioneers in the care of the dying and their families. They were doing authentic hospice ministry before anyone invented the term. Today, they are the Catholic response to the evil of euthanasia. Just a week before the dedication of the shrine, I received a letter from the Sisters, Servants’ mother general, Mother Maria Juango Reparaz. From Rome, the mother general wrote: “We rejoice beyond measure that you have chosen our humble and holy foundress to stand out as a reference and intercessor for obtaining from the
Lord the eradication of those two social scourges that destroy and dehumanize us: abortion and euthanasia, a mission that is undoubtedly evangelical because Christ came so that we might have life and have it to the full. “I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to you for dedicating a chapel within the Cathedral Church . . . to welcome an image of our foundress before which the faithful can ask for her intercession and get to know the charism, so human and so spiritual. This was the grace that Mother Soledad received and worked toward in favor of a dignified and full life, dedicating the necessary care to the sick within the family environment. “How beautiful if, from this contact with the spirituality of the Servants of Mary, the faithful assimilate this rich knowledge of discovering the face of Christ in every wounded person at the crossroads of life, from which then arises a commitment to go out on the roads, to meet so many wounded, to pour out on them the balm of charity, the balm of Christ, the Good Samaritan who
needs our hands, our feet, our hearts, to go on doing good and healing all diseases. “I am convinced that in the school of Saint Maria Soledad, who lived with her eyes fixed on the way to serve as Mary did, all — the sick and the healthy — can learn the best teachings that pain contains by responding to the Gospel passage: I was sick and you visited me.” It was a great joy for me to issue the decree designating the Cathedral of St. Peter as a diocesan shrine dedicated to St. Maria Soledad, and in so doing, to solidify the special bond between the Sisters, Servants of Mary and the priests, deacons, religious and laity of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. In the decree, I stated: “Whereas St. Maria Soledad Torres y Acosta founded the Sisters, Servants of Mary to care for the sick and the dying under the patronage of Our Lady, Health of the Sick. The Sisters came to the archdiocese in 1917 as refugees, fleeing religious persecution. . . . The Sisters have provided physical and spiritual care for countless souls, many of whom cannot afford health care, especially at the end of life. Along with their hospice care and ministry, they also provide spiritual guidance and care for the family members of the sick in their care. “Whereas the convent and provincial house of the Sisters, Servants of Mary is in the boundaries of the parish of the Cathedral of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles . . . the Sisters, Servants of Mary have been a part of the parish territory for most of its existence. . . . “Whereas it is opportune to offer a place: To promote the spiritual message and legacy of St. Maria Soledad, especially regarding human dignity and the church’s teachings on the end of life issues, and to assist the faithful in expressing authentic devotion and to bring them through such devotion, to a deeper and richer experience of the Christian life; To offer a place
ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN’S CALENDAR Dec. 8 St. James Academy Mass and lunch — Lenexa St. Lawrence Center Mass/Profession of Vows, Kate Cropp, Apostles of the Interior Life Divine Winefest — Cascade Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri Dec. 9 Grandparents Matter workshop — Holy Spirit, Overland Park City Lights (Mass and gala meal blessing) — Redemptorist Church, Kansas City, Missouri Dec. 11 “Shepherd’s Voice” recording — chancery Dec. 12 School Mass — Our Lady of Guadalupe, Topeka CFNEK annual board meeting — Savior Ethics Council meeting — Residence Dec. 13 Serra Club presidents annual meeting — St. Joseph Church, Shawnee
CEF board meeting — Blue Hills Country Club Dec. 14 Confirmation for Annunciation, Baldwin, and St. Francis of Assisi, Lapeer — Annunciation, Baldwin Dec. 15 “Quo Vadis” — Savior
for the faithful of the archdiocese to make pilgrimage so to foster devotion in the archdiocese to St. Maria Soledad, with the opportunity to venerate her relic and her statue, both housed in the cathedral; To foster awareness of and vocations to the Sisters, Servants of Mary from the archdiocese in order to carry on the work of St. Maria Soledad.” It is my hope that the shrine will increase within the people of the archdiocese a greater devotion to St. Maria Soledad as well as a greater love and affection for her descendants, the Sisters, Servants of Mary. I pray that the shrine will inspire many young women to consider a vocation to the consecrated life and in particular to the Sisters, Servants of Mary. If you visit the great Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, you will find in one of the alcoves on the exterior walls of the church, a statue of St. Maria Soledad. This is a physical manifestation of the great esteem the universal church has for St. Maria Soledad and her descendants, the Sisters, Servants of Mary.
In our humble Cathedral of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, I am thrilled that we have been able to provide a space within the church for an image and relic of St. Maria Soledad. In the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, St. Maria Soledad has a home inside our cathedral, where the faithful can come and honor her as well as seek her intercession for those they love. I encourage the people of the archdiocese to come and visit the shrine for St. Maria Soledad. Since St. Maria Soledad was very dedicated in caring for the sick and in particular those approaching death, I encourage you to come and pray especially for sick family members and friends. Please also pray for more vocations for the Sisters, Servants of Mary. The Sisters are extraordinary ministers of Our Lord’s tender love and compassion. They are also powerful witnesses of the invincible hope that is the fruit of Our Lord’s victory over death. The Sisters, Servants of Mary are needed now more than ever. May their numbers grow!
LOCAL NEWS 3
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Betty and Ben Zarda, who were among the group who attended the first Snow Ball, enjoy a dance at the Snow Ball in 2011.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Don and Evelyn Foley, left, are pictured with John Fogarty, Snow Ball founder, and his wife Mary Louise.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Veronica and Peter Mallouk are serving as presidents of this year’s 50th annual Snow Ball.
A Legacy of Love
50 YEARS OF SNOW BALL
By Analisa Bregant Special to The Leaven
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — On a cold winter’s night in 1974, a group of inspired friends gathered over a potluck dinner with a single goal in mind: to help families served by Catholic Charities Foundation of Northeast Kansas. That night “snowballed” — and became a spectacular annual fundraising event to provide for the most vulnerable in our community. On Jan. 20, 2024, Catholic Charities Foundation of Northeast Kansas will celebrate an incredible milestone — the 50th anniversary of Snow Ball, a true legacy of love built over decades and the future of hope that lies ahead. Peter and Veronica Mallouk are serving as the Snow Ball presidents for this historic year. They will be joined by honorary presidents Jack and Kathy Newman. The black-tie gala will be held at the Overland Park Convention Center and will feature a cocktail reception, sit-down dinner and dancing to the acclaimed Emerald City Band. “It will truly be an epic celebration of gratitude, love and life-changing hope,” said Lauren Solidum, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas.
Snow Ball’s origin and continued legacy In 1974, John Phillips and John Fogarty initiated what would become the first of many gatherings in support of Catholic Charities. Initially named the St. Martin of Tours Gala, the event started as a modest $25 per couple potluck dinner at the Glenwood Manor Hotel in Overland Park. “I did not know much about Catholic Charities at the time of the first event,” Ben Zarda once recalled. Zarda, now deceased, attended the first Snow Ball and went on to found the Catholic Charities Foundation of Northeast Kansas’ Ben & Betty Zarda Family Golf Classic. “Because of Snow Ball,” Zarda went on to say, “Catholic Charities began to be recognized as an outstanding
PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES
The first Snow Ball, then known as the St. Martin of Tours Gala, was held in 1974. The event started as a modest $25 per couple potluck dinner at the Glenwood Manor Hotel in Overland Park. charitable organization.” Over the first four years, the St. Martin of Tours Gala raised over $50,000. As the event gained traction, it relocated to the former Alameda Plaza Hotel in 1981, where it not only sold out by mid-December but also experienced a remarkable increase in fundraising. The proceeds raised began to almost double each year after that. Since the event took place each year in the winter, John Phillips playfully dubbed the event “Snow Ball” — a name that would stick and eventually become the event’s official title. “As we were leaving the event one year, it snowed. It was a fierce and wet snow — probably about four inches. No one could get out of there, so we all began to shovel,” was a memory often shared by Zarda.
As Snow Ball’s guest list continued to grow, the event found another new home at the Hyatt Regency, later becoming the Sheraton Crown Center. Event funds that year exceeded $104,000. The change in venue also brought a heightened level of elegance, including valet parking, a cocktail reception and a Sunday Mass for those who stayed at the hotel. Given Snow Ball’s continued rise in attendance and funds raised, its founders sought to expand its reach and impact. By 1988, a new change had been introduced: the Patron Gift. Ticket registrations mostly helped supplement the cost of producing the event. The Patron Gift’s purpose was — and still is — to support the charity through a 100% tax-deductible, unrestricted donation to fund the areas of
President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann
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greatest need. By 1994, the cumulative total for the first 20 years of Snow Ball reached an impressive $1 million. In 2017, Snow Ball found another new home at the Overland Park Convention Center. The change in location brought about a new era of prosperity. Since 2020, the event has raised over $3 million annually, reaching an astounding $4 million in 2023. Snow Ball committees were established in later years. Generous supporters, alongside Catholic Charities leadership, dedicated their time and talents to support the event through participation in the Patron and Table committees. The Snowflake Committee was also established to involve a younger generation of
Editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org
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>> See “SECOND” on page 6
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Social Media Editor/Reporter Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
4 LOCAL NEWS
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Actor’s faith grounds his life, drives his outreach >> Continued from page 1
countries to support with a monthly financial gift. The $40 a month is intended to lift that person and their family out of poverty. “We are very insistent that the family’s path out of poverty has to be a self-directed one,” said Pritha Hariharan, vice president of international programs for Unbound. The family is set up with a bank account, and the sponsored child is given immediate access to education. Because of the purchasing power of the dollar in countries where Unbound serves, families are sometimes able to send an additional child to school, purchase medicine, make home repairs or buy groceries with part of the sponsorship funds. “It puts the purchasing power in the hands of the family that they’ve probably never had before,” said Hariharan. In addition, families are assigned a dedicated social worker who accompanies them on a self-directed path out of poverty by budgeting funds and setting goals. Those served by Unbound also build a relationship with their sponsored friend by exchanging letters and photos. Roumie tells his Unbound friends “a little bit about my job,” he said, “not so much the specifics, but I tell them what I do and what I like to do and my hobbies. “I like to draw and play music and things like that. They tell me about their studies and their chores and their work, the things that they do at home.” When Unbound reached out to Roumie asking him to sponsor an additional child — a young girl from Rwanda — and their one millionth friend, he was humbled. “And I was surprised and excited to hopefully bring a little bit of my growing profile to spread the word about the good work that they’re doing in hopes of attracting more people to do the same,” he said.
Complete surrender The ability to give back wasn’t always possible for Roumie. Before he booked “The Chosen,” he was juggling multiple jobs, trying to make ends meet. “It got to a point where they all sort of dried up,” he said. “One morning in May, I woke up and was 80 bucks overdrawn, and I had 20 bucks cash in my pocket, and I was thousands of dollars in debt.” Roumie, a Catholic, turned to his faith. “I literally had no choice but to get on my knees and start praying,” he said. After surrendering his life to God, he left his apartment, spent his last $20 on a meal and, upon returning home, discovered four random checks in his mailbox.
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LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Jonathan Roumie pauses during a busy morning at Unbound to look through a book about the organization’s mission. Roumie has sponsored a 12-year-old boy from Tanzania for the past four years and recently added an additional sponsored friend — a 5-year-old girl from Rwanda. Three months later, he was cast as Jesus in “The Chosen.” “I realized I was experiencing basically an answered prayer — a miracle if you want to call it that,” said Roumie. “I said, ‘OK, this is how I have to live — just complete, total, utter reliance on God,’” he continued. “And I’ve never approached my life in the same way since.”
Alleviating poverty Gaining fame by portraying Jesus on screen has been “strange and surreal” for Roumie, who calls himself an introvert. “I think playing the character has made me want to be a better person, a better version of myself,” he said. “I’m obviously not Jesus and have no divinity whatsoever. “But I strive for holiness in my life.” One way he’s achieving that is through his involvement with Unbound. His newest friend is one of more than 3,000 children being served by the program in Rwanda, which was launched there in 2020. Rwanda was chosen by Unbound because nearly 50% of the population lives in extreme, multidimensional poverty, said Hariharan. “In addition to the need,” she said, “Rwanda is also welcoming to nonprofits, and its government is motivated to lift its people out of poverty.” Families served by Unbound, including the newest one in Rwanda, often work seasonal jobs in agriculture and
WHILE WE’RE LOOKING BACK AT ALL THAT OUR SPONSORS AND SPONSORED FRIENDS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, WE KNOW THERE IS MORE TO BE DONE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK TO HELP SO MANY MORE PEOPLE ON THEIR PATH OUT OF POVERTY. ASHLEY HUFFT INTERIM PRESIDENT/CEO OF UNBOUND construction, so their income is unpredictable, and their homes are modest. “It’s either temporary settlement or a makeshift shelter of some sort,” said Hariharan. “Homes are often one room — a shared space with cooking, sleeping and everything happening in the same small space with multiple children.” Receiving support makes all the difference for a family’s success. “It unlocks the potential they already have within them,” said Hariharan.
New generation “We’ve been in existence for over
40 years,” said Hufft, “and I would like to see us reach 2 million sponsored friends in a fraction of that time. “While we’re looking back at all that our sponsors and sponsored friends have accomplished, we know there is more to be done, and we look forward to continuing this work to help so many more people on their path out of poverty.” Hufft hopes Roumie’s sponsorship will inspire a younger, faith-based generation to get involved. “Without a doubt, we’ve had tremendous support from parishioners in the Catholic Church,” she said, “and their support has been our bedrock. “We believe deeply in the dignity of the people we serve and allowing them to lead the way, which aligns with Catholic social teachings and speaks to many others who want to make an impact.” Those who choose to sponsor a child or aging person can be assured their support will change that person’s future. “It can make an incredible difference in someone’s life for them to know that there is someone there walking alongside them on their journey and believing in them,” said Hufft. Hariharan said that more than anything, sponsors give their friends hope. “They’ve lived on the margins of society,” she said, “and all their lives, they’ve been told they can’t. “Unbound comes in and tells them, ‘Yes, you can.’” To learn more about Unbound, visit the website at: unbound.org.
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
THE BUILDER
LOCAL NEWS 5
Father Cullen remembered for his energy and Irish charm By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Father Donald R. Cullen was a “building” priest, but not in the way that term is usually understood. His gifts were directed primarily toward people, not infrastructure. “Father Don Cullen loved coming in and building up people and parishes,” said Father Richard Storey, pastor of Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood and a good friend. Father Storey recalled, “He said, ‘I never built a building, but I sure repaired a heck of a lot of buildings and brought them up to code. And I paid off a lot of debt.’” Father Cullen, 80, died on Nov. 27 at Kansas City Hospice House in Kansas City, Missouri. He had been a pastor and associate pastor at nine parishes during his 52 years of priestly ministry. He died due to complications from several health conditions. Father Cullen was the only son of Nell A. (Kirchner) and Charles Cullen, born on May 28, 1943, in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended Blessed Sacrament Grade School in Kansas City, Missouri, and graduated in 1960 from De La Salle Military Academy in Kansas City, Missouri. He was considered at that time a “late vocation” because after he graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1965, he discerned a vocation to the priesthood. He attended St. Thomas Seminary in Denver from 1965-71. While in Denver, he was ordained a deacon and served at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Student Center at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He was ordained a priest on June 3, 1971, by Archbishop Ignatius J. Strecker at his home parish of Queen of the Holy Rosary in Overland Park, also his last priestly assignment — a fitting arc of his priesthood, he once remarked. “He was definitely a people person,” said Father Storey. “Father Cullen was, by far, one of the most social, most energetic, most enthusiastic, most charming of gentlemen.” But there was never any question of who was in charge. “His common line was that the church is not a democracy,” said Father Storey. “He was very firm in this. His ‘yes’ was ‘yes,’ and his ‘no’ was ‘no.’ He treated everyone equally, but he was in charge.” By no means, however, was he a tyrant. Father Cullen would use humor, persuasiveness and his Irish charm to lead during a very tumultuous time in the church following the Second Vatican Council. “He was totally, ‘You go with the flow — with where the good Lord leads
LEAVEN FILE PHOTO
Father Donald R. Cullen, 80, died on Nov. 27 at Kansas City Hospice House in Kansas City, Missouri, from complications from several health conditions.
Father Cullen’s pastoral assignments 1971 — Associate pastor at Assumption Parish in Topeka 1974 — Associate pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee 1978 — Associate pastor at St. Paul Parish in Olathe and chaplain at St. Joseph High School in Shawnee 1979 — Associate pastor at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Lawrence 1980 — Pastor at St. Patrick Parishes in Osage City and Scranton 1984 — Pastor of St. Francis Parish in Lapeer in addition to Osage City and Scranton 1986 — Pastor of St. Paul Parish in Olathe 1992 — Pastor of St. Agnes Parish in Roeland Park 2005 — Leave of absence to care for his mother 2006 — Pastor of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish in Overland Park 2013 — Retired; assisted metropolitan area priests
you,’” said Father Storey. “As he’d go into parishes, he’d listen carefully, listen often and see where we’re heading. That’s probably how he made it through the ’70s. He knew where he was going, and he had a way of you jumping on and following.” He was very proud of “doing just the right thing,” meaning helping someone even if they didn’t like him, and advised, “Don’t ever take anything personal, even if it was intended,” said Father Storey. With his charm, his laughter, his humor, his storytelling, his love of the church and of people, Father Cullen had a way of bringing people back — to the confessional, to Mass and even into the church.
Patty Kincaid, a member of St. Agnes Parish in Roeland Park, witnessed it firsthand. She and her husband Don, who was not a Catholic, became good friends with Father Cullen. Usually at Mass, Patty would receive Communion and Don, right behind her, would cross his arms and receive a blessing. During April nine years ago, Patty and Don went to Mass as usual — except that Father Cullen asked them to “bring all your kids. I haven’t seen them for a while.” All proceeded normally until . . . “I received holy Communion and behind me, I heard Father Cullen say, ‘The body of Christ, Don,’ and I literally froze,” said Patty. “I had been praying
for my husband’s conversion for 40 years. . . . I turned around and looked at Father Cullen, and then Don, and burst into tears. All three of us hugged. We stopped the whole Mass so we could take in the moment. It was a total shock.” Father Cullen had been privately, secretly, instructing Don for months. That was Father Cullen’s way — explaining the Catholic faith and making it easy to understand, especially at weddings when many non-Catholics would be present. He was also a dutiful son, taking leave of his priestly duties so he could care for his mother until her death. Father Tony Lickteig, a retired priest at Curé of Ars Parish, remembered Father Cullen this way. “He was a very friendly and sincere person,” said Father Lickteig. “He was very open and honest. You never doubted where he stood or what he thought. He spoke the truth in love, and sometimes people didn’t like what he had to say, but you always knew what he thought. With honesty, sincerity and kindness, he let you know.” Father Cullen was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Nell. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 1 at Curé of Ars Parish, followed by burial next to his parents at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa. Funeral arrangements were by Muehlebach Funeral Care in Kansas City, Missouri.
6 LOCAL NEWS
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Retreat speaks to pain, questions of adult children of divorce By Tom Racunas Special to The Leaven
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens” (Eccl 3:1). For Patty Karr, the appointed time had finally come. Her parents divorced when she was 17 years old. Back then, her family didn’t talk about it. Back then, there was no therapy. Back then, nobody reached out, not even anyone from her parish. Even though her parents were granted an annulment, she could not be a part of the process and no one ever asked how she felt about it. For nearly 40 years, Karr has been living with the pain of the wounds she suffered from the divorce. The pain resurfaces particularly as she navigates the dynamics of two households — her father’s and his wife’s, and her mother’s. “Every time I go home, I still have to tiptoe around certain issues. I still have to deal with the pain. The wounds reopen,” she explained. “They are the wounds of silence. No one wants to talk about it.” Karr’s husband Paul said that as the son-in-law of divorced parents, he has to walk with Patty through the aftermath of the divorce. “Patty’s dad (now deceased) never got over it,” he said. “He would bristle at the mention of his ex-wife’s name. I also began to understand why, in our marriage, certain things would get Patty upset.”
Life-Giving Wounds is a Catholic ministry to adult children of divorce or separation. A LifeGiving Wounds retreat will be held Jan. 12–14, 2024, at Savior Pastoral Center. So, indeed, the time had come for Karr when she heard about a retreat called Life-Giving Wounds. Life-Giving Wounds is a Catholic ministry to adult children of divorce or separation. The Karrs, who have been married 34 years and are parishioners of Holy Spirit in Overland Park, attended the first retreat held in the archdiocese last February. The retreat was sponsored by the archdiocesan marriage and family life office. “Attending the retreat was the first time I felt that someone got me,” said Patty. She didn’t have to explain herself
to others because they had been carrying the same wounds that she had. “I realized that we can be a better witness because of our experience,” she added. “Our experience becomes a life-giving presence to others.” Brad Dupont, lead consultant for the office, is also a child of divorced parents. Life-Giving Wounds was brought here, he said, because “in talking to others, it is obvious there is a great need for healing. Children of divorce have not had a voice. Divorce leaves a big wound and the church wants to accompany them in their suffering and
in their healing. Life-Giving Wounds provides a path to greater healing in Christ.” A second Life-Giving Wounds retreat will be held Jan. 12–14, 2024, at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas. The retreat begins Friday night at 7 p.m. and ends on Sunday at 3 p.m. The format includes six witness talks, including one on marriage by the Karrs, a time for journaling and “no-obligation-to-share” discussion groups. The weekend includes Mass, confession and eucharistic adoration. A licensed counselor will be present for those participants who may want to have a private session. After the retreat, ongoing support will be maintained through groups, a newsletter, blogs, books, programs and spiritual direction. The cost of the retreat is $150, which includes meals and all retreat materials. Room accommodations are available at the pastoral center for $50 per night for a single room or $35 per night for a shared room. To register, go online to: www.archkck.org/lgw. Registration deadline is Jan. 8, 2024. If cost is an issue for local parishioners, scholarships are available. Donations to help continue Life-Giving Wounds in the archdiocese would be appreciated. Any donation made will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Catholic Marriage Initiative. For more information, contact Dupont by email at: bdupont@archkck. org or call (913) 647-0301.
Second-generation supporters help carry the mission into the future >> Continued from page 3
Snow Ball attendees. Emerging leaders in the Snowflake Committee partnered with local businesses to subsidize the cost of entry to the event. “I knew about the mission of Catholic Charities from my parents and wanted to get involved with Snow Ball,” said Amy Barnthouse, Snowflake Committee chair and second-generation Snow Ball attendee. “Snowflake’s goal is to not only create awareness of the event and Catholic Charities programs and services, but bridge the gap between our parents’ generation to help move
Snow Ball and Catholic Charities into the future.”
A future of hope Since its founding, Snow Ball has raised a cumulative total of $50,293,855, with 90 cents of every dollar directly impacting families served by Catholic Charities throughout 21 counties in northeast Kansas. It is one of the largest charitable events in the Kansas City area and has evolved into a beloved family tradition for countless attendees.
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“For those attending this year’s celebration, we hope that Snow Ball will be what motivates you to want to learn more and further engage with Catholic Charities and its life-changing programs. Funds raised are critical to the services that provide support, guidance and hope to those who need it most,” said Peter Mallouk. From humble beginnings to its extraordinary impact today, Snow Ball has transformed into a true ministry for good, raising critical funds that benefit Catholic Charities’ 30-plus programs, and support its mission of giving help, hope and hospitality to
ACROSS 1 Transgression 4 Austin novel 8 Remove by surgery 14 Snacked 15 Entrance 16 Influences with gifts 17 Chat 18 Otherwise 19 Lynx 20 Graduates 22 Whichever 23 Farm building 24 Invitation abbreviation 27 Hard to pass through a needle? 31 Tilt 33 A name of God 35 Flurry 36 Dah’s partner 38 Wing 39 Anti 40 Short OT book of prophecy 44 Hermit 46 Gone 47 Goddess 49 Soviet secret police 50 Dad’s mate 51 Airport abbr. 52 Quarry 55 I am the __ and the Omega
men, women and children in need. “Whether through food assistance, housing, education or employment services,” said Solidum, “generous donations to Snow Ball will continue to have an immeasurable effect on Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas’ ability to grow the programs and services that are so desperately needed in our community to walk our neighbors out of poverty.” To purchase Snow Ball tickets and/or make a meaningful legacy gift, visit the website at: snowballgala.org.
58 Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (abbr.) 61 Pant 63 Flightless bird 65 Greek muse of music 67 Throws out 70 Mexican sandwich 71 Fasten 72 Do not throw your __ before swine 73 Region 74 Possessive pronoun 75 Over there (KJV) 76 Post-traumatic stress disorder 77 Advertisements DOWN 1 Epics 2 Slanted font 3 Interstellar gas 4 Garden of __ 5 Type of tooth 6 Leader of Exodus 7 Exist 8 Word meaning father 9 Rodeo bull 10 African nation 11 Most basic 12 British drink 13 Time zone 21 Weekday
25 26 28 29 30 32 34 37 39 40 41 42 43 45 48 53 54 56 57 59 60 62 64 66 67 68 69 70
By way of Pallid They visited Jesus Rewrite Sole Twitch One of the Gospels KJV pronoun Winding path Ma Truant Thy word is a __ unto my feet Small particle Scrambled food Miserable She was too busy with chores Caught sight of (KJV) Listened Plentiful Biblical seat of emotions Twos Your equals Soviet Union Frog’s cousin Espy Executive director Dashed Type of dance
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LOCAL NEWS 7
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Wreath-laying to honor veterans buried at Resurrection
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ENEXA — Veterans laid to rest at Resurrection Cemetery here will receive special recognition during the holiday season through the collaborative efforts of the Knights of Columbus at Holy Trinity in Lenexa, Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas, Wreaths Across America, volunteers and donors. On Dec. 16 at 11 a.m., there will be a brief ceremony at the Veterans Memorial at Resurrection Cemetery, located at 83rd and Quivira Rd. It is open to the public and will include posting of the colors, an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Anthem, guest remarks, Benediction, a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps. Following the ceremony, volunteers will place wreaths on graves of veterans. The Holy Trinity Knights have been seeking donations to sponsor the wreaths and volunteers to assist with the event. Interested parties can make a donation online at: www.wreaths acrossamerica.org/KS0155P. Volunteers can register online to assist at: htlenexa.flocknote.com/ signup/143138. Wreaths Across America dates to 1992, when Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, had a surplus of wreaths near the end of the holiday season. Remembering his boyhood experience of Arlington National Cemetery, Morrill Worcester, the company owner, seized the opportunity to honor veterans. He made arrangements for
PHOTO COURTESY OF WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA
Wreaths Across America, in collaboration with the Holy Trinity Knights of Columbus, will recognize veterans laid to rest at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa on Dec. 16. the wreaths to be placed in an older section of the national cemetery. Individuals, businesses and organizations assisted with transporting, decorating and placing the wreaths. In 2005, Wreaths Across America became a national movement and spread across the country to recognize veterans during the holiday season. Every year since 2008, Congress proclaims a Saturday in December as National Wreaths Across America Day. This year’s celebration is Dec. 16. On that day, it is estimated that more than 2 million veterans’
wreaths will be placed across local, national and military cemeteries, veterans’ memorials and historic sites. For more information, go online to: www.wreaths acrossamerica.org. Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas is a ministry of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas that manages and operates nine cemeteries in Johnson, Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties, and in Topeka. For more information, call (913) 371-4040; send an email to: information@cathcemks.org; or visit the website at: www.cathcemks.org.
Barb (McCormick) and Joe Zeller, members of S a c re d Heart Parish, Paxico, celeb ra t e d their 50th wedding anniversary on Nov 27. The couple was married on Nov. 27, 1973, at Sacred Heart Church, Paxico, by Father John Murphy. They renewed their vows at the archdiocesan 50th anniversary Mass and celebrated with a reception on Nov. 18. Their children are: Becky Quaney, Chris Wertzberger and Jeremy Zeller. They have eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Susan (Ford) and John R. Smith, members of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Nov. 17. They were married at Immaculate Conception Church in Marrero, Louisiana. They have four children: Michael, Liz, Brian and Patrick. They also have 11 grandchildren. They celebrated with a family vacation in the summer.
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Sister Magdalene Therese, of the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus, visits with Fiona Mulholland during the second day of the retreat. Mulholland is a member of St. Benedict Parish in Atchison.
‘ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE PURSUED’
More than 60 attend first archdiocesan women’s discernment retreat weekend After lunch on the second day of the retreat, Sister Mary Karolyn, vocation director for the Sisters of By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
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ILLIAMSBURG — Do you ever go on vacation? Do you ever get to sleep in? What do you do for fun? Those were just three questions posed to religious Sisters from nine different religious communities as part of a Q&A panel held during the archdiocese’s first discernment weekend for women held Nov. 18-19 at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg. Titled “Love’s Reply,” the retreat was developed by Sister M. Karolyn Nunes, the vocation director for the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George based in Alton, Illinois. In the past, Sister Karolyn said men discerning a call to priesthood or religious life have been able to attend Project Andrew events and “Quo Vadis” discernment retreats, but until recently, there was no equivalent within the archdiocese for women. That all changed about three years ago when the first dinner for women was held. In 2022, at least 50 women attended a daylong retreat. So, Sister Karolyn asked Father Dan Morris, the archdiocesan vocations director, if the time was right for a weekend retreat. With the enthusiastic support of Father Morris and the vocations office staff, which handled the logistics, the goal was to attract 20 to 40 women. But all told, 63 women ranging in age from high school juniors to late 20s signed up for the retreat, surpassing anyone’s expectations.
“The ‘Love’s Reply’ retreat for women was an answer to many years of prayer — prayers of many religious communities desiring to come together and create a space for young women to encounter Jesus; prayers of the many young women who have felt an invitation on their heart, with no environment to explore that invitation; and prayers from the vocations office to finally make this retreat a reality with the help of our religious,” Father Morris said. Other questions the women religious were asked ranged from topics like the challenges of saying “yes” to the Lord, staying in contact with family and friends, fitting in with others within a religious community, finding a religious community, and discovering one’s charisms and gifts. In addition to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George, other communities represented included the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist and the School Sisters of Christ the King, among others. In addition to the Q&A panel, the weekend retreat included Mass, eucharistic adoration, recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours, talks on discernment basics and testimonies of the religious Sisters on how they discovered their vocations. Additionally, women were given opportunities for one-on-one conversations with the Sisters. The discernment talks covered a range of topics and themes such as trusting in love, growing in love as a daughter of God, spousal love and motherhood, and the discernment of spirits.
During some free time Milani Cangiani, a home-school student from Most Pure Heart of Mary Par reflection questions. After each discernment talk, a representative of one of the religious communities shared her own personal testimony, allowing retreat participants to hear from all nine communities at some point throughout the weekend. Furthermore,
a journal provided to each participant allowed the women to record their thoughts on additional reflection questions. Sophia Krebsbach, a home-schooled high school junior and member of Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in
Participating religious orders • Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus (carmelitedcj.org) • Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist (sistersofmary.org) • Franciscan Sisters of the Martyr St. George (altonfranciscans.org) • Franciscan Sisters Poor of Jesus Christ (sisterspoorofjesuschrist.com) • Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary (piercedhearts.org) • School Sisters of Christ the King (cksisters.org) • Sisters, Servants of Mary (sister servantsofmary.org) • Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Wichita (sistersihmofwichita. org) • Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (solt.net)
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
f St. Francis of the Martyr St. George, talks with (left) Jayme Saiki, 23, and Bernadette Saiki, 20. Both are members of Sacred Heart Parish in Shawnee.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
From left, Sister Laudem Gloriae of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, Sister Monica Bernadette of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and Sister Mary Gemma of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George answer questions during a panel discussion at the “Love’s Reply” women’s discernment retreat held Nov. 18-19 at Prairie Star Ranch, Williamsburg.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
rish in Topeka, takes time to review some of the Topeka, said she’s not sure to what God is calling her in the future. But after the weekend, she is definitely more open to religious life. “It’s a possibility,” she said. Krebsbach said she decided to attend
the retreat at the invitation of Nancy Ruoff, her youth group director, to “talk to the Sisters and meet some new people.” The retreat did not disappoint. “The Sisters are so full of joy. They’re always willing to talk about Jesus. It’s really beautiful,” she said, adding later that she really enjoyed learning about the Liturgy of the Hours. “I had heard about it, but I’d never done it before,” said Krebsbach. She particularly liked how the Glory Be is interwoven into many of the prayers because, “everything is about giving God the
glory.” Likewise, Luiza Mello, a junior at Maur Hill-Mount Academy in Atchison, said she attended the retreat at the invitation of her youth ministry director. The most important thing she learned was about “the love of Jesus for me. He is with me in every place I go.” For Bernadette Wallace, a senior at St. James Academy in Lenexa and a member of Good Counsel Parish in Kansas City, Missouri, it was her mother who gave her information about the discernment retreat.
“I was like, ‘OK. A retreat. OK. That’s cool,’” she said. Still, Wallace found she grew in ways she didn’t quite expect. “I learned to be open and more receptive to what the Lord has to say and to let go of everything preventing me from doing his will,” she said. Of seeing so many religious Sisters from different communities in one place, she said, “It’s just refreshing to see so many communities come together.” There were even some she had never heard of or seen before, such as the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist and the Sisters, Servants of Mary, who actually go into the homes to care for people who are ill, ministering at all hours of the day and night. “The sacrifice that takes is amazing. . . . They go into people’s homes. They take care of the sick. They see the face of Jesus in the suffering,” Wallace said. She added that she found their vocation “absolutely beautiful.” For Elayna Marqus, who works at Christ the King Grade School in Kansas City, Kansas, but belongs to Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, the weekend provided her an opportunity to truly pray and reflect on what God is calling her to do with her own life. “I was at a standstill in my vocational life, and I felt like I needed guidance to be more open and prepared for whatever the Lord has set aside for me,” said Marqus, explaining why she chose to attend the weekend. From this “spiritual desert,” she found the weekend to be extremely helpful. And it allowed her to come to one major realization. “Following your vocation does not need to be something you need to be anxious about,” she said. “You don’t have to pursue it. It will come in time. Allow yourself to be pursued.” That’s a sentiment with which 24-yearold Fiona Mulholland, a graduate student in theology at Benedictine College in Atchison, said she definitely agrees. “The Lord will make [his call] clear,” she said. “Don’t worry. He wants your holiness more than you want it.”
10 LOCAL NEWS
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
HELP FOR HAWAII Lawrence school sends tokens of love to devastated island
OSV NEWS PHOTO/ZEKE KALUA/COUNTY OF MAUI HANDOUT VIA REUTERS
A wildfire burns on the island of Maui near an intersection in Lahaina, Hawaii, on Aug. 9. Wind-whipped wildfires raced through parts of Hawaii, burning structures in historic Lahaina, forcing evacuations and leading some to flee to the relative safety of the ocean, where they were rescued by the Coast Guard. By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
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AWRENCE — When fires devastated the Hawaiian island of Maui in August, Kimberly Bell was stunned. “My husband and I were in Maui just weeks before the tragedy,” she said, “and we loved our time in historic Lahaina.” A personal connection made the damage even harder to witness. “My family has a very special attachment to the islands,” said Bell, “as my husband was born in Honolulu and my grandma and uncle lived on Oahu for over 40 years.” The fourth and fifth grade math teacher at St. John School in Lawrence wanted to help. This fall, she and her students initiated Project Aloha. The students have been designing and crafting personal cards of hope, love and inspiration for students at two Lahaina schools — King Kamehameha III Elementary School and Sacred Heart School — letting them know about their continued prayers. They’ve also created more than 100 friendship bracelets for their friends across the ocean, listening to Hawaiian music while they work. “Both schools we are supporting were completely and irreparably destroyed,” said Bell, “as well as a large portion of the students’ and staff’s homes. “They have had to relocate to other schools or use facilities donated by locals for them to continue their learning.” Sacred Heart is the parish school of Maria Lanakila, “the church that miraculously survived as everything around it was destroyed,” said Bell. “Our students feel a special connection to Sacred Heart because of the shared faith,” she added, “and a bonus is they are the blue to our local Jayhawk red and yellow school colors.” Several St. John students from various grades have offered personal items,
handmade gifts and monetary donations to the schools. St. John also created an Amazon wish list of supplies needed to make bracelets and backpack keychains, as well as other items. A fourth grader even donated his own $100 dollar bill, said Bell. “Our students absolutely warm my heart and want to help in any way they can,” she said. “The lesson of giving to those in need and paying forward the love, joy and peace in their hearts is what I hope to instill in my students above all.” Bell said the Lahaina community will be rebuilding and recovering from the devastation for years to come. She and her students plan to continue building a connection with the schools there throughout the school year. “Sharing my deep love and connection to Hawaii with my students has been a blessing,” said Bell. “I am honored to keep my Grandma LaVona’s love for the islands alive by spreading that love.”
Above, Kimberly Bell, who teaches fourth and fifth grade math at St. John School in Lawrence, organizes a list of items to send to students in Lahaina. The teacher launched Project Aloha this fall to offer hope and prayers to two school communities impacted by the devastating fires that ravaged Lahaina in August. Right, St. John the Evangelist School is selling earrings created by Esther, a friend of Kimberly Bell, who owns Sunflower Gifts in Maui, as part of Project Aloha. Those interested in helping St. John’s efforts can reach out to Bell online at: kbell@sjeagles.com; donate to Project Aloha through Venmo at: KimberlyBell-5; or send mail to: St. John School, Attn. Kimberly Bell, 1208 Kentucky St., Lawrence, KS 66044. The Amazon wish list can be found online at: https://amzn.to/3T66Fek.
LOCAL NEWS 11
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Advent guides us through the darkness to the light of the Christ Child By Adam Sloter Special to The Leaven
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he season of Advent is like journeying through a very dark tunnel. At the end of this tunnel is a brilliant light. Each day of Advent, we move forward through this dark space, watching closely as the light becomes brighter. We have not yet reached the light. We are still surrounded by darkness, but the light that shines before us gives us the strength and courage to take each step. At the end of the tunnel, we will find the Christ Child, the most miraculous light to have ever shined upon Earth. But here in Advent, we have not yet arrived at the manger. We are still moving ahead, praying that the darkness will not prevent us from beholding the incarnate Lord. We still have a long way to go.
The yearly season of Advent may conclude at Christmas, but the journey of life is still dark and difficult, full of uncertainty. The world around us often seems shadowy and filled with things that want us to stray from the right path. But the gift of the incarnation, Christ’s first coming, is that he gives us a shining lamp that helps us during the difficult seasons of life. Carrying the light of Christ throughout our earthly pilgrimage is the ultimate source of comfort. This light gives us the confidence to navigate the trials that will inevitably come our way. There is still so much sorrow and hardship ahead of us, but we no longer have to walk through this life in darkness, hoping to one day behold the light. Christ’s incarnation is a reminder that the light has already entered the world and nothing
can overcome it. We can now bear this lamp and expel the darkness that wants us to stumble. We move forward clinging to the hope that Christ will come again soon to restore all things and banish the darkness once and for all. There may be people in your life who walk in complete darkness. As witnesses to Christ’s Gospel, it is our responsibility to share the light with those who need it most. The lamp we carry can illuminate the path for others who are lost and in need of direction. We can strengthen those around us to travel toward the light in the distance, knowing that the Incarnation shines brightly and cannot be extinguished by even the darkest night. It is my prayer that, during this season of Advent, you will wrestle with the darkness and have great courage knowing that the light
of Christ will always prevail. So, here we are in this dark season. Use this time for reflection, for setting things right within yourself, for seeking reconciliation. Take time this Advent to really dwell within the darkness. Don’t rush ahead and cling to Christmas. Let this season of longing and expectation shape you into a divine image bearer. Hold fast to the lamp Christ has given you. With this gift you don’t need to run from the darkness because it cannot touch you. Pursue this light, bear this light and let it shine brightly in this dark and fallen world. Adam Sloter is the director of parish relations at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri, and the author of a guide to Advent.
Holy Angels Church in Basehor will host an Advent women’s retreat on Dec. 16.
Holy Angels to host Advent women’s retreat BASEHOR — Holy Angels Parish here will host an Advent women’s retreat, “Joyfully Seeking the Gifts of Faith, Hope and Love,” from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 16. The retreat cost is $20. Register with Dana or Christie at the parish office by calling (913) 724-1665 or by sending an email to: czochholyangels@gmail.com. There will be a continental breakfast.
Several interpreted Masses will be held across the archdiocese during this holiday season.
Deaf ministry sets holiday schedule OLATHE — The deaf ministry for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has announced its interpreted Masses for Christmas, and other Holy Days: • Dec. 7, Immaculate Conception Vigil: 5:30 p.m., St. Joseph Church, Shawnee • Dec. 8, Immaculate Conception: 6 p.m., St. Paul Church, Olathe, and 6 p.m., Most Pure Heart of Mary, Topeka • Dec. 24, Christmas Eve: 6 p.m., St. Joseph, Shawnee, and 4 p.m., Most Pure Heart, Topeka • Dec. 25, Christmas: 10 a.m., St. Paul, Olathe • Jan. 1, Solemnity of Mary: 10 a.m., St. Paul, Olathe, and 6 p.m., Most Pure Heart, Topeka
The Kansas March for Life will follow the Ignite for Life rally in Topeka on Jan. 24.
Register for Ignite for Life TOPEKA — Register today for Ignite for Life Jan. 24 here. Ignite for Life is a rally for the protection of preborn lives. The morning consists of praise and worship music, motivational speakers and the celebration of Mass with the bishops of Kansas. Following Ignite, all are invited to join in the Kansas March for Life to the Capitol for the Kansans for Life rally. To register for this free event, go online to: www.archkck.org/ignite.
12 CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT CEO for fundraising - Why fund raise for us? Sharing the love of God is our single motivation. As a CEO, you will be the driving force in advancing the mission of the Catholic Diocese of Salina. You will shape our strategies, engage with our donors, double our major gifts and triple our planned giving efforts. The foundation executive reports to the board of directors of the foundation and is the principal adviser to the bishop of the Diocese of Salina in development for the diocese. Motivated by enhancing the mission of the church, the executive will work to set the strategic direction for development efforts, cultivate major relationships and offer planned giving opportunities, as well as managing foundation operations and foundation employees. Role and responsibilities include: Foundation operations: create monthly financial statements for review by finance committee and board of directors; develop annual operating budget for approval by the foundation board of directors; execute independent outside accounting audit annually; maintain annual contracts with vendors; work with donors and ministries to set up and maintain funds; oversee gift acceptance, endowment spending policies and all policies and procedures established by the foundation; oversee the organizational structure; supervise professional and support staff; make presentations to parish and school finance councils about opportunities with the foundation; attend meetings of foundation audit committee, finance committee, investment committee and the diocesan finance council; manage financial matters of the foundation (including relationships with financial advisers, foundation bank, outside auditors); participate as a voting member of Governance Committee of the Foundation; work with donors on the Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) for Catholic school tax credits. Development: work with the foundation board, the chief finance officer, Diocese of Salina and the bishop of Salina to set the priorities and strategic direction for the foundation and the diocese; plan, design, implement and manage a comprehensive development strategy consistent with the bishop’s and diocesan initiatives in order to secure financial support necessary to carry out the ministry of the church in the Diocese of Salina; develop and implement a systematic process for donor engagement, recognition and stewardship cultivation; report regularly to the foundation board and the bishop on all development activities and opportunities for advancing the mission; manage a portfolio of donors; build great relationships with lead donors; further document the planned giving program for the benefit of the diocese and its parishes, ministries and Catholic schools; coordinate the identification, cultivation and solicitation of major gift relationships through present and deferred gifts to ensure a strong base of ongoing financial support; ensure prompt and accurate gift processing/donor acknowledgment, stewardship, recognition of gifts; oversee submission of proposals and annual reports for grant requests from Catholic Extension, Catholic Home Missions and other foundations; keep current on trends in philanthropy and tax legislation affecting charitable giving. Stewardship: consult with parishes, Catholic schools and other ministries offering advice and counsel with respect to stewardship, training, offertory enhancement, capital campaigns, estate planning and other development initiatives; cultivate positive relationships with diocesan department chairs and ministry personnel, pastors, parish staff, volunteers and parishioners; identify and maintain effective working relationships with related professionals such as attorneys, accountants, estate planners, trust officers, financial advisers, bankers, etc. Knowledge, skills and abilities, and education: a bachelor’s degree is required. Experience: minimum of five years of executive leadership experience and responsibility preferred; understanding of financial investment principles and strategies; understanding of financial statements, general ledger, nonprofit financial reporting. Strategic leadership in development, with knowledge of estate planning and planned giving strategies and demonstrated success with major gift solicitation, stewardship and planned giving programs is strongly preferred. Experience with the Catholic Church; background in capital campaigns, development activities, donor experiences and endowments is preferred. Candidate should be a fluent user of Microsoft Office, with practical familiarity of various donor database software solutions preferred. Requirement: a demonstrated supportive and energetic attitude toward the church, her teachings and her work; ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize and maintain confidentiality; be a service-minded leader, diplomatic yet decisive, a good listener and results-oriented strategist, adept at planning, prioritizing, organizing and follow-through; can execute and deliver results; is living a Christ-centered life, in good standing with the teachings of the church. To apply go online to: “Catholic Diocese of Salina” then type in “CEO Fundraiser” and scroll down to”’Human Resources” then scroll down to the links and click on “Salina/Chancery Office” then scroll down to the link that says “CEO, Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Salina.” Part-time custodian - St. Patrick School, Kansas City, Kansas, has an immediate opening for a part-time custodian. All candidates should be able to perform the duties of a school custodian, including, but not limited to: heavy lifting, cleaning and general maintenance and upkeep of the school building. He/she will have the advantage of working in a Christ-centered environment. Experience is preferred. Please send all inquiries to: cfithian@stpatrickkck.org. Staff job openings - Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, has the following staff job openings available: Chief financial officer, nursing school faculty, admissions counselor, director of development. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG Full-time custodian - The Church of the Nativity Parish School has immediate openings for a full-time custodian. Qualified applicants should have prior custodial experience, specifically in a school environment. Maintenance experience would be a plus. The full-time position is scheduled to work M-F from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the part-time from 4 to 8 p.m. M-F. Some holiday work is expected. Applicants must have a compatible work history, references, dependable transportation and be willing to participate in a background check. The Church of the Nativity expects to pay market compensation commensurate with experience and qualifications. Nativity has a history of retaining its employees, who enjoy the advantages of working at a vibrant, collaborative, faithbased place of worship and education. Nativity Parish School is located at 3700 W. 119th, Leawood. Nativity offers a comprehensive benefit program including medical, dental, vision, vacation and 401(k). Interested applicants should send resumes and work history to: mhyde@kcnativity.org. No phone calls please. Caregiver needed - Are you looking for an in-home caregiving opportunity? The Shikles family is urgently hiring a dedicated and compassionate caregiver for the care of Stephen Shikles. Pay is negotiable; up to 40 hours per week. For more information, please contact Lisa Shikles at (913) 333-0887 or lisa. shikles@gmail.com. Associate superintendent of schools - The archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office is seeking to hire a full-time associate superintendent of schools. He/she would be responsible for collaborating with the superintendent and other office staff to support school leaders in ways that will enable them to be spiritual and effective leaders for teachers. A minimum of seven years’ experience in educational leadership, some of which must be in Catholic schools leadership, is required. Please visit Employment Opportunities on the archdiocesan website for more information or to apply. Go online to: “archkck.org,” scroll to the bottom and click on “Employment Opportunities,” then scroll down and click on “Openings in our Archdiocese” then on “Associate Superintendent of Schools.” St. Mary Food Kitchen manager - Do you have a calling to serve others? St. Mary Food Kitchen in Kansas City, Kansas, is seeking to hire a full-time manager. The ideal candidate has a calling to serve the hungry in an urban context; helps church coordinators and volunteers serve a daily hot meal; is willing to work with the Hot Lunch, Inc., board of directors; and is able to communicate well, verbally and in writing. Skills in fundraising, marketing, social media and community outreach are beneficial. Salary range is $40,000 to $50,000 based on experience and education. A college degree is preferred. Interested? Please email your application to: hotlunchserviceinc@gmail.com. Nanny - In search of a weekend and evening nanny. Hours will vary between 10 - 20 hours per week. Family of three kids, but most of the need will be for a newborn. Located in the Roeland Park area. Must have a clear background and reliable transportation. Contact: cook.kat.m@gmail.com with questions and to apply. High school president - St. Michael the Archangel High School in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, is seeking a person of deep faith and strong Catholic values to serve as president. The primary responsibility is to be the spiritual leader of St. Michael the Archangel High School and to communicate and promote Catholic values throughout the school community. The president is responsible for the sound fiscal management and financial stability of the school, community relations and enrollment management activities. For more information and to apply, go online to: kcsjcatholic.org/start/job-openings. Client care providers - Wyandotte and Olathe Pregnancy Clinics are in need of compassionate and reliable client care providers. Both volunteers and paid positions are available. Please call Leah at (913) 2070186 for more information. Social studies teacher - Nativity School in Leawood is seeking a middle school social studies teacher for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year. Applicants should apply online through the archdiocesan website at: archkckcs.org and email principal Luke Jennison at: luke.jennison@kcnativity.org. Director of development - The Catholic Education Foundation is seeking to hire a full-time director of development who would be responsible for cultivating and securing contributions from donors to meet annual fundraising goals. A minimum of seven successful years in fundraising or corporate sales is required. Please visit employment opportunities on the archdiocesan website at: archkck.org, click on “Employment Opportunities,” then “Openings in our Archdiocese” and scroll down and click on “Director of development” for more information and to apply. Part-time accountant - St. Pius X Parish in Mission is looking to hire a part-time accountant. This position usually requires two - five hours per week and requires working from home with a church-provided computer loaded with QuickBooks accounting software. Responsibilities include overall financial management, payroll, accounts payable, posting weekly deposits, preparing monthly financial statements and annual budget, reconciliation of accounts and other financial tasks. The successful candidate will preferably have an accounting degree with five years’ experience along with strong interpersonal and communication skills. If interested, please submit a cover letter and resume to: galba@spxmission.org.
Now hiring - drivers and aides - Assisted Transportation is hiring safe drivers and aides to transport students in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties, in company vans. Drivers earn $14 - $16 per hour. Part-time and full-time schedules available. CDL not required. Retirees are encouraged to apply. Make a difference in your community by helping those in need! Call (913) 262-5190 or visit www.assistedtransportation. com for more information. EEO. Make a meaningful impact today - Join L’Arche Heartland as a direct support professional in our residential homes. Contribute to the empowerment and enrichment of adults with developmental disabilities as they engage in meaningful lifestyles. We have immediate full-time positions available. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% coverage for medical, dental and vision expenses. Conveniently situated in downtown Overland Park. Training provided. Apply now by visiting our website at: www.larcheks.org/join-our-team or by emailing: james@larcheks.org. Catholic elementary school principal – St. Matthew, Topeka, is seeking an individual with demonstrated skill in the academic and spiritual formation of students, as well as in the recruitment, development and retention of high caliber, joyfully Catholic faculty and staff. The principal must be current regarding best practices in Catholic education and be able to lead a diverse community in continually striving for greatness. St. Matthew has approximately 140 students in grades K-8 and employs 15 teachers. Applicants for principal must be practicing Catholics, understand the mission of Catholic schools and have or be eligible for Kansas licensure in educational leadership. Proficiency in Spanish is preferred. Please apply on line at: www.archkckcs.org/apply. For more information, please contact Rev. John M. Torrez at: jtorrez@ archkck.org. Deadline for applications is Nov. Early childhood educators - With multiple locations in Johnson County, Special Beginnings Early Learning Center provides high quality child-care in a safe, loving Christian environment. Our classrooms are full and we are looking to add to our amazing team. We are looking for both full-time and part-time teachers for all ages of children. If you have an excellent work ethic, a heart for children and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education, we would love to meet you. For more information or to apply, call Anne at (913) 894-0131, ext. 102. Faculty and adjunct faculty job openings - Donnelly College, Kansas City, Kansas, is a Catholic college offering higher education for those who may not otherwise be served. Faculty job openings include prior learning coordinator, and nursing school faculty. Adjunct faculty job openings: clinical nursing adjunct, and psychology pool, English adjunct and math at Lansing Correctional Campus. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers. Caregivers needed - Daughter & Company is looking for compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide sitter services, light housekeeping and light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care management and occasional transportation for our clients. We need caregivers with reliable transportation and a cellphone for communication. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match up hours desired. Contact Gary or Laurie at (913) 341-2500 if you want to become part of an excellent caregiving team. Scientific equipment technician - Would you like to make a difference in a small growing company? Seeking individuals looking for flexible part-time work maintaining and repairing small equipment for our family company which has been in the local area for over 40 years. Service is completed at customer’s locations locally and within a four-state area. Dependable transportation is a must. Positive attitude, dependability, time management and self-motivation skills, as well as being quality- and customer-oriented are required. Mostly on-the-job training. Electrical knowledge a plus. Please send resume to: Yourcareer101@gmail.com.
SERVICES ACT Prep - Founded by a Bishop Miege graduate, pathway Prep has helped over 250 students during the last four years improve their scores. In-person or virtual sessions available. For more information, visit: pathwayprepkc.com and contact Alex Pint at (913) 991-8217 or: alex@pathwayprepkc.com. Divine Cleaning KC - Divine Cleaning KC is a Catholic, veteran, family-owned cleaning business offering residential and commercial recurring cleans. The typical clean is priced 13.5-14 cents per square foot. For an estimate or to schedule your first clean, send us a text at (913) 374-6332. WELLERBEEF.COM - Let us be your local farm source for beef for your dinner table. Local, Catholic, family farm. Humanely raised. No antibiotics/hormones. Grass fed and traditional. Starter pack to a whole cow. Free delivery in Kansas City area. We pay the butcher’s processing fees. 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.
Catholic counseling - For individuals, couples, families, adolescents and young adults. Sam Meier, MA, LPC. Call (913) 952-2267 or book an appointment at: StillwaterKC.com, in person or Telehealth. Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footing, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371, or email: dandeeconst@aol.com. Garage Door Repair Expert New Garage Doors Garage Floor Coatings A Total Door Inc., Sine ‘83. Leaven discount joe@atotaldoor.com (913) 236-6440 Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick, block and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; secondgeneration bricklayer. Member of St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 271-0362. Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704. Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee.
HOME IMPROVEMENT Free estimates - We are offering free estimates to all those thinking about painting this year. At Stone Painting, we put the customer first. We provide interior, exterior house painting along with deck staining, fence painting, etc. Stone Painting ensures a professional, clean and fair-priced job. Call today for your free estimate. (913) 963-6465. 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% www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com (913) 461-4052 Popcorn ceiling texture removal Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144. 30 years’ experience. Interior painting specialist. Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. 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) 5791835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. Tradesman - I do bathrooms, kitchens, basements, tile and all kinds of flooring, as well as painting, staining, sheetrock, knockdown ceilings, decks and fences. My family and I always appreciate the support. Please call Joshua at (913) 709-7230. Check out my Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/FSHomeExteriorsandRemodeling. Call or email Joshua to set up a free estimate at (913) 709-7230 or at: josh.fser@gmail.com. Haus to home remodeling - Let’s give that room a nice face-lift! Specializing in affordable room remodeling. From small projects to bathrooms and basements. We have lots of other services, too: tile, paint, carpentry, wood rot, decks, drywall, etc. Free estimates. For photos of our projects and to find out more about our company, visit us at: Haustohomekc. com or call Cole at (913) 544-7352. Local Handyman - Painting int. and ext., wood rot, mason repair), gutter cleaning (gutter covers), dryer vent cleaning, sump pump (replace, add new), windows, doors (interior and exterior) honey-do list, window cleaning and more! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118.
FOR SALE For sale - Three plots at Resurrection Cemetery. The plots are located in Queen of Heaven Garden, lot 145, space four and lot 147, spaces one and two. They have flat marker spaces. Current value is $2595 each, asking $2300 each and will pay the conveyance fee. Call Kevin at (913) 488-4440 For sale - Two niches/columbarium at Resurrection Cemetery located in the Holy Family Mausoleum, corridor/garden, Nativity section, tier E1, niches 206208. Original cost $5200, selling for $4000. Call Greg at (816) 944-6886. 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 - Two plots at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas. Section 3 Old, lot 136, plots 5 and 10. Flat markers only. Contact Ann at (913) 620-5687.
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DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LIVING NATIVITY Douglas County Fairgrounds 2120 Harper St., Lawrence Dec. 9 from 1 - 4 p.m.
Come experience the joy of the first Christmas. Join the Franciscan Servants of the Holy Family for this living Nativity. There will be live animals, music and more. This is a free event, but donations are welcome.
DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLA LITTLE FLOWER CIRCLE Mater Dei Parish (hall) 911 S.W. Clay, Topeka Dec. 9 at 11 a.m.
A rosary offered in the Holy Name Chapel will be followed by a catered Christmas luncheon for members and guests in the parish hall. If anyone knows of a member or family member of the Daughters of Isabella in need of the circle’s prayers, call Shirley Gustafson at (785) 554-3028 or chancellor Gen Orozco at (785) 213-0374.
BINGO NIGHT Sacred Heart Parish 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.
The Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus will be hosting bingo for cash prizes. Refreshments will be sold. For more information, call Bob at (913) 850-3348.
‘COMFORT AND JOY’ ADVENT CONCERT Mother Teresa Parish 2014 N.W. 46th St., Topeka Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.
Mother Teresa Parish will host Steve Angrisano and Sarah Hart in concert. All seating will be first-come, first-available in the sanctuary. A freewill offering will be collected to help with the expense of bringing these musical artists to Topeka for everyone to enjoy before the holidays. A reception will follow downstairs in the parish hall.
YEAR-END TAX REDUCING STRATEGIES WORKSHOP St. Joseph Parish (hall) 221 N. Sycamore, Nortonville Dec. 12 at 5:30 p.m.
Father William Dun-Dery invites all to attend Bill Eckert’s presentation on yearend tax-reducing strategies and charitable year-end giving. Learn ways to give through
stocks, life insurance and IRAs, and ways to minimize capital gains. Register online at: cfnek.org/events; send an email to Jane Schmitt at: jschmitt@archkck.org; or call (913) 647-3060.
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CELEBRATION Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park Dec. 12 at 6 p.m.
The evening will begin with Mass. The celebrant will be Father Bill Bruning and music will be provided by Mariachi Fuego. A reception will follow after Mass with Mexican pastries and hot chocolate in the church hall.
ST. LUCY DAY CELEBRATION Precious Blood Renewal Center 2120 St. Gaspar Way, Liberty, Missouri Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. - noon
Lucia Ferrara will lead a traditional ceremony that includes planting wheat to celebrate St. Lucy, beloved in Sicily and Sweden.
TIME CAPSULE OPENING Scranton Attendance Center 104 S. Burlingame Ave., Scranton Dec. 16 from 1:30 - 3 p.m.
The 106-year-old time capsule taken from the old St. Patrick Church at the time it was demolished will be opened in celebration of the fifth anniversary of the dedication of our new church. Get a ticket for a chance to be the one to open the time capsule at 2 p.m. Freewill donations toward the new parish hall building fund are appreciated.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Sacred Heart Parish 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas Dec. 17 from 8 - 11 a.m.
The Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus will be hosting an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast with Santa. The cost is: $7 for adults; $5 for children under the age of 12; and free for children 3 and under.
‘ADVENT LESSONS AND CAROLS’ Holy Angels Parish 15438 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor Dec. 17 at 3 p.m.
Holy Angels Church choir — directed by Hayley Pedroza and Laura Beeves — and the Schola Cantorum from Christ the King Parish in Kansas City, Kansas — directed by Douglas O’Neill — will team up to perform a service of readings, song
and prayer that pertain to the Advent season. Come to hear the beautiful music of the season. A reception will follow in the narthex.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA St. Patrick Parish (center) 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas Dec. 17 from 8 - 11 a.m.
The Knights of Columbus Bicentennial Council of St. Patrick Parish is hosting a breakfast. The cost is a freewill offering. There will be scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes, and biscuits and gravy. Santa Claus will be stopping by for breakfast from 8 - 11 a.m.
CAROLERS OF NOTE Divine Mercy Parish 555 W. Main St., Gardner Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m.
Carolers of Note is a professional partnership of musicians from across the metropolitan area. Come hear them perform classic Christmas carols (in period dress).
>> Continued from page 12 For sale - Single plot suitable for regular burial or cremation. Mt. Calvary Cemetery, KCK. Section 11, lot 80, space 3-A. Valued at $2200. Sell for $2100 and I pay conveyance fee. Contact David at (913) 980-0042.
PILGRIMAGE Pilgrimage - Join us for a pilgrimage to Medjugorje March 12 - 20, 2024; May 14 - 22, 2024; and June 16 - 28, 2024 (Poland and Medjugorje). Are you being called to go? Hosted by visionary Mirjana Soldo. Call Grace Legaspi for details at (913) 449-1806.
REAL ESTATE We are local people who can buy your house - Big companies from all over the nation come here buying houses, but that’s not us. We are parishioners of Holy Trinity Parish and we enjoy giving you personalized service. We can offer you a fair price and are flexible to your needs. If I can help, call me, Mark Edmondson, at (913) 980-4905. We’re the Stone Brothers - Identical twin realtors, dedicated to helping you with all things real estate. We offer complimentary items of value, including FREE home appraisals, up-to-date info on interest rates, etc. We are here to help — the cornerstone for all of your real estate needs! Contact Stone Brothers Realty at: moffittrealty.com or (913) 963-6465.
‘HOPE BEYOND HOPE: A WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION’ Precious Blood Renewal Center 2120 St. Gaspar Way, Liberty, Missouri In-person or by Zoom Dec. 21 from 6:30 - 8 p.m.
We buy houses and whole estates - We are local and family-owned, and will make you a fair cash offer. We buy houses in any condition. No fees or commissions and can close on the date of your choice. Selling your house has never felt so good. Jon & Stacy Bichelmeyer (913) 599-5000.
We gather on the winter solstice to remember how God transcends the bitter divisions that cause us to despair and offers us the opportunity to “hope beyond hope.”
Saint Rita Home Care - Compassionate care in the comfort of home. We serve people in Johnson; Douglas; Miami; Franklin and Leavenworth counties. Kansas state licensed, non-medical home care agency. Contact us today for supportive care at: www. saintritahc.com; rmargush@saintritahc.com; or (913) 229-4267.
GUIDED MEDITATION FOR THE NEW YEAR Via Zoom Jan. 3 from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Companion/sitter - Older woman can be a companion/ sitter. Flexible hours OK, short-term OK. No heavy lifting. Experienced in child care. Call (913) 602-1289.
Join us for a guided meditation and reflection focusing on Jesus’ presentation in the Temple. In this story, we hear about how Mary and Joseph brought their infant son to be presented to the Most High. Part of this Jewish custom included making an offering and sacrifice to God. We are reminded of our own need to make offerings and sacrifices pleasing to the Lord. There will be a Scripture reading, guided meditation, quiet reflection time and sharing. To register, go online to: www.mountosb.org/program-offerings and click on the guided meditation link. Register by Dec. 31. Once we have received you registration, we will send you an invoice for the retreat. There are scholarships available. If you would like to make a request, send an email to Sister Carol Ann at: sophia@mountosb.org.
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. Family member with dementia or need help at home? - We specialize in helping seniors live SAFELY at home, where they want to live! We also offer free dementia training and resources for families and caregivers. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www. Benefitsofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591.
WANTED TO BUY Wanted to buy - Do you have a car or truck that you need to get rid of? If you do, CALL ME! I’m a cash buyer. We’re Holy Trinity parishioners. My name is Mark. (913) 980-4905. Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, sterling, etc. Single pieces or estate. Renee, (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee. Cash paid - for old tools, old jewelry, old furniture, military items, fishing lures, hunting items, old crocks, arrowheads and old signs. I buy all kinds of older things — house or barn contents, an estate or just one item. Call Patricia any time at (913) 515-2950. Parishioner at Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa. Wanted to buy - I buy coin collections, military items, pocket watches, jewelry, class rings, old toys, holiday items and more. Cash in hand. Call Kirk at (913) 2139843.
SOLUTION
14 COLUMNISTS
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
These are gifts that keep on giving
DAILY READINGS SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT Dec. 10 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT Is 40: 1-5, 9-11 Ps 85: 9-14 2 Pt 3: 8-14 Mk 1: 1-8 Dec. 11 Damasus I, pope Is 35: 1-10 Ps 85: 9ab, 10-14 Lk 5: 17-26 Dec. 12 OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE Zec 2: 14-17 (Ps) Jdt 13: 18bc, 19 Lk 1: 26-38 Dec. 13 Lucy, virgin, martyr Is 40: 25-31 Ps 103: 1-4, 8, 10 Mt 11: 28-30 Dec. 14 John of the Cross, priest, doctor of the church Is 41: 13-20 Ps 145: 1, 9-13b Mt 11: 11-15 Dec. 15 Friday Is 48: 17-19 Ps 1: 1-4, 6 Mt 11: 16-19 Dec. 16 Saturday Sir 48: 1-4, 9-11 Ps 80: 2-3, 15-16, 18-19 Mt 17: 9a, 10-13
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f you, like me, tend to lose your mind — if not your religion — at this time of year by fruitlessly searching for a parking spot or battling crowds as you shop for Christmas gifts in person, take heart. Stop the insanity by purchasing books and products online and even have them delivered to the recipients. This time around, I’m recommending some children’s books. These books, however, contain valuable lessons for adults as well. A bonus is that reading these books to children can foster intergenerational ties, and the artwork in these editions is captivating. Here are some of my favorites: • “The Sparkle Box: A Gift with the Power to Change Christmas,” by Jill Hardie (2011; 32 pgs.; $19.79) shows how kindness expressed in good deeds can transform Christmas. It even comes with a sparkle box. • “The Legend of the Poinsettia,” by Tomie dePaola (1997; 32 pgs.;
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.
paperback, $6.99) tells the marvelous story of how this iconic Christmas flower came to be. • “The Giving Snowman,” by Julia Zheng (2021; 27 pgs.; paperback, $11.69) is a lovely story about the importance of generosity toward those in need. • “The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey,” by Susan Wojciechowski (2015; 40 pgs.; $16.19) is a moving tale about a sad and reclusive woodcarver
1542-1591
A doctor of the church, John is also one of its great mystics and poets. Born Juan de Yepes de Alvarez in Spain, he was raised by his mother and entered a Carmelite monastery in 1563. He was ordained in 1567. Finding the Carmelites very lax, he joined with St. Teresa of Avila to reform the order. In 1568, he entered the first reformed house for men, taking the name John of the Cross. He encountered severe opposition and was even imprisoned for nine months in a monastery cell, where he began writing poems. “The Dark Night of the Soul” is his most famous work. Only after his death was John recognized as co-founder of the Discalced Carmelites. He is the patron saint of mystics and poets.
post office. It was a gift from the travel company that organized the pilgrimage I was on. Why, oh why, did they send this? They found my Achilles heel — bread — and now, I can’t seem to get enough of this product. It’s called Monks’ Bread and is made by the Trappists at the Abbey of the Genesee in Piffard, New York. The bread comes in a variety of flavors from, among others, white to maple cinnamon to sunflower with rolled oats to wheat whole grain. And did I mention they also have jams/ preserves and biscotti? They offer other treats as well in all kinds of bundles. I’d better just give you the website now before my mouth starts to water: monksbread.com. I’m guessing there’s still time to head online and order any of these books or products in time for Christmas. And, if ordering from the religious orders, help them out a little more by getting something for yourself as well!
Advent teaches us that some things really are worth waiting for
I JOHN OF THE CROSS
whose life is transformed by the simple request of a widow and her young son. • “The Message of the Birds,” by Kate Westerlund (2013; 32 pgs.; $10.19) emphasizes the message (spoiler alert!): “Let there be peace on Earth” and how that simple but powerful message, so often “unsung in the world,” can spread from one person to another. I’d also recommend gifts that are not only beautiful (and, you’ll see below, delicious) but contribute to the support of various religious orders. Every year, I purchase Christmas cards from The Printery House in Conception,
Missouri. But this ministry of the Benedictines offers much more than greeting cards. They sell beautiful crosses and rosaries, icons, Mystic Monk coffee and mugs, children’s gifts, ornaments and even hand-crafted soaps (made by the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, Missouri). An extensive catalog can be viewed online, and orders placed, at: www.PrinteryHouse.org or call 1 (800) 322-2737. If delicious treats are on your list for someone, you can’t go wrong by ordering from the Trappists at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. They’ll tempt your taste buds with everything from Monks Choice coffee to preserves to fruitcakes to fudge (many flavored with Kentucky bourbon). Orders can be placed through the website at: gethsemanifarms.org or by calling 1 (800) 549-0912. A week or so after I returned from the Holy Land after Easter, there was a box for me at the
f nothing else, Advent should remind us of this inconvenient truth: We are people in a hurry. Remember when we loved overnight delivery? Now, we want everything in 30 minutes — whether it’s a pizza or paper towels. In 2023, we just don’t want to wait. For anything. Ever. But in the middle of this, for four short weeks, waiting is what we do. The church presses the “pause” button. Stop. Watch. Wait. Here is Advent. We find ourselves suddenly in a state of suspended animation. It’s the season of expectation, of longing. The church says, gently but
DEACON GREG KANDRA Deacon Greg Kandra is an award-winning author and journalist, and creator of the blog “The Deacon’s Bench.” He serves in the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York.
firmly: Wait for it. Just wait. A child is coming, a hope is
dawning. Like prisoners in a cell, we mark the days. We light candles in a wreath, one at a time, week by week. We fold open the cardboard windows of the Advent calendar, day by day, one day at a time, for 25 days. This is Advent. It is the season when we wait — but also when we have work to do. “Be watchful,” Jesus told us in the Gospel last week. Here, on the second Sunday of the season, we hear it loud and clear. Make the highway straight, Isaiah tells us. “Prepare,” John the Baptist says. “Prepare the way of the Lord.” What are we prepar-
ing for? Spoiler alert: It isn’t the presents and the tree, the cards and the tinsel. No. It is Jesus Christ, the King of kings. Only by making ourselves ready to encounter Christ today can we make ourselves ready to encounter him at the end of time. So prepare! Repent! Make the crooked paths straight. Heal a wound. Mend a fence. Comfort the suffering, sick and poor. Pray for the outcast and forgotten. Look beyond. And look within. And do it all with love. Think of this as a time when we put out the welcome mat for the Son of
God. We light a candle. We make the walkway to the front door of our lives straight. We stand at the door and invite him in. What will he find when he arrives? Will we be ready? In a few weeks, wise men will be scanning the skies. They will be looking for the sign that the waiting is over, that hope is on the horizon. A star will appear. Light will break through. That is what all the waiting and wondering and worrying is all about. At a time when nobody wants to wait — delivery here yet? — Advent assures us that some things really are worth the wait.
Pope: Places, mentalities must be more receptive to people with disabilities VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Making places more accessible for people with disabilities requires removing physical barriers and adjusting attitudes to be more open and inclusive, Pope Francis said. The pope’s prayer intention for the month of December is dedicated to “people with disabilities,” and in his video
message, he said, “programs and initiatives are needed that promote their inclusion.” The Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, formerly known as the Apostleship of Prayer, released the monthly pope video Nov. 28. “Civil institutions need to support their projects through access to education, employment, and places where [people with disabilities] can
express their creativity,” he said. But “above all else,” the pope added, “big hearts are needed.” “It means changing our mentality a little and opening ourselves to the abilities and talents of these people who are differently abled, both in society as well as in the life of the church,” the pope said.
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DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Looking for a Christmas gift for a teen? Look no further.
“T
oday, here in this Mass, is the most important thing you will do all week. This is the reason we exist, and if you don’t choose God in this life, you are not going to be able to choose him in eternity.” — Father Adam Wilczak’s Sunday homily on the solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe. As parents, we are the first educators of our children. But it takes all of us in the church to help our young people to choose eternity when they are being bombarded daily to choose the world.
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RICK CHEEK Rick Cheek is the consultant for the office of evangelization and Catholic formation of youth.
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann talks frequently to young people throughout the archdiocese about how important a relationship with Jesus
is to their personal spiritual development. One powerful tool to expedite an encounter between young people and Christ is a mountaintop experience. This Nov. 17-19, I had the opportunity with my small advanced team to lead 215 young people and adult leaders to NCYC
2023 “Fully Alive” in Indianapolis. National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) is a powerful and unique three-day experience of prayer, community, evangelization, catechesis, service and empowerment for Catholic high schoolers and their adult chaperones. Several teens shared with me they had participated in “the best Mass ever” at this mountaintop event. Mountaintop encounters are not just for high school students. February 25, 2024, is the archdiocesan Jr. High Rally at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg. The theme is “Trans-
figured,” based on the readings for the Second Sunday of Lent. Stacey Sumereau will be the keynote speaker and lead the girls’ breakout session; the guys’ break out session will be led by Braden Johnson; the Mikey Needleman band and Mike Debus will help lead praise and worship; and the archbishop will be the celebrant for Mass. The first talk is “Living a Transfigured Life: Apologetics for Generation Alpha.” What does it mean to live transfigured in America in 2024? Stacey will dive into seeing God working in our story, staying strong in a hostile culture and
defending our faith. The second talk is: “If you do nothing else, do THIS.” How could Abraham’s faith withstand God’s testing him by demanding the life of his only son? This talk focuses on building a relationship with God that can withstand trials. With a regular practice of surrendering to God’s will, anyone can live the fullness of Pope John Paul’s exhortation to “Be not afraid!” Parents or grandparents, if you are seeking an encounter with Christ for your children or grandchildren, consider a ticket to the Jr. High Youth Rally this February.
Help celebrate the successes in special-needs ministry
t’s the time of year when we reflect back on the past year and give thanks and praise for all of the wonderful blessings given to us. Help us in the special-needs ministry to celebrate all those wonderful things — not just at the end of the year, but all year round. Recently, we published our first monthly newsletter. Much like how our prayer life should start with giving thanks, I want our newsletter to start with a story of celebrating or giving thanks to God for the good things happening with serving individuals and
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DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU
LEARNING TO LOVE LIKE HIM
JOSHUA RUOFF Joshua Ruoff is the lead consultant for the archdiocesan special-needs ministry. He can be reached by email at: jruoff@ archkck.org.
families with special needs in the archdiocese. If you know of something happening
in your parish or school serving individuals with disabilities, please send it to us so that we can highlight the good works being done. I want to celebrate two different groups of people who have done tremendous work supporting and serving
individuals with special needs. In the Nov. 10 edition of The Leaven, I hope you read about the robotics team at Bishop Miege High School helping Parker McElroy celebrate Halloween in style. Such a small act of kindness made such a profound impact on Parker and his family, but also on the students involved in creating his costume. Helping to bring joy to someone else’s life, brought joy to those students’ lives as well. Just as bringing someone closer to Jesus brings us closer to him. Another great example of kindness
comes from Church of the Ascension, which has done tremendous work in providing support to caregivers and individuals with special needs in the areas of sacraments and faith formation. This was highlighted in the Nov. 3 edition of The Leaven. There are so many similar stories such as these happening all over the archdiocese. Oftentimes, they go under the radar and are never recognized. I understand the importance of making others aware of these great things so that it may help or inspire others. Please help us to share the good
news of helping those with special needs be closer to Christ. We are incredibly thankful for each of you who helps us to spread the Gospel to people of all abilities. We can never repay you for all that you do to help us. One small way that we want to thank you is to pray for you. Along with sharing your great efforts, please share with us your prayer intentions that we also plan to share in our monthly newsletters so that we may help each other be closer to Christ through prayer and hopefully one day celebrate together at the heavenly banquet.
Thoughts of Thanksgiving from students and parents
hroughout each school year, the Catholic Education Foundation receives special thank-you notes from students who are receiving CEF scholarships. Some of the notes simply say “Thank you for my scholarship” or “Thank you, CEF.” Some notes offer more detail, like when children write about how happy they are to be able to pray at school every day with their friends. The notecards are usually handwritten and include drawings of school-themed or religious images. The ones that
CEF CENTERED
VINCENT ANCH Vince Anch is the executive director of the Catholic Education Foundation.
are created using construction paper remind me of my years attending a Catholic grade school. Our
students are very artistic. The drawings are just as impactful as the messages written inside each notecard. One thing these notes have in common is the sheer gratitude that is expressed in them. Equally powerful are the notes that we
receive from grateful parents. CEF is currently providing approximately 1,800 children with scholarships. These children would not be able to attend a Catholic school without CEF scholarships. They are life-changing gifts to families that generous people have made possible by supporting CEF. In addition to their thank-you notes, many children and parents are praying for those who have made their Catholic education possible. This includes people who have donated, volunteered or even prayed for CEF and our schools. One parent sent a
letter recently stating: “We pray for God’s blessings upon your endeavors and daily life.” We should all be mindful that when small miracles happen in our lives, perhaps they originated from someone praying for us. Here are some samples of thank-you messages recently sent to CEF: “Thank you for supporting me. It has really helped me and my family.” — Alli “I get to go to school somewhere that would allow me to grow in my faith.” — Maura “I think having a Catholic education is important because you get to learn more about
God.” — Lilly “Jesus’ love flows on forever because of you!” — Cam “My family is really appreciative of the scholarships you provided for my children, and we aim to repay your generosity by seeing our children thrive in their studies and have amazing careers.” — A parent On behalf of all of CEF’s students, their families and our schools, CEF would like to thank everyone who has supported our scholarship programs. This has truly been a blessed Thanksgiving for many very thankful students and families.
LOCAL NEWS 16
DECEMBER 8, 2023 | THELEAVEN.ORG
ADVENTURES IN SUBSTITUTE TEACHING
Retiree finds reward as he (temporarily) leads a classroom
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD
Michael Aguirre (left), Juliano Seyedi and Ivan Garcia enjoy a moment of camaraderie as Holy Name of Jesus students in Kansas City, Kansas, gather in the cafeteria to begin their day with prayer.
By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — “In the morning, we have all the kids together in the cafeteria,” said Michael Morrisey, substitute teacher at Holy Name of Jesus Grade School here. “And these little pre-K kids are calling me Mr. Tall Man.” Mr. Tall Man is having the experience of a lifetime as he adventures into retirement by substitute teaching. As the former executive director of the archdiocese’s School Advancement Program, Morrisey knew the need for teachers was great. He’s since learned the path to becoming a substitute is surprisingly simple. Above all, he knows now that the rewards are immeasurable. “How can you affect the world in the best and most positive way?” he reflected. “It would be by working with kids.” Principals across the archdiocese are hoping the opportunity to be a substitute teacher appeals to people looking for a positive way to use their time, especially retirees. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, which tracks public schools, almost 80% had trouble filling teacher openings for this school year. “We as a diocese have felt this teacher shortage in regards to qualified candidates, too, for sure,” said archdiocesan school office research/data manager Amy Lanham. “Since January 2023, we have had 204 [teacher] openings across the archdiocese.” With a commitment to the highest quality of education for its students, the archdiocese has worked to fill these openings. Now it’s reaching out to those with a heart for helping children to substitute teach. “Teachers have to be gone sometimes,” said Holy Name of Jesus principal Randy Smith. “Having an outstanding substitute makes a big difference — not only for the culture of the classroom, but for the academic piece as well.” Morrisey and his wife Patty have supported Holy Name of Jesus School for years. Smith talked with Morrisey about the lack of substitutes when his fifth grade teacher had to take a leave of absence. “And I thought, ‘I can do that,’” recalled Morrisey. “My background is
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD
Taking a break from studies, substitute teacher Michael Morrisey entertains students by sharing a chapter from a novel they’re currently reading. education. That’s what I studied to do, I just never did it; I went into business instead. “In my mind, it was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse.” In addition to having 60 hours of college credit, substitute teachers must take certain steps to qualify through the state of Kansas and the archdiocese. (See sidebar) But Morrisey found the process uncomplicated. “I guess from start to finish,” he said, “it would probably be less than two weeks for me to get that license.” After a license is obtained, substitutes for the archdiocese must complete a background screening and be Virtus-trained (that is, complete a sexual abuse awareness workshop). Once they’re in a classroom, substitutes will find a wealth of support. “From a substitute standpoint,” said Smith, “it’s rewarding because they’re being supported by the school. “The faculty and staff make them feel welcome — like they’re a part of that school — even though they may only be there for one day that week.”
Lesson plans are prepared ahead of time for substitutes and students know the routines and procedures. “It’s like anything you try new,” said Smith. “At first, you’re going to be a little nervous about it, but eventually you’ll get the hang of it.” Morrisey has a class of 12 students and finds his greatest challenge is simply making a positive impression in the time he is with them. “I’m going to help you in three areas,” he recalled telling his students. “Spirituality, which certainly is foremost; academics; and social skills. When I’m out of here in six weeks, you’re going to be better.” “With that understanding,” he added, “it doesn’t really make any difference what you’re teaching; those are the core values on how we want to help these kids.” His own experience has convinced Morrisey that there are many people throughout the archdiocese who might enjoy a stint as a substitute teacher. “There is a need,” he said, “not just at Holy Name, but everywhere. “And I know there are people out
How to become a substitute teacher 1. Apply online for a current state of Kansas substitute teaching licensure through the Kansas State Department of Education at: www. ksde.org. 2. Search online for job openings at: archkckcs.org/job-board. 3. Fill out an online substitute teaching application at: archkckcs. org/apply. In order to be eligible to substitute in archdiocesan Catholic schools, applicants also need to complete a background check and be Virtus-trained.
there who could do this if they are just made aware of the opportunity.” “It can be very rewarding,” added Smith, “especially if they have a love for Jesus Christ in their hearts.”