THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 45, NO. 20 | JANUARY 5, 2024
BY JOE BOLLIG
| STORY BEGINS ON PAGE 4
2 LOCAL NEWS
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG
February gala will support the new shrine, Cathedral of St. Peter By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
Archbishop Naumann is starting off the new year on retreat; his column will return to this space next week.
ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN’S CALENDAR
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Cathedral of St. Peter here is known as the archbishop’s church, but if you’re an archdiocesan Catholic, it’s your church, too. That’s something worth celebrating. But there’s another reason to celebrate, too. The cathedral is now the archdiocesan shrine of St. Maria Soledad, foundress of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick — more commonly known as the Sisters, Servants of Mary. The inaugural Cathedral Gala to support the cathedral and the shrine will be held on Feb. 10. It will begin with a 4 p.m. Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, followed by a social hour in the parish hall, and then a dinner. Msgr. Thomas Tank will be the guest speaker. The gala’s honorary chairpersons are Mike and Susan Carroll. The attire will be formal and seating will be limited. Tickets are $125 for a single person and $250 for a couple. Also available are table sponsorships ranging from $500 up to $5,000. For information and tickets, go online to: cathedralkck.org/ cathedral-gala. “It’s being held to support the cathedral’s infrastructure and the shrine of St. Soledad,” said Father Anthony J. Saiki, cathedral rector. The goal is to raise $100,000. The first Mass was celebrated in the bishop’s Kansas City, Kansas, residence in 1907, and the first church was dedicated in 1908. Construction of a grand stone church began in 1925 and was consecrated in 1927. It became the cathedral in 1947, when the see was transferred from Leavenworth to Kansas City, Kansas. The cathedral is in one sense just another archdiocesan parish. Father Saiki, as rector, is its pastor. The parish has 500 families and thus is smaller than the archdiocese’s suburban parishes in Johnson County. “[The cathedral neighborhood] is a very close-knit residential area,” said Father Saiki. “People walk the neighborhood and kids walk to school. It’s almost a throwback to how a lot of places were in the 1950s and the 1960s. People know their neighbors, and the church bells really do tell everybody in the community it’s time for Mass. In some sense, it hasn’t lost the old city neighborhood character. “But there have been tremendous shifts in demographics. We’ve seen quite an increase in our Hispanic population and there’s a tremendous richness in that. We also have our community from Eritrea in northeast Africa. They’ve made this their home for the past 10 years and they’re very faithful coming to Mass here.” “We have Micronesian families and Vietnamese families,” he continued. “Really, it’s a very diverse community. So many of these people feel
Notice
Jan. 5-12 Region IX bishops retreat — California Jan. 14 Installation of Father Abner Ables, CS — Holy Cross, Overland Park Little Brother of the Lamb David’s first vows — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kansas Jan. 16 Priests Personnel board meeting — chancery Administrative Team meeting — chancery Annual high school administrators’ Mass and dinner — residence
LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE
The inaugural Cathedral Gala to support the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas, and the shrine of St. Maria Soledad will be held on Feb. 10. It will begin with a 4 p.m. Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.
EVERY CATHOLIC IN THE ARCHDIOCESE HAS A SPIRITUAL CLAIM TO THE CATHEDRAL AS THEIR SPIRITUAL HOME. FATHER ANTHONY J. SAIKI CATHEDRAL RECTOR
comfortable calling the cathedral their home.” But, in another sense, the cathedral has a much greater significance. “’It’s the archbishop’s church,” said Father Saiki. “It houses his cathedra — his seat of authority. The symbolism is that it is his church, the mother church of the archdiocese. . . . Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann has said that every Catholic in the archdiocese has a spiritual claim to the cathedral as their spiritual home.” The cathedral gained even more importance on Oct. 10 when Archbishop Naumann designated it the archdiocesan shrine of St. Maria Soledad. On Dec. 2, which is Mother Soledad’s birthday, Archbishop Naumann celebrated the new status of the cathedral as a shrine. This was done out of gratitude for the medical and spiritual ministry of
the Sisters, Servants of Mary, whose provincial house is located just a few blocks from the cathedral. The shrine, with a statue and relic of St. Soledad, is in Our Lady’s Chapel of the cathedral. The chapel is kept locked, but those who want to visit can call the parish office at (913) 371-0840 to make an appointment. Two people who’ve been very active in the life of the cathedral are the honorary chairpersons of the upcoming gala, Mike and Susan Carroll. Susan literally spent most of her life hearing the cathedral bells calling her to Mass. “We raised our family there,” she said. “I’ve experienced [almost all] of my sacramental moments there — baptism, first Communion and confirmation. Mike and I were married at the cathedral 60 years ago.” They were heavily involved in many cathedral ministries over the years. Although they had to move and became members of St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee this past year, their hearts and history are very much tied to the cathedral. “I like to call this gala a family celebration,” said Susan. “The cathedral is the family church of the archdiocese and belongs to all families. Archbishop Naumann is our shepherd and this is his church. The gala honors our past and our present, and it looks forward to an exciting future.”
Marlene and Robert Keating, members of Corpus Christi Parish, Lawrence, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on Jan. 9. The couple was married on Jan. 9, 1954, at St. Vincent Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Their children are: Carrie (deceased), Robert Jr., Bill, Ed, Jerry, Joe and Tony. They also have 17 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. George E. and Jeanette (Schmidt) Ready, members of Queen of the Holy Rosary Church, Bucyrus, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Dec 29. The couple was married at St. Martin Church in Huron, South Dakota. Their children are: Karen Pinney, Scott Ready and Suzanne Gochis. They also have eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. They will celebrate with family in February. Dale and Edna (Heinen) Bohn, members of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Lawrence, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Jan. 5. The couple was married on Jan. 5, 1974, at St. Mary Church, Purcell. They will celebrate with a family trip in the spring. Their children are: Jerrod Bohn and Angie (Bohn) Whalen.
LOCAL NEWS 3
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG
PARISH INVESTS IN PRECIOUS COMMODITY Tonganoxie generations build solid foundation — together
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS
From left, Connie Putthoff, Addie Dean, Adlen Johnson and Father Mark Goldasich share a laugh during a game of generation gap trivia. Individuals in the younger generation were challenged to questions the older generation would likely know the answers to and vice versa.
By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
T
ONGANOXIE — Religious educators at Sacred Heart Church here believe parishioners of all ages have much to offer one another. “This older generation has great stories — not just about their faith, but life in general — that they could share with these kids,” said Jennifer Eastes. “And I think the older generation gets a kick out of interacting with the younger kids,” she added. Eastes and Nancy Lanza, directors of religious education at Sacred Heart, brought the generations together during a shareholder dinner held Dec. 3 at the church. The evening included a meal and entertainment provided by the youth involved in religious education, particularly its confirmation program. Leading up to the event, parishioners had the opportunity to select an envelope with a number from $1-$100 representing the amount they wished to pay for the experience. “It really means that almost every person in the parish can participate,” said Lanza, “regardless of what kind of financial means they have. “And nobody ever knows how much you spent.” In the past, donations have funded the youth group’s trips to places like the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) and other needs. Father Mark Goldasich, pastor of Sacred Heart, said it’s a chance for parishioners who support the youth to receive a “return on their investment.” “They get a nice dinner and get to meet the kids in person,” he said, “and experience how their generosity is paying off in growing the faith of our younger parish members. “It’s a win-win for the adults and the kids.” Seeing that their fellow parishioners care about them is important for the youth, said Eastes. “I think it was neat to see how much support they get in our parish,” she said, “even from people that they
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS
Dominic Jones, left, and Griffith Dean chat with parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in Tonganoxie during the shareholder dinner on Dec. 3. The evening, which benefited Sacred Heart’s religious education program, included musical performances by some of the youth. don’t even know.” A favorite part of the dinner for many was the generation gap trivia. A few of the youth were challenged to questions the older participants would likely know the answers to and vice versa. “It was a lot of fun with good-humored competition and friendly teasing,” said Addie Dean, one of the youth. “It made it a lot of fun to try and answer questions that you had no idea about,” she continued, “while the person next to you was practically bursting with the answer.” Like her peers, Dean also helped with the event’s preparation by setting up tables, serving dinner and clearing plates. “I thought it was really important to make sure that everyone there knew
how much their contribution to the confirmation program means to us,” she said. “We have a lot of fun,” she continued, “so I was happy to help with the dinner and tried to make sure everyone there knew that we appreciated their support.” Lanza hoped that by fostering the relationship between the generations, the youth felt a sense of belonging. “Everybody at the parish wants them there,” she said. “I can only hope and pray that down the road they remember that and will want to stay in their faith at a parish. “And knowing that no matter what their age is they have a place there — they’re welcomed.” Father Goldasich said the strong youth participation in religious edu-
President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann
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cation at his parish is a sign of hope. “It gives great comfort to the older generation to see young Catholics,” he said, “to know that the church will continue to go on and be strong. “And the kids can know that they contribute to the life of their parish by their presence and their joyfulness.” Lanza said the strong turnout at the shareholder dinner is a testament to the spirit at Sacred Heart. “We have an absolutely amazing parish,” she said, “especially for the size that we are and the resources that we have. “They are absolutely the most generous people that I’ve ever seen. There’s never a time that they don’t respond joyfully and generously to any of our needs.”
Editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org
Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org
Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org
Social Media Editor/Reporter Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
4 LOCAL NEWS
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG
ARCHDIOCESAN YEAR IN REVIEW Passings, celebrations and eucharistic processions galore
By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The big story of 2023 can be said in just two words: Eucharistic Revival. It’s a continuing story, to be sure, begun in 2022 when the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops launched its Eucharistic Revival initiative on the solemnity of Corpus Christi on June 19. The initiative is divided into three “years,” each beginning in June. In June 2023, we entered the diocesan year of Eucharistic Revival. In response, many parishes hosted various activities, events and liturgies, especially eucharistic processions and eucharistic adoration. But the revival wasn’t the only big news. There was big papal news. Catholics around the world mourned the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who just missed 2023 by dying on Dec. 31. Likewise, people commemorated the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ pontificate on March 13. Events far away from the archdiocese still had local impact. The Synod on Synodality (the Sixteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops) began in 2021 with local “listening sessions” and finally reached the universal stage in Rome beginning on Oct. 4, lasting three weeks. In parishes all over the archdiocese, many prayed for those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which was in its second year. They also prayed for those affected by the Israel-Hamas War, which began with terrorist attacks from Gaza on Oct. 7. Sadly, we mourned the deaths of Father Don Cullen, Father Vince Krische, Father John C. Maier (a Leavenworth native), Father John Melnick and Deacon Tony Zimmerman. Happily, we celebrated the ordinations of Deacon Aaron Waldeck and Father Colm Larkin, Father George Rhodes and Father Timothy Skoch. The year 2023 was filled with celebrations, anniversaries, initiatives, pastoral action and personal milestones. Only a small part of archdiocesan life could be recorded in The Leaven. So, before we close the book on the old year, let’s take one last look back at the people and events that comprised the life in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas in 2023.
January • Archdiocesan Catholics mourned the death of Pope Benedict XVI, 95, who died on Dec. 31, 2022, at Monastero Mater Ecclesiae in Vatican City. He reigned from April 16, 2005, to Feb. 28, 2013, the first pope to resign since 1415. • The Kansas attorney general released a report on Jan. 13 by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation of an investigation of historical allegations of sexual abuse made against Catholic clergy in the state. • Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann celebrated a Mass and later blessed the new eucharistic adoration chapel and Marian grotto on Jan. 15 at Immaculate Conception Parish in St. Marys. • Father John Edward Melnick, 62, of the Society of St. Augustine, died on Jan. 15 at St. Luke’s Hospital North in Kansas City, Missouri. A native of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada, he was former director of campus ministry and religious studies instructor at Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas. • Deacon Phillip Gilbert of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and his wife Christine visited students at St. Benedict School in Atchison on Jan. 19 after fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. • Archdiocesan Catholics joined Archbishop Naumann at the National March for
LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE
The archdiocese’s ongoing participation in the national Eucharistic Revival movement shifted from the archdiocesan level to the parish level in June 2023. Life Vigil Mass on Jan. 19, later followed by the National March for Life on Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C. • Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas held its annual Snow Ball on Jan. 21 in Overland Park. • Bishop Gerald Vincke of the Diocese of Salina was the homilist at the annual Red Mass for those involved in government, celebrated by the bishops of Kansas on Jan. 23 at St. Joseph Church in Topeka. • The annual IGNITE for Life rally was held on Jan. 24 at the Topeka Performing Arts Center. The event featured speaker Lila Rose, Mass with the bishops of Kansas and the state March for Life and rally on the south steps of the Kansas Capitol. • The archdiocese announced the death of Father John C. Maier, 87, on Nov. 18, 2022, a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Des Moines and native of Leavenworth, at St. John Hospital in Leavenworth. • The Church of the Nativity in Leawood held the Journey to Joy women’s retreat on Jan. 28. • Archdiocesan Catholics Terry and
Peggy Dunn, Jan and Lynn Reardon, and Mark and Abby Henke helped raise funds for building a new motherhouse for the Sisters of the Society of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) in Violet, Texas. • The deteriorating upper third of the Assumption Church twin towers in Topeka were removed.
February • The archdiocesan school office held its first-ever Discover Day and Career Fair for teachers on Feb. 4 at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas. The Discovery Day was for families to learn more about Catholic schools, while the Career Fair was for educators to learn about employment in Catholic schools. • Archbishop Naumann joined the management of Villa St. Francis in Olathe for a groundbreaking on Feb. 7 on a project to improve the facility. • The Kansas Catholic College Student Convention Mass on Feb. 10 was celebrated
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Sister Lucia meets a few of the girls of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood during the Feb. 24 fish fry. Sister Lucia is the new school campus minister at St. Michael. She was one of three nuns from the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SCTJM) who arrived to serve in the archdiocese on Feb. 20.
by Archbishop Naumann. • Archbishop. Naumann celebrated the annual White Mass for Catholics in the medical professions on Feb. 11 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Kansas City, Missouri. • Archbishop Naumann celebrated the World Marriage Day Mass on Feb. 12 at Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe. • A “Week for Your Marriage” retreat for Hispanic married couples was held Feb. 13-18 at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Kansas City, Kansas. • Deacon Tony Zimmerman, 71, former lead consultant of the archdiocesan office of marriage and family life, died on Feb. 18. He served as a permanent deacon for more than 16 years. • Brad DuPont became lead consultant of the archdiocesan marriage and family life office. • Three nuns from a new community to the archdiocese, the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary (SCTJM), arrived in the archdiocese on Feb. 20. • The University of St. Mary, Leavenworth, for the first time held its annual Lincoln Event on Feb. 21 at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. • The Benedictine College Scholarship Ball was held on Feb. 25 at the Overland Park Convention Center. • The archdiocesan Junior High Youth Rally was held on Feb. 26 at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg. • Men from across the archdiocese gathered for the one-day Men Under Construction retreat on Feb. 25 at Ascension Parish in Overland Park. • Rites of Election for people entering the Catholic Church were held at St. Matthew Parish in Topeka and Church of the Ascension in Overland Park on Feb. 26. • Schools and parishes in Atchison, Purcell and Good Intent raised funds to help Father Hughes Sundeme buy and ship a pickup truck to Ghana to aid in his mission work upon his return home. • Joe Loughman, a junior at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park and member of Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa, became the sixth of the boys in his family to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout in Scouts BSA.
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LOCAL NEWS 5
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG >> Continued from page 4
March • Archdiocesan Catholics observed the 10th anniversary of the election of Pope Francis on March 13. • The Catholic Charities Golf Classic luncheon was held on May 15 at Lake Quivira Country Club in Johnson County. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant and homilist at a Mass on March 19 for the blessing and dedication of the remodeled Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Shawnee. • Sixth grade students from 14 Catholic schools in Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties participated in the Serra Club of Kansas City in Kansas’ annual essay contest. The winners read their essays on March 22 at St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee. • Youths in grades 9 to 12 from more than 20 parishes convened at the archdiocesan Rural Catholic Youth Conference March 25-26 at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg. • Mary Osborne from Holy Family School and Judy Cucciniello from Hayden High School, both in Topeka, were honored as Archdiocesan Elementary Teacher of the Year and Archdiocesan High School Teacher of the Year, respectively. Cucciniello was also awarded the Kansas Association of Independent and Religious Schools Distinguished Teacher Award, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. • Sister Monica Bernadette Aguello, SCTJM, was appointed to the archdiocesan marriage and family life office.
April • Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston in Minnesota, and Adam Bartlett of Source and Summit music, received the “Lumen Vitae” (“Light of Life”) medal on April 1 at the Overland Park Convention Center from the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison. • Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher celebrated the 65th anniversary of his priestly ordination on April 12. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant and homilist at a Mass on April 15 to honor the former St. Joseph School in Olpe. The school — built in 1921, closed in 2013 and slated for demolition — will be replaced with a new Parish Life Center. • The archdiocesan office of evangelization, with the Sophia Spirituality Center in Atchison, held a multicultural women’s retreat on April 16. • Led by Archbishop Naumann, Catholics from several parishes in the Atchison Region participated in a eucharistic procession on April 16 in Atchison. • The Keeler Women’s Center celebrated its 20th anniversary on April 21 at Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant at a Mass on the annual Day of Atonement for Those Harmed by Sexual Abuse on April 26 at Holy Angels Parish in Basehor.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE
Three priests of the archdiocese perform the ritual laying on of hands on ordinands, from left, Tim Skoch, George Rhodes and Colm Larkin. The three were ordained priests on May 27 by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann at Prince of Peace Church, Olathe. • The Kansas Knights of Columbus held their annual state convention on April 29 in Topeka. • Lee McMahon, consultant for the archdiocesan office of evangelization, began his “New Manna” podcast to promote the Eucharistic Revival.
May • Relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis and St. Manuel Gonzales Garcia visited five archdiocesan parishes May 5-8. • Archbishop Naumann celebrated Mass and blessed the renovation of St. Columbkille Church in Blaine on May 13. • Msgr. Vincent E. Krische, 84, died in Lawrence on May 13. In addition to his pastoral assignments, he served for 28 years at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at Kansas University in Lawrence. • Six inmates at the Lansing Correctional Facility graduated with degrees on May 18 from the College in Prison program of Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas. • Aaron Waldeck was ordained to the transitional diaconate by Archbishop Naumann on May 20 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Shawnee. • Deacon Timothy J. Skoch, Deacon Colm F. Larkin and Deacon George L. Rhodes were ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Naumann on May 27 at Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe. • Brad Heidrick was named the new
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Bishop Lucius Hre Kung of the Diocese of Hakha in Myanmar (left) and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann applaud Chin community minister Father Michael Van Lian for his ministry to the Chin Catholics for the past 10 years at St. Patrick Parish in Kansas City, Kansas.
CEO of Catholic Community Health.
June • The first-ever Marriage Encounter retreat for Hispanic couples was held on June 2 at Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park. • The Serra Club of Topeka celebrated its relaunch with a Mass, induction and luncheon on June 3 at St. Matthew Parish in Topeka. • Bishop Andrew Cozzens, leader of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ national Eucharistic Revival, was retreat master at the June 5-8 annual priests retreat at Benedictine College in Atchison. • The Leaven won 13 awards at the Catholic Media Convention, June 6-9, in Baltimore. • Parishes throughout the archdiocese celebrated the solemnity of Corpus Christi and the national Eucharistic Revival with eucharistic processions on June 8. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant at the 50th anniversary Mass on June 9 at Good Shepherd Parish in Shawnee. • There was a Mass and groundbreaking on June 10 for the Fiat Center at Queen of the Holy Rosary Church in Overland Park. • There was a eucharistic procession on June 11 at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas. • The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison announced on June 11 that they elected Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger as 13th prioress in their 160-year history. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant at the 10th anniversary Mass of the Chin Community on June 18 at St. Patrick Parish in Kansas City, Kansas. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant and homilist at the archdiocesan Mass on June 21 at Church of the Nativity in Leawood for couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries. The Mass was sponsored by the archdiocesan office of marriage and family life. • The regional encuentro for Hispanic pastoral leaders was held on June 23-25 at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas. • Two Scalabrini priests joined the parish staff at Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park. • Matt Thomas was appointed chairman of the Archdiocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting. • Jenifer Valenti, director of the archdiocesan office for protection and care, after four years of work, promulgated the archdiocesan Abuse Prevention Policy, which replaced the Child Protection Policy.
• Fifty Prayer and Action teams from 10 parishes undertook service projects in Atchison in late June. • St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lansing concluded its stained-glass window installation.
July • The annual Pitching for Priests game, between clerics from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, was held July 7 at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. The priests of the archdiocese won 31-30. • The Master’s Cup Invitational luncheon was held on July 10 at Iron Horse Golf Club in Leawood. • Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Topeka held its Fiesta Topeka, formerly the Fiesta Mexicana, July 18-22. • Archbishop Naumann blessed the new Vianney House for retired priests in Olathe on July 25. • Twenty-four eighth and ninth grade boys from the archdiocese participated in Kenrick-Glennon Days, an annual vocation discernment camp at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis. • The State Council of the Knights of Columbus donated $71,000 to pregnancy centers in Kansas.
August • Archdiocesan Catholics attended World Youth Day, Aug. 1-6, in Lisbon, Portugal. • The prefect for the Dicastery of the Clergy in Rome announced on Aug. 10 that Father Steven P. Beseau of the archdiocese would continue to serve for three more years as rector/president of the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. • Religious Sisters Appreciation Day was held on Aug. 13 at Sacred Heart Parish in Shawnee. • Archbishop Naumann led a eucharistic procession in Paola on Aug. 19 for Catholics in the Southern Pastoral Region as part of the national Eucharistic Revival. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant at a Mass for the 50th anniversary of Christ’s Peace House of Prayer retreat center in Easton on Aug. 19. • The Annual Kelly Youth Rally was held on Aug. 19. • Archbishop Naumann led Catholics from the Nemaha-Marshall Pastoral Region
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6 LOCAL NEWS
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG
>> Continued from page 5 in a eucharistic procession on Aug. 21 in Seneca. • Greg Mies, a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Shawnee, became director of facilities for Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas, on Aug. 21. • Archbishop Naumann blessed the renamed Catholic Community Health’s Our Lady of Grace Hospice House at Villa St. Francis, Olathe, on Aug. 22. • A new rosary path in a garden at Queen of the Holy Rosary Church in Bucyrus/Wea was blessed and dedicated on Aug. 22. • Archbishop Naumann blessed the new Insight Women’s Center Selah Home in Lawrence on Aug. 31. • The University of Saint Mary, Leavenworth, was named to the Best in the Midwest regional college list by the Princeton Review.
September • After a four-year pause, the archdiocesan convocation was held on Sept. 8 at Savior Pastoral Center. For the first time, the convocation had both English and Spanish language sessions. • St. Agnes Parish in Roeland Park celebrated its 100th anniversary with a Mass on Sept. 16. • Sacred Heart Parish in Sabetha held its “Quo Vadis” celebration for the parish and the community on Sept. 16. • Corpus Christi Parish in Lawrence blessed and dedicated its new, three-panel mosaic “Creation” on Sept. 17. • Archbishop Naumann joined the Little Sisters of the Community of the Lamb on Sept. 23 for a Mass celebrating the 15th anniversary of their foundation in the archdiocese, the 10th anniversary of the dedication of their Lumen Christi Monastery in Kansas City, Kansas, and the fifth anniversary of the dedication of the Little Brothers’ Mother of God Monastery. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant at a World Day of Migrants and Refugees Mass on April 24 at Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe. • The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth and St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lansing held Season of Creation events Sept. 28 and Oct. 1. • Forty participants were at the first-ever Walking with Moms in Need walk, held Sept. 30 in Overland Park.
October • Coalition Life, a sidewalk prayer and counseling ministry, was introduced to the archdiocese during the annual Respect Life Mass on Oct. 1 at St. Joseph Church in Shawnee. • SHINE, the annual fundraising gala for Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, was held on Oct. 5 at The Abbott in Kansas City, Missouri. • The Red Mass for those in the legal professions was celebrated on Oct. 6 at St. Thomas More Church in Kansas City, Missouri. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant at the 160th anniversary Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Lapeer on
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JD BENNING
Novice Dorothy Herring, a member of the Mount St. Scholastica community of Benedictine Sisters in Atchison, leads the lantern procession from Benedictine College to the Mount to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the Benedictine Sisters’ arrival in Atchison. Assisting her by illuminating her paper is Meredith Doyle, director of service learning at Benedictine College and one of the event organizers. Oct. 7. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant at the 100th anniversary Mass at Assumption Church in Topeka on Oct. 8. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant at a Mass celebrating the reopening of Assumption Parish in Topeka on Oct. 9. • There was a candlelight dedication on Oct. 11 of the new Marian grotto at Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park. • The Advice & Aid Pregnancy Center in Overland Park held a fundraiser and 40th anniversary celebration on Oct. 17 at the Overland Park Convention Center. • Archbishop Naumann was the main celebrant of a Mass on Oct. 22 commemorating the foundation of the Sisters of the Fraternity the Poor of Jesus Christ in the archdiocese. • Holy Cross School in Overland Park was named the Catholic Education Foundation’s School of Excellence. • The St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center in Lawrence and St. Paul’s Outreach announced that they would begin a new mission partnership beginning in the 2024-25 school year. • The archdiocese announced that seminarians would study and receive their formation under the new sixth Program of Priestly Formation, presented by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on June 24, 2022. • The Gaudeamus gala held on Oct. 28 at the Overland Park Convention Center raised $2.4 million for the Catholic Education Foundation. • A first-class relic of Pope St. John Paul II was brought to St. Catherine Parish in Emporia on Oct. 29 for veneration by the people. It was brought by the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary. • Benedictine College in Atchison was ranked number eight in the Midwest in the
Top 10 of the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings of America’s Best Colleges.
November • Students from 11 schools attended the eighth grade Life Matters Day on Nov. 6 at Savior Pastoral Center, sponsored by the archdiocesan pro-life office. • Safe environment coordinators and Virtus facilitators attended an appreciation day for them on Nov. 9 at St. Joseph Church in Shawnee, sponsored by the archdiocesan office for protection and care. • The Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery in Atchison celebrated the 160th anniversary of their founding with a choral concert on Nov. 5 and a lantern procession on Nov. 11. • Good Shepherd Parish in Shawnee was one of 23 schools out of the United States and 90 other countries to be recognized as a Cognia School of Distinction for 2022-23. • Catholic Cemeteries of the archdiocese hosted Nov. 11 Veterans Day observances at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Topeka and Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa. • Larry Lemon, who volunteers as park manager for the St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Park, received the Duchesne Award on Nov. 19 from Archbishop Naumann at Sacred Heart Church in Mound City. • Father Don Cullen, 80, a priest of the archdiocese for 52 years, died on Nov. 27.
December • Archbishop Naumann celebrated a Mass on Dec. 2 designating the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas, as a shrine to St. Maria Soledad. • Actor Jim Caviezel offered a public
presentation on human trafficking on Dec. 2 at Holy Angels Parish in Basehor. Earlier, on Nov. 30, there was a showing of his latest film “Sound of Freedom” at AMC Town Center theater in Leawood. • Sister Kate Cropp was consecrated as an Apostle of the Interior Life (AVI) on Dec. 8 at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center in Lawrence. • The Franciscan Servants of the Holy Family sponsored a Living Nativity on Dec. 9 in Lawrence at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. • Young adults gathered on Dec. 9 for the annual City Lights gala, a benefit for the City on a Hill community, at Redemptorist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. • Peter and Veronica Mallouk were named Snow Ball presidents, and Jack and Kathy Newman were named honorary presidents. The Snow Ball is the annual winter fundraiser for the Catholic Charities Foundation of Northeast Kansas. • Actor Jonathan Roumie, star of the TV series “The Chosen,” visited Unbound’s Kansas City, Kansas headquarters and became the sponsor of the organization’s millionth friend. • More than 60 women attended the first archdiocesan women’s discernment retreat weekend at Prairie Star Ranch. • Marissa Easter was named the new director of communications for the archdiocese. • John and Claudia Caton, members of St. Ann Parish in Prairie Village, and Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka received the annual Deo Gratias award at the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas’ banquet. • Dan J. Mason was named the new director of operations for the Catholic Youth Organization of the archdiocese.
NEED HELP HEALING FROM A PAST ABORTION? Call or text 913-621-2199
WORLD 11
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Collaborators of Pope Benedict remember the late pontiff By Magdalena Wolinska-Riedi OSV News
R
OME (OSV News) — On Dec. 31, 2022, the Catholic world stopped as Pope Benedict XVI passed away on the last day of the year, leaving behind an enormous theological legacy. But it’s the everyday collaborators OSV News asked to share memories of the late pontiff, remembering a man full of charm, kindness and humor. “Every morning at 6 a.m., he stood in the window of his bedroom in the Apostolic Palace and looked over the city, and I stood in the kitchen of my flat in front of the palace and waved to him. One day he noticed me and from then on he always raised his hand and waved back,” Demetrio Fortunati told OSV News. Fortunati worked in the Vatican printing house for 42 years. He met Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger at the very beginning of the future pope’s Roman days — in 1982, the year Cardinal Ratzinger became prefect of the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith. Fortunati’s task was to bring the freshly printed newspaper L’Osservatore Romano to the prefect and later Pope Benedict. “Quite often I met him on Saturday afternoons when he went for his cardiological check-up at the Vatican clinic,” he said. That is where Dr. Patrizio Polisca took care of Pope Benedict. Polisca was the assistant of the legendary doctor of St. John Paul II, Renato Buzzonetti, from the early 1990s. Until Polisca’s life changed completely on April 19, 2005, when John Paul’s successor was elected. “The new pope, Benedict XVI, approached me as he was leaving the Sistine Chapel and asked me if I would agree to become his personal doctor. I started that day and continued until his death,” Polisca told OSV News. Cardinal Ratzinger had a truly Germanic sense of self-discipline — his days were perfectly organized, people close to him said. He divided his workdays between office work, meetings and prayer time, but also did not forget about taking care of his physical condition. Every day he would take a walk in the Vatican gardens. “Even when he had a cold, he never gave up, walking outside and praying the rosary belonged to his routine,” Polisca said. Luciano Firmani saw Cardinal
CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
Retired Pope Benedict XVI and Archbishop Georg Ganswein, prefect of the papal household, left, toast men in traditional clothing with a beer during the German pontiff’s 90th birthday celebration April 17, 2017, at the Vatican. The pope’s birthday was the previous day. Ratzinger regularly during his service in the Apostolic Palace. Firmani was a lift operator, going up and down daily with St. John Paul and later Pope Benedict. “Every day at 4 p.m. he passed through the Courtyard of St. Damasus, where I was on duty at the elevator. After about an hour, he returned the same way, always greeting me kindly,” he said of the then-CDF prefect. “Every Friday at 6 p.m., as prefect of the Doctrine of the Faith, he went to Pope John Paul to discuss different issues, always dressed in a simple cassock and a black beret on his head. After the audience, he used to tell me in the elevator with a smile: ‘I got away with it again this time.’” The cordiality and kindness between St. John Paul and Cardinal Ratzinger went far beyond official duties. When John Paul was dying April 2, 2005, the Vatican doctor witnessed their friendship. “I was in the papal apartment,” Polisca said. “I remember how Cardinal Ratzinger knelt down next to the dying John Paul II and thanked him for everything he had done for the church. Even if he was at the end of his life — the pope was aware of who was by his side. I couldn’t hold back my tears,” Polisca recalled. Cardinal Ratzinger did not want to take St. John Paul’s place. After 23 years of his job in the Vatican he wanted to
retreat into silence and immerse himself in the books. Ultimately, he accepted the choice of the conclave April 19, 2005. “I had known him for over 20 years, and yet that meeting when I saw him leaving the Sistine Chapel in the white cassock made a great impression on me. I remember his eyes . . . blue, sparkling, as if a new spirit had entered him,” recalled engineer Paolo Sagretti. As head of the Vatican’s Floreria — the warehouse in charge of furnishing Vatican offices and apartments starting with the pope’s lodgings — Sagretti was responsible for the preparation of the papal apartment for the successor of the Polish pope. Pope Benedict had no special requests regarding the arrangement of his new space in the Apostolic Palace. Except for one place. “We were supposed to move the entire library from the old flat to the papal apartment,” recalled Sagretti. “Pope Benedict knew perfectly where the place of each volume was. While preparing speeches, he blindly reached for the appropriate book,” he said. “So we took pictures of all the shelves in his old apartment and then installed all the books . . . thousands of books were placed in the papal apartment exactly the same way they had been arranged before.” For people working in a small world behind the Vatican walls, the choice of Cardinal Ratzinger was a natural one
after the long pontificate of his predecessor. Domenico Giani, who soon after the election of Cardinal Ratzinger became the head of the Vatican Gendarmerie, said that even though they very closely collaborated, he had “no idea” about the pope’s decision to resign until the last moment. “I noticed that he was getting more and more tired, especially after the trip to Mexico (in 2012), where he fell and came back physically exhausted. He was worried about what future trips would be like in this condition. But still, I had no idea about anything. I did not know that the renovation works carried out in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican were related to the person of the pope,” he said of the future home of retired Pope Benedict. Pope Benedict’s resignation sent shockwaves across the world when he announced it Feb. 11, 2013. “But he was absolutely at peace with this decision,” his personal doctor said. “On February 28” — the day his resignation took effect and Pope Benedict left the Vatican — “I was sitting next to him in the helicopter, he was looking out of the window. We saw people from above waving to him, we heard the bells of the Roman churches . . . we were all crying, and he was incredibly strong and calm,” recalled Polisca, who accompanied the pope to Castel Gandolfo. The summer residence of the popes, turned into a museum by Pope Francis, had always been a perfect getaway for Pope Benedict. Saverio Petrillo was a director of the pontifical villas in Castel Gandolfo. “The climate of this place was in harmony with his soul; he said once: ‘I can see the mountains, the lake and the sea from here. A beautiful church . . . and good-hearted people,’” Petrillo said, recalling the late pope’s words. “At 9 p.m. piano music could be heard around the area, as the pope and his brother, Father Georg, played four hands on the piano. It was an unforgettable time,” Petrillo recalled. “As the director of the papal residence, I was supposed to give the order to the Swiss guards to close the entrance of the palace exactly at 8 p.m.,” Petrillo said. Remembering the day Pope Benedict finished his eight-year pontificate, he said, “The guard closed the palace’s doors, then turned to me and threw his arms around my neck. We all cried. As if the world was coming to an end.”
12 CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT Part-time database manager - Part-time database manager needed at St. John the Evangelist Parish in downtown Lawrence. Manager is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of a confidential and time-sensitive nature in the parish database program (ParishStaq). Assuring a steady completion of workload in a timely manner is key to success in this position. To apply, send cover letter and resume to Father John Cousins at: frjohn@ sjevangelist.com; 1229 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS 66044. To view the complete job description, visit our website at: sjevangelist.com/jobs. Internal auditor - The finance office in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking to hire a fulltime internal auditor who would be responsible for performing audits of parish finances on a rotating basis and for special purposes as needed. A minimum of three years’ experience in internal and/or external auditing is required. To apply, go online to: archkck. org and scroll down to “People,” click on “Employment,” scroll down to “Openings in our Archdiocese” and click on “Internal Auditor.” Director of development and stewardship - The director of development and stewardship of St. John the Evangelist in Lawrence works closely with the pastor and school principal to ensure the long-term stability of the parish — which includes the church and school — by building relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including parishioners, parents alumni, volunteers and community members. The director of development and stewardship will implement and oversee all development and stewardship activities necessary to grow and expand the base of financial support for the parish from a broad range of sources. To apply, send cover letter and resume to Father John Cousins at: frjohn@sjevangelist.com; or mail to Father John Cousins, 1229 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS 66044. To view the complete job description, visit our website at: sjevangelist.com/jobs. Director of evangelization and parish life - St. Ann Parish in Prairie Village is seeking a dynamic, team-focused leader to fill the role of director of evangelization and parish life. This person will oversee current formation programs, including: Journey (formerly Christ Renews His Parish); Bible studies and formation events, such as parish service days; parish missions; and evenings of reflection. The director of evangelization and parish life will form leaders for small groups, lead teams of volunteers and serve as staff contact for these formation programs and events. This is a part-time ministerial position (up to 20 hours per week) with some evening and weekend work required. Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to Father Craig Maxim at: frcraig@stannpv.org. Catholic elementary school principal - Holy Family School in Topeka is seeking an individual with demonstrated skill in spirituality, academics and advancement, particularly in the area of enrollment management leadership for the 2023-24 school year. The ability to understand and speak Spanish is a plus. Holy Family has approximately 164 students in K - 8th grades and 14 preschoolers taught by 14 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. Visit the website at: holyfamilytopeka. net to learn more about the school. Apply online at: archkckcs.org/apply. Client care providers - Wyandotte and Olathe Pregnancy Clinics need compassionate and reliable client care providers. Qualified medical staff also needed for ultrasounds and other medical patient needs. Both volunteers and paid positions are available. Please call Leah 913-207-0186. 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. Nonmedical caregivers - Saint Rita Home Care is hiring non-medical caregivers for seniors. Seeking compassionate individuals to fill all shifts. We serve people in Johnson, Douglas, Miami, Franklin and Leavenworth counties. Kansas state licensed, nonmedical home care agency. Call or text Renee Margush at (913) 229-4267, or rmargush@saintritahc. com. Member of Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe. Staff job openings - Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, has the following staff job openings available: Chief financial officer, director of development, admissions counselor, mission support specialist.. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly. edu/careers.
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG 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.”
Tutoring - for K - Adult. Sessions are fun and meaningful. For more information please call Kathleen at (913) 206-2151 or email: Klmamuric@yahoo.com. . 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.
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.
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.
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. 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 academic advisor learning 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. Caregiver needed - Are you looking for an in-home caregiving opportunity? The Shikles family is urgently hiring a dedicated and compassionate direct support worker for the care of Stephen Shikles. Pay is $19.62 per hour; flexible hours up to 40 hours per week. For more information, please contact Lisa Shikles at (913) 333-0887 or lisa.shikles@gmail.com.
SERVICES 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. Garage Door Repair Expert New Garage Doors Garage Floor Coatings A Total Door Inc., Since ’83. Leaven discount joe@atotaldoor.com; (913) 236-6440 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. Catholic counseling - Sam Meier, MA, LCPC - (913 952-2267 and David Walter, MA, LCPC - (402) 9130463 - book an appointment online at: StillWatersKC. com; in-person or telehealth.
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.
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. 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.
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. 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. Popcorn ceiling texture removal Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144. 30 years’ experience. Interior painting specialist. Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. 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. 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/FSHome ExteriorsandRemodeling. 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. 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
For sale - Two plots at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas. Located in section 3 Old, lot 136, plots 6 and 10. Markers only. Contact Ann at (913) 620-5687. For sale - Niches/Columbarium at Resurrection Cemetery, Holy Family Mausoleum; corridor/garden: Nativity, tier E1, niche 206-208. Original cost: $5200; selling price $7000. Contact Greg at (816) 944-6886.
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 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.
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.
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. Companion/sitter - Older woman available for shortterm or flexible hours. Charges $10 per hour. No heavy lifting, has experience in childcare. Call (913) 602-1289. Caring companion - I am a certified nursing assistant with ten-plus years experience with stroke, Alzheimer’s dementia patients. I assist with personal care service and offer non-emergency, medical transportation. Call (816) 859-2252.
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.
FOR SALE
Classified Advertising
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).
Cost is $20 for the first five lines, $1.50 per line thereafter. To purchase a Leaven classified ad, email: beth. blankenship@theleaven.org
CALENDAR 13
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG
NEW YEAR REFLECTION AND PLANNING RETREAT Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meagher Rd., Easton Jan. 6 at 5:30 p.m. - Jan. 7 at 4:30 p.m.
Join us for our annual New Year’s spiritual reflection and planning retreat. Set aside time to reflect on what matters most in life, prioritize the most important things first and map out pathways for the new year. The structure of the retreat will allow ample time for you to do work on your plan. We will provide resources and ideas to incorporate in your plan. There are conferences, spiritual direction, eucharistic adoration, Mass, confession, and time for private prayer, reflection and walking. Please bring your own personal items that will aid in the process such as: Bible, notebook, agenda, journal, catechism and laptop (if this helps you plan better). Cabins/courtyard rooms: $170 single/$250 couple or single guest rooms: $100 (meals included). To attend, fill out the individual retreat form online at: ChristsPeace.com or call (913) 773-8255.
PINTS WITH PADRE Mater Dei Parish at Frontera’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina 175 N. Moonlight Road, Gardner Jan. 6 at 5:30 p.m.
Join our parish for a meal and a talk from Father Adam Wilzcak on eucharistic adoration. Food is available at 5:30 p.m. and the talk will begin at 6 p.m. The cost is the food and drink that you order. This is an adult-only event.
CHARITABLE INVESTING AND SMARTER WAYS TO GIVE Mater Dei Parish (hall) 1114 S.W. 10th Ave., Topeka Jan. 8, 2024, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas and Mater Dei Parish invite all to attend a presentation from Luke Henry, asset adviser for the Knights of Columbus, on charitable investments and tax-efficient ways to support a parish, school or ministry. Register online at: www.cfnek.org/ events or contact Mitch Nolan at: mnolan@ archkck.org or (913) 647-3062.
SHARING YOUR LEGACY WORKSHOP ON WILLS & TRUSTS St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center 1631 Crescent Rd., Lawrence Jan. 9 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
An estate planning attorney will present this workshop. Visit the website at: cfnek. org/events, click on “Event listings,” scroll down and click on “Sharing Your Legacy Workshop,” then click on “View Event” for more information and to register.
ARE YOU CALLED TO BE A PRINCIPAL? Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, Kansas Jan. 9 from 4 - 5 p.m.
Are you called to be a principal? Whether you are considering getting an administration degree, already have your degree, work in Catholic schools or public schools, this session is for you. Join us for practice interviews, learn more about job openings, and hear from archdiocesan principals. Register online at: archkckcs. org/register.
HEARTACHE TO HEALING Church of the Ascension (St. John’s Room) 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m.
Heartache to Healing is a social support group for those widowed early in life. Now that the holidays are over, come to our “leftovers” party. Please bring leftover cookies, snacks, drinks and a “leftover” I’m-never-going-to-use-that-gift for our white elephant game. Come meet some new friends and relax after the holidays with us! Your online RSVP is appreciated, but not necessary, to Laura at: khaeus1@ hotmail.com; Heather at: hmbimpens@ gmail.com; or Damon at: damon452@ yahoo.com.
BREAKFAST WITH THE KNIGHTS Divine Mercy Parish 555 W. Main St., Gardner Jan. 14 from 8:20 - 10 a.m.
Breakfast will include eggs, sausage and gravy, pancakes and drinks. Join us for great fellowship. The cost is: $5 for those over the age of 11; $3 for kids ages 3 - 11;
and kids under the age of 3 eat for free. Proceeds are used for charitable works such as scholarships and other giving throughout the year.
WILLS AND TRUSTS WORKSHOP CREATING YOUR LEGACY St. Ann Parish (hall) 301 William St., Effingham Jan. 17 from 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Father Hughes Sundeme welcomes all to attend Casey Connealy’s wills and trusts workshop. Learn ways to protect your family and protect your assets from taxes with the right estate plan. The presentation will cover: the difference between a will and a trust; how to avoid probate (and what exactly is probate?); if I die first and my spouse remarries, will my kids still get their money; and how to leave money or other assets to my church. Register online at: www.cfnek.org/events/ wills-trusts-workshop or send an email to Jane Schmitt at: jschmitt@archkck.org or call (913) 647-3060.
TAKE-A-LOOK THURSDAY Holy Spirit School 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park Jan. 18 from 9 - 11 a.m.
Come join us for information, tours of the school and refreshments. Choose a learning environment that is welcoming and Christ-centered. For more information, call Anita Pauls at (913) 492-2582 or send an email to: apauls@hscatholic.org.
SYMPTO-THERMAL METHOD OF NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING St. John the Evangelist Parish (extra building) 200 W. 13th St., Lawrence Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
A Couple to Couple League sponsored class in using the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning during the postpartum period takes place at St. John the Evangelist campus, 200 W. 13th St., Lawrence. For more information about this class or other self-paced online classes, call Shannon or John Rasmussen at (785) 749-1015. Preregistration is required online at: www.ccli.org.
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES ASSOCIATION Church of the Nativity (Magi Room) 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood Jan. 20 at 8:15 a.m.
The morning will begin with Mass to be followed by a meeting from 9 - 11 a.m. The Daughters of St. Francis de Sales invite women to deepen virtues and practice holiness in everyday life. Come reflect with us on our monthly meditation topic — “Discretion in the tradition of Salesian spirituality” — after Mass. All materials are provided and coffee and light refreshments will be served. To attend, contact Ruth Owens by email at: rowens4853@gmail.com, or call Barbara McClung at (816) 535-4531 or send an email to: willabird1960@gmail.com. For additional information, visit the website at: www.sfdassociation.org.
RETROUVAILLE Jan. 26 - 28 Registration closes Jan. 25
Is your marriage struggling or do you know a marriage that is struggling? Retrouvaille is a program that helps couples restore their marriage and restore their marriage and rebuild a loving relationship. This is a practical program to improve communication and help couples connect. God wants JOY in our lives and families and this program can make that happen. Go online to: www.helpourmarriage.org for more information and to register, or call 1 (800) 470-2230. Space is limited. Early registration is suggested.
NEED HELP HEALING FROM A PAST ABORTION?
Call or text 913-621-2199 Compassionate, Confidential, Free
14 COLUMNISTS DAILY READINGS FIRST WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Jan. 7 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Is 60: 1-6 Ps 72: 1-2, 7-8, 10-13 Eph 3: 2-3a, 5-6 Mt 2: 1-12 Jan. 8 THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD Is 42: 1-4, 6-7 Ps 29: 1a, 2, 3ac-4, 3b, 9b-10 Mk 1: 7-11 Jan. 9 Tuesday 1 Sm 1: 9-20 (Ps) 1 Sm 2: 1, 4-8 Mk 1: 21-28 Jan. 10 Wednesday 1 Sm 3: 1-10, 19-20 Ps 40: 2, 5, 7-10 Mk 1: 29-39 Jan. 11 Thursday 1 Sm 4: 1-11 Ps 44: 10-11, 14-15, 25-26 Mk 1: 40-45 Jan. 12 Friday 1 Sm 8: 4-7, 10-22a Ps 89: 16-19 Mk 2: 1-12 Jan. 13 Hilary, bishop, doctor of the church 1 Sm 9: 1-4, 17-19; 10: 1a Ps 21: 2-7 Mk 2: 13-17
MARGARET OF CORTONA 1247-1297
This Italian penitent was the daughter of Tuscan peasants and, for nine years, the mistress of a young nobleman near Montepulciano. After her lover died violently, Margaret and her illegitimate child were given a home by the Franciscans in Cortona. She became a Franciscan tertiary and practiced severe self-denial. Until her son grew up, she earned their living and performed works of charity. In one vision, Christ told her she was “the third light” of the order, after Francis and Clare. Her prayers and counsel prompted many conversions, and she was considered a living saint.
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG
It’s fine to be small-minded with your resolutions
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ere’s my journal entry for New Year’s Day: New year, new journal . . . same ole me! I’m a dedicated resolution maker, but an even more committed resolution breaker. I do, though, have high hopes for 2024. My inspiration is none other than the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Gospel on Jan. 1 spoke of Mary reflecting on or pondering the events surrounding Jesus’ birth. I realized I’m usually too busy to do much pondering, especially regarding resolutions. Honestly, I’d take out my list from the previous year and just change the date at the top. I spent no time reflecting on why these resolutions never got accomplished. My pondering this time around was helped along by James Clear’s “Atomic Habits” book. Its subtitle is: “An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones.” There
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.
are way too many helpful suggestions in the book to put into this brief column, but one word — tiny —provided me with a key — as in tiny changes. My unsuccessful attempts in the past were the result of trying to do too much, not being specific enough and not cutting myself some slack. That last one was a real killer because the minute I didn’t do a resolution
perfectly, I’d give up on it and go back to my “normal” life. Clear proposes four laws for forming habits: Make it obvious (develop self-awareness; that is, ponder), attractive, easy and satisfying. By far, what’s motivated me the most is his “two-minute rule” which states: “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do. . . . [O]nce you’ve started doing the right thing, it is much easier to continue doing it.” Here’s an example: One of my Advent practices is writing Christmas cards. Usually, though, I start too late and leave the bulk
of my cards undone. This year, I tried that two-minute rule. First, I sat down — in September(!) — and made a quick list of all the elements I’d need for doing the cards. A week or so later when a catalog came showing Christmas labels and stickers, I took two minutes to circle some I was interested in. While I was at it, I decided to go ahead and order them online right then. I went through the same process a few days later in ordering Christmas cards. Then, in early October, I went online for a couple of minutes to see what Christmas stamps the post office had this year and ordered those. Because I also wanted to include a photo from my trip to the Holy Land with the cards, I spent two minutes picking out a few and, since I was on a roll, went ahead and ordered copies from Walmart. Lastly, I pulled out my calendar and
wrote in a start date for writing the cards, doing about five a day. My goal was 100 cards; I ended up writing 136. Mission accomplished with joy and hardly any stress. So, if you honestly want to conquer those resolutions this year, start (very) small. Some verses from this anonymous poem should motivate you: “I shall do much in the years to come,/ But what have I done today?/I shall give out gold in princely sum,/But what did I give today?/I shall lift the heart and dry the tear,/I shall plant a hope in the place of fear,/I shall speak with words of love and cheer,/But what have I done today?” Take two minutes right now to ponder your resolutions, and maybe another two to do something small — today — to make them come true. Oh, don’t forget the most important resolution “law” of all: Invite God in to help!
An encounter with Jesus sends you places you never imagined
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n a Sunday that centers on discovery, revelation and manifestation — the very definition of “Epiphany” — one of the most important discoveries for the Magi (and for us!) comes at the very end of this Sunday’s Gospel. After searching for the newborn king and finally finding him, the Magi were warned in a dream to avoid Herod. So what did they do? “They departed for their country,” Matthew writes, “by another way.” This is more than GPS or Google Maps sending them another route to follow. What is happening involves much more
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.
than geography. This is the profound lesson for all who have found Christ after a long and
difficult quest. It tells us this beautiful truth: An encounter with Jesus Christ changes everything. It alters the direction of life, the way you continue your journey. It sends you to places you never imagined. Certainly, the Magi learned that and much more in their search to find the newborn king. What they discovered tells us a lot about what it means to find the Lord — and where, in fact, you find him. First, we learn, this newborn king was not with the people you would expect. Christ is discovered among the humble, the overlooked, the meek. Don’t look for him among privilege
or power. No. He was born into a world that could not make room for him. Secondly, Christ’s first home was off the beaten path. He was in a small town that most people wouldn’t think about twice, Bethlehem. From the very beginning, in the first days of his earthly life, this most extraordinary of children was found among the most ordinary of people in the most ordinary of places. This tells us something wondrous: Christ could be anywhere. He could be anyone. He could be everyone. You never know where you might encounter him. Thirdly and finally,
amid the darkness, Christ was discovered where there is light. A star guided the way to the place where this new king was found. The point is clear: If you want to find him, follow that light. And after he has been discovered, nothing can ever be quite the same. Our lives change. Our direction shifts. Our perspective and sense of purpose are transformed. The old way will not do. There is a better road to travel. Set out on a new journey. The road may be unfamiliar and the signposts may be different, but it will be worth it. And a new light will guide the way.
Church and world must ‘respect, defend, esteem’ women, pope says VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The world and the Catholic Church must respect and defend women and foster a motherly care for others to end dehumanizing cycles of violence, Pope Francis said. “The church needs Mary in order to recover her own feminine face, to resemble more fully the woman, virgin and mother, who
is her model and perfect image, to make space for women and to be ‘generative’ through a pastoral ministry marked by concern and care,” the pope said during Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and World Peace Day Jan. 1. The world, too, he said, “needs to look to mothers and to women in order to find peace, to emerge from
the spiral of violence and hatred, and once more see things with genuinely human eyes and hearts.” In his homily, Pope Francis called on all societies to “accept the gift that is woman, every woman” and to “respect, defend and esteem women in the knowledge that whoever harms a single woman profanes God, who was born of a woman.”
COLUMNISTS 15
JANUARY 5, 2024 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Salvation of souls, not comfort or gain, must be deacons’ focus
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hen we want our children to grow, we encourage them to “use their imagination.” Since the restored permanent diaconate is still relatively new, we sometimes encounter questions that boil down to: “What are we going to do with all these deacons?”— as though it were a problem and not a blessing. The answer is: “Use your imagination.” As Deacon James Keating notes: “The diaconate exists as a vocation of creative tension — a cleric living a lay life — and must remain in this tension if the church is to possess, in any concrete way, a
ORDAINED TO SERVE
LEON SUPRENANT Leon Suprenant is the co-director of the office of the permanent diaconate. He may be reached by email at: leons@archkck.org.
diaconal imagination.” I thought I would suggest four ways that we might use our “diaconal imagination” in envisioning vocations
to the diaconate. Icons of Christian service: We need a deeper appropriation of the servant identity of Christ, an appropriation that ignites the public witness of deacons so as to attract younger men. Deacons are icons — or living images — of Christ the servant,
who was attentive both to his Father and to human pain. Out of his deep, interior communion with the Father, the deacon carries the healing love of God to those who are hurting. Who’s driving? The diaconate is not like one website among many that we might visit at our convenience. Rather, it’s like handing over control of our entire “keyboard” to Christ, letting him “drive.” This vulnerability and holy indifference is necessary if men are to discern properly. Our culture teaches us to set our goals and then go achieve them. But the diaconate — and all church vocations — must be about openness
to what God wants, not what I want. Ecclesial Man: Men discerning the diaconate must understand that, if accepted, the first thing they have to do is detox. The American male psyche is predominantly political, economic and hedonistic — and not necessarily in that order! A deacon candidate must be reprogrammed (we call it “formation”) to “think with the church,” to become “Ecclesial Man.” He must learn to not view the world in “us versus them” categories, and he must become primarily concerned about the salvation of souls and not his own comfort or financial gain.
Reservoirs, not canals: As St. Bernard says, men should be more like reservoirs than canals, because a reservoir retains water until it is filled, then discharges the overflow without loss to itself. We can’t really give until we have received. We see this in men’s spiritual lives, but also in their marriages. If a marriage has been mature, affectively vulnerable and based upon a full, mutual gift of self, then and only then can the wife experience the diaconate as the next step in the already beautiful story of her husband’s presence to her and God’s love for them.
Call to Share funds over 40 shared ministries across archdiocese
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nce again, the faithful of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas were overwhelmingly generous with their gifts to Archbishop’s Call to Share 2023. Thank you. This weekend, we kick off Archbishop’s Call to Share 2024. With your gifts, we are hopeful to exceed our goal of $7 million. This past fall, we hosted o ur annual Call to Share kickoff luncheon for our priests, parish staffs and Call to Share-supported ministry leaders. Our intention was to bring together the ministries and our parishes. After all, that is what Call to Share is all about. It is about
T
YES TO THE CALL
BILL MALONEY Bill Maloney is the executive director of the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development. You can email him at: wmaloney@archkck.org.
shared ministries. If you were to take a tour of each of our 104 parishes, you would find that each one is staffed in its own
unique way. For some parishes, it might be a part-time administrative person; others may have multiple ministry leaders. But, none of the parishes have the resources to support all of the ministries that are offered throughout the archdiocese. One great example of this is our office of
marriage and family life. This office trains couples to do marriage prep, offers retreats for the engaged, weekends for marriage enrichment, and most recently, they have begun offering a parish-based program for couples married seven years or less. Another example is our vocations office. Late last year, the vocations office hosted a “Quo Vadis” retreat for young men to help them discern a call to the priesthood. Over 80 young men attended. In addition to the retreat for men, the archdiocese hosted a discernment retreat for women that was attended by more than 60 women.
In 1973, “Call to Share — Prayer and Study” took place throughout the archdiocese. Over 25,000 parishioners participated and contributed their insights to help shape the future of the church. The results of this study indicated that 90% of the recommendations pertained to the parish level and should be implemented at the parish level. The study also revealed the need for outreach ministries and services that were beyond the scope of their own parishes and demanded the attention and support of all parishes. These recommendations resulted in
Archbishop Ignatius Strecker launching “Call to Share — Responding to Need” in 1975. Here we are, almost 50 years later and we, as parishes, now share the support of over 40 ministries that serve the archdiocese. All of our parishes benefit from Archbishop Strecker’s vision of shared ministries. For that reason, your annual support of Call to Share is vitally important. I encourage you to listen to Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann’s homily that you will hear at your parish this weekend and prayerfully consider the invitation to share in support of our ministries.
January retreat offered for adult children of divorce
his year, one million children will experience the divorce of their parents. Since it has become such a common experience, it is easy to minimize the trauma that such an event causes in the life of a child, no matter how old they are at the time. Many find themselves struggling with a sense of identity, since the love that created them is gone. This can cause a host of other struggles in faith and relationships, which children of divorce often attempt to navigate alone, since the adults in their lives are also in great
FAMILY MATTERS
LIBBY DUPONT Libby DuPont is a consultant for the archdiocesan office of marriage and family life.
distress. To help break this wound of silence, we are establishing an outreach to children of divorce in our archdi-
ocese. Here are a few experiences of local Catholic adult children of divorce: • “After the separation, [my mom] was unable to cope and found solace in alcohol. At 15, I had to learn how to take care of my mother.” • “I had two sets
of clothes, two sets of toys. People told me how lucky I was to have double the amount of stuff, but I had two houses and nowhere that really felt like home.” • “Divorce isn’t something you’re allowed to grieve. There are no funerals when your family dies, when your parents’ love together is lost and taken from you.” • “I felt invisible, and faded into the recesses of antisocial behavior, drinking and depression. I didn’t talk to anyone about my parents’ divorce. . . . I was left alone to figure it out and get over it.” • “I was searching for
a place where my soul could find rest, so existentially shaken I was in the depths of my soul — I had no one in the world that would just be there for me anymore.” If you are an adult child of divorce, we invite you to get involved in our local chapter of Life-Giving Wounds. Attend our upcoming retreat on Jan. 12-14 at Savior Pastoral Center, or join us this spring at our support group at: archkck.org/LGW. If you are struggling in your marriage, please make every effort to reconcile. A great opportunity is the upcoming Retrouvaille retreat. Information can be found
online at: retrokc.com. If you need professional help with healing the wounds of difficult relationships or divorce, you can find a faithfully Catholic counselor in our archdiocese at: archkck.org/ catholic-counselors. If you would like to support the establishment of the Life-Giving Wounds chapter here in our archdiocese with a donation (that will be doubled by a generous donor!), contact Brad DuPont at (913) 6470301 or by email at: bdupont@archkck.org. To learn more about the experience of children of divorce, see lifegivingwounds.org/ the-need.