St. Leo's Catholic Parish Community Newsletter — March 2021

St.

Leos’

Parish Community THE ALTAR SERVER MINISTRY:

Growing in Faith Through Service

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ltar servers have an important and special role in the Catholic Mass. In many important ways, they help “lighten the load” for our priests and deacons. As Pope Francis stated, “Serving at the altar is a privileged way to draw closer to Jesus, which in turn enables you to open yourselves to others, to journey together, to set demanding goals and to find the strength to achieve them.”

Jodi Stauffer, our Director of Children and Family Ministries, calls altar servers the “mini managers of the Mass.” Any boy or girl in fifth grade and above can get involved as an altar server and help ensure that Mass runs smoothly.

Serving on the altar is an important task and a privilege, Jodi says. Altar servers can Sydney Fisher serves on Holy Thursday 2019. take great pride in their work with our Lord and the priest.

“If an altar server is doing their ministry correctly, it allows the priest to concentrate on his duties with the celebration of the Mass,” Jodi says. “This allows the community to have an inviting and inspirational experience with the Lord.”

Altar servers can also strengthen their faith through this ministry. Jodi calls this an important step in the life of a young Catholic.

“When we are baptized, we are brought into God’s family,” she says. “We become brothers and sisters to Christ. When you are part of a family, there are continued on page 5

Inside MARCH 2021

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Service The Fourth Pillar of Parish Stewardship

3 A Letter From Our Pastor: The Joy of Lent 4

Habitat for Humanity: Helping Families Realize the Dream of Owning a Home

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The Liturgy of the Hours “Sanctifying the Day With Prayer”

7 The Wise Men’s

Gifts Symbolize

Our Lenten Obligations

SERVICE

The Fourth Pillar of Parish Stewardship hroughout Sacred Scripture, there are numerous references to service.

There is the parable of the vigilant and faithful servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, “ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks” (Lk 12:35-40). There is the story of the good Samaritan who was moved with compassion to help the victim of a violent robbery (Lk 10:25-37). And there are several examples of Christ serving those around Him — feeding the multitudes, healing the sick, and even turning water into wine at a wedding banquet.

Why is service a running theme throughout the Gospels? Because service is at the root of living in imitation of Christ. Christ served others throughout His life on Earth, and His death on the cross was the ultimate act of service to mankind. And when we serve others, we are not only following in Christ’s footsteps, we are also serving Christ Himself: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40).

As a stewardship parish, service must be at the heart of everything we do. The parish community is the bastion of service within the Catholic Church, as we serve one another and are also served by our brothers and sisters in Christ. As the Diocese of Wichita’s document, The Pillars of Parish Stewardship, states, “Like a blood family, the parish family stands ready and eager collectively to wrap their arms around their brothers and sisters when they suffer in trial and/or celebrate special events in their lives.”

It is good to recognize the parish community as a place where service is appreciated and can be utilized for the good of the Church. However, it is not enough for us to simply serve other members of our parish family. As disciples of Christ, it is our obligation to serve people in need everywhere they exist — in our families, our greater community, our country, and throughout the world. This can be a challenging concept, as it is often much more comfortable and convenient to serve those who are close to us than it is to reach out to “outsiders.” But, as The Pillars of Parish Stewardship eloquently points out, “Failure to have this understanding leads to a selfish parochialism, which is life draining to a parish stewardship way of life.”

Think of ways that you can serve others around you, both within our parish family and in the greater community. Our many parish ministries offer a great place to begin offering your time and talents, but the opportunities for service don’t end there. There are many civic and nonprofit organizations that do an immense amount to serve others across the globe and are always looking for volunteers.

Once you serve, you will find that you will reap numerous rewards in return, much like the faithful servants who doubled the talents their master had entrusted to them: “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy” (Mt 25:21).

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SERVICE

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A Letter From Our Pastor

THE JOY OF LENT Dear Parishioners,

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ave you ever thought about the joy in sacrifice that Lent provides? Most of us don’t delight in sacrifice; in fact, in our daily lives we often do our best to avoid challenges and practices that push us outside of our comfort zones.

In Christianity, there is a beautiful irony between joy and sacrifice, and we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to embrace this in a unique way during Lent. In his 2020 Lenten message, Pope Francis shared, “…there is a need to appeal to men and women of good will to share, by almsgiving, their goods with those most in need, as a means of personally participating in the building of a better world. Charitable giving makes us more human, whereas hoarding risks making us less human, imprisoned by our own selfishness.”

While giving up sweets in favor of healthy snacks for Lent is a common and noble endeavor, the goal of Lent should not only be a spiritual excuse to lose weight! In choosing acts of self-denial, we are saying “no” to things in order to get into the practice of saying “no” when inclined towards sin, ultimately deepening our faith and our relationship with the Lord. Victory can be found when we deny ourselves and pick up our crosses and hardships in order to grow closer to Christ!

Therein lies the joy. When we grow closer to God by denying our will, we say “yes” to a life of abundance with Him. Our God is a benevolent God; He

will not hold back His grace from those who honor Him and choose challenging things to grow and give Him glory. Christ even tells us Himself, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Without question, Lent is a time for conscious penitence and for spiritual preparation for Easter. And, it is important to remember that God loves us whether we make Lenten changes or not. At the same time, Lent provides us an opportunity to make God a greater part of our life, and to take our faith to new levels. Stewardship is a Godcentered way of life — a spiritual way of living that, above all, acknowledges God’s presence in all we do.

Lent is a time for each and every one of us to do more than simply deny ourselves; we need to welcome God into our lives in greater ways, so that when we get to Holy Week and Easter, we have an even greater appreciation for the sacrifice the Lord made for us. Talk about pure joy!

May you and your loved ones enjoy a holy and joyous Lenten journey, and a blessed Easter.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. Donald A. Buhrman Pastor

“Lent is a time for each and every one of us to do more than simply deny ourselves; we need to welcome God into our lives in greater ways, so that when we get to Holy Week and Easter, we have an even greater appreciation for the sacrifice the Lord made for us. Talk about pure joy!”

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Habitat for Humanity:

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During St. Leo’s build day for Grand Island’s Habitat for Humanity, two volunteers review a checklist for the work to be done on a new home.

St. Leo’s parishioners volunteer with Grand Island’s Habitat for Humanity. Here, two of the build crew check measurements in a closet being built in a new home.

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HELPING FAMILIES R

home of one’s own is something we all strive to have — a place to live and grow within the safety and peace of four walls. St. Leo’s Parish has helped make this goal a reality for families here in Grand Island through our participation in Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities in all 50 states in the United States and more than 70 countries. Families apply to their local Habitat for Humanity to be considered for a home. After meeting the selection criteria, Habitat families contribute hours of “sweat equity” working on their own home, as well as paying an affordable mortgage.

In Grand Island, Habitat for Humanity usually builds four to five houses each year. Our parishioners help one day each spring, with the date to be announced. Other Grand Island parishes also take part.

The Ladies of Leo’s, our Altar Society, provides lunch on our build day for all of the builders that day.

“This is such a big deal to have people be able to have safe and affordable housing,” says Donna Douglass, St. Leo’s Outreach Coordinator. “That is what Habitat for Humanity brings to our community and that is what our parishioners are helping to build.”

Taking part in a Habitat for Humanity build fits into many of the Catholic Social Teaching themes, including Rights and Responsibilities. Donna notes these as follows: Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities — to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.

In simpler terms, this means people have a fundamental right to life, food, shelter, health care, education, and employment.

“Those taking part in the build need no special skills,” Donna says. “They will find a job for each of you. Depending on what the building plans are for that day, the tool list changes, but a couple of staples to have on hand are gloves and hammers.”

Besides meeting and working with fellow parishioners, build volunteers often find that there has been a positive impact on their faith.

“You will get to meet the family that will be living in the house when it is complete,” Donna says. “The family not only has a mortgage to pay for the house, but they must also complete sweat equity hours of helping to build the house. Realizing the blessing of your own home and seeing a family’s dream come true helps to

REALIZE THE DREAM OF OWNING A HOME thank God for our blessings and feel the reward of knowing that we have helped someone else.”

Another benefit of taking part in a build is realizing that the experience allows one to live in stewardship.

“Whether someone has construction knowledge or not, they can help build a house for a family,” Donna says. “That is giving of one’s time. And again, they get to meet the family who will get the house. I think that only strengthens the realization of how important their giving to this project is. This is an example of giving our time for the good of others in thanksgiving for the good that has blessed us.”

“This is such a big deal to have people be able to have safe and affordable housing. That is what Habitat for Humanity brings to our community and that is what our parishioners are helping to build.” — DONNA DOUGLASS, ST. LEO’S OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Anyone interested in taking part in the build day may sign up on sheets provided in the Gathering Area. The sheets are put out a few weeks before the build day.

Parishioners may also sign up by calling the parish office at 308-382-4753.

THE ALTAR SERVER MINISTRY

continued from front cover

or should be responsibilities, expectations, and rites of passages.”

Jodi says the best way to participate in the Mass is in an active way, like serving at the altar.

“Just like chores at home teach responsibility, so does participating in Church functions, activities, and ministries,” Jodi says. “Being an altar server builds character, leadership, responsibility and a stronger connection to the faith.”

The ministry of our altar servers is meant to take place behind the scenes, without drawing attention to those serving.

“The glory you receive is serving others,” Jodi says. “You are serving God, and by serving God you become closer in that bond.”

Even if youth don’t realize this when serving, they may reap the benefits years down the road. Most servers fill this ministry until they graduate from high school, but Jodi says she has had some servers of college-age and older jump in when needed.

A few years back, Jodi asked some former servers to reflect on their experience and the impact this ministry has had on their lives.

“Being an altar server allows you to be part of the Mass, which helps you understand it and appreciate it so much more,” said Mitch Fisher, senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “It gives you a different feeling of union with Christ that can’t be accomplished in the pews. Overall, it makes Mass more enjoyable and fills you with joy on Sunday.”

“Everyone has a responsibility to participate in the things they take part in,” said Steven Stauffer, a former altar server. “Sitting back and doing nothing results in those things dissolving. You can’t always expect someone else to take charge or step in, especially when it’s something important or requires many hands. This ministry helped me develop a deeper reverence for Mass and a greater appreciation for the flow and order. I also paid more attention to what was going on.”

If you would like to learn more about becoming an altar server, please contact Jodi Stauffer at jodi@saintleos.org.

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THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS “Sanctifying the Day With Prayer”

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hat if the busy present moments that constitute our daily lives were consecrated to Christ? Each insignificant moment or mundane activity becomes another opportunity to glorify Him. The Liturgy of the Hours is a means of not only centering the day on Christ, but also sanctifying the day, offering these moments to Him. It is a prayerful, habitual practice of the clergy and religious — yet, in ever increasing numbers, the laity are also gravitating towards these daily prayers.

Though it has undergone various developments over the years, the Liturgy of the Hours — also known as the Divine Office or the Breviary — has remained relatively the same since the 11 th century. The Hours are divided into five parts of “canonical hours” — Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer.

Each of the Hours includes readings of the psalms. Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer include a Gospel canticle.

The United States Conference of Catholic

Bishops describes the prayers as “a meditative dialogue on the mystery of Christ.” Through Scripture, the Hours invite us into this dialogue, a prayerful conversation that can undergird our daily moments.

From helpful instructional videos on YouTube, to written resources through EWTN and the USCCB, there is a wealth of resources for the laity on learning how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours.

Many Catholic bookstores and even Amazon.com sell the four-volume book set that contains the complete Hours. And if using the actual four-volume set seems daunting, the website divineoffice.org offers the entire Liturgy of the Hours for free. An app is also available to download, therefore providing us with a means of keeping the prayers within reach throughout the day.

Whether with a faith community or in solitary prayer, saying the Liturgy of the Hours situates us within a rich tradition of Catholic prayer and consecrates the present moments of our lives to Christ.

Whether with a faith community or in solitary prayer, saying the Liturgy of the Hours situates us within a rich tradition of Catholic prayer and consecrates the present moments of our lives to Christ.

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Stewardship

THE WISE MEN’S GIFTS SYMBOLIZE OUR LENTEN OBLIGATIONS

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e experience great joy when we celebrate the coming of the Magi at Epiphany each year.

For many of us, it is the completion of Christmas.

Yet, the gifts offered by the Magi — gold, frankincense and myrrh — can serve to guide us as we observe Lent this month.

It may seem strange to connect the joyful celebration of Epiphany with the penitential season of Lent. Yet, our spiritual life should not be divided into separate bits having no connection with each other. In the same way, the Church’s liturgical year should also flow from one season to another. The different feasts and seasons certainly have different emphases, but they are intended to build on each other. So let’s see if we can connect what the Magi gave Jesus with what we’re going to offer Him this Lent.

The basic ingredients for our Lenten rule normally come from what are termed the Three Notable Duties — prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These in turn come from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

How do we connect the wise men’s gifts with the notable duties? Actually, what the gifts symbolize matches up surprisingly well.

Frankincense is the basic ingredient in the incense used in the worship of God, in the ancient world and in the Church today. Offering it to Jesus points out His divine nature, and so it symbolizes prayer. Our Lenten rule needs to include

prayer and worship. Of course, we are bound to worship at Sunday Mass year-round. Maybe during Lent, we might add a weekday Mass. Perhaps we can increase the time we devote to private prayer at home or at adoration. Devotional reading from the Bible or another appropriate book can be added. In addition, don’t forget the possibility of adding family devotions during Lent, so that the whole family prays together.

When we offer our gold to Christ to build His Church and to help His poor, we are engaged in almsgiving. While giving from the treasure God has entrusted to us is a duty throughout the whole year, maybe this Lent we can practice being a little more generous than usual. If our giving is a thankful response to the gift of eternal life that God has given us, we will find that the giving is indeed a means of grace.

For centuries, myrrh has been associated with fasting. Although myrrh comes from the same family of plants as frankincense, it has a more pungent scent and bitter taste. In the ancient world, it was regularly used in embalming. Generations of theological writers have seen the gift of myrrh as a foreshadowing of Christ’s sufferings. And fasting strengthens us in holiness and prepares us to come into God’s presence after our own deaths. St. Thomas Aquinas himself linked myrrh with repentance and fasting when he wrote that myrrh represents the penance by which we continued on back cover

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THE WISE MEN’S GIFTS preserve our souls from the corruption of sin.

Fasting may be the most difficult of the three notable duties for modern Americans. After all, most of the advertising and many of the magazine articles we see are devoted to making us more, not less, comfortable. We usually think of fasting only under the heading of dieting to lose weight.

Instead, try to think of fasting as a way to become more spiritually fit. Body and spirit affect each other. The whole sacramental system is built on the truth that we can receive spiritual grace through material things and physical actions. Our

continued from page 7 specific requirements of fasting are limited — abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent, and a reduction in the quantity of food we eat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. But discipline of our physical bodies for our spiritual well-being does not have to be limited to Lent!

Gold, frankincense and myrrh were indeed valuable gifts for the wise men to present to the Child Jesus. When we look at their symbolism, we can see their relationship to the three notable duties of almsgiving, prayer and fasting. What gifts are we going to offer to Jesus this Lent?

Gold, frankincense and myrrh were indeed valuable gifts for the wise men to present to the Child Jesus. When we look at their symbolism, we can see their relationship to the three notable duties of almsgiving, prayer and fasting. What gifts are we going to offer to Jesus this Lent?

LITURGY SCHEDULE Daily Mass: 9 a.m., Saturday: 5 p.m., Sunday: 8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

Confession: Saturday 4 - 4:30 p.m. Adoration: First Friday of the Month, 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Abide Adoration: Fourth Sunday of the Month, 7 - 8 p.m.