IGNITING PRO-LIFE
Annual Topeka rally draws big numbers to support life
By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
TOPEKA — On mission for life.
That was the theme of the Ignite rally and Mass for Life held Jan. 29 at the Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC). At least 1,600 attended the annual event. Sponsored by the archdiocese’s prolife office, the event included a fair of pro-life organizations and ministries,
Mass with the Kansas bishops and three different speakers, all of whom as Debra Niesen, the archdiocese’s prolife consultant said, are on mission for life.
First was 23-year-old Gabriel Cobb.
In 2023, Cobb spoke at the United Nations about living a full life with Down syndrome. His speech was broadcast live across the world.
“Challenges? Yes. Limitations? No,” Cobb said to those at the rally.
Elsewhere, he said he was blessed
with “a great family,” including “two loving parents who have always kept the bar high.”
“My biggest achievement is that I am a triathlete,” he said, adding he’s completed 15 triathlons.
He’s also competed in basketball and golf with the Special Olympics, sang at his sister’s wedding and studied tae kwon do. Additionally, he enjoys swing dancing and line dancing and traveling to “advocate for Down syndrome.”
But, Cobb said, “My faith is the most
important part of my life. I like to attend Mass daily and pray loudly. After all, I am Gabriel, God’s messenger!”
Following Cobb was Dr. Lisa Gilbert, a board-certified family physician from Wichita whose long list of accomplishments includes serving on the board for the American Association of ProLife OB-GYNS (AAPLOG).
“Most of us have heard the slogan that abortion is health care. I’m
here
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Students from St. James Academy in Lenexa were among the 1,600 people to attend Ignite.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Following the Jan. 29 Ignite rally and Mass for Life, participants marched to the Kansas Capitol for a rally sponsored by Kansans for Life.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Leah Darrow, with her baby Sylvester, tells her story of choosing life over aborting her child.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Debra Niesen, archdiocesan pro-life consultant, talks to the crowd at Ignite on Jan. 29.
The United States needs a legal immigration process that works
One issue that has almost unanimous agreement is that for decades, our immigration policy has been broken and is in need of reform. Immigration was one of the most significant issues in the presidential election. Candidate Trump promised the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants.
On Nov. 28, 2024, the Catholic bishops of Kansas issued a statement. We promised to continue to accompany and serve the immigrant community. We also promised to advocate for the just treatment and dignity of immigrants within the framework of the law. We reminded immigrants that no matter their legal status, they are beloved daughters and sons of God, made in the divine image and redeemed by Jesus Christ on Calvary.
The church does not have the authority or the responsibility to determine the legal status of those living in the United States. However, we have a moral responsibility to advocate for the recognition of the dignity of every human being who, created in the divine image, is of such worth that Jesus gave his life on Calvary. The church has an obligation to care for every person with respect and love, no matter their citizenship status.
Jesus taught his disciples that when we care for the stranger we are serving our Lord. In the 25th Chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus provides the criteria by which we will be judged: “For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; I was naked and you gave me clothing; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me” (25: 35-36).
Those elected to lead our nation are responsible to protect the integrity of our country and keep safe the citizens of the United States. Allowing violent gangs, individuals with serious criminal histories, dealers of lethal illegal drugs,
LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS
ARCHBISHOP
JOSEPH F. NAUMANN
human traffickers and those who pose threats to our national security to enter our country and harm U.S. citizens is a serious dereliction of duty by our elected leaders. I commend President Trump and those in his administration for addressing this serious, national threat.
It is inconceivable that our previous administration either did not know or care about the location or the circumstances of approximately 300,000 children and youth who entered the United States during the past four years. We do not know how many of them have become victims of human trafficking, gangs and drug dealers. This is a national disgrace. I salute President Trump and his administration for making it a priority to find these lost children and youth.
At the same time, the vast majority of those who entered our country illegally are not gang members, criminals, drug dealers, human traffickers or terrorists posing a threat to our national security. Many have come fleeing poverty in their homeland with a sincere desire to better provide for the material needs of their families. Some have come fleeing political oppression and/or to protect their children from the gang culture prevalent in their native lands. Some have come because they desire the freedoms and opportunities that many of us take for granted — e.g., freedom of religion, freedom of speech, the opportunity to work hard and improve economic status, the opportunity for education for children
search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.
and health care for families.
I was saddened by the recent remarks of Vice President Vance accusing the Catholic Church of economically profiting from our partnership with the U.S. government in caring for refugees and migrants. The truth is that the church is providing services that our government has a moral responsibility to provide.
Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has a long history of resettling refugees. I believe we do it better and for less cost than if the government attempted to provide comparable services. The government reimburses Catholic Charities for services rendered. The church does not economically profit from this partnership except that it gives us more resources to better serve those who we would naturally attempt to help in fulfilling the mandate Jesus gave to us to welcome the stranger.
The long-term solution to the immigration issue includes having a secure border, where we know who enters our country and why they seek to reside in the United States. The government has a responsibility to prevent bad actors from entering our nation.
At the same time, our country should have the most generous legal immigration policy in the world. This is how the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the responsibilities of prosperous nations to refugees and immigrants as well as the corresponding responsibilities of migrants to the countries who welcome them:
“The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in
“Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions, especially with regard to the immigrants’ duties toward their country of adoption. Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens” (CCC 2241).
After his election, on Dec. 8, President Trump expressed an openness to work with Democrats for a plan to care for DREAMers, adults who as children were brought to the United States by their parents. The president acknowledged that many DREAMers have never been to the country where they were born and do not even know the language. Despite a lot of obstacles, many DREAMers have “become successful. They have great jobs. In some cases, they have small businesses. Some cases, they might have large businesses.”
Maybe providing lasting, legal status for the DREAMers could be the place to begin the reform of our immigration policy.
What to do with the millions who entered our country illegally, but have not committed any other crime and are working hard, raising families and contributing to the welfare of society? If President Trump is able to shut down the border successfully, making illegal entry into our country virtually impossible, does it not make more sense to create a pathway for the undocumented to be able to earn legal status? If those who entered the nation illegally paid significant fines in reparation, why not allow them to receive at least a type of legal status? If not
ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN’S CALENDAR
Feb. 8
White Mass — St. Michael the Archangel, Leawood
Feb. 9
World Marriage Day Mass — Sacred Heart of Jesus, Shawnee
Feb. 10
“Shepherd’s Voice” recording — chancery
Pastoral Council meeting — chancery
Feb. 11
Administrative Team meeting — chancery
Feb. 12
Hayden High School Mass and lunch — Topeka
Feb. 13
Holy Trinity Bible study speaker — Holy Trinity, Lenexa
Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic, An Evening of Life and Love — St. Patrick, Kansas City, Kansas
Feb. 15 -16
ACTS Weekend Mass — St. Michael the Archangel, Leawood
Feb. 18
Vespers and dinner — St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison
Feb. 19
Eucharistic Adoration — Bishop Miege, Roeland Park
Donnelly College board meeting
Feb. 20
Communio update meeting with Tory Baucum
Confirmation, Sacred Heart-St. Joseph, Topeka — St. Joseph Church, Topeka
Feb. 21
Eucharistic Revival bishops’ advisory group
Feb. 22
Benedictine Scholarship Ball Mass — Overland Park Convention Center
citizenship, perhaps work permits?
Economically, the United States would save the costs of deportation and receive revenue from the fines.
President Trump has expressed an openness to expanding legal immigration. However, he appears only open to welcome immigrants who bring some particular skills and expertise that will benefit our country. If that was the only criteria for accepting immigrants or refugees, my ancestors would never have made the cut.
Historically, immigrants have been instrumental in renewing our country — not because they had advanced degrees or technological skills, but because they loved the American Dream. They cherished the freedoms U.S. citizens enjoy and the opportunities to better provide for themselves and their families.
Sadly, our population is declining in the United States because of abortion, many adults choosing not to marry, and married couples having fewer children. Our birth rate is below replacement level. Without immigrants, our population decline would be even more severe. We need legal immigrants who love the United States, are eager to work hard, value freedom and respect the dignity of every human being. I would love to have the opportunity to have a conversation with President Trump and/or Vice President Vance about immigration and refugee resettlement policies. I would treasure the opportunity to make the case for how generous policies for worker permits and legal immigration could be important ingredients in helping make America great again!
RED MASS
Annual Red Mass offered for those involved in public service
By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
TOPEKA — The legal and public service professions were wellrepresented on Jan. 28 for the annual Red Mass held at St. Joseph Church here.
Sponsored by the Kansas Catholic Conference, which serves as the voice of the Catholic bishops in Kansas and provides Catholic perspective to Kansas lawmakers on a range of issues, the annual Mass is celebrated within the first few weeks of each legislative session. This year’s session began Jan. 13.
The Mass gets its name from the red liturgical vestments worn by the celebrant. Red symbolizes the Holy Spirit. During the Mass, Catholics pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to come down upon those involved in public life, especially elected government officials, civil servants, attorneys and judges.
The readings from the Mass typically center on God’s people asking for wisdom, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and on the humility involved in serving God’s people.
This year’s Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann with Bishop Carl Kemme of Wichita as the homilist. Bishop Gerald Vincke of Salina concelebrated along with Father Matthew Nagle, pastor of Topeka’s Mater Dei Parish, and Father Brian Lager, state chaplain of the Knights of Columbus. Father Anthony Saiki, rector of the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Kansas City, Kansas, served as master of ceremonies.
In his homily, Bishop Kemme said he was convinced that it was in God’s providential design the Mass was celebrated on the same day as the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, “one of the greatest minds the church has ever known.”
Sharing the life of the “angelic doctor,” Bishop Kemme said the saint was “a philosopher, theologian and a mystic” who wrote more than five million words during his lifetime including those found in the “Summa Theologica,” one of the most influential works in Christian theology.
In addition to the “Summa,” St. Thomas also wrote eucharistic hymns familiar even today, especially “Tantum Ergo” and “O Salutaris.” These two hymns, the bishop said, will be part of the musical tradition of the church for
centuries to come.
The Dominican saint provided not only writings and hymns but an example as well.
“Whenever he was facing a theological problem that he just couldn’t quite get,” said Bishop Kemme, “he wouldn’t try to figure it out.” Instead, he would go to the friary chapel.
“There, he would lean his head on the tabernacle and spend hours begging the Lord to give him wisdom,” the bishop said. “He wasn’t just an intellect. He had a soul deeply in love with Jesus.”
The saint, Bishop Kemme continued, was convinced “that Jesus had all the answers to all the questions in his mind, all
the longings of his heart.”
It’s an example we all might follow.
Bishop Kemme said he’d like “to propose something that is so deeply a part of our Catholic tradition — to make daily visits, if possible, to the Blessed Sacrament.
“To be here, in this sacred place, this consecrated place where Jesus is, makes all the difference.”
Not everyone can make a daily hour, Bishop Kemme recognized. But he encouraged everyone gathered to cultivate the practice of making a daily visit, even if for just five or 10 minutes.
“There, seek his wisdom,” the bishop said.
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Bishop Carl Kemme of the Diocese of Wichita, with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann (background), prays during the Liturgy of the Eucharist at the Red Mass celebrated Jan. 28 at St. Joseph Church in Topeka. The annual Mass is offered for those involved in the legal profession and public service such as attorneys, judges, elected officials and civil servants.
Above, Bishop Gerald Vincke of the Diocese of Salina visits after Mass with Thomas Schmeidler, state treasurer for the Knights of Columbus.
Right, Father Matt Nagle, pastor of Topeka’s Mater Dei Parish, Bishop Gerald Vincke of the Diocese of Salina and Archbishop Naumann laugh at a joke shared by Bishop Carl Kemme during the homily.
Janet Stuke, a member of St. Matthew Parish’s prayer blanket ministry, demonstrates hand quilting during the Prayer Blanket Tea Party held for all Topeka parishes on Jan. 18. The event brought together about 30 women from the various parishes to exchange ideas, learn different techniques and share resources. Stuke’s demonstration was one of nine different demonstrations held throughout the morning.
Sew much fun: Quilters share ideas, fellowship
By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
TOPEKA — The most important thing to remember is: “It is not about the quilt. . . . It’s about the prayers and evangelization.”
That’s what Betty Henderson told a group of 30 members from five of the six other Topeka parishes during a get-together held in St. Matthew’s parish hall on Jan. 18. Henderson is a member of St. Matthew’s prayer blanket ministry group.
Dubbed a tea party, the event was the idea of Dale Rose, prayer blanket ministry coordinator at St. Matthew. She thought it’d be fun to get all of the various sewing groups and prayer blanket ministries from the other parishes together to share resources, learn different skills and see some of the various tools being used by St. Matthew’s to create their prayer blankets.
Short, small-group sessions included border quilts, sandwiching techniques, machine embroidery, hand embroidery, hand quilting and 3D blocking. The sessions were done in rotation and lasted about five to six minutes each. That way, all participants could participate in all sessions.
To kick off the morning’s activities, Rose led those gathered in a “quilter’s prayer,” dedicating both their time and stitches as a prayer for those who eventually receive their finished prayer blankets. One of the lines read: “Let this activity not just be a hobby, but dedicated time of intercession where our thoughts and prayers are woven into the fabric of each quilt, bringing warmth, comfort and hope to all who are covered by it.”
Typical prayers include the rosary and the chaplet of Divine Mercy, but others simply come from the heart.
“Prayers are on the lips while the
mind is on sewing,” Henderson said, adding one of her favorites is simply, “Lord, please don’t let me mess this up!”
Prayer is vital to any parish prayer blanket ministry. Over the last 15-20 years, St. Matthew has distributed hundreds of blankets around the city, state, region, nation and at least 15 other countries. Quilts have found their way to the sick, to those in hospitals and nursing homes, and to those who have suffered devastating losses. In some cases, people have experienced physical or spiritual healing.
The healings which have occurred shouldn’t really surprise anyone, Henderson said. After all, the use of prayer cloths dates back to biblical times and can be found in both the Old and New Testaments.
For example, in Acts 19:11-12, a book usually attributed to St. Luke, it is written: “And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and
Larry and Carol (Cogan) Lintner, members of St Benedict Parish in Atchison, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Feb. 8. The couple was married on Feb. 8, 1975, at Holy Trinity Church in Weston, Missouri. They plan to celebrate with a reception. Their children are: Jeremy, Nathan and Stephan. They also have five grandchildren.
Dwaine and Theresa (Conchola) Schmitt , members of Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Kansas City, Kansas, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Feb. 15 with a reception hosted by their children at the Shawnee Civic Center. They will leave on a trip to the Dominican Republic the following week. The couple was married on Feb. 15, 1975, at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Kansas City, Kansas. Their children are Bryan Schmitt and Rebecca (Schmitt) Becerra. They also have four grandchildren.
Ronald and Louise Ohl, members of St. Teresa Parish, Westphalia, will celebrate their 5oth wedding anniversary on Feb. 8. The couple was married on Feb. 8, 1975, at St. Joseph Church, Andale.
the evil spirits came out of them.”
A famous example of a cloth involved in at least one healing is the Shroud of Turin, Henderson said, adding she could tell dozens of stories of people healed or comforted by the prayer blankets distributed by St. Matthew’s prayer blanket ministry.
Perhaps that’s one reason why the ministry was so excited to share their ideas and resources with Topeka’s other parishes, a fact appreciated by the participants themselves.
Pat Hippen, a member of Christ the King Parish’s quilt group, said she’d attended the tea party because she “wanted to see what everyone else is doing,” and perhaps pick up a skill or two, like learning how to use the AccuQuilt cutting tools.
Shelly Barton of Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish said she was glad she came. She, too, signed up in order to learn “some tips and tricks” as well as “to enjoy fellowship with others.” Her head is now full of ideas, ideas she can hardly wait to share with her parish.
Mark and Dottie (Buessing) Deters, members of Sacred Heart Parish, Baileyville, will celebrate their
50th wedding anniversary with a meal and reception for family and friends on Feb. 9. The couple was married on Feb. 8, 1975, at Sacred Heart Church, Baileyville, by Father George Klasinski. Their children are: Matt, Michelle, Dennis, Angela and Kyle. They also have 17 grandchildren and an angel in heaven.
SOLUTION
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
Attendees — (from left) Mary Ann Anderson, of Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish; Stacey Guerrero and Thelma Haefner, of Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish; and Dolores Gonzalez, of St. Matthew Parish — look over the potholders available to take home.
‘Every life counts’
>> Continued from page 1
to give a challenge to all of us and to emphatically state that abortion is not health care,” Gilbert said during her presentation.
On the topic of abortion pills, the doctor said that 1 in 25 women who take them end up in an emergency room. This, she said, is putting more stress on doctors who have to tend to these situations when on call, not to mention the physical, psychological and spiritual trauma experienced by these women.
The final speaker “on mission” was Leah Darrow, a former model who is now a wife and a mother to seven kids, who lives on an 80-acre pumpkin farm in the Ozarks.
“My life over the past eight months has become the story that many pro-abortion advocates would use on why abortion should be used. The life of the mother is at risk. You should abort the baby,” she said.
On May 1, at just 22 weeks into her pregnancy with her seventh child, she became critically ill.
Most states would not have considered her baby to be viable because of her illness. Thankfully, she said, Missouri, her state of residence, did. So, when doctors told her and her husband their child would not be able to walk and would have a host of problems like blindness, deafness and chromosomal abnormalities, they could offer intervention and treatment.
“They told me he had less than a two percent chance of survival,” she said. “They also told me the only choice — the only choice to save my life — was to have an emergency C-section. Because if I didn’t, I would die along with my baby.”
Darrow had the cesarean section as recommended; baby Sylvester spent 199 days in intensive care. Today, both she and “Sly” are doing well. In fact, Sly was nestled against his mother as she gave her remarks.
THE PRO-LIFE MESSAGE IS NOT JUST A MESSAGE FOR WOMEN. IT IS A MESSAGE FOR MEN, FOR FAMILIES, FOR CHILDREN, FOR ALL OF US TO STAND UP.
LEAH DARROW
Darrow had prayed, she said, for God to give her “a long journey” — because she knew a long journey meant he would live.
“One of the things [Sylvester’s] taught me is about potential. So often, we think potential begins when you graduate high school or when you get your first job,” she said. “That’s not true. That’s a lie that truly our culture wants to tell you so that you don’t do the good when you
Participants share their reactions N
early 1,600 participated in the Ignite rally, Mass and march to the Kansas Capitol. Here, several offer their thoughts.
On Gabriel Cobb’s message of living without limitations
“He was talking about life and how, no matter what happens to you or what your circumstances are, you can still accomplish something.”
— Tristian Ortega Holy Family School, Topeka
“Anything is possible with God on your side.”
— Giovanni Chavez Holy Family School, Topeka
“He kept trying. He never gave up.”
— William Cocoma Holy Family School, Topeka
On hearing Leah Darrow’s story
“I thought her story was really moving and inspiring. She chose life.”
— Samantha Garret
Most Pure Heart of Mary School, Topeka
“It was inspiring how she risked her life for her baby.”
— Tate Shump
Most Pure Heart of Mary School, Topeka
“I really liked the Mass. It was very nice to have such a large community to worship together. I also liked Leah. I felt she was saying important things, highlighting important points that the pro-choice will use [in favor of abortion]. . . . She proves that it doesn’t always have to end in the baby dying. It can end in life.”
— Natalie Lewis Christ the King School, Topeka
“Her highlighting of the long journey. Human tendency is to want the easiest way, but sometimes the long journey is what’s best for us.”
— Dahila Collins Christ the King School, Topeka
On the day’s events as a whole
can do the good, so that you don’t do the good when you are young. Potential does not start when you are 18. Potential starts at conception, hands down.”
In concluding, Darrow said, “I leave you with this challenge. This is your challenge right here. Intervene. Intervene. . . . The pro-life message is not just a message for women. It is a message for men, for families, for children, for all of us to stand up. Everyone counts. Every life counts. We don’t have to have the answers. We just have to take the first steps because every life is worth it, every single one.”
Following Darrow’s presentation, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann celebrated Mass with Bishop Carl Kemme of the Diocese of Wichita and Bishop Gerald Vincke of the Diocese of Salina and several dozen priests from the different dioceses. Participants then marched to the Kansas Capitol for a rally sponsored by Kansans for Life.
“I liked how all of these people are still coming even after Roe v. Wade has been overturned, united for one cause. You don’t feel like you’re the only one. “
— Connie Sterbenz Christ the King Parish, Topeka
“Mass was my favorite part. It was nice to be with more of the community from across the state.”
— Angelina Melendez Bishop Ward High School, Kansas City, Kansas
“Mass is always the best. Normally we don’t have that many people in a church. It was just something special.”
— Sarai Arroyo Bishop Ward High School, Kansas City, Kansas
On how they will be “on mission for life”
“I plan to have open and honest discussions with friends about abortion.”
— Gemma Brown Corpus Christi School, Lawrence
“Maybe we can pray the rosary, pray in [eucharistic] adoration and fast for those facing unplanned pregnancies. We could also volunteer at Mary’s Choices here in Topeka.”
— Natalia Hardie Most Pure Heart of Mary School,
Topeka
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Bishops, priests and deacons process into the Topeka Performing Arts Center on Jan. 29 for Mass at the Ignite rally and Mass for Life. The annual event drew about 1,600 people.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Pro-life supporters gather outside the Kansas Capitol for a rally following the Ignite rally and Mass for Life Jan. 29.
Children’s CEF scholarships transform families’ lives
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — “As a society, we’ve never been more connected [with technology], but also never more alone,” said RJ Gildea during a December dinner with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and a group of Catholic school parents. Gildea serves as the chair of the board of directors of the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF), which is a program dedicated to ensuring students of all backgrounds can receive a Catholic education.
“There’s a desire for community,” he continued, “but it’s very challenging to find that in today’s world. That’s really what our Catholic schools provide.”
CEF is there to help.
“There is a real partnership with families,” agreed Archbishop Naumann. “That sets our Catholic schools apart. Parents are committed to being involved and helping at the schools as volunteers.”
For Andrew Torrez, having a chance to give back to his family’s school community is a blessing. Most Pure Heart of Mary School in Topeka has been a source of stability and hope for him during difficult times. Despite facing marital separation, job loss and substance abuse, he experienced unwavering support.
“I grew up in Catholic schools, and faith has always been a big part of my life,” said Torrez. He emphasized that without scholarships from CEF, he wouldn’t have been able to send his sons to Most Pure Heart.
Other parents around the dinner table shared similar experiences. Like Torrez, their children attend Catholic schools thanks to scholarships from CEF.
Now in its 27th year, CEF provides $5 million annually in need-based scholarships, helping approximately 1,900 students in the archdiocese access a Catholic education this school year.
“Our goal is to support every child who wants to attend a Catholic school,” said Gildea. “We want to walk with students from kindergarten to their high school graduation.”
“We’re fortunate to have donors who believe in Catholic education and
invest in our families,” he continued. “More than anything, we are blessed to have you [parents], and we are deeply grateful for the sacrifices you make. It’s not something we take lightly.”
Before dinner, the group attended Mass in the chapel at the archbishop’s residence. In his homily, Archbishop Naumann reflected on how his mother’s vocation as a parent and Catholic school educator profoundly shaped his life.
“She always had faith and taught me that God had a plan for me,” said the archbishop.
For Isuie Arias, her children’s faith has transformed her own. Since enrolling at Resurrection School in Kansas City, Kansas, Arias’ children have developed a deep understanding of Catholicism. Tearfully, she shared how their faith inspired her
to reconnect with hers.
“My kids started asking to go to Mass,” said Arias. Now, the family attends weekly Mass together. “My family is happier than ever because even when we face challenges, we have our faith.”
This sentiment resonated with parents Garrick and Eileen Lambert. When Eileen unexpectedly lost her job in 2024, the Lamberts feared they wouldn’t be able to afford tuition for their three children at St. Benedict School in Atchison.
“CEF came to the rescue,” said Garrick. “It was a rally within our community like I’d never seen before. We were so grateful to maintain that stability, structure and safety for our kids, along with the faith-filled foundation Catholic education provides.”
Archbishop Naumann expressed his
gratitude for the Catholic Education Foundation and the sacrifices parents make to provide their children with a Catholic education.
“Sadly, in many countries, Catholic schools are considered elite and only accessible to the wealthy,” said the archbishop. “That’s why I’m so thankful for the Catholic Education Foundation. It helps make our schools affordable and accessible.”
In closing, CEF executive director Vincent Anch thanked the parents and announced plans to expand the reach of scholarships through the new Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann Legacy Scholarship Fund.
“We want to help more families send their children to Catholic schools,” said Anch, “and ensure our schools and Catholic communities remain strong.”
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann celebrates Mass with a representative group of parents of children receiving Catholic Education Foundation scholarships.
A quiet reflection: Catholic-inspired living at Santa Marta
By Jill Allin Special to The Leaven
OLATHE — In a world where life often feels hurried, there’s a subtle charm in places that seem to exist outside of time — places where tradition, community and faith form the foundation of daily life.
Santa Marta, a retirement community in Johnson County, is one such place. Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, it offers a glimpse into what it means to grow older while remaining deeply connected to one’s spiritual roots.
At its core, Santa Marta embodies Catholic values as an ethos woven into its culture. It’s a sanctuary where Mass is celebrated daily, where rosaries are prayed in quiet fellowship and where residents find moments of grace amid the rhythms of modern retirement living.
Living in faith
The chapel at Santa Marta is the centerpiece of the community, its doors always open. Here, the sacred meets the everyday in a way that feels unforced and organic. The air is often filled with the soft hum of voices in prayer, the warmth of sunlight streaming through stained glass and the laughter of neighbors who’ve become friends.
For residents like Teta Dougherty, this connection to faith and the beautiful chapel is what drew her to Santa Marta.
“Faith was my primary reason for wanting to move to Santa Marta. I attend daily Mass, and I was really thinking about what I’d do if I couldn’t drive anymore. Being able to walk to Mass from my apartment and knowing the chapel is always there — it’s such a comforting feeling,” she said. “It’s become the most important part of my life here.”
Community spirit
At Santa Marta, the community spirit transcends faith, welcoming residents of all backgrounds.
“What makes Santa Marta so special is the Catholic faith foundation, but also the warmth and kindness of everyone here,” said resident Jake Jacobsen. “It reminds me of being back in high
school, where you really get to know a large group of wonderful people instead of just a few on your floor.”
The community’s structure and culture encourage connections.
“Sunday Mass is at 4 p.m., and afterward, we often stop by the bar, which is always lively, before heading to dinner at 5:30,” he said.
“There’s really a community spirit here at Santa Marta. It’s unreal how many people fill the dining room after Mass with laughter and conversation. Living here is delightful. It’s friendly. It’s truly a happy place,” said Dougherty.
The grace of community
Unlike many senior living communities, Santa Marta carries the imprint of a larger purpose. The archdiocese’s sponsorship provides not only a spiritual backbone but also a sense of continuity for residents who have spent their lives deeply involved in parish life.
To Jacobsen, faith isn’t just a personal practice — it’s a calling he lives out daily. On Tuesdays, he serves alongside the priest at Mass and also brings Communion to residents in assisted living, offering both spiritual nourishment and companionship.
“I visit 10 apartments to offer Communion, and it’s one of the most fulfilling parts of my week,” he said. “Being able to provide this to my community strengthens my own faith and fills me with a sense of purpose and gratitude.”
This sense of stewardship extends beyond the chapel walls. Residents at Santa Marta are encouraged to remain active in service, from organizing charitable drives to mentoring the younger generation. It’s a natural continuation of lives lived in devotion and service, made all the richer by a community that shares those same values.
Faithful guidance
At Santa Marta, the commitment
to stewardship extends beyond its residents. Guided by a spirit of service, the community’s senior living counselors approach each conversation with patience and care, offering thoughtful guidance to seniors and their families as they navigate the often-overwhelming world of senior living options. Their role is not to persuade but to discern — to listen, understand and help individuals find the path that aligns with their needs, whether within or beyond the walls of Santa Marta.
When asked what he saw as the biggest blessings of living at a faith-inspired senior living community, Jacobsen said the following:
“For me, it’s the combination of faith, community and care. Being able to stay active in my faith, surrounded by wonderful people, in a place where every detail is thoughtfully handled — it’s more than I could have hoped for. It’s a beautiful way to live.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA MARTA
Santa Marta residents, from left, Ranee Phye, Larry Phye, Fran Schilling and Jean Kudelko come together in prayer and song in the community’s chapel.
‘ORA ET LABORA’ HOW ANCIENT ORDER STILL THRIVES IN ATCHISON
By Catherine Halbmaier Special to The Leaven
ATCHISON — We all need someone to walk with us in prayer. No one makes the journey to heaven alone. Whether accompanied by family and friends, or religious Brothers and Sisters, it is vital to have those who walk with us in our vocation.
The Benedictine order is a shining example of this. For more than 1500 years, the male and female monastic communities have lived and thrived parallel to each other. Side by side in prayer and work, they follow in the tradition of St. Benedict and his sister St. Scholastica.
Since the 19th century, this Benedictine tradition has continued right here in Atchison. Thanks to their respective missions, Benedictine College lives on as an extension of St. Benedict’s and Mount St. Scholastica College. The monks at St. Benedict’s Abbey and the Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica have continued a legacy of faith and hospitality that dates back to the order’s founding.
Benedictines in the Middle Ages
Founded around the year 500 as the first religious order of the Latin church, the Benedictine order was also among the first to establish monastic communities of men and women living and ministering along-
side one another.
Since the order’s founding, monastic life offered a unique opportunity particularly for women, said Sister Judith Sutera, OSB, of Mount St. Scholastica, who has a degree in monastic theology and does public relations for the community.
“Parallel communities gave women of the time an opportunity for protection and assistance,” said Sister
most important thing we do is live in prayer and community. You can’t pray without some degree of literacy and literacy was much higher in monasteries.”
In fact, according to Sister Judith, the men’s and women’s communities live out St. Benedict’s Rule in much the same way today.
Judith. “Often a brother and sister would join, or two friends. They would join nearby communities that mutually supported each other.”
According to Sister Judith, the monastic life offered agency for women that was not otherwise available, as well as a higher standard of education.
“This was absolutely agency, an alternate lifestyle in a time when there were few others,” she said. “The
“Monastic life was not a man founding a community for women,” she explained. “We lived the Rule identically, men and women. The only thing that has not applied is the chapter on ordination.”
The Sisters rely on the Benedictine men to celebrate Mass for them. Aside from that, the communities have historically been self-governed and self-sustaining. This cooperative coexistence continues today in Atchison, though the Benedictines took quite a
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BENEDICTINE SISTERS
Father Jay Kythe, OSB, and Father Duane Roy, OSB, visit with Sister Elaine Gregory, OSB, who was a missionary in Brazil with Father Duane.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BENEDICTINE SISTERS
Sister Sharon Hamsa, OSB, greets Brother Maximilian Mary Anderson, OSB, and the rest of the monks arriving for Christmas caroling with the elder Sisters in the Dooley Center, Atchison.
Monks join the Sisters for vespers and dinner on
Abbot James Albers, OSB, and Prioress Mary Elizabeth
journey to get there.
The tradition continues
In the 19th century, Benedictine monks from Bavaria journeyed across the Atlantic to the United States. After founding a community in Pennsylvania, the Sisters followed in 1852.
The Benedictines were quick to expand their horizons farther, venturing onto the frontier. By 1852, the monks and Sisters had arrived in Atchison.
“We were together from day one,” said Sister Judith. “By 1863, the Irish people of the city had committed to assisting financially with the monastery and the school right across the street.”
A few years later, the Sisters moved
to the current Mount St. Scholastica property. St. Benedict’s College and Mount St. Scholastica College soon followed. Before and during the merger of the colleges, the monks and Sisters shared a cooperative relationship, and, at times, a familial one.
“On the working level, you can’t have this many successful years of higher education unless you cooperate with each other,” said Sister Judith. “And then, there’s just the ordinary level. A monk and a nun might be cousins or schoolmates from the time they were born.”
Father Meinrad Miller of St. Benedict’s Abbey, who also teaches Benedictine spirituality at Benedictine College, expanded on the spiritual cooperation and familial ties between the communities.
“There was always independence even in the early days,” Father Meinrad said. “Each monastic community has its own leadership. Throughout the ages, we’ve always been working together with the apostolates and prayer. Each has always had their own identity as a monastic family. I think they probably gave the sense that they were an autonomous community. We always worked together to help bring about the kingdom of God.”
“In the older days,” he continued, “when you had more vocations from bigger families, there were more connections between the monks and the Sisters.”
And not just because some were related.
“They came from the same town or knew each other from the college,” he said.
While the familial connections
have become rarer over the years, the Abbey and the Mount maintain a close professional and spiritual relationship. The communities pray for each other as they always have, honoring traditions along the way to support each other.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ
These days, the Abbey and the Mount continue to spiritually support each other and pursue their ministries.
For the monks, a large part of this is Benedictine College and St. Benedict Parish.
Meanwhile, the Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica care for their senior members at the Dooley Center on their campus, offer retreats, spiritual and formation programs, and more at Sophia Spirituality Center in Atchison. At their Keeler Women’s Center in Kansas City, Kansas, they offer retreats, hospitality and practical workshops to disadvantaged women.
While their missions may have diverged, the leaders of the Mount and the Abbey regularly meet to discuss the cooperation between their communities.
Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger, prioress of Mount St. Scholastica, explained that she and Abbot James Albers, of the abbey, are very intentional about their collaboration.
“Abbot James and I try to get together every other month for a regular meeting,” said Sister Mary Elizabeth. “Our main goal is to maintain a strong relationship because the two communities share a common monastic spirit, and both participate in the faith life of
Learn more
• For more information on Mount St. Scholastica, go online to: www. mountosb.org.
• Learn more about St. Benedict’s Abbey at: www.kansasmonks.org.
the people of the area.”
“Our relationship with the monks goes back to our very beginnings,” she continued. “It was the monks and the people of Atchison who saw the need for education and invited the Sisters to come. It was unusual at that time to have an established and welcoming place for the Sisters.
“The monks had their workers build a home and school for the Sisters. From the beginning, the monks have provided for the Sisters’ sacramental needs, which is, of course, the most enriching part of the relationship. This partnering has led to many fruitful areas of ministry and sharing of talents.”
According to Sister Mary Elizabeth, the two communities take care to get to know one another.
“Through the years, we have shared initial formation classes so that those in initial formation get to know each other,” she said. “We have an annual vespers and dinner together, attend one another’s special celebrations and funerals, and send gifts and greetings on special occasions.”
Abbot James described his 13 years of experience working alongside the order’s spiritual Sisters this way:
“I feel that our relationship has actually grown over the last 10 to 15 years. There’s been a greater sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, a desire to learn from each other and understand where each community is coming from. It’s a blessing.”
With that relationship comes charming yearly traditions. During the holiday season, for instance, Abbot James recalls making festive visits to the Mount.
“In the past we’ve gone to the Dooley Center to sing Christmas carols,” he said. “We always bring them wine and beer for the big days; they always give us food.”
“What I’m most impressed with is that the Sisters always speak of their appreciation for the relationship,” the abbot continued. “I’ve heard many of them say, ‘You’re our brothers.’
“I think we feel the same way. Those are our sisters.”
Father Meinrad expanded on this give-and-take between the two communities.
“We take tomatoes and we get corn from the Mount,” he said. “Sister Rosemary makes these wonderful peanut clusters and sometimes those will be brought to the Abbey.”
Whether sharing prayers or seasonal treats, the Benedictine communities of Atchison have seen each other through the centuries. Their partnership in prayer and work ensures that neither community goes without a spiritual counterpart.
“It’s always been a consoling thing for me,” said Father Meinrad. “When I was a student, we had prayer partners, so I knew the Sisters. I’ve always known them to be a very prayerful community.
“The heart of Benedictine life is prayer and seeking God, so it’s a beautiful thing for me to think about. We’re always praying for each other and the world.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BENEDICTINE SISTERS on the solemnity of Christ the King.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BENEDICTINE SISTERS
Elizabeth Schweiger, OSB, pose at the Mount’s annual Night of Dreams fundraiser with Msgr. Stuart Swetland, president of Donnelly College.
Artist’s memorial to DC air disaster victims a call to love
By Kimberley Heatherington OSV News
ARLINGTON, Va. (OSV News) — They are silent sentinels.
Painted a somber, stormy ocean blue, others an earthy olive drab, and some still bare wood and awaiting color, dozens of simple crosses — each standing several feet high — are arrayed in orderly rows, with small, bright floral decorations attached to each.
They’re planted in a nearly frozen patch of gently sloping ground across the highway from the end of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Runway 33 — which late on Jan. 29, American Eagle flight 5342 was seconds from safely reaching when it instead collided with a U.S. Army helicopter. Both aircraft plunged, in pieces, into the icy Potomac River.
By the afternoon of Feb. 2, there were 67 crosses standing under a leaden gray sky — one for each victim from the Washington aviation disaster, 64 on the jet and three crew on the helicopter. Names will also be added to the crosses, crafted with concerned diligence by Dallas-based Roberto Marquez, a selftrained, immigrant artist originally from Mexico.
He first crossed the U.S. border at age 15 to work in the produce fields of California. Marquez — now 62 — was deported, returned, found stable
construction employment, became a citizen and eventually established a real estate business.
In 2018, he decided to devote himself to painting, including large scale murals.
He’s since become known as a disaster artist; his outdoor work sometimes referred to as tragedy memorials. When American daily life is fractured by a public catastrophe — a school shooting, a terrorist attack, an airplane crash — Marquez reliably appears to
fashion a grotto of sorts, a space for communal grief and remembrance.
Recently, he was in New Orleans after the Bourbon Street attack that killed 14 and injured 35 on New Year’s Day, and in Los Angeles to install both a mural and crosses after the raging wildfires that took at least 29 lives.
“The crosses represent a lot,” Marquez told OSV News. “But one of those things is, I do it out of my heart. It’s solidarity, and respect, and honor, and remembering those lives.”
Although police have effectively quarantined several areas near Reagan National Airport — crews began removing wreckage and the bodies of victims from the river Feb. 3 — people have been stopping at Marquez’s installation anyway.
One woman, Marquez surmised, was a relative of one of those who died.
“It was a lady,” he shared. “She was crying, and she had a bunch of flowers.”
Asked what his work means, Marquez is reflective. His gentle face and dark eyes steadily gaze out from under the brim of a black cowboy hat.
“Different things. One is that we need to understand that life is really short,” he emphasized. “Now, it was these 67 that went away — but who knows what’s going to happen to any one of us later? So, this is something to remember; pay our respects and send a message that we’re united.”
In a nation’s capital currently awash with political turmoil and partisanship, some might doubt that — but it seems Marquez doesn’t.
“This is a good example,” he said, indicating the crosses. “The community has been responding. And it’s not only me; it’s many people. So, this is a collective work.”
Is it a ministry?
“People describe it different ways,” responded Marquez. “I see it as, I like to do something because it makes me feel good.”
Claims that the church profits from refugee work ‘just wrong’
By Kate Scanlon OSV News
WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Claims that the U.S. bishops’ conference profits from its partnership with the government to assist refugee populations that qualify for federal assistance, and that the Catholic Church facilitates illegal immigration are “just wrong,” said William Canny, the U.S. bishops’ migration director.
Canny, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services, made the comments in an interview Jan. 30 with OSV News in the wake of remarks by Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump’s press secretary.
Vance, who is Catholic, questioned the motives of the U.S. bishops’ criticism of Trump’s new immigration policies in a Jan. 26 interview — including reducing restrictions on raids on churches and schools. He asked if the bishops are actually concerned about receiving federal resettlement funding and “their bottom line.”
The same week, in her debut press briefing as White House press secretary on Jan. 28, Karoline Leavitt, also a Catholic, suggested the Trump administration would seek to strip federal funds from nongovernmental organizations including Catholic Charities as part of its effort to enforce its immigration policies. In that exchange, Catholic Charities was accused of facilitating illegal immigration, claims the domestic charitable arm of the Catholic Church in the United States has long denied.
The USCCB website states that its Migration and Refugee Services “is the largest refugee resettlement agency in the world,” and that in partnership with its affiliates, it resettles approximately 18% of the refugees that arrive in the United States each year.
Audited financial statements by an outside firm show that the USCCB received about $122.6 million in 2022 and about $129.6 million in 2023 in funding from government agencies for refugeerelated services. But the same statements show that the USCCB spent more on those services than the government gave them, meaning the conference did not profit from the grants, according to the conference’s auditors. In 2023, for example, the conference spent $134.2 million for such services.
“We have an obligation to the federal government, when we take these grants, to report back to them, to monitor the activities that these agencies carry out. We’re talking food, housing, clothes, medical attention, et cetera, so we have an obligation to monitor that,” Canny said. “The conference does not profit from this money. And in fact, we cannot; we do not run these programs without putting also in some private funds. So, there’s absolutely no profiting from these federal grants.”
The refugees eligible for the program, he added, “are highly vetted” by the U.S. government.
“When these refugees come in through this particular program, they are on a path to citizenship in this country,” Canny said. He added the program assists them with basic needs like housing, medical care and job searching.
OSV NEWS PHOTO/JEENAH MOON, REUTERS
Roberto Marquez from Dallas carries a cross near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the aftermath of the collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and the helicopter that crashed into the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, Feb. 1.
Nothing is worth sacrificing the life of a child, pope says
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — It is unacceptable that a child’s right to life and a dignified childhood should be sacrificed to “the idols” of power, profit, ideology and nationalistic self-interest, Pope Francis told a group of world experts and leaders.
“A childhood denied is a silent scream condemning the wrongness of the economic system, the criminal nature of wars, the lack of adequate medical care and schooling,” he said in his address opening a Feb. 3 summit at the Vatican on children’s rights.
“We are here today to say that we do not want this to become the new normal,” he said, and “we are all here together, to put children, their rights, their dreams and their demand for a future at the center of our concern.”
About 50 guests from all over the world, including former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, attended the one-day world leaders’ summit titled, “Love them and protect them.” The invitees included Nobel Prize winners, government ministers and heads of state, leaders of international and nonprofit organizations, top Vatican officials and other experts.
Talks were divided into topics of concern including a child’s right to food, health care, education, a family, free time and the right to live free from violence and exploitation.
The pope opened the summit by urging everyone to listen to children — their hopes, dreams and fears — and “to build a better world for children, and consequently for everyone!”
“I am confident that, by pooling your experience and expertise, you can open new avenues to assist and protect the children whose rights are daily trampled upon and ignored,” he said.
“Listening to those children who today live in violence, exploitation or injustice serves to strengthen our ‘no’ to war, to the throwaway culture of
waste and profit, in which everything is bought and sold without respect or care for life, especially when that life is small and defenseless,” the pope said.
“In the name of this throwaway mentality, in which the human being becomes all-powerful, unborn life is sacrificed through the murderous practice of abortion,” he said. “Abortion suppresses the life of children and cuts off the source of hope for the whole of society.”
The pope highlighted the plight of children living in “limbo” because they were not registered at birth and of “undocumented” children at the border of the United States, “those first victims of that exodus of despair and hope made
by the thousands of people coming from the south toward the United States of America.”
“What we have tragically seen almost every day in recent times — namely, children dying beneath bombs, sacrificed to the idols of power, ideology and nationalistic interests — is unacceptable,” he said. “In truth, nothing is worth the life of a child. To kill children is to deny the future.”
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican foreign minister, followed up on the pope’s condemnation of abortion in his talk.
“All children, even before birth, have the right to life and should be protected from discrimination on the grounds of sex or health,” he said. “The choices that
societies make regarding the protection of the child in its mother’s womb have an impact on the way we see children, indicating the space and importance we are prepared to give them.”
He also said, “Every child should have the right to a family, the right to be raised by a father and a mother,” as “it is within the family that the rights and the well-being of children are best protected and promoted.”
Parents also have the right to “educate their offspring according to their own religious beliefs,” the archbishop added.
Pope Francis attended the early morning panels and was scheduled to return for the closing session.
Vatican summit shared concrete ways to help kids, charity leader says
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) —
Governments have a serious responsibility to care for their nation’s children, but no caring person can stand by idly when children anywhere are starving, said the founder of a private charity working in 16 of the world’s poorest countries.
“All of us who love and care for children want to do what we can to uphold their rights,” said Magnus MacFarlaneBarrow, the Scottish founder of Mary’s Meals, which feeds more than 2.5 million children each day.
MacFarlane-Barrow was one of the participants invited to speak Feb. 3 at the International Summit on Children’s Rights, hosted by Pope Francis in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. The summit brought together government officials, Nobel Prize winners and leaders of organizations dedicated to defending a child’s right to food, health care, education, a family, free time, and the right to live free from violence and exploitation.
The summit gave participants an opportunity not only to share their
concerns about the “appalling” conditions under which too many of the world’s children live, he said, but also to share their concrete responses to those violations of children’s basic rights.
Mary’s Meals, which was founded in
Malawi in 2002, focuses on giving children at least one nutritious meal each day at school, which prevents starvation and increases school attendance.
The charity also benefits the local community socially and economically by buying food locally and recruiting
community members to cook and serve it.
MacFarlane-Barrow told reporters Feb. 4 that his charity receives no funding from any government; instead, it relies on donations from individuals and foundations.
But with the Trump administration’s decision to pause foreign aid and other governments cutting their aid programs, “it’s a very hard environment in which to raise funds right now,” he said.
And, he said, the cuts “have an impact — and a dramatic one — on the communities we are serving.”
MacFarlane-Barrow said he is particularly concerned now for children in South Sudan, where conflict and instability have lasted for years; in Haiti, where much of the country is controlled by gangs; and in Tigray, Ethiopia, where conflict has worsened the effects of a drought.
“Hunger is not the only challenge” in the countries where Mary’s Meals works, he said, “but it is the biggest one.”
Once starvation is averted, the myriad other problems can begin to be addressed, he said.
CNS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA
Pope Francis greets Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, the Scottish founder of Mary’s Meals, which feeds more than 2.5 million children each day, during the International Summit on Children’s Rights at the Vatican Feb. 3.
OSV NEWS PHOTO/DAWOUD ABU ALKAS, REUTERS
A young Palestinian carries a propane tank Feb. 3 in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, amid a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
EMPLOYMENT
Workforce training and development specialist - Are you seeking an opportunity to advance your career while assisting others to advance theirs? Want to surround yourself with others with a high level of conviction and passion for serving others? Then consider your next career move with our great team as a Workforce training and development specialist. For more information and to apply, go online to: https://catholiccharitiesks.org/ careers.
Part-time facilities maintenance - Church of the Ascension in Overland Park is seeking applicants for a part-time (25 hours per week) facilities maintenance position. Applicants should possess basic mechanical skills: carpentry, painting, plumbing repair, etc. The role assists the facilities director in addressing daily facility needs, repairs and upgrades. Applicants are required to pass a background check, complete safe environment training and be able to do heavy lifting. Ideal opportunity for a craftsman who is looking to work 4 - 5 hours per day, M - F. Interested individuals should send contact information along with a list of past work experience to Lisa Donart at the parish office at: Idonart@ kcascension.org.
Medical staff - Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic is in need of medical staff (RN or RDMS) or a PRN sonographer, part time (1 - 3 days per week) during the hours of 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Job duties include limited obstetrical sonograms, collection and processing of specimens, documentation of findings, communicating with physicians and collaborating with client advocates to provide care to patients/clients.
Victim care advocate - The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking to hire a full-time victim care advocate who would be responsible for providing outreach and trauma-informed care to known survivors and their families. Please visit “Employment Opportunities” on the archdiocesan website at: archkck.org for more information.
President, St. James Catholic School - St. James Catholic School in St. Joseph, Missouri, is searching for a principal to administer the program in a preschool through 8th grade school with 100 students. Supervises teaching, administrative and support staff, and oversees a range of programs and services. Requires a master’s degree, experience and understanding of a classical/liberal arts curriculum, state certification, previous experience and pastor’s letter of reference. For more information and to apply, go online to: https:// kcsjcatholic.org/start/job-openings.
Staff job openings - Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, a Catholic college offering higher education for those who may not otherwise be served, has the following staff job openings available — Financial aid director, Director of nursing, human resources generalist, and director of development. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.
Technician Needed ASAP - Do you like to tinker? Are you detail-oriented? Then this is the job for you! A locally owned family business is currently seeking candidates to provide preventive maintenance (cleaning) and repair service on microscopes. No previous experience necessary, on-the-job training provided. Good communication, time management and customer service skills necessary. Expenses paid, out in the field majority of time and each day is different! Some travel is required. Please contact us at: techneeded23@gmail.com.
Van drivers and aides needed - Assisted Transportation is hiring safe drivers and aides to transport general education and students with special needs to and from school and other activities in Johnson County in passenger vans. Drivers earn $16 - $20 per hour. Aides earn $15.50 per hour. Part-time and full-time schedules are available. Make a difference in your community by helping those in need! Call (913) 521-4955 or visit: assisted transportation.com for more information. EEO.
Administrative assistant - Come join our team! A small family-owned company located in Lenexa is looking for an assistant to answer phones; invoicing; product ordering; some shipping/receiving and to assist the owner. We need a team member who is organized; detail oriented; self-motivated; trustworthy; has a positive attitude and above all else, gives excellent customer service. Schedule flexibility. Send your resume to: YourCareer101@gmail.com
Faculty and adjunct faculty job openings - Donnelly College, Kansas City, Kansas, is a Catholic college offering higher education for those who may not other wise be served Faculty job openings - Nursing faculty. Adjunct faculty job openings - psychology adjunct instructor for nursing and clinical nursing adjunct. Adjunct faculty Lansing Correctional Campus - Psychology adjunct. 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 hours desired. Contact Gary or Laurie at (913) 341-2500 if you want to become part of an excellent caregiving team.
Funeral sales - America’s largest and most wellrespected funeral home company, Dignity Memorial, locally represented by McGilley Funeral Homes, is looking for a salesperson for the Johnson County and south Kansas City area. High earnings-potential candidates desired. Please forward resume to: bill.mcmahon@ dignitymemorial.com.
Administrative assistant - Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa. The administrative assistant serves as the face of Holy Trinity Parish for those contacting the parish office. Key responsibilities include managing the front desk of the office, maintaining the parishioner database, scheduling facility usage and recording parish sacraments. The administrative assistant provides primary administrative support for the pastor and director of administrative services and supports other parish staff for the success of the parish. Must be a team player with strong organizational, administrative and communications skills. Applicant must have a working knowledge of the Catholic Church’s teachings and practices and understand the importance of being a welcoming face for the Catholic Church. Experience required with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Mail, Google Calendar, database systems, general office equipment and managing multiple tasks. Position is full time and qualifies for archdiocesan benefits, including health, dental, vision, life insurance and 401(k) match. A full position description can be found at: htlenexa.org/job-openings. Interested applicants should submit cover letter and resume to: lweber@htlenexa.org.
SERVICES
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Personal assistant/house manager - Experienced professional with a business background available to help organize and manage the details of busy lives. References available. Please call Diane at (913) 5684607.
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Cleaning service - We are a mother/daughter team with 20-plus years of experience. We do cleaning, organization, declutter, etc. Call Joan at (913) 2064403.
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MIKE HAMMER MOVING - A full-service mover. Local and long-distance moving. Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload. In-home moving and office moves. No job too small. Serving the KC metro since 1987. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, parishioner. Call the office at (913) 927-4347 or email: mike@mikehammermoving.com.
Tree trimming and landscaping - We provide free estimates and recent references. Five years of experience and fully insured. Call Charly at (913) 405-8123.
Double A’s Lawn Service
Lawn mowing, mulching, gutters, leaf removal Brush removal & hedge trimming
Free estimates & insured Alex Spoerre (913) 488-5195
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 send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com.
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AKC Pros roofing, siding, gutters, insulation - Did you get tired of the door-knocking and constant calls from different roofing companies after the storms this year? Now that the dust has settled, let’s talk. If it’s new damage or old damage, just give me a call. I’ll walk your roof and we will decide together whether to file a claim. Locally owned and operated, licensed and insured. Call Josh at (913) 709-7230.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
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.
Garage renovations - Married couple from St. Paul Parish in Olathe. Haul off, clean-out, floor coatings, shelving/painting. Experienced, references available, insured. Call (913) 405-8123.
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. Tile, paint, carpentry, wood rot, decks, drywall, etc. Free estimates. Call Cole at (913) 544-7352.
Popcorn ceiling texture removal
Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144. 30 years’ experience. Interior painting specialist. Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.
STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.
Father and Son Home Remodeling - We specialize in kitchen/bathroom and basement remodeling, from start to finish. We also do decks, covered decks, porches, sun-rooms and room additions! If you’re not sure we do it, just call. From my family to yours, thank you for supporting my small business. To contact me, call (913) 709-7230 and ask for Josh.
CAREGIVING
Need caregiving at home? Don’t want to move?For nearly 20 years, we have helped seniors stay in their home with personal care, med management and household assistance. We also specialize in dementia care with free dementia training for families, all at reasonable rates and terms. Call Benefits of Home Senior Care at (913) 422-1591.
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.
Home care - Can provide home care for those needing assistance. CNA, 15 years’ experience, background check available from past employers. Call (913) 526-0797.
Health caregiver - 20 years’ experience with specialist in dementia care, ostomy care, feeding tubes, catheter care, personal hygiene, activities of daily living (ADLs), medication setup and reminders, personal assistant, hospice care and everything in between. Extremely patient, knowledgeable, proactive, dependable and reliable. Please contact Andrea at (913) 548-1930.
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.
Looking to buy or sell a home? - Buy or sell a home with someone who understands your values. We are a Catholic-owned, faith-driven team of Realtors, dedicated to helping fellow Catholics buy or sell homes in our community. We bring integrity, compassion and a commitment to your needs. Let us be part of your journey. Call Kevin Holmes (owner) at (913) 553-0539.
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.
WANTED TO BUY
Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.
Wanted to buy
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 - Antiques & Collectibles: jewelry, military items, railroad, sterling, OLD holiday/toys and more. Renee Maderak (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.
Wanted to buy Vintage baseball & sport cards Cash for cards Holy Trinity parishioner Call Matt at (913) 522-4938
PILGRIMAGES
Pilgrimages - Medjugorje is approved by the Vatican, receiving “nihil obstat” and encouraging people to go. The next pilgrimage date with visionary Mirjana Soldo as our hostess is March 12-20 and April 16-23, 2025. I am also available to speak to groups about Medjugorje. Call Grace at (913) 449-1806.
FOR SALE
Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishioners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC)
Classified Advertising
The Leaven reaches approximately 50,000 subscribers. Cost is $20 for the first five lines, $1.50 per line thereafter. To purchase a Leaven classified ad, email: beth. blankenship@theleaven.org
DISCOVERY DAY: CATHOLIC
SCHOOL RECRUITMENT EVENT
Savior Pastoral Center
12601 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, Kansas Feb. 8 from 9 - 11 a.m.
Drop in to learn more about working in the Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Whether you are a college student, public school teacher, new to the Kansas City area or considering a career change into the field of education, this event is for you! Registration is required online at: archkckcs.org/register.
WHITE MASS
St. Michael the Archangel Parish (hall) 14251 Nall Ave., Overland Park Feb. 8 at 10:30 a.m.
There will be lunch (Jack Stack BBQ) and fellowship time following Mass. All physicians, nurses and allied health professionals are welcome and encouraged to attend. To register, notify us of the number of attendees by sending an email to: secretary@catholicmedkc.org.
PROJECT RACHEL RETREAT
Kansas City, Kansas
Location given after registration Feb. 8 from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
There is no cost for this event. We will provide a continental breakfast, lunch and materials. To register, send an email to: projectrachelkc@archkck.org or call/text (913) 621-2199.
PRO-LIFE CHILI DINNER AND COOK-OFF
Divine Mercy Parish
555 W. Main St., Gardner Feb. 8 (chili drop off at 5 p.m.)
All are welcome to our chili dinner and cook-off, even if you are not brining chili. Extra chili and fixings, drinks and dessert will be provided by the Respect Life Committee. Freewill offering taken and 100% of the proceeds go to Giving the Basics. Drop off your chili in the CFC beginning at 5 p.m. to either be judged or just to be shared with others. If you enter your chili in the contest, it will be judged at 5:30 p.m., with dinner to follow at 6 p.m. Prizes will be presented to the winners.
NPM CHORAL READING WORKSHOP
St. Peter Parish
815 E. Meyer Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri Feb. 8 from 9 a.m. - noon
Attention all music directors, singers and accompanists! You are invited to a choral music reading session, hosted by your local National Association of Pastoral Musicians chapters. We will be showcasing several diverse pieces presented by GIA Music led by Alan Hommerding. Come join in the fun, fellowship and music. Register online at: npminkc.com.
BREAKFAST WITH THE KNIGHTS
Divine Mercy Parish
555 W. Main St., Gardner
Feb. 9 from 8:30 - 10 a.m.
The breakfast will include eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, pancakes and drinks. Join us for great fellowship. The cost is $6 for those over the age of 13; free for ages 12 and under. Proceeds are used for charitable works, such as scholarships and other giving throughout the year.
ARTIST MEET-AND-GREET
St. Michael the Archangel Parish (hall) 14251 Nall Ave., Leawood
Feb. 9 after the 9 and 10:30 a.m.
Masses
Sacred artist Brennan Kalis will be hosting an artist meet-and-greet. Come meet him, see his art, enjoy refreshments and sign up for unique art opportunities.
LOURDES VIRTUAL PILGRIMAGE
Holy Angels Parish
15410 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor
Feb. 11 from 6 - 8 p.m.
Bernadette was an illiterate, 14-yearold peasant girl when Our Lady encountered her at the Grotto of Massabielle near Lourdes, France, on Feb. 11, 1858. Experience Lourdes with Lourdes water, the Grotto Rock, a Eucharistic blessing, candlelight rosary and a plenary indulgence granted by papal decree.
‘MEDITATIONS ON HOPE’
Church of the Nativity (Magi Room) 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood Feb. 15 at 8:15 a.m.
The Daughters of the St. Francis de Sales Association have been inviting women to practice virtues and holiness in everyday life for over 150 years. Come reflect with us as we share meditations on “hope” in the tradition of Salesian spirituality after Mass. All materials are provided. Coffee and refreshments will be served. To attend, contact Ruth Owens at: rowens4853@gmail. com; Barbara McClung at (816) 535-4531 or at: willabird1960@gmail.com. For additional information, visit the website at: www.sfdsassociation.org.
VALENTINE DANCE
Divine Mercy Parish
555 W. Main St., Gardner Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m.
The Knights of Columbus will host a Valentine dance starting with a steak and potato dinner, followed by dancing with a DJ. The cost is $30 per person. Contact the church office for tickets at (913) 856-7781.
BEREAVEMENT MEETING
Curé of Ars Parish (Father Burak Room) 9405 Mission Rd., Leawood Feb. 15 at 8 a.m.
The bereavement ministry will have a grief support meeting in the Father Burak Room after the 8 a.m. Mass. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.
Fried chicken dinner and bingo
St. Patrick Parish (center) 1066 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas Feb. 15 at 6 p.m.
There will be fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, roll, salad, tea or lemonade, and dessert. The cost is: $12 for adults; $7 for children; and $35 for a family meal. There will also be 10 games of bingo for $12. We take cash, check or credit/debit card with chip. For more information, call Fritz Vertz at (913) 515-0621.
HOLY ROSARY RALLY
St. Joseph Parish 11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee Feb. 16 from 3 - 4:15 p.m.
Please join us to honor the Blessed
Mother and Our Lady of Fatima. We will pray the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the rosary followed by Benediction and the opportunity for attendees to enroll in the brown scapular. For driving instructions or future dates for the Kansas City monthly rosary rallies, visit the website at: www.rosaryrallieskc.org.
WIDOWED WOMEN OF
FAITH
Perkin’s Restaurant (back room) 1720 S.W. Wanamaker Rd., Topeka Feb. 18 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Join other widowed women of faith for lunch and companionship. No RSVP is needed, just come. We meet every month on the third Tuesday and will continue all through 2025. Come join the fun! Questions? Send an email to: WidowedWomen ofFatih@gmail.com or call (913) 558-0191.
LINCOLN EVENT
National WWI Museum and Memorial
2 Memorial Dr., Kansas City, Missouri Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
Join us for the presentation “Homerun History: Baseball and War” at the National WWI Museum, sponsored by the University of Saint Mary, Leavenworth. Register for the event online at: stmary.edu/lincoln.
‘SILENCE IS THE VOICE OF GOD’: A DIRECTED RETREAT
Precious Blood Renewal Center 2120 St. Gaspar Way, Liberty, Missouri Feb. 20 - 23
A silent, directed retreat is a personally guided prayer experience over three days. Retreatants meet one-on-one with a trained, experienced spiritual director. Register online at: www.pbrenewalcenter. org, or call (816) 415-3745.
OUR LADY OF UNITY DINNER-DANCE
Pierson Park Community Center
1800 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kansas Feb. 22 from 6 - 11 p.m.
You are invited to the re-inauguration of Our Lady of Unity dinner-dance with a traditional Mexican dinner of pork asada, beef barbacoa, beef and chicken fajitas, Mexican green spaghetti, fettuccine alfredo with chicken, rice, refried beans, salad, bread, cookies and fruit. Drinks are sold separately. There will be a silent auction throughout the night. Dance the night away to the music of Fuerza DJ Jalapeño. Advance tickets are $60 each (includes one drink ticket). Seating is limited. Cash and credit cards are accepted. For more information, call Sherry at (913) 207-0900.
CALLED TO LOVE AGAIN: DIVORCE SUPPORT
St. Joseph Parish
11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee Feb. 22 at 6 p.m.
Do you feel as if you will never heal? Wondering if you are ready for a relationship? Join us once a month for fellowship and formation. The topic will be: “Jubilee of Hope”
BEEF AND NOODLE DINNER
St. Mary Parish (multipurpose room)
501 Mechanics, Hartford Feb. 23 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
There will be homemade beef and noodles, mashed potatoes, vegetable, salad, dessert and drink. The cost is $12 for adults and
$5 for kids under 10. There will be a drawing for lots of prizes. Raffle tickets are $1 each. Meal tickets can be purchased at the door.
WILLS AND TRUSTS WORKSHOP
Prince of Peace Parish (parish hall meeting room)
16000 W. 143rd St., Olathe
Feb. 26 at 5:30 p.m.
There will be a social and refreshments from 5:30 - 6 p.m. The program is from 6 - 7 p.m. The speaker will be Casey Connealy, estate planning attorney from Gaughan & Connealy Estate Planning Attorneys. Register online by visiting: cfnek.org/events or by contacting Greg Alejos at (913) 6470365.
PRIEST RETIREMENT WORKSHOP
Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park Feb. 26 at 11:30 a.m.
Lunch will be provided by the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas followed by a presentation from noon - 1 p.m. on retirement planning and investments by Dan Hutchins, CPA, and estate planning by Casey Connealy. Register online by visiting the website at: www.cfnek.org/events/ priest-retirement-workshop.
ANNUAL ST. JOSEPH TABLE
St. Joseph Parish
11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee
March 2 at 8:30 a.m.
The day will begin with a table blessing at 8:30 a.m., viewing of the table, and cash and carry of Italian cookies. The meal will be served from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Contact Christine Marion for questions at (913) 706-8860.
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE DINNER
Immaculate Conception Parish (Miege Hall)
711 N. Fifth St., Leavenworth
March 9 from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
A corned beef dinner is $15; Irish stew is $10; hot dog, chips and dessert are $5. There will also be a silent auction and a raffle for cash prizes.
DEO GRATIAS APPRECIATION DINNER
Church of the Ascension 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park
March 27 at 5:30 p.m.
The evening will begin with Mass at 5:30 p.m. with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, followed by cocktails, dinner and program, and a final blessing. Deo Gratias honorees are: Distinguished Family - Marty and Beth Krebs; Distinguished Organization - Church of the Ascension. Register online at: www. cfnek.org/events/deogratias or send an email to: Mwade@archkck.org.
HOPE BALL
Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center
2345 McGee St., Kansas City, Missouri March 29 at 5 p.m.
Get ready for an unforgettable night of elegance, joy and purpose at Hope Ball 2025. Purchase your ticket or tables or sponsor today. Ticket sales close on Feb. 28. All proceeds benefit Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph. Learn more online at: www.catholiccharitiesball.org.
DAILY READINGS
FIFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Feb. 9
FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Is 6: 1-2a, 3-8
Ps 138: 1-5, 7-8
1 Cor 15: 1-11
Lk 5: 1-11
Feb. 10
Scholastica, virgin
Gn 1: 1-19
Ps 104: 1-2a, 5-6, 10, 12, 24, 35c
Mk 6: 53-56
Feb. 11
Our Lady of Lourdes
Gn 1:20 – 2:4a
Ps 8: 4-9
Mk 7: 1-13
Feb. 12
Wednesday
Gn 2: 4b-9, 15-17
Ps 104: 1-2a, 27-28, 29b-30
Mk 7: 14-23
Feb. 13
Thursday
Gn 2: 18-25
Ps 128: 1-5
Mk 7: 24-30
Feb. 14
Cyril, monk, and Methodius, bishop
Gn 3: 1-8
Ps 32: 1-2, 5-7
Mk 7: 31-37
Feb. 15
Saturday
Gn 3: 9-24
Ps 90: 2-6, 12-13
Mk 8: 1-10
BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS 1844-1879
As a child in a poor French family in the Hautes-Pyrenees town of Lourdes, Bernadette suffered from both asthma and cholera. Uneducated, she had not made her first Communion by 1858, the year she experienced 18 visions of a beautiful lady calling herself the Immaculate Conception and calling for penance and pilgrimage. Bernadette was unchanged by this extraordinary experience, and in 1866, became a member of the Sisters of Charity, taking the name MariaBernarda. Chronically ill after 1875 with worsening asthma and tuberculosis of the bones, she died at age 35. When she was canonized in 1933, it was not for being the Lourdes visionary, but for her simple life of prayer, devotion and obedience.
Acouple of weeks ago, I was driving home after bowling in Lawrence on a Monday night. When I was a few miles from the Tonganoxie exit off I-70, I spotted a notification on my car’s infotainment system screen: No Device Connected.
Why was my iPhone not being detected? I checked my shirt pocket for it and was surprised that it wasn’t there, nor was the phone on the passenger seat. Panic set in as I realized that I’d left my phone at the bowling alley.
Though tempted to turn around, I decided against it. I was confident that, because there were still a couple of my Knights of Columbus teammates on our lanes when I left, one of them probably picked up my orphaned phone. I’d just call and find out. . . . Unfortunately, I didn’t have a phone to do that! Furthermore, I real-
Whoa, whoa, hold the phone!
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.
ized that I didn’t know the phone numbers of any of my teammates by heart. All those numbers were on the phone. When I calmed down enough to think, I realized I had those phone numbers on our bowling schedule. I’d just call from my home landline — so glad I still had one. Then, I remembered I didn’t pick up a hard copy of the schedule but only
took a picture of it . . . with my phone . . . that I didn’t have.
Back in Tongie, I was a nervous wreck and immediately went to my computer where I had a copy of our parish roster. Phew! The first Knight I called didn’t have my phone but said that Steve, our captain/coach/ organizer had picked it up. Looking up his name, I saw only one number on the roster, and didn’t know if it was his or his wife’s. I called . . . and it was his wife’s cellphone. (Thank goodness, my call didn’t wake her up. It was late after all.) She gave me Steve’s cell
number, we connected, and he delivered my phone that very night.
Isn’t it amazing how lost we feel without our cellphones?
There’s so much vital information on them these days.
Sometimes, when we talk about stewardship, we generally think only in terms of our finances. But being stewards means taking good care of our possessions as well, especially the technological ones.
With that in mind, I invite you to join me in Clean Out Your Computer (and Cellphone) Day on Feb. 10. If your computer or phone seems to operate slower or you waste tons of time searching for files or pictures, this day is for you.
Start by clearing out your emails. I’m embarrassed to tell you how many thousands I have scattered across my five addresses. Purge the outdated ones and all spam, then file the important into
organized folders. I doubt that I’ll ever get to “inbox zero,” but I’d be satisfied at “inbox 500.”
Next, toss apps and delete programs you never or rarely use. Unsubscribe from lists and advertising sites, and get rid of duplicate, unflattering or blurry photos. Finally, make sure that you regularly back up your files. (And don’t forget to give your keyboard a good cleaning as well! It can get nasty.)
You might be surprised at how “spry” your present tech will be after a good cleanout. Resist the urge to participate in the “throwaway culture,” by tossing the old in favor of what is shiny and new. Pope Francis — and the environment — thank you.
Incidentally, I’ve learned my lesson: These past two weeks, my phone is the first thing that goes into my pocket once bowling is finished. I’d say that’s a good call!
Peter, of all people, offers us a remarkable lesson in obedience
What’s remarkable, said St. John Henry Newman, about this Sunday’s story from Luke, is Peter’s “instant obedience.”
Really, it’s remarkable Peter was obedient at all, that he would have given Jesus even the time of day.
Think about it.
Here’s the story: Jesus is preaching by the Lake of Gennesaret when he sees two boats that had come in from a long night of fruitless fishing. The crew, undoubtedly exhausted, were washing their nets and probably just wanted to go home when this preacher comes who sets himself inside one of the boats.
“Put out into the deep and lower your nets
Father Joshua J. Whitfield
Dallas and author of “The Crisis of Bad Preaching” and other books.
for a catch,” Jesus says. An astounding thing to say, Jesus doesn’t seem even to acknowledge all the failed hard work they had already done; he doesn’t seem even to
acknowledge their past at all. He just gets in their boat and basically says, “Let’s go fishing.” I’ve always wondered at the near absurdity of the scene — of a preacher telling fishermen what to do. It’s like if I were to walk into a doctor’s office or a lawyer’s office and immediately start telling her or him how to practice medicine or law. What’s a carpenterturned-preacher know about fishing? Who is he to tell these fishermen what to do? You see what I mean? It’s a scene that could pass for comedy.
But it’s the near absurdity of the scene that underlines the exceptional quality of Peter’s reply. I mean, instead of saying something like, “Carpenter,
what do you know?
Get out of my boat!” he says, “but at your command, I will lower the nets.” That’s what impressed Newman, what he called “instant obedience.” Peter didn’t dismiss Jesus out of hand even though doing so would have on the surface been perfectly sensible; rather, he obeyed Jesus. He faithfully followed Jesus’s command.
And, of course, what followed, Luke is sure to report, was clearly miraculous: “When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were tearing” (Lk 5:1-11). That is, Peter’s obedience paid off.
But the lesson is about obedience, not abundance. At least, the lesson is that obedience must come first. I think there is deep wisdom and spiritual opportunity in this story about Peter’s obedience — a lesson I need to learn, each of us perhaps. That, I think, is simply true. Thus, the questions are blunt: Where am I disobedient? Why am I disobedient? Is it because I think I know better? Is it because I refuse to let Jesus get into my boat or walk into my office or my home and tell me anything? Where in my life do I need to be obedient to Jesus? These are hard questions. But they’re questions each Christian will have to ask and answer at some point. Because, to be honest, are we really following Jesus at all until we do?
At audience, pope talks about St. Joseph, comments on world events
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — St. Joseph is the perfect model of listening to the Lord and quietly putting his word and plan into action, Pope Francis said.
“Joseph trusts in God, he accepts God’s dream for his life and that of his betrothed. He thus enters into the grace of one who knows how to live the divine promise with faith,
hope and love,” the pope said Jan. 29 during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall.
Also during the audience, Pope Francis spoke to Polish visitors about International Holocaust Remembrance Day, offered his best wishes to Chinese visitors and others celebrating the Lunar New Year, and pleaded for an end to violence in Congo.
In his main address, the pope spoke about St. Joseph, spouse of the Virgin Mary and foster father of Jesus, as part of his series of talks on “Jesus Christ our hope,” which is the theme for his weekly catechesis throughout the Jubilee Year.
“Joseph is a ‘righteous’ man, a man who lives according to the law of the Lord,” he said, and he is “open and docile to the voice of the Lord.”
FATHER JOSHUA J. WHITFIELD
is pastor of St. Rita Catholic Community in
Jesus wants to help you become a better version of yourself
Being Catholic is so wonderful. I love the community. I love the deep conversations. I love sharing the journey of life with trusted friends.
I talk about the things that I love — family, friends, restaurants, classic cars and especially my faith in Jesus and his bride, the church. People engage in hearing about the things that we are passionate about.
Part of living a magnetic life is being passionate, not lukewarm, about things, especially faith. Conversely, talking negatively about church people, teachings and leadership is not magnetic.
SEEKING CHRIST’S HEART
DEACON DANA NEARMYER
Deacon
When we talk to our kids about church, regardless of their age, are we projecting the joy and peace that our faith
fosters in our hearts, or are we projecting a broken, powerless institution? Broken and powerless institutions are not magnetic. I can be very annoying, and so can you. We all have habits and traits that annoy our spouses, kids and co-workers. What if you listened
to those people and prayed about one of those traits a lot. What if you and Jesus, Mary, the saints and angels extinguished that habit and trait? Would people notice? What if you offer the sacrifice of the struggle of that transformation for the soul of a loved one? What if you made no big deal of this endeavor, laying up treasures in heaven, but those close to you experienced a more joy-filled you, a more magnetic person?
They will ask how you did it. They will be drawn to that kind of active, dynamic power that wiped out an annoying behavior and left you a better
version of yourself. Jesus wants to powerfully move in your life.
Men, I invite you to join me at Men Under Construction on March 8 at Church of the Ascension in Overland Park. Along with nationally known speakers Keith Nester and Jon Leonetti, we’ll host breakout sessions this year so you can dive deeper into your faith. I am leading a breakout session there: “Walking with One: Living an Attractive Life.” This is a great father-and-son experience. Check it out online at: menunder construction.org.
Women and kids, I invite you to explore Camp Tekakwitha
youth and family camps. Camp Tekakwitha is place of transformation; it is a place where Jesus is expected to powerfully show up. Camp registration will open on the following dates:
• Jan. 28 at 9 a.m. — High school extreme and all family camps
• Feb. 4 at 9 a.m. — 7th/8th grade middle school camps
• Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. — 5th/6th grade Kateri camps
• In June, for the Women’s Fall Retreat Everybody should engage in the 2025 Jubilee Year, happening right now. Find the information online at: archkck.org/jubilee. Pray to be magnetic.
Students learn to see the world from a Catholic point of view
Our Catholic school students are embarking on an important chapter in their lives as they work to finish another school year and matriculate to a higher grade level.
This is a big step in our students’ academic, social and spiritual development. Nearly 2,000 of these students have been awarded CEF scholarships that have made attending a Catholic school possible for them.
CENTERED
Our students are also taking more steps in their faith development. They are learning about new aspects of the lives of Jesus, the apostles and saints. I admire them.
They will be learning some things for the very first time. I remember learning in school about Samson and his long hair and super strength. I also remember learning that his strength really didn’t come from his
long hair but from God.
Our Catholic schools are teaching our youth to look deeper into what they are learning — not just about the Bible, but all subject matters. They are building a foundation for critical thinking and a curiosity for learning that will last them a lifetime.
I remember a religious Sister teaching me and my class about reading Scripture. She had us read a story in the Bible about the paralyzed man sitting on his mat waiting for Jesus to come to town. He turned to the Lord
to heal him, which he did. This, of course, was a miracle.
The Sister then asked the class to read the story again as if we were the man on the mat. I did this and it changed my viewpoint completely. I went from feeling sorry for the man to feeling joyful that my Lord loved me enough to come to me and heal me.
Our Catholic school students are getting the opportunities to see things in this world differently — and from a Catholic point of view.
These learning and
development opportunities would not be possible without many generous donors and supporters of the Catholic Education Foundation and the scholarships it is providing. Due to this generosity, CEF is awarding over $5 million in financial aid scholarships this school year. My hope is that our students will pass on what they learn so all of us see the world from a Christian point of view. CEF and our schools are changing the world one student, one scholarship and one community at a time.
The journey to authentic love starts with a heart open to God
Nothing quite signals the start of the new year like shelves adorned with pink hearts and red teddy bears.
Immediately after Christmas, stores begin to push Valentine’s Day as the next consumer holiday. We can become desensitized to these symbols of love as another attempt to lighten our wallets. However, this year, I encourage you to take in the endless array of hearts as a reminder of the greatest love in your life.
ALONG THE WAY
and selfless love.
The gift of the human heart is central to experiencing authentic love with both God and others. The heart is not merely an organ but symbolizes the core of a person’s identity — where emotions, will and intentions reside. It is through the heart that individuals are capable of receiving and giving genuine
This profound understanding of the heart’s role in divine and interpersonal relationships is explored in “Dilexit Nos” (“He Loved Us”), an encyclical letter shared by Pope Francis in October 2024.
The heart, as described in “Dilexit Nos,” becomes the
dwelling place manifesting God’s love. We know that “God first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19); this truth inspires our response. God’s love is not dependent on our worthiness; it is freely given, calling us to reflect this same unconditional love toward others.
When we open our heart to God, we experience a transformation that empowers us to live out love in its truest form — selfless, forgiving and enduring.
A central theme in “Dilexit Nos” is the importance of allowing God’s love to purify our heart. Without God, love can become shallow or self-centered. However, when we
invite God to dwell in our heart, love becomes an act of grace, fostering deeper connections with others. This divine love encourages compassion and justice, embodying the teachings of Christ and building his church.
Authentic love requires vulnerability and self-gift. It moves beyond the superficial to a rooting in truth, empathy and mutual respect. Jesus’ example of self-sacrifice reminds us that true love often involves personal cost.
When the heart is attuned to God’s will, it becomes capable of embracing difficult relationships with patience and understanding.
Pope Francis shares that “love, in the end, is the one reality that can unify all the others” (Dn 10).
“Dilexit Nos” invites us to view the human heart as a sacred gift designed for authentic love. By surrendering our hearts to God, we are empowered to love sincerely and give selflessly. The journey to authentic love starts with the heart — a heart fully open to God’s transformative presence.
This Valentine season, may the hearts you see be a reminder of the incredible gift of Christ’s Sacred Heart and his power to enrich our lives with the tremendous grace of his love.
Dana Nearmyer is the director of evangelization for the archdiocese. CEF
VINCENT ANCH
Vince Anch is the executive director of the Catholic Education Foundation.
EMILY LOPEZ
Emily Lopez is the lead consultant for adult evangelization.
