09-24-10 Vol. 32 No. 8

www.theleaven.com | Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas | Vol. 32, No. 8 september 24, 2010

Leaven photo by Anita McSorley

Adam Braunschweig, the new band director for the Wyandotte County Catholic schools, gives Bishop Ward’s flute section a hand.

The new sound of music Band returns to WyCo Catholic schools

Before this school year began, not one of these Wyandotte County Catholic schools had an instrumental music program.

“Bishop Ward High School is a 103-year-old KANSAS CITY, Kan. — It didn’t sound like school,” said Father Michael Hermes, presimusic yet. dent. “We have photos of a marching band and Just a lot of bangs, squawks and strangled pep band. We used to have quite a large music toots.

But Adam Braunschweig, the new band di- program.”

Unfortunately, that program ended in rector, was patient.

2002, leaving not only a gap in the educational Braunschweig went to each member of experience at Ward, but also a the fledgling Christ the King social void. The program’s deSchool Band and walked evWould you like to help mise meant no concerts at the eryone from the trumpeter to Catholic school band schools — indeed, not even so the drummer through the first programs by donating an much as a pep band rousing steps of learning instrumental instrument? Contact Adam fans at Ward’s football games. music during a class on Sept.

Braunschweig at Bishop Because its absence was 17.

Ward High School by callso keenly felt, a benefactor How to evenly tighten a ing (913) 371-1201. offered funds specifically to drumhead. How to pucker and help reboot the band. Father buzz into a mouthpiece. How Hermes, principal Judy Warren, and the Ward to oil an instrument. Where the spit valves are board approved the proposal. and how to clear them.

Realizing the importance of the surround“That’s nasty!” exclaimed Kamryee Goring Catholic schools to its own future — more don, an eighth-grader. than 80 percent of its students come from Yes, where there is instrumental music, these feeder schools — Ward decided to exthere will be spit.

It’s just another aspect of band that neo- pand its program.

The next step was obvious: Ward needed to phyte players are learning at Bishop Ward High School, and Resurrection at the Cathe- get its own music man.

Ward found one in Adam Braunschweig, dral, Christ the King, Our Lady of Unity, Holy Name and St. Patrick elementary schools in Turn to “Teacher” on page 6 Kansas City, Kan.

By Joe Bollig Leaven staff

Leaven photo by Joe Bollig

Marcus Blake, an eighth-grade student at Christ the King in Kansas City, Kan., is a drummer, but he’s also interested in the saxophone. Here, Adam Braunschweig demonstrates fingering to the youngster.

2 archbishop

THE LEAVEN • september 24, 2010

THE LEAVEN • september 24, 2010

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS

O

Ask the Lord to protect those who protect us

n Sunday, Sept. 12, the day after the commemoration of the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, I had the privilege to celebrate a Blue Mass at St. Pius X Parish in Mission.

It is easy to take for granted those men and women who every day are willing to place their health, safety and life on the line in order to protect and A Blue Mass is a popular title for a save us. Similarly, we often take for Eucharist that is offered for the intengranted the families who support and tions of firefighters, other emergency encourage our firefighters and emerservice personnel and their families. gency service personnel in their essenDuring a Blue Mass, we pray in a partial work for our community. ticular way for safety and God’s blessing During the homily at the Blue Mass, upon those who, on a daily basis, risk I pointed out some of the parallels betheir lives to keep our communities safe tween the mission of Jesus and that of and to assist individuals and families at firefighters.

Jesus came into this world moments of crisis. on the greatest and This past year most important search Shawnee firefighter ‘The Shepherd’s Voice’ and rescue mission in John Glaser lost his human history.

Our programming notes life during a search Lord came to seek Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann’s and rescue mission and to save those who radio program on KEXS 1090 AM at a burning buildwere lost. Eternal life airs at 10 a.m. on Sunday and is ing. During the Mass, apart from God (hell) repeated at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday we prayed especially is often described in and 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. for him, his widow the imagery of being Amber, their two tortured by unquenchchildren — Brecken and Emma, his parable flames. ents Arvon and Patty, his family and his At each Mass, we actually touch the many friends who continue to mourn ultimate act of heroism and self-sacrihis tragic death. fice — the crucified Jesus submitting I was told at the Mass that Glaser Himself to the most painful and cruel had switched responsibilities with death in order that we might know the another firefighter who, earlier in the depth of his Father’s love for us — in orday, had been involved in a rescue der that we might open our hearts to deand resuscitation effort for a young sire, seek and accept God’s mercy. Jesus child who had drowned. Realizing the came to resuscitate us, who through sin, trauma his fellow firefighter had been were dead to the abundant and eternal through already that day, Glaser vollife that God desires for us. unteered to assume the more stressful Before he entered the seminary, and dangerous position at the scene of Father Gary Pennings, one of our vicars the fire.

Archbishop Naumann’s

Vespers and dinner with priests ordained five years or less — archbishop’s residence

Sept. 24 “The Catholic Way” taping

Sept. 29 Lunch meeting with Catholic Education Foundation Gaudeamus honorees

weekly calendar

Sept. 25 Confirmation for the Latin Community — Blessed Sacrament, Kansas City, Kan.

Confirmation — Holy Trinity, Paola

Lunch with Maryvale Institute leaders

Sept. 30 Call to Share clergy meeting

Dedication of new altar — St. MonicaSt. Elizabeth, Blue Rapids

Catholic Education Foundation meeting — Our Lady of Unity School

Sept. 27 Confirmation — St. Patrick, Osage City; St. Francis of Assisi, Lapeer; and St. Patrick, Scranton

Donnelly College scholarship dinner

Sept. 28 Presbyteral Council meeting

Sept. 30 Teach class — Mundelein Seminary

general, was a director for emergency services in Johnson County. His former profession trained him well for his current responsibilities. Father Pennings learned how to remain calm in crisis and under a lot of pressure. More importantly, he learned to dedicate his life in trying to help others.

Each of us as a baptized, confirmed Catholic are called to inform our work or profession with the principles and the truths of the Gospel. We are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ, drawing others to him — not principally by our words, but by the character of our lives. Others should see in us a goodness and joy that they find attractive.

If we live the Gospel with fidelity, we should prompt others to ask us: Why do we care so deeply about others? Why do we have such joy in the midst of the same difficulties and struggles that

Archbishop Keleher’s weekly calendar

they experience? Our answers to these and similar questions should always point others to Jesus and the gift of our Catholic faith.

I encourage you in your prayers this week to give thanks for our firefighters and other emergency service personnel.

Ask the Lord to bless them and their families. Ask the Lord to watch over and protect them, just as they watch over and protect us and our communities. If you know a firefighter or encounter one this week, thank him or her for their service to our community.

Also, reflect this week on the opportunities in your everyday life to follow Jesus and to be witnesses of his Gospel.

Remember that each of us is called to draw others to Jesus by living lives of joy and heroic love.

The Gospel lived well is irresistible.

or

Are you wanting to leave extra money for your family or to the church.

Call us at 913-221-3399, we’ll be happy to help.

A member of Holy Angels Parish

Moving forward, one prayer at a time

By Laurie Ghigliotti Special to The Leaven

ATCHISON — She was the answer to his prayers.

Literally.

As pressure mounted on Maur Hill-Mount Academy’s new president Phil Baniewicz to find a new principal for the Atchison Catholic high school, he prayed for the right applicant. But no one seemed forthcoming.

Finally, Baniewicz set aside all the hiring strategies and job requirements he’d had for the candidate, prostrated himself before the tabernacle and prayed, “Lord, I have no principal.”

Three days later, he said, he had his principal: Monica King.

King had taught everything from middle school to college — and for the past four years had served as the secondary science coordinator for the Wichita public schools.

But she wanted back into Catholic education.

“I was looking to get back into Catholic education and it was like coming home,” said the ’86 Benedictine College grad.

King is excited about her new position and the possibilities for the future of the school . . . and the Maur Hill-Mount Academy community is excited about her.

Together with King, and the school’s faculty, staff, board of directors and supporters, Baniewicz hopes to revitalize the school in a difficult economy that has seen flat or dropping enrollment rates in private schools around the country.

Driving forward with passion

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The sense of excitement on the Maur Hill-Mount Academy campus runs deep these days, as Baniewicz’s contagious enthusiasm spreads.

Jonathan Mize, chair of the board of directors of the school and a 1987 graduate, is optimistic about the school’s future.

“Phil has some great experience in development,” Mize said. “He’s got the passion and the ideas to take us forward.”

To propel the school into the bright future he envisions, Baniewicz draws from his wide range of experience — as vice president of college relations at Benedictine College, a leader in the youth ministry movement, and a former baseball coach and college instructor.

The new president drew a comparison between the Atchi-

Phil Baniewicz works with students in a media class discussing digital photography. Pictured from left are: Baniewicz, Anglea Moccia, Patrick Murphy, and Jordan Campbell.

Maur Hill principal Monica King talks with students Olivia Hoopes and Johnny Lawless. point at them for our kids and say, ‘This is who you can be.’”

Turning challenges into opportunities son Catholic college and his high school.

“Benedictine College is successful by embodying the Catholic faith and academic excellence,” Baniewicz said.

“Let’s do the same thing here.”

A dual identity Before he came on board as president, said Baniewicz, the school focused more on “How do we survive?” rather than on “How do we thrive?” He wants the school to focus on how to become a great Catholic school, preparing students for college in a faith-filled environment.

His first step was to make sure that the school looked, felt and smelled like a Catholic prep school.

“I wanted to do what I could to see that we have some real pride in the school — pride in Benedictine tradition and pride in our Catholic faith,” said Baniewicz.

“We’re making sure that symbols of the faith are in place and we want to have prayer throughout the day,” he

Leaven photos by Laurie Ghigliotti

said. “We went from a oncea-month Mass to all-school Masses once a week, and we offer daily Mass.”

Having a priest on campus every day is a big change, said Baniewicz, made possible by an alum, who donated the funds after Baniewicz mentioned his dream of a priest on campus full time.

Father Jeremy Heppler, OSB, the new chaplain, teaches religion and maintains a visible Benedictine presence on campus.

Alumni like the one that answered his prayer for a fulltime chaplain, said Baniewicz, have been key to the school’s survival.

“The schools (Maur Hill and Mount St. Scholastica) have produced incredible alumni and alumnae, and it’s been their commitments that’s kept the school going in difficult times,” Baniewicz said. “It will be those people who will help the school thrive now.”

“These are successful, faithfilled, ethical people who call themselves alumni of Maur Hill-Mount Academy. I want to

“Part of the difficulty the school has faced is the [negative] view of boarding schools,” Baniewicz said. “That presents a challenge. But, the international flavor of the school gives us a unique advantage.”

With the current emphasis on global economics, college students want the experience of working with different cultures, Baniewicz said.

“We have that opportunity in this high school,” he said.

“Our students can develop relationships with students from other parts of the world right here. We have a global school.

That is a cool thing.”

Lisa Klebba, the mother of three Maur Hill-Mount Academy graduates and of a current boarding student, appreciates Baniewicz’s leadership.

“He has listened to parents and to students about residency personnel, the residential facilities, the cafeteria, and the desire for an increased homelike atmosphere for the boarding program,” she said.

Increased communication between the school and parents is also a welcome change.

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President Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann

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“It is so important to us as parents of a boarding student to be informed of what is going on at the school and about the residency program in particular,” said Klebba.

Klebba’s husband John is a 1975 graduate of Maur Hill and has had a long association with the school as a student, board member of the Maur Hill Prep School Endowment Association, and as a parent.

When he attended the school, it was staffed mostly by monks from the abbey.

“When the monks were there, the place was Catholic by their very presence,” he said. “Their day-to-day witness to the faith was evident from everything from their clothing to their celebration of the Mass, and no one ever had to question the Catholic mission of the school.”

Today, the faculty is comprised by laypeople with the exception of Father Jeremy.

“However, in spite of the staffing changes, I sense that the Catholic nature of the school under Phil is probably as strong now as it was when I was there, although in a much different way,” he added.

“My observation is that, in the brief time that Phil has been at the school, he has absolutely focused on assuring the fulfillment of the school’s mission to be Catholic and college prep,” he concluded.

Another parent, Marci Lutz, also appreciates the changes made by Baniewicz. The threeday retreat that began the school year especially caught her attention.

“By grouping the entire student body together like that, from freshmen to seniors, the students were able to develop a sense of community, and that is very much in keeping with the Benedictine tradition,” she said.

“Phil has worked very hard to find new teachers and coaches who are very grounded and faith-centered,” Lutz said. “I’ve heard Phil say that he doesn’t want Maur Hill-Mount Academy to be afraid to be Catholic, nor to be afraid to say that we are Catholic. He’s confident in his faith, and I think this can ultimately transfer to the students and teachers in a very positive way.”

With Baniewicz at the helm, enthusiasm and hope for the future of the school run high.

But, Baniewicz would be the first to say that the future does not lie in his hands.

“I’ll work my tail off, but I’m leaving it in God’s hands,” he said.

Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 7211570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com.

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4 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • September 24, 2010

THE LEAVEN • september 24, 2010

LOCAL NEWS 5

A pilgrim’s progress toward Compostela

By Father Mike Stubbs

Special to The Leaven

ON THE ROAD TO COMPOSTELA — Let me describe for you my typical day: I wake up about 6 a.m., dress, make sure that I have all my belongings, and then I start to walk.

It is pitch dark and difficult to see the signs marking the way, so I just follow the herd.

There are already many other pilgrims up and about. I recite the rosary as I walk through the dark.

After an hour or so, Father Stubbs I stop for breakfast: coffee and hot milk, with a sweet roll or bread and butter.

About an hour later, I stop for another break, this time to say morning prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours.

Finally, at 1 or 2 p.m., I arrive at my destination. It is a hostel, where only pilgrims can stay — very basic accommodations (bunk beds if you are lucky).

I check in, shower, wash some clothes, and eat my lunch. (In Spain, lunch is late, between 2-4 p.m.)

Afterwards, I write in my journal, then look around the town, as long as I don’t have to walk too far. After all, I have already walked 12 miles or more that day. I attend Mass, which is usually at 8 p.m. Then it’s time for bed.

Hospitality forms an important part of the pilgrim’s experience. Hostels designed specifically for the pilgrim line the route to Santiago. Often, they are run by the local parish, a religious order, or the local city government. The one where I am staying the evening that I write this has been receiving pilgrims for 900 years, at Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

At times, though, people have taken advantage of the pilgrims. The legend goes that many years ago, a young and

Catholics called to protect holy sites of Christendom

By Kevin Kelly

Catholic Key Associate Editor

CNS photo/Felix Ordonez, Reuters

Pilgrims walk the Way of St. James in Villafranca Montes de Oca, near the town of Burgos, Spain, July 24. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims were making their way to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St. James the Greater are believed to be entombed. Pilgrims make this ancient trek especially around his July 25 feast. handsome German pilgrim was passing through with his parents. The innkeeper’s daughter tried to seduce him, but was spurned. Out of spite, she placed a silver goblet in his backpack and accused him the next morning of robbery.

He was convicted and hanged the same day.

Upon returning from Santiago, his parents decided to visit his body one last time. It spoke to them, telling them that Santo Domingo (St. Dominic) had kept him alive because of his innocence. When the parents informed the governor, he laughed at them and replied that the boy was no more alive than the rooster and hen cooked for his

Sisters of Life to make presentation shawnee — The Sisters of Life will present “Transforming the Culture Through Prayer” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Sacred Heart Church here, at 5501 Monticello Rd. The Sisters are part of a contemplative religious community of women founded in 1991 by Cardinal John O’Connor of New

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann (left), grand prior of the Northern Lieutenancy of the order, along with Bishop Robert Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, concelebrated Mass with Cardinal Foley.

Cardinal John Foley, grand master of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, called upon the knights and ladies to pray and to work for peace in the Holy Land.

Yrok for the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of human life.

The presentation will be followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Benediction. Participants can also meet the Sisters afterwards in the Sacred Heart meeting rooms.

dinner. At which point, the rooster and hen jumped off the platter and began to crow.

Ever since, a live rooster and hen have been kept in a cage in the cathedral as a memorial of this miracle. It is a neat story and reminds us that the pilgrim can encounter various difficulties and dangers along the way.

Currently, blisters and fatigue stand out as the principal discomforts. But it can be more serious. As I walked along the trail, I saw at least two memorials of pilgrims who died on that spot in recent years: one Belgian who was hit by a car, another who dropped dead (of a heart attack?).

During the Middle Ages, the death rate was considerably higher because of the hardships of travel and the lack of modern medicine. Entire cemeteries were provided to accommodate the pilgrims who died along the way. Even now, the pilgrims to Santiago garner considerable respect in Spain.

Passers-by will often greet them with the words “buen camino,” which means “good journey.” It is a difficult journey, but one which can bear much fruit.

It is a journey that parallels the way of the cross — that leads to new life: “The road which leads to life is small and narrow” (Mt 7:14).

Dr. Richard Johnson to speak in Wichita WICHITA — Richard Johnson, Ph.D., a nationally recognized expert in the field of adult faith formation and spiritual gerontology, will be present in Wichita for four days of presentations, from Sept. 28 - Oct. 1.

For more information or to register, call (316) 689-4081 for the Magnificat Center or (316) 744-0167 for the Spiritual Life Center or go to the following Web sites: www.slcwichita.org or www. themagnificatcenter.org .

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OVERLAND PARK — Joe Hasboun was one of the finest parishioners of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

“He was a kindly old man who walked with a cane, a daily communicant, a gentleman of the old school and a man who played Santa Claus at Christmastime,” said Franciscan Father Peter Vasko, who has spent 25 years ministering at the sacred shrines in the Holy Land.

“Joe was having a heart attack and the only hospital to get emergency treatment was in Jerusalem,” Father Peter said.

“His son and daughter anxiously brought him to the [Israeli] checkpoint, and the soldier told them they could not take their father to the hospital — he was ‘faking it,’” the priest said.

“As his children were frantically pleading with the soldier, Joe died in the car. He was 76 years old,” Father Peter continued. “How would you feel if that happened to your mother and father?”

It is these kinds of incidents that feed the cycle of violence and hate that has gripped the Holy Land and has caused a mass exodus of Christian Palestinians from the birthplace of Christianity, Father Peter told some 1,400 Knights and Ladies of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, a worldwide lay order committed to the protection of the Holy Land. The Northern Lieutenancy of the order, for which Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann is the grand prior, held its annual convention in Overland Park from Sept. 17-20.

The Holy Land will never know peace as long as the Israeli occupation and settlement of historic Palestinian lands seized in the 1967 Six-Day War continues, the priest said.

And the construction of a 480-mile long, 24-foot high “barrier wall” to separate Palestinians and Israelis is causing suffering and death.

It is not only the elderly, like Hasboun, who die needlessly because they are not allowed to cross into Israelioccupied Jerusalem for medical care, Father Peter said.

“Many pregnant mothers who were in labor faced the same treatment,” he said.

“We had four young mothers from

Leaven photos by Elaina Cochran

Hundreds of Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher attended the order’s annual convention Sept.

17-20 in Overland Park. our parish in Bethany who were in labor and had some serious complications,” Father Peter said.

“When their husbands reached the checkpoints and explained that they needed to get their wives to the hospital in Jerusalem, they were refused,” he said. “Each of these young mothers had to give birth to her child in the back seat of the car. Sadly, because of the complications, each of the babies died in the car.”

“We are talking about basic universal rights — the right to earn a living, the right to medical accessibility, the right to an education at whatever school you choose, the right to mobility — rights all of you share in this great land of America, but not to a specific segment of the population in a country called Israel,” he said.

Christians, caught in the middle of the conflict between Jews and Muslims in the Holy Land, are disappearing, Father Peter said.

“The entire indigenous Christian population, both in Palestine and Israel proper, is only 150,000 out of a population of 9 million. That is less than 2 percent, compared with 13.3 percent in 1900,” he said.

“Jerusalem has only 10,000 Christians out of a population of 650,000,” he said. “Bethlehem is now 30 percent Christian and 70 percent Muslim. Forty years ago, those numbers were reversed.”

The few Christians that remain are likely living in poverty, he noted.

“Economically, 35 percent of the Palestinian people are now unemployed, and 65 percent of Palestinians are now living below the poverty level of under $3,000 per year,” Father Peter said.

There is no international aid flowing to Christian Palestinians, particularly from the United States.

“In a 2007 agreement, Israel was given an additional $30 billion (in U.S. aid) for military aid over the next 10 years with no strings attached,” he said.

“A few months ago, the U.S. gave $700 million to the Palestinian Authority, a jump from $124 million three years ago.

“None of that money ever trickles down to the Christian population. And because the Christians have no world bodies or major governments or organizations helping them, they are the ones who are leaving.”

The “ongoing exodus” of Christians from the Holy Land, particularly young Christians, poses an “alarming crisis for Christianity,” Father Peter said.

“Most church officials are saying that if nothing is done to stem this exodus, then within 60 years, Christianity could easily disappear from the very place where Christ founded the church,” he said.

“Let us always remember that for Christian Palestinians, the Holy Land

is their homeland,” he said. “They were born there and they live there. They have cultivated the land and have buried their dead under the land. It is a land that God, in his divine wisdom, has chosen to give them as well as to the Jews and Muslims.

“In many ways, our Christians are truly living the Beatitudes.”

“They hunger and thirst for justice, then mourn for the loss of lives, friends and freedom. And instead of fighting back and seeking ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ they turn the other cheek as Christ calls them to, in mercy and love,” said Father Peter.

“We Catholics, knowing what we now know, cannot simply sit back and see these guardians of Christianity nor the holy sites simply disappear,” he added. “The holy sites of Christendom cannot simply be left in isolation, but need a living and worshipping community to validate them and to carry them on,” he said.

“I hope that as Knights and Ladies (of the Holy Sepulcher) we will be able to do more in our mission of preserving and maintaining the Christian presence in the Holy Land, as well as being able to be their extended voice so as to give hope to our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land who are desperately seeking our help,” Father Peter said.

In impromptu remarks to the convention, Cardinal John Foley, grand master of the international order, also called upon the knights and ladies to pray and to work for peace in the Holy Land.

“Our work is a holy work and a work of human rights,” Cardinal Foley said.

He told of celebrating the Easter Vigil this year at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the place where tradition says that Christ’s body was laid to rest and rose from the dead.

“We saw how the Christian people were excluded from the Old City. There were more police than worshippers in the church, and the worshippers were excluded in a gruff and humiliating way from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher,” Cardinal Foley said.

“It was discouraging,” he added.

“But what Christians in the Holy Land have been able to do in remaining faithful should be an inspiration to all of us.”

6 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • september 24, 2010

Fall 2010 Confirmations Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann Sept. 25 9 a.m.

Latin Community, Blessed Sacrament, Kansas City, Kan. Sept. 27 7 p.m. St. Patrick, Osage City; St. Francis of Assisi, Lapeer; and St. Patrick, Scranton Sept. 29

7 p.m. Holy Trinity, Paola

Oct. 6 7 p.m. St. Joseph, Nortonville; Immaculate Conception, Valley Falls, and Corpus Christi, Mooney Creek Nov. 1 7 p.m. Holy Angels, Garnett; and St. John the Baptist, Greeley Nov. 3

7 p.m. Sacred Heart, Ottawa

Nov. 6 & 7

4:30 p.m. St. Patrick, Emerald, 6:30 p.m. St. Joseph, Waverly 8:30 a.m. St. Teresa, Westphalia 10:30 a.m. St. Francis Xavier, Burlington

Nov. 9

7 p.m. St. Aloysius, Meriden

Nov. 11 7 p.m. St. Dominic, Holton; and St. Francis Xavier, Mayetta

Abbot Barnabas Senecal, OSB Oct. 6 7 p.m. St. Therese, Richmond; and St. Boniface, Scipio, at Scipio Oct. 9

7 p.m. St. Theresa, Perry

Oct. 10 2 p.m. St. Benedict, Bendena; St. Charles,

Troy; and St. Joseph, Wathena, at Bendena Oct. 23 6:30 p.m. Sacred Heart, Mound City; and Our Lady of Lourdes, LaCygne Oct. 24 11 a.m. St. Philip Neri, Osawatomie

THE LEAVEN • september 24, 2010

Teacher building bonds from scratch Continued from page 1 a native of Holyoke, Mass. He has a bachelor’s in music education from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and a master’s in ethnomusicology from the University of Limerick, Ireland. He taught music in Kansas City, Mo., public schools from 2008 to 2010.

He didn’t have much to start with: 66 music stands, a drum set and an old marching base drum — both in disrepair — and a lot of sheet instrumental music. The only instruments he had were on the walls of the music room — as decorations.

“I refurbished a couple of those instruments, but most of them were pretty beat up,” said Braunschweig. “No one knew who they belonged to. I think the last band teacher bought them at thrift stores. You could buy new instruments for the amount of money you’d have to put in [to repair] them.”

With the benefactor’s funds, Braunschweig bought a limited number of instruments for Ward and the five Catholic elementary schools of Wyandotte County.

But rounding up decent instruments is just one of Braunschweig’s challenges. The other is he has no returning veterans, no established program.

The students have to be taught the fundamentals.

In short, they’ll need to learn how to read music to play the instrument they’ve never touched before.

It’s almost like teaching a bunch of kids from Tahiti how to play ice hockey.

Fortunately, the one thing Braunschweig has in abundance is enthusiasm — both his own and his students.

“I love band,” said Marcus Blake, a Christ the King eighth-grader and snare drummer. “I just can’t wait to play my drums. I like beating it. I like doing beats on my desk sometimes. I’m not supposed to, but I do it anyway.”

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Braunschweig. “On

the high school level I think kids are a little shy to try something that they’ll have to learn from scratch, but the kids who have signed up for the class are finding it a challenge but also pretty rewarding.”

Ben Turkovic, a Ward senior, has always loved music. He already can play guitar, drums and bass, but he signed up for band in order to play saxophone.

“I feel like I’m doing surprisingly well,” said Turkovic. “The first couple of days were hard, just getting used to it. These things take time. I could not read music [before]. It’s not easy. It’s just something new, a challenge.”

He likes the class because it’s not stressful.

“Mr. Braunschweig has a great personality,” said Turkovic. “He’s very laid-back, and he allows everyone to learn at their own pace. It’s a relaxed environment. It’s not stressful. It’s a class I look forward to.”

“Right now, only one or two people really play their instruments,” he continued. “Pretty much everyone’s starting new. Right now we’re on the basics, but we’re also working on cohesion.”

Nine students are in the Ward band, but some of the grade schools have between 15 and 30 students signed up. Although he wanted to offer the program to all sixth- to eighth-grade students, Braunschweig can’t take them all because he doesn’t have enough instruments to loan.

“Right now, we only have enough instruments for students in the eighth grade,” he said.

He’s looking for donated instruments, therefore, in decent shape. He’d particularly like clarinets, trumpets, trombones, saxophones and drums.

“We’re just really excited and we see great potential for our students, and for the whole community,” said Warren. “I think everyone enjoys a good band and seeing the kids perform.”

The Ward band’s first performance is tentatively scheduled for a Nov. 13 fundraiser.

Lawrence and Roberta Kraus, members of St. Matthew Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 2 with a family dinner. The couple was married on Sept. 23, 1950.

Their children anniversaries and their spouses are: Donna and Bob Perry; Carol and Dan Gardner; Lee and Betsy Kraus; Paul and Jill Kraus; Mary Beth and Miguel D’Almada Remedios; and Dan and Susan Kraus.

They also have 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Helen and Jay Grosdidier, members of Holy Family Parish, Eudora, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on Oct. 2 with a Mass at the church, followed by a celebration with family and friends.

Father Henry Grosdidier married them on Sept. 30, 1940, at Sacred Heart Parish in Baileyville.

Their children and their spouses are: Don and Mary Grosdidier, Eudora; Kenny Grosdidier, Eudora; and Marilyn and Bob Lindeen, Eudora. They also have six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Anton “Tony” and Patricia “Pat” (Theis) Brox will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 10. The couple was married on Oct. 8, 1960, at Corpus Christi Church, Mooney Creek, with Father Joseph LaGue officiating. Their children and their spouses are: Karen and Steve Shelly, Missoula, Mont.; Marcia and Frank Hughes, Shawnee; Nancy and Ken Koftan, Derby; and Dennis and Amy Brox, Manhattan. They also have six grandchildren. A reception will be held in the church basement of St. Louis Church, 11321 Morton Rd., Atchison, on Oct. 10 from 2 - 4 p.m. All family and friends are invited.

William and Barbara (Baier) Nicks Sr., members of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary with a Mass at 8:15 a.m. on Oct. 2 at the church. They were married on Oct. 6, 1945, at St. Joseph. Their children and their spouses are: Anne Crisp, Concord, Calif.; Ellen Rajdl, Wading River, N.Y.; William Jr. and Marci Nicks, Lenexa; Daniel and Becky Nicks, Shawnee; Susan and Jim Bishop, Bonner Springs; Patti and Joel Beaver, Olathe; David and Tami Nicks, Shawnee; and Jane and Bill Male, Shawnee. They also have 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Marilyn (Bremenkamp) and Jim Finan, members of St. Ann Parish, Prairie Village, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 8. A service at the KU Med Center chapel to renew their vows was followed by a reception at Renee Kelly’s at Caenen Castle in Shawnee. The couple was married on Aug. 6 at Sacred Heart Church, Colby.

They have one son, Mike (and wife Nicki) Finan, and three grandchildren.

Anniversary policy

The Leaven only prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th anniversary notices.

Announcements are due by 5 p.m. eight days (Thursday) before the desired publication date. Announcements must be typed. They are for parishioners of Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Please include the following Information: • The couple’s names; their parish; the date they were married; church and city where they were married; what they are doing to celebrate; date of the celebration; names of children (if desired); number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; photo.

Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or send an e-mail to: Todd@theleaven.com.

LOCAL NEWS 7 Catholic Lawyers Guild to host 5th annual Red Mass KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Catholic Lawyers Guild of Kansas City will host the 5th annual Red Mass at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 at St. Thomas More Parish here. The Red Mass will be concelebrated by Bishop Robert Finn and Archbishop Joseph Naumann. Bishop Thomas Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix will be the guest homilist.

This Mass is open to anyone involved in the legal profession, their friends and family members, and any member of the public who has a concern for justice.

For more information or to RSVP

by Oct. 1 for the reception, send an e-mail to Joshua McCaig, president of the Catholic Lawyers Guild of Kansas City, at: jmccaig@polsinelli.com.

Seminar set for Oct. 2 KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There will be a seminar, entitled “Art, Prayer and Practice of Meditation,” from 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 2 at St. Joseph’s Medical Center here in the Rose Room. The cost is $25 per person. To reserve a spot, send an e-mail to Tom Jacobs at: tbjacobs@ earthlink.net, or call (816) 619-3499.

Correction In the front page story of the Aug. 27 issue of The Leaven, the name of archdiocesan seminarian Jeff Lamott, a pre-theology II seminarian at St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein Seminary, was misspelled. The Leaven regrets the error.

Still waters run deep

What they’re saying about Father Tom Aduri There is so much to be said about Father Tom, it is hard to know where to begin. He became our pastor here at St. Aloysius Parish in Meriden not too long ago. He has made quite an impression, though — not only on the children, but the adults as well. He has a memory that makes it quite challenging to get ahead of him. A sense of humor that is very refreshing. A smile and a twinkle in his eyes that tells you there is something ornery about to come out of his mouth that you are going to laugh about.

We love him. Don’t take him away.

Bob and Rosie Baker Yes, I do know Father Thomas Aduri from India. He was associate pastor at Most Pure Heart of Mary in Topeka for a time while we were members there. He also served at our current parish, St. Matthew, in Father Jerry’s absence, soon after we joined there.

The one thing that stands out most in my mind about Father Tom Aduri is that he is the only priest I ever heard express a desire to someday be pope. When I saw him in his white vestments, I thought, “This man looks like an angel!” I hope that someday, if it’s God’s will, he will attain his dream of shepherding the flock.

E’Anne Frye It was great to have Father Tom Aduri at Holy Spirit [in Overland Park], his first parish in the United States. Father Tom enjoyed many first-time events while at Holy Spirit.

Our parish family taught him how to drive a car, to eat meat, and to play Bunco. One night, Father Tom was enjoying an evening of Bunco with the Women of Spirit. It didn’t take long before Father Tom got the hang of rolling the dice and soon was shouting out, “Bunco!” All the women cheered and clapped at Father’s beginner’s luck. Father Tom’s BUNCO night was cut short when some of men of the parish decided to kidnap Father Tom and treat him to an evening of tacos and beer at Tequilla Harry’s which soon became Father Tom’s regular hangout. Father Tom, we miss you at Holy Spirit.

Karen Glynn Knowing Father Thomas Aduri is to know him as Father Tom. Father Tom was the first priest I spoke with during RCIA class in 2005 at Most Pure Heart, Topeka. Father Tom was the first priest to sit down and slowly explain to my future husband that from that moment forward “he would always be wrong, and I would always be right.” Naturally, the humor helped boost our marriage journey. Father Tom made the trip to witness our marriage and bless our day. To this day, Father Tom remembers our names and is welcome in our home anytime. He can even tell you where he was four years ago on July 15 this past year.

He is greatly missed, and we are overjoyed by his visits!

Jennifer Stallbaumer My wife and I had been at Holy Spirit in Overland Park for a couple years. Other than being a lector during that time, we weren’t very active in the parish outside of Mass.

Father Tom joined Holy Spirit in that time — a new face from another land — meeting hundreds of new people. We were getting to know Father Tom and he was getting to know us.

Although I only had a chance to interact with him on a few occasions, I was amazed and heartened how he always knew my name and took a special interest in my family. His interest was genuine. Having to deal with new cultures and new faces, he made a tremendous impression on my wife and me. He’s clearly a special person and a true ambassador for Christ.

Joe Wurtz

Inside the gentle nature of Father Tom Aduri

P

By Bob Hart

Special to The Leaven

ERRY — “Smooth run the waters where the brook is deep,” says the character Suffolk in Shakespeare’s “Henry IV” (Part II).

Though Suffolk may have had in mind one who “harbours treason,” the Bard’s enduring observation has come to be associated with the deceptively quiet type — someone whose mild demeanor masks great depth and intelligence.

Case in point: Father Thomas Aduri.

One of his closest friends, Father Bill Bruning, said it’s sometimes easy to underestimate the Indian-born priest.

“A lot of people, when they look at Father Tom, see this very modest priest who’s so quiet. They look at him, and he’s kind of short,” Father Bruning said with a laugh. “He’s not at all imposing.”

“What they don’t realize is that the man is absolutely brilliant. Truly,” he continued. “He’s also a compassionate man — his love for the poor is outstanding. It’s really an honor to be his friend.

I’ve learned so much about the universal church from him.”

Humble beginnings If it weren’t for a great-aunt on his mother’s side, Father Tom Aduri might be just plain old Tom. “She kept asking all the kids, the nieces and nephews, if they’d thought about it,” Father Tom said, referring to religious vocations. “Nobody listened to her.

“Finally, after everyone else had grown up and chosen their careers, she wrote me a letter. It said, ‘You are my last hope.’”

As it turns out, the great-aunt had hitched her hopes to a winner.

“I went and took a look at the seminary,” he recalled. “I liked it, and I stayed.”

For how long?

“Oh, gosh,” he said, trying to recall.

“Forever? I think it was 11 years.”

When the seminary years finally came to an end, young Tom Aduri had no idea where the priesthood would lead him — figuratively or geographically.

Born May 26, 1975, in Guntur, India, to a schoolteacher father and homemaker mother, he and his sister were fourth-generation Catholics in their predominantly Hindu homeland. Guntur was then a small village of about 2,000 people, with no roads.

Through anecdotal accounts and media depictions, young Tom formed an image in his mind of the United States.

“Everything was mechanical,” he said.

“There were big streets and big buildings.

No land, just buildings.”

That image, needless to say, has been altered a bit for the man who logged time as an associate pastor at Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park and Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish Topeka before assuming his current duties as pastor of St. Theresa in Perry and St. Aloysius, Meriden.

For one thing, Father Aduri said with a smile, “There’s land!”

“And they’re really good, well-organized parishes. I benefit from having followed two great pastors, Father Francis Hund and

Father Tom Aduri Current assignment and duties: Pastor of St. Theresa in Perry and St. Aloysius, Meriden Number of years ordained: 7 Hometown: Guntur, India My favorite food is: any food My favorite book to recommend is: “Man’s Search for Meaning,” by Viktor Frankl The last good movie or video I saw was: “Gran Torino” As a child, my favorite toy was: water gun The most important lesson the priesthood has taught me is: our presence makes a difference The thing that’s surprised me most about life as a priest is: people have a lot more respect for the priesthood than I thought It would surprise people to learn that I: was a shy person Favorite TV show: war stuff on the History Channel Favorite Web site: according to the need Dream vacation: play golf on Pebble Beach Worst job I’ve ever had: Haven’t had a bad one yet!

Best job I’ve ever had: All of them.

(Too political, right?)

If I couldn’t be a priest, I’d be: a farmer or an accountant If I had a church history time machine, I’d: like to go see how human Jesus and the apostles were

More about Father Tom Aduri He came to the golf course looking like Payne Stewart, knickers and all, except for his black hair. Most golfers clean their clubs with a brush; Father Tom uses steel wool, his clubs are so old. The ball washer rejected his old golf balls. He thought he was Robin Hood, because he spent most of his day in the woods. All birds and animals left the golf course when they saw him coming in their direction. The safest place to stand was in the fairway, he never hit his ball there. Father Tom believes golf is proof that God has a sense of humor.

Ernie Raugewitz Father Tom is a great priest, and I’m here to tell a funny story about when he let us [kids at St. Theresa Church in Perry] turn him into a human sundae. One day our class took him outside. He sat on a chair and we started with ice cream, chocolate and strawberry topping. After that sprinkles and nuts and whipped topping. Finally, a cherry on his head. Another time Father Tom won a can of Silly String at a class event. He let the class use it, and I covered his head, face and shirt.

We like him a lot.

Kim Meier When Father Tom Aduri arrived at Holy Spirit, we were all greeted by his big beautiful smile. After meeting him for the first time, my kids were so impressed that he remembered their names and called them by name each time he saw them. One of my favorite memories of Father Tom is, as the fall weather approached and all of us Kansans welcomed it after a hot summer, Father Tom was wrapped up in a winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves. He had never experienced a cool fall day, much less a Kansas winter.

God bless you, Father Tom. Katie Young Father Tom is most unassuming — appears to take things with a grain of salt, but is always ready when a call comes and a need has arisen. He generously goes to the bedside of someone with oils in hand, right words in his heart and on his lips. His countenance reveals his love for God’s people. We are fortunate and grateful that his bishop was willing to “GIVE” him to us, and that he willing accepted the challenge of serving God in our diocese.

We truly love and appreciate him!

Sister Ann Moylan and Sister Audrey Meanor

Father Robert Hasenkamp. I enjoy being with the people, sharing their joys and sorrows, and celebrating the sacraments.”

Humble still In his spare time, Father Aduri is a history and animal enthusiast. A big fan of “Animal Planet,” he also devours both television programs and books about the Founding Fathers of his adopted homeland. He’s recently completed volumes on both George Washington and Alexander Hamilton.

He admits only reluctantly that he’s “not really into music.”

“I think that’s why my choir doesn’t like me,” he said, a sly smile emerging. “I don’t sing.”

As a pastor, he is tireless in promoting the importance of the Eucharist.

“The big challenge is making people realize how important it is to go to Sunday Mass,” he said. “Our life is centered around the Eucharist. We draw our strength from it.”

The simplicity of that message is typical of a man who says the priesthood has taught him a lot about humility.

“I used to be very into myself before I became a priest,” he said. “I was shy, and it was all inside and focused on me. Now it is focused on others.

“I don’t have any big plans, or a mission. I just want to be there for the people when they need me.”

Father Tom is a wonderful priest. He models joy and love in all that he does. His love of Jesus was confirmed recently at a parish social. He said to me, “Karla, don’t you think Jesus had fun too?” I love that Father Tom’s love for Jesus radiates in his words and actions for all with whom he has contact!

Karla Leibham I was co-chair for the Women of Spirit spring flower sale and, on a very cold and very rainy spring morning, the flowers were being delivered for our annual sale. It was on a Friday and workers were hard to find because so many of our members work. It was raining very hard and, with so few workers, it was taking a long time to unload the delivery truck. All of a sudden, who comes walking across the parking lot but Father Tom Aduri and asked if he could help. We handed him a rain poncho and he helped until the truck was unloaded. He was certainly a most welcome sight for sore eyes and a welcome set of hands. I will never forget his kindness that morning and, of course, his sense of humor made a miserable situation unforgettable.

Kitty Colwell

Photo by Elaina Cochran

To read even more comments about Father Tom Aduri, go to The Leaven’s Web site at: www.theleaven.com.

10 nation

THE LEAVEN • september 24, 2010

Immigration advocates seek passage of DREAM Act WASHINGTON (CNS) — Participants at a Sept. 15 rally near the U.S. Capitol were invigorated in their fight for immigration reform by the previous day’s announcement of an upcoming Senate vote on a measure to help children of undocumented immigrants work toward legal status and get a college education. About 500 people gathered at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation applauded and cheered as several speakers encouraged them to keep pressing forward on reform and not lose their momentum.

Many who spoke from the church podium described the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, or the DREAM Act, as a crucial step in their fight. The proposed measure would allow children of undocumented immigrants brought to the United States at an early age to become legal residents and qualify for in-state college tuition. It has long been a separate piece of legislation, first introduced in 2001, that has failed to advance in Congress. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada announced Sept. 14 that he will offer the measure as an amendment to a major defense bill expected to receive a Senate vote the week of Sept.

20. In a Sept. 15 blog posting, Los Angeles Cardinal Roger M. Mahony urged senators to vote in favor of the Dream Act, which he said has the support of the U.S. Catholic Church.

San Francisco school mourns mom and daughter lost in fire SAN FRANCISCO (CNS) — Janessa Greig, 13, an honor student and student body president of St. Cecilia School here, delivered the introduction to the school Mass Sept. 9.

That evening, the eighth-grader was gone, killed along with her mother, Jacqueline, in a deadly fire caused by natural gas pipeline explosion that destroyed their home and dozens of others in San Bruno. They were two of the four people killed in the inferno.

Janessa’s father, James, and the Greigs’ older daughter, Gabriela, a high school junior, were at a tennis match at the time.

Janessa was the student whom all the other students saw every day on closed-circuit TV giving the day’s announcements, said Holy Names Sister Marilyn Miller, St. Cecilia’s principal. “She was someone who was very warm, outgoing and generous, respected by all the kids.” Jacqueline Greig, 44, was on the pastoral council, serving her third year as secretary.

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THE LEAVEN • september 24, 2010

Religion promotes peace, not ignorance

Jesuit rebuts Hawking’s claim that God didn’t create universe

By Cindy Wooden

Catholic News Service

By Nancy Frazier O’Brien Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A Jesuit priest who is former president of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., has taken to YouTube and his blog to rebut arguments raised by British physicist Stephen Hawking, who says in a new book that God had no role in creating the universe.

“Though Dr. Hawking is an outstanding physicist, his metaphysical skills are less than honed,” said Jesuit Father Robert J. Spitzer, now president of the Magis Center of Reason and Faith in Irvine, Calif.

He made the comments in a seven-minute YouTube video titled “The Curious Metaphysics of Dr. Stephen Hawking.”

Hawking, a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences since 1986, said in his new book, “The Grand Design,” that “because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing.”

Father Spitzer, author of the recently published “New Proofs for the Existence of God: Contributions of Contemporary Physics and Philosophy,” said Hawking’s “fundamental assumption about the universe” is “that it came from nothing.”

But the priest said “what many term the first principle of metaphysics” is “From nothing only nothing comes.”

“If the physical universe had a beginning (a point at which it came into existence) then prior to that point it was nothing,” Father Spitzer said in his blog.

“And if it was nothing then it could not have created itself (because only nothing can come from nothing).

“So what does that imply?” he asked.

“The very reality that Dr. Hawking wants to avoid, namely, a transcendent power which can cause the universe to come into existence.”

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ARCHBISHOP DOLAN GREETS VATICAN’S NEW U.N. PERMANENT OBSERVER — Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York greets Archbishop Francis A. Chullikatt, the Vatican’s new permanent observer at the United Nations, prior to an interreligious prayer service at Holy Family Church in New York Sept. 16. The service is held every year prior to the opening of the annual session of the U.N. General Assembly.

2009 poverty spike raises many concerns at Catholic agencies WASHINGTON (CNS) — Catholic organizations expressed dismay over the Sept. 16 announcement from the U.S. Census Bureau that the number of Americans living in poverty in 2009 rose to 43.6 million, or 14.3 percent of the population.

The Catholic Health Association, Catholic Charities USA and the Catholic social justice lobby Network issued statements concerning the data that reflect the highest poverty rate since 1984.

The 2009 data contrasts with 2008 statistics that showed 39.8 million people — 13.2 percent of all Americans — lived in poverty.

The bureau also reported that a record number of Americans — about 50.7 million — carried no health insurance. The number of uninsured is the highest since the Census Bureau began compiling such data in 1987.

The statistics on the uninsured “provides fresh evidence that health reform was a necessary and important step toward creating a system that works

for everyone,” Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity who is president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, said in a statement.

“The new data is not surprising given the toll the recession has taken on working individuals and families,” the statement said. “For the first time since the Census Bureau has been reporting on the number of uninsured, however, we can look to the future with some hope because health reform will eventually enable 32 million people currently without health coverage to obtain meaningful, affordable insurance.”

The government’s announcement came five days before Catholic Charities USA’s planned Sept. 21 release of its 2009 survey of agencies and affiliates.

The agency said more than 9 million people nationwide sought services in 2009, a 7.5 percent jump from the previous year.

Father Larry Snyder, Catholic Charities’ president, called the census numbers “staggering.”

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No one at the meeting mentioned the tensions caused in Catholic-Muslim relations in 2006 when Pope Benedict offended Muslims during a speech in Germany nor the tensions that arose in Catholic-Jewish relations in the last two years after Pope Benedict lifted the excommunication of a traditionalist bishop who denied the extent of the Holocaust and moved forward the sainthood cause of Pope Pius XII, who was pope during World War II. Pope Benedict pledged the Catholic Church would “continue to work to build bridges of friendship to other religions, to heal past wrongs and to foster trust between individuals and communities.”

But he also said that to be fruitful, the relationship requires “reciprocity on the part of all partners in dialogue and the followers of other religions,” especially in defending the right of all people to practice their faith and follow their conscience without fear of being ostracized or persecuted.

England’s chief rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks, welcomed the pope as the “leader of a great faith” to a land where battles once were fought in the name of religion in the Middle Ages and where

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POPE BENEDICT GREETS CHIEF RABBI — Pope Benedict XVI meets Britain’s chief rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks, during a meeting of religious leaders in the chapel of St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham, a London suburb.

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LONDON (CNS) — In a world where religious convictions are misunderstood or mocked, members of every religion have an obligation to live in peace with each other and work together to show that faith does not breed ignorance and hatred, Pope Benedict XVI said.

“The spiritual dimension of our lives is fundamental to our identity as human beings,” the pope said Sept. 17 during a meeting with representatives of Great Britain’s Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities. The gathering took place at St. Mary’s University College in Twickenham, a London suburb.

“All of us, in our different ways, are personally engaged in a journey that grants an answer to the most important question of all — the question concerning the ultimate meaning of our human existence,” the pope said.

The sciences give people important information that helps them understand the way the physical universe works and that knowledge is important to religious believers like anyone else, he said.

“Yet these disciplines do not and cannot answer the fundamental question” about the meaning and purpose of life “because they operate on another level altogether,” the pope said.

Only faith can fully explain the origin and destiny of each individual and answer the question, “Why is there something rather than nothing?” Pope Benedict said.

The interreligious meeting took place on the second day of the pope’s four-day visit to Great Britain. As in his earlier talks and homilies, the pope used the gathering as an opportunity to explain the continuing importance of faith, even in a technologically and intellectually advanced society that often looks upon religion as a naive or dangerous superstition.

“Genuine religious belief,” he said, is not focused so much on what is useful now, but what is essential for eternal happiness.

“It reminds us of the possibility and the imperative of moral conversion, of the duty to live peaceably with our neighbor, of the importance of living a life of integrity,” the pope said.

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tensions between different communities continued through the early part of the 20th century.

Rabbi Sacks told the pope, “The secularization that began in Europe in the 17th century did not happen because people lost faith in God,” but because “people lost faith in the ability of people of faith to live peacefully together.”

The rabbi told the pope that while members of different religions obviously believe some very different things, they all believe in a creator and in virtues and values that can strengthen society by protecting and promoting human life and dignity.

Khaled Azzam, a Muslim and director of the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, told the pope, “We all face a world that has chosen to deny the existence of the divine,” but has shown its need to recognize something bigger than the individual by turning environmentalism into a religion.

Faith is important, he said, not only because religions give people a moral code necessary for living at peace with one another, but because it helps them recognize that there is a reality — God — that transcends the limits of this world and calls them to eternity.

world 11

British streets fill with papal fans, opponents, bit of humor LONDON (CNS) — Protesting the pope does not have to be a dreary affair. And cheering him on can take a humorous tack as well. Despite some media making dire predictions of hostility or complete indifference to the pope, the images of the throngs of people who lined the streets in Scotland and England Sept. 16-19 to see Pope Benedict XVI “reflect the country I’m familiar with,” said Francis Campbell, the British ambassador to the Holy See. At each site along the pope’s itinerary, protesters were present. Many of them were angered by the church’s handling of clerical sexual abuse, but the loudest voices were those of evangelical Christians who used megaphones near papal events to broadcast their claims that the pope is the Antichrist and that the Catholic Church actually leads people from Christ. A bit of humor was scattered on signs carried by the approximately 10,000 protesters who walked through the city center Sept. 18 to protest government spending on the trip. “Opium is better than religion,” said one sign, playing off Karl Marx’s assertion that “religion is the opiate of the masses.”

Papal supporters tended to lean more toward cute than clever, several going so far as to decorate their bright yellow Wellington rain boots with “I love the pope” messages.

Martyred German priest who died at Dachau beatified VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A martyred German priest who died at the Nazi concentration camp of Dachau was praised for his courage and faith in God during a beatification Mass in Munster, Germany.

Blessed Gerhard Hirschfelder’s bravery in denouncing the Nazi regime was not a sign of “recklessness,” but of “the power of faith,” German Cardinal Joachim Meisner of Cologne said in his homily Sept. 19.

Born in 1907 in Glatz, Germany, Blessed Hirschfelder grew up, studied and worked in an area known as Silesia. He was ordained a priest in 1932, the year before Adolf Hitler came to power. Although Nazi authorities denounced him as an opponent to the regime, Blessed Hirschfelder continued to criticize the dictatorship in his homilies. He was arrested in 1941 and sent to Dachau, where he died of hunger and illness in 1942 at the age of 35.

12 CLASSIFIEDS Employment IT and Web specialist – The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking a skilled professional to support all computer and technology needs for the chancery offices. Duties include: providing technical support on hardware and software issues; maintaining network; and updating Web site. Ideal candidate will have a strong knowledge of computer systems, Web site maintenance/design, and superior communication skills to assist users with hardware and software issues. General knowledge of infrastructure requirements and components of local area networks and Internet required. A bachelor’s degree in computer science or 3 - 5 years of experience in computer management required. Candidate must be a practicing Catholic, registered in a parish or faith community. A complete job description, application and benefits information are available on the archdiocesan Web site at: www.archkck.org (click on the human resources tab). Applicants may mail cover letter, resume, and application, by Sept. 27, to: Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Office of Human Resources, IT Search, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, or send, via e-mail, to: kthomas@archkck.org.

Parish music director/organist - Our Lady of Unity Parish, Kansas City, Kan., has an immediate opening for a part-time organist/music director for the churches of Sacred Heart and St. John the Evangelist, both located in Kansas City, Kan. Jobs include: playing at 1 - 3 Masses per weekend; rehearsing with cantors; directing a small choir; and coordinating the music minister schedule. Competency in both organ and piano is a requirement. An interest/ability to build a successful, comprehensive music program for the parish is ideal. Qualified candidates should send an e-mail to Father Kent O’Connor at: oluparishkck@ gmail.com, or call him at (913) 677-4621 to set up an interview/audition.

Development associate - The Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph is accepting resumes for a development associate for the Strong City School Fund. This new fund supports quality Catholic education by providing needs-based assistance to students and schools. Candidate must be a practicing Catholic with a bachelor’s degree, plus 2 - 3 years fundraising experience. This position will contribute to and compliment the work of the executive director. Responsibilities include: grant applications; database management; special events; working with the board of directors; donor follow-up and recognition; prospect research; advertising and direct mail campaigns; and budget tracking. The selected candidate will be an energetic, flexible, creative, self-motivated, organized, detail-oriented team player who is able to handle multiple responsibilities within a limited time frame.

Proficiency in MS Office and Raiser’s Edge a must.

Grant writing experience and knowledge of direct mail execution preferred. We offer excellent benefits and competitive wages. Candidates may send a cover letter, resume, salary requirements, and references to: The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Strong City School Fund, 300 E. 36th St., Kansas City, MO 64111, or submit, via e-mail, to: essmann@diocesekcsj.org.

THE LEAVEN • SEPTEMBER 24, 2010 Accompanist needed - Christ the King Church, 8510 Wornall, Kansas City, Mo., is seeking a piano accompanist for weekend, holy day and special liturgies, and weekly choir practice. Experience and knowledge of Catholic liturgies are a must; organ skills a plus.

Send resume, via e-mail, to: Judy@ctkkcmo.org.

Administrative assistant/transportation - For Catholic Charities of NE Kansas’ Foster Grandparent Program to provide the coordination of all functions and reports related to the transportation program as well as providing administrative office support to all aspects of the operation, including managing the database, administrative tasks and recordkeeping. Prior administrative office experience and transportation coordination background required. Must have a valid driver’s license with clean DMV and KBI records and be able to pass DOT physical with drug screening. Comprehensive knowledge of Wyandotte County streets and highway system. Familiarity with KDOT grants and FMCSA reporting and working with older adult population are preferred.

Send cover letter and resume detailing experience, via e-mail, to Charlotte Melson at: cmelson@catholiccharitiesks.org. Application deadline is Sept. 30. Full time; great benefits. EOE. Financial representative - Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding financial representatives in the Kansas City and Emporia areas. This position is ideal for a determined, high-energy, high-expectation, professional, selfdisciplined, independent individual desiring to serve others, yet earn a better-than-average income. We provide top-rated financial products to our members and their families and will provide excellent benefits and training. For information or an interview, contact John A. Mahon, 307 Dakota, Holton KS 66436; or call (785) 364-5450.

Services I love what I do . . . and you can love it, too!

- Housecleaning. 20-plus years experience. Excellent references. Johnson County area. Call (913) 548-8702.

Clean House - House Cleaning - Call either Kathy at (913) 649-1276 or Jane at (913) 341-5019. We will e-mail or direct mail our flyer to you. Reasonable rates, references and quality work.

Tutoring for grades K - 12 in various subjects - Tutor has experience in the classroom. Sessions are customized. For information, call (913) 206-2151 or send an e-mail to: Klmamuric@yahoo.com.

Counseling - Topeka Marriage and family, child, teen, personal Shunga Creek Mental Health Call Ken Zweig, LSCSW at (785) 969-5308.

Bankruptcy - When debt becomes overwhelming, seek professional help. Experienced, compassionate Catholic attorney Teresa Kidd. For a confidential, no obligation consultation, call (913) 422-0610; or send an e-mail to: tkidd@kc.rr.com.

Program manager – For the Marriage for Keeps program to coordinate services, marketing, couple recruitment and activities for this marriage enrichment effort. Degree in social work, counseling field or human/social service is preferred. Experience in administration and staff supervision, excellent written and verbal skills, knowledge of domestic violence and marriage programming are preferred. Outreach, marketing, Spanish-speaking and knowledge of rural and urban programming are strongly preferred. This position is full time with benefits. Send resume, by Oct. 1, to: Irene Caudillo, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, 2220 Central, Kansas City, KS 66102, or send, via e-mail, to: icaudillo@catholiccharitiesks.org. EOE.

Machine quilting - by Jenell Noeth, Basehor.

Also, quilts made to order. Call (913) 724-1837.

Call center representative – We are looking for telephone professionals seeking top pay and benefits. Prior phone experience preferred. We are growing and need quality people to grow with us. To apply, visit the Web site at: www.cobraguard.net (click on ‘Jobs’ link at the bottom of the page), or forward your resume, via e-mail, to: HR@cobraguard.net. EOE.

Foley’s Lawn Care Now scheduling fall cleanups.

Providing you with mowing, overseeding, aeration, veriticutting, gutter cleaning and mulching.

Serving Johnson County for over 10 yrs.

St. Joseph parisioners. (913) 825-4353 www.foleyslawncare.com.

Bookkeeper - Our company needs a male or female representative to act as our opened position bookkeeper. For more information or to submit your resume, send an e-mail to: mb.appliance@gmail.com.

Tree service - Pruning trees for optimal growth and beauty and removal of hazardous limbs or problem trees. Free consultation and bid. Safe, insured, professional. Brad Grabs, Green Solutions of KC, (913) 244-5838. www.GreenSolutionsKC.com.

Part-time bowling machine mechanic - St. John’s Catholic Club, Kansas City, Kan., needs someone to maintain a six-lane house in the men’s club. All late model 1960s Brunswick equipment. Call Kenny at (913) 788-9758.

Web sites - Let me design a low-cost, effective Web site for you. I can maintain it and update it or train you to! Call Pat at (913) 909-7917, evenings/ weekends.

Are you facing divorce, layoff, foreclosure, or bankruptcy? Contact Denise Bergin, CPA, a Dave Ramsey-trained financial counselor for a free, confidential consultation. Serving Kansas City, Lawrence, and Topeka. Call (785) 760-0065 or send an e-mail to: jayhawktax@sunflower.com.

Fall Lawn Repair Aerate, vericutt and overseeding.

Insured and bonded.

Local parishioner. Free estimates.

Call (913) 620-6063.

THE LEAVEN • SEPTEMBER 24, 2010

Caregiving

Vacation

Retired nurse - Available to care for your loved one. Days, nights, and weekends. Will consider livein; willing to relocate. References; salary negotiable.

Call (913) 579-5276.

Ski cabin in Winter Park, Colo. – 2 BR, 1 BA, on free ski shuttle route. $110/night. Call (913) 642-3027.

For pictures, visit the Web site at: cabin.forcadeassociates.com.

Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation to the elderly and disabled in home, assisted living and 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, Sara or Gary.

For Rent

Do you or your parents need help at home? For as little as $60/week, Benefits of Home-Senior Care can provide assistance with personal care, shopping and many other daily needs. For details, visit our Web site at: benefitsofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591.

Home Improvement Clutter getting you down? - Let us help you get organized! For a free consultation, contact Kevin, your professional organizer/handyman, at (913) 2715055. Insured/references. www.KOATindustries.com.

Clutter problems? Embarrassing garage, basement, attic or any room? Let me help you get organized! Items sorted, grouped, boxed and labeled; areas clean when finished. Great references and insured. Twenty years experience! Handyman repairs also available. To view “before” and “after” pictures, visit my Web site at: WWW.SWALMS.COM. Tillar Swalm (913) 375-9115.

Electrician - Free estimates; reasonable rates.

JoCo and southern KC metro area. Call Pat at (913) 9639896.

STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Call for free estimates. Cell: (913) 579-1835; phone: (913) 491-5837; e-mail: smokey cabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.

The Drywall Doctor, Inc. - A unique solution to your drywall problems! We fix all types of ceiling and wall damage — from water stains and stress cracks to texture repairs and skim coating. We provide professional, timely repairs and leave the job site clean!

Lead-certified and insured! Serving the metro since 1997. Call (913) 768-6655.

Everything plumbing - Leaks, faucets, toilets, sinks, disposals, repairs and replacements. Over 20 years experience. Fully licensed. Service anytime – days/nights/wknds. Contact Mike at (913) 488-4930.

Member of Church of the Ascension, Overland Park.

Detail construction and remodeling - We offer a full line of home remodeling services. Don’t move — remodel! Johnson county area. Call for a free quote.

(913) 709-8401.

Masonry work – Quality, new or repair work.

Brick, block, and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second generation bricklayer. Call (913) 829-4336.

Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite, and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee.

Tim the Handyman - Insured; free estimates. Carpentry: new and repair deck, doors, windows, siding, screens. Plumbing: faucet, garbage disposals, toilets.

Electrical: switches, outlets, ceiling fans, light fixtures.

Light landscape: fill dirt, trimming, planting, garden tilling and mulching. Serving Johnson County. Call Tim at (913) 859-0471.

EL SOL Y LA TIERRA *Commercial & residential * Lawn renovation * Mowing * Clean-up and hauling * Dirt grading/installation * Landscape design * Free estimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!!

Call Lupe at (816) 252-3376 Father-and-son team - These guys can do it all — exterior painting, decks, fences, retaining walls, metal buildings, patios, porches, and driveways, We can do your job for a reasonable price! Call Josh at (913) 7097230.

Living at its best on a budget! - 1 BR apt., with rent based on income; all utilities paid; no voucher needed. Section 8 assistance. Great location, only 5-10 minutes from The Legends in Kansas City, Kan. Edwardsville Court Apartments Highrise, 531 S. 4th St., Edwardsville. Call (913) 441-6007. EHO. Handicap accessible.

For rent – 1 BR, 1 BA apartment in Shawnee near Nieman Rd. and Johnson Dr. $500/month; utilities included. 10911 W. 59th Terr. For a virtual tour, visit the Web site at: www.shawnee-rentals.com. Call (913) 649-7596.

Real Estate

Sept.

25

A presentation on Luigi Giussani’s “The Religious Sense” will be given by noted theologian Michael Waldstein, Ph.D., on Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. in the O’Malley-McAllister Auditorium on the campus of Benedictine College, Atchison. This event is free and open to the public.

The Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood, will host its Spirit of Nativity fall festival on Sept. 25. The evening will begin with Mass at 4 p.m., followed by an Italian buffet dinner, live music, games, gift basket raffles and more.

Wristbands cost: $10 for adults, 13 years old and up; $5 for children, ages 4 - 12; or $35 per family. For information or to purchase wristbands, call the parish office at (913) 491-5017.

from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Sept. 26 in the Father Davern Hall. The cost is: $6 for adults; children eat free.

The faculty of the University of Saint Mary’s department of fine arts and music will perform at the fall faculty recital at 7 p.m. on Sept. 26 in the Mead Hall Walnut Room on the Leavenworth campus, 4100 S. 4th St. The recital is free and open to the public.

St. John, Greeley, will have its annual fall bazaar Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The cost is: $8.50 for adults; $6 for children; and $9.50 for carryouts.

27

The career transition group of The Center for Spirit at Work will present “Beyond Procreation: Living a Fruitful Life” at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 27 at the Kauffman Center, 4801 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City, Mo.

28

Mortgage rates have never been lower!!!

Considering a refinance or new home purchase?

Call today to see how much money you can save.

We make mortgage loans easy and hassle-free.

Evening and weekend appointments available.

Members of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa.

Call Kurt or Angie at Approved Mortgage Inc. (913) 599-0004 An equal housing lender.

KS mortgage number MC0002252

Holy Family Church, 513 Ohio, Kansas City, Kan., will host its annual Slovenefest on Sept. 25 on the parish grounds. The evening will begin with Mass at 4 p.m., followed by a Slovenian dinner, live music, dancing, games, and a silent auction.

For information, contact Richard Schutte at (913) 669-3677 or the church office at (913) 371-1561.

An addiction support group for women dealing with any kind of addiction, at any stage of recovery, will meet from 6 - 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 28, at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. For information or to register, call (913) 906-8990, or visit the Web site at: www.mountosb.org/kwc.

Historic home in Ottawa built by Washburn - 3 BR, two-story home. $149,950 See at: www.betty birzer.com. Reece & Nichols Town & Country Realty Inc. (785) 418-5701 or (785) 229-8890 for appt.

The Johnson County Unos will gather for Mass at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 25 at St. Pius X Church, 5601 Woodson, Mission.

Dinner will follow at Applebee’s, 6800 Johnson Dr., Mission.

Wonderful true 5-bedroom home - In Prince of Peace Parish. Only $175,000. Great updates; in excellent condition. Nice fenced yard. Master with private bath; laundry room off main level. Motivated seller.

Open Sun., Sept. 26, from 1 - 3 p.m. 1430 E. Wells Fargo Dr., Olathe. Rita Moley Dickey, Reece and Nichols, at (913) 269-4786.

A Virtus class in Spanish will be offered at 10 a.m. on Sept. 25 at All Saints Church, 229 S. 8th St., Kansas City, Kan. For information, call (913) 371-8101 or visit the Web site at: www.virtus.org.

The archdiocesan pro-life office and the Respect Life Committee at Sacred Heart Parish, 5501 Monticello Rd., Shawnee, will host an evening of prayer with the Sisters of Life at 7 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Sacred Heart Church. The Sisters of Life will present “Transforming the Culture through Prayer,” followed by a singing of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Benediction.

Misc.

ParentsGoingGreen.com is on a mission! We are a network of parents who have joined together to provide an at-home business opportunity that is changing lives. We provide free support, free training, and your own free Web site. There is no selling, no inventory and no risk! Click on the ‘get free info’ button on my Web site! www.ParentsGoingGreen. com.

For Sale Residential lifts - Buy/sell/trade. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. Recycled and new equipment. Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood. Call Silver Cross KC at (913) 393-2042.

Wanted to buy

25-26

A charismatic retreat, directed by Father Dennis Wait, will be offered at Sanctuary of Hope, 2601 Ridge Ave, Kansas City, Kan., from 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 25 to 1 p.m. on Sept. 26. For information or to register, call (913) 649-2026.

26 The Daughters of Isabella, Little Flower Circle No. 503, will say a rosary

for sick and deceased members at 1 p.m. on Sept. 26 at Rossiter Hall, 204 S.W. 8th, Topeka. A business meeting and social time will follow.

Lt. William Fitzsimons Assembly fourthdegree Knights of Columbus of Christ the King Parish, 3024 N. 53rd St., Kansas City, Kan., will host a Salisbury steak dinner

***WANTED*** I buy coins, older watches, silverware, slot machines, old rifles and shotguns, stoneware crocks and jugs, old furniture from basement or attic.

Call Chris at (913) 593-7507 or (913) 642-8269

1

Oct.

St. Joseph Medical Center, I-435 and State Line Rd., Kansas City, Mo., will host a fall bazaar and bake sale from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Oct. 1 in the medical mall.

Proceeds will benefit the auxiliary.

2

“The Art, Prayer, and Practice of Meditation,” a seminar on how to, why, and the benefits of meditation presented by Tom Jacobs, will be offered from 9 a.m. - noon on Oct. 2 in the Rose Room at St. Joseph Medical Center, I-435 and State Line Rd., Kansas City, Mo. The cost is $25 per person. To register, call (816) 619-3499, or send an e-mail to him at: tbjacobs@earthlink.net.

The Singles of Nativity will host a fall dance from 7 - 11 p.m. on Oct. 2 in the parish hall at the Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood. The cost is $10 for members; $15 for guests. Light appetizers will be served. The attire is casual. For information, call Kathy at (913) 645-2046, or send an e-mail to her at: kathy13621@ hotmail.com.

3

St. Theresa Church, Perry, will host a fall bazaar on Oct 3. A turkey or ham dinner with all the trimmings will be served from 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. The cost is $8 for adults; $4 for children. Carryouts will be available. There will also be a silent auction, a raffle, bingo, a cakewalk, games, a country store, and baked goods for sale.

St. Francis Xavier Church, Mayetta, will host a fall bazaar on Oct. 3. A roast pork and turkey dinner will be served from 3 - 6 p.m. The cost is $7 for adults; $3 for children 10 and under. There will also be a silent auction, raffles, bingo, and a cakewalk.

St. Boniface Church, Scipio, will hold a fall bazaar on Oct. 3. A roast beef and chicken and noodle dinner will be served from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the parish hall. The cost is $8 for adults; $5 for children 10 and under. Carryout meals will be available for $9.

Sacred Heart-St. Casimir Church, 1405 2nd Ave., Leavenworth, will host a fall fest on Oct. 3. A turkey and ham dinner will be served from noon - 3:30 p.m.

There will be musical entertainment, an auction, a country store, and games.

Sacred Heart Parish, 122 W. Warren St., Gardner, will host an Oktoberfest on Oct. 3 from 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the parish center. The dinner will feature American and German foods. The cost is: $8 for adults; $4 for children ages 4 - 12; children under 4 eat free. There will be a silent auction, a craft show, a cakewalk, raffles, bingo and children’s games.

Holy Angels Parish, 15438 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor, will host a pro-life presentation, entitled “Pro-life Issues and Moral Principles for Catholic Voting,” presented by Ron Kelsey, archdiocesan pro-life coordinator, at 3 p.m. on Oct. 3 in Father Quinlan Hall. Voter registration for all Kansas counties will also be available.

For information, call Janice at (913) 7241186.

3 & 10

All young men, ages 15 20, and their parents are invited to attend

CALENDAR 13

Project Andrew — an opportunity to learn more about vocations; to meet and pray with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann; and to have dinner with archdiocesan priests.

Two sessions are available: Oct. 3 from 4 - 7 p.m. at St. Matthew Parish, 2700 S.E. Virginia Ave., Topeka; and Oct. 10 from 4 – 7 p.m. at St. Agnes Parish, 5250 Mission Rd., Roeland Park. There is no charge to attend; however, registration is necessary. For more information or to register, call the vocations office at (913) 647-0303; send an e-mail to: vocation@archkck.org; or visit the Web site at: www.kckvocations.com.

6

All Kansas women without health insurance are invited to attend the Early Detection Works program, which offers free breast and cervical cancer screenings for qualifying uninsured women in Kansas, on Oct. 6 at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. No reservations are needed; just drop in between 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. For information, call (913) 906-8990, or visit the Web site at: www. mountosb.org/kwc.

8

Holy Name Parish, Kansas City, Kan., will host a Mexican Octoberfest on Oct. 8 from 7 - 11 p.m. in Pierson Hall, 1800 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kan. The cost of $25 per person includes beer, margaritas, light appetizers, live music and dancing. Proceeds will benefit the school fund. Tickets will be available at the door. For information, call (913) 236-9219.

Misc.

El Centro, Inc., will offer classes in home improvements, including electrical, HVAC maintenance, windows and doors, siding and gutters, insulation and airflow, drywall and painting. The classes are free and open to the public. All classes are held at 650 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan. Participants are asked to preregister. For dates and times of classes, call (913) 6770100.

St. James Grade School, Kansas City, Mo., is hosting upcoming reunions for the classes of 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962. For information, send an e-mail to: adonaldson@kc.rr.com.

Healing from pornography? Monthly theology of the body groups and weekly recovery groups are available for men and women. For information, visit the Web site at: LoveIsFaithful.com, or call Sam Meier, MA, LPC, at (913) 647-0378.

“By prearranging at today’s prices, you protect your family from undue expense and stress.”

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.

Antique/Vintage Costume Jewelry ***Wanted to Buy*** * Member St. Joseph Parish Renee Maderak (913) 631-7179

Funeral homes • crematory • Memorial chapels 10901 Johnson Drive Shawnee, Kansas 66203 Telephone 913-631-5566 Fax 913-631-2236

To purchase a classified ad: Send an e-mail to: jennifer@theleaven. com, or call (913) 647-0327. The cost is $16 per column inch, five lines or less. Each additional line is $1.50. Classified ads will also be posted online at The Leaven’s Web site: www. theleaven.com.

Gregg Amos

www.amosfamily.com

Wagner’s Mud-Jacking Co. Specializing in Foundation Repairs Mud-jacking and Waterproofing.

Serving Lawrence, Topeka and surrounding areas.

Topeka (785) 233-3447 Lawrence (785) 749-1696 In business since 1963

14 COMMENTARY

Catholic Press Association Award Winner 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Quote Week

of the

“A lot of people, when they look at Father Tom [Aduri], see this very modest priest who’s so quiet. What they don’t realize is that the man is absolutely brilliant.

Truly. He’s also a compassionate man — his love for the poor is outstanding. It’s really an honor to be his friend.”

Father Bill Bruning See story on pages 8-9

twenty-sixth WEEK IN ordinary time Sept. 26 TWENTY-sixth SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Am 6: 1a, 4-7; Ps 146: 7-10; 1 Tm 6: 11-16; Lk 16: 19-31 Sept. 27 Vincent de Paul, priest Jb 1: 6-22; Ps 17: 1bcd, 2-3, 6-7; Lk 9: 46-50 Sept. 28 Wenceslaus, martyr; Lawrence Ruiz, martyr, and his companions, martyrs Jb 3: 1-3, 11-17, 20-23; Ps 88: 2-8; Lk 9: 51-56 Sept. 29 MICHAEL, GABRIEL, AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS Dn 7: 9-10, 13-14; Ps 138: 1-5; Jn 1: 47-51 Sept. 30 Jerome, priest, doctor of the church Jb 19: 21-27; Ps 27: 7-9c, 13-14; Lk 10: 1-12 Oct. 1 Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin, doctor of the church Jb 38: 1, 12-21; 40: 3-5; Ps 139: 1-3, 7-10, 13-14ab; Lk 10: 13-16 Oct. 2 Guardian Angels Jb 42: 1-3, 5-6, 12-17; Ps 119: 66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130; Mt 18: 1-5, 10

THE LEAVEN • septermber 24, 2010

“J

THE LEAVEN • September 24, 2010

commentary 15

Mark my words

Do whatever He tells you

Ignore my neighbor? NIMBY!

In matters both big and small, we have a friend in Mary

ust a reminder, folks, that this coming Sunday, after the 10:30 Mass, we’ll have gas.”

This is one of my favorite announcements to make in church. It never fails to get a chuckle from the congregation.

(And I suppose it proves, yet again, that it really doesn’t take much to amuse me.)

The “gas” that is being announced is actually GAS — an acronym for “Get Acquainted Sunday.” The name originated with our present parish council president and his wife. GAS is a simple way for “old” parishioners to reach out and welcome new parishioners.

Newcomers receive a letter inviting them to GAS, then we get together for some refreshments, have representatives from the various parish organizations and ministries let them know what’s available at the parish, and encourage newcomers to get involved.

Afterwards, our new members tell us a little about themselves. Before leaving, we give them a small gift of welcome, a pictorial directory of the parish, and a handout entitled “Everything You Wanted to Know About Sacred Heart (But Were Afraid to Ask)” that lists programs, services and contact names for people in the various parish groups.

The whole program usually takes about an hour — a small investment of time that has consistently paid back a huge dividend. Our intention with GAS is to make people feel part of our family of faith — not just an anonymous face or number. It’s a way to be, as the oldfashioned word says, “neighborly.”

We just had GAS this past Sunday, anticipating by one week National Good Neighbor Day, traditionally celebrated on the fourth Sunday in September.

I’ve been fortunate throughout my life to be surrounded by great neighbors, both inside and outside the church. For the first four years of my life, I lived next

door to my maternal grandparents and an uncle and, next to them, was the home of my godparents. If you’ve ever been to Strawberry Hill in Kansas City, Kan., you know just how close the houses are built to one another. We used to joke that if you didn’t like what was for supper at your house, all you had to do was stretch out your arm, reach through your neighbors’ window, and grab something off of their table. My mom, who still lives on the Hill, continues to enjoy excellent neighbors.

But what makes a neighbor excellent?

There are several qualities in my book.

First is friendliness. This can be as simple as taking a few seconds to wave at a neighbor when you see them. Getting to know their name is an added bonus.

Spending time chatting occasionally in the driveway or at the mailbox builds even more bridges.

Second is availability. Offering to be of service to a neighbor in some way takes friendliness a step further. For instance, letting neighbors without a basement know that they are welcome to come to yours during treacherous weather can be a huge comfort, whether they take you up on that or not. Or offering to pick up something at the store for a neighbor while you’re out running errands is another wonderful gesture.

Anticipating the needs of neighbors is an even better thing. Shoveling your neighbor’s walk or scraping off their car windows in the winter — without them asking — is a much-appreciated service.

Third, and maybe most critical, is respect. There’s a fine line between being helpful and being intrusive. While it’s beneficial to establish ties with neighbors, it’s equally important to give people “space,” to not smother others with attention every time they open their door or come outside.

Perhaps what makes a good neighbor is best summarized in this ancient Jewish tale that Jesus might have heard while he was growing up: There once was a gentile who approached the Rabbi Shammai and said that he’d like to learn more about Judaism. Unfortunately, because he couldn’t stay long in Jerusalem, he asked Shammai, “Can you teach me the whole Torah while I am standing on one foot?”

Shammai grew angry and sent the man away. The gentile next came upon Rabbi Hillel and asked him the same question. Hillel welcomed the man and told him, “Whatever is hateful to thee, do not do to thy fellowman. This is the whole Torah; all the rest is commentary.

Now go and study.” (Adapted from an entry in Anthony Castle’s “More Quips, Quotes & Anecdotes for Preachers and Teachers.”)

Yes, being a good neighbor can be summarized by asking: How would I want to be treated?

One of the saddest stories to hear is of a person who has fallen or died in their home . . . and no one discovers them for days or weeks. Where were their neighbors? Did no one care enough to even notice their absence?

Especially on this upcoming National Good Neighbor Day, if asked whether people in our parish or neighbor are ignored and neglected, let’s answer with confidence and commitment: NIMBY! (Not In My Back Yard!)

word to life

We ignore the poor at our peril, warns Gospel

F

ather Luke works with a team serving the homeless who live in camps scattered around overgrown and out-of-the-way areas of Fort Worth, Texas.

These homeless mistrust the system of shelters, which they believe harbor lawless people who might do them harm. They go it alone or in the company of others who want to live apart from both the social services community and the regular world of 9-to-5 daily work.

These are the poor hidden from our view. Father Luke and his co-workers, paid by the city of Fort Worth, seek to help these people get into regular Twenty-sixth housing. But they sunday start by accepting in ordinary time them where they Lk 16: 19-31 are, offering them companionship, concern and access to medical, dental or legal services that can help them resolve the problems in their lives.

Most Sundays, Father Luke is in the pulpit of St. Andrew Church challenging the rest of us to live the Gospel lifestyle with concern for others, especially the poor.

The readings for this weekend offer us one of Jesus’ strongest warnings:

M

ary and the rosary have been a very important part of my conversion to the Catholic faith.

The first October of the year I came to the Catholic Church I asked the question: What is this month of the rosary, and what is the rosary? At the advice of Wanda Foresee, the director of religious education at Immaculate Conception Parish in St. Marys at the time I came into the church, it was one of the first prayers I learned as a new Catholic.

It didn’t take me long to fall in love with Mary and the rosary. It was my commitment to pray this prayer every day that started me on a journey that has deepened my faith in ways that are hard to explain.

As I was preparing to give a talk to a group of catechists, I was looking for some input and wisdom from one of my colleagues. He shared an article from the September issue of Sower Revue magazine about Mary as the first catechist.

The author talked about Mary being a teacher and the first catechist and, for that matter, one of the first youth ministers. Her words from John’s Gospel to the servants when they ran out of wine at the wedding feast at Cana — “Do whatever he tells you” — ring clear to what I/we should do in our lives on

a daily basis. In those daily and difficult struggles in life when decisions are not clear, that’s when I would take it to Mary and listen to her tell me, as she did those servants many years ago: “Do whatever he tells you.”

Our family recently remembered the fifth anniversary of the death of our son Jared and his good friend and fellow seminarian Matty Molnar. Mary was the first person I went to when I received that call at 5:30 in the morning on Sept. 15, 2005. In that prayer, I not only asked for Mary’s help for Jared and our family, but also for the Molnar family who also lost their son and brother in the same accident.

Jared posted a quote on his blog before he died. I found it a few weeks after his funeral: “I think God chooses a few to support the rest and I don’t know how this whole prayer thing works, all that I know is that it does. I would be NOWHERE if people hadn’t

prayed for me. I know that the sacrifices my friends and family make for me are all that sustains me sometimes, especially when prayer is difficult.”

God chose Jared and Matty to support us here. One of Jared’s fellow seminarians told me after his death that it wasn’t unusual to find Jared in Marytown Chapel at two or three in the morning praying a rosary.

I cannot count the number of times I’ve gone to Mary in the last 20 years.

Losing someone you love, someone you’re close to, isn’t very easy. But when you have Mary to turn to, it’s very comforting to know you can get through these difficult tragedies with the help of our Blessed Mother. It is there that I find peace and solace when I do whatever she tells me.

Rick Cheek is the associate consultant for the office of evangelization and Catholic formation of youth.

¿QUé PASA? — IN HISPANIC MINISTRY

Hispanic leaders-in-the-making head back to school

I

f we wanted to give a title to this time of the year, perhaps we could call it: “The Back to School Season.”

It seems that for the past months, the emphasis has been about getting people the right school supplies and all the right clothes to go back to school in style.

Here at the office of Hispanic ministry we have also been in the backto-school mood because, in the last month, we have been making some great efforts to help people become more focused on the discipleship style of life.

Let me share with you three exciting

examples of how people have made the sacrifice to go back to school to learn about their Catholic faith.

1) Aug. 25 — We had a graduation ceremony for 17 leaders from the community who completed the three-year faith formation program called “Leaders for the New Evangelization.” These people, coming from seven different parishes, made the commitment to come back to school every Monday evening for three years from Septem-

ber to May (7 – 9:30 p.m.) in order to learn what it means to be a leader in the church. The archbishop was with us that evening to hand out the diplomas to all the graduates.

2) Sept. 14 — We began the next generation of our three-year program with 38 students. This is a record number of people coming back to school to learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. I am both sorry and happy to report that this year we had to turn students away due to space limitations.

3) Biblical Pastoral Institute (BPI) — We just started this new project here in the archdiocese. Our goal is to put the Bible into the hands of our Spanishspeaking brothers and sisters so that they know how to defend their faith.

We are starting with three weekend retreats at three different locations

(Topeka, Emporia, and Savior Pastoral Center) that will present an introduction to the Bible.

All candidates in the BPI will be asked to complete 100 hours of Bible study in two years. The goal of the BPI is that every student would be able to take the following courses at his or her local parishes: three in the Old Testament, three in the New Testament, and two optional courses. Once they have completed their course work, they would attend a final retreat and present their final project. At this juncture we have 130 people signed up for the BPI. I think we can conclude that when it comes to the Catholic faith, going back to school is not such a bad idea after all.

Father Pat Murphy is the archdiocesan animator for the office of Hispanic ministry.

inside catholic charities

“My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad.”

Charities’ anniversary should also serve as a call to action

W

Luke 16:25

e are the immigrant church, and the poor belong to us.

that we ignore the poor at our peril.

The rich man lived lavishly. He ignored the poor man Lazarus who sat by his gate. Both men die, and the rich man ends up in a place of suffering and anguish. Lazarus, who suffered in life, is at peace after death.

Many times the poor are not so obvious to us. They may not be in our neighborhoods where we can see them. But we’re exposed to them when devastation in Haiti or Louisiana or Appalachia is brought to “our gates” by television or computer screens or our daily papers.

These and those who do cross our paths are the “Lazaruses” we are challenged to comfort, feed, clothe and house.

It started with the establishment of the Diocese of Baltimore in 1789, which served 30,000 Catholics living in the 13 states of our newly created country. European immigration, fed by Irish and German immigrants escaping famine and poverty in their home countries, swelled the Catholic population to over 3 million by 1860.

Catholic immigrants fleeing poverty in Europe tended to remain poor in the United States, and poverty began to be equated in American society with Catholicism. At that time, it was primarily Protestant faith-based organizations that were responding to the swelling poverty of the country’s urban areas.Catholics were applying

The rich man panics when he sees Lazarus in the afterlife being comforted

by Abraham, and he asks to be able to come back to warn his brothers, so they won’t face the same fate he is suffering.

Jesus, foreshadowing his own death and resurrection, ends the parable quoting Abraham as saying, “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.”

for assistance and were involved in the criminal justice system at a disproportionate level.

In a pastoral letter issued in October 1866, the bishops of the United States acknowledged the growing problem: “It is a melancholy fact, and a very humiliating avowal for us to make, that a very large portion of the vicious and idle youth of our principal cities are the children of Catholic parents.”

This was a catalyst for the church, and Catholic religious and lay practitioners began to organize and take on

the challenges of poverty as a problem of “our own.”

Early in the 20th century, efforts were made to consolidate and professionalize Catholic charitable activities.

Catholic universities began offering programs in social work, Catholic and non-Catholic organizations began to look for ways to collaborate, and a few bishops around the country began to assume direct leadership of the Catholic charitable institutions in their dioceses.

In 1910, on the campus of Catholic University of America, the National Conference of Catholic Charities (NCCC) was founded to promote the creation of diocesan Catholic charities bureaus, “to bring about a sense of solidarity” among those in charitable ministries and “to be the attorney for the poor.”

On Sept. 25, Catholic Charities USA will celebrate its 100th anniversary

of service to the poor and vulnerable with a gathering in Washington, D.C. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago will preside at the opening liturgy, which will be held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It will be a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the good work of the past 100 years, but it will also be an opportunity to issue a call to action to all Catholics. We were once the immigrant, the poor, the despised and the vulnerable. Today there is a new wave of immigrants, many of them Catholic, fleeing poverty and hunger in their homelands, and we have the same obligation to them that we had to our ancestors.

We are the immigrant church, and the poor belong to us.

Jan Lewis is the executive director of Catholic Charities.

16 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • september 24, 2010

Captain Brian Spini (right) with Consolidated Fire District 2 and a member of St. Philip Neri Parish in Osawatomie reads the fireman’s prayer while Lieutenant Rick Mosher with the Merriam Fire Department and a member of Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood rings a bell three times to signify the end of a firefighter’s time on earth at the annual Blue Mass at St. Pius X Church in Mission on Sept. 12.

Mass for today’s heroes Annual Blue Mass honors firefighters and police officers in the area

Photos by

Elaina Cochran

A bagpiper plays “Amazing Grace” following the ringing of the bell. Bagpipes are traditional for police and firefighter ceremonies because so many of the early departments were staffed primarily

by Irish and Scottish immigrants.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann was the celebrant of the annual Blue Mass. More than 500 people were in attendance.