10-24-08 Vol. 30 No. 12

WWW.THELEAVEN.COM | NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF KANSAS CITY IN KANSAS | VOL. 30, NO. 12 OCTOBER 24, 2008

Seeing is believing Sonograms make a big difference to women considering an abortion

By JOE BOLLIG Leaven staff KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Renae’s first reaction was panic — followed by the thought, “I’ve got to get an abortion.”

Renae was just 17 — jobless, unmarried and estranged from her family.

And she was already struggling to care Wyandotte for herself and her six-monthPregnancy old son.

Clinic In August, when she dis■ Phone: (913) 287covered she 8287 (calls forwarded was pregnant to 24-hour hotline on again, she evenings, nights and could hardly weekends) take it in.

■ Days/hours: Monday “I freaked through Friday, 9 a.m. out,” she said. to 5 p.m. (open until 6 “I didn’t think I p.m. on Wednesdays) was going to be ■ Location: 3021 N. able to handle 54th St., Kansas City, it, so I started Kan. thinking about ■ WPC is a 501(c)(3) having an nonprofit corporation. abortion.

■ Volunteers and do“I’m already nations are always struggling with needed. trying to take care of [my son] and myself, and it was just hard,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d be able to take on that responsibility again.

“So I thought about taking the easy way out.”

Her unborn son will live, however, thanks to a gentle intervention by the staff and volunteers of the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic, Leaven photo/Joe Bollig

The sonogram machine at Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic in Kansas City, Kan., has been an indispensable tool in persuading mothers to keep their babies. Above, sonographer Mell Flemming conducts a second sonogram on one of the clinic’s clients.

Turn to SONOGRAMS on page 16

DO YOU KNOW THIS MAN?

LAST CHANCE

Help us complete our story on the archdiocese’s new chancellor by sending your favorite Father Pennings story — 150 words or less — to: information@theleaven.com.

Vote for your favorite Leaven video before we bump one off the home page to make room for another. Just visit us at: www.theleaven.com.

Click on the “Vote for your favorite video” link to cast your ballot.

AGAINST ALL ODDS A set of very special twins was baptized into new life last month.

But the real story is in how many miracles it took to get them there.

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ARCHBISHOP

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THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

SECOND FRONT PAGE 3

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS

There’s no more powerful prayer for peace than the rosary

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his past summer, I had the opportunity to lead a pilgrimage to the International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City. Throughout the year, I hope to share with you some of the experiences and graces of that pilgrimage.

During the congress, we heard talks and testimonies of Catholics from every continent, sharing their experiences of living our Catholic faith in the unique circumstances of their country and culture. One such testimony was given by Marguerite Barankitse, who has devoted her life to rescuing victims of the civil war and ethnic violence in her native land, Burundi. In 1994, Marguerite founded Maison Shalom (House of Peace) which, since its inception, has cared for over 50,000 victims (mostly children) of war.

She related an incident when she was attempting to protect members of a particular tribe who were being massacred by a rival ethnic group. A young man with an automatic weapon en-

tered the place where she was sheltering those fleeing the conflict. This young “soldier” was a member of the tribe perpetrating the violence.

Marguerite stood between him and those he was seeking to harm. He told her to move and turn over the refugees. She noticed that he was wearing a rosary like a necklace around his neck.

She asked him if he was a Catholic.

He ignored her inquiry and motioned again for her to move. She asked him what was it that hung around his neck.

He grasped his rosary. She told him to kneel down and to pray the rosary with her.

Thankfully, he complied and in the midst of the absurd violence around them, they prayed the rosary together.

After praying the rosary, this young man discarded his weapon, let his would-be victims go and became a co-worker with Marguerite in rescuing other potential victims of violence in Burundi.

What a powerful illustration of the power of the rosary, particularly as a prayer for peace in our troubled world.

I wish to conclude this series of columns on the rosary where I began, urging every member of the archdiocese to pray the rosary daily and to include as one of your intentions — peace. Pray for peace in your family, peace in your local community, peace in our country, peace in the Holy Land, peace in Iraq and Afghanistan, peace in our world.

I am convinced that families who pray the rosary together will experience a greater peace in their relationships. Spending these few minutes in prayer together can place in perspective and heal some of the misunderstandings and wounds that may have occurred during the day.

Contemplating the face of Jesus with Mary, together as a family, serves to make each member aware of the Lord’s presence in the midst of the ordinary events of daily life. Recalling the incarnation, the birth, the childhood, the ministry, the passion, the death and the resurrection of Jesus, not only makes us conscious of the greatness of God’s love for us, but of the dignity of the members of the family who carry the life of Jesus within them.

Sometimes our world situation

seems so hopeless. It is easy to despair of finding peaceful resolutions to the conflicts that plague so many parts of the world, especially those in the Middle East.

It is interesting that there is a great respect for Mary in the Islamic world.

She is the second most prominent woman in the Koran. One of Mohammed’s daughters was named Fatima — the name also of the place where Mary appeared to the Portuguese children, using them to relay her request that we pray the rosary for peace in the world.

As we approach the close of October, a month especially designated in the church to foster devotion to Mary, particularly through the praying of the rosary, I encourage you to do yourself a favor and make time daily to contemplate the face of Jesus with Mary. The rosary brings peace to the hearts of those who pray it with sincerity and devotion.

There is no more powerful way to pray for peace in our world than by engaging Mary, the Queen of Peace, to intercede with her son, Jesus — the Prince of Peace — to touch and change hearts with his merciful grace.

Remember the change of heart that praying the rosary effected in at least one Burundi soldier!

The Office of Evangelization & Catechesis and Maryvale Institute are pleased to invite you to two new educational opportunities beginning in Kansas City in January 2009!

Certificate in Catechesis

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his is a two-year, part-time, collaborative-learning program of essential formation. The course is for anyone interested in developing his or her own faith for the sake of explaining it to others. The course provides a solid foundation in the key areas of Catholic faith which a person needs to understand in order to be able to pass it on. The course is validated by the Maryvale Institute and approved by Archbishop Joseph Naumann and the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome. This course is ideal for catechists, RCIA teams, youth ministers, parents, volunteers, and anyone who would like to better understand the faith and how to share it with others.

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his is a 2 1/2 year collaborative learning program for the in-depth study of an authentically Catholic approach to religious education and catechesis, enabling mature reflection on the Church’s vision for the transmission of the Faith in today’s culture.

The Religious Education & Catechesis pathway aims: • to deepen the students' knowledge and understanding of the main areas of Catholic theology and the principles of Catholic education, • to enable students to reflect critically on how to apply this knowledge and understanding within their own educational/catechetical settings so as to improve teaching and learning.

The application deadline for the Master of Arts is December 1, 2008. The application deadline for the Certificate in Catechesis is January 1, 2009.

For details on either of these two programs, contact Stacy in the Archdiocesan Office of Evangelization & Catechesis at 913-647-0352 or ecatsec@archkck.org, or check our website, www.archkckecat.org!

Guides for the journey Apostles of the Interior Life give witness to joy of community life

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he Association of the Apostles of the Interior Life, established in Rome on Dec. 4, 1990, and recognized in accord with Canon 299.3 as a Private Association of the Faithful by Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome on Sept. 24, 1996, is devoted to the apostolate of evangelization and spiritual formation and,

By JANE GRAVES Special to The Leaven LAWRENCE — When Adam Hauser graduates from the University of Kansas this coming spring, he’ll leave with a diploma — and a treasure.

That “treasure” is what he was taught by the Apostles of the Interior Life.

“I’ll take away a great treasure, particularly daily meditation and the importance of Mass and confession — for the interior things — and also the importance of really spreading this idea to others,” said Hauser.

He’s not alone. Many other KU students and permanent community members of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center have also benefited from the four Sisters who comprise the Apostles of the Interior Life community in Lawrence.

“I really see that they bring a sense of joy to the center,” said Father Steve Beseau, director of the campus center.

“They also witness to the importance of community life and how much joy it [brings] to be a follower of Christ.”

Hauser, a member of St. Agnes Parish in Roeland Park, said that the Sisters’ friendship and their joy helped him to look more deeply into his interior formation. He began receiving spiritual direction from Sister Loredana Mazzei while he was just a freshman.

“I was really inspired just by meeting with Sister [Loredana] — just the care that she gave to me as a person, to my soul.”

“And then I was inspired by her example and the example of the Sisters to go and pray more deeply and to do more of what they did, because I really realized the peace and the happiness that they had,” Hauser added.

The order of the Apostles of the Interior Life was founded in 1990 and received its first recognition from the Diocese of Rome in 1996. The Sisters began serving on college campuses in 2000, first at the University of Illinois and then on the campus of the University of Kansas in 2003.

Four Sisters serve at the St. Lawrence Center, four others serve at Texas A&M, and the remaining 11 of the 19 community members are based in

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hereas their founder and superior general, Rev. Salvatore Scorza, has erected a provincial house of the Apostles of the Interior Life in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas at 1401 Engle Road in the City of Lawrence and,

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Leaven photo by Jane Graves

Sister Loredana Mazzei of the Apostles of the Interior Life visits with Adam Hauser, a senior at the University of Kansas, in Mary's Garden next to the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center. Hauser has been receiving spiritual direction from Sister Loredana since his freshman year at KU. Rome.

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas recently recognized the institution of the provincial house of the Apostles of the Interior Life.

(See decree at right).

Sister Loredana, who was one of the founding members of the community, said she was attracted to the Apostles of the Interior Life because of the chance to really care for souls.

“This is our charism,” she said, “to really directly get to know people, to help them where they are at in their journey, and do the journey together.”

Community members accomplish this, she said, “through friendships — and then many times through the spiritual direction, too, because they want something more.”

Sister Elena Morcelli, who has been at the St. Lawrence Center since 2003, said that while leaving Italy and coming to the United States was a bit daunting for the community, being given the chance to serve on college campuses was providential.

“Young people are more open and available to receiving formation,” she said. “So

we really target young people in a special way.”

Sister Loredana agreed that serving youth has helped them fulfill the community’s charism, saying, “It’s wonderful, because it’s a time when they are really making changes, and they are really getting more mature on an interior level.

“So when that human maturity is accompanied by that spiritual maturity, you see wonders.”

Sister Elena said the diverse staffing resources of the St. Lawrence Center also make it possible for the Apostles of Interior Life to focus on their primary purpose — the formation of the interior, or the soul, as well as evangelization. They are currently providing spiritual direction to approximately 120 students and permanent community members.

“The spiritual direction component is really what they can give here at the center that other people cannot,” said Father Beseau. “Certainly not only in terms of numbers, but also in the way they do it.”

“They really complement our catechetical classes, where the people are formed intellectually,” he continued,

“and then formed spiritually on top of that, with what the Sisters do.”

Hauser is currently considering whether he’s called to the priesthood and has gone to meetings of the Samuel Group, which helps youth in their vocational discernment.

The idea for the Samuel Group originated with Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, the former archbishop of Milan, Italy.

Without the guidance provided by the Sisters, Hauser’s spiritual journey to his current state would have been much longer.

Sister Loredana, for her part, said the gift was mutual.

“When [Adam] speaks, there is something that, many times, God is telling me through that meeting,” she said.

“And that’s the richness that comes from spiritual direction,” she continued, “because it’s not ‘I,’ a sentient being, that can direct anything.

But we really count on the fact that this spiritual direction is a supernatural meeting, because we believe that the Holy Spirit is present and he is teaching both of us something.”

hereas the Sisters of the Apostles of the Interior Life dedicate themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word by providing spiritual direction for students and others and by ministering to parishes in the Archdiocese by leading retreats and parish missions and,

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fter reviewing the statues of the Association and observing the commendable work done by the Association, I gratefully welcome the establishment of a provincial house of the Association of the Apostles of the Interior Life in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and approve of their ministry in the Archdiocese.

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urthermore, I encourage all the members of the Association to persevere in their wonderful work of evangelization and spiritual formation and to be assured of my prayers as they work in communion with the local church in proclaiming the Gospel to all people of good will.

Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann, Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas

4 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

What reduces abortions?

By RICHARD M. DOERFLINGER Sometimes election years produce more policy myths than good ideas. This year one myth is about abortion. It goes like this: The Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision is here to stay, and that’s fine because laws against abortion don’t reduce abortions much anyway.

Rather, “support for women and families” will greatly reduce abortions, without changing the law or continuing a “divisive” abortion debate.

Various false claims are used to bolster this myth. It is said that over three-quarters of women having abortions cite expense as the most important factor in their decision.

Actually the figure is less than onefourth, 23 percent. It is said that abortion rates declined dramatically (30 percent) during the Clinton years, but the decline stopped under the ostensibly pro-life Bush administration. Actually the abortion rate has dropped 30 percent from 1981 to 2005; the decline started 12 years before Clinton took office, and has continued fairly steadily to the present day.

The steepest decline is among minors. Is it plausible that economic factors reduced abortions for teens but not their older sisters, or their mothers who support them?

The reality is this: In 1980 the Supreme Court upheld the Hyde amendment, and federally funded abortions went from 200,000 a year to nearly zero. With its decisions in Webster (1989) and Casey (1992), the court began to uphold other abortion laws previously invalidated under Roe. States passed hundreds of modest but effective laws: bans on use of public funds and facilities; informed consent laws; parental involvement when minors seek abortion; etc. Dr. Michael New’s rigorous research has shown that these laws signifi-

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cantly reduce abortions.

In the 1990s, debate on partialbirth abortion — kept in the public eye, ironically, by President Clinton’s repeated vetoes of a ban on this grisly late-term procedure — alerted many Americans to the violence of abortion and shifted public attitudes in a pro-life direction, just as growing concern over AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases was giving new force to the abstinence message for teens. Now the court has upheld a partial-birth abortion ban and signaled that other laws to save unborn children and their mothers from the horrors of abortion may be valid. If Roe is reversed outright, that will allow more laws that can further reduce abortions.

By contrast, a pending federal “Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA) would knock down current laws reducing abortions and require public programs for pregnant women to fund abortion. No one supporting that bill can claim to favor reducing abortions.

Many women are pressured toward abortion, and they need our help. The pressures are partly, but only partly, economic in nature.

Women are influenced by husbands, boyfriends, parents and friends, and by a culture and legal system that tells them the child they carry has no rights and is of no consequence. Law cannot solve all problems, but it can tell us which solutions are unacceptable — and today Roe still teaches that killing the unborn child is an acceptable solution, even a “right.” Without ever forgetting the need to support pregnant women and their families, that tragic and unjust error must be corrected if we are to build a society that respects all human life.

Doerflinger is associate director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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‘Hot button’ teachings will be addressed by Catholic speaker

By SARAH MARTIN Special to The Leaven LEAWOOD — The Catholic Church’s teachings on love, sex and marriage will be presented at two events next month in Johnson County.

The first event, entitled “God, Sex, and the Meaning of Life: An Introduction to Pope John Paul’s Theology of the Body,” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 14 at St. the Michael Archangel Parish, 14201 Nall, Leawood. The presentation will be givChristopher West en by well-known speaker Christopher West, who will address what he calls the “hot button” teachings of the church by shining it through the lens of the late pope’s first major teaching.

West, noted for his engaging and humorous speaking style, will discuss how the church’s views on sex and marriage make sense in today’s world. He will share how God’s original plan for marriage and sexuality provides profound meaning to all people, whether they are single, married, or consecrated celibates.

The event is free to the public. Jacki Corrigan, consultant for the archdiocesan marriage and family life office, encourages attendance.

“It is a general audience event for individuals college age and older,” she said. “Anyone in that category is welcome to come hear him speak.”

The second event, a day of retreat for married couples, will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 15 at Church

of the Ascension Parish, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park.

“In the Beginning: Rediscovering the Beauty of Your Marriage” is a new program created by West. Corrigan described the event as a time for couples to reflect on their own union and to draw upon the richness of the theology of the body teachings to see how they apply to their marriage.

The goal is to have couples complete the retreat with a sense of renewal, a better understanding of the purpose of their lives, and a better understanding of the importance of marriage.

The retreat includes inspirational talks, participant interaction, and plenty of time for couples to “talk privately and weave the teachings into their own lives,” said Corrigan.

The cost of the program is $55 per couple, which includes lunch and a workbook for each person. Due to limited seating, preregistration is required.

The events are sponsored by the family life office, St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Church of the Ascension Parish, and West. They are an opportunity for the public to hear the most popular Catholic speaker in the United States right now, said Corrigan.

“He is a very good speaker; he knows how to explain issues in our everyday language and help us see connections to our lives,” Corrigan said.

West has given over 1,000 public lectures worldwide since 1997. He is the best-selling author of three books and a syndicated columnist.

To register for the retreat, send check and registration to: Family Life Office, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For more information, call (913) 721-1570 or send an e-mail to: flifesec@ archkck.org.

Appointment With the recommendation, consent and permission of Father Charles Polifka, OFM Cap., the provincial minister of the Order of the Capuchin Franciscans, Father Earl Meyer, OFM

Cap., is appointed parochial vicar (associate pastor) of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Lawrence. This assignment is effective Nov. 7, 2008.

A DIVINE EVENING St. Lawrence Center’s 16th annual wine fest a success

By Jill Ragar Esfeld Special to The Leaven LAWRENCE — If Jesus had attended this year’s annual Divine Wine Fest benefiting St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center here, there would have been no need for a miracle.

The best wines were available throughout the evening, flowing as freely as the conversation, camaraderie and generosity of guests.

The crowd was as eclectic as the international assortment of wines provided by Glazer’s Midwest of Kansas City. Vintage alumni, young graduates, and lay and religious patrons came together to take part in the tasting, share an excellent dinner, and support the mission of this important Catholic center.

The event was the 16th for St. Lawrence, but the first to be organized by new assistant director of annual giving, Grace DelNero.

Father Steve Beseau, chaplain and director of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center, said DelNero deserved every bit of credit she’s been receiving for the successful event.

“Grace and the entire staff did a great job,” he said. “It was a great chance for the many different constituents of the St. Lawrence Center to come together in a night of fun and friendship.”

In all, 250 wine enthusiasts came together to support the center and acknowledge its guest of honor, Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher — this year’s recipient of the St. Lawrence Award for Witness to the Faith and Service to the Church of Jesus Christ.

Father Beseau presented the award, acknowledging the archbishop as a most deserving recipient.

LOCAL NEWS

‘Faith and Freedom’ workshops offered on Nov. 8 Catholic advocacy workshops “Faith and Freedom ’08” will be offered at two locations on Nov. 8 Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann will offer a workshop from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Savior Pastoral Center, 12601 Parallel Pkwy., in Kansas City, Kan. Michael Schuttloffel, the new executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, will offer a workshop from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Assumption Parish, 204 S.W. Eighth Ave., in Topeka.

The workshops are free, but you must register by calling Ron Kelsey at (913) 647-0350, or by e-mail at: prolife@archkck.org.

Workshops are sponsored by the Kansas Catholic Conference, the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, and the pro-life and social justice offices of the archdiocese.

Leaven photo by Jill Ragar Esfeld

Father Steve Beseau, chaplain and director of the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center, presents Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher with the St. Lawrence Award for Witness to the Faith and Service to the Church of Jesus Christ.

“The St. Lawrence Award is really to honor someone who has offered service to the church and a witness to Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith — in light of St. Lawrence who was a deacon, which means servant, and a martyr, which means witness,” he said.

In accepting the award, the archbishop recognized the important role St. Lawrence center plays in the faith and future of Kansas University students.

DelNero estimated the center raised more than $50,000 at the wine fest, $30,000 of which will go to fund this year’s trip to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. The center hopes to help sponsor 100 university students.

Father Beseau was pleased with the funds raised, but even more pleased with the number of people who gathered to celebrate the mission of St. Lawrence Center.

“I think the impact St. Lawrence has on the larger church in the world is one of the best kept secrets in the

St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center The St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center is located on the campus of Kansas University in Lawrence. The mission of the center is to “form the students, faculty and staff of the University of Kansas in the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the Catholic intellectual, moral, liturgical and spiritual tradition.” For more information about the center, visit www.st lawrence.org. church,” he said. “The wine fest has been one of our biggest events for gathering the community together and offering us a chance to share the mission.

“Really the future of the church comes through places like the University of Kansas and St. Lawrence,” he added.

John Heiman, Byron Ronnebaum and Mark Stallbaumer, members of Boy Scout Troop No. 76 and St. Michael Parish in Axtell, have achieved the rank EAGLE of Eagle SCOUTS Scout, the highest advancement award in the Boy Heiman Scouts.

Heiman’s project entailed refurbishing Shockley Cemetery.

Ronnebaum's project was constructing a map display case on a cement platform at St. Michael’s Cemetery.

Ronnebaum Stallbaumer’s project involved landscaping around the map display case at St. Michael’s Cemetery.

The Court of Honor recognizing these boys was held Aug. 17 at St. Michael Stallbaumer Church.

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6 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

Good Shepherd dedicates new parish center

By BOB HART Special to The Leaven

About the center

SHAWNEE — After 12 years in the planning and a year under construction, the new Good Shepherd Parish Center here — under budget and brand-spanking-beautiful — was dedicated Sept. 27 in a ceremony attended by more than 500 people.

“The dedication of this building celebrates the many hours of work and heroic sacrifices made in planning the project, communicating the needs to be addressed and the possibilities for enriched parish life, inviting parishioners to become part of this project by making sacrificial donations, and the oversight of the construction and all its many details,” said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann in his homily at the dedication Mass.

The new 16,000-square-foot facility includes a full gym and two practice courts, two large meeting rooms, a stage with ticket and concession area, restrooms and storage space.

“The dedication was absolutely amazing,” said Mary Losic, director of stewardship and development for the parish.

“We had a building committee of 14 people, and everyone had their own strengths and worked together so well.

There’s a tremendous sense of triumph and joy.”

Losic said the building, originally estimated at a cost of $2.6 million, was completed for $2.4 million. A capital campaign brought in $2.1 million, leaving an

Father Pastor Francis Hund said the parish center will be used for multiple purposes, including: • Athletic activities for students during the day • CYO teams • Before and afterschool care programs • Meetings • Programs and presentations The center marked the third milestone in the parish’s building plans. Good Shepherd dedicated its school 10 years ago and its new church building in the year 2000.

“The dedication of the center was a parish dream fulfilled,” Father Hund said. “I think it’s best summarized in our closing response to the Eucharist: ‘Go in peace. Thanks be to God.’”

Leaven photo/Anita McSorley

Father Francis Hund, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Shawnee, assists Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, as the archbishop blesses the parish’s new center on Sept. 27. additional $300,000 to be raised.

The dedication, following the 5 p.m.

Mass, was the culmination of the 23rd annual Good Shepherd Fall Festival, featuring “Olympic games” designed to have people in and out of the new center all day

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long. Parishioners and guests competed in volleyball, ping-pong, horseshoes, bean ball toss and other events.

A potluck supper followed the dedication.

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George and Rita (Niemeyer) Dunavan, members of St. Ann Parish, Hiawatha, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at Mass on Oct. 25, with a blessing by Father Gabriel Landis. The couple was married by Father Paul Rutten at Sts. Peter and Paul Church on 25, 1958, in Falls ANNIVERSARIES Oct. City, Neb. They have a son, Mark, and two granddaughters.

Ken and Mary Teresa (Long) Sittenauer, members of St. Agnes Parish, Roeland Park, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 11 with a Mass at St. Agnes, followed by a dinner and dance hosted by their children.

They were also treated to an original song, written and performed by their children, as well as a “wheelbarrow ride.” The couple was married on Oct. 11, 1958, at Immaculate Conception Church, Brookfield, Mo. Their children and their spouses are: Monica and Al Lampe; Chris and Kelley-Sue Sittenauer; Russ and Susanne Sittenauer; Dan and Cathy Sittenauer; Jane and Greg Muraski; Patrick and Leigh Sittenauer; Peter and Carolyn Sittenauer; Andrew Sittenauer; and Mary Colleen Sittenauer. They also have 20 grandchildren.

Mary Ellen (Braun) and George Fracul, members of St. John the Baptist Parish, Kansas City, Kan., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 4 with a Mass of thanksgiving. After Mass, there was a family dinner. The couple was married on Oct. 4, 1958, at St. Anthony Church, Kansas City, Kan. A surprise anniversary party was held on Oct. 5 in the banquet facility at Painted Hills Golf Course. The event was hosted by the couple’s children and their spouses: Susan and James Fuhrmann; and Paul Fracul.

They also have two grandsons.

Ken and Edna (Whitman) Cameron, members of Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 25. The couple was married on Oct. 25, 1958, at St. James Church, Kansas City, Mo. Their children and their spouses are: Laura and Michael McGinnis; Kelly and Bill Franke; Susan Cameron; Colleen and Brian Davis; Mike and Stephanie Cameron; Mark Cameron; and Maureen Cameron. They also have nine grandchildren.

Thomas and Donna (Carpenter) JoRay, members of St. Agnes Parish, Roeland Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 25 with a renewal of vows, dinner and an open house.

The couple was married on Oct. 25, 1958, at St. Agnes.

Their children and their spouses are: Dennis JoRay, Shawnee; and Barbara and John Utt, Overland Park. They also have two 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. Information to include: • 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. If you would like your photo returned to you, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

LOCAL NEWS

Sister Patricia (Hildegarde) Marshall, OSB ATCHISON — Sister Patricia (Hildegarde) Marshall, 94, a Benedictine Sister of Mount St. Scholastica here, died on Oct. 17.

Sister Patricia was the oldest of the eight children of William Wood and Helen McAnany Marshall of Kansas City.

Sister Patricia After attending Mount St. Scholastica Academy, she entered the Benedictine Sisters in 1933 and made monastic profession in 1934.

Degrees in French and library science from Mount St. OBITUARY Scholastica College and The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., formed her early academic background, which was enriched by further study and foreign travel.

Much of her teaching career was spent at Lillis High School and Penn Valley Community College, Kansas City, Mo.; St. Joseph High School, Shawnee; and Donnelly College, Kansas City, Kan. She spent four years in Mexico City, teaching at the Colegio Guadalupe. She taught at Benet Hill and National College, Colorado Springs, Colo.; in Seneca; and at Bishop LeBlond, St. Joseph, Mo. She was director and teacher in the English as a Second Language program at Donnelly College, and included many practical aspects of life in the United States in her work and travel with students from many countries. After she retired, she was community librarian for several years.

For persons recently buried or entombed at one of our Catholic Cemeteries in Wyandotte and Johnson Counties MT CALVARY – KC KS MARGARET A. AGNEW JOHN B. ANDERSON JAMES W. BARRETT GEORGE R. BARTKO FRANK BOLTON SR. AUGUST R. CAMLIC JR. FRANK P. DZIEDZIC MANUEL ESCARENO ANTONIO G. FABELA RICHARD L. GROSKO CARL L. GUTH IVAN HERNANDEZ MARJORIE M. HUERTER CONSTANCE L. INGRAHM BETTY J. JANES WILLIAM C. JONES WILLIAM C. KALICH EDWARD E. KANCEL JR. JENNY KOVACHEVICH SHERYL C. LOPEZ EDGAR E. LOZINEA MARY E. LYLE MARGARET H. MATTHEWS ANGIE R. MENDEZ EDNA L. O’DONNELL MARY C. PETERSON RUBY I. PRIDDY WANDA M. QUISENBERRY STEVEN RAMIREZ III JOSIP SAMBOL CHRISTINE A. SILADY ROSEMARY WAGNER TERRY L. WALTERS STELLA D. WASHICK AGATHA T. WOLF VICTOR J. YORK HELEN M. ZASADNY

RESURRECTION TIMOTHY AGUILAR JR. THOMAS A. BARTHOL BERNICE E. BARRY MARGARET M. BLESSINGTON MONICA M. BOYD BETTY A. BROWN ROXANNE M. CANNON LINDA S. COOGAN LON B. CRAINSHAW KATHRYN M. DORAN EUGENE J. DUERST WILLIAM G. EVANS ERMA L. FAUERBACH DONALD N. GOEHAUSEN VIRGINIA L. HICKS LARRY F. HOFFMAN WILLIAM K. KASPER HARRIETT LEWETZOW

ROBERT D. LOUGHBOM SARAH MARIE MACY ROGER L. MARKHAM JOSHUA DAVID MARQUIS MARYHELEN MASTERSON MARILEA F. MARTINEZ LINDA S. MCCLANAHAN DANIEL J. MCINTYRE ROBERT D. MCINTYRE MARY A. NASTALI MIKE L. NOVAK MARY JEAN NUNNINK DEAN L. OLESON GENEVIEVE R. POTCHAD RITA M. ROCHE DONALD L. ROUSSELO LOUIS SAUCEDA AGNES F. SAUNDERS RICHARD W. SCHWEIGER AILEEN R. SEDLACEK ELIZABETH L. SHERWOOD FRANCES K. STEWART JANET S. STRAWHACKER MILDRED E. STILLMAN KATHLEEN STROHM NANCY A. SULLIVAN DONALD E. THELEN LORETTA J. WILLIS FRANCINE JANE YORD MARY C. YOUNG GRACE JUEUN YU

ST JOSEPH GENEVIEVE S. BRAET JOSEPHINE I. WILEY BARBARA VANHERCKE

ST JOHN – LENEXA WILLIAM HALBERT DOROTHY R. JOERGENS LOUIS S. MCANANY

ST JOHN_- K C KS JOHN J. MCDONALD MT CALVARY – OLATHE LILLIAN MAGGARD ROBERT R. MANNING THOMAS J. SLEDGE

GATE OF HEAVEN MICHAEL H. CALLAHAN WILLIAM H. HARPER III VIRGINIA C. MIER KATHRYN F. NELSON CHARLES L. SCHAEFER CECELIA M. STIMAC

7

A Day of Enrichment for Married Couples

CHRISTOPHER WEST “In the Beginning: Rediscovering the Beauty of Your Marriage” Church of the Ascension Parish 9510 W. 127th, Overland Park Saturday, November 15 8:30am (Mass) - 4:00pm $55 per couple (includes workbook & lunch for each person) Due to limited seating, pre-registration is necessary. Go to www.archkck.org to register or phone Mary Anne at 913-721-1570.

Christopher West will present his talk titled, “God, Sex, and the Meaning of Life…An Introduction to Pope John Paul’s Theology of the Body” at St. Michael The Archangel Parish, 14201 Nall Avenue, Leawood, on Friday, November 14, 7-9:30pm. The talk is appropriate for everyone college-age and older. Admittance is free.

‘Against all odds’ Medical miracles combine with old-fashioned ones for Ascension family STORY BY KARA HANSEN

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PHOTOS BY SUSAN MCSPADDEN

he symbols of new life are everywhere in the sacrament of baptism: the flowing water, the chrism oil, and the pure, white beeswax of the baptismal candle.

But Ascension parishioners needed none of the traditional symbols to remind them of the miracle of new life they were celebrating at this Sept. 28 baptism.

The simple presence of Mary Ellen and Mary Elizabeth Govea was more than enough.

‘We felt God’s hand’ It all began at Stacy Govea’s 22-week checkup in April. At Stacy’s 19-week sonogram, her twin babies were coming along beautifully. Her doctor told Stacy and her husband Bo that things were going so well she did not need to be seen for another three weeks.

Those three weeks changed everything for the Govea family. By the time they came back for their next check up at 22 weeks, Stacy was measuring A benefit event the same size for the Govea famias a woman 39 ly to help offset the weeks pregcost of the twins’ nant. medical expenses is Something was planned for the Ritz clearly wrong.

Charles in Overland The doctor Park on Nov. 28. diagnosed the The evening will inunborn Govea clude a silent aucbabies with a tion, an inspirarare and extional speaker, dintremely serious ner and dancing. disease called For ticket informatwin-to-twin tion, call Ryan Rink transfusion at (816) 309-1787 syndrome or Peter Clune at (TTTS). The (913) 638-9647. couple felt blindsided.

“One appointment we were doing great, and three weeks later we were devastated,” said Stacy.

The diagnosis affects roughly 15 percent of identical twins in utero. Twins with a diagnosis of TTTS share the same placenta and therefore share blood circulation.

One twin often ends up with a higher blood volume and higher level of amniotic fluid, while the other has decreased blood volume and amniotic fluid. Both situations cause major problems for each twin. For that reason, the mortality rate for twins with TTTS is high — an estimated 60-100 percent. To make matters worse, a tear had developed in Stacy’s uterus.

“We were told this was very serious for both the babies and Stacy,” said Bo. “The doctor told us there was a high likelihood Stacy could go into cardiac arrest and die from complications with the disease, so we had to jump on this right away.”

Since few hospitals across the country are equipped to perform the surgeries needed for TTTS, the Goveas’ options were limited. A doctor at St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City was able to see the couple

Msgr. Tom Tank, pastor of Church of the Ascension in Overland Park, blesses Mary Ellen (background) and Mary Elizabeth Govea at the twins’ baptism. The babies were diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, which has a mortality rate of 60 to 100 percent.

the following day, so the couple quickly made arrangements for relatives to take their older children — Megan, 14; Michael, 11; and Nicholas, 9.

“We had no idea what to expect,” said Bo. “Before our flight, we took our kids to the adoration chapel and asked God for strength to get through this together.”

Once in Utah, the Goveas learned there was a 28 percent growth differential between their unborn daughters, Mary Ellen and Mary Elizabeth. Generally, doctors like to see a 20 percent or less disparity to maximize the chances of survival in a TTTS procedure.

“A lot of doctors won’t operate if the discordance is over 20 percent because they like to protect their success rate,” said Bo. “We definitely felt God’s hand in bringing us to the right hospital, because they agreed to operate and do what they could to give our girls a chance.”

Still, doctors gave the couple a 60-80 percent chance of one of their daughters surviving the surgery. One. With the twins now in the hands of the doctors, the couple put their hope in the Lord.

But it also turned out to be place where Bo and Stacy could turn for comfort and inspiration when, in response to their prayer requests, they were literally deluged with support.

‘One more day’

‘Lifting us up’

The news that the delicate in-utero surgery had been a complete success — that indeed, both twins had come through it with flying colors — was greeted with relief not only by the Govea family but by the entire Ascension community. And though Mary Ellen and Mary Elizabeth were not out of the woods yet, Bo and Stacy had reason to hope a little more as each day passed.

“We just kept praying for one more day,” said Stacy “and we asked others to do the same. Each day we were there we would pray, cry, hope, and wait to hear each baby’s heartbeat and know they were still with us.”

Bo and Stacy had planned to return home to Overland Park soon after the surgery. But then Stacy began leaking amniotic fluid and was immediately put on bed rest in Salt Lake City.

From there on, it was a waiting game.

Stacy had to carry Mary Ellen and Mary Elizabeth until they were at least 24 weeks old, the standard for viability in premature babies.

“We were counting down to 24 weeks,” remembers Bo. “One day the neonatologist came and spoke with us and said if the girls came before 24 weeks, he would not even attempt to save them.”

Moreover, because with TTTS one twin grows significantly larger and stronger than the other, it is not uncommon for medical staff to focus its efforts and energies on saving the twin with the better chance of survival.

But Bo and Stacy were having none of that.

“The next time he came back to our room,” said Bo, “we told the doctor we had decided we were leaving that hospital with both our girls and didn’t want to discuss any other options.”

“We were going for both, against all odds,” Stacy confirmed.

And the Goveas knew exactly what they needed to help their daughters beat those odds: prayer.

“We got the word out right away because we needed prayer for our little girls,” said Bo. “We asked people to pray for a miracle and to ask for St. Jude’s intercession as the patron of hopeless causes.

“It was our last shot at extending the pregnancy and keeping the girls safe.”

Friends and fellow parishioners took it from there. Mike Harper, for example, set up a Web log, or blog, for the Goveas called “The Marys’” Hope, which wound up serving a dual purpose. First, it kept family and friends, desperate for news of how things were going in Salt Lake City, up-to-date.

“It was kind of a lonely time for us,” recalls Stacy, “so having the blog was a way for us to be connected with others who let us know they were praying for us.

“And we felt the prayers moving in our lives — that people were supporting us and lifting us up.”

Ascension pastor Msgr. Tom Tank said his congregation was quick to start storming heaven when reports that Stacy and the twins were at risk made the rounds.

“When news came that there were difficulties with the pregnancy,” he said, “the obvious concern was expressed for the welfare of the twins and the whole Govea family.

“A lot of prayers were beginning to be sent heavenward and lots of love westward to Salt Lake City.”

Bed rest was a challenge to Stacy; she was used to the hustle and bustle of daily life with three children.

But by far the greater hardship was being away so long from those children.

“It was really hard,” said Stacy, “because our three kids were still in school, and there was a lot I missed.”

Fellow parishioners made certain, however, that Stacy would have a front-row seat at one of the milestones that mattered to her most — her son Nicholas’ first Communion.

“Since Stacy was not able to attend,” explained Msgr. Tank, “a couple of the parishioners set up a webcam transmission so that she could join in the celebration from Salt Lake City.”

But that was only one of the many ways that Ascension parishioners stepped in to smooth the way for the Govea family. From the frequent flier miles and hotel points they donated, to the gifts, letters, and care packages they sent, members of the faith community made sure the Goveas felt their constant and prayerful support.

Although much of the support was spiritual — many gathered together to pray rosaries for the twins — much of it was practical. Every evening meal, from April through October, was organized by Ascension parishioners. A neighbor and fellow parishioner mowed the family’s yard all summer long.

“I think there was this huge sense of community in our parish because we were all able to work together and live out what it means to ‘do unto others,’” said parishioner Heather Harper.

‘Power of faith’ Through the grace of God and the miracle of modern medicine, Mary Ellen and

A crowd of family and friends gathers at Church of the Ascension for the baptism of miracle babies Mary Ellen and Mary Elizabeth Govea.

Mary Elizabeth were born at 25 weeks gestation via emergency C-section.

But the hard-won victory only saw the battle move to another front.

“We got off the twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome train and hopped right on the micro-preemie roller coaster,” said Bo. Both girls were too fragile, of course, to be transported home. So after their delivery, the Goveas merely moved out of one part of the Salt Lake City hospital and into another — the neonatal intensive care unit of St. Mark’s.

The couple found that words could hardly express to friends and family back home how tiny the twins were. The babies were so small that Bo could slide his wedding ring up either of the girls’ arms all the way to her shoulder.

Soon after birth, doctors told Bo and Stacy that Mary Elizabeth’s kidneys were not functioning correctly. If they did not start working within 24-48 hours, the doctors said, she would die.

The Goveas made immediate arrangements for their older three children to fly out to Utah to meet their sisters. Then, as they had throughout the ordeal, the couple turned to prayer and asked others to do the same through their blog.

On an average day, the blog received 300 hits. The night they asked for prayers for Mary Elizabeth, the blog received 8,000.

“It seemed like we were running out of time. But the next day the doctor came in and told us Elizabeth had full renal function,” said Bo. “We started thanking him, and he said, ‘I didn’t do it — Elizabeth did. There was nothing we could do for her.’

“It was truly a miracle. And I know those prayers are what turned the corner.”

Bo and Stacy continued to try to parent their entire brood throughout the summer — taking turns and splitting their time between the bedside of the twins in Utah and their home in Overland Park. It was a struggle to keep things on an even keel, particularly through the medical ups and downs of the preemie twins.

“The rosary was my salvation,” explained Stacy. “Whenever I was lonely or scared, I turned to the Blessed Mother. It was the only way I made it through.”

But day by day, she saw the girls growing stronger.

“It was absolutely overwhelming to see them developing and to see God’s creation process unfolding, since the girls were at an age where they should have still been in utero,” said Stacy. “It’s so hard to believe there are babies out there aborted at their age.”

In August, Ellen (both twins will go by their middle names) was doing well

enough for doctors to discharge her from the hospital. The Goveas were thrilled to be able to bring one of the babies home.

But the fact that Elizabeth was not yet ready for discharge created a logistical nightmare.

Bo and Stacy first made arrangements to fly both girls home on a commercial airline that could meet the girls’ oxygen needs, and planned to have Elizabeth admitted to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., upon arrival. But when that flight was cancelled, the doctors then refused to discharge the twins at all, insisting that Elizabeth needed a physician to accompany her during the transfer.

The situation was starting to look hopeless.

But then, with the help of prayer and — again — their blog, a series of small miracles started rolling in.

A family friend from out of town — who happened to be a neonatologist — offered to travel with the family from Salt Lake City to Kansas City. Another friend at Ascension donated the use of a private plane. Two more Ascension parishioners donated their time and services as pilots. And, finally, a special collection raised $5,000 for the fuel.

“A lot of people really pulled together to make this happen,” said parishioner Jerry Dreyer.

But many of the people who offered support to the Govea family in its time of need found themselves receiving as much as they gave, deeply moved by the couple’s profound faith.

“Bo’s strong faith was really shocking to me,” said Harper. “When Mary Elizabeth was really struggling, he said, ‘My main goal as a parent is to get my children to heaven. And if this is what God wants, I will let her go back to him.’”

It was not only his strength in the face of this terrible adversity, she said, that so impressed her, but his acceptance of God’s will.

“He was so at peace with it,” she said.

Dreyer agreed.

“I think one thing we have all taken home is an admiration of the power of faith. Bo and Stacy were so strong in accepting what God had in mind for them.

It was encouraging and amazing to see,” he said.

‘Together’ Mary Ellen and Mary Elizabeth arrived home on Aug. 14, just in time to see their older siblings — Megan, Michael and Nicholas — off for the first day of school.

“My goal all along had been to be back home for the first day of school, and it was so amazing to finally see that come together. We need each other and do better together as a unit. It was so good to be home,” said Stacy.

Though the twins will still have medical follow-up, they are healthy and well, and the family is busily adjusting to the sleepless nights and chaotic days that usually accompany twin infants.

Despite the struggles along the way, however, the Goveas say they feel incredibly blessed by their experience.

“We have this bond now because we’ve all experienced this miracle together as a family,” said Megan, “and we went through this together.”

Bo hopes the example he and Stacy have set will stick with their children for many years to come.

“This was by far the most difficult thing we have ever had to go through in our lives,” said Bo. “I hope that our kids remember that at a difficult time, when things could have easily seemed hopeless,” he added, “we turned to God and put it into his hands.”

10 NATION

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

CCHD supports organizing as means to address injustice WASHINGTON (CNS) — Inez Killingsworth thought something was up when people from around her east-side neighborBRIEFLY Cleveland hood stopped coming to community meetings. The talk was they had moved, forced out of their homes by predatory lenders. It was 1999, long before the home foreclosure crisis made national headlines. A longtime community activist, Killingsworth got busy.

She began talking with those who remained in her neighborhood network. The stories were the same: People were suddenly confronted with a huge balloon payment or a threefold or fourfold boost in their monthly mortgage payment. Unable to keep up, they lost their homes. So Killingsworth began to organize the community with the help of the East Side Organizing Project. In the last nine years, the organization funded by the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development has led one of the nation’s most aggressive campaigns to head off home foreclosures by confronting lenders and their predatory practices. The work revolves around classic community organizing techniques by bringing together people with similar concerns and then developing a plan of action to right a widespread wrong.

High court rejects appeal of Georgia death-row inmate WASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court Oct. 14 rejected the appeal of a Georgia death-row inmate whose case has garnered international attention.

Local, national and international figures have tried to intervene to stop the execution of Troy Davis, citing serious doubts about whether he’s guilty. Atlanta Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, Pope Benedict XVI and former U.S. president Jimmy Carter are among those who have argued for clemency for Davis. Davis was condemned to death for the fatal shooting of an off-duty police officer in Savannah, Ga. A day after the high court's ruling prison officials scheduled his execution for Oct. 27. Seven of nine key witnesses against him have changed their statements or recanted their testimony, which they said was coerced by police. Several people have implicated another man, who reportedly bragged about killing off-duty police officer Mark MacPhail in 1989.

Davis has consistently maintained he is innocent of killing the policeman, who broke up a fight at a Burger King where he moonlighted as a security guard. No physical evidence linked Davis to the crime.

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

Are nuns peace activists or terrorists?

Art acts as bridge to the Scriptures

By JOHN THAVIS

By GARY GATELY Catholic News Service

Catholic News Service

BALTIMORE (CNS) — Two Baltimore Dominican nuns who have been peace activists for decades expressed shock that Maryland State Police listed them as suspected terrorists in a federal database.

“This promotes fear in ordinary citizens to speak up and to even go to a meeting or take a position when they realize that by doing so they could be put on some kind of a terrorist list,” said Sister Carol Gilbert, one of the two nuns.

Sister Carol, 60, and Sister Ardeth Platte, 72, returned to Baltimore after a two-week trip to find Oct. 8 letters from the state police saying they had been incorrectly placed on the list of names put into the database, which is shared among law enforcement agencies.

Terrence B. Sheridan, state police superintendent, sent the form letters to the two nuns and 51 others who had been put in the database, saying they could review “relevant” database entries, which would then be expunged.

The letter came after former state Attorney General Stephen H. Sachs released a report chastising the state police for labeling activists as suspected terrorists based on the agency’s “broad” and “aimless” surveillance program that demonstrated institutional “obliviousness” to First Amendment protections.

Greg Shipley, a state police spokesman, said the superintendent recognized it was inappropriate to include the 53 names on the list and therefore agreed to purge them.

Sisters Carol and Ardeth, members of Jonah House, a west Baltimore community that protests war, have been arrested dozens of times over the years.

“We know we are not terrorists,” Sister Ardeth told The Catholic Review, Baltimore’s archdiocesan newspaper.

“Any civil disobedience we’ve done we’ve always taken any consequence.

It’s always been lovingly nonviolent. It’s always been symbolic.”

“We are attempting to be faithful to the Gospel and to the nonviolent Jesus,” Sister Carol said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The use of art as a bridge to Scripture and faith has emerged as a significant subtheme at the Synod of Bishops on the Bible.

Bishop Friedhelm Hofmann of Wurzburg, Germany, told the synod that the history of Christian architecture, figurative art, music and literature offered a valuable resource, one that should be used to incite the curiosity of people who do not attend church.

Using artistic works can help explain the importance of “Christian culture” and eventually lead people to the faith, he said Oct. 11. At the same time, the church should reach out to artists and involve them in the proclamation of the word of God, he said.

Some Eastern Catholic bishops spoke at the synod about the rich tradition of Oriental iconography, describing the icon as an expression of “visual theology” with specific shapes, colors and symbols that can aid in the contemplation of Scripture.

The theme of art was picked up Oct. 14 by synod observer Natalja Fedorova Borovskaja, an art history professor at the Russian Academy of Fine Arts.

She said that as a young woman growing up under state atheism in the Soviet Union, she never thought about God except when encountering works of art, music and literature.

“For me, Christian art, especially Russian icons and Italian Renaissance painting, became a route to the space of God’s life,” she said.

To promote art’s relationship with Scripture, she said three things were important: • Receiving the work of art in the heart “like a prayer.”

• Highlighting the deep religious symbolism in art, recognizing that “the life of art in the world is the sacred history of God’s mercy.”

• Seeing the artist in the light of God’s love. That means accepting that the lives of many artists are crossed by sins, mistakes and temptations, but also by moments of light and the creation of highly spiritual works, she said.

CNS photo/Chris Helgren, Reuters

CNS photo/Dan Cepeda, Wyoming Catholic Register

PRIEST WATCHES COFFEE ROASTER — Father Daniel Mary watches as freshly roasted coffee beans pour out of a roaster at the Carmelite monastery in Clark, Wyo., in the Cheyenne Diocese in this 2007 photo. Mystic Monk Coffee comes in 20 varieties, created by the monks from coffee beans they order from all over the world.

Something’s brewing in Wyoming hamlet: Carmelite coffee

By MARK PATTISON Catholic News Service WASHINGTON (CNS) — Something’s brewing in the Wyoming hamlet of Clark.

There, a small but growing community of cloistered Carmelite monks has launched a coffee business. Some monks make fruitcake; these monks make coffee.

Wyoming’s climate isn’t made for growing coffee, but the monks import coffee beans from many of the world’s coffee-growing regions, frequently blending them to get just the right taste and aroma.

Mystic Monk Coffee now comes in 20 varieties. Not bad for a four-year-old monastery, and a one-year-old business.

“We monks like good coffee,” said Brother Elias, who is only 29 years old but with three years in the monastery is one of its longer-tenured members.

“There’s nobody Catholic out there — not big — that provides a Catholic option [for coffee] that supports the church and an excellent cause. We prayed about it and our senior monks discerned it.”

In an Oct. 10 telephone interview with Catholic News Service from

Clark, where coffee-roasting machines whirred away behind him, Brother Elias, the operation’s floor manager, explained the monks’ activities: “We needed an industry that would not only be good work but would support us and pay the bills. One of the brothers in the past has worked in a coffee shop. He has roasted coffee and he knows coffee well. He has a good palate. He also has a sister who works on a coffee farm.”

The monastery’s 13 monks fill about 1,000 orders a month, and, like the monastery’s population, sales are growing. “We also wholesale for stores and for churches for fundraising,” Brother Elias said. “Some of them get 400-500 bags a shot.” One group, he added, buys 1,000 pounds of coffee at a time at a discounted price to ship to U.S. troops overseas.

For Catholics who would like to support the monks but who don’t drink coffee, the monks have recorded a CD of Carmelite chants, “Mystical Chants of Carmel,” all sung in Latin.

The coffee and CD are both available on the Web site, www.mystic monk coffee.com, or by calling the tollfree number (877) 751-6377.

ACTOR PROMOTES NEW DOCUMENTARY — Actor Michael York poses during an interview in Rome Oct. 15 to promote a new documentary film on the life of Pope John Paul II.

Poignant moments, surprises in new film on late pope

By JOHN THAVIS Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II was lightly wounded by a knifewielding priest in Portugal in 1982, one year after a gunman tried to kill him in St. Peter’s Square, according to one of the late pope’s closest aides.

The disclosure came in a biographical film screened for the first time at the Vatican on Oct. 16, the 30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s election. Pope Benedict XVI and many of the world’s bishops were in attendance.

Titled “Testimony,” the film is based on a book of memoirs by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, who was the late pope’s personal secretary for 39 years, until the pope’s death in 2005.

In the film, Cardinal Dziwisz recalled that the pope went to the Marian sanctuary of Fatima, Portugal, in 1982 to thank Mary for saving his life in the 1981 shooting. During an evening ceremony, a priest carrying a large knife lunged toward the pontiff.

At the time, Vatican officials said the pope was unharmed and was only informed about the incident the next day.

In the film, Cardinal Dziwisz said the pope was in fact able to carry on with the prayer service and the rest of

his schedule in Fatima.

“It was only when we returned to his room that I saw blood on his vestments,” the cardinal added. He did not elaborate, but other Vatican sources said the pope may have been superficially wounded in the attack.

The 90-minute film, narrated in English by the actor Michael York but dubbed in Italian for the Vatican screening, used actors to depict scenes from the pope’s life along with historical video footage and still photographs.

Cardinal Dziwisz recounted how he and aides would spirit the pope out of the Vatican on secret outings to the mountains near Rome, sometimes hiding the pontiff behind an opened newspaper in the back of a car.

Some of the film’s most poignant moments came when Cardinal Dziwisz revealed simple facts about the pope’s day-to-day life in the Vatican: how each morning he read the prayer intentions that had been sent to him and placed on his kneeler, then spent a long time praying for them; how he was upset by the fact that homeless people were sleeping on the Vatican’s doorstep, and so asked Blessed Mother Teresa to open a charity shelter inside the Vatican; and how he brought Polish traditions to the Vatican, especially at Christmas.

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Parishioner, Christ the King, Mo. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday - Friday; Evenings and Saturdays by appointment.

Home Office-Madison, WI 53783 07497 2/05

FUNERAL HOMES • CREMATORY • MEMORIAL CHAPELS LEGACY CENTER • ACTIVITY CENTER

10901 JOHNSON DRIVE SHAWNEE, KANSAS 66203 TELEPHONE 913-631-5566 FAX 913-631-2236 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

Skilled Nursing Facility 170 beds

16600 W. 126th Street • Olathe, Kansas 66062 Phone: (913) 829-5201 Fax: (913) 829-5399 Daily Mass in the Chapel at 10 a.m.

• Medicare and Kansas Medicaid certified • 24 - hour nursing care • Dementia/Alzheimer’s unit • Physical, occupational and speech therapist on staff/ Rapid recovery • Nutritious Home cooked meals • Private and Semi Private rooms • Beauty and Barber Shop • 24 hour snacks Affiliated with the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas

M-F 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Summer Months: Sat. 10 a.m to 3 p.m.

WORLD

11

Global food crisis caused by selfishness, speculation VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI denounced the continuing shortages of food around the world and said the causes included BRIEFLY selfishness and “unbridled speculation.” At the root of global hunger is a prevailing materialist culture among developed countries, in which the needs of the poor are routinely forgotten, the pope said. His comments came in a written message Oct. 16, World Food Day. The text was addressed to Jacques Diouf, director-general of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

The pope said it was clear, even during recent months of food scarcity in places around the globe, that the international community has the resources to feed all the world's people. Instead, poverty coexists with abundance, he said, and he gave several reasons. First, he pointed to the “race for consumption” that has not slowed even during the recent food shortages and that hurts the nutritional capacity of poorer countries. Second, he said international negotiations have failed to “curb the selfishness of states or groups of countries or to put an end to the unbridled speculation that is affecting the mechanisms of pricing and consumption.”

Monastery roof dispute in Holy Land nothing new JERUSALEM (CNS) — A report saying that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s Deir al-Sultan monastery on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is in danger of collapse is just another manifestation of a long-standing dispute, said a Franciscan friar. “This is an old, longstanding . . . property dispute” between the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church, said Father Athanasius Macora, who monitors the Church of the Holy Sepulcher for the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. “I don't think the danger is imminent but there is a problem which needs to be dealt with,” said Father Macora. He noted that the latest engineering report was initiated by the Ethiopian church, which is eager to have repairs made.

Parts of the report were published in the Israeli daily Haaretz Oct. 7. The article called the complex “a danger to human life.” The monastery, made up of two chapels, an open courtyard, four service and storage rooms, and a series of tiny mud-hut rooms inhabited by Ethiopian monks, is reminiscent of a small African village. All agree it is in poor shape.

12 CLASSIFIEDS

■ EMPLOYMENT

Director of music - Holy Savior Parish, Wichita, is seeking candidates with demonstrated experience to lead a community in contemporary AfricanAmerican Catholic worship. Requirements include: the ability to read music; rehearse with, teach, conduct and accompany singers; a commitment to music ministry growth and expansion; and the incorporation of instruments during liturgies. A degree in music is preferred; however, relevant experience can be substituted. Salary range is $35 - 40K. For consideration, send a resume to Father James Billinger, Holy Savior Church, 1425 N. Chautauqua, Wichita, KS 67214.

W or k a t h om e - No selling, no inventory, no risk!!! For details, visit the Web site at: www.AtHomeFullTime.com.

Finan ci al repres ent ativ e - Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding a financial representative in the Kansas City Metro and Topeka areas. This position is ideal for a determined, high-energy, high-expectation, professional, self-disciplined, 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 more information or an interview, contact John A. Mahon, 307 Dakota, Holton, KS 66436; or call (785) 364-5450.

■ SERVICES

Tutoring - Available for grades K - 12. Instructor is working on a master’s in education and has experience in the classroom. For information, call (913) 206-2151, or send an e-mail to: mamurick @rock hurst.edu.

P re s e rv e y o u r m e m o ri e s b y t e ll i n g y o u r l i f e story! I can type your memoirs from handwritten or recorded notes. Also provide secretarial services.

Call All About Words at (913) 438-5922.

Compu ter ba si cs for s eni ors - Low-cost computer training for Mac or PC. Learn computer basics in the comfort of your own home, at your own pace, and on your computer. Call Becky at (913) 4921544. www.allaccountskc.com.

Mountain Movers Inc. - Big or small, we move it all. Insured movers specializing in antiques. Call Dennis Higgins, owner, at (913) 285-3399.

Does you car have di mmed, cl ouded-looki ng h ea dli gh t len s es ? We will come to your location and recondition your automobile headlight lenses. $77. Call Zep (816) 741-0999.

Ma chi n e qu i lti n g - by Jenell Noeth, Basehor.

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

Piano tuning - Touch-up and full chromatic piano tuning for residential and business clients in the KC metro area. Call Bob at (816) 510-3125.

Bankruptcy - When debt becomes overwhelming, seek professional help. Experienced, compassionate Catholic attorney Teresa Kidd. For a confidential, no obligation consultation, call (913) 4220610; or send an e-mail to: tkidd@kc.rr.com.

Granite, Cambria and Silestone countertops See our new showroom at 5820 Barton, in the heart of beautiful downtown Shawnee. Call The Top Shop, Inc., at (816) 898-8685 or (913) 962-5058.

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008 Are in terest ra tes cri mp in g y ou r i ncome? If you want a better return on your money, consider a gift annuity with the C a t h o l i c F o u n d a t i o n o f Northeas t Kansas. Effective interest rates can be higher than 10 percent. You may designate your parish or another Catholic organization to receive the remainder gift. For a free consultation, call the foundation at (913) 647-0365 or visit our Web site at: www.cfnek.org.

C aregi v i ng - 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 Andrea, Sara or Gary.

Need a caregi ver, comp anion, housekeeper, an d/or meal provi der? I am the eldest of 17 children and have years of caregiving and nanny experience. Available day and night or both. Excellent references. Member of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.

Call (913) 422-0733.

Eldercare support - Are you struggling to find the right support option for an elderly family member? We are providing families with consultation from our licensed social worker as a FREE community service. We can provide valuable information related to: nursing home and assisted living selection; Medicare and Medicaid coverage; home safety and fall prevention; safety assessments; home care options; and more. To get answers to your questions, simply contact Benefits of Home at (913) 422-1591 to coordinate a phone or in-home consultation.

■ HOME IMPROVEMENT

L a wn a n d l a n d sca p e w or k - College student looking for landscaping and mowing work. Four years’ experience. Will do trees, mulching, deck refurbishment and landscape design and install.

Johnson County. Call Josh at (913) 709-7230.

Professional sprinkler systems - New systems, repairs, mods, winterize. Most new systems under $2500. Family-owned; 30 yrs exp.; free estimates.

Call Mike at (913) 269-1394. Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish.

Adept Home Improvements Where quality still counts!

Basement finishing, Kitchens and baths, Electrical and plumbing.

Licensed and insured.

(913) 599-7998 Cu stom-kit ch en cou ntert ops - Laminate tops manufactured and installed within 5 days.

Competitive prices, dependable work. St. Joseph Parish member. Call The Top Shop, Inc., at (816) 898-8685 or (913) 962-5058.

T im t he H an dy ma n - 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.

H o me s ec u ri t y s y s t e m s on l y $ 9 9 ! - Protect your family and property. Monitor existing system for $16 per month. Call Mike at (913) 269-1394.

Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Overland Park.

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008 ST A (S ur e Thi ng A l w ay s) H om e R e p ai r 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: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity Church, Lenexa.

Ma son ry work - Quality, new or repair work.

Brick, block, and chimney/fireplace repair.

Insured; second generation bricklayer. Call (913) 829-4336.

Concrete crew looking for side work - Can do driveways, patios, and walks. Call Josh at (913) 7097230.

El ectrician - Free estimates; reasonable rates.

JoCo and southern KC metro area. Call Pat at (913) 963-9896.

Organizing & handyman services - Basements, garages, attics and shop spaces organized! Your items sorted, boxed & labeled; areas cleaned when finished! Wall repair, interior painting, tile work, handicap bars and ramps. Great references and insured. For pictures of current projects, view my Web site at: www.swalms.com. Call Tillar Swalm at (913) 375-9115.

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.

■ REAL ESTATE

L a k e h o u s e f o r s a l e - Beautiful and private Lake Kahola, less than 2 hours from the KC area.

Only 10 miles off I-35 at the Emporia exit. This home sleeps 10+ with a 2-car garage, plus a private boat ramp and dock. Located at the water’s edge on a quiet cove with great neighbors. Call Cy at (316) 262-0888.

Nottingham Estates at St. Andrews - 11203 W. 140th Terr., OP. Looking for a private 1/2 acre lot?

This beautifully maintained, one-owner, 2-story home offers 4 BR, 5- 1/2 BA, 4 fireplaces, a finished walkout bsmt., 3+ car garage, a screened-in porch and a deck nestled in the trees. Many updates. This home is truly special! Marnie Robinett, Reece and Nichols, at (913) 266-6621.

■ VACATION

S a ni b e l I s l an d be a ch a n d g olf - Jan. 16 - 23, 2009. Beachfront condo with 2 king BRs. $1650 rent includes green fees and rec. privileges at Dunes Golf & Tennis Club. View at: www.tortugabeach club.hgvc.com; call Rose at (913) 530-0319, or send an e-mail to: rocuni@gmail.com.

On the b ea ch - St. Petersburg, Fla. 4-star condo/hotel. May be rented as a 1 BR for $99/night or a 2 BR with kitchen for $225/night. Sleeps 4 - 8. Call Chuck at (913) 710-2597. For details, visit: www.just letgo.com.

Bahamas beachfront condo - Enjoy the crystal clear waters, beachfront pool or the beautiful sunrises from our newly remodeled condo that sleeps

four. $125/night; $750/week. Local owner will rent to mature adults and families. Visit the Web site at: www.coralbeach1602.com, or send an e-mail to: coralbeach1602@gmail.com.

Ski cabin in Winter Park, Colo. – 2 BR, 1 BA, on free ski shuttle route. $110/night. Call (785) 8321518. For pictures, visit the Web site at: cabin. forcadeassociates.com.

S k i v a c a t i o n - Winter Park, Colo. 2 BR, 1BA, sleeps 6. Fully furnished, fireplace, rec. center with pool & hot tub. $125/night; $750/week. Call Joe Frederick at (913) 385-5589.

■ FOR SALE

Furniture - Ethan Allen dining room set. Oblong table with 6 chairs, 2 leaves, buffet with hutch top.

Made in the 1960s; birch and maple woods with nutmeg color finish. Also, black wrought-iron patio table and 4 chairs. Items located in Olathe. Call (913) 782-3787.

Piano for sale - Baldwin M 5’ 2” baby grand piano with humidity control. Black satin finish; in excellent condition; tuned every 6 months; new in 1997. $12,995. Contact Janet at (816) 521-9553.

For sale – Two cemetery plots at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Olathe. Section 1; lot 2; spaces 9 & 10.

Call John at (913) 909-3368.

For sale - Four cemetery plots at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Kansas City, Kan. Lot 76; section 3; spaces 5, 6, 7 and 8. Call Paul at (913) 314-1159.

■ CHILD CARE

L i t t le R a s c a l s C h r i s t i a n D a y c a r e - Over 20 years experience! Opening soon at 16550 W. 129th St., Olathe. Care provided for children 6 wks to 5 years. Limited enrollment. For information, contact Colleen or Donna at (913) 397-7100.

Adult baby sitter - For all ages. I love kids and can do evenings and weekends. I will drive and can furnish as many references you need. Call Karen (913) 338-5679.

Registered home child care - Over 16 yrs. experience. Southern OP/Leawood, near 151 St. and Nall/Mission Rd. Call (913) 636-2782.

■ WANTED TO BUY

***ANTIQUES WANTED*** Postcards, old photos, military items, trains, coins, watches jewelry, political buttons, old toys and banks, Red Wing crocks, Indian rugs, signs and sterling silverware. Call Chris (913) 642-8269.

■ ENTERTAINMENT

Disc jocke y - For your wedding, kolos, nightclubs, corporate parties, teenage celebrations, holiday parties, sock-hops, ethnic, birthdays, holiday parties, hip-hop/rap, golden oldies. Member of St. Therese Parish, KCMO. Call Zepster’s A to Z Party DJ’s at (816) 741-4777.

TO PURCHASE A CLASSIFIED Send an e-mail to: jennifer@the leaven. com, or call (913) 647-0327. The cost is $16 per column inch, five lines or less.

Each additional line is $1.50.

Want to help someone heal from an abortion?

Call Toll Free 888-246-1504

Oct. 25

The St. Joseph Ladies Guild will host a gift bazaar from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Oct. 25 in McDevitt Hall at St. Joseph Church, 11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee. There will be gifts for the upcoming holidays.

Refreshments will be provided by the St. Joseph Garden Club. For information, call Linda Oneslager at (913) 962-5793.

The Knights of Columbus, Council No. 10834, Lansing, will host their annual tasking fair, raffle, and auction at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 25 at St. Francis de Sales Church, 900 Ida St., Lansing. Proceeds will benefit the parish and other local charities. There will be a costume contest with prizes for adults and children.

The Holy Family Social Club, 513 Ohio, Kansas City, Kan., will host a Halloween polka dance, featuring the Don Lipovac Orchestra, on Oct. 25. Tickets cost $12. Don’t forget to wear your costume! Children are welcome. For information or to purchase tickets, call Richard at (913) 669-3677, Mike at (913) 342-1785, or Matt at (913) 302-1888.

The Johnson County Unos will gather for 4:30 p.m. Mass on Oct. 25 at St. Pius X Church, 5601 Woodson, Mission. Dinner will follow at On the Border, 11855 W. 95th St., Overland Park. For information, call (913) 888-3101.

25-26

St. Matthew Parish, Topeka, will host its annual fall festival on Oct. 25 - 26. There will be a walk/run on Saturday at 9 a.m. For information, send an e-mail to Bill Cochran at: wcochran@topeka.org. There will also be a four-person scramble golf tournament.

To register to play, contact the parish office at (785) 232-5012. Mass will be celebrated at 4 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a chili cook-off and supper, music, activities, and a beer garden. On Sunday, a turkey dinner with all the trimmings will be served from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., followed by a variety of adult and children’s activities. For information, contact Bill or Kelley Cochran at (785) 408-2288 or (785) 2668031; or send an e-mail to: wcochran@ topeka.org or kelleytpcu@yahoo.com.

26

The Daughters of Isabella, Little Flower Circle No. 503, will hold their monthly meeting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Rossiter Hall, 204 S.W. 8th St., Topeka. A rosary for deceased and sick members will precede the meeting.

Holy Angels, Garnett, will host a parish bazaar and dinner from 11 a.m. 2 p.m. on Oct. 26 in the school. The cost is $8 for adults; $4 for children. There will also be a raffle, bingo, and baked goods and crafts for sale.

W. 119th St, Leawood. For information, call the parish office at (913) 491-5017.

28

“Financial Fitness – Financial Literacy for Women Under the Age of 35,” a free program designed especially for women age 22 – 35, will be presented from 6 - 8 p.m. on Oct. 28 at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central, Kansas City, Kan. For information or to register, call (913) 906-8990.

29

“Family Change/Separation/ Divorce,” a free program to help women deal with major life transitions, will be presented from 1 - 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central, Kansas City, Kan. For information or to register, call (913) 906-8990.

Nov. 1

Savior Pastoral Center, 12601 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, Kan., will host a mini-retreat for women,, entitled “Blessed Are You Who Are Mourning, For One Day You Will Laugh,” on Nov. 1. The retreat director will be Mary Kay Whitacre, who has over 30 years experience in professional ministry in the church. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., followed by the program and lunch. The cost is $25; reservations may be made through Oct. 24. For information, contact (913) 7211097, or visit the Web site at: www.arch kck.org (click on the Savior Pastoral Center link).

St. Bernard Parish, 1102 8th St., Wamego, will host its stitch ‘n’ stuff bazaar on Nov. 2. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. There will be a country store, a cakewalk, bingo, children’s games and a raffle. For information, call Sharon at (785) 456-2994 or Pam at (785) 456-9529.

St. John the Evangelist Parish, 2910 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will host a smothered steak dinner from noon - 5 p.m. on Nov. 2. The cost is $7 for adults; $3 for children under age 10. Carryouts are available.

The Beginning Experience group of Kansas City will host a day-after-Halloween BOO-gie singles dance from 7:30 - 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 1 in the gym at Holy Trinity School, 92nd & Pflumm, Lenexa. No costumes. A $15 donation, payable at the door, is requested. Drinks and snacks will be provided. For information, visit the Web site at: www.beginningexperience.org.

2

The Leavenworth-Lawrence ACCW (Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women) will hold its quarterly meeting on Oct. 26 in the community room of the R.L. Leintz Funeral Home, 4701 10th Ave., Leavenworth. A potluck luncheon will begin at 12:30 p.m., followed by a rosary and the meeting. For information, call (913) 682-8899.

The Singles of Nativity will host a progressive dinner on Nov. 2 at Bristol, 5400 W. 119th St, Leawood. Join us as we switch tables for each course of our meal and meet new people. Happy hour starts at 5:30 p.m., with dinner following at 6:30 p.m. The cost of $39 includes a threecourse meal and gratuity. For menu options or to RSVP, by Oct. 30, send an email to Ken at: kenobks@aol.com or social @son-ministry.org.

The Catholic churches of Leawood, along with the Knights of Columbus, Nativity Council, will host Virgil Dechant, Supreme Grand Knight, and Robert Moynihan, editor and founder of Inside the Vatican magazine, who will present “An Evening of Memories of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI” from 7 - 9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Church of the Nativity, 3800

Holy Trinity Parish , 601 E. Chippewa, Paola, will host its fall bazaar on Nov. 2.

Dinner will be served from 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Carryouts will be available from noon - 3 p.m. The cost is $8 for adults; $4 for children under 10. There will also be a raffle for a hand-stitched quilt.

13

their monthly meeting and potluck dinner at 6 p.m. on Nov. 7 at St. Pius X Church, 5601 Woodson, Mission. Bring meat casseroles, salads, vegetables or desserts — enough to feed 8 — or $5 to pay for your meal.

St. Agnes Parish, 5130 Mission Rd., Roeland Park, will host a bingo at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 in the gym. The cost is $5 for 5 cards in advance; $7 at the door.

Concessions will be available. For information, call the school office at (913) 2621686.

8

The ACCW (Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women) will hold its quarterly meeting from 12:30 - 3 p.m. on Nov. 8 at Nativity Parish, 3800 W. 119th St,.

Leawood. All women in the archdiocese are invited. Father Richard McDonald will offer a reflection on “The Real Meaning of Love.”

▲ St. Benedict Parish, Bendena, will host a turkey dinner from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 2. A freewill donation will be collected. There will also be a country store with baked goods and crafts and a raffle.

5

SOLT (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity) will host a 50th anniversary jubilee Mass at 5 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 416 E. 12th St., Kansas City, Mo. Bishop Robert Finn will be the main celebrant. A reception will follow in Donnelly Hall, with a talk by SOLT founder, Father James H. Flanagan. A display of SOLT’s 50 years will be available for viewing, and the official SOLT jubilee book will be available for purchase. For information or to RSVP, call (816) 561-8849.

6

▲ The Catholic Women’s Organization at Holy Angels Parish, 15540 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor, will host its annual craft fair from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Nov. 1 in Father Quinlan Hall. Twenty-five booths will feature a variety of items, and refreshments will be available. For information, contact Annie Clark at (913) 724-2212.

CALENDAR

SOLT (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity) will host a memorial Mass and celebration of the life of Father Thomas Gier at 6 p.m. on Nov. 6 at the Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City, 9810 W. 79th St., Overland Park. Father Thomas Gier (March 16, 1925 – Oct. 5, 2007) was a missionary for most of his 51 years of priesthood, serving for SOLT in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea from 1979 until 2005. He was instrumental in the ordination of nearly 70 Filipino men to the priesthood. To RSVP, call (816) 561-8849.

6, 8-9

St. Thomas Aquinas High School, 11411 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, will present its fall musical, “The Sound of Music,” at 7 p.m. on Nov. 6, 8 and 9.

Tickets cost $6 and can be purchased at the school’s ticket office daily until 4 p.m.

For information, contact Kim Harrison at (913) 319-2433 or send an e-mail to her at: kharrison@stasaints.net.

7-9

Enrich your life, enrich your love, enrich your marriage by spending time with your spouse at the next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend being held in Olathe from Nov. 7 - 9.

For information or to register, call (913) 469-8453 or visit the Web site at: wwwneksme.org.

7

The PTO at Xavier Elementary School, Leavenworth, will host a fall dinner on Nov. 7 at the Riverfront Community Center, 123 N. Esplanade St., Leavenworth.

Dinner will be served from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., followed by bingo at 7:30 p.m.

The Johnson County Unos will hold

The Mother Teresa Circle at Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, will host a friendship tea at 10 a.m. on Nov. 8 in Pflumm Hall at the school. Vickie Broxterman will speak on getting through life with prayer and humor. For information or to RSVP, call Maxine at (913) 3832014, or Donna at (913) 402-6843. The cost is $10.

The Mothers of Young Children group of Curé of Ars Parish, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood, will host its annual gift gallery from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Nov. 8 in the school cafeteria. The gift gallery features 34 local artisans with unique and upscale gift items. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit local children’s charities. The admission cost is $3 at the door.

For information, call (913) 385-0795.

The third annual Hope Benefit, a fundraiser for the Sanctuary of Hope Prayer and Retreat Center, 2601 Ridge Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will be held on Nov. 8. For information, visit the Web site at: www.hopebenefit.org.

Misc.

The Keeler Women’s Center is partnering with MOCSA (Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault) to offer advocacy services and counseling for women who have been victims of sexual assault recently or in the distant past.

Sessions are held at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Nicole at (816) 9314527, ext. 233.

Were you injured while on active duty in the military? Do you have combat related nightmares or are you bothered by remembrances of combat? A ‘veterans helping veterans’ support group is forming in this area. If you are in need of help, or are available to help, call John at (913) 909-3368.

Alcoholics Anonymous has a weekly support group for Spanish-speaking women on Monday evenings, 6:30 - 8 p.m., at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. For information or to register, call (913) 621- 8749.

Project Rachel is offering weekly support groups throughout October in the KC metro area for those hurting from an abortion. Registration is required. For information, call Patricia at (913) 621-2199 or 1 (888) 246-1504. All calls are strictly confidential.

14 COMMENTARY

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

SIMPLY STEWARDSHIP

MARK MY WORDS

Editor REVEREND MARK GOLDASICH, STL frmark@theleaven.com Managing Editor ANITA McSORLEY anita@theleaven.com Senior Reporter JOE BOLLIG joe@theleaven.com Production Manager TODD HABIGER todd@theleaven.com Advertising Representative JENNIFER SIEBES jennifer@theleaven.com Reporter KARA HANSEN kara@theleaven.com Circulation sub@theleaven.com Intern Seán T.D. Kane

Catholic Press Association Award Winner 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Archbishop Edward O’Meara Award Winner 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003

e’s almost never let me down before, but this time he did. I’m cutting him some slack, though, as I suspect the mess on Wall Street has kept him very busy.

H

The person I’m talking about is St. Anthony of Padua, finder of lost items (like stock dividends). My missing item is some coffee. When I contacted the place where I bought it on the Internet and explained my dilemma, I received a prompt, but most unusual response: “Let’s say a prayer to St. Anthony, and if it still doesn’t arrive in a couple of days, let us know and we will ship another.”

When’s the last time customer service anywhere mentioned St. Anthony? You can bet this retailer is no ordinary group of people. My coffee suppliers are Carmelite monks in Wyoming, and my e-mail contact there is Brother Elias.

I’d just written to him last Friday before heading into The Leaven. Imagine my surprise as I was preparing the nation page for this week’s edition and saw a story on the Catholic News Service wire about some coffee roasting monks. A closer look at the article revealed that these were “my” monks

being featured, and quoted often within the story was none other than Brother Elias. I hope that you’ll check out the story of Mystic Monk Coffee on page 10.

Buying coffee from monks started me thinking about the upcoming giftbuying season. It’s no secret that the economy has entered a rough time — just ask St. Anthony — and retailers are already sweating over the impact it will have on holiday purchases. I’d like to propose that we all “multitask” our gift-giving this year. In other words, why not buy something that is not only unique and makes the recipient of the gift happy, but also helps out some very deserving people: Catholic women and men religious?

Many religious orders, as a way to support themselves, produce goods and goodies for sale. An inventive soul by the name of Will Keller has gathered a large collection of what’s available from some “abbeys, convents, monasteries and hermitages” into one catalog, called Monastery Greetings.

(You can view it online at:

www.MonasteryGreetings.com, or call (800) 472-0425 to receive a print catalog.)

If you think that all that’s available from these religious orders is fruitcake, then you are sadly mistaken. I suspect that I’ve gained at least five pounds just leafing through the catalog. Yes, fruitcake is there, but so are Trappist preserves, Nun Better cookies, Monastery Pray-lines, St. Benedict Grilling Sauce, Trappistine candy, creamed honey, and even Monks of New Skete dog biscuits. In addition to the food items, there are CDs, books, plaques, candles, wind chimes, and all sorts of rosaries, crosses and statues.

Closer to home are the Benedictine men at Conception, Mo., who run Printery House (featuring beautiful Christmas cards and many other products), and the Benedictine women of Clyde, Mo., who produce soaps, lotions, and other items. (For more information, see www.printeryhouse.org and www.monasterycreations.com.)

So, what about my missing Mystic Monk coffee? Well, a new batch was sent out, via FedEx this time, and it’s presently in Henderson, Colo., making its way to me. By the time you read this column, I’ll have had my first delicious cup. I plan to enjoy it while working on my Christmas gift list, pairing up people with items from these religious orders. Hm, I wonder who can use a Dead Sea salt body care kit?

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SCRIPTURE READINGS THIRTIETH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Oct. 26 THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Ex 22: 20-26; Ps 18: 2-4, 47, 51; 1 Thes 1: 5c-10; Mt 22: 34-40 Oct. 27 Monday Eph 4: 32 - 5: 8; Ps 1: 1-4, 6; Lk 13: 10-17 Oct. 28 SIMON AND JUDE, APOSTLES Eph 2: 19-22; Ps 19: 2-5; Lk 6: 12-16 Oct. 29 Wednesday Eph 6: 1-9; Ps 145: 10-14; Lk 13: 22-30 Oct. 30 Thursday Eph 6: 10-20; Ps 144: 1b, 2, 9-10; Lk 13: 31-35 Oct. 31 Friday Phil 1: 1-11; Ps 111: 1-6; Lk 14: 1-6 Nov. 1 ALL SAINTS Rv 7: 2-4, 9-14; Ps 24: 1b-4b, 5-6; 1 Jn 3: 1-3; Mt 5: 1-12a

Prayerful voting is one way to transform our world

Make gift-giving a religious experience

President MOST REVEREND JOSEPH F. NAUMANN

Both sides of the tablet interdependent, says Jesus ictures of Moses often show him cradling in his arms the two stone tablets of the Law.

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They were the tablets which he carried down from Mount Sinai, the tablets on which God had inscribed the The Ten Commandments provide a Ten Commandments, the tablets good summary of God’s law. They are which later on were kept in the Ark of relatively easy to remember and keep the Covenant, enshrined in the Holy of track of, one for each finger on our two Holies in the Temple at Jerusalem. hands. At the same time, they were not These tablets were preserved meant to be exhaustive. as a written document testifyDuring the time of Jesus, THIRTIETH ing to the special relationship religious authorities listed 613 SUNDAY IN between God and the people commandments in the Law. ORDINARY TIME of Israel, much as we might Even though each of those Mt 22: 34-40 keep an important contract in 613 commandments was ima safe. portant and expressed the will Early on, the Ten of God, still, the practicalities Commandments were grouped into of daily life demanded a prioritizing. two sets, corresponding to the two That led to the question: Which comtablets. The first set, made up of the mandment was the greatest? first three commandments, outlines That is the question Jesus is asked our responsibilities to God. The second in Sunday’s Gospel reading, Mt 22:34set, made up of the remaining seven 40. In his answer, Jesus includes two commandments, outlines our responsicommandments, not just one. He rebilities to our fellow human beings. sponds with the commandment to love (Some traditions instead make the diGod totally and completely and the vision between the first four comcommandment to love our neighbor as mandments and the remaining six. It ourself. all depends on how the commandJesus’ answer suggests that those ments are numbered.) So, we have one two commandments are inseparably set for each tablet. linked and cannot be observed one

COMMENTARY 15

without the other. If the Ten Commandments offer a summary of God’s law, Jesus further reduces that summary to two commandments.

Jesus goes to the heart of the matter.

At the same time, the use of the word “love” does not reduce our responsibilities to God and neighbor to a matter of sentiment or feeling.

Ultimately, love always expresses itself through action. It requires a decision on our part.

Matthew’s Gospel makes that emphatically clear in its dramatic scene of the last judgment (Mt 25:31-46). The Son of Man separates the unjust from the just, like goats from sheep, based on how they treated the least among them. By feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, welcoming strangers, caring for the sick and visiting prisoners, we will show them love.

Indirectly, those actions also show love to the Son of Man and to God himself. We fulfill the commandment to love God totally and completely, and the commandment to love our neighbor as ourself, at the same time.

St. Paul says something very similar when he writes: “The one who loves has fulfilled the law” (Rom 13:8).

Father Mike Stubbs is pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lansing and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.

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here is a strong connection between stewardship and civic duty.

Stewardship begins by recognizing that all we have is a gift from God — everything in our lives is a gift, including the opportunity to choose our leaders — and that we give back in the form of our good works out of gratitude for these blessings.

Do you yearn for peace, social justice, and a culture of life in our country? As Catholics, we are stewards of all that we have been given and this includes the opportunity God has given us to discern our roles and our voices.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reminds us that active and faithful citizenship is our responsibility, our moral duty, and a great privilege at

the same time. They do not tell us who to vote for, but rather ask us to form our consciences from a thoughtful, prayerful consideration of Christ’s example and our redemption.

Beginning next Sunday, you have the opportunity to join with Catholics throughout our country by praying the Novena for Faithful Citizenship that you can find online and download at: faithfulcitizenship.org, or at: usccb.org.

The prayers are lovely, inspirational,

and profoundly powerful.

In “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response,” the pastoral letter on stewardship, Bishop John J. McRaith writes in the preface: “Once one chooses to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, stewardship is not an option.”

This pivotal text on stewardship defines our role, saying: “Mature disciples make a conscious, firm decision, carried out in action, to be followers of Jesus Christ, no matter the cost to themselves.”

Stewardship challenges us to a way of life that imitates Christ. Prayerfully considering how we cast our votes is our way to transform our world.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta said this about prayer: “Faith is a gift of God, which comes through prayer. The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith and the fruit of faith is

love, the fruit of love is service and the fruit of service is peace.”

As the election draws near, I hope that you will join me in prayer that, when historic decisions are reached by America’s voters, the people who are elected will be transformed by the grace of God. Our Catholic identity is not as well-defined as it once was and is increasingly challenged by popular culture, the media, and our economic and social differences. There are coalitions of Democratic Catholics and Republican Catholics, both hoping to impact the outcome of the election.

Strident, angry voices are not where we find answers, but in the silence of prayer and in one’s own heart.

Lesle Knop is the executive director of stewardship and development. You can e-mail Lesle at: lknop@archkck.org.

VOCATION CORNER

Vocation, Halloween edition: Seminary is not scary! t is hard to get young men (and parents!) over their fear of seminary. It is almost impossible to get a guy to even go look at a seminary, much less enter one.

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There is this stigma that to enter seminary, you must first be absolutely sure of your vocation to the priesthood, be holy beyond reproach, and be ready to completely detach yourself from the “real world.”

These are admirable goals, but hardly necessary for a young man thinking of a vocation to the priesthood. Seminary is not for the already perfect. Seminary is for regular guys, and thus is not a scary place at all!

Of course, the attention given to prayer and formation makes it a more intense environment than other colleges, but that intensity is balanced with lots of time for friendships and recreation. Ask a priest or our seminarians. Seminary is not a scary place. It is a fun place to be!

I often get the question regarding my own path to priesthood: “Aren’t you glad you got a taste of the real world before committing your life to the priesthood?”

Well, the answer is yes and no. Even as I am grateful for everything I experienced and learned at KU and in the real world before I entered seminary, and even though I can see God’s providence at work throughout my life, it is not necessarily true that I am a better priest today because I waited to enter seminary until I was 25.

The real world is a great place to learn life’s lessons, but the reality is that the seminary was eventually the best place for me to be able to make the changes God was asking me to make and to become the man God was calling me to be. People are unnecessarily afraid of seminary, which is almost always the most chaste, most virtuous, most prayerful and most intellectual environment a young Catholic man has available to him.

Seminary is not a scary place. Don’t be afraid to make a visit! You will have

an experience that you can draw upon during future years of discernment.

You will find seminary to be a uniquely challenging environment, but also a fun place where one can mature spiritually, intellectually and socially.

There is not undue pressure to become a priest if God is not calling you!

Our seminaries are not cut off from the world. It is easy to maintain friendships and even to get away once in awhile. (I even kept my KU football tickets when I was in seminary!) Guys spend about 200 days a year in seminary, and 165 back home within the archdiocese. Let me know (vocation@ archkck.org) how I can help facilitate a visit for you or your family.

Don’t be scared of seminary — give it a look!

Father Mitchel Zimmerman is the archdiocesan vocations director.

FROM THE SUPER

Academic success built on the bedrock of spiritual formation

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ear friends of Catholic schools, One of my favorite Scripture passages is the parable of the talents. It beautifully illustrates the reason why we strive for academic excellence in Catholic schools.

All of us have been given talents by God, and we are called to develop those to the fullest to serve him. Academic excellence is based on our call to develop our talents for eternal salvation.

This is the time in a school year when parents and school staffs await the results of various measures designed to tell us if, indeed, we have helped our stu-

dents develop their talents. Student scores in Kansas assessments, Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), Assessment of Catechesis Religious Education (ACRE), and other local tests help us determine student progress and in what areas we need to improve.

I am very pleased to report that our schools are doing quite well academically. All of our schools are accredited by both the Kansas State Department of Education and AdvancEd/NCA, and our

teachers are licensed by the state of Kansas. While there are some challenges, our schools are consistently performing well by all measures. In fact, we have schools that are recognized in the top five percent of schools in Kansas. Given that Kansas has been ranked as the 7th highest academic performing state in the nation, we could say that our schools are some of the best in the nation!

However, academic achievement is not the end of our story. If Catholic schools cannot produce academic results in the context of our faith, then we have failed. In our schools, we attempt to develop students’ relationships with Jesus throughout the academic curriculum.

Lessons that use Scripture and church teachings are infused in every subject area. If students leave our schools without knowing and loving our Lord, then our academic success will be empty.

I often become discouraged when

parents tell me they let their 14-year-olds choose whether or not they will attend a public or Catholic high school. It discourages me because it says to me that parents think the choices are equal.

Otherwise, why would they trust someone so young with that decision? If we do our jobs correctly in Catholic schools, the choices should not be equal!

In fact, the Center for Applied Research on the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University confirms this.

CARA found that those children who attend Catholic elementary and secondary schools continue to practice the faith as adults in far greater numbers than children who attend other schools.

Catholic schools are about our children’s futures — now and eternally! ¡Vaya con Dios!

Kathy O’Hara is the superintendent of archdiocesan schools.

16 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • OCTOBER 24, 2008

Sonograms do the work of hours of counseling Continued from page 1

six of the 11 women who arrived at the clinic for a sonogram had decided on an abortion. By the time the sonogram sessions were over, however, they were strongly committed to giving birth to their children.

“Today we gave 11 sonograms,” said Kelsey, a member of Christ the King Parish. “Eight of those sonograms were for women who had not been into our clinic [previously]. So, through telling these women we can offer free sonograms, we are able to reach more women to show them life. We’re seeing more clients, too, because we can offer this service in our building, instead of [having to make] an outside referral.”

▲ Director of client services Donna Kelsey occupies the son of one of the clinic clients while she receives services. The clinic offers a wide range of free services to this child, his mother, and his unborn brother.

Elaine studies photos of her unborn child produced by the sonogram. Unlike the typical sonogram experience, clients at the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic are given between 10 and 20 pictures to foster the connection between the mothers and their unborn children. Kelsey said that women who get sonograms at area abortion clinics are not shown the screen or given photos, precisely to prevent bonding between the mother and her child.

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located in the former convent at Christ the King Parish in Kansas City, Kan. Renae was among the first of the clinic’s clients to benefit from a powerful new tool at the clinic: a sonogram machine.

“Here, you see the eyes, the mouth, and the chin,” explained Mell Flemming, as she interpreted the ultrasound image on the screen for Renae during her second sonogram. “He doesn’t have a lot of fat now. He’s a definite boy. And here you can see his little legs.”

Renae’s eyes were glued to the ultrasound image, even as her son flipped and turned within her.

Diagnostic sonography (also known as ultrasonography) is a diagnostic imaging technique that uses sound (acoustical energy) to produce images.

Among its uses is the ability to check the progress of the development of unborn children. The clinic’s 15-year-old machine was donated by an Atchison crisis pregnancy clinic and repaired with donated parts and labor.

The clinic opened in January 2007, but it didn’t have a functioning sonogram machine and trained operator until Aug. 19. Since then, the machine has provided sonograms for 30 women.

Sonograms are only available on Tuesdays, when the clinic averages five clients a day.

Like all services offered clients at the clinic, the sonogram is totally free.

The sonogram gives pregnant women a chance to see their babies even before they feel them move.

“The very first time [I had a sonogram], I knew I was pregnant, but it didn’t hit home until I saw it on the sonogram,” said Elaine, 19, who underwent two sonograms at the clinic. “It was like, ‘I really am — and that’s my baby.’

“I got really emotional, although I tried not to.”

The ability to show a live, moving baby on the screen makes all the difference in the world, said Donna Kelsey, director of client services, especially for clients who are strongly considering an abortion “The sonogram helps us to show our clients that they are carrying a life — that it’s not just a blob of tissue, but a child,” she continued. “[The pictures] connect them instantly to their child.”

“We can sit and talk to a client for two or three hours,” she added, “but it only takes two minutes in the sonogram room for them to see that they are carrying a life. So it’s so crucial to what we’re doing.”

In fact, the sonograms have been so powerful in persuading women to keep their babies that staff time spent on counseling has been reduced considerably, permitting the clinic to handle more clients.

On one day in October, for example,

Cornerstone Charitable Foundation, Inc. (a 501c3 foundation fully in support of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church parish and Pre-K through 12th grade school system in Beloit) is coordinating private hunting land to be accessed by hunting groups of all sizes for two specific weekends: Nov. 1 – 2 and Dec. 6 – 7. Prime bird hunting location in north central Kansas, centered around the town of Beloit. Our foundation is asking for a suggested donation of $2 per acre, regardless of the number of acres accessed.

This includes exclusive hunting rights for this ground the entire weekend. Lodging secured, but limited.

Joe Walter 785-738-8774