11-20-09 Vol. 31 No. 16 by The Leaven

www.theleaven.com | Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas | Vol. 31, No. 16 november 20, 2009

Bella DeBrevi (second from left) takes the stage with fellow members of the Cheapside Company Chorus: Joe Patterson, Emily Rector, Jenna Burns, Kara Stobie, and Maddy Heeter.

Bella Takes a Bow

Story and photos by Jill Ragar Esfeld

VERLAND PARK — Holy Cross parishioner Theresa DeBrevi prepared her daughter Bella well for her first audition for live theater. DeBrevi wanted to make absolutely sure Bella understood that — even if she did her best — she might not get a part. “We went over and over that,” said DeBrevi. “I told her, ‘Sometimes you get a part and . . .’ then Bella would finish it for me, saying, ‘Sometimes you don’t!’” But Bella, a third-grader at Holy Cross School in Overland Park, prepared with her typical resolve and went

with her mother to the Christian Youth Theater (CYT) auditions for “Scrooge: The Musical.” When her turn came, Bella plucked up her courage, climbed to the stage all on her own, introduced herself, and sang. Her mother sat in the audience with tears in her eyes. Halfway through Bella’s song, DeBrevi felt a hand on her shoulder. A woman sitting behind her had leaned forward to whisper, “I don’t even know who you are. “But I’m crying, too.” Turn to “brother” on page 16

Bella listens carefully as the director gives last-minute instructions to cast members before they go on stage.

2 ARCHBISHOP

THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS

Catholic Charities provides vehicle for community to share church’s love

ecently, I attended a dinner in St. Louis at which one of my classmates, Msgr. Ted Wojcicki, was being honored as the St. Paul Man of the Year at a benefit event for the Daughters of St. Paul — a community of religious Sisters that strive to proclaim the truth of the Gospel and the teachings of our Catholic faith through the written word and media. The Daughters of St. Paul operate Catholic bookstores and media centers with adoration chapels in many cities.

The Daughters of St. Paul were founded less than a hundred years ago in 1915 by Father (Blessed) James Alberione and Teresa Merlo, who became Sister Thecla. In 1932, the Daughters established their first foundation in the United States. Of course, the Sisters, who established what became the American province, were all Italian. At the dinner, one of the speakers told the true story about Sister Assumpta, who currently has a leadership role in the American province. As a young novice, Sister Assumpta was assigned to the convent and bookstore in Brooklyn, N.Y. One morning her superior, an Italian Sister, asked Sister Assumpta to take charge of the service counter while she opened up the doors to the bookstore. Her superior from

the front door shouted back to Sister Assumpta: “Call the police! There is a bomb at the front door!” Immediately, Sister Assumpta called the appropriate emergency number, informing the operator that there was a bomb at the front door of the Daughters of St. Paul’s bookstore in Brooklyn. An all points bulletin went out to the police and fire department. Within minutes, there was a chorus of sirens of police cars, firetrucks and other emergency vehicles converging on the bookstore. Very quickly, the front entrance of the store was surrounded by police officers and firefighters. Her superior asked Sister Assumpta: “What is going on? Why are so many police and firemen at the front door?” Sister Assumpta replied: “I called the police as you requested and told them that there was a bomb at our front door.” Her exasperated superior said: “Sister, I said a bum, B-U-M, was at the front door!” Previously, I wrote columns about two of our archdiocesan pastoral priorities: conversion and cultivating a spirituality of stewardship. Today, I want to reflect on a third of our major goals for the Archdiocese: serving those in need. An essential component of the church’s mission is making the love of Jesus real and tangible in the world. It is our duty and responsibility as Catholics to bring the love of Jesus that we encounter in the Eucharist into the world and, in particular, to the suffering, the poor and the vulnerable.

Earlier this month, we celebrated the feast of St. Martin of Tours. St. Martin lived in the fourth century. He was the son of pagan parents. He enlisted in the Roman Imperial Guard. Through his encounter with fervent Christians, Martin became attracted to the Christian faith. During his six-year preparation for baptism (catechumenate), he encountered a shivering beggar — a bum — to whom he gave half of his cloak. Later in a dream, Jesus appeared to Martin wearing that cloak. Martin’s experience was precisely what Jesus told his disciples to expect when he taught: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40). Many Jews and Muslims for religious reasons, as well as agnostics and atheists for humanitarian reasons, provide charity to the poor. However, for the disciple of Jesus Christ, we have a unique incentive that motivates us to serve those in need. Mother Teresa challenged her Sisters and lay collaborators, who shared in her heroic work, to recognize in those whom they served the face of Jesus in what she termed “the distressing disguise of the poor.” Jesus taught his disciples that when they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked, sheltered the homeless, welcomed the stranger, and visited the sick or imprisoned that they were, in effect, doing this to him and for him. Every Catholic has a responsibility, in the unique circumstances of our lives, to bring the love and compassion of Jesus to the poor, the sick, and the suffering. Each one of us receives personal opportunities to fulfill this mandate of Jesus. Also as a Catholic community, we are called to pool our resources to do together what none of us can do individually. Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas helps us bring the love of Jesus

to so many in our region. The priests and people of the Archdiocese have a remarkable history of generously supporting Catholic Charities. Each year, the entire Christmas collection from each parish is given to support the work of Catholic Charities. To my knowledge, the annual Snow Ball in January, raising annually more than a million dollars for Catholic Charities, is unparalleled in any other American diocese. Also, Catholic Charities is one of the largest beneficiaries of our annual Archbishop’s Call to Share (ACTS) campaign. This past year, as a result of high unemployment and other effects of our current economic problems, Catholic Charities experienced more than a 35-percent increase in those seeking assistance. I was so pleased that, because of your generosity to this year’s campaign, we were able recently to allocate an additional $100,000 in ACTS funds in order to provide Catholic Charities the resources to respond effectively to the needs of more individuals and families. At a recent meeting, Jan Lewis, the president of Catholic Charities, read a moving letter from a man that Catholic Charities assisted some months ago. He had despaired so greatly that he was contemplating suicide. Fortunately, instead, he found his way to Catholic Charities, where he received the assistance and counsel to turn his life around. Today, he is doing much better and eager to help Catholic Charities help others. Though unemployment is high, still 90 percent of us remain very blessed. During this season of Thanksgiving as most of us ponder our abundant blessings, let us recommit ourselves to bringing the love of Jesus to those who are hurting. For the Christian, there are no bums, but only Jesus in disguise.

Villa St. Francis

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

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)

Editor Reverend Mark Goldasich, stl frmark@theleaven.com

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

Advertising Representative Jennifer Siebes jennifer@theleaven.com

President Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita@theleaven.com

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd@theleaven.com

Reporter KARA HANSEN kara@theleaven.com

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THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009

SECOND FRONT PAGE 3

Nuns vs. Nintendo

Siblings raise funds to purchase a Wii for Benedictine Sisters “The best part is that the staff, residents, and students are able to have positive and ongoing interaction one-on-one. This will be something that young and old can do together.”

By Kara Hansen Leaven staff

AtCHISON — It’s all the rage in nursing homes across the country. From San Francisco to New York, the elderly and invalids are picking up Wii controllers and preparing to do battle. And the Benedictine Sisters at Dooley Center in Atchison are no different, thanks to a few dedicated teenagers. “Wii gaming systems are the hottest trend in long-term care facilities to get people up and active without having to say, ‘Let’s exercise,’” said Laurie Kloepper, activities director for Dooley Center. “I had been wanting one for a couple of years, but had no budget for it.” Enter sisters Emily and Ali Stec, students at Maur HillMount Academy in Atchison. The Stec family has had a long relationship with the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica — and particularly Dooley Center, since the girls’ aunt, Barb Stec, is the administrator there. Once the two heard the Sisters at Dooley Center would like a Wii, they sprang into action. “I talked with them about it one day and I had an e-mail with a proposal from them early the next morning,” said Kloepper.

The proposal outlined how the Stec sisters planned to raise the funds for the Wii. “We proposed earning the money by having a nonuniform day for $2 and holding a bake sale,” said Ali. “Other kids were thrilled to get involved and told me, ‘Oh my gosh, that sounds like fun.’” Ali and Emily called their fundraising “Retired Benedictine Educators Day,” as most of the residents at Dooley Center are retired teachers who served in the community. “We just wanted to give back to the Sisters with this awesome gift and wish them countless years of fun,” said Emily. Along with fellow Maur Hill-Mount Academy students Von Huber and Jacob Hennigh, the Stecs arrived at

Barb Stec, Dooley Center administrator

Emily Stec gives Sister Rosaria Schaefer, OSB, some pointers on how to use the Wii controller as Sister Bridget Dickason, OSB, looks on. Emily and her sisters raised money to buy the Benedictine Sisters of Atchison a Nintendo Wii to help promote physical fitness. Dooley Center to introduce the Wii to the Sisters on Sept. 13. Younger sisters Kylee and Zoey Stec helped their big sisters hook up the Wii to the television in Dooley Center, bringing with them all sorts of gadgets and controls. Emily said she was happy with the response the Sisters exhibited to the Wii. “This will be a form of

physical therapy that will get them active and benefit them for many years to come,” she said. “I was surprised to see how many were willing to try and how much fun they had.” Wheelchair-bound Sisters can use the Wii, as can Sisters with otherwise limited mobility, all with the wave of an arm — making it a very inclusive activity for the com-

munity. “So far, the Sisters have been playing lots of bowling, but there are some who are interested in the tennis and golf, too,” said Kloepper. “It’s really fun to watch their faces when they play.” Kloepper said the Wii is helpful for promoting physical fitness as well as cognitive abilities.

“There are a lot of positive aspects to the Wii for the Sisters, and it really helps keep that competitive spirit alive,” said Kloepper. The communal nature of the Wii will also serve them well. “It will build community while they get exercise,” said Ali. Additionally, the Wii has already served as a way for the Sisters to build community with volunteers from Maur Hill-Mount Academy. Kloepper said students from Maur Hill-Mount Academy have been coming to Dooley Center every other week to play Wii games with the Sisters. “To see the kind of intergenerational experience everyone was having was fantastic,” said Benedictine Sister Anne Shepard, prioress. “We are so grateful to this wonderful family and all the other students.” Administrator Barb Stec agreed. “The best part is that the staff, residents, and students are able to have positive and ongoing interaction one-onone,” she said. “This will be something that young and old can do together.” The staff is hoping to add additional activities, such as “brain fitness” games. In the meantime, the Sisters are enjoying the activities as well as the interaction accompanying it. “I liked the bowling, but I loved the children,” said Sister Mary Ethel Burley. Additional reporting was provided by Sister Judith Sutera, OSB.

4 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009

Send me an angel

Gabriel Project offers help to women in crisis pregnancies By Joe Bollig Leaven staff

OVERLAND PARK — “Lord, help! Send an angel!” has long been the prayer of people in trouble. For women in crisis pregnancies, the angels have arrived, thanks to the Gabriel Project. The Gabriel Project is a parishbased pro-life ministry that uses volunteers — known informally as “angels” — to do one-on-one mentoring with pregnant women in crisis. The ministry began in Austin, Texas, and is very popular there, expanding to more than 40 different parishes in the Diocese of Austin. It has also spread to several locations beyond Texas. Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park is the site of the first Gabriel Project ministry here in the archdiocese, and the site of the first training session held on Oct. 24. Ten women — the first angels — attended this session. “It was a good, strong group of people,” said Lea Connor, a member of Holy Cross Parish, who attended the training. “That’s what I’m really excited about. The nature of this is so positive and help-oriented. I think there are at least that many more people in the parish who are interested in helping who could not be at the parish that day.” Connor said it would still be a couple of months before the Gabriel Project is up and running here. In the past, help for women has been offered at the various pregnancy centers, said Ron Kelsey, archdiocesan pro-life consultant. These centers will continue to provide services and, in fact, offer critical support to the Gabriel Project. But the new ministry will afford pregnant women more comprehensive help and greater accessibility. “This will work in the urban or rural areas,” said Kelsey. “Maybe [Project Gabriel] is even more relevant in rural areas where there are no crisis pregnancy centers.” It also brings the vital element of spirituality into the equation. “This is very spiritually grounded in our Catholic faith,” said Kelsey.

“We bring our Catholic spirituality into ministering to these women.” Participants in the first Gabriel Project training day learned about the ministry’s goals and mission, including how to implement the program in their parish and how it works. They also learned how to work with abortion-minded women and how to keep spiritually fit. Since it is parish-based, the program announces itself through bulletin notices and signs (some bilingual) that read: Pregnant? Need Help? We, the members of this church, see the birth of each baby as the fresh expression of God’s unfailing love. For the love of God and each and every one of his children, we offer immediate and practical help to any woman faced with a crisis pregnancy. There is a telephone number on the sign that the woman can call, or the number will be provided in a parish bulletin. “A Gabriel angel will answer the phone, talk to the woman and get an understanding of her needs,” said Kelsey. “And then the Gabriel angels will put together a plan on how to help the woman through her pregnancy.” The help will be material as well as spiritual. The parish will provide some of the resources, but others — housing, food, and clothing — will come from community resources like the Wyandotte Crisis Pregnancy Center. The angels will also offer lay counseling and mentoring. “Each [woman’s] situation will be unique,” said Kelsey. “With the unique needs of each individual, the Gabriel angels will be flexible and walk with her through her

pregnancy and find out whatever kinds of needs she may have.” For more information about establishing a Gabriel Project in your parish, call Kelsey at (913) 647-0350, or send an e-mail to: prolife@archkck. org.

Sister Rose Orchard, SCL LEAVENWORTH — Sister Rose Orchard, 89, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth died on Nov. 16 at the motherhouse here. Josephine Orchard was born on March 24, 1920, in Butte, Mont., the youngest of four children of John and Rose Cairney Orchard. She obituary graduated from St. Mary Grade School and Girls Central High School in Butte. She entered the religious community of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth on Aug. 14, 1938, and, as Sister Rose, made her profession of vows on March 2, 1940. Sister Rose received licensure as a registered nurse and helped thousands of patients in hospitals in Kansas, Montana, Colorado, and California. After 38 years in nursing, she completed a Clinical Pastoral Education program and served in the pastoral care department at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., for many years. In 1997, she began serving as a volunteer at the information desk there. Sister Rose retired to the motherhouse in Leavenworth in 2008.

University of Saint Mary hosts musical offerings Leavenworth — Get into the holiday spirit with a pair of musical offerings by the University of Saint Mary department of fine arts — the annual USM Community Band Christmas Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 1 in Saint Joseph Dining Hall, and the traditional Christmas Choral Vespers at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 in Annunciation Chapel here. Both events are free and open to the public and will be held on USM’s Leavenworth campus, 4100 S. 4th St. The Christmas Choral Vespers, a USM tradition dating back more than 30 years, will feature the University Concert Chorale, under the direction of Dr. William Krusemark, chair of USM’s fine arts department, and the Bells of Saint Mary Handbell Choir and String Ensemble. Contact Krusemark at (913) 682-5151, ext. 6460, for more information on the Christmas Choral Vespers. The Community Band Christmas Concert will include performances by the USM String Ensemble and feature concert arrangements of Christmas carols. Contact Freda Proctor at (913) 7586320 for more information on the Christmas concert.

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THE LEAVEN • November 20, 2009

Doug Rice of Otis Orchards, Wash., was diagnosed with congestive heart failure eight years ago. Facing the possibility that he would suffer fatal heart failure, Rice flew to Thailand to receive an experimental adult stem-cell therapy. Stem cells were isolated from Rice’s blood, differentiated into angiogenic cell precursors, and transferred back into Rice’s heart. The results were immediate, with his heart increasing to 41 percent efficiency from 11 percent.

Amy Daniels of Mequon, Wis., was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, a disease that attacks the tissue that holds the organs together in the body. She took part in an adult stem-cell transplant clinical trial conducted by Dr. Richard Burt of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., which has stopped the disease and helped her regain most (85-90 percent) of her functions that had been impacted. Daniels had been diagnosed with a fifty-fifty chance of survival past five years.

LOCAL NEWS 5

About 10 years ago, Steve Sprague was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia. Finding himself at the end stage of the disease and unable to find an unrelated marrow donor, doctors did not think Sprague had long to live. He became one of the first adult patients to participate in a clinical trial using cord blood as a stem source. Following his cord blood treatment eight years ago, Sprague was judged cured of his leukemia.

Stem-cell success ‘We’re not interested in controversy or debate; we’re interested in helping patients’ By Kara Hansen Leaven staff

SHAWNEE — As the national debate over embryonic stem-cell research rages, patients around the country are quietly being treated and healed with the help of adult stem cells. In the Kansas City area alone, over 1,500 patients have received treatments utilizing adult stem cells — at St. Luke’s Hospital, Children’s Mercy Hospital and the University of Kansas Medical Center. “We’re not interested in controversy or debate; we’re interested in helping patients,” said Dr. David Prentice, senior fellow for life sciences at the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. “Right here in the center of the country, adult stem-cell treatments are taking place. It’s critically important people become aware these adult stem cell therapies are available now.” Prentice was in Shawnee on Nov. 14 to speak at the premiere of the Adult Stem Cells Saved My Life Education and Awareness Campaign. The Family Research Council, an organization whose mission is to promote marriage and family as well as the sanctity of human life in national policy, heads the campaign. “What we’re trying to do through the campaign is to educate people and make them aware of adult stem cells,” said Prentice. “Because a lot of people don’t know about adult stem cells, many times people go without treatments that could help them or save their lives.” Adult stem cells come from different sources in the human body. Depending on the type of illness one has, a patient can often be treated with stem cells taken from his or her own body tissue. Bone marrow and umbilical cord blood are also both sources of adult stem cells and have been successfully used to treat patients as well, said Prentice. “Adult stem cells can come from your blood, brain, or even liposuctioned fat,” said Prentice. Prentice said the science and research available support the use of adult stem cells in numerous treatments. “They are improving health and sav-

Photos courtesy of SaintMax Worldwide

Laura Dominguez, being interviewed by FOX 4 TV of Kansas City, was paralyzed from the neck down after a car accident in San Antonio. Dominguez is in the middle of her second adult stem-cell therapy treatment. She now walks with braces and does a lot of other physical activity with her upper and lower body. ing lives right now, and people need to hear that,” said Prentice. “We used to hear that adult stem cells were very limited in what they could do, but now we know that’s old dogma in medical science. They are available and they do work.” On hand at the event were several individuals from around the country who have been either cured or treated for serious diseases such as sickle cell anemia, systemic scleroderma, spinal cord injury, and congenital heart failure. Each person had received revolutionary treatment using adult stem cells when all other currently available treatments had fallen short.

“Not all treatments [using adult stem cells] are cures, but there is documented evidence it does improve lives,” said Prentice. Still, a good deal of the country and medical profession have to play catchup with the current research and success of adult stem-cell treatments, said Prentice. Several of the patients spoke of the expense of their treatments or needing to travel outside the United States to obtain treatment in specific cases. “I travel around the country speaking to groups and medical professionals, and over half the people and half the doctors I speak to are not aware

of the advances in adult stem-cell research,” said Prentice. As part of the campaign to help get the word out, Chuck Weber, executive director of SaintMax Worldwide, created several videos profiling families whose lives have been significantly impacted by adult stem-cell treatment. The videos are currently available with this story at the Web site: www.theleaven. com. They are permanently on the Adult Stem Cells Saved My Life Education and Awareness Campaign’s Web site. For more information on the groundbreaking treatments being accomplished with adult stem cells, visit the Web site at: www.stemcellresearchfacts.org.

6 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009

Villa St. Francis celebrates 65th anniversary By Therese Horvat

Special to The Leaven

Olathe — Ministry awards, board recognition, goodwill and a great performance by The Priest Band marked the recent 65th anniversary celebration of Villa St. Francis, the archdiocesan skilled nursing center here. An estimated 325 persons attended the benefit dinner held on Oct. 17 at Ascension Parish, Overland Park. Villa staff members Father Robert Burger, sacramental minister, and Sister Mary Kenneth Messina, SCL, pastoral care associate, received ministry awards announced by John May, administrator/CEO, and presented by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. May highlighted the special roles and dedication of Father Burger and Sister Mary Kenneth in supporting the Catholic ministry of the skilled nursing facility. Archbishop Naumann found a special significance in Father Burger receiving this award during the Year of the Priest, and Sister Mary Kenneth’s boundless energy for her ministry of service. “Because of their consecration to vowed life, religious have a special gift,” he said, “and they symbolize the Resurrection for all of us.” Sister Maureen Hall, SCL, councilor with the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, gave a reflection on the importance of Villa St. Francis as a “house where residents find refuge and com-

Photo by Therese Horvat

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann congratulates Sister Mary Kenneth Messina, SCL, on receiving a ministry award from Villa St. Francis in Olathe. fort.” She noted that the Sisters of Charity have been associated with the Villa since its founding, and that 70 SCLs have served the ministry over the past 65 years. Robert W. Chenoweth, outgoing chair of the board of trustees, received special recognition for his two terms of office and long and continuing service to the Villa. Robert Dvorak, current board chair, also presented plaques to outgoing board members Ronald

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Benjamin, Mark Henke and Msgr. Tom Tank. The Ladies of Charity, represented by Naomi Dillard, announced a $10,000 donation to the Villa to commemorate its 65th anniversary. The evening closed with a performance by The Priest Band, which came out of retirement for this event. Fathers Ken Kelly, Mark Mertes, and Kent O’Connor joined Steve Dekker for the performance, with a guest appearance by Father Matthew Schiffelbein.

Sister Jeanne Marie Jette, SCL LEAVENWORTH — Sister Jeanne Marie Jette, 82, formerly Sister Mary Fidelis, a member of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, died Nov. 1 here. Jeanne Marie was born on July 4, 1927, in Kansas City, Mo., one of three children of Edgar W. and Marie O’Neill Jette. She attended St. Therese Grade School and Bishop Hogan High School in Kansas City, Mo. She entered the religious community of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth on Sept. 14, 1946, and, as Sister Mary Fidelis, made her profession of vows on Sept. 15, 1948. After profession, Sister Jeanne Marie taught in elementary schools for 28 years, followed by four years as director of the Argentine Catholic Center, a place devoted to adult education, religious education and remedial training for children. Her preference for working with the poor and the disadvantaged led to a position with Catholic Charities in Kansas City, Kan., where she was able to give special concern to the isolated and homebound elderly. Sister Jeanne Marie continued to serve the elderly and the poor through parish ministries in Missouri and Kansas before retiring to the motherhouse in Leavenworth in 2006. Sister Jeanne Marie received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Saint Mary College, Leavenworth.

THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009 Rosemary (Delich) and Joseph D. McStay, members of Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Sept. 13 with family, at their residence. The couple was married on Nov. 26, 1949, at Christ Anniversaries the King Church in Kansas City, Kan. Their four daughters and their spouses are: Marilyn McStay, Kathy and Ray Rhoades, Patricia Jo and Sean StandingBear, and Susan and Chad Smith. They also have eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Jan (Sunneberg) and Gerald Heinen, members of Christ the King Parish in Topeka, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Nov. 22 with a 7:30 a.m. Mass at the church. A family dinner will be held at a later date. The couple enjoyed a trip to Branson earlier this month. The couple was married on Nov. 24, 1959, at St. Bridget Church, Axtell. Their children and their spouses are: Brenda and Mark Sweezey, Topeka; and Tammy and Jeff Koch, Colorado Springs, Colo. They also have four grandsons.

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Darlene and Jack Woodruff, members of St. Francis of Assisi Church in LaPeer, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Nov. 28. The couple was married on Nov. 28, 1959, at Holy Name Church in Topeka. Family and friends are invited to a dinner, reception and dance on Nov. 27 at the Carbondale Community Center, 228 Main St., Carbondale. Hosts will be their children and their spouses: Warren and Linda Woodruff, Topeka; Danny Woodruff, Canon City, Colo.; Wally and Sandy Harris, Overbrook; Jack and Vonnie Woodruff, Longmont, Colo.; and Randy and Missy Woodruff, Olathe. They also have 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. They request no gifts. Edward and Theresa Jaskinia, members of Christ the King Parish in Kansas City, Kan., will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Nov. 24. The couple was married in 1949 at St. Patrick Church in St. Joseph, Mo. They have six children, 19 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Mary (Gerstner) and Harold Schmidt, members of Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Nov. 26 at a 9 a.m. Mass of thanksgiving at the church. The couple was married on Nov. 26, 1949, at St. Joseph Church in Hays. A celebration dinner will be hosted by their children and their spouses: Debbie and Jim Wasko; Paul and Joy Schmidt; Bruce and Brenda Schmidt; Jason Schmidt; and Rod Schmidt. They also have seven grandchildren. John and Margaret (Haefele) Hahn, members Immaculate Conception Parish in Louisburg, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec. 12. The couple was married at Eglin Air Force Base in Valpariso, Fla. They celebrated with a dinner and dance in August. Their daughters and their spouses are: Mary and Robert Ewing, Wamego; Linda and Jeremy DeWick and Rita and Frank Burrow, all of Louisburg. They also have eight grandchildren.

LOCAL NEWS 7 Richard and Marilyn (Metzer) McWhorter, members of Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Nov. 26. The couple was married on Nov. 26, 1959, at Holy Name Church, Coffeyville. Their children and their spouses are: Lisa McWhorter; Ann and Drew Stevens; and Marci and Tim Roberts. They also have seven grandchildren and two great-grandsons. A trip to New York City was taken earlier this year.

Anniversary policy

The Leaven only prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th anniversary notices. Announcements are due by 5 p.m. eight days (Thursday) before the desired publication date. Announcements must be typed. They are for parishioners of Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Please include the following Information: • The couple’s names; their parish; the date they were married; church and city where they were married; what they are doing to celebrate; date of the celebration; names of children (if desired); number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; photo. Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or send an e-mail to: Todd@ theleaven.com. If you would like your photo returned to you, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Taking it too the stre

Archdiocese uses billboard to promote its ‘freedom from pornography

By Kara Hansen Leaven staff

ansas City, Kan. — The archdiocesan My House ministry is getting its message out in a big way. Some 14 feet by 48 feet big, to be exact. For Sam Meier, archdiocesan My House consultant, using a billboard to share the message of his ministry made perfect sense. “The adult industry uses billboard advertising really well,” said Sam. “We wanted to put something up with a more positive message, tying into the beauty of church teaching.” The billboard features just two short statements with impact: “Freedom from pornography! Freedom to love!” followed by the My House Web address, www.LoveIsFaithful.com. Daily, passengers in over 12,000 vehicles will pass the billboard displayed just south of Ottawa on Interstate 35. The billboard is lit at night so even those traveling at that time can see the message. Sam and his wife Beth, the associate consultant for the archdiocesan family life office, are both hoping a positive billboard message will reach a broader audience that might desperately need information on freedom from pornography. “Parents are up against a lot out there and they can feel a little overwhelmed,” said Beth. “The adult industry is very clever, and there are so many forms of technology kids are using where they could come across pornography.

“They might have access to a home computer or a personal laptop. Many cell phones have Internet access, and you really have to go out of your way not to get that feature. The Wii, iPods, PlayStation, and Xbox all have Internet access.” Beth stressed that while the Internet is a useful tool that can be used for good, it has become all too easy for kids and teens to stumble across pornography or have something pornographic emailed to them. And with 11 as the average age of first Internet exposure to pornography, it appears parents cannot be too concerned. “What’s online these days is much more hard-core than the Playboy magazines present in most parents’ generations,” said Beth. “There is a big difference between a photo of a naked woman posing versus a video of an actual sex act. They both still objectify women, but a video is much more likely to leave an imprint in your mind.” Far from just being an issue males struggle with, the Meiers said pornography has a harmful impact on females as well. “If a girl or woman is looking at these types of images, it’s easy to start thinking, ‘This is what it means to be a woman,’” said Beth. With the easy and regular access many teens have to the Internet, pornography seems to have become a large problem in the teenage demographic. In a 2008 survey conducted at a Catholic high school in the Midwest (by its request, name and specific location have not been disclosed), 48 percent of boys in the senior class said they viewed pornography one or

“The adult industry uses billboard advertising really well. We wanted to put something up with a more positive message, tying into the beauty of church teaching.” Sam Meier, archdiocesan My House consultant

Sam and Beth Meier hope that the My House billboard along I-35 will reach a broad audience that might need information on freedom from pornography. An estimated 12,000 vehicles will pass the billboard each day. more times a week. Of the boys who had viewed pornography, 36 percent indicated they had feelings of addiction to pornography. And 68 percent said their parents were unaware of their pornography use. At the same school, 29 percent of freshmen boys said they

were viewing pornography one or more times a week, 12 percent had feelings of addiction, and 74 percent stated their parents were not aware of their pornography use. Nearly 90 percent of the students surveyed were from Catholic families. Of all the high school boys

viewing pornography, 80 percent shared they were accessing it through the Internet. Additionally, the school has found similar results every year for the past three years they have conducted this survey, indicating the 2008 results were not a onetime concern. It would be easy for concerned parents aware of that information to want to get rid of the Internet altogether. Still, the Meiers say simply denying Internet access is not the answer. “We need to teach kids how to handle pornography when they come across it,” said Beth. “Parents can protect kids and give them the ability to make good decisions.” The My House Web site exists to provide resources and information for parents and spouses, to aid in keeping their families free from pornography. “Our office can provide practical information for parents to use to protect their families and really empower parents,” said Sam. Located on the My House Web site is information on the

What is “My House”?

Over 12,000 vehicles will pass the My House billboard displayed just south of Ottawa on Interstate 35 each day. The simple message directs viewers to a Web site designed to help people free themselves from an addiction to pornography. The billboard is even lit, so that those traveling at night can see the message.

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y’ program My House men’s and women’s groups, designed to help men and women affected by pornography use. Statistics, information on church teaching, and numerous resources — including Web sites, books, and multimedia talks — are all available through the site. The Meiers’ personal testimony regarding their experience with pornography is a part of their ministry and included on the site as well. “We’ve been through it and we’re here to help because of our experience,” said Sam. The Meiers said the focus of each of the resources is a positive message. “It’s not what the rules are, but the why’s behind them,” said Beth. “If people really understood more of what the church teaches about sexuality, they would be surprised. It leads to a completely different frame of mind. Kids especially are bombarded by this stuff and they are often told [to] not do it. We need to tell them the why’s.” The Meiers hope the billboard will pique people’s curiosity to visit the My House Web site and discover a positive and countercultural message of true love and intimacy, as well as practical tools to help. “It’s not just for people who are addicted; it’s for any person who wants to come to the site and educate themselves on what’s out there,” said Beth. “The Web site is there to point people to resources, so they don’t have to go out and find them on their own. “We want people to know there’s help and positive information available.”

The name “My House” was taken directly from a verse in the Book of Joshua: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (24:15). My House is an initiative aimed at fostering the virtue of chastity by building awareness of the effects of pornography in society, offering support and healing for those harmed by it and educating Catholics on what they can do to protect their families from its influence. Originally started in the archdiocese, the program has been adopted by five other dioceses around the country. Members of the original My House task force created a packet of information for use in parishes, including various resources and encouragement for parishes to offer the late Pope John Paul II’s theology of the body study groups, among other recommendations. At the archdiocesan level, the My House office provides men’s accountability groups, groups for women who have been affected most often by a spouse’s pornography use, and counseling. Sam and Beth Meier also work directly with families to locate specific resources and assist them in protecting their families from pornography. For more information, visit the My House Web site at: www.LoveIsFaithful.com. Or contact Beth directly at (913) 647-0379 or by e-mail at: bmeier@archkck. org; or Sam directly at (913) 647-0378 or by e-mail at: smeier@archkck.org.

7 Ways to protect your family from pornography Web sites mentioned below can be helpful, but are not specifically endorsed by the My House program.

Secure all Internet devices with filtering and accountability software, keep them in a high-traffic area of the house, and limit the time children can use them.

Computers - Use accountability and filtering software such as www.covenanteyes.com and www.safeeyes.com. Cell phones - Sex & Cell Phones has information on parental controls at the Web site: www.nationalcoalition.org. • www.safeeyes.com has filtering for iPhone/iPod Touch • www.covenanteyes.com has accountability for Windows Mobile 6 cell phones and PDAs. Video Games — The Web sites www.iphantom.com and www. opendns.com help to filter a home’s wireless signal, which can help protect children on Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, and other gaming systems/

2 3

Monitor all social networking sites for children and teens (Facebook, MySpace, xanga. com, etc).

Know all user names and passwords to email, social networking sites, and every site that requires a user name and password for your children and teens. • Periodically check e-mail, social networking sites. • Periodically check text and/or picture messages on cell phones.

Secure television and satellite radio, and screen all movies before watching them. • Christian movie review Web sites such as www.usccb.org/movies and www.pluggedinonline. com provide a detailed review of movies, including

a written description of any sexual content, violent content, or other morally offensive content. • Satellite radio — “family friendly” packages are available without “mature content.” • Block all “adult/mature content” on TV, as well as other channels that may have inappropriate or morally offensive content. (The Web site www.skyangel.com provides family friendly TV packages.) • Use teachable moments while watching a “family” show that depicts a situation that goes against your family values.

Spend quality time with your children and teens. • Eat family dinners together. • Affirm your children and teens daily. • Pray with your children and teens daily. • Turn off the TV, computer, and cell phone; talk to your children. • Have vacation/family gatherings together and build positive memories.

Have open, honest, regular conversations about God’s glorious plan for creating us male and female and the beauty of our human dignity and sexuality. • Read, listen and seek theology of the body resources. The Web site www.LoveIsFaithful.com has a list of resources on love and intimacy. Also, check out the Web sites at: www.pureloveclub.com www.christopherwest.com

Encourage all family members to receive the sacrament of reconciliation monthly, and go to Mass as a family each Sunday. Eucharistic adoration and Mass during weekdays are tremendous blessings. These are some initial ideas. For more information and practical ways to protect your family, visit the Web site at: www. LoveIsFaithful.com.

10 NATION

THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009

Lawyers ask: Is life in prison for teen like a death sentence? WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Supreme Court is weighing whether to follow a ban on capital punishment for minor offenders with a prohibition or limits on sentencing teenagers to life in prison without parole. In two cases argued before the court Nov. 9, the justices were asked to rule that teens’ immaturity and the potential for them to reform means they should be shielded from life imprisonment, applying the same logic that led the high court four years ago to end the death penalty for minors. Among those urging the court to rule that such sentences are cruel and unusual punishment — barred by the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution — are religious organizations and those who study the developmental differences between teens and adults. The cases involved offenders who were 13 and 16 at the time of the crimes for which they were convicted. Bryan Gowdy, arguing before the court on behalf of one of the teens, said sentences of life without parole are immoral for adolescents because it means society has given up hope on the juvenile and believes he or she will never change or be fit to reenter society.

Irish tenor makes pitch for Irish charity via concerts, CDs WASHINGTON (CNS) — Michael Londra, who first won acclaim on U.S. shores by being the lead vocalist for the “Riverdance” American tour and Broadway show, is sharing some of the spotlight with an Irish charity’s international aid efforts. The charity is Concern Worldwide. The Irish-born tenor, who now makes his home in Chicago, said that in Ireland, “you grew up with Concern. You knew about them.” Londra, a Catholic, said he was asked by the head of Concern America, the charity’s U.S. arm, to lend support and cachet to the organization. Londra agreed, but first he wanted to check out for himself the kind of work the agency does, so he went to Haiti. “I figured a hour and a half from Miami it can’t be that bad,” Londra said. “I was on La Gonave Island. There are 100,000 people living on it with no roads, electricity, running water, any form of communication. They don’t even live in shacks. The problem is that people have to walk eight hours a day to collect a bucket of water. That is just disgusting to me.” Londra said he hopes that by being Concern Worldwide’s ambassador, “I raise a few bob (shillings).”

Church helps former inmates reenter society By Joseph Kenny

Catholic News Service JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (CNS) — George Lombardi, director of the Missouri Department of Corrections, has quite a selling point. In his work to enlist the community’s help in reintegrating offenders into society, Lombardi points to one statistic: 97 percent of all inmates someday will return to society. In recent years the department has partnered with other state agencies and groups, including Catholic and other faith-based groups, on how to assist and prepare these inmates. Lombardi is continuing the effort while forging new partnerships. Helping offenders cuts across the political spectrum, he told a group at the Missouri Catholic Conference annual assembly in Jefferson City earlier this fall. For every offender diverted from the system, $16,000 is saved by the state, and each crime that is not committed means one less victim. In Kansas City, he said, business leaders have joined with a former prosecutor and police chief on the Second Chance Foundation that helps ex-offenders. He cited the difference made by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and similar groups. From housing, jobs and treatment to “simple, everyday things,” they provide ex-offenders hope and a path, Lombardi noted. He urged faith-based organizations to work together with other organizations, including on bigger issues of poverty, sentencing and similar matters, “to make a more powerful voice. There should always be cooperation.” He noted the critical role played by probation and parole officers, and he asked people to volunteer as mentors to ex-offenders: “You really can make a difference in helping people stay out of prison.”

CNS photo/Brother Paul Marie

MONKS CRITIQUE COFFEE — Carmelite Brothers Eliseus, Peter Joseph, Elias, Jean-Marie and Gabriel Marie, critique a roast of Mystic Monk Coffee at the Carmelite monastery in Clark, Wyo., in late October. The attention the monastery’s roasting business and its coffee has been getting also has attracted more young men to the community.

‘Sacred Spain’ exhibit features historic Catholic artwork By Mary Ann Wyand

Catholic News Service

INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) — The curator of a new Indianapolis exhibit of historic Catholic artwork and artifacts would like to see visitors “not just looking at the images but also contemplating them.” “Sacred Spain: Art and Belief in the Spanish World,” a unique, one-time exhibition at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, is an incredible assembly of 17thcentury paintings and other objects from Spain and Latin America. The exhibit, which runs through Jan. 3, 2010, was specially created for the museum and will only be shown there, said Ronda Kasl, senior curator of painting and sculpture before 1800. It provides viewers with an opportunity to reflect on the original context, use and significance of historic religious artwork and artifacts from Spanishspeaking countries, with explanations on bilingual labels. Tickets for admission are free, made

possible by a $1 million grant from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation. It features 70 works arranged in six galleries. There are paintings, polychrome sculpture, metalwork and books; many of the items have never before been seen in the United States. During a recent tour of the exhibit, Kasl said her “interest in this subject comes out of a long-standing preoccupation with how works of art function in the context of belief, which is slightly different from the ways in which works of art are typically viewed in art museums.” “These are functional objects,” Kasl noted. “They weren’t made strictly for decoration. They were made to convey meaning. The church in the 17th century . . . had very precise notions of how works of art should function in religious practice.” More information about “Sacred Spain: Art and Belief in the Spanish World” is available online at: www.ima museum.org.

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world 11

THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009

What are the chances of extraterrestrial life? By Carol Glatz

Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Dozens of scientists gathered at a Vatican-sponsored meeting to fit together emerging pieces of a puzzle still waiting to be solved: whether there is life on other planets. If finding extraterrestrial life is like “a detective chase, a crime to be solved, we’re getting very close to the answer,” said Chris Impey, head of the Steward Observatory and the University of Arizona’s department of astronomy in Tucson, Ariz. Impey was one of 30 high-level scientists attending a Nov. 6-10 study week on astrobiology sponsored by the Vatican Observatory and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. He and others spoke at a Vatican press conference Nov. 10. The astronomer said it is widely believed that life needs three basic ingredients: carbon-based material, energy provided by stars, and water, “which is one of the most common molecules in the universe.” “These three elements have already been found in a lot of places in galaxies,” he said. “The universe, if it’s like a table, the table is set for dinner. Everything is there, all the ingredients are there” to welcome and support life, Impey added. Until 1995, no one knew whether there were planets circling some of the billions of stars in the universe. Advancements in planet detection have since led scientists to discover more than 400 planets outside of the solar system and dozens more are found each year, he said. Jonathan Lunine, professor of planetary science and physics at the University of Arizona, said three or four worlds within the solar system also have conditions where life may be found. More research into how the Earth and earthly life evolved is helpful in understanding what habitable worlds may look like, he said. One key mystery that lacks a complete scientific explanation is why it took so long — 1 billion to 2 billion years — for complex cells to appear and then another 1 billion to 2 billion years for complex animal life to emerge, Lunine said.

(CNS photo/Paul Haring)

UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR SPEAKS AT VATICAN PRESS CONFERENCE ON ASTROBIOLOGY — Professor Jonathan Lunine speaks at a press conference on astrobiology at the Vatican Nov. 10. Lunine is a professor of planetary sciences and physics at the University of Arizona, which has a longstanding relationship with the Vatican Observatory. At right is Jesuit Father Jose Funes, director of the observatory. Discoveries of life in very inhospitable conditions on Earth, such as rock-eating microbes living deep beneath the ocean floor, show that different life forms may exist on other worlds, said Jesuit Father Jose Funes, head of the Vatican Observatory. Athena Coustenis, a planetary scientist at the Paris-Meudon Observatory in France, said astronomers once thought almost all of the satellites circling Saturn “were dead icy worlds.” But space missions there have shown all of Saturn’s major moons are actually “wonderful active worlds,” she said, with one, called Enceladus, “spitting out its guts with water, liquid water, water vapor, organics and ammonia in these huge plumes extending more than 250 miles into space.” The evidence suggests that the jets originate in an underground ocean of liquid water, indicating that all the ingredients for life seem to be on Enceladus as well, she said. Father Funes said that even though the study week looked exclusively at scientific evidence and theories, it was “very important that the church is involved in this type of research” looking at life in the cosmos.

When asked whether God would have to be incarnated elsewhere if there were intelligent life on another planet, Father Funes recalled the parable of the lost sheep. God’s incarnation in Jesus Christ was a singular and “unique event not only in human history but in the history of the universe and the cosmos,” he said. The existence of evil and original sin on Earth meant God, the good shepherd, had to leave behind his entire flock to go get his one lost sheep, he said. “Humanity would be this lost sheep and in order to find this lost sheep [God] became man in Jesus,” Father Funes said. Impey said that whether there is extraterrestrial life or not, either scenario “is staggering.” “If the universe is abundant in life there is companionship in our future,” he said. But if space exploration after several decades turns up nothing, then it will help remind people that “this planet is rather special and so with that will come an extra obligation even if we didn’t already feel it to care of this place and this special thing that happened here.”

Released Irish priest hopes to continue ministry in Philippines PASAY CITY, Philippines (CNS) — Irish Columban Father Michael Sinnott said he hopes to resume his ministry after being released by kidnappers who had held him for a month. The priest said he was kept in “very primitive” conditions in two areas, one a swampy area “with mud all around us.” He said he could not move about and was forced to sit in a hammock all day with his guard, reported the Asian church news agency UCA News. He also was kept in the jungle and at one point was forced to march for approximately eight hours through the mountains. Father Sinnott, 79, said he did not think anyone would want to kidnap him again, because he had slowed his captors. “I’m an old man, and I had a hard time walking,” the priest said, laughing. He said he would like to continue working in the Pagadian Diocese, where he has served most of the 42 years he has spent in the Philippines.

Salvadorans mourn 130 who died in flooding; needs assessed SAN SALVADOR (CNS) — Salvadorans began observing three days of national mourning Nov. 10 for the 130 people who died in floods and landslides caused by Hurricane Ida. The storm, occurring Nov. 6-8 during what normally is the start of the dry season, left thousands homeless and in shelters. Large areas of the country remained without power as the mourning period began. President Mauricio Funes declared a national emergency as the government and aid agencies rushed to provide food, water, clothing and other assistance to victims around the capital of San Salvador and the central province of San Vicente. More than 13,000 Salvadorans who lost their homes were in shelters Nov. 10. In Nicaragua, relief workers were hindered in their efforts to get supplies to remote communities affected by the storm by washed-out bridges and roads. The Nicaraguan government estimated that at least 8,000 people were displaced by the storm. Catholic Relief Services and other aid agencies were assessing how best to respond in the neighboring Central American countries.

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Services Calligraphy - Wedding invitations, diplomas, certificates, announcements, favorite quotes, and other inscriptions. Experienced work. Call Sheryl at (913) 888-9328. Swalms Organizing Service - Basements, garages, attics, and shop spaces organized! Items sorted, boxed & labeled; areas cleaned when finished! Clean out services also available. Great references and insured. For pictures of current projects, visit the Web site at: www.swalms.com. Call Tillar Swalm at (913) 375-9115. Is QuickBooks® a problem for you? I can help. I have many years of experience and excellent references. I can work on a one-time basis or continuing part-time basis. Ann Evans Consulting, LLC. Member of Curé of Ars Parish, Leawood. Call Ann at (913) 4069778 or send an e-mail to her at: annkc@swbell.net. Clutter getting you down? Our professional aesthetic organizing and handyman services can help. We organize and clean up homes, businesses, cars, computers — you name it! We also provide minor fixes and installations, trash/charity haul off, trash removal from abandoned homes or housing units, and we promise to leave you with a smile on your face. Visit our Web site at: www.koatindustries. com. Licensed and insured; references available. Call Kevin at (913) 271-5055. Looking for a new or used car, truck or SUV? Are you sick of the stereotypical car salesman? I am a member of the Church of Nativity and a sales consultant for one of the largest dealers in the metro area. We sell new Chevrolets and Toyotas, in addition to 100s of used cars, trucks and SUVs; all makes and models. I am committed to making your buying experience as easy and pleasurable as possible. My customers appreciate the fact that they are dealing with someone who is never high pressure, but instead cares and looks out for them. My goal is to exceed all of your expectations! To discuss your needs, call Tim at (913) 400-1009, or send an e-mail to: mycarfriendtim@yahoo.com. Foley’s Lawn Care Lawn mowing Fall cleanups & gutter cleaning www.foleyslawncare.com (913) 825-4353 Serving Johnson County 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. Housecleaning - I will stay within your budget! 20 yrs. exp. and excellent references. I will deep clean your house the old-fashioned way — hand-mopping and wipe-down baseboards. All supplies included. Give cleaning as a gift this year; let me help make your holidays more enjoyable. Call Sharon at (816) 322-0006. Machine quilting by Lyn - I also do T-shirt, photo, and memorial quilts. Official Hobbs distributor. Located in Overland Park. Call Lyn at (913) 492-8877. Bankruptcy - When debt becomes overwhelming, seek professional help. Experienced, compassionate Catholic attorney Teresa Kidd. For a confidential, no obligation consultation, call (913) 422-0610; or send an e-mail to: tkidd@kc.rr.com. Tree service - Pruning ornamental trees for optimal growth and beauty and removal of hazardous limbs or problem trees. Free consultation and bid. Safe, insured, professional. Brad Grabs, Green Solutions of KC, (913) 244-5838. www.GreenSolutionsKC. com.

Leaf Removal & Fall Yard Clean ups Tree Services. Gutter Clean outs. Licensed/Bond/Ins/Refs Free estimates (913) 620-6063 Caregiving - Certified nurse’s aide with 15-plus years of experience is seeking private-duty work. Available days, nights, and weekends; 24/7. I also offer respite care. Flexible, dependable, honest. Reasonable rates and excellent references. Call Vivian at (816) 721-8733 or (816) 459-8879. Johnson and western Wyandotte areas. Home Care Services - We provide care management, medication administration, transportation, companionship, shopping and other needs to the elderly and disabled at home. Reasonable rates. Full time or part time. Days/nights/weekends. Call Pamerick Home Health Care and speak with Mimi at (913) 488-5993. Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation to the elderly and disabled in home, assisted living and nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Andrea, Sara or Gary. Do you or your parents need help at home? - For as little as $60 per week, Benefits of HomeSenior Care can provide assistance with personal care, shopping and many other daily needs. For details, visit our Web site at: benefitsofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591. Caregiving - Mature lady experienced with elderly care will care for your loved one in their home. Good references, reliable transportation, well qualified. Available anytime. Honest and dependable. Leawood, OP and Prairie Village areas. Call Flora at (816) 332-9956 mobile, or (816) 921-8223 home. Do you intend to leave a Catholic charity in your will? What are you waiting for? The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas helps people with charitable intent to put their instructions into place. We help stretch your gift further and last longer for the people you love and the causes you care about. For a free, confidential consultation call (913) 647-0365 or for free estate planning information, visit the Web site at: www.cfnek.org.

Home Improvement House painting - Interior and exterior; wallpaper removal. 20 years experience. Reasonable rates. References. Call Joe at (913) 620-5776. The Drywall Doctor, Inc. - A unique solution to your drywall problems! We fix all types of ceiling and wall damage — from water stains and stress cracks to texture repairs and skim coating. We provide professional, timely repairs and leave the job site clean! Insured and serving the metro since 1997. Call (913) 768-6655. Woodbright - A very affordable alternative to refinishing, refacing or replacing stained cabinets and woodwork. The average kitchen only costs $500. 18 years experience. Call Woodbright at (913) 940-3020. STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Call for free estimates. Cell: (913) 579-1835; phone: (913) 491-5837; e-mail: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity Church, Lenexa. Bath, kitchen and basement remodels -Quality work; reasonable prices. 25 yrs. experience. Free estimates. JoCo area. Call Ralph at (913) 707-9589. Wells Custom Remodeling, LLC Andy Hadel (816) 807-3733 ***Free estimates for referencing this ad*** Painting, exterior and interior, drywall projects, powerwashing, rotted window sills repaired - Quality products. 20 years experience. References. Call (913) 341-7584. Tim the Handyman - Insured; free estimates. Carpentry: new and repair deck, doors, windows, siding, screens. Plumbing: faucet, garbage disposals, toilets. Electrical: switches, outlets, ceiling fans, light fixtures. Light landscape: fill dirt, trimming, planting, garden tilling and mulching. Serving Johnson County. Call Tim at (913) 859-0471. Electrician - Free estimates; reasonable rates. JoCo and southern KC metro area. Call Pat at (913) 963-9896.

Adept Home Improvements Where quality still counts! Basement finishing, Kitchens and baths, Electrical and plumbing. Licensed and insured. (913) 599-7998

Masonry work - Quality, new or repair work. Brick, block, and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second generation bricklayer. Call (913) 829-4336. Custom-kitchen countertops - 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. Brown’s Carpet - Installation and repair carpeting; vinyl and wood installation. Free estimates. 10 years experience. Serving the KC metro area. Call (913) 231-4961. 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

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

Real Estate Overland Park home for sale - 9640 Lowell Ave. Walking distance to Holy Cross School. This home features a large, bright living room; formal dining area; family room with fireplace; eat-in kitchen;and a brand-new roof. Lots of space! 4 BR, 3 full baths. $178,950. Open house on Sun., Nov. 22, from noon 3 p.m. For information or to schedule a viewing, call Scott at (913) 205-8744. Ottawa area - 2 BR ranch needing TLC on 40 acres. Wooded, pond, and cropland. $225,000. Call Betty Birzer, Reece & Nichols TNC, at (785) 229-8890. View online at: www.bettybirzer.com. Prairie Village ranch - Close to shopping, park and schools. Beautiful hardwood floors and new carpeting. Finished basement with office. 3 BR, $149,000. Call Dave at (913) 787-6491. View online at: www.kcregional homes.com/dhankamer. Lake house – Beautiful and private Lake Kahola, less than 2 hours from the KC area. Only 10 miles off I-35 at 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. Call Cy at (316) 262-0888. Kansas land - Have land to sell? Marisa Morgan Dallman, owner-broker, Kansas Land Brokers, LLC. Call (913) 915-9151 or visit the Web site at: www. KansasLandBrokers.com.

Vacation Oceanfront condo, Sanibel Island, Florida - 2 BR, 2 BA, fully equip. kitchen; sleeps 6 comfortably. Washer/dryer, wet bar, A/C, pool, clubhouse, tennis courts, balcony, BBQ grill, FREE GOLF at Dunes Country Club. Available 1/15 - 1/22. $1495. Call Dan at (913) 706-5405 or send an e-mail to: dsummersirn@kc.rr. com. Sunny and 80 - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. 2 BR, 2 BA beachfront condo. Fully equipped, sleeps 6. Great location; close to everything. $125/night. Call (816) 835-7994, or send an e-mail to: kelgang@aol. com. Ski cabin in Winter Park, Colo. – 2 BR, 1 BA, on free ski shuttle route. $110/night. Call (913) 6423027. To view pictures, visit the Web site at: cabin. forcadeassociates.com. Ski vacation - Winter Park, Colo. 2 BR, 1 BA, sleeps 6. Fully furnished, fireplace, rec. center with pool & hot tub. $125/night; $750/week. Call Joe Frederick at (913) 385-5589.

CLASSIFIEDS\CALENDAR 13

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 20, 2009

Childcare Nanny- I have many years of experience with kids! Looking for part- or full-time day hours. Reasonable rates and reliable transportation. No dogs or cats, I’m allergic. KC metro area. Call Gina at (913) 669-3448.

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

Nov. 21

A memorial liturgy for deceased loved ones will be held at 8 a.m. on Nov. 21 at Curé of Ars Church, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. The bereavement ministry will have its monthly meeting following Mass in the Father Burak Room. The topic will be: “Helping Ourselves.” For information, call (913) 649-2026. St. Joseph of the Valley-St. Lawrence Parish, Easton, will host a fall fest, featuring a soup and chili supper, from 4 – 7 p.m. on Nov. 21 in the St. Lawrence hall. There will be a raffle and bingo following dinner. Archbishop James P. Keleher will celebrate the archdiocesan monthly pro-life Mass at 8 a.m. on Nov. 21 at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church, 44 N. Mill, Kansas City, Kan. Immediately following Mass, there will be a rosary procession to an abortion clinic four blocks away. Eucharistic adoration is available for those not processing, with Benediction concluding services at 10 a.m. The Holy Rosary Sodality of All Saints Parish will host its annual turkey bingo on Nov. 21 in the St. Joseph Church hall, located at 809 Vermont, Kansas City, Kan. Serving begins at 5 p.m., with bingo following at 6 p.m. The choir of Good Shepherd Parish, 12800 W. 75th St., Shawnee, will present “Songs of the Church Year” in celebration of the feast of Cecilia, patron saint of music, at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 21. The concert is free and everyone is welcome. Donation items for the Thanksgiving food drive will be appreciated.

Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park, will host an organ recital at 2 p.m. on Nov. 22, featuring the renowned organist Janice Van Otterloo. Join us for this free concert and to celebrate the feasts of Christ the King and St. Cecilia. The Lay Dominicans, St. Martin de Porres Group, will meet at 4 p.m. on Nov. 22 at the Redemptorist Senior Center, located on the corner of Linwood and Wyandotte, Kansas City, Mo. For information or directions, contact Tom Smith at (816) 232-0374 or send an e-mail to: tpsmith@stjoelive.com. The Daughters of Isabella, Little Flower Circle No. 503, will host a covered dish luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 22 at Rossiter Hall, 204 S.W. 8th St., Topeka. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m., followed by a business meeting. Christ the King Church, 25th and Wanamaker, Topeka, will host its annual fall festival on Nov. 22. A turkey dinner will be served from 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. The cost is: $7 for adults; $3 for children ages 3 - 11 years; children under 3 eat free. There will be crafts, a silent auction, raffle drawings and carnival games for all ages.

*** Wanted to Buy *** Antique and vintage costume jewelry Member St. Joseph Parish Renee Maderak (913) 631-7179

Wanted to buy ***WANTED*** I buy coins, older watches, silverware, slot machines, old rifles and shotguns, stoneware crocks and jugs, old furniture from basement or attic. Call Chris at (913) 593-7507 or (913) 642-8269 Will buy firearms and related accessories One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.

The Keeler Women’s Center will host a Thanksgiving prayer service in the Taizé tradition with Scripture and song from 6:30 - 8 p.m. on Nov. 24 at the center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. For information or to register, call (913) 906-8990 or visit the Web site at: www.mountosb.org/kwc.

Join the Singles of Nativity for happy hour, beginning at 6 p.m. on Nov. 25, at the Houlihan’s across from Oak Park Mall in Overland Park. Look for the yellow balloon and our greeters, who will be at the table until 7:30 p.m. Questions? Send an e-mail to: social@son-ministry.org.

The Johnson County Unos will gather for 4:30 p.m. Mass on Nov. 28 at St. Pius X Church, 5601 Woodson, Mission. Dinner will follow at Red Robin Restaurant, 7111 W. 95th St., Overland Park.

Shop for the holidays and support Keeler Women’s Center at the same time from 1 - 5 p.m. on Nov. 29 at Ten Thousand Villages, 7947 Santa Fe, Overland Park. Fifteen percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Benedictine Sisters’ ministries.

Dec.

The Keeler Women’s Center will host an Advent retreat for women, entitled “Waiting with Hope,” presented by Sister Bridget Dickason, OSB, from 6:30 - 9 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. For information or to register, call (913) 906-8990 or visit the Web site at: www.mountosb.org/kwc.

A course in the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning will be held at 7 p.m. on Dec. 4 at Holy Rosary Parish-Wea, 22779 Metcalf Rd., Bucyrus. A reasonable course fee is charged. For information or to register, call Christine or David Downey at (913) 837-3182; the Couple-toCouple League of Kansas City at (913) 8943558; or visit the Web site at: www.cclkc.org. Tom Jacobs and Ensemble will host a performance of seasonal songs of hope at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 4 at the Unity Temple on the Country Club Plaza, 707 W. 47th St., Kansas City, Mo. Tickets cost: $12 for groups; $15 if purchased by Nov. 30; or $25. For information or to purchase tickets, call (816) 6195499 or visit the Web site at: www.tomjacobs. com. The eighth-grade class of Holy Cross School, 8101 W. 95th St., Overland Park, will host a Friday family fun night on Dec. 4 in the school gym. A taco buffet will be served from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Bingo will be played from 6 - 9 p.m. The cost for dinner is: $5 for adults, advance purchase, or $7 at the door; $3 for ages 4 - 10; and children under age 3 eat free. Babysitting will be available. Bingo cards cost 50 cents. For information or to RSVP, contact

Miscellaneous Do you have bank CDs, retirement accounts, or other investments not returning 7 - 9% safely? We buy houses and we need private investors. Local real estate; safe return. To listen to a 24-hour recorded message, call (913) 660-0595.

Kathleen DeKraai at (913) 599-6395 or send an e-mail to her at: kdekraai@everestkc.net. The Johnson County Unos will hold their monthly meeting and catered dinner at 5 p.m. on Dec. 4 at St. Pius X Church, 5601 Woodson, Mission. A traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings will be served. The cost is $8.50 per person. Mail your check, made payable to Johnson County Unos, by Nov. 23, to: Peg Dowling, 11925 Slater, Overland Park, KS 66213. Dinner will be followed by a brief meeting, entertainment and a gift exchange. Bring a $5 wrapped gift that can be given to a man or woman.

4-6

Sophia Center, 751 S. 8th St., Atchison, will host a retreat led by Jonathan Montaldo entitled “Choosing to Love the World: Thomas Merton and Contemplative Living” from Dec. 4 – 6. For information or to register, call (913) 360-6151 or visit the Web site at: www.mountosb.org/sophia. St. James Academy will host its annual madrigal dinner at 6 p.m. on Dec. 4 - 6. Prepare to be transported back to medieval times and enjoy an evening of dinner, Christmas music and theater provided by the St. James Academy choir students. To purchase tickets, visit the Web site at: www.sjakeeping faith.org; click on the “store” tab.

The Don Lipovac Orchestra Booster Club will host its annual Christmas party on Dec 5. A sarma and chicken dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m., followed by dancing until 10 p.m. Tickets cost $25 per person. To purchase tickets or for information, call JoAnn Lipovac at (913) 299-2792.

The Knights of Columbus, Marian Council No. 3768 at Christ the King Parish, Kansas City, Kan., will host a pancakes-andmore breakfast from 8:30 - 11 a.m. on Dec. 6 in Davern Hall. Santa will make a guest appearance to take pictures with the children. A freewill offering will be collected.

The St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center, 1631 Crescent Rd., Lawrence, will present “Lessons and Carols” at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 11. A reception will follow. All are welcome to enjoy this beautiful musical tradition.

The Knights of Columbus and the Mothers of Young Children of Curé of Ars Parish, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood, will host “Breakfast with St. Nick” from 8 a.m. – noon on Dec. 13 in the school cafeteria. The cost is: $6 for adults; $5 for children; or $25 per family. Santa will be present to visit with the children, so bring your camera. Immaculate Conception Parish, 5th and Kiowa, Leavenworth, will host a community Christmas concert featuring youth choirs from four area high schools at 2 p.m. on Dec. 13. Admission is free. Donations of nonperishable food items for the Leavenworth Assistance Center will be greatly appreciated.

Seeking caregiver – We are seeking a compassionate female caregiver (high school senior or older) to assist a young special-needs woman on her job 2-3 days per week; 3 hrs per day. OP/Leawood area. Call Ann at (913) 980-2802. Freedom from pornography - Men’s group and counseling, call Sam Meier, MA, LPC, at (913) 6470378. Women’s group, call Beth Meier, MA, at (913) 647-0379. Visit the Web site at: LoveIsFaithful.com.

Misc. St. Paul Catholic Church, Olathe, has been chosen by the Olathe Historical Society to participate in an exhibit telling the story of early churches in Olathe that continue today. The display will be shown at the Heritage Center, near Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop, during the month of December. A variety of artifacts of the parish from its beginning until about 1930 are needed to tell our story. If your family was a longtime member of St. Paul, would you share some of your treasured items for the display? We are looking for things like photographs, sacramentals, special awards, something from Our Lady of Victory School, baptismal and first sacraments clothing, and items from the church that were auctioned. Items will be displayed behind a glass case inside the Heritage Center, so they will be secure. For information, or to share items, call Mary Jo O’Brien at (913) 782-4270, or Jane at St. Paul Church at (913) 764-0323. Enrich your life, enrich your love, and enrich your marriage by spending time with your spouse and learning the tools to a great marriage! The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend will be held from Dec. 4 – 6. For information or to register, call (913) 469-8453 in the Kansas City metro area, (785) 843-9274 in Lawrence, (785) 3575000 in Topeka, or visit the Web site at: www. neksme.org. A Holy Land pilgrimage in the footsteps of Jesus, is planned for June 1 - 14, 2010. Spiritual director Father Jorge Ramirez will lead participants on a tour through Bethlehem, Nazareth, Cana, and Mount Tabor and Cairo in celebration of the great mysteries of Jesus’ life. The cost is $3295 per person/double occupancy; $445 single supplement. The Cairo extension costs $795 per person, double occupancy. Space is limited. A reservation and $400 deposit are due by Feb. 15, 2010. For information, call Pilar at (913) 341-7779. Mary, Health of the Sick Guild has published a new cookbook to benefit the Sisters, Servants of Mary. The cookbook contains over 350 recipes, including ones submitted by the Sisters themselves. The cost is $12 (plus $2 for postage). Make checks payable to the Sisters, Servants of Mary and send to: 800 N. 18th St., Kansas City KS 66102. Cookbooks may also be purchased at the motherhouse at the above address. For information, contact Barbara Butler at (913) 362-0723 or the convent at (913) 371-3423. There are 14 men in the My House men’s groups that have broken free from pornography for over one year! Also, the My House women’s group is available for wives and loved ones who are healing from the effects of their loved one’s struggles. For more information, visit the Web site at: LoveIsFaithful.com. Calendar items must be received nine days before the publication date. E-mail submissions are preferred; send to: jennifer@theleaven.com. Submissions may be mailed to: 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109.

14 COMMENTARY

THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009

Mark my words

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

Archbishop Edward O’Meara Award Winner 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003

Scripture Readings Thirty-fourth WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Nov. 22 our lord jesus christ the king Dn 7: 13-14; Ps 93: 1-2, 5; Rv 1: 5-8; Jn 18: 33b-37 Nov. 23 Clement I, pope, martyr; Columban, abbot; Blessed Miguel Agustín, Pro, priest, martyr Dn 1: 1-6, 8-20; (Ps) Dn 3: 52-56; Lk 21: 1-4 Nov. 24 Andrew Dung-Lac, priest, martyr, and his companions, martyrs Dn 2: 31-45; (Ps) Dn 3: 57-61; Lk 21: 5-11 Nov. 25 Catherine of Alexandria, virgin, martyr Dn 5: 1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28; (Ps) Dn 3: 62-67; Lk 21: 12-19 Nov. 26 Thanksgiving Day Sir 50: 22-24; Ps 138: 1-5; 1 Cor 1: 3-9; Lk 17: 11-19 Nov. 27 Friday Dn 7: 2-14; (Ps) Dn 3: 75-81; Lk 21: 29-33

orget Halloween. Thanksgiving is much scarier. That day ushers in the holiday season, which means that from now until the end of the year, time will rush by even faster. To keep things in perspective, take a deep breath and read the following story: A childless couple had raised their orphaned nephew named David. They’re now standing at the railroad station as David gets ready to leave for college. David looked at his aunt and uncle: she, with hands hard from selling fruits and vegetables outdoors in all kinds of weather, face ruddy and round and invariably smiling; he, with his slight, wiry body, strong and bent from lifting too many fruit and vegetable crates for too many years, the windburned skin; this childless couple who had taken him into their home, rearing him since the age of seven, yet refusing to be called Mama and Papa for fear he would forget his real parents. David grabbed their rough peddlers’ hands in his smooth ones and said, “How can I ever repay you two for what you’ve done for me?” His uncle spoke gently, “David, there’s a saying: ‘The love of parents goes to their children, but the love of these children goes to their children.’” “That’s not so,” protested David, “I’ll always be trying to . . .” His aunt interrupted and said, “David, what your uncle means is that a parent’s love isn’t to be paid back. It can only be passed on.” (Adapted from “The Nephew,” found in William J. Bausch’s “A World of Stories for Preachers and Teachers.”) This story nicely describes what the last few weeks of the year should be about: remembrance, gratitude and

Nov. 28 Saturday Dn 7: 15-27; (Ps) Dn 3: 82-87; Lk 21: 34-36 FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT Nov. 29 FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT Jer 33: 14-16; Ps 25: 4-5, 8-9, 10, 14; 1 Thes 3:12 — 4:2; Lk 21: 25-28, 34-36 Nov. 30 ANDREW, APOSTLE Rom 10: 9-18; Ps 19: 8-11; Mt 4: 18-22 Dec. 1 Tuesday Is 11: 1-10; Ps 72: 1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17; Lk 10: 21-24 Dec. 2 Wednesday Is 25: 6-10a; Ps 23: 1-6; Mt 15: 29-37 Dec. 3 Francis Xavier, priest Is 26: 1-6; Ps 118: 1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a; Mt 7: 21, 24-27 Dec. 4 John of Damascus, priest, doctor Is 29: 17-24; Ps 27: 1, 4, 13-14; Mt 9: 27-31 Dec. 5 Saturday Is 30: 19-21, 23-26; Ps 147: 1-6; Mt 9:35 — 10:1, 5a, 6-8

Being grateful makes us great

generosity. It’s interesting that the aunt and uncle above are not named. They didn’t do what they did — raise David — for any glory or recognition. The orphan David, now an adult, sees this and is grateful. Although that’s a great beginning, it’s not enough. The couple’s wise words impart one more lesson to him: Don’t worry about repaying; instead, pass on the love, concern, and care received to others. Ideally, this is what Thanksgiving and the holiday season are to look like. We take time to recall the many people who have touched our lives with blessings and we respond with humility and gratefulness. But that’s only the start. Honestly, we can’t hope to ever repay parents, for example, for all the sacrifices they endured for our sakes. No, what gives the giver of any gift the most joy is to see a generous heart created in the recipient, a heart that can’t wait to share blessings with others. The holidays give us a glimpse of how we’re called to behave all year long. It’s no accident that needy families are adopted in these days, that food is collected for the hungry, that toy drives are held at stores, that red buckets and ringing bells all around town call us to contribute even our spare change to help those who have so little. In these ways, we “repay” those who have been so good to us: We

recycle their love to others and perhaps inspire those who are helped to then do the same. I’ll close with a poem that was sent to me for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. Naturally, finding who originally wrote this is difficult. Most sources will say it’s by an anonymous author, but I have seen it attributed to Jimmy Stewart, to Jimmy Dean, and to John Paul Moore. Well, I’m grateful to whoever wrote “Drinking from My Saucer” and I now pass it on to you: “I’ve never made a fortune/And I guess it’s too late now./But I don’t worry about that much/Because I’m happy anyhow./As I go through life’s journeys,/I’m reaping better than I sowed,/For I’m drinking from my saucer/ Because my cup has overflowed. “I don’t have a lot of riches,/And sometimes the going’s tough./ But I’ve got a family who loves me,/And that makes me rich enough./So I just thank God for his blessings/And the mercy he’s bestowed./I’m drinking from my saucer,/Because my cup has overflowed. “I remember times when things went wrong,/And faith grew kind of thin./But all at once, those dark clouds broke,/And the sun peeped through again./So, Lord, help me not gripe/ About the tough rows I have hoed./I’m drinking from my saucer, /Because my cup has overflowed. “And if God grants me strength and courage,/When the ways grow steep and rough,/I’ll not ask for other blessings,/‘Cause I’ve been blessed enough./And may I never be too busy to help another bear his load,/And I’ll keep drinking from my saucer,/Because my cup has overflowed.”

the gospel truth

‘End times’ cataclysm not the real story

hen I was studying in the seminary and preparing for the priesthood, we were required to take the finals for one third of our classes as oral consequences than a university oral exams. Since the final exam. Pontius Pilate is questioning counted as the total grade Jesus. This is the trial that will lead to a of death for Jesus. for the course, the process sentence On the surface, it may sound like a typical cross-examination of a prisoner. could be fairly intimidatThe pivotal question that Pilate asks ing. Your fate could Jesus — “Are you the king of the Jews?” — also appears in be decided in five OUR LORD JESUS the other three Gospels: Mt CHRIST THE KING minutes. 27:11; Mk 15:2; Lk 23:3. Jn 18: 33b-37 One professor in particuAt the same time, John’s lar stood out for his approach Gospel goes on to include a in conducting an oral exam. dialogue between Pilate and Jesus not He would begin with relatively easy found in the other Gospels. That diaquestions, like an eagle lazily circling logue constitutes our Gospel reading over a potential target. Then he could for Sunday. dive in for the kill with a question that The exchange between Pilate struck at the heart of the matter. As I and Jesus explores the nature of the said, your fate could be decided in five kingdom that belongs to Jesus. It goes minutes. deeper: “My kingdom does not belong This Sunday we celebrate the solemto this world.” In that respect, this nity of Christ the King. In the Gospel resembles other dialogues in John’s reading, Jn 18:33b-37, we overhear Gospel. We might remember the an interrogation with far more serious conversation that takes place between

Jesus and Nicodemus (Jn 3:1-22), the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well (Jn 4:726), and the conversation between Jesus and Martha (Jn 11:21-27). These dialogues are characteristic of John’s Gospel and are not found in the other Gospels. They are not occasions for casual chitchat. Instead, they provide the person speaking with Jesus an opportunity for spiritual growth and deeper understanding. It is a way to develop their relationship with God. After all, it is an encounter with the Son of God. And we who overhear the conversation can also benefit in the same way. Unfortunately, Pilate does not take advantage of that opportunity. He wants to control the direction of their conversation, to take the lead. But he fails. The responses that Jesus supplies to Pilate’s questions set the tone for their conversation. Jesus remains in control. After all, he is the king. That is obvious throughout the passion account in John’s Gospel. This is also true here, in this dialogue between Jesus and Pilate. That is why we honor Christ as the king. Father Mike Stubbs is pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lansing and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.

THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009

COMMENTARY 15

vocation corner

Add this one to the list of conversations to have with your kids

ave you had “the talk” with your kids?

What talk is the vocation director thinking about? Surely not the birds and the bees talk! Parents are encouraged to talk to their kids about all kinds of things — about sex, about drugs, about relationships. There is no substitute for parents knowing their kids. I am writing this week about a conversation that I sense is getting skipped in our Catholic homes. The conversation is about religious vocations. Specifically, does your child know where you stand and how you feel about religious vocations in general, and your take on your own child pos-

sibly having just such a vocation? I could lament, I suppose, some statistics showing that as many as two-thirds of Catholic parents are not supportive of their child becoming a priest or a Sister. But I see it as more of a challenge for my office to find a way to educate parents. Most families do not have a religious vocation within the family, so there is more misunderstanding and

unnecessary fear than ever. I have found that God does not just call men and women from families who are supportive. God calls whom he wants to call for the priesthood and religious life. That means that all of our families need to have some competence and readiness should this call from Jesus come their way. Talk to your kids about whether or not you would support their going to the seminary or to a convent. At what age would you be all right with your child entering formation, if at all? Would you accompany them on a visit to a seminary or monastery or convent? Would you support your child considering the priesthood or religious life as a first option, or do you expect

them to save it as a last resort after all other options have been exhausted? Do your kids know whether a vocation to the priesthood or religious life would make you happy, or sad, or both? Trust me. Your talking to your kids about vocations, married or religious, is important. Your kids need to know where you stand. They may not share everything with you, and they may or may not want to talk about it with you, but knowing of your support is critical if they are to succeed in listening to the voice of Christ and in trying to do whatever he tells them (see Jn 2:5). Father Mitchel Zimmerman is the archdiocesan vocations director.

¿QUé PASA? — IN HISPANIC MINISTRY

Five easy steps to more effective Hispanic ministry

ast month a new storefront church opened on 18th and Central in Kansas City, Kan., catering to the Spanish speaking seeking an evangelistic flavor to celebrate their faith. Meanwhile, a local radio station has announced that they are about to offer 16 hours a day of religious evangelical programming focused on Hispanics. This story seems to repeat itself over and over again in many cities throughout the United States. Therefore, it is no wonder that recent studies on Catholic identity state that only 58 percent of Hispanics identify themselves as Catholic, while 25 percent self-identify

as Protestant, and 12 percent have no religious preference. In my last Leaven column, I promised to share with you some steps that the Catholic Church needs to take if it is to help keep the Hispanic community Catholic: 1) Open wide the doors: We can no longer afford to debate whether or not to have Mass in Spanish. It is time to open wide the doors of our churches and truly welcome the Hispanic community, because if we do not do it, other churches are more than willing to do so.

2) Mission over maintenance: We can no longer afford to sit in our offices and hope that Hispanics find their way to our churches. It is time, as the U.S. bishops say, to move from the pews to the shoes and use a more mission-based approach with the Hispanics. 3) A creative option for Hispanic youth: We can no longer pretend that Catholic schools will solve the challenge of the Hispanic youth population explosion. Sorry to say, but attending a Catholic school remains a pipe dream for 90 percent of the Hispanic families that I know. In the meantime, we need to offer a more creative pastoral outreach or face the prospect of losing a complete generation. 4) The evangelization priority: We cannot afford to be inactive in terms of the ministry of evangelization, because if we don’t, other denomina-

tions are ready and willing to evangelize for us. 5) A prophetic voice for immigration reform: The church needs to continue to be a prophetic voice and advocate for real justice for immigrants. The Hispanic community will surely remain Catholic if they know that their church is willing to fight on their behalf. All the trends clearly suggest that more than 50 percent of the U.S. population will soon be of Hispanic origin. In light of that possibility, the key question we need to be asking ourselves is: Will the majority still be Catholic? The final answer remains to be seen, but to make this happen, perhaps we need to change our pastoral approach. Father Pat Murphy is the archdiocesan animator for the office of Hispanic ministry.

church and state

Congressman’s courageous stance restores faith in the system

ust as Americans are at long last being inoculated against the H1N1 virus, perhaps it is fitting that Washington has simultaneously made available an antidote to another dread malady afflicting our population: cynicism.

According to a Gallup poll, a mere 12 percent of Americans believe that congressmen have high ethical standards, ranking them higher than only a small number of even less-admired professions, such as lobbyists. (We prefer the term “public policy advocates,” thank you very much.) If Gallup also asked respondents what these results say about Americans’ competence as electors is not known.

What is known is that they are not “all bums” — “they,” being politicians. That was never more clear than the morning of Nov. 7, when Washington awoke to find to its great surprise that the mighty Speaker of the House had capitulated to the demands of a dogged contingent of pro-life Democrats led by Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak. For months, Stupak had been under enormous pressure to relent from the apparently radical idea that people should not have to pay for other people’s abortions. As a Democrat, he became the single biggest obstacle to passage of the health care reform bill

that, for better or worse, represents the centerpiece of the Democratic Party’s domestic policy agenda, and that he himself supports. Along the way, he could have availed himself of several opportunities to endorse a phony compromise or other half-measure, providing himself political cover and removing himself from the cross hairs of his intensely frustrated party leadership. He declined, placing, among other things, his subcommittee chairmanship — normally reserved for team players — at risk. And in the wee hours of a rare weekend session, he prevailed. For now at least, the House bill forbids federal funding of abortion. If this is not enough to restore one’s faith in the power of individuals to influence events for good, there is also the matter of the effect the Catholic Church had in bringing about this outcome. Every major media report of the effort to force a vote on the Stupak

amendment has cited the decisive role played by the Catholic bishops and by the millions of Catholics nationwide who unleashed a tidal wave of advocacy on behalf of the seemingly selfevident proposition that feticide is not health care. Needless to say, not everyone appreciated Catholics’ exertions. One California congresswoman, eager to test John Marshall’s dictum that the power to tax is the power to destroy, has already suggested that the IRS should revoke the church’s tax-exempt status. But taxed or no, the church will endure, as will the ability of ordinary Americans, despite whatever the cynics might say, to make a difference and to shape the destiny of this great nation. Michael Schuttloffel is the executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference.

16 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • november 20, 2009

Brother Alessandro is Bella’s best and biggest friend Continued from page 1

An independent spirit It seems Bella has spent most of her life inspiring people she doesn’t even know. “Everything that Bella does, she always works hard and gives her best to,” said DeBrevi. “I think it’s inspiring to people because, if all of us did that, imagine what we could accomplish.” Bella was born with Down syndrome, but she doesn’t let that stand in the way of anything she wants to accomplish — stardom included. “One of our really big goals for Bella is her independence,” said DeBrevi. “If there’s something she can do herself, then I like to see her do it. “If there’s something she needs help with, I like to see her try to do it herself first, and then ask for help.” With that philosophy in mind, DeBrevi and her husband Michael thought getting Bella involved in theater might be a good way to help her build selfconfidence. They enrolled her in CYT, a nondenominational program that teaches drama, dance and singing through camps and after-school class sessions. CYT appealed to the couple because it welcomes children with special needs; its HEART program (see sidebar) is specifically designed to help them acclimate. “They’re just part of the cast like everyone else,” explained Amy Cox, director of PR and marketing for the Kansas City branch of CYT. “If they have extra needs that we need to meet,” she said, “we do that through our staff and parents, and we don’t make a big deal out of it.” CYT believes working side by side with children who have special needs teaches other children valuable life lessons. John Solomon, a parishioner of Church of the Ascension in Overland Park, has found that to be true. His son Jack has been involved with CYT for years. “It’s almost impossible to describe all the benefits,” said Solomon. “They learn about responsibility, respect, and the dignity that you treat everybody with.” “A sense of family is created through diversity,” he explained. “CYT is made up of public school kids, home-schooled kids, disabled kids, special-needs kids — just a myriad of kids that [Jack] would otherwise not come in contact with.” Bella fit in perfectly with this diverse family and fell in love with the CYT program — so much so that she decided to try out for a spot in the winter musical.

Moment of truth A few days after her audition, Bella, her mom and her biggest fan, older brother Alessandro, went to the CYT Web site to check the cast list. “She found her name on there and she said, ‘I did it!’” recalled DeBrevi. “It was just a great moment, and I was so glad Alessandro was the first one to congratulate her.” A fifth-grader at Holy Cross, Alessandro has been his sister’s biggest fan, best friend and greatest support from the moment he first laid eyes on her. As a matter of fact, it was Alessandro who taught his mother how to care for this special child. DeBrevi still remembers the day Bella was born — and how she sat in

Fellow cast member Anna Synek (left) greets Bella with a hug as the cast from Christian Youth Theater’s production of “Scrooge: The Musical” gathers in before its performance. the hospital feeling overwhelmed and lost as she held her new daughter and processed the realization that she had Down syndrome. “I didn’t really know much about it,” she said, “and a lot of the things I did know were inaccurate.” And then Alessandro arrived to visit his new sister. “The first time that he came in, I saw the love in his eyes,” said DeBrevi. “The fact that his sister had Down syndrome was insignificant. I watched him with her and thought, ‘He’s teaching me; we’re going to just love her.’” The two children have been close ever since. “With everything she does, he’s always the first one to tell her what a great job she did,” said DeBrevi. “Often I will see him helping her with homework. They’ll be reading together. They just really enjoy each other’s company.” Because the two were so close, the DeBrevis wanted them in the same school. They feared Bella’s Down syndrome would prevent her from being able to go to a Catholic school. But the Holy Spirit had a plan. “The Holy Spirit led me exactly where I needed to be and to the people that were supposed to be there to help me along the way,” said DeBrevi. When it was time for Alessandro to start school, DeBrevi went to visit Holy Cross and told the principal at the time, Maureen Huffy, that she wanted a Catholic education for both of her children. “She welcomed us, as did the entire school, with open arms,” said DeBrevi. “And we stared working together and were able to make an easy transition into kindergarten. And every year since, things have just fallen into place.” Bella’s Holy Cross teachers have been especially supportive of her participation in the musical, allowing her to adjust schedules and take extra time with homework. “And all the kids at her school are

very excited about this,” said DeBrevi. “There will be several of them who come to see her.”

Break a leg When Bella made her acting debut, her dad and brother were in the audience. But DeBrevi had volunteered for greenroom duty, so she had to watch the opening number on a small remote television. As she squinted at the screen trying to pick her daughter out of the chorus, her phone buzzed. She checked a text message and smiled. “It’s from my husband,” she said. “Bella is singing.” A few moments later, her phone buzzed again. “The opening number is over,” she said. “Bella did great.” And suddenly the greenroom was filled with excitement and chatter as dozens of children dressed like street urchins poured in. A small group of girls congregated in one corner. “Did you see Bella?” one asked. “She sang!” another replied. “She got right up there in front and sang!” And then, as if on cue, Bella walked into the room — a small bundle of enthusiasm filled with smiles and congratulations for everyone. No one could doubt Bella was thrilled with her first experience on stage. And no one could doubt that the children who immediately surrounded her were thrilled, too. Bella has worked hard to keep pace with fellow cast members, and it’s been well worth the effort. She’s gained friends and the confidence her parents hoped for her. “Watching her flourish with this experience is a dream come true,” said DeBrevi. “She has made so many new friendships, and it’s so nice to watch as she walks in and there’s a new child greeting her.”

Christian Youth Theater Christian Youth Theater (CYT) is dedicated to developing character in children and adults through training in the arts and by producing wholesome family entertainment, all of which reflect Judeo-Christian values. For information on the program and the performances, go to the Web site at: www.cytkc. org ,or call (913) 681-3318.

Helping to Encourage Awareness and Recognition in Theatre HEART is a CYT program designed for students with special needs. If your child has special needs and would like to be involved, contact program director Josie Strickler by e-mail at: strickler.josie@gmail.com.

Bella’s also shared a few lessons with her new friends. “I think she’s really taught them about what’s important in life,” said DeBrevi. “That it’s not always about racing to the finish line, but it’s about all the steps you take to get there and how you treat people along the way.” As part of the Cheapside Company Chorus, Bella will sing and dance her way through 11 performances of “Scrooge: The Musical.” Her parents are as impressed with her talent as they are inspired by her spirit and determination. “It’s funny. When she was first born, there was part of me that thought I would always be teaching her things,” said her mother. “But the part of God’s plan in all this that I didn’t realize,” DeBrevi concluded, “was all the things that she would teach me.”