02-05-2016 Vol. 37 No. 25

THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 37, NO. 25 | FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Sister Maria Larkin, OSB, has been involved in jail ministry for the past 14 years — something she felt called to at the age of 73.

We no more finished celebrating women religious like Sister Maria Larkin, OSB, in the Year of Consecrated Life, than we found her to be the exemplar of Pope Francis’ Year of Mercy.

WHEN A CORPORAL WORK OF MERCY COMES CALLING LENTEN REGULATIONS

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Although Sister Maria has now TCHISON — With been committed to the ministry for shows like “Orange Is more than a decade, what may be the New Black” and surprising is how long it took her to “Prison Break” scoring discover this calling. top ratings, the lives of “I was 73 years old America’s inmates have when I began,” she said. become nothing more Story by But she knew in an inthan a salacious stoERIN stant. ryline for some viewers.

HUNNINGHAKE “I felt from the very Sister Maria Larkin, beginning that God OSB, however, sees it Photo by blessed me the moment much differently.

ROX STEC those sliding metal doors For the past 14 years, opened to the three pods Sister Maria has made a at the Atchison County weekly journey, usually Jail,” said Sister Maria. on foot, from Mount St. Scholastica It stated back in June 2001, convent on South Third Street, over when Sister Rita Claire Judge, OSB, the Fifth Street Viaduct and through the doors of the Atchison County >> See “BENEDICTINE” on page 4 Jail.

All Catholics 14 years of age and older are obliged to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10, and all the Fridays of Lent. Catholics 18 to 59 years of age are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday — a fast consisting of one normal meal and two lesser meals, with no eating in between. It is also recommended that Catholics find opportunities throughout the Lenten season to complement their fasts with prayer, reception of the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist, and positive works of charity.

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

ARCHBISHOP

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Equating interracial with same-sex marriage is false advertising

f you watch television at all, you have no doubt seen an ad entitled: “Love Has No Labels.” The 60second version of the ad first shows the X-ray image of two individuals kissing romantically.

When the individuals come around from behind the screen, the viewer is made aware that they are both women. The words on the screen declare: “Love has no gender.”

Next, the ad depicts the X-ray image of a couple dancing. They come around the screen showing it is an interracial couple with the printed words: “Love has no race.”

Next, the ad shows two smaller X-ray figures making playful gestures.

Two young girls come from behind the screen, one of whom has a disability. The screen has the words: “Love has no disability.”

Next, we see three X-ray figures: two adults and one child. When they come around the screen, it is a young boy and two men who kiss each other with the words on the screen again: “Love has no gender.”

In the final clip, two men who are dressed in different religious garb shake hands and embrace, one of them stating we are neighbors and best friends. The words on the screen are: “Love has no religion.”

The ad concludes with one of the women from the first segment simply saying: “Love is love.”

In the background, the words of St. Paul’s poetic description of love are being recited: “Love is patient. Love is kind. . . .”

“Love Has No Labels”

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN

LISTEN to

this article online at: www.theleaven.org.

was created by the Ad Council that was begun during World War II to promote war bonds and patriotism. Since then, the Ad Council has produced numerous successful public service media campaigns such as Smokey the Bear and Wildfire Prevention, Drunk Driving Prevention, and Seat Belt Safety. The Ad Council is skilled at creating messaging that helps to shape public opinion. The “Love Has No Labels” campaign is listed on its website under the category of Diversity and Inclusion.

“Love Has No Labels” is a slick and an effective ad. It speaks to the universal need for friendship and love. However, the fact that two of the five segments are focused on homosexual relationships is not accidental. This campaign was developed in the context of the public debate regarding the redefinition of marriage.

The “Love Has No Labels” campaign takes advantage of the many meanings of the word love in the English language. Love can mean friendship. Love can mean the affection between brothers and sisters.

Love can be a descriptor for the relationship between neighbors or fellow parishioners or the affection children have for their parents and vice versa. However, love also can mean a relationship in which there is sexual intimacy. The very act of sexual intercourse is described as love, e.g., making love.

“Love Has No Labels” cleverly associates gay and lesbian lovers with a young girl who loves her disabled sister or two men who have developed a strong friendship, even though they come from different faith traditions.

Even more powerfully, the ad associates samesex marriage with interracial marriage. It was common in the not-toodistant past, because of racial bigotry, for a large segment of the American population to oppose interracial marriage. The not so subtle implication of the ad is that to be opposed to same-sex marriage today must spring from a similar type

of bias or bigotry.

The problem with the logic of that argument is that the acceptance of interracial marriage did not require a redefinition of marriage as it has been understood for millennia across cultures and societies. Religious and moral considerations aside, why have homosexual relationships never before in the history of humanity been equated with a marital relationship?

First of all, homosexual relations are in opposition to the physical design of the body. Secondly, homosexual relations are incapable of engendering new human life.

If the Ad Council wants to do our culture and society a real service, I suggest that they devote their creative energies to an advertising campaign that encourages the virtue of chastity. Many of our current societal problems are a result of our cultural rejection of chastity as a good or even a quality that is desirable.

Many people confuse chastity with celibacy.

Celibacy is the free choice to abstain from all sexual activity, including a commitment not to marry. On the other hand, chastity is sexual conduct that is consistent both with the physical design of our bodies and with our state of life.

It is only in the marital covenant where a heterosexual couple has pledged fidelity to a spouse for the rest of their lives that sexual intercourse is true and authentic.

Why? Because only in this context does what a couple expresses to each other physically — the total and complete gift of themselves — corre-

CALENDAR

ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN Feb. 6-7 Kansas Catholic College Student Conference — Prairie Star Ranch, Williamsburg Feb. 7 KCCSC closing Mass — Prairie Star Ranch Feb. 8-9 Jesus Caritas bishops’ retreat — Salina Feb. 9 Our Lady of Unity — Hispanic presentation of archdiocesan vision Feb. 10 Ash Wednesday Mass 8:15 a.m. — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kansas

Ash Wednesday Mass and luncheon — chancery

Feb. 11 USCCB convocation planning teleconference USCCB Communication Committee virtual meeting

spond to what they have committed to do by their wedding vows with their entire lives. Moreover, it is the marital covenant that provides the optimum environment for a child to be welcomed into the world.

As Catholics, we believe that every human being needs friendship.

We all need close relationships where we experience support, affirmation and affection. Each of us, in this sense, needs to give and receive love.

One of the prevailing cultural myths is that human beings need to be sexually intimate in

World Marriage Day Mass — Holy Trinity, Lenexa Feb. 13 Men Under Construction — Ascension, Overland Park Feb. 14 Installation of Father Ric Halvorson — Holy Spirit, Overland Park Rite of Election — Holy Angels, Basehor

ARCHBISHOP KELEHER Feb. 6 Mass — St. Sebastian, Florida Feb. 7 Mass — St. Sebastian, Florida Feb. 10 Ash Wednesday Mass and luncheon — chancery Feb. 13 Confessions — Men Under Construction, Ascension Feb. 14 Mass — Federal prison camp

order to be happy. This is simply not true and there is overwhelming evidence that being sexually active does not equate to happiness. In reality, just the opposite is true when one engages in sexual activity that is not honest.

The topics raised in the “Love Has No Labels” campaign cannot be adequately addressed in 60-second sound bites.

Nor can they be sufficiently explored in thousand-word newspaper columns. Stay tuned. Next week, I want to continue to reflect upon these important moral and cultural issues.

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

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LEAVEN PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS

Vicki Thorn, who founded Project Rachel, a ministry that provides healing to those affected by abortion, speaks to priests at Church of the Nativity in Leawood about their role in the ministry.

THE UNFORGIVABLE IS NOT Confessor’s role essential to Project Rachel ministry “

By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

L

EAWOOD — Somewhere in the world, a woman is kneeling inside a confessional, trying to speak the unspeakable.

She’s finally mustered the courage to confess a sin that has been burdening her heart for years: an abortion.

And although she trusts God will forgive her, she doesn’t yet feel like she can forgive herself.

That’s where Project Rachel comes in.

The ministry is designed to bring healing and support to those affected by abortion, and Catholic priests play a key role in that mission.

That’s why on Jan. 26, nearly 30 priests from both sides of the state line gathered at Church of the Nativity in Leawood to hear from the leaders of Project Rachel — as well as Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann — about their crucial role in the ministry.

Priests are the pillars of this program “The women I have helped over the years — and it’s been 31 years since Project Rachel started — have said to me again and again, ‘Please tell the priests how important they are to this ministry,’” said program founder Vicki Thorn. “‘Please tell them that when I went to confession, when I met with Father, I saw the face of Jesus.’”

“I know that many times,” Thorn

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) President: Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann

and child, but the father, the siblings, the grandparents, the friends, all of us have been affected,” said Father Alba.

“And we’ve all experienced some sort of that hurt, too,” he added.

“DESPITE ALL OF OUR EFFORTS, I THINK THERE ARE STILL MANY PEOPLE THAT CONSIDER ABORTION AS THE ONE UNFORGIVABLE SIN. [WE NEED TO] HELP THEM TO REALIZE THAT’S NOT THE CASE.”

Making the most of this Year of Mercy

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann told the gathered clergy, “your lives are hard. You’ve got all kinds of parish problems and other things going on.

And in our world, sometimes you’re not appreciated.

“But what you do is so important to God’s work.”

It is estimated that some 10 million Catholic women and men have been impacted by an abortion.

The burden, said Archbishop Naumann, is often too great for them to handle alone.

“There are a lot of post-abortive individuals sitting in our pews each and every Sunday. Many of them have perhaps sought reconciliation, but many haven’t,” he continued.

“Despite all of our efforts, I think there are still many people that consider abortion as the one unforgivable sin,” said the archbishop. “[We need to] help them to realize that’s not the case.”

How can we help?

The leaders of Project Rachel want people to know that the members and ministries of the Catholic Church are a

resource for those hurting from abortion.

“When we invite people to tell their stories, we’re changing out the stereotype,” said Thorn, “because the stereotype is we are the enemy, we are going to condemn them, we’re going to yell at them.”

In reality, “we not only promote life, but we are the first ones to go into the battlefield and look for the wounded, and minister to those who have had an abortion with compassion and mercy,” said Pat Klausner, program coordinator of the Project Rachel ministry in Kansas.

Listening attentively is a major way we can help these men and women begin to heal.

Thorn also urged the priests to reach out to all the “walking wounded,” not just the women who have had an abortion.

That point really resonated with at least one priest in the audience, Father Gerard Alba of Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa.

“To realize that not just the mother

Editor Reverend Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

Reporter Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org

The event’s speakers highlighted the significant role this Year of Mercy will play for all who have sins weighing on their hearts, especially abortion. “[Often] in your ministry, you’ve had the opportunity, and a very challenging opportunity, to minister to couples who have lost a child,” said Archbishop Naumann.

“When you layer on top of that — in the case of abortion — not only have I lost a child but . . . I chose the death of my child . . . what a profound experience of guilt that can be,” he continued.

“Normally when we grieve something, we’ve got this network, this support group, that helps us and accompanies us,” said the archbishop. “But the post-abortive individual most often feels cut off from that.”

That’s what makes Project Rachel an “amazingly transformative” ministry, said Klausner, who believes the key to showing mercy is being gentle.

“There’s no need for us to heap any more guilt on them,” she said. “Because, believe me, they heap enough of that on themselves.”

Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109.

For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

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Speaker encourages families to integrate faith into their daily lives

By Katie Hyde Special to The Leaven

Living the liturgical year during Lent and Easter

T

OPEKA — Lisa Cotter knows the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, like the back of her hand.

She grew up here, attended Holy Spirit Grade School and St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, met her husband at Prairie Star Ranch in Williamsburg and attended Benedictine College in Atchison.

You could call her the archkck guru.

She’s also an expert on youth, having worked at the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), an organization of young Catholic missionaries that evangelizes on college campuses.

Over the weekend of Jan. 22-24, Cotter reconnected to her Kansas roots, returning to the archdiocese to give multiple talks in Topeka covering the theology of the body, living the liturgical year and self-respect.

Cotter’s first talk was at Hayden High School, where she spoke separately to male and female students, helping them navigate the challenges of adolescence through faith in God. Hayden president Rick Strecker acknowledged the importance of these kind of talks, which often reiterate church teachings in a new light.

“Students hear about morality, respect and spirituality from their parents, from their pastors and from teachers and personnel at the school,” said Strecker. “I think it’s very valuable for people from the outside to repeat that or present it in a slightly different fashion. I think her message was very important for our students to hear from someone in her position.”

It was a message the students quickly took to heart.

“I think they enjoyed the humor that she brought to her presentation,” said Strecker.

Following her day at Hayden, Cotter spent all day Saturday at Christ the

Goal: Do the Stations of the Cross as a family.

Get creative: Create a box full of homemade symbols representing each of the Stations.

Kleenex could represent Veronica wiping the face of Jesus or a nail could represent Jesus being nailed to the cross. Help your children organize the symbols into the 14 Stations. Light a candle for each Station and let your children blow out the candle after saying each Station.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE MCSORLEY

Lisa Cotter, an expert on youth, worked for the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, an organization of young Catholic missionaries that evangelizes on college campuses. She spoke at Hayden High School in Topeka as well as Christ the King Church there the weekend of Jan. 22-24, on topics ranging from the theology of the body to living the liturgical year within the family.

King Church in Topeka, where she first addressed a talk exclusively to women.

“Her basic message, which is a good one to hear, is that our identity as human persons is rooted in God,” said Father Mitchel Zimmerman, pastor of Christ the King. “For women to know that if they’re asking the question, ‘Who am I?’ and ‘What’s my full dignity as a woman?,’ the Catholic Church has a beautiful teaching on this rooted in God and [the] theology of the body.”

Cotter’s final talk brought together families of the community to discuss how they can live out the liturgical year in their homes — armed with some creative thinking.

“If you want to build Catholic culture and you want to pass on the faith in real and tangible ways, church can’t be just something that you do on Sunday, something that you do when you go to religious education or you go to school,” Cotter explained to the families. “It has to be something that

you breathe.”

“We have to give our children and youth something to catch,” she said.

“We have to present something to them so that they can catch it and internalize it and cling to it. So where do we begin?”

Some of Cotter’s suggestions can be found in the sidebar accompanying this story.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, who attended the event and introduced Cotter, underscored the critical importance of strong Catholic families.

“Supporting strong micro-families is a way of evangelization,” Archbishop Naumann said. “And it doesn’t just evangelize their own members but other Catholic families, who see they are families of joy. They’re drawn to that, they want to be around those families. They want to know what makes these families so vibrant, so alive.”

Goal: Fast as a family.

Get creative: Give up something for Lent as a family, rather than creating your own individual goals.

That way, you as a family are in solidarity during Lent. To get even more creative, make a crown of thorns using toothpicks and sticks and ask your children to remove a toothpick every time they make a sacrifice during Lent.

Goal: Teach almsgiving to your children.

Get creative: If your children have an allowance, speak to them about giving 10 percent or more during Lent. Also, create “blessing bags” — grocery bags full of food items to give to the homeless.

Goal: Celebrate the Easter Triduum as a family.

Get creative: Make unleavened bread as a family on Holy Thursday or make a paschal candle as a family on Holy Saturday.

Goal: Celebrate Easter.

Get creative: Decorate the crown of thorns you used during Lent with flowers. Create a Resurrection scene much like the Nativity scene you may have in your home during Advent and Christmas.

Benedictine nun calls her jail ministry in Atchison a ‘privilege’ >> Continued from page 1 invited Sister Maria to join her on a trip to the local jail. The Atchison County Jail was housing immigrant detainees at the time. Sister Maria spoke Spanish, giving her a unique opportunity to overcome the language barrier that creates an obstacle for so many trying to minister to the immigrant inmates.

“There is mystery involved in the call to a ministry,” said Sister Maria. “Before I received an invitation from our Sister Rita Claire Judge to join her at our county jail, being a part of such a ministry never even entered my mind.”

But once it did, she never looked back.

“I have felt enriched by the preparation for my weekly visits to the jail and have received so many graces because of my contact with the detainees and staff members,” she said.

Her ministry involves a weekly Bible study that she leads inside one of the jail’s pods. Here, both men and women are welcome to gather around a table and join in on the conversation. Or not.

Either way, Sister Maria makes it a point to greet every person when she arrives.

Sister Maria said many of the inmates show a real interest in learning more

“

“I HAVE FELT ENRICHED BY THE PREPARATION FOR MY WEEKLY VISITS TO THE JAIL AND HAVE RECEIVED SO MANY GRACES BECAUSE OF MY CONTACT WITH THE DETAINEES.” Sister Maria Larkin, OSB

about the Bible. But because there are not many Catholics and more than one denomination in the group, she keeps the study very ecumenical.

Regardless of their religious identification or level of scriptural knowledge, Sister Maria said it is evident that “the Spirit dwells within these men and women.”

While most people would likely admit to feeling intimated, nervous or hesitant about entering a room full of inmates, Sister Maria has felt nothing

but welcomed.

“Great hospitality is given to me,” she said. “I guess I am a ‘grandmother figure.’ Everybody is respectful to and loves a grandmother.”

“I have never been nervous or afraid,” she added. “But there have been a few days when I felt tired and I hesitated to make a visit. However, on those occasions, I always felt invigorated soon after being with the detainees.”

The men and women Sister Maria ministers to often express their gratitude with the gift of a drawing, a poem, a paper flower, or a note of appreciation.

“I have several binders of artwork, poems and letters that I have received from Atchison County detainees,” she said. “Much of their artwork reflects people who have talent and deep religious feeling.”

Fourteen years of visiting inmates has led Sister Maria to encounter many different people from all walks of life. Some relationships even continue after the inmates leave Atchison.

“I write regularly to a number of men who are now in prison, including a man currently on death row,” she said.

At 87 years old, Sister Maria has no plans to retire from her ministry anytime soon. As she continues this special

assembly with the inmates, she hopes others will learn to open their hearts to these men and women in a similar way.

“I am hoping some will say, ‘Visiting the incarcerated is something that I could do.’ Or, ‘This is an important ministry, and I shall pray for prisoners and those who minister to them,’” she said.

Sister Maria said that for those who are drawn to this ministry, it can be a very rewarding experience.

“One grows spiritually and helps others to do the same,” she said. “It may not be possible for most people to devote the necessary time for preparation and for regular visits, but it is a great ministry for those who can pursue it.”

Though Sister Maria feels everything discussed in the pod during Bible study is significant, one message has become central for her to share — that is, to remind these men and women of God’s limitless love.

“It’s easy for those unacquainted with prisoners to think that these people are evil, dangerous, frightening individuals,” she said. “When one meets them face to face, it is not difficult to love them.”

“They are usually people who struggle to survive in difficult situations,” she said. “It is a privilege to be able to remind them that God loves them.”

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

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Call to Share upholds dignity of human life at every stage

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ach year, the Archbishop’s Call to Share appeal helps fund ministries and services that reach the poor, sick and vulnerable throughout the archdiocese. Thousands of people at every stage of life depend on our local church every day. Through ministries like the pro-life office, Catholic Charities and Villa St. Francis in Olathe, we respond to their needs and build up a culture of life in our community.

erty, but we still have a lot of work to do.”

Serving people in their senior years

Enlivening pro-life efforts The archdiocesan pro-life office offers a bold witness of the “Gospel of Life.” Pro-life efforts reach women and men in need of physical and spiritual support. The office speaks out in defense of unborn children and helps young mothers and fathers choose life for their children.

The Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic in Kansas City, Kansas, an interfaith clinic serving more than 400 patients each year, provides medical care and support to help young mothers choose life and to uphold them in that decision. For those who have had an abortion, spiritual support and healing are available through Project Rachel.

“Project Rachel helps heal the wounds that result from an abortion,” said Ron Kelsey, director of the pro-life office. “It’s an important way for people to receive the support they need to overcome their pain and to experience Christ’s mercy and peace.”

The pro-life office also works to build awareness about public policy relating to pro-life issues.

“We encourage everyone to take their values into the public square and the voting booth,” said Kelsey. “People

Villa St. Francis in Olathe is a skilled-nursing facility that offers high quality medical care while promoting the “Gospel of Life” by serving seniors with love, compassion and respect. of all faiths look up to the Catholic Church as a fearless defender of human life.”

Reaching the poor through Catholic Charities Many people in our archdiocese receive assistance through Catholic Charities. The organization promotes a culture of life by serving hundreds of thousands of people each year. Immigrants, the poor, the chronically homeless and the unemployed turn to Catholic Charities for help. The organization responds through its nine food pantries, in-home support programs, retail thrift stores and tran-

sitional housing support. In 2015 alone, its food pantries served more than 147,000 meals.

“We lead with food,” said Kelly Kearney, vice president of development.

“Food brings people through the door, then we can help them with employment, housing, health care and many other services to move them toward a healthy, productive life.”

Catholic Charities has made great strides in the fight against homelessness and poverty, but the need continues to grow.

“If poverty were a city in Johnson County,” Kearney continued, “it would be the fifth largest and fastest growing city in the area. I wish I could say that more people are getting up out of pov-

Villa St. Francis promotes the “Gospel of Life” by serving seniors with love, compassion and respect. The skilled-nursing facility boasts a team of dedicated health care professionals who offer top-notch medical care in a faith-filled, comfortable setting. Villa provides skilled care, memory care, short-term rehab and spiritual support for its residents.

While high quality medical care is a top priority, what really sets Villa St. Francis apart is its Catholic mission and identity. Two orders of religious Sisters — many of whom are registered nurses — work at Villa St. Francis. An entire wing is dedicated as a residence for retired priests, and Mass is celebrated daily.

“Many of our residents attended daily Mass in their parishes for years,” said Rodney Whittington, CFO. “It means everything to them to have morning Mass, prayer and religious Sisters caring for them. With your support, Villa St. Francis can continue to offer a home for seniors where physical and spiritual needs are met every day.”

Pope Francis recently proclaimed, “All life has inestimable value. Even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor are masterpieces of God’s creation.”

Through your support of the Archbishop’s Call to Share appeal, you share Christ’s mercy with those in need and strengthen our mission to uphold the dignity of human life at every stage.

Legislators depend on concerned Catholics to mobilize

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

T

OPEKA — The threat to religious liberty has Kansas Catholics seeing red, and the state’s bishops hope Kansas legislators will see a whole lot of the same on Feb. 17.

Fired-up Catholics wearing red, that is.

The Kansas Catholic Conference is putting out the call for Catholics from across the state — and especially those near and in Topeka — to come to the state Capitol at noon on Feb. 17 for a “Rally for Religious Freedom.”

And to make a point, the conference asks rally attendees to wear red.

Rally speakers will include Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation.

In recent years, Catholics have seen an increasing number of threats to religious freedom, said Michael Schuttloffel, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, the public policy instrument of the state’s Catholic bishops.

These threats include the contraception and abortifacient mandates in the Affordable Care Act, Catholic Charities being forced to cease adoptions in some states and the violation of the rights of small business owners to refuse service in instances that violate their conscience or contradict their faith.

The bishops are gravely concerned that a new threat to religious liberty has arisen in the form of a bill introduced in the Kansas Legislature this session.

“We don’t think it should be illegal to run an adoption ministry or a wedding business in accordance with Christian teaching on human sexuality,” said Schuttloffel.

“Yet,” he continued, “a bill that would make it illegal to decline complicity in a same-sex wedding ceremony or to only place adoptive children where they would have a mom and dad was given a hearing the first week of the legislative session.”

That threat is House Bill 2323, which would amend the Kansas Act Against Discrimination to include the words “sexual orientation or gender identity.” The bill also contains language that weakens religious accommodation. It was introduced through the House Judiciary Committee.

“We’re having this rally because Kansas is considering passing legislation pertaining to granting special protections to people who identify as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender),” said Bill Scholl, archdiocesan consultant for social justice.

“This sounds like a good thing,” he continued. “The church is against all forms of unjust discrimination, and our faith teaches us to treat everyone with love, kindness and respect. However, as we’ve seen across the country,

these laws quickly become ‘weaponized’ and [are] used to discriminate against people who hold a traditional, natural law, biblical view of morality.”

Many Kansas legislators want to do the right thing, but they need to know that people of religious convictions will mobilize to protect religious liberty, said Scholl.

“As Catholics, we need to stand up to defend our right to practice our religion and not be worried about our institutions being turned against us to force behavior that our faith teaches is wrong,” he said.

Scholl is asking all parishes, schools and other entities that are organizing buses or vans to go to the rally to contact him at (913) 647-0317 or online at: socialjustice@archkck.org.

The bishops are asking Catholics to stand with them. It’s important, said Schuttloffel, for faithful Catholics to respond to their call.

“We need as many people of faith as possible to come to the Kansas Capitol on Feb. 17 to show lawmakers that despite [the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges] decision, and despite the way the mainstream media portrays these issues as being some sort of historical inevitability, in fact, people of faith who believe in the authentic understanding of marriage are not going anywhere,” said Schuttloffel.

“We expect our First Amendment free exercise of rights to be protected.”

Meet me at the rally Time: Noon to 1 p.m.

Date: Wed., Feb. 17 Place: Inside the rotunda of the state Capitol in Topeka Parking: Free parking at the Kansas Expocentre and round-trip shuttle to and from the Capitol is available from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Instructions: Wear red and come early. Be prepared for lines and some waiting as rally-goers must pass through security screening. Check the Kansas Catholic Conference for information about parking and the rally.

Be heard!: For information about how to contact your state senators and representatives, go to the Kansas Catholic Conference website at: www.kscathconf.org.

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS Joe and Mary (Grollmes) Wessel, members of St. Ann Parish, Effingham, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Feb. 11.

The couple was married on Feb. 11, 1956, at Immaculate Conception Church, Valley Falls. The couple celebrated with their family. Their children are: Judy Jackson, Lancaster; Steve Wessel, Baldwin City; Linda Kearney, Atchison; Pat Wessel, Valley Falls; and Marlene Westermann, Everest. They also have 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Irene (Olberding) and Melvin Heinen, members of St. Bede Parish, Kelly, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Feb. 8.

The couple was married at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Seneca.

Their children are: Kent Heinen, Craig Heinen, Wendi Lucero and Daron Heinen.

Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or send an email to: todd.habiger@ theleaven.org.

WEB EXCLUSIVE

Digital Lent offered by Apostles of the Interior Life

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — You may already know what you’re giving up for Lent — but do you know what you’re

taking up?

Beginning Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10, archdiocesan Catholics will have an opportunity to “take up” a digital Lenten journey to Easter with the Apostles of the Interior Life.

Through the archdiocesan Digital Media Center, the Apostles will present video and audio Lenten reflections on a daily basis.

The audio reflections will appear on weekdays, and the videos will appear on Sundays, holy days and other special days

National Marriage Week

World Marriage Day Celebration Thursday, February 11, 2016 6:30 p.m.

Holy Trinity Catholic Church 13615 West 92nd Street Lenexa, KS 66215

Married couples are invited to celebrate their Sacrament of Marriage Mass will be concelebrated by

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann & Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. Followed by a reception and presentation by

Jon Leonetti

International Catholic Speaker, Author and Radio Host Call: 913 647 0329 or www.archkck.org/mfl2015

Made possible by the Archbishop’s Call to Share and Worldwide Marriage Encounter

such as Ash Wednesday and during Holy Week.

These reflections are short, lasting no more than one to two minutes, and are an excellent way to begin each day, according to Tim Chik, director of Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas.

You may view these reflections through the archdiocesan Digital Media Center by going to: resources.archkck.org. You may also access the reflections through your tablet or smartphone by selecting the app “Catholic Media ArchKCK.” The Lenten reflections are free.

No password or registration is required.

CHURCH OF THE WEEK St. Benedict, Atchison Address: 1000 N. 2nd, 66002 Phone: (913) 367-0671 Parochial administrator: Abbot Barnabas Senecal, OSB Mass Times: Sunday, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Website: http://stbenedictatchison. org

Video

A video tour of this church is available online at: www.theleaven.org.

More photos of this church can be seen online at: www.theleaven.org.

6

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

P

ope Francis stands out among all church leaders — or world leaders, for that matter — in his unequivocal call to everyone to understand the plight of the poor and suffering of this world, and to respond with mercy and justice.

Whether he is speaking about the poor living in the squalor of the barrios of his native Argentina or the plight of the refugees from Syria, his call to us is both to see the face of Jesus in those who experience the dehumanization and daily pain of displacement, poverty and hunger, and to bring the face of Jesus to these who are also the children of God, made in his own image and infinitely beloved by their Redeemer.

Mercy is nothing more or less than the unconditional love that Jesus has for every human being on the planet and that same love that we are to have for all our brothers and sisters who share this world with us.

I believe that this is the core message of the Gospel, as well as the untiring call of our Holy Father. It all stems from who God is, and who we are as human beings — God’s children, redeemed by his Son. This message spills over in all aspects of our spiritual and religious lives. It is at the heart of all genuine spirituality.

How do you relate to your family members, to your neighbors, to your church, to the broader community, to

With Lent less than a week away, longtime pastor/writer encourages Catholics to . . .

TAKE IT PERSONALLY

BY MSGR. CHARLES MCGLINN

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE MCSORLEY

Msgr. Charles McGlinn explores love and mercy through Jesus in this Lenten reflection. our world? Indeed, if this mercy is not at the center of these relationships, or if we are not at least trying to make

it so, then our spirituality and our religiosity is unreal.

I believe that mercy is a difficult

virtue to put into effect in our lives, unless we have ourselves experienced the mercy and love of Jesus personally.

Have you seen the face of Jesus or felt his mercy when you were alone, or frightened, or in pain, or terrified of the future?

Did you feel his presence when you were out of work, or when a loved one was terribly ill?

Did you only experience emptiness or aloneness when you tried to pray when you were in some personal turmoil or crisis?

“Come to me,” he tells us, “all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will refresh you.”

Are you able to hear these words of Jesus and take them personally?

Perhaps we sometimes think that my problems don’t matter, I am not worthy of the mercy, the forgiveness, the concern of our infinite God. Perhaps we need to have greater faith in what Jesus did for us on Calvary. If you look at a crucifix and do not take it personally, you have missed the point.

He died for you. Take it personally.

Faith is not just a feeling. Faith, at its heart, is a decision.

We decide whether or not we accept Jesus’ personal, irrevocable love for us.

Once we experience, internally, that love and mercy of Jesus for us, perhaps we can extend that same love and mercy to everyone else.

7

VISIT A NURSING HOME. GIVING YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION CAN BE A WONDERFUL THING.

LENT: A TEACHABLE, REACHABLE TIME FOR FAMILIES

BY JOE BOLLIG

T joe.bollig@theleaven.org

raditionally, Catholics have relied on the three pillars of Lent to guide them in preparing their souls for Easter. The three pillars are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

The purpose of these Lenten devotional practices is to open ourselves to conversion, repentance and a more intimate relationship with God. There are a lot of things you can do for Lent at home as a family when you consider the following: • There are many forms and ways of prayer • Fasting and abstaining can involve many other things than just food. It can involve something normally considered good (a favorite food or activity) or breaking a habit that leads us to sin (gossip or holding grudges).

• Almsgiving is about giving to others in need. Giving includes not only money but also love, time, talent, attention and material goods.

1½ inch wide and about 5 inches long.

Place them in a box or basket with some pencils, markers or pens and some clear tape. Each day, gather as a family to write prayer intentions on the strips, pray and then use the tape to make each strip a link in a paper chain.

Hang the growing chain in a prominent place. Burn the chain and scatter the ashes on Good Friday. Talk about the color purple in Lent and its dual meaning of penance and royal dignity. Talk about how God wants us to pray.

• Memorize a prayer. Start with the basics like the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Act of Contrition, Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel or Memorare.

• Read. Go to a Catholic bookstore and buy something to read for Lent. Buy children’s books to read for daily story times.

If you don’t want to buy a book, borrow books from your parish religious education program or public library.

• Pray a family rosary. Gather for a weekly or daily rosary or Divine Mercy chaplet. If this is too much, consider praying single mysteries and decades after family meals. Rosaries can be prayed at home, on walks or in the car.

• Make a home altar. This is an old Catholic practice that was quite common.

Home altars are simple devotional places, such as a small table against a wall or a stand in a corner.

You can place in this area a crucifix, icon, statue, Bible, rosary, candles, bottle of holy water, holy cards of patron saints and other items.

You can also place items associated with Lent there: nails, a crown of thorns, a cross, a dish of ashes, crackers (symbolizing unleavened bread) and so on.

If you wish, you can set up some comfortable chairs or something to kneel on for prayer times, or merely gather and pray while standing.

• Start a family Bible time. Pick verses that relate to the paschal mysteries. Print them out and cut them into strips. Place them in a box or jar and have a family member take one out at mealtimes and read. Save the strips to make into a paper chain.

• Make a cemetery visit. Take walks through a Catholic cemetery and pray for those buried there. Discuss purgatory, heaven and hell. Discuss how Jesus died to save us from our sins and rose from the dead to bring us eternal life.

FASTING

PRAYER First and foremost, families need to make every effort to participate as a family in the activities and liturgies offered at their parishes.

These include seeking out the sacrament of reconciliation, Stations of the Cross, eucharistic adoration, parish missions and retreats.

If it’s more practical, consider making short visits to the church on quiet afternoons as a family to pray the Stations, adore Jesus in the tabernacle or light a votive candle. Take time to explore the

REJECT MATERIALISM. HAVE A SPRING CLEANING AND GIVE UNWANTED ITEMS TO CHARITY. church and “read” the symbolism in the walls, windows, layout and liturgical art or furnishings.

Now then, let’s take it back home.

• Construct a purple paper prayer chain. Take sheets of purple construction paper and cut them into strips about

Traditionally, fasting means eating less food, while abstaining means not eating a certain kind of food. Both are done as penitential acts and for self- denial.

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstaining from eating meat. Additionally, each Friday during Lent is a day of abstinence from meat.

The Lenten regulations concerning fasting and abstinence will appear in The Leaven, on the archdiocesan website and in parish bulletins.

But our Lenten fasting and abstinence can go way beyond what is regulated.

Many people choose to “give up something for Lent” — a food or a behavior — as a form of penance or self-denial in order to grow in holiness.

Lent is a great time to have conversations with your kids about the reasons and benefits of fasting and abstinence.

PRAY A FAMILY ROSARY. GATHER FOR A WEEKLY OR DAILY ROSARY OR DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET. • Compile an accountability list/calendar: Make a list of things to fast or abstain from. Have each family member choose one or more things to fast or abstain from through Lent, or make a Lenten calendar and choose things to abstain from for each day or week.

Here is a list: complaining, calling names, arguing, negativity, sarcasm, laziness, being picky, judging others, anger, lying, cursing, snacking, TV, social media, screen time, video games, the Internet, favorite treats or snacks, sugar, coffee or soda pop, candy and spending excessive time on your smartphone. Of course, you can always add your own items!

• Reject materialism: Have a spring cleaning and clearing on a designated Saturday. Sort through old clothes, toys and other items and give them to a parish rummage house, Catholic Charities, Goodwill, the Salvation Army or Disabled American Veterans thrift stores.

Talk about the importance of not letting materialism take over our lives and instead valuing our relationship with God above all earthly things.

ALMSGIVING Almsgiving is basically giving money to the poor. But the key concept is the “giving” to meet the needs of someone else. This doesn’t always mean money.

• Have a family poor box. For many years, kids have saved small change and placed them in paper “Rice Bowls” to benefit Catholic Relief Services.

This is great, but families can also

make their own Lenten family “poor box” and collect money to be given to a designated charity or ministry at the end of Lent.

• Visit a nursing home. Giving your time and attention can be a wonderful thing. Decorate some Easter baskets and fill them with goodies or personal care items. Give the basket or items to the residents. Be sure to call ahead and ask what things are needed or prohibited, or if there are special requests or considerations.

• Stock a food pantry: Collect and donate food and personal care items to a food pantry. Contact the pantry to see if there is a need for particular items.

• Make Easter cards and visits. Identify the elderly or shut-ins of your neighborhood. Make homemade Easter cards and hand-deliver them. Ask residents if they need help shoveling snow, raking leaves or other tasks that are difficult for them.

• Volunteer. Volunteer as a family to work at a soup kitchen or with Catholic Charities.

• Perform acts of charity. Keep a list of little acts of charity done to other members of the family. These could include paying compliments, sharing and doing extra chores.

• Reach out. Call and/or write to someone with whom you’ve fallen out of contact, especially family.

• Enjoy family time. Take the time you would normally spend on individual pursuits (video games, Internet, social media) and spend it on family activities.

Hold a family meeting and make a list of games, activities and fun places to go as a family.

• Celebrate the gift of faith. Talk to someone about Jesus. Invite someone you know who is Catholic but no longer practices the faith to attend a Holy Week service, Easter Vigil or Easter Sunday Mass with you, followed by Easter dinner.

I

THE TASTE OF LENT

t might be fun (and a teachable moment) to gather the kids in the kitchen to make pretzels.

Pretzels are a traditional Lenten food that dates from the fifth century. The name in German means “little arms,” because its shape reminded people of arms crossed in prayer.

According to one legend, the pretzel was invented by a monk as an incentive for children to learn their prayers.

Pretzels were also a practical replacement of the usual mealtime bread that could not be made because of Lenten restric-

tions on using milk, eggs and fats (like butter).

Here’s a simple recipe: Ingredients: • ¼ cup water (85 degrees) • 1 tablespoon dry yeast • ½ teaspoon sugar • 4 ½ cups flour • 1 egg yolk • 1 to 2 teaspoons water or milk • Coarse salt Directions: Let the yeast and sugar dissolve in water for one hour. Add flour to yeast mixture and beat until smooth. Knead mixture for seven to eight minutes. Place in a greased, covered bowl and let the dough rise until it dou-

bles in size. Divide the dough in half; then divide each half into smaller pieces of equal size. Roll each piece in your hands to make pencil shapes 12 to 15 inches long. Shape each length of dough into pretzels. Place them on a greased baking sheet.

Brush them with egg yolk and water or milk mixture.

Sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake at 325 degrees until lightly browned on top.

As you make the pretzels, talk about the meaning of Lenten fasting and abstinence. Note the pretzel’s crossed arms and talk about the importance of prayer. Pray before making and eating them.

Pretzels, a traditional Lenten food that dates back to the fifth century, can be a segue into the meaning of Lenten fasting and abstinence.

WORLD

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

Canadian nun tells of spiritual experience while captive in Cameroon

By Francois Gloutnay Catholic News Service

M

ONTREAL (CNS) — Notre Dame Sister Gilberte Bussiere, 76, was kidnapped in the middle of the night in April 2014, in Tchere, a small hamlet in northern Cameroon.

The Canadian nun said she was shivering with fear when she realized a man was entering her house through the window that night.

“I was wearing a nightdress. He grabbed my arm, pulled me out of my cabin and dragged me through the bushes, then tossed me into a car,” said Sister Bussiere.

“I ended up in the backseat of a car, with seven armed abductors. One of them constantly pointed a gun at me. They were laughing and humiliating me, making fun of the fact that I screamed furiously during my capture. They were very disrespectful, trying to lift my nightdress.”

Sister Bussiere, who had served as a missionary in Cameroon since 1979, returned to Canada after her June 1, 2014, release. During a public lecture delivered in Montreal in January, she disclosed some details about what she went through during her captivity.

She said the first two hours of her abduction were stressful. Then, she said, she “chose to let things go.”

“I must see things through the eyes of faith, confidence, abandonment and hope. It soothed me. I felt somehow serene during our 11-hour car ride through the backcountry,” she said.

Sister Bussiere tried to keep the same state of mind for the next 58 days.

“Our material deprivation was harsh. We had nothing, besides our clothes,” she said. “But I found out that when you’re deprived of everything, God looks after you and fulfills you

CNS PHOTO/FRANCOIS GLOUTNAY, PRESENCE

Notre Dame Sister Gilberte Bussiere, 76, pictured in a Jan. 11 photo, was kidnapped in April 2014 in northern Camero0n, where she had been a missionary since 1979. She was released after two months and now lives in Montreal. with everything you may need.”

“I never felt so much God’s presence as I did during my captivity. I never enjoyed more deeply the soothing power of God’s words, as well as the joys of prayer,” said Sister Bussiere.

“That feeling was so strong that it led me to believe that I wasn’t living in a state of absolute deprivation. Someone else was carrying that burden for me. That weight, that burden, Christ was living it for me and lifting it for me, from within myself. I thus felt an overwhelming peace of mind, an unexplainable freedom and serenity.”

She was kept with two kidnapped Italian priests, Fathers Gianantonio Allegri and Giampaolo Marta. They prayed together every day.

“In the morning, one of the priests

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suggested that we meditate on a few verses from the Gospel of Matthew.

Since we had no Bible, we walked three or four miles, trying to remember each and every word of the text.

We then came back and discussed about it for an hour and a half. We were amazed about what we could find out. We then tried to find some time to meditate and contemplate,” she said.

Sister Bussiere said she never felt any hatred toward her abductors. “Our guards . . . were between 14 and 25 years old. They were hungry and hopeless youngsters. They were there because they couldn’t even feed themselves.

They couldn’t read and never went to school whatsoever. We couldn’t even talk with them, since they only spoke Haoussa, a Nigerian dialect.”

“When people are hungry, when they have no access to education or health care, they get angry. Some of them become extremists. No, there’s no way I can feel any hatred toward them.”

One morning, after the guards found a beehive, “they gave us a spoonful of honey.” Tea infusions made the petroleum-flavored water more palatable.

“We preciously saved our tea bags, drying them on the branch of a tree.

But sooner or later, the tea ended up being tasteless. We then showed our empty tea box to the guards. At the end of the month, as soon as they received their pay, they bought some more tea and gave us seven tea bags.

Can we honestly say that these men are our enemies?” asked Sister Bussiere.

She now talks of her experience as one “full of silence, prayer and reflection.”

“From a spiritual standpoint, it’s been a wonderful experience. Retrospectively, I almost tend to see it as a blessing,” she said.

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Government asks women to delay pregnancy SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (CNS) — The Salvadoran bishops have made no comment on a government recommendation to women to delay pregnancy because of the Zika virus, and priests contacted by Catholic News Service gave varied responses on their reaction. The recommendation to not get pregnant “is illusory, the state doesn’t have a say regarding the private matters of the citizens, especially in regard to the procreation of children,” Father Jose Antonio Ventura, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in San Juan Opico, told Catholic News Service. He added that the Salvadoran state has unsuccessfully tried to eradicate the mosquito, and their efforts should continue to focus on that direction. “If someone asks me for advice, I would say that the important thing is to get rid of the larvae, but I can’t say do not get pregnant,” he added. Health officials have urged women to postpone their pregnancies for two years, because the Zika virus can produce microcephaly, a rare neurological condition that causes smaller heads in newborns, affecting the normal development of their brain.

Garbage picker challenges congress to help poor CEBU, Philippines (CNS) — Maria Georgia “Maggie” Cogtas of Cebu told of a childhood without playing, only tough work as a garbage picker at dumpsites, construction sites and on the streets. Cogtas, 21, also told more than 12,000 people at the 51st International Eucharistic Congress about the massive celebration two weeks ago commemorating the child Jesus, who has been venerated in Cebu for hundreds of years.

“On our peripheries were children scavenging, begging, busy selling cold water, food and candles in the perimeters of our churches,” said Cogtas. “As we happily celebrated the child Jesus, other children needed our attention. What have we done for them?

Or are they also receiving the pathetic and emotionless look I got from people back when I was a street child?” Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria, posed a similar question to the delegates.

“Can we celebrate the Eucharist together in the International Eucharistic Congress with all pomp and pageantry and [then] allow everybody to crawl back into our respective oases of poverty and misery, or affluence and indifference?” he asked.

NATION

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

Linebacker says faith impacts his outlook on life

By SueAnn Howell Catholic News Service

Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in HHS mandate cases March 23

W

C

HARLOTTE, N.C. (CNS) — Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers, the team going up against the Denver Broncos in the Feb. 7 Super Bowl, credits his parents and his Catholic faith for making a positive impact on his NFL career and his outlook on life.

“I went to a Catholic grade school, Jesuit high school and a Jesuit college, and I think you just learn certain things growing up in that environment. Really, the biggest thing I learned from it is respect and to treat people correctly,” he said after a Jan. 28 practice.

“Your background has something to do with it, but my parents I think were the biggest impact on that, as far as to be a good person. You know, it’s not that hard, as long as you’re nice to people, everything works out,” he told the Catholic News Herald, newspaper of the Diocese of Charlotte. “Treat people how you want to be treated. It’s pretty straightforward stuff, and I think it makes things easier.”

Kuechly, a product of St. Xavier High School, a Catholic boys school, near his hometown of Evendale, Ohio, and a graduate of Boston College, is known as a fierce competitor who does not give up, a natural and humble leader, the person everyone calls “the nicest guy on the team.”

When he was in the fourth grade, Kuechly first played organized football with Cincinnati’s Catholic Youth Organization. In high school, he was a two-time All Greater Catholic League selection.

Kuechly, a three-time All America linebacker for Boston College, was the ninth overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

He was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in the 2012 season, and followed that up by being named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press in 2013, joining Lawrence Taylor as the only players in NFL history to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and NFL Defensive Player of the Year in successive years.

Kuechly said he doesn’t really have a special patron saint or a special prayer he

11

CNS PHOTO/BOB DONNAN-USA TODAY SPORTS VIA REUTERS

Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly returns an interception for a touchdown Jan. 17 against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional round playoff game. Kuechly, who will be the starting linebacker when the Panthers play the Denver Broncos in the Feb. 7 Super Bowl, credits his parents and his Catholic faith for making a positive impact on his NFL career and his outlook on life. always says before a game.

“We say a couple prayers in the locker room before games, though,” he said.

The team is often seen praying at each game, and players are known as much for their charitable works off the field, especially for children in need.

Charitable works also were getting attention from supporters of both teams headed to the Super Bowl.

Gerry Carter, CEO and executive director of Catholic Charities of Charlotte, and Larry Smith, CEO and president of Catholic Charities of Denver, agreed to raise $50,000 by the end of the game in a fundraiser called Charity Bowl 50.

“It’s a worthy cause that will have a major impact on the lives of the poor and needy in each of our communities,” Carter said. “All of our team’s fans and Catholic Charities in the Carolinas look forward to this challenge, and the inevitable victory that will be ours.”

Smith responded that Denver is not afraid of a challenge.

“Through Charity Bowl 50, Denver

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football fans have a real opportunity to show they have the best team spirit and a passion for serving others,” Smith said.

“This challenge is a true win for both Denver and Charlotte, but there’s no doubt we will seize the victory.”

Anyone can participate in Charity Bowl 50 to help one of the charities raise the most money by donating online at CharityBowl50.org.

The site began accepting online donations Jan. 31 and will take them until the end of the Super Bowl Feb. 7. The donations will be tallied and counted toward the total amount raised. The winning charity’s CEO planned to hold a victory celebration during which charity employees will dump cold sports drinks over him. The losing charity’s CEO will dress in the opposing team’s colors and send a message of congratulations to the other charity.

The competition can be tracked on social media with the hashtag #CharityBowl50.

ASHINGTON (CNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court Jan. 29 announced that it will hear oral arguments March 23 in seven pending appeals in lawsuits brought by several Catholic and other faith-based entities against the Obama administration’s contraceptive mandate.

Among the plaintiffs are the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Archdiocese of Washington, the Pittsburgh and Erie dioceses, Priests for Life, Southern Nazarene University and Texas Baptist University.

The cases are being referred to collectively as Zubik v. Burwell. Bishop David A. Zubik heads the Diocese of Pittsburgh and Sylvia Mathews Burwell is the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Under the federal Affordable Care Act, most employers, including religious ones, are required to cover employees’ artificial birth control, sterilization and abortifacients, even if employers are morally opposed to such coverage.

In all of the cases to be argued before the high court in March, appellate courts in various jurisdictions sided with the Obama administration. The rulings said the religious entities’ freedom of religion was not burdened by having to comply with the mandate as they have argued, because the federal government has in place an accommodation, or “work around,” for a third party to provide the contested coverage.

These employers must notify HHS in writing of their religious objections. Then HHS or the Department of Labor in turn tells insurers and third-party administrators that they must cover the services at no charge to employees.

But the religious groups object to that third-party notification, saying they still would be complicit in supporting practices they oppose.

Only those religious employers that meet narrow criteria set by the Obama administration are exempt from the mandate. Houses of worship are exempt, for example, but most Catholic and other religious employers are not.

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Pilgrimage to England and Scotland September 12 – 21, 2016 Free brochure: office.olohopekc@gmail.com

JANUARY 29, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT Executive director - Catholic Charities is seeking an exceptional individual to lead the organization with the mission: “Inspired by God’s love, Catholic Charities alleviates poverty and builds strong families in the Diocese of Wichita.” The executive director will provide strategic leadership and management for programs focused on stabilizing and strengthening families — addressing issues such as homelessness, domestic violence, pregnancy, and veterans’ support, mental health, immigration assistance, and care for seniors and adults with disabilities.

Ideal candidates will possess the following: • Be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the church and possessing an understanding and acceptance of Catholic social teaching, and the ability to maintain Catholic identity throughout the organization • Bachelor’s degree and 10 years’ experience managing an organization similar to Catholic Charities, or comparable executive management experience • Proven ability to create a vibrant vision for the future • Proven fundraising capability and ability to understand financials, develop budgets and operate within budget guidelines • Strong interpersonal management and communication skills with demonstrated ability to lead collaborative activities with other entities such as the board and public and private donors • Serves as chief spokesperson for Catholic Charities in the community, internally and externally, so prior media relations and proven presentation skills helpful • Ability to identify, attract, retain, inspire and develop talented individuals to serve in key employment and volunteer capacities • Ties to Diocese of Wichita preferred, and ability to commit to longer term assignment with capability to build strong local connections.

Salary will be commensurate with education and experience. Please apply online by going to Employment Opportunities at: www.CatholicCharitiesWichita.org where a cover letter, resume, references and salary requirements may be uploaded. Application deadline is Feb. 12.

Catholic high school president - Bishop Miege High School, Johnson County, KS, has an opening for president beginning in the 2016-17 school year. Bishop Miege currently has an enrollment of 723 and employs 55 teachers in grades 9 through 12. The school is sponsored by 18 parishes in Johnson County, Kansas, and is governed by a board of trustees. The president reports to the board of trustees. Applicants for president must be practicing Catholics and understand the mission of Catholic education.

The president is the chief administrator of the school and is responsible for all school operations, in particular, faith formation, student recruitment, facilities maintenance, strategic planning and overall school advancement. In addition, the Bishop Miege president works collaboratively with the Bishop Miege High School Foundation board of trustees. Applicants should possess proven success in leadership, preferably in a Catholic high school or nonprofit setting. Please complete the online application at: www.archkckcs.org and also send a resume and credentials to: Superintendent Dr. Kathleen A. O’Hara, Catholic School Office, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109.

Application deadline is Feb. 29, with the expectation that interviews will begin shortly thereafter.

Sales professional - We respect your many years of experience; we value and need your wisdom. We only ask if you are “coachable”? If so, Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas has openings for sales trainees in our Johnson, Shawnee and Wyandotte County area cemeteries.

An excellent earning of $40K to $50K+ in commissions is legitimate income potential for the first year. Training allowance your first 30 days, then draw commission with bonus opportunities. Medical, life, dental, optical, prescription, 401(k) plans, etc., are some of the many perks our employees receive. Excellent opportunities for women and men interested in a sales career and in helping people.

Advancement opportunities are available for hard-working and focused individuals. Must be willing to work some evenings and weekends when our client families are available to see us in their homes. Once you learn our formula for success, your schedule is determined by you. Please email your resume and contact information to: dvanthullenar@ cathcemks.org or fax to (913) 353-1413.

Personal banker - The First National Bank branch in Prairie Village, located in the Corinth Square Shopping Center, is seeking a full-time personal banker with account opening experience. Resumes can be emailed to: dwagner@ bankfirst.com.

Executive director – Catholic Campus Ministry Association – Dedicated, inspiring leader committed to Catholic campus ministry. Demonstrated success in nonprofit leadership and mission development; Catholic campus ministry or related field experience; excellent speaking, writing, leadership, management, organizational skills; and ability to travel. Send cover letter, resume, and salary requirement to: info@ccmanet.org by Feb. 29.

Director of facility operations - St. James Academy is looking for a director of facility operations. The director will lead a team that is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the building, grounds, vehicles, equipment and security system and for the safe and efficient operation of same. He/she will also be involved in planning and coordination of facility or grounds modifications and new construction in future years. Start date will be June 1. Please send resume and cover letter by email to Linda White at: lwhite@sjakeepingfaith.org or by mail to 24505 Prairie Star Pkwy., Lenexa, KS 66227.

Part-time administrator - Knights of Columbus, Eastern Kansas Insurance Agency, 1275 S.W. Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66612. 20 - 25 hours per week. Please send resume to: john.mahon@kofc.org.

Marketing position - We are looking for a bilingual (English and Spanish), motivated and personable person to aid in our local expansion. We are a publicly traded national marketing company expanding here in the Midwest. We offer complete training in a positive environment. This position is part time and has flexible hours. Send email with resume and inquiries to: localsearch1980@gmail.com.

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas currently has three full-time openings: - Consultant for pro-life - Consultant for deaf and hard of hearing - Accounts payable/payroll accountant Please visit our website at: www.archkck.org/jobs to view the full job descriptions. Interested individuals should mail cover letter, resume and application by Feb. 15 to: Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Office of Human Resources, Job Search, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, or send via email to: jobs@archkck.org.

Part-time customer service specialist - Wellington is searching for a part-time customer service specialist that interacts with clients and delivers best-practice customer service via the telephone and online. S/he must possess an energetic, customer-focused demeanor and be willing to go the extra mile in solving challenges and meeting client requests whenever possible. In addition, the customer service specialist will assist account management teams with a variety of tasks that require excellent organization and problem-solving skills. Hours are M - F from 4 - 8 p.m. Apply online at: https://wellingtonexperience. com/careers? $15 per hour.

Afternoon teachers - Prince of Peace Early Education Center in Olathe is seeking afternoon teachers. There are openings in our 2-year-olds room and our school-age room from 2:30 - 6 p.m., M-F. Experience preferred for the 2-year-olds classroom; one year of experience in a child care center required for the school-age program. We are looking for the right candidates to fill these positions and we offer a competitive hourly wage. Contact Amanda at (913) 829-2728.

Coaches needed - Bishop Miege High School is seeking an assistant baseball and an assistant softball coach.

Email letter of interest and resume to Mike Hubka at: mhubka@bishopmiege.com.

Teaching positions - The Goddard School, located at 21820 W. 115th Terr., Olathe, is looking for qualified lead teachers and assistant teachers – both full- and part-time positions available.

Lead Teacher – full time.

Assistant Teacher – full-time floating position.

In our warm, loving atmosphere, our highly qualified teachers support the healthy development of children from six weeks to six years. Our teachers write and implement their own lesson plans based on our FLEX program, Goddard Developmental Guidelines and our monthly school theme. Lead teachers also complete other duties such as electronic daily attendance reports, progress reports and parent conferences. The hands-on efforts of the school owner and directors allow our teachers to focus on their children, their lesson plans and teaching to ensure a fun-filled day of learning. Full-time benefits include competitive pay, paid time off, opportunities for professional development and career growth, and a great working environment. Qualified candidates must meet or exceed Kansas regulations, have strong communication skills and desire to learn and implement the Goddard School programs. Lead teachers should have an Early Childhood Education degree, a CDA or a degree in a related field with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. Prior experience in a child care setting is preferred. Please specify for which position you are applying. To apply, forward your resume to: olathe2ks@goddardschools.com. Attention: Mandy Ellis, director.

Drivers - Assisted Transportation is now hiring caring and reliable drivers to transport K-12 students to and from school and other activities in company minivans. Positions are now available in Olathe, Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas. Competitive wages and flexible schedules. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply. Call (913) 262-3100 or apply online at: AssistedTransportation.com. EEO. Drivers needed - Medi Coach Transportation is looking for caring and reliable drivers for nonemergency transportation. CDL is not required. Contact Jeff at (913) 825-1921.

Drivers - Special Beginnings Early Learning Center is seeking part-time drivers for its school-age program located in Lenexa. Candidates must be able to drive a 13-passenger minibus, similar to a 15-passenger van. CDL not required, but must have an excellent driving record.

Candidates would pick up children from area schools and then work directly with them when arriving back at the center. Experience preferred. Must have strong work ethic and the ability to work with children. Insurance provided.

Background check will be conducted. Great opportunity for retired persons or those seeking a second job. Job responsibilities include: ensuring safety and well-being of children who are being transported at all times, including loading and unloading. Driving short, round-trip routes to elementary schools in Lenexa/Olathe area. Summer only: Driving short, round- trip routes to two Lenexa city pools.

Maintaining mileage log. Keeping interior of vehicle clean.

Apply by sending an email to chris@specialbeginnings online.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa KS 66215.

Administrative assistant/office manager/PT -Looking for something new? Use your experience to help us improve people’s lives. Developmental optometrist needs help with her small practice. M-Th, Noon-6 p.m. No benefits. Background in word processing, Excel, QuickBooks, customer service and medical office experience are helpful. Send resume to: Dr. Bazin, 13600 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64145, or send an email to: bbazin@ visiondevelop.com.

Teacher assistant - Special Beginnings, Lenexa, is seeking full- or part-time after school teacher assistants at all locations. We are looking for a teacher assistant candidate who has an excellent work ethic, heart for children, and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education.

Experience and/or education is a plus but we will train the right candidate. Teacher assistants will work with the lead teacher to care for and educate the children. Primary responsibilities include assisting the lead teacher with: care and supervision of children, lesson plan implementation, parent communication, cleanliness and organization of classroom. Starting hourly pay ranges based on experience and education. Pay increases are based on job performance. Opportunities for advancement are available as the company prefers to promote from within. Apply by sending an email to chris@specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, KS 66215.

SERVICES Garage door and opener sales and service - 24-hour, 7-day-a-week service on all types of doors. Replace broken spring rollers, gate openers, entry and patio doors and more. Over 32 years of experience. Call (913) 227-4902.

Design, construct, remodel - From kitchens, countertops and custom cabinetry to additions, bathrooms, windows, doors, floors, decks and siding, we build your dream from the concept up. See our work at: www.Jack HopeDesign.com. Serving Lawrence and Douglas County. Jack Hope Design. Call (785) 840-8076.

Tree service - Pruning trees for optimal growth and beauty and removal of hazardous limbs or problem trees.

Free consultation and bid. Safe, insured, professional.

Cristofer Estrada, Green Solutions of KC, (913) 378-5872. www.GreenSolutionsKC.com.

Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover.

Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload, and in-home moving. No job too small. Serving JoCo since 1987. St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner. Call Mike at (913) 927-4347 or send an email to: mike@mikehammermoving.com.

Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr. com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer. com. Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress.

Agua Fina Irrigation and Landscape The one-stop location for your project!

Landscape and irrigation design, Installation and maintenance.

Cleanup and grading services It’s time to repair your lawn. 20% discount on lawn renovations with mention of this ad.

Visit the website at: www.goaguafina.com Call (913) 530-7260 or (913) 530-5661 Machine quilting - by Jenell Noeth, Basehor. Also, quilts made to order. Call (913) 724-1837.

HOME IMPROVEMENT Swalms Organizing - Downsizing - Clean Out Service – Reduce clutter – Any space organized. Shelving built on site. Items hauled for recycling and donations. 20 years exp; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115. WWW. SWALMSORGANIZING.COM. Rusty Dandy Painting, Inc. - We have been coloring your world for 40 years. Your home will be treated as if it were our own. Old cabinets will be made to look like new. Dingy walls and ceilings will be made beautiful.

Woodwork will glow. Lead-certified and insured. Call (913) 341-9125.

The Drywall Doctor, Inc. - A unique solution to your drywall problems! We fix all types of ceiling and wall damage — from water stains and stress cracks to texture repairs and skim coating. We provide professional, timely repairs and leave the job site clean! Lead-certified and insured! Serving the metro since 1997. Call (913) 768-6655.

Thank you for another great year - Through your support, my family has been blessed and my business has grown. We do windows, trim, siding, doors, decks, interior and exterior painting, wood rot, bathroom renovation, tile and sheetrock. If you need work done around your home, we can do it. Thank you for your continued support. Call Josh at (913) 709-7230.

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

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!! www.elsolylatierra.com Call Lupe at (816) 252-1391 American Janitorial L.L.C. - Insured/family-owned for over 20 years. Specializing in office buildings with 10,000 - 30,000 square feet of cleaning space. Call John at (913) 575-2686.

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STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 491-5837 or (913) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com.

Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.

Helping Hand Handy Man - Home maintenance chores available by the hour. Special rate for senior and singleparent households. Electrical, painting, wood refinishing, deck repair, yard work, shelving and organizing. Most home problems and needs solved. Member of Prince of Peace, Olathe. Call Mark Coleman at (913) 526-4490.

Detail construction and remodeling - We offer a full line of home remodeling services. Don’t move — remodel! Johnson County area. Call for a free quote at (913) 709-8401.

Local handyman and lawn care – Water heaters, garbage disposals, toilets, faucets, painting, power washing, doors, storm doors, gutter cleaning, wood rot, mowing, carpet, roofing, etc. Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118.

NELSON CREATIONS L.L.C. Home remodeling, design/build, kitchens, baths, all interior and exterior work. Family owned and operated; over 25 years experience. Licensed and insured; commercial and residential. Kirk and Diane Nelson.

(913) 927-5240; nelsport@everestkc.net HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.com House painting Interior and exterior; wallpaper removal.

Power washing, fences, decks.

30 years experience. References. Reasonable rates.

Call Joe at (913) 620-5776.

Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dan deeconst@aol.com.

DRC Construction We’ll get the job done right the first time.

Windows - Doors - Decks – Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and you’ll be glad you did.

Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com

CAREGIVING Looking for high quality home care? - Whether you’re looking to introduce care for your family or simply looking to improve your current home care quality, we can help. Our unique approach to home care has earned us a 99% client satisfaction rating among the 1,000-plus families we have assisted. We are family-owned, with offices in Lenexa and Lawrence. Call Benefits of Home Senior Care, Lenexa: (913) 422-1591 or Lawrence: (785) 727-1816 or www.benefitsofhome.com.

Compassionate caregiver - 45 year-old Catholic woman with 13 years experience. Works days or nights.

Flexible. Pay negotiable. Excellent references. Call Kara at (913)909-6659.

Personalized care - Experienced, specializing in dementia, medication setup and activities of daily living.

Excellent references. Contact Andrea at (913)548-1930.

Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation to the elderly and disabled in home, assisted living and nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Pat or Gary.

Compassionate, tailored care - Provided by nursing professionals. We provide private duty, companion, respite and/or pet care. Excellent references and negotiable rates. JoCo only. Call Mary at (913) 710-5412, Lorinda at (913) 226-5385 or Jeff at (913) 284-2797.

Caregiver/housekeeping - 30 years experience with nursing background. Reasonable rates and recent referrals. Part time, full time or will consider live-in. Call (913) 579-5276.

Need help? - Do you or your parents need help at home?

Doctor appointments? Shopping? Light meals? Companionship? Years of experience. References. Call (913) 2575303.

CNA, Home Health Care Professional - Provides TLC in the comfort of the client’s residence. Budget Friendly.

Available 24 hours, or part time. Excellent references. 25 years of Seasoned Experience. Nonsmoker. Call (816) 806-8104.

FOR SALE For sale - At Mount Calvary Cemetery, lot 73, space 3A and space 4A. Contact Linda at (913) 724-1097.

Classifieds continue on page 13

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CALENDAR KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS TRIVIA NIGHT FUNDRAISER St. Paul Parish (activity center) 920 W. Honeysuckle, Olathe Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.

The cost is $12.50 per person or $100 for a table of eight people. The event will also include raffles, door prizes and prizes for the top teams. Proceeds will benefit the Knights of Columbus pro-life efforts in the state of Kansas. Contact Chris Dieterman at (913) 780-6428 for details and reservations.

SACRED HEART-ST. JOSEPH GERMAN FASCHING MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION Sacred Heart Church (hall) 333 N.E. Freeman St., Topeka Feb. 6 at 4 p.m.

Mass begins at 4 p.m. to be followed by a German buffet, polka dance, silent auction and a drawing for cash and three handmade quilts. Tickets cost $25 per person or $225 for a table of eight people. Tickets will be sold until Jan. 31 and may be purchased by calling the parish office at (785) 234-3338 or (785) 232-2863.

THE RAGIN’ SWEET AND SPICY FEST Holy Name Church (cafeteria) 1007 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas Feb. 6 from 6 - 9 p.m.

This event is sponsored by the Holy Name Divas. This is a chili, soup and dessert cookoff. Entries for judging will be accepted from 4 - 5 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Food, drinks and tastings will be available. Music will be provided by Stranded in the City. For more information, call Sharon Staab at (913) 631-1138.

CATHOLIC CHALLENGE SPORTS SUPER BOWL PARTY Lucky Brewgrille 5401 Johnson Dr., Mission Feb. 7 at 5 p.m.

The cost for meals is $8 for adults and $3 for children. Carryout will be available. There will also be variety booths and a raffle. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door. For more information, call (913) 3713423.

40 DAYS FOR LIFE Center for Women’s Health 4840 College Blvd., Overland Park Feb. 10 - March 20 from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

This is a peaceful pro-life vigil taking place every day throughout Lent. Join this worldwide effort to protect mothers and children and help save lives.

NATIONAL MARRIAGE WEEK WORLD MARRIAGE DAY CELEBRATION Holy Trinity Church 13615 W. 92nd St., Lenexa Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Married couples are invited to celebrate their sacrament of marriage at a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. Mass will be followed by a reception and a presentation by Jon Leonetti. For more information, call (913) 647-0329 or send an email to: www.archkck.org/mfl2015.

‘HOLY WOMEN: MECHTILD OF MAGDEBURG’ Keeler Women’s Center 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas Feb. 11 from 1 - 2:30 p.m.

Mechtild of Magdeburg was a medieval laywoman and Christian mystic devoted to prayer and ministry. This talk will be presented by Sister Judith Sutera, OSB.

Come watch the game with young adults in their 20s and 30s. Admission is $2 or two canned goods. Food and snacks will be provided. There will also be an opportunity to compete in a billiard tournament.

MARDI GRAS 2016 St. Benedict School Commons 201 Division, Atchison Feb. 7 at 11 a.m.

SPAGHETTI DINNER TO BENEFIT SISTERS, SERVANTS OF MARY St. Patrick Parish (center) 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas Feb. 7 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

A meal featuring jambalaya, maque choux, chicken and noodles, pizza and beignets will be served. Tickets cost: $7 for adults, $4 for kids ages 4 - 10; children under three eat free.

There will be live and silent auctions, games, crafts, face painting and prizes. For more information, contact Anita Buhman-Wiggs at: buhman-wiggs@earthlink.net.

WOMEN’S RETREAT St. Peter Cathedral Parish (center) 409 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kansas Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. - noon

Cracked • Bowed • Settled Wall Repair v Wall Bracing v Waterproofing v Steel Underpinning Kansas City (913) 262-9352

The Christian Widow and Widowers Organization will host the soup luncheon. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call (785) 272-0055.

HEALING MASS Curé of Ars (Father Burak Room) 9405 Mission Rd., Leawood Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

This Mass is sponsored by archdiocesan charismatic prayer groups. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

‘WALKING THROUGH LENT IN GOD’S MERCY’ Sophia Spirituality Center 751 S. 8th St., Atchison Feb. 18 and 25 from 10 - 11:30 a.m.

This four-week series will explore the ideas and values of Pope Francis’ jubilee Year of Mercy. For more information or to register, call (913) 360-6151 or visit Sophia Spirituality Center’s website at: www.sophiaspirituality center.org.

SWEETHEART DANCE St. Anthony Church (basement) 615 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas Feb. 20 from 6 - 10:30 p.m.

The dance is sponsored by the GermanAmerican Edelweiss Society. The cost is $20 per person; ages 12-20 is $10; ages 6-11 is $5; and ages 5 and under are free. Cost of admission includes dinner, drink and dance.

For more information, call Patty Orth at (913) 371-2468 or send an email to: Pattyorth@ sbcglobal.net.

BEGINNING EXPERIENCE WEEKEND Precious Blood Center 2130 St. Gaspar Way, Liberty, Missouri Feb. 26-28

Join the women of the St. Peter’s Altar Society for 8:15 a.m. Mass in the chapel. After Mass, there will be a light breakfast and the retreat. The cost is $10. Reservations may be made by calling Linda at (913) 432-9481.

The weekend is for widowed, separated and divorced people who are suffering the loss of a love relationship. This is an opportunity to turn the pain of loss into an experience of positive growth. For more information, visit the website at: www.beginningexperience kc.org; to register, send an email to: bekc@ gmail.com; or contact Teresa at (816) 5299002.

HISTORY AND HERETICS SYMPOSIUM Liberty Theatre 113 S. Main St., Fort Scott Feb. 13 from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

BINGO Immaculate Conception Church (hall) 606 S. Elm, Louisburg 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7 p.m.

To register or for more information, visit the website at: PrairieTroubadour.org.

K E A T I N G Mud Jacking FOUNDATION REPAIR

SOUP LUNCHEON Most Pure Heart of Mary (Formation Room) 3601 S.W. 17th St., Topeka Feb. 14 from 1 - 3 p.m.

MUD JACKING Raise & Level

v Patios v Drives v Garage Floors v Slab Houses Lawrence (785) 865-0006

Topeka (785) 246-0128

Bingo is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. The doors open at 6 p.m. Food will also be available.

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>> Continued from page 12 For sale - Mausoleum tandem burial crypt. Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa. Queen of Peace Mausoleum, corridor C, tier E , crypt 107. Open and closing fee included. $11,360 market price; sale price $8,500. Call (732) 897-1862 or (913) 897-1862.

For sale - At Resurrection Cemetery, two easements in mausoleum. Contact A. Kelly at (913) 649-9691.

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) 3275557.

Max’s rosaries - Custom-made locally for all occasions – first Communion, confirmation, baptism, graduation. Rosary bracelets and beaded earrings too! I also do repairs. Member of the Church of the Ascension, Overland Park. Call (913) 400-3236.

Price Reduced! - At Gate of Heaven Cemetery, a double cremation niche with companion urn in the mausoleum. It is located in the St. John Corridor, #8 H. Today’s selling price for the double niche and urn is approximately $6,522; offering for $3,500. Call Colleen at (913) 269-6944.

WANTED TO BUY Wanted to buy - Lionel trains. Call (913) 485-6700.

Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, lighters, fountain pens, post card collections, paintings/ prints, pottery, sterling, china dinnerware.

Renee Maderak, (913) 631-7179.

St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee Will buy firearms and related accessories One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473.

Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.

Wanted to buy - I’m Mark Edmondson, a local parishioner at Holy Trinity, and I buy and sell houses in any condition. If you have a house “situation,” call me. I might have a solution for you. (913) 980-4905.

TRAVEL EDDIE DELAHUNT IRELAND TOUR Musical Tour of Ireland Sept 13-24, 2016 - $3,950 pp sharing RT air, luxury coach, breakfasts, hotels, porterage, entry fees, insurance.

Irish guide - Gerry Buckley Contact mary@completetrav.com or call (913) 648-1560.

DOWNTON ABBEY - HIGHCLERE Visit Highclere Castle, Cotswolds, Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Liverpool, Stonehenge, Buckingham Palace Aug 10-20, 2016 - $3499 pp sharing Contact mary@completetrav.com or call (913) 648-1560.

ROOMMATE Roommate wanted - $400 per month plus one-third of the utilities. Short-term or long-term. Six minutes from Oak Park Mall and from Holy Spirit Church in Overland Park. Furnished. Females only. Call (913) 599-5574.

Roommate wanted - $500 per month, utilities included.

Private room and bath. Use of the house. Long or short term. JoCo Community College area. Call (913) 579-5276.

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

COMMENTARY

Let Lent bring you a mess of grace

FIFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME FEB. 7 FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Is 6: 1-2a, 3-8 Ps 138: 1-5, 7-8 1 Cor 15: 1-11 Lk 5: 1-11 Feb. 8 Jerome Emiliani, priest; Josephine Bakhita, virgin 1 Kgs 8: 1-7, 9-13 Ps 132: 6-7, 8-10 Mk 6: 53-56 Feb. 9 Tuesday 1 Kgs 8: 22-23, 27-30 Ps 84: 3-5, 10-11 Mk 7: 1-13 Feb. 10 ASH WEDNESDAY Jl 2: 12-18 Ps 51: 3-6b, 12-14, 17 2 Cor 5:20 – 6:2 Mt 6: 1-6, 16-18 Feb. 11 Our Lady of Lourdes Dt 30: 15-20 Ps 1: 1-4, 6 Lk 9: 22-25 Feb. 12 Friday after Ash Wednesday Is 58: 1-9a Ps 51: 3-6b, 18-19 Mt 9: 14-15 Feb. 13 Saturday after Ash Wednesday Is 58: 9b-14 Ps 86: 1-6 Lk 5: 27-32

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“. . . the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss.”

That’s the phrase that I always listen for in the first reading from the Book of Genesis that’s proclaimed at the Easter Vigil each year. I feel like that phrase should be read on Ash Wednesday because it summarizes exactly what I imagine the season of Lent to be.

In that story of creation, God begins the process of bringing order to chaos. And the first thing that God does is to create light.

These 40 days of Lent, which start this coming Wednesday, are all about bringing order to the chaos that so often rules our lives.

The penitential practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving give us an opportunity to step back from our usually manic pace to take stock of where we are in life and where we’re heading. Lent shines a light on our hearts, which sometimes look like a “formless wasteland,” due to sin and neglect.

Our lives get fractured as the years go on. The older we get, the more chaotic things seem to be. Lent comes

H

MARK MY WORDS

FATHER MARK GOLDASICH Father Mark is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989.

to the rescue, to heal us and put us again back on the right track.

The chaos that we experience may be the unrelenting car pools, chauffeuring kids from one commitment to another, without a moment to spare in between. Our chaos may take the form of a home overrun with possessions, a place so cluttered that it is no longer a haven of rest from the world. The chaos may come from worrying about finances, an ever-growing to-do list or grades, all robbing us of the ability to see

the good things already present around us.

The chaos may come from brooding over past sins and mistakes.

Our chaos may take the form of poor eating habits or grabbing food on the run, which can lead to weight problems, illness and lethargy.

The chaos may be the result of never taking time to pray, to develop a friendship with God, which, in turn, makes life a constantly disjointed ordeal.

Whatever our particular chaos, Lent is there as a soothing remedy that promises order and serenity. It helps us regain control of our schedules, purge unwanted and unneeded items from our homes, choose trust in God over worry, take time for exercise, healthier

eating and caring for our bodies, and make time with God the priority of our day and week.

But a person has to give Lent a chance to “do its thing.”

Sadly, many of us are so used to the chaos that we forget there is a much better way of living. If you read this column regularly, you know a favorite book of mine is “1001 Illustrations That Connect.”

One of its editors is Craig Brian Larson, who wrote the following story: “On my desk, I like to display, on a bookstand, the kind of gift books you put on the coffee table — those filled with professional photos of nature or tourist destinations. My current book is ‘America’s Spectacular National Parks,’ by Michael Duchemin. For several days, I’ve had the book opened to a photo of the Grand Teton Mountains, an extra-wide photo that filled the left page and crosses the fold to take up half of the right. It is a majestic display of deep blue sky; rugged, gray, snow-capped mountains; and a calm lake in the foreground.

“This morning, I

decided to turn the page to the next photo and, as I did, I discovered that I had missed something important. The right page of the Grand Tetons photo was an extra-long page folded over. When I opened it up, it added some 16 inches to the width of the photo, making the Grand Tetons even grander.

“The Christian life has unfolding moments like that, when we discover there is much more to God and his kingdom than we know, much more to his purpose for us than we imagined. . . . Again and again in the Bible, when God met people, he opened a glorious page for them that had previously been folded.”

This Lent, let God bring order to the chaos in your life. Let these 40 days open up a “glorious page” that you never imaged was there.

Christian writer Max Lucado says it beautifully: “The meaning of life.

The wasted years of life.

The poor choices of life.

God answers the mess of life with one word: grace.”

May you welcome a mess of that grace this Lent.

Both words and deeds establish Jesus as prophet

ow would you describe Jesus? If you were limited to only one sentence, what would you say? What concerning him especially stands out in your mind?

On the first Easter Sunday, two of Jesus’ disciples describe him as “a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (Lk 24:19).

Sunday’s Gospel reading, Lk 5:1-11, offers us an example of how Jesus had lived up to that two-fold description. It narrates two important events early in Jesus’ ministry that are connected to each other. First, Jesus works a miracle: the miraculous catch of fish. Then, Jesus calls Simon Peter to follow him as his

POPE FRANCIS

THE GOSPEL TRUTH

FATHER MIKE STUBBS Father Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.

disciple.

In the course of Jesus’ conversation with Simon Peter, he makes two prophetic utter-

As medical science and biotechnology develop at an ever-increasing pace, they risk becoming concerned solely with what is useful and profitable, without any moral limits, Pope Francis said. Biotechnology in the medical field must “never be used in a way that is harmful to human dignity nor driven only by manufacturing and commer-

ances concerning the future. First, he directs Simon Peter to put out his fishing boat into deeper water and lower his nets.

Jesus makes this request even though Simon Peter has spent all night trying to catch fish without any success. This instruction of Jesus looks forward to the tremendous catch of fish that Peter will make,

so great that it risks breaking the net. That in itself testifies to Jesus’ prophetic nature. Jesus knows what will happen.

Secondly, Jesus calls Simon Peter to join him in spreading the good news about the kingdom of God: “From now on you will be catching men.” This statement anticipates the large number of converts that Peter will make as Jesus’ disciple. For example, the Acts of the Apostles recounts how Peter preaches to the crowd on the day of Pentecost and converts a huge number: “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day” (Acts 2:41). Jesus’ prophecy is fulfilled.

Beyond the statement that Jesus makes,

cial aims,” he said in an audience Jan. 28 with members of the Italian National Bioethics Committee. The committee addresses the ethical and legal consequences of scientific research and helps prepare Italian legislation.

The field of bioethics is about serving all people, he said, but it must pay particular attention to and care for those who are “the weakest and most disadvantaged, who

the abundance of fish that Simon Peter catches prefigures the abundance of converts that Peter will make.

Jesus’ miracle serves as a nonverbal prophecy.

While Jesus is “a prophet mighty in deed and word,” he is much more than that. He is also the Son of God, the savior of the world.

That becomes clear at the end of his life, when he dies on the cross and then rises from the dead.

But earlier, during the course of his ministry, he travels through Galilee to preach the good news and to work miracles of healing. He would look like a prophet of old.

That reputation would pave the way for his even greater work of salvation.

struggle to make their voices heard or who cannot yet or can no longer make their voice be heard.” The church and governments are called to collaborate in this field, according to their respective and distinct responsibilities, he said. The basic ethical principle of regarding the human person as an end and never as a means is fundamental for biotech applications in medicine, too, he said.

— CNS

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

COMMENTARY

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Annual appeal is an invitation to reach out with mercy

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lthough it may seem as if the Christmas decorations were just put away, it is time for Lent to begin.

It starts next week with Ash Wednesday on Feb. 10. So, let’s talk about almsgiving, which is one of the pillars of the Lenten season, when we intentionally share God’s goodness with others.

Giving alms is the way that we, the children of God, imitate God’s generosity.

I appreciate the gift of the Lenten season in the liturgical calendar of our church. The 40 days spent in fasting, prayer and almsgiving are Christian stewards’ way of

F

SIMPLY STEWARDSHIP

LESLE KNOP Lesle Knop is the executive director of the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development. You can email her at: lknop@archkck.org.

to Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann’s office and, in

turn, some of the thousands of petition cards are forwarded to Archbishop James P. Keleher.

I have seen stacks of Archbishop’s Call to Share prayer request cards on the archbishop’s personal desk in the chapel at his home where he celebrates Mass and

offers daily prayers.

Like tithing, our Lenten sacrifices are not just mere suggestions.

We have been told that we must do these things.

Indeed, the Bible provides several passages of instructions that specify our need to help the poor and to be generous with God’s gifts.

This year, in proclaiming the jubilee Year of Mercy, Pope Francis invites us to “entrust all humanity to Christ . . . so that we can go out to every man and woman, bringing the goodness and tenderness of God.” I believe that the Archbishop’s Call to Share appeal is an invitation to reach out with this goodness and tenderness, to

give alms.

As Lent begins, if you have not already made a gift to the Archbishop’s Call to Share, I invite you to do so as a sign of your compassion. Your gift allows many others to perform the corporal and spiritual works of mercy the Lord demands of us.

So, as Ash Wednesday approaches, let’s put on a smile and not let the world know that we are making sacrifices for God. With God’s grace, let’s use our gifts to do more to love our neighbor, forgive our enemy, serve the poor and to help the Catholic Church fulfill its mission to lead souls to Christ.

Celebrate your marriage, family life, all month long

ebruary 7 marks the seventh annual observation of National Marriage Week.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops — in collaboration with other faith communities, business, media, education, and nonprofit groups — uses this week to promote marriage as a benefit to husbands and wives, the nation, as well as the best environment to raise children.

The week culminates with the celebration of World Marriage Day. This event, sponsored

by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, now in its 34th consecutive year, received the apostolic blessing of St. John Paul II in 1993.

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offering themselves and their love to God. From my office at the chancery, I am privileged to witness firsthand the outpouring of love from the Catholic faithful in northeast Kansas. These early winter months are when envelopes arrive in our office from our parishes, with hundreds and hundreds of generous commitments to the Archbishop’s Call to Share. As these gifts arrive, they are recorded by faithful and capable Catholic workers.

Along with financial gifts, many parishioners throughout the 21 counties of the archdiocese submit prayer requests. These prayer petitions are sent directly

February 11 will mark the seventh annual joint celebration of World Marriage Day by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and the Diocese of Kansas CitySt. Joseph. Mass will be celebrated at 6:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church in Lenexa by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Bishop James V. Johnston Jr., who will be the homilist.

Mass will be followed by a reception and a presentation by international Catholic speaker, author and radio host Jon Leonetti, author of “The Mission of the Family.”

Families and their children are welcome.

Please note: The Mass to celebrate World Marriage Day will be held

FAMILY MATTERS

DEACON TONY ZIMMERMAN Deacon Tony Zimmerman is the lead archdiocesan consultant for the office of marriage and family life.

on Thurs., Feb. 11, instead of Sunday as in previous years.

In addition to this event, please go to our website — www.archkck. org/mfl2015 — for other resources to help you use this week to enrich your marriage. There you will even find a link for a “virtual” retreat that husbands and wives can use at home to grow closer to each other and Christ.

I also invite you to attend a day of marriage and family enrichment on Feb. 27, to be held at Savior Pastoral Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Archbishop Keleher Conference Center.

Dr. Greg and Lisa Popcak, Catholic radio hosts, authors and international speakers on marriage and family, will present two sessions: the first, on how to raise moral kids in an immoral world — yes, it is possible! They will offer practical tools to increase the chances that your children will own your faith and values.

In session two, “For Better . . . Forever!,” they will review four factors that can help any couple experience a truly joyful,

passionate, grace-filled relationship known as GIFT. For more information and to register, go online to: www.archkck. org/popcak2016.

These enrichment opportunities, plus others yet to come in 2016, are made possible through your generous response to the Archbishop’s Call to Share. It is through your generosity that this office is able to provide marriage preparation to hundreds of engaged couples each year, as well as events to celebrate the great gift of marriage, such as our annual Mass for those couples celebrating 50 years of marriage.

Thank you and may God bless you!

Small steps, even in the wrong direction, bring clarity

here is a condition that I find among a lot of young men and women who are in the process of discerning God’s call for their life.

I call it discernment paralysis. These are the young people who, although having a true desire to do God’s will, spend years on the vocational fence.

From their perch on the fence, they constantly waver back and forth over the options that are laid out in front of them. Oftentimes, they are paralyzed because they are so focused on the final step of discernment.

Men ask the ques-

tion: “Am I supposed to be a priest or married or a Brother or single?”

Women wonder: “Am I supposed to be married or a Sister or single?”

These are fundamentally important questions, but if a discerner thinks that he or she needs to know the answer to those questions before doing anything else, it becomes overwhelming and easily paralyzing.

Young people experiencing discernment paralysis would do themselves a huge favor by taking a step on whichever side of the fence they feel is pulling them the most at the time.

It does not take huge steps. Small ones work.

VOCATIONS CORNER

FATHER SCOTT WALLISCH Father Scott Wallisch is the archdiocesan vocations director. You can email him at: frscott@archkck.org.

Discernment is not one big step, but a series

of small steps. That final step, whether it is ordination or final vows or a wedding, is not so intimidating once you have taken the scores of smaller steps along the way. Each of those small steps helps the discerners understand themselves and God’s plan a

little bit better.

The small steps, even if they are in the wrong direction, give a clarity and peace that cannot be gained by merely sitting on the fence for a long time.

When a person thinks that God wants them to discern the priesthood or religious life a little deeper, it is time to take some steps. Besides spending time in prayer, asking questions, doing research, talking to a priest, Brother, or Sister, and attending a discernment event, actually visiting the places where priests and religious live and are formed can be a very helpful step.

So, with that in mind, I want to offer young

people the following opportunities to take those small steps: • Monk Run or Nun Run (accompanying chaperones to visit and spend time with a handful of religious orders) — Feb. 11-14 — for high school age and older men and women.

• Kenrick-Glennon Seminary visit — April 3-5 — for high school age men and older.

Conception Seminary “Come and See” retreat — April 16-17 — for men high school age and college underclassmen.

If you or someone you know is interested in taking any of these discernment steps, feel free to email me at: frscott@archkck.org.

FEBRUARY 5, 2016 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

WEEKLY SPECIALS The following will have Lenten dinners on all the Fridays of Lent, except Good Friday.

Queen of the Holy Rosary, Wea, 22779 Metcalf, Bucyrus, will serve fish and shrimp dinners from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Cost is: $9 for adults; $3 for children; and $14 for a boiled shrimp dinner. A dessert bar is included.

Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood, will host Lenten dinners from 5 - 7:30 p.m. in the parish hall. Cost is: $10 for adults ($5 extra for shrimp); $5 for children ages 5-12; and free for ages 4 and younger. Family price is: $35 for fish; and $50 for shrimp. For more information, go online to: www.knightsofnativity.com.

Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish, Topeka, will host fish dinners from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the parish center, located at 1750 S.W. Stone Ave. The suggested donation is: $8 for ages 11 and older; $5 for children age 4-10; free for children 3 and younger; and $30 household maximum.

Corpus Christi Parish, Lawrence, will host interfaith dinners beginning at 6 p.m. at the church, located at 6001 Bob Billings Pkwy. Members of Judaism, Christianity and Islam will gather to discuss what unites us by sharing a meal and listening to a speaker. Cost is a freewill offering. For more information, go online to: cccparish. org.

Good Shepherd, Shawnee, Knights of Columbus will host baked and fried fish dinners from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the church, located at 12800 W. 75th St. Cost is: $8.50 for ages 12 and older; $7.50 for seniors (65+); and $4 for children ages 5 to 11. Children under 4 eat free. Family maximum is $25.

St. Patrick Parish, 94th and State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, will host Lenten dinners from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Cost is: $9 for adults; $10 for boiled shrimp; $5 for children; and $25 for families. For more information, call Fritz at (913) 515-0621.

Paola Knights of Columbus Council 1149 will host fish fries on Feb. 12, 19, 26 and March 4 and 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity School, located at 601 E Chippewa. Cost is: $10 for adults; $5 for children age 5-12. Children under 5 eat free.

The Didde Catholic Campus Center, 1415 Merchant St., Emporia, will host a fish fry on Feb. 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is: $7 for adults, (sampler platter $1 more); $5 for students; $3 for children under 10.

Queen of the Holy Rosary, 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park, will host Lenten dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 12, 26 and March 4 in the parish hall. For information, including sponsors, menus and cost, go online to: www.queenofthe holyrosary.org.

Curé of Ars Parish, Leawood, will host a shrimp feast from 6 to 8 p.m. on March 4 in the school cafeteria, located at 9403 Mission Rd. Carryouts are available. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets will be sold after Masses Feb. 20-21 and Feb. 27-28. Cost is $15. For more information, contact Kerry Kerr at: kerrylkerr@gmail.com.

Holy Trinity Parish, 9150 Pflumm Rd, Lenexa, will host an all-you-can-eat boiled shrimp dinner from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 26 in the parish center.

At the door cost is: $18 for adults; $12 for pizza; and $9 for children. For more information or to order advance tickets at a discount, go online to: www.ht knights.org.

St. Theresa Parish, 209 3rd St., Perry, and the Knights of Columbus Council 11240 will host a fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 11 in the parish center. Cost is $9 for adults; $4 for children 10 and under.

Church of the Ascension, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park, will host fish dinners from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is: $9.50 for adults; $5 for children ages 5-11; and free for ages 4 and under. Carryouts are available. Checks, credit and debit cards will be accepted.

Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus Council 11917 will host an all-you-caneat fish fry Feb. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. at 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Cost is: $9 for adults; $8 for seniors; and $6 for children under 12.

Sacred Heart Church, 1100 West St., Tonganoxie, will host fish dinners from 4 to 7 p.m. Cost is: $8.50 for adults; $8 for seniors (over 60); and $3 for children ages 5-12. Boiled spiced shrimp dinners will be held on Feb. 26 and March 18. Cost is: $15 for adults; $14.50 for seniors; and $7 for children.

The Kelly Knights of Columbus will host a Lenten fish fry from 5 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 26 at St. Bede Church hall, located at 7344 Drought St. Cost is a freewill donation.

Christ the King Church, 5973 S.W. 25th St., Topeka, will host fish dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. in Yadrich Hall. Carryouts are available.

Suggested donation is $8 for adults; $30 per family.

Prince of Peace Knights Council 7909 will host fish and shrimp dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. in the parish hall, 16000 W. 143rd St., Olathe. Carryouts are available. Cost is: $14 for adult’s shrimp and fish; $9 for adult’s fish; $8 for children’s shrimp; $6 for children’s fish; $5 for cheese pizza; and free for children 3 and under.

Holy Spirit Parish Knights of Columbus will host seafood dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. in St. Elizabeth Hall, 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park. Cost is: $16 for adult’s shrimp and fish; $10 for adult’s fish; $5 for children’s meal ages 4 to 10; and $1 for children under 4.

St. Joseph Parish, 221 N. Sycamore, Nortonville, will host fish and shrimp dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is: $10 for ages 11 and older; $5 for ages 4-10; children 3 and under eat free.

Knights of Columbus Council 900 will host fish dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 4th and Cherokee, Leavenworth. Cost is: $9 for adults or $16 for couples; $5 for children; children under 5 eat free. Carryouts are available.

St. Francis Xavier Parish, Mayetta, will host fish dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 19 and March 4 and 18 at St. Francis Hall, located at 1st and James. Cost is a freewill offering.

Holy Angels Parish, Basehor, will host Lenten Thursday soup and bread dinners in the parish hall, 15438 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor, after 6:30 p.m.

Stations of the Cross on Feb. 11, 18, 25 and March 3.

Mater Dei Parish, Topeka, will host fish fries from 5 to 7 p.m. in the basement of Assumption Church, located at 8th and Jackson. Cost is: $8 for adults; $4 for children ages 6-12; children under 5 eat free.

Carryouts are available.

The Knights of Columbus of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, will host boiled shrimp or baked fish dinners from 5 to 8 p.m. at 11221 Johnson Dr. Cost is: $13 for adult shrimp; $7 for children’s shrimp; $8 for fish; pizza is available. For more information, call Mike at (913) 927-5558 or Richard at (913) 710-6225.

The Knights of Columbus will host fish fries from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 12, 26 and March 11 at Sacred Heart Parish Hall, 1031 S. 12th St., Sabetha.

St. Ann’s Knights of Columbus will host fish dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 19, March 4 and 18 at the parish hall, 800 Hiawatha, Hiawatha.

Sacred Heart Church, Topeka, will host fish and shrimp dinners from 4 to 7 p.m. in the parish hall, located at 312 N.E. Freeman Ave. Cost is: $8.50 for adults; $4 for children 12 and under. Carryouts are available by calling (785) 234-6727. For more information, go online to: SacredHeartStJoseph Catholic.org.

Knights of Columbus, Sacred Heart Council 10407, Divine Mercy Parish, will host Lenten dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Christian Faith Formation Center, 555 W. Main St., Gardner.

St. Michael the Archangel, 14351 Nall Ave., Leawood, will host Lenten dinners from 4:45 to 6:45 p.m. Cost is $11 for fish and shrimp; $14 for salmon. There is also special pricing for children and families.

LENTEN SPECIALS The following will have Lenten dinners only on certain days of Lent.

Shamrock Council 7769 will host a fish and shrimp dinner beginning at 6 p.m. on March 18 at St. Patrick Church, 309 S. 6th St., Osage City. Cost is: $15 in advance or $18 at the door. For tickets call Mike at (785) 528-1218; Tom at (785) 215-5803; Fred at (620) 6993485; or Frank at (785) 528-3559.

Curé of Ars Knights of Columbus will host a fish fry from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 26 in the school cafeteria, located at 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood.

Carryouts are available. Cost is: $15 for adults; $10 for ages 5-18; and $5 for children 4 and under. Reservations will be taken after Sunday Masses.

St. Dominic Parish, Holton, will host fish dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 12, 26 and March 11 at St. Dominic Hall, located at 414 Ohio. Cost is a freewill offering.

St. John the Baptist Parish, Greeley, will host fish fries from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 19, March 4 and March 18 at the parish hall, located at 169 Hwy. and Prairie St. Cost is $10 for adults; $5 for children.

St. John’s Catholic Club, 411 Barnett, Kansas City, Kansas, will host a shrimp dinner from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 26. Cost is $16. RSVP by Feb. 23 for a guaranteed plate. Call Kenny at (913) 371-9690 or Larry at (913) 956-2096.

The Knights of Columbus will host fish dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 12 and 19 at the Cathedral Parish center, 409 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kansas.

Cost is a freewill offering.

St. Philip Neri Knights of Columbus, Osawatomie, will host a fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 4 in the church basement, located at 500 Parker Ave. Cost is $ 9 for adults; $5 for children ages 6-12.

Holy Name Church Knights of Columbus Council 11735 will host Lenten dinners from 5 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 12, 19, 26 and March 4 in the school cafeteria, 1001 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas. Carryouts are available.

The Knights of Columbus of Holy Angels Parish, Garnett, will host fish fries from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Feb 12, Feb 26 and March 11 at the Knights’ hall, located at 1210 N.E. Golf Course Rd. St. Rose Duchesne Council 7446 Knights of Columbus will host a fish fry/ shrimp boil from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 18 at the Sacred Heart Parish hall, 729 W. Main St., Mound City. Carryouts are available.

John Roe Council 3020 Knights of Columbus will host Lenten dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. in the St. Agnes School cafeteria, 5130 Mission Rd., Roeland Park.

Fish fries will be held Feb. 12, 26, March 5 and 12. A Mexican dinner will be held March 19.

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