02-10-12 Vol. 33 No. 25

WWW.THELEAVEN.COM | NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF KANSAS CITY IN KANSAS | VOL. 33, NO. 25 FEBRUARY 10, 2012

A WARM EXCHANGE

Prince of Peace works to keep community warm with coat, hat and shoe exchange

By Jill Ragar Esfeld

O

Special to The Leaven

s Prince of Peace preschooler Hailey Sloane Selock found a pair of pink slippers that were a perfect fit at the Give-and-Get exchange.

After hours of setting up the Give-and-Get winter clothing exchange at Prince of Peace, organizer Jackson McElroy (third from the right) and his helpers took a break to try on some of the winter-wear donations. From left are pictured: Jennifer LLoyd, Austin Lucas, Ryan Cowdrey, Joseph Denning, Chris Roseborough, McElroy, Angela McVicar, and Mary Grace King.

s

LATHE — Prince of Peace parishioners here were exchanging more than a sign of peace at church this past weekend.

They were trading shoes, coats, hats — and just about anything else they might need to keep warm.

They weren’t just trading among themselves, however. They invited the entire community to join in.

For the second year in a row, the parish Give-and-Get winter clothing exchange was an enormous success — all thanks to former students who were willing to reunite for a good cause.

Last year, during a much colder winter, St. Thomas Aquinas, Overland Park, freshman Jackson McElroy was in eighth grade at Prince of Peace School.

He kept thinking about something his mom told him — that there were people in his community who didn’t have adequate warm clothing.

He also thought about his fellow parishioners who had warm clothes they were tired of and might like to give away.

And he wondered if there was some way the two could get together.

“So I made an outlined idea of what I wanted to do,” he said. “And then I had a meeting with my friends to set up a store where people could shop for free.”

Prince of Peace was happy to donate the space for the students’ store, and parishioners were happy to donate the winter items.

Weeks before the store was scheduled to open, students spoke after Masses and passed out grocery bags for parishioners to fill with shoes and winter clothes.

“The bags were amazing encouragers and reminders to donate,” said Jackson. “We stapled notes on the back explaining what we were doing.”

Jackson and his friends were overwhelmed by the donations they received. They spent hours organizing items on racks and tables.

“We put a lot of effort into it, “said

Leaven photos by Jill Ragar Esfeld

volunteer Brianna Woicke, a freshman at St. Thomas Aquinas. “But I loved it.”

The next day, the “store” opened and the only thing better than the prices was the customer service.

A news station came to report on the See “EXCHANGE” on page 5

SALINA GETS NEW BISHOP

GET SMART

Pope Benedict XVI named Msgr. Edward J. Weisenburger the new bishop of the Diocese of Salina. The bishopelect is the vicar general of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.

BE MINE

St. Paul School in Olathe celebrates winning its second SMART Board in as many years.

3

She was Guatemalan; he was American. She was Catholic; he was Jewish.

Against all odds, Anabella’s and Scott’s love prevailed — and grew to span a continent.

4

7-9

2 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 10, 2012

THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 10, 2012

SECOND FRONT PAGE 3

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS

Cohabiting endangers the wedding vow before it’s even made

A

mong the many highlights of my recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land was a visit to Cana in Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding feast.

At the church in Cana, we celebrated a special liturgy during which couples had the opportunity to renew their marriage vows.

This coming Sunday (Feb. 12) is World Marriage Day, coinciding with National Marriage Week (Feb. 7 -14).

Marriage is the fundamental institution for society and culture. Marriage is the foundation for the family which provides the environment for the formation of the next generation. Social science data give overwhelming evidence for the importance of strong marriages providing the best possible environment for the raising of physically, psychologically and socially healthy children. Many of our current social problems are attributable to the break-down of marriages with the corresponding disintegration of family life.

The statistical data about the state of marriage in the United States are sobering. According to a 2011 report of the Pew Research Center, the rate of marriage declined by five percent from 2009-2010. Currently, only 51 percent of our nation’s adults are married — a steep decline from only a couple of decades ago. When these numbers are coupled with the high divorce rate, the picture of family life in America is not pretty.

The statistics for marriage in the Catholic Church are equally troubling.

The number of marriages celebrated in the Catholic Church has declined by 60 percent from the number in 1962.

Marriage is not only a crucial institution for the nation and society, but also for the church. Historically, the Christian family has been the principal instrument that God has used in transmitting the faith from one generation to the next.

In a recent meeting with our priests ordained five years or less, they shared with me some of the pastoral challenges they encounter in preparing couples for marriage. Unfortunately, most couples who present themselves for marriage in the church today are cohabitating.

Sadly, our catechesis of them has been so ineffective and the influence of the secular culture so powerful that many do not recognize any moral problem

with their choice to be sexually intimate before marriage.

Our priests are confronted with a dilemma. On the one hand, they are delighted that couples have a desire to be married in the church. Our priests are eager to work with couples, preparing them to make a lifelong commitment to love each other in the Lord. Our pastors want to do all that they can to assist couples to form a communion of life that will not only survive, but will be a source of lifelong joy for husbands and wives.

On the other hand, our priests do not want to become part of the cultural problem by pretending that cohabitation is not a moral problem, where a couple — while professing to love each other — have placed each other at emotional, psychological and, most importantly, spiritual risk.

Not infrequently, couples are motivated to seek marriage in the church because their relationship is already fraying. Cohabitating couples often hope receiving God’s blessings will cure the underlying relational conflicts that have developed because of the ill-conceived quasi-marital union into which they have entered. Priests do not want to encourage couples to profess a permanent and binding commitment before God when their relationship is very much at risk of breaking apart.

Many have drunk the cultural KoolAid, believing that living together will increase the probability a subsequent marriage will succeed. The empirical data reveal just the opposite. The marriages of couples who have cohabitated are more likely to end in divorce. Selecting a spouse is not like purchasing a car, where you take the other person for a test drive.

Sexual intimacy before marriage has many harmful effects. First of all, the couple has already communicated to each other that sexual intimacy need not be confined to marriage. Before even pronouncing their marital vows, they have already opened the door for marital infidelity.

Sexual intimacy outside of the marital covenant denies the essential message of the language of the body.

Through sexual intercourse, a couple physically has communicated that they

give themselves totally to each other. A couple’s decision not to pledge publicly and before God their fidelity and the permanency of their commitment are an admission that they are not prepared to give themselves totally to one another. It is an acknowledgment that what they are saying physically to each other is a lie.

Moreover, a couple must either attempt to deny through contraception the life-giving nature of sexual intercourse or choose to conceive a child in an environment where the probability is significantly increased that the biological father will not be present in the home throughout the child’s formative years. Disconnecting the life-giving and love-giving elements of sexual intercourse by the widespread use of contraception has done more than anything else to create a social environment that has trivialized sexual intimacy.

This trivialization of our sexuality has enormous social and cultural costs, not to mention its impact on the individuals involved. The emotional scars inflicted by cohabitating couples upon each other when they break up are no less real because they were not legally married. The emotional attachment that results from sexual intimacy is powerful. There is no such thing as a “no strings attached” sexual relationship.

As Catholics, we understand marriage to be a religious vocation. We do not believe that couples simply choose to love each other, much less helplessly fall in love. We believe that God calls a man and a woman to love each other in a manner that most closely approximates God’s love for us revealed in his son, Jesus. The permanent and unconditional nature of the marriage vows imitates the love of Jesus on Calvary.

The vocation of marriage is a call to heroic love.

Everyone, whether we are married or not, has a stake in promoting healthy marriages. The well-being of our society and culture depends upon healthy families, which need to be built upon vibrant and strong marriages. Everyone within the church should encourage, support and pray for married couples as they strive to love as Jesus loved.

This Sunday, Feb. 12, married couples from both sides of State Line Road are invited to participate in a Mass celebrated at St. Therese Parish in Parkville, Mo.,that I will concelebrate with Bishop Robert Finn. In the Eucharist, we will pray for God’s blessing upon all married couples as they strive to live their vocation of heroic love. In the context of the Eucharist, couples will have the oppor-

Archbishop Naumann’s weekly calendar

Feb. 11 White Mass for Catholic Medical Association — Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Kansas City, Mo. Meeting with students attending Kansas Catholic College Student Conference — Lawrence Feb. 12 Mass for Kansas Catholic College Student Conference — Lawrence Mass celebrating World Marriage Day with Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph — St. Therese Church, Kansas City, Mo. Feb. 13 St. Lawrence Campus Center board meeting Confirmation — Resurrection School parishes, Kansas City, Kan. Feb. 14 Finance Council meeting Feb. 15 Mass and tour — Xavier School, Leavenworth Donnelly board meeting Vespers and dinner with high school chaplains Feb. 16 Open house at archbishop residence for all priests of the archdiocese Feb. 17-19 Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher winter council meeting — Lincoln, Neb.

tunity to renew prayerfully their love for each other in the Lord.

I encourage every married couple to use the occasion of World Marriage Day to give thanks to God for your spouse and for the gift of your vocation.

Recommit yourself to your marriage by doing something special this week to manifest your love for your spouse.

For those of us who are not married, I challenge you to make the effort to encourage at least one married couple this week by thanking them for the gift their marriage is to you.

Karen Bonar / The Register

Bishop-elect Weisenburger takes a stroll through the Salina chancery offices to find that his portrait is already hanging in the hallway.

SALINA GETS NEW BISHOP Pope names vicar general of Oklahoma City to lead our neighbors to the west

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI has named the vicar general of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Msgr.

Edward J. Weisenburger, to head the Diocese of Salina.

Bishop-designate Weisenburger, 51, succeeds Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, who was appointed Oklahoma City’s archbishop in December 2010.

The appointment was announced Feb. 6 in Washington by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop-designate Weisenburger’s ordination and installation as 11th bishop of Salina was set for 2 p.m. on May 1 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Salina. It was to be followed by a public reception at the Bicentennial Center in Salina.

Edward J. Weisenburger was born Dec. 23, 1960, in Alton, Ill. He spent two years of his childhood in Hays, but grew up primarily in Lawton, Okla., where he graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1979.

“Even though this is a new and surprising turn of events, I very much feel this is a homecoming,” he said at a Feb. 6 news conference in Salina. “I feel very blessed to be called here.”

Referring to his upcoming 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, he said, “I am unabashedly a huge fan of the priesthood. It’s been a wild, roller-coaster experience, never dull, filled with blessings and, best of all, intense meaning. I’ve always viewed the priesthood as an incredible privilege, one undeserved in my case. But I finally had

Doug Weller / The Register

Bishop-elect Edward J. Weisenburger shares a laugh with Msgr. James Hake, a priest of the Salina Diocese, following the new bishop’s introduction to the media at a press conference Feb. 6. to accept that God oftentimes chooses the frail, the ordinary and the weak and then does some pretty good work of his own.”

He attended Conception Seminary College in Conception, Mo., where he graduated with honors in 1983. He then attended the American College Seminary at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in theology and master’s degrees in religious studies and in moral and religious sciences.

Ordained a priest of the Archdiocese

of Oklahoma City Dec. 19, 1987, he was parochial vicar at St. Mary Church in Ponca City, Okla., until he was sent to the University of St. Paul in Ottawa, Ontario, where he earned a licentiate in canon law.

When he returned to the archdiocese in 1992, then-Father Weisenburger was appointed vice chancellor and adjutant judicial vicar. He also provided weekend parish and prison ministries from 1992 to 1995 and served as an on-site chaplain for rescue workers in the weeks following the April 19, 1995, bombing

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)

Editor Reverend Mark Goldasich, stl frmark@theleaven.com

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

Reporter Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

President Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita@theleaven.com

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd@theleaven.com

Advertising Representative Jennifer Siebes jennifer@theleaven.com

of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

He studied Spanish in Spain while attending seminary in Belgium. He spent three years in prison ministry in Oklahoma, primarily celebrating the sacraments in Spanish.

“I am comfortable celebrating the sacraments in Spanish, but I am not absolutely conversant in it,” he said. He estimated about half of the Oklahoma City Archdiocese’s parishes have some form of outreach to Hispanic parishioners. In the Salina Diocese, Spanish Masses are offered in four parishes.

In June 1996, Bishop-designate Weisenburger was appointed vicar general of the Oklahoma City Archdiocese.

While holding that post he also served as pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Okarche, 1995-2002, and rector of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral since 2002.

In the archdiocese, he has served on the priests’ council, the College of Consultors, the seminary board and the marriage tribunal and has been promoter of justice for the canonization cause of Father Stanley F. Rother, a priest of the Oklahoma City Archdiocese who was brutally murdered in 1981 in the Guatemalan village where he ministered to the poor.

The bishop-designate, who was named a monsignor in 2009, also is a member of the Canon Law Society of America, a fourth-degree knight of the Knights of Columbus and a knight commander in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.

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.

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4 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 10, 2012

THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 10, 2012

‘Linger over coffee’ for spiritual nourishment LEAVENWORTH — Persons of all denominations are invited to “linger over coffee” for a Lenten series of Tuesday morning sessions to be hosted by Marillac Center, the retreat and spirituality center on the campus here of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, at 4200 S. 4th St. Leading discussions based on the book “Sacred Rhythms” by Ruth Haley Barton will be Sisters Susan Chase, Noreen Walter and Kathleen Wood. Sessions will go from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Topics and facilitators include: • Feb. 28 – “Longing for more in the spiritual life,” Sister Noreen • March 6 – “Solitude and silence: Creating space for God,” Sister Susan • March 13 – “Encountering God in Scripture,” Sister Kathleen • March 20 – “Rules of life, the examen: Bringing my whole self to God,” Sister Noreen For more information or questions, email to: retreats@scls.org; call (913) 758-6552; or visit the website at: www. marillaccenter.org.

Leaven photo by Joe Bollig

Fourth-grade teacher and technology coordinator Tammy Walters uses a special “marker” to write on an area of a website page about space waste. Users can also use their hands to manipulate or create shapes, words, audio or graphics on the board, as if they were using a computer mouse. Students or teachers can use the device to create and save interactive sessions.

St. Paul students cheer SMART Board win

By Joe Bollig Leaven staff

OLATHE — Give a group of grade school students an opportunity to holler and scream, and they will HOLLER and SCREAM. That’s what they did at St. Paul School in Olathe when representatives of the Hy-Vee supermarket at 119th and Ridgeview presented them with a new SMART Board and iPad on Jan. 26 during an assembly in the school gymnasium.

It was the second SMART Board win in as many years.

The students raised the roof when store director Dale Wellinghoff and manager of perishables Dale Mitchell told them they won the two items by collecting points through a store program.

“Of all the schools in Olathe, your school collected the most points, so you win a brand-new SMART Board for your school,” said Wellinghoff, “And this is the second year that your school has won. As a bonus, you also won an iPad.” Until the week before, the school was unaware it was even in the running for a SMART board, said Tonia Helm, St. Paul principal.

Hy-Vee has a program called “Smart Points,” whereby customers get points for buying Sara Lee and Proctor & Gamble products. Customers receive a code on their receipt and a website address. They go to the website to register their code and the school to which they wish to credit

Leaven photo by Joe Bollig

Hy-Vee store director Dave Wellinghoff (right) presents the SMART board while principal Tonia Helm and perishables manager Dale Mitchell assist. their points. The individual or family who registered the most points is awarded an iPad. The champion shoppers were members of the Lee and Sabrina Orison family, parishioners of St. Paul Church. Their kids are too young for school, but they wanted to help anyway.

“I buy a lot of diapers,” said Sabrina. “So I just kept inputting [the codes] into the program.”

She has no idea exactly how many

points she racked up for St. Paul School, because other families were donating their points, too. The Orisons were the winners, because they won the iPad — which they also donated to the school.

A SMART Board is an interactive whiteboard that can be used for classroom instruction and interactive activities. It works in conjunction with a computer that accesses an online site for games and activities. One such online program is a virtual frog dissection.

“In its most basic uses, you can show PowerPoint presentations or videos,” said Tammy Walters, fourthgrade teacher and technology coordinator. “The SMART software allows the teacher to create interactive lessons where the students come to the whiteboard and manipulate shapes, words or other problems to complete tasks.”

The SMART Board will help students keep pace with technology and help them think of and use technology when creating presentations and projects, said Helm.

A SMART Board is worth about $1,500 and an iPad is about $500, hefty sums for a budget-conscious school.

“We’re very small and we don’t have a lot of money in the budget to buy a lot of things,” said Helm. “We rely heavily on the generosity of businesses and other benefactors in the community. We’d never be able to have technology like this without their help.”

‘Beautiful Monsters’ on display at USM LEAVENWORTH — The University of Saint Mary here presents “Beautiful Monsters,” an exhibition by artist Hollis Hammonds of two-dimensional cutouts and relief wall installations that explore patterns in storm imagery. The show opened on Feb. 10 and will run through March 2 in USM’s Goppert Gallery on the Leavenworth campus, located at 4100 S. 4th St. During the monthlong show, gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Admission is free.

Hammonds, a native of Independence, Ky., is assistant professor of art and director of the fine arts exhibit program at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. She has exhibited her work throughout the country. “Beautiful Monsters” explores the devastation of natural disasters.

Mark your calendar for World Youth Day 2013 KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Mark your calendars now for World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro. The theme will be “Always Be Joyful in the Lord.”

The office of evangelization and Catholic formation for youth will be sponsoring this trip through JMJ travels. However, due to the high cost and difficult travel involved for WYD Rio 2013, the vocation office would like those parishes and schools who do not plan on organizing a group to consider sending one or more representatives to join the vocation/youth office for this extraordinary experience of the young universal church.

For more information, go to the website at: www.archkck.org, click on “youth ministry” and then “World Youth Day.” For specific details, call Rick Cheek at (913) 647-0351 or email him at: youth2@ archkck.org. The initial cost is $3,900; a $300 deposit is due by March 15.

Exchange helps those in need Continued from page 1 event, and the parking lot filled with cars from all over the metropolitan area.

By the end of the day, the store was almost empty; 750 sacks of winter wear had been given away.

And the satisfaction of a job well done was payment enough for the hard work.

“Seeing everyone just grabbing whatever they needed,” said Jackson, “it was just a great feeling.

“There were some families there that you could just tell were in desperate need of these items.”

The experience was so rewarding, Jackson decided to do it again this year.

And even though he and the other volunteers had gone on to different high schools, they all reunited for an encore Give-and-Get. “It’s incredible that everybody came back together for this project,” said Jackson.

Anticipating a big turnout, students prepared 1,250 bags this year.

Starting mid-January, they spoke at Masses and offered the bags for donations. Once again, the response was overwhelming.

“Between the 15th and the Saturday before the sale,” said Jackson, “we were just flooded with tons and tons of items in trash bags, collection bags and

shoe boxes.”

“Way more than we expected,” added Brianna. “And most of it was in pretty good shape.”

To get the word out, students contacted Catholic Charities, TurnStyles and the Olathe School District. They advertised the event in school newsletters and on craigslist.

Prince of Peace parishioner Jeff Lewis, whose son Josh worked with Jackson to organize the event, was impressed with the students’ sensitivity to those in need.

“It’s cool sometimes the things they come up with,” he said. “They didn’t want to call it ‘free giveaway’ because they thought people wouldn’t want a handout.

“So they called it an exchange.”

Once again, an army of young volunteers worked most of the day before the sale to organize items on racks and tables Their efforts were not wasted.

Prince of Peace parishioners, along with people from surrounding communities, filled the store to shop for free shoes and winter clothing.

“It turned out to be a phenomenal success,” said Jackson.

And he’s not surprised.

“Because I’ve prayed to God every night,” he said. “I just said, ‘God, please help the Give-and-Get be a success; please make this possible for everyone who needs it.

“Let them know they can come and shop for free for whatever they want.

And really warm our community.”

Indeed, the warmth was felt all day in the smiles of people shopping and the volunteers there to help them.

“I thought it was really neat,” said Brianna. “I didn’t realize so many people from outside our little circle would actually be there.”

Though parents helped out, the event was entirely spearheaded, organized and executed by young people.

“It’s something the kids have really been working on and they’ve taken it to heart. And I’m just very proud,” said Lewis.

Jackson hopes to continue Giveand-Get annually, passing responsibility down to younger volunteers someday.

“My sister is in 7th grade and I have a friend who has a brother a year younger than that,” he said. “So they’re continuing the Give-and-Get when I’m out of school.”

He also hopes those who follow in his footsteps learn as much from the experience as he has.

“It’s been life changing for me,” he said. “Just seeing what good my friends and I were doing and seeing how that was impacting other people.

“Hearing a thank-you from families is an incredible reward. The pay is in seeing people’s reaction when they find something they need.”

LOCAL NEWS 5 Banita A. (Welter) and Douglas R. Ondick, members of Good Shepherd Parish in Shawnee, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Feb. 17 with their children and their spouses: James and Bridgid Ondick and Craig and Tara Ondick.

ANNIVERSARIES They also have two grandchildren. The couple was married on Feb. 17, 1962, at St. Kevin Church in Minneapolis, Minn.

Free concert set for Feb. 19 at St. Benedict’s Abbey ATCHISON — Mario Pearson, organist and director of music for the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Mo., will perform a concert in St. Benedict’s Abbey church here at 2 p.m. on Feb. 19.

There is no charge for admission.

However, a freewill donation will benefit the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey.

Pearson has served as music director at the cathedral since 2006. Before that, he was director of music and liturgy for Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Daytona Beach, Fla., where he developed diverse music and liturgy programs and served as band director at the parish school. In addition, he worked as a professional music consultant to churches and choral and theater performing groups.

6 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 10, 2012

ACTS supports the ministry to marriage and family life

By Deacon Tony Zimmerman

Special to The Leaven

A L

question that my wife and I sometimes get is: “What’s the secret to staying together for 40 years?” ots of things are needed for a good and lasting marriage. One is preparation, which we received in our Pre-Cana classes. We learned marriage is molding two lives into one. That process, plus the stress of jobs and the demands (and joys!) of raising children, are part of being married.

Now, I couldn’t image anything but the joy we experienced right then. Applying what we heard as I learned to be a husband and father was helpful. That preparation, and God’s grace, helped us to persevere so that today we experience the joy we dreamed of in the beginning. We are thankful for all the ways that the church has supported and guided us throughout our life.

I am privileged to be a part of the office of marriage and family life because I can help support marriage and family life in our archdiocese. Christian marriage and families have never been under a more serious attack. The meaning and understanding of marriage is being rewritten in our culture and by our government.

Many couples choose cohabitation today as a trial marriage. They often do so because they look at the world

Leaven photo by Lori Wood Habiger

The archdiocesan office of marriage and family life will soon be offering a renewed program of marriage preparation incorporating the teachings of Blessed John Paul II known as the theology of the body. around them and doubt that a happy marriage is possible and fear failure.

“Our work” (ours and yours, because we cannot do this without your support) must be to show these couples that joy-filled marriages and families are God’s desire and are possible.

One of the exciting efforts soon to come from this office is a renewed program of marriage preparation. This program will incorporate the teachings of Blessed John Paul II known as the theology of the body. The impact of these teachings to engaged couples has

been a deeper faith, a return to the faith for others, and a deeper, richer understanding of their sexuality as designed

by God. It offers a path toward healing for those who deal with the relationship distortions that result from cohabitation and premarital sex.

Another part of our work is marriage enrichment. This fall, nationally acclaimed speaker and writer on marriage and family Dr. Gregory Popcak will come to our archdiocese for a day of enrichment for married couples.

We act as a resource for couples seeking programs for marriage enrichment, support for a troubled marriage and for those who suffer from the loss of a spouse due to death or divorce.

Our work in marriage and family life is needed in many ways. When I say “our work,” I mean we cannot succeed without the support that you give by your response to the Archbishop’s Call To Share. We thank you for your generous response.

Leaven photo by Jill Ragar Esfeld

Scott and Anabella Wasserman, who head the Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa, missions to San Lucas, Guatemala, share a letter from the mission with fellow parishioners at Mass.

Anabella’s longing for a connection to her native Guatemala led her, and eventually her parish, to form a relationship with San Lucas Parish.

TO GUATEMALA, WITH LOVE

Concrete Work

Any type of repair and new work Driveways, Walks, Patios Member of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish

Harvey M. Kascht (913) 262-1555

W

hat do you do if you’re

a young man snowed into a mountain cabin with seven lovely wom-

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en?

Holy Trinity, Lenexa, parishioner Scott Wasserman can answer that question: You fall in love, and then go on the journey of a lifetime.

And along the way, you

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change the world . . . or at least a small piece of it.

Cabin fever Scott graduated from Harvard Law School in 1985. He’d done an internship on Wall Street and knew he didn’t want to live in New York, so he took a position with a law firm in San Francisco.

About that time, Anabella Gonzalez had come to San Francisco from Guatemala on a student visa to study graphic design.

A mutual friend invited them both to a gathering at a cabin in the Sierra Nevada.

“People came and went,” Scott recalled of the day they met. “Then the snow started to fall towards evening.

“And I found myself, a 25-year-old single man, snowed in with seven women.”

But he only had eyes for Anabella.

“My initial attraction to her was her faith and her spirituality,” he said.

He’s not kidding.

Anabella was raised in the pious Catholicism of Guatemala. Scott was a devout Jew with deep roots in the Jewish tradition. Both were intensely dedicated to their faiths.

It was an impossible match.

But Scott saw a kindred spirit in Anabella and, even after the snowstorm cleared and everybody went home, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

They didn’t teach a course in how to woo Latin beauties at law school. So

Celebrate the World Day of Marriage with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann with Mass at 3 p.m. on Feb. 12 at St. Therese Parish, 7207 N.W. Hwy. 9, Kansas City, Mo. Scott had to devise his own plan.

“I started taking Spanish,” he said.

Though he had graduated from Harvard at the top of his class, Scott conveniently found himself struggling with basic Spanish.

“After my very first lesson, I went to her apartment to ask for help with my homework,” he said.

Anabella was nobody’s fool.

“She wouldn’t even let me into her apartment,” said Scott. “We sat on the steps in front of her building and went through my homework.

“When we were done, I said, ‘Thank you very much,’ and ‘I have another lesson next week. Can I come back?’”

It didn’t take long for Scott to be invited in.

Meet the parents “Being in a foreign country, you really feel lonely sometimes,” said Anabella. “And I found in Scott a very special friend that I could communicate with.”

Story continues on next page

Continued from previous page

Spanish, asking for her hand in marriage.

“A formality,” he said. “The letter talked about how the goal of marriage is not happiness because happiness is an emotion that comes and goes.

“The goal is joy. Joy is a value, not an emotion.”

The couple chose to be married in Guatemala.

She also found someone who shared her desire to serve others.

“One of the first things we did together was help with Special Olympics,” she said.

The relationship progressed and Scott knew he wanted to marry Anabella. But he thought he should meet her family first.

So he accepted an invitation to travel to Guatemala one Christmas.

“I was going to be staying with my girlfriend’s family for two weeks,” he said. “Although I was 27, I felt like I was 14 years “When we arrived for our wedding a old with acne and braces.” few months later,” said Scott, “everyone At this point, he had studied Spanish for kept coming up to me and complimenting more than a year, but he wasn’t yet profime on the letter.” cient.

Finally, he asked Anabella how many He spent his time on the flight down people her mother had showed his letter cramming Spanish verb conjugations and to. staring at a photo of Anabella’s large Cath“That was a very private corresponolic family. dence,” he said.

“I was studying the Shortly thereafter, names of all nine of her his future motherIf anyone is interested in startsiblings,” he said, “and in-law came to him ing a sister parish relationship in their nicknames.” with a newspaper in their own parish, Scott and AnaAnabella had trouhand saying, “There’s bella Wasserman would be happy bles of her own. something I have to to meet with them and help.

“I was concerned tell you.”

For more information, contact: with my family,” she “And she handed Scott & Anabella Wasserman said. “What were they me the Guatemala (913) 599-1536 going to say when my City newspaper,” said gonwas@gmail.com boyfriend is not CathoScott. “They had public?” lished my letter.”

She needn’t have worried.

The entire population of Guatemala “My dad was the first one to say, ‘It City approved of Anabella’s fiance. doesn’t really matter. I can see Scott is spirBecause she was giving up so much, itual,’” she said. it was important to Anabella that she be married in Guatemala. It was a fair compromise, but it meant she couldn’t return to the United States immediately after her wedding.

“We went on a honeymoon to Costa On a foggy January evening, Scott asked Anabella to walk with him across Rica,” she said. “After that honeymoon, Scott returned [to the United States] and the Golden Gate Bridge with the intention I had to wait.” of proposing.

“If we had been married in the United She asked if, instead, they could walk States, she could have stayed,” explained halfway and make a wish.

“That’s a custom in Guatemala,” ex- Scott, “but because we got married outside the United States, she couldn’t return unplained Scott. der her visa.

And so they walked halfway. Anabella “She then had to come back with a permade her wish, and Scott asked her what manent residence. And that takes time.” she’d wished for.

Scott called the process “a nightmare “She said, ‘I can’t tell you or it won’t dealing with the most intractable bureaucome true,’ he recalled. “And I said, ‘Well, cracies on earth.”

I’ll tell you my wish.’

Eventually, he even quit his job in San “And I proposed to her.”

Francisco and devoted himself full time Anabella hesitated for a moment. She to the process. The couple was reunited knew Scott was not licensed to practice law in Guatemala, and accepting his pro- within a month.

“It is the longest we’ve ever been apart,” posal would mean great sacrifice. said Anabella. “Ten years later, I became a “She was thinking about giving up her family, her country,” said Scott. “And then citizen.”

They did, indeed, move then to Kanshe said, ‘Yes.’ sas to be near Scott’s family and rented But that wasn’t Scott’s only surprise for an apartment while Anabella looked for Anabella that night.

“And then I said, ‘I’d like to move to Kan- a place for them to live. Her priority was a Catholic parish where she felt she besas,’” recalled Scott. “And she said, ‘Let me longed. think about it.’”

She found it on her first visit to Holy Once their minds were made up, Scott Trinity Parish in Lenexa, where she saw wrote a letter to Anabella’s parents, in

they’ve done in the parish.

“And something we made very clear from the start with San Lucas was that we needed them as much as they needed us.”

The couple started off with their first mission group before the program was officially sanctioned as supported by the parish.

“Which was appropriate,” said Scott.

“They wanted to see how it worked.”

That first group was small, and on a true adventure.

The marriage

The proposal

The children at San Lucas parochial school line up for breakfast of Atol, a traditional cornstarch-based hot drink.

The mission

Anabella Wasserman leads the San Lucas parochial school children in a singalong. Wasserman forged a relationship between San Lucas Parish and her parish at Holy Trinity in Lenexa. It’s been a relationship that has benefited both parties. pastor Msgr. Ray Burger process into Mass with a Guatemalan stole around his neck.

During his homily, he talked about his recent trip to Guatemala and asked parishioners to donate funds to build a clinic there.

“She came back from that Mass and said, ‘I found our parish,’” said Scott.

Blending faith Initially, Scott and Anabella continued with their own faiths, but found common ground in blending their Jewish and Christian traditions.

“Our religions became one,” said Anabella. “We worked at it and, instead of becoming a problem, it became a richness in which we both took from each other’s faith.”

The couple had three daughters and raised them in this richness.

“We had Shabbat on Friday night,” said Anabella. “We would pray rosaries and we would try to really live those traditions here at home.”

Anabella was the force behind the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program starting up at Holy Trinity.

“It is inspired, in the way the Jewish people taught their faith,” she said. “I took training so we both could participate in teaching that to our children.”

Slowly, Scott became more open to Christianity.

“It was not my intent to become Catholic,” he said of the process. “But at the same time, there was a lot I admired.”

Scott attended Mass with Anabella and was always moved by the connection he found there to his Jewish faith.

“I remember my first impression,” he said. “Two things amazed me about Mass.

“One was that people who were not decedents in the flesh of Abraham were worshiping my God, and I thought that was exciting.

“The other thing was the sacrifice at the Temple. I had always thought of the Temple as having been destroyed in about A.D. 70 — and then I felt I had walked into the Temple and the sacrifice was still happening, although in a transformed way.

“To me that was also an amazing sight.”

Scott began discerning his call to the Catholic faith through Holy Trinity parish retreats. He and Anabella also joined a

small faith group.

Eventually, he was baptized a Catholic in the same church in Guatemala City where Anabella and their three daughters were baptized.

Scott’s family had accepted his Catholic wife without reservations.

“Everybody loved her,” he said. “How could you not?”

But when he chose to join her faith, the reaction was bittersweet.

“They accepted it,” he said. “Of course, there was a sadness, and still is.

“But we have maintained our connection with the Jewish tradition because we think it’s valuable to us and to our children.”

Return to Guatemala Though settled in the United States, Anabella still longed for a connection to Guatemala beyond visits to family there.

“First, we started sponsoring a child through CFCA (Catholic Foundation for Children and Aging),” she said. “And that is how we were brought to San Lucas (Toliman, Guatemala).”

The family decided to meet their sponsored child. The plan brought them to San Lucas Parish where CFCA had a presence.

The Wassermans toured the area and were impressed with the work of Father Greg Shaffer, who had established a church and mission center in San Lucas in 1962.

After meeting the children there, Anabella started thinking about bringing the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to San Lucas.

“And through Bob Henson, who was the president of CFCA, and Father Greg,” said Anabella, that was accomplished. “They both said they liked the program.”

In the beginning, it was Anabella’s project. She would go down to set up the program and train catechists, while Scott did his best to care for their children back home.

“I had to go [to the neighbors] and ask for help,” he confessed. “I didn’t know how to make a ponytail.”

Eventually, Anabella’s trips to San Lucas sparked an interest at Holy Trinity.

“People started inquiring about going there as a mission,” she said.

Scott, now very active and invested in the Holy Trinity community, began talking to Anabella about the advantage of providing missionary opportunities for parishioners.

The benefits he envisioned were not for San Lucas, but for Holy Trinity.

The plan Though Holy Trinity Parish was supporting a clinic in Guatemala, the involvement was only financial.

“What we wanted to introduce to parishioners was more of a relationship, a direct involvement,” said Scott.

Eleven years ago, the couple put together a model of the kind of mission program they hoped to introduce and presented it to the parish staff.

The plan emphasized consistency — going down to the same place, going down every year and building a relationship with the people.

“Having a direct relationship with the poor really introduces [Holy Trinity parishioners] to Christ,” said Scott. “They really do see Christ — in such an immediate, tangible, human way that they may not have experienced in other valuable things

“We didn’t know what to expect at all,” said Holy Trinity parishioner Brenda Pageler who, with her husband Terry and their three young children, joined the mission.

Before they left, Scott made it clear to the group that the mission trip was not about what they would do for the people of San Lucas. Their little bit of help, he said, would not be all that significant.

“He told us we were going because we would receive the gift of poverty,” said Terry. “And I didn’t understand that.”

Within an hour of their arrival in San Lucas, the Pageler children were playing soccer with the locals.

“The kids are so uninhibited,” said Scott. “They connect so quickly with the kids there — there is no language barrier though they speak different languages.”

The new missionaries toured the area and were surprised by the level of poverty.

“It was just really sad,” said Brenda. “It was right after the civil war ended, and the poverty and malnutrition [rate] was one of the highest in the world.”

The group was able to participate in projects already in progress, working side by side with the locals.

The philosophy Elizabeth Mulkey, a music teacher at Holy Trinity School, was also a member of the first mission group and has made several trips since.

Then, as now, she was impressed with the Wassermans’ approach to mission work.

“They’re so patient,” she said. “A lot of missionaries take the American way of things — barreling in and taking over.

“But they stop and listen and wait and watch and learn — and then kind of organically move from what they think is needed to what they see is needed.”

“And they incorporate the local people,” she added. “It’s not just these Americans coming in and doing.

“It’s really a relationship.”

After working with the poor of San Lu-

At the women’s center, a San Lucas parishioner works on the traditional backstrap weaving. Holy Trinity volunteers have worked on building the women’s center.

cas and watching his children play with their children, Terry reflected on what Scott had said about receiving the gift of poverty.

“It was the gift we received from people who had so little, but yet were willing to work with us and enjoy our participation,” he said. “The warmth and smiles we received, that’s really where the impact is.

“It’s what you feel from them, rather than what you give them. Once you’re there, it’s like, ‘Now I understand.’”

“Usually they become very excited about giving,” said Anabella of the people in San Lucas. “Most of them are prepared to work hard and give of themselves a lot, and to share with us the joy, even though their lives are so limited.”

The progress The Pagelers joined another mission trip four years later and immediately saw how the relationship had grown.

“The Wassermans were a known quantity,” said Terry. “And there were projects waiting for us.”

By this time, Holy Trinity Church was fully invested in the mission program, and the school had also become involved.

Each year, Holy Trinity teachers were sponsored to go on the mission and work in the San Lucas parochial school.

“We work with the students,” said Mulkey, who has been on several trips.

“Then, we’re also working with the teachers and trying to build that relationship.

“We’ve done in-service training, showing them how to teach certain concepts and delivering items to help them teach better.”

The mission group is accommodated

by San Lucas Parish.

“They usually have for us a little place,” said Anabella. “They provide everything that is required. Hospitality is always wonderful.”

And Father Greg is an inspiration to all who visit there.

“He’s the heartbeat of it all,” said Mulkey.

“He certainly is a very kind and giving man to have spent the better part of his life there giving to the people,” agreed Terry.

“And he is an extraordinarily smart man.”

The Wassermans’ three daughters have grown up making mission trips to San Lucas.

Now that they are high school and college students, they act as tour guides for other missionaries — and enjoy the advantage of speaking fluent Spanish.

The growth The mission groups now number 20 or more and incorporate widely diverse interests and talents. The Wassermans make sure everyone has an opportunity to serve.

They have brought sports clinics, medical missions, teaching workshops, crafts, games, music, dancing and much physical labor to San Lucas.

“Whatever challenges and interests people bring down with them, we can make it work,” said Scott.

Though always punctuated by fun and laughter, time spent in San Lucas can sometimes leave volunteers feeling overwhelmed. So the Wassermans end each day with an evening reflection.

A favorite prayer is one by Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador that says: “We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.”

“We can’t do everything,” paraphrased Scott, “but we can do something. And we can do that very well.”

After faith sharing on their last day, the group traditionally challenges the locals to a soccer match.

Leaven photo by Jill Ragar Esfeld

During San Lucas Celebration Week, Holy Trinity students got to experience some Guatemalan traditions. Emily Conard tries to walk while balancing a basket of produce on her head.

“Our record right now is: We’re zero for 10 at Holy Trinity,” said Scott. “They always beat us.”

Back home The people who come to Guatemala experience the relationship in the fullest way. But parishioners who never travel to Guatemala still experience it through the activities of the parish.

“We have been very blessed with Holy Trinity School, and how they bring back what they gain and share [it] with the children,” said Scott.

“When I teach things in San Lucas,” said Mulkey, “I teach it at Holy Trinity also.

“So I teach them the same songs, and I teach them both in English and Spanish.”

The two schools formed prayer partners between teachers. Students have exchanged handmade bookmarks and prayer cards.

“It’s so inspiring to see people sharing the same faith across poverty, across cultures, across languages,” said Scott.

Holy Trinity parishioners buy coffee grown by San Lucas parishioners and they have “One World One Family” Lenten projects that help make improvements to San Lucas Parish.

“I think Holy Trinity has such an asset, such a gift, in the form of Scott and Anabella,” said Terry. “They really are the conduit to this larger, greater gift that has been given to so many and is available to so many more.”

“We told Father Greg years ago that we were doing this for Holy Trinity,” said Scott. “We hope San Lucas benefits, too, but we’re doing this for Holy Trinity.

“That model hasn’t changed; and it’s been so successful — more than we anticipated.”

“I remember when we presented the model to Father Greg,” added Anabella.

“We emphasized, ‘Father, we might not bring you donations at the beginning, but just wait.’

“And when you see how much money Holy Trinity has given generously to San Lucas, it’s very incredible, because sending money was not our emphasis.”

“It’s like marriage,” said Scott. “Marriage has a financial aspect. There can be some very generous sharing in a marriage.

“But if it’s only about the finances, it’s not much of a marriage.”

If anyone, the Wassermans should know.

For more information on San Lucas Mission in Guatemala, visit its website at: http://www.sanlucasmission.org.

THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 10, 2012

LOCAL NEWS 11

Men’s retreat offers participants life-changing experience

By Joe Bollig Leaven staff

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Wild horses couldn’t drag Stan Roush to Men Under Construction, the annual archdiocesan men’s retreat.

His brother, however, could.

“I tried every way to tell my brother ‘no,’ that I wouldn’t go, but I finally gave in,” said Roush, now a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Shawnee. “I said, ‘I’ll go ahead and go, but if I don’t like it, I won’t go back.’”

Roush had been raised a Catholic, but at that time — 15 years ago — he was indifferent to the faith. When he got to Men Under Construction, he had an incredible experience that rocked his world.

“It completely changed me,” he said.

“There were a lot of speakers who gave witness talks about different subjects, and every speaker that year just happened to hit on the issues I had. I’d been away from the faith for a while, and it actually brought me back.’”

This year’s Men Under Construction — MUC 16 — will take place on Feb. 25 at Church of the Ascension Parish, 9511 W. 127th St., in Overland Park. Up to 800 men — some dragged by brothers, fathers and buddies — will be there. The event begins with a breakfast at 6:30 a.m., followed by Mass. The day ends at 3:15 p.m.

The MUC event is four days after Ash Wednesday and is a great way to kick off Lent, said Phil Hernandez, one of the event organizers. At the retreat, men can find men like themselves, who are looking for answers.

“We try to call men to get closer to God and grow in their faith, and to look to the church for answers, rather than society,” said Hernandez, a member of Church of the Ascension.

“I think most guys are broken and have problems,” he added, “and all the solutions they tried before aren’t working for them. We’re saying, ‘Hey, consider this.’”

Typically, a MUC event features presentations, group sessions and keynote speakers. This year’s MUC boasts Father Larry Richards, a priest of the Diocese of Eire, Pa., and Steve Ray, a convert and Catholic apologist. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann will also give an address, and there will be several confessors present for the opportunity to receive the sacra-

Keynote speakers Father Larry Richards Father Larry Richards has been a priest for 22 years for the Diocese of Erie, Pa., and currently serves as pastor of St. Joseph Church/ Bread of Life Community in Erie. He founded The Reason For Our Hope Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “spreading the Good News” by educating others about Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith through CDs, DVDs and books.

He is the author of “Be A Man! Becoming the Man God Created You to Be,” the No. 1 best-seller for 2010 for Ignatius Press. He also has a second book coming this September, entitled “Surrender! The Life-Changing Power of Doing God’s Will.” Father Richards also hosts a nightly radio show, “Changed Forever with Father Larry Richards.”

Steven Ray Steven Ray is an intrepid traveler, expert on the Holy Land, popular Catholic apologist, documentary producer, Bible teacher and bestselling author. Nicknamed “Jerusalem Jones” by the National Catholic Register, Ray brings the breadth of his knowledge and experience to bear on the mysteries and traditions of the Catholic Church. Ray’s popular film series, “The Footprints of God,” has inspired and enriched the faith of thousands. ment of reconciliation.

“We try to bring in speakers who will address men’s issues and the challenges they face,” said Hernandez, “real issues, not just theological or academic ones, but real and practical things men face every day — problems at work, home, marriages, addictions and other problems guys find themselves in. We’re saying ‘You’re not alone.’”

The cost to attend is: $30 for adults; $20 for college students; and $15 for youths under 18. Scholarships are available for those out of work or the clergy.

For resources and to register online, go to the event website at: www.ksmuc. org; click on “registration.”

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Boy Scout Troop 333 from St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood has five Scouts who have earned the rank of Eagle. They are: (from left ) Benjamin Keling, Kevin Weinand, Parker Heinze, Anthony Carrubba, and Michael O’Connell. Their Eagle projects were: Keling planted a butterfly garden in Ironwoods Park, Leawood; Weinand extended an underground drain pipe and built and installed flower boxes for Wayside Waifs Animal Shelter, Kansas City, Mo.; Heinze built a glockenspiel at Operation Breakthrough, Kansas City, Mo.; Carrubba built and installed wheelchair-accessible planters for Villa St. Francis, Olathe; and O’Connell converted an unused darkroom into a janitor’s closet at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kan.

Saint Vincent and Duchesne clinics will honor four local heroes LEAVENWORTH — Caritas Clinics, Inc. (Saint Vincent and Duchesne clinics) has announced the 2012 Caritas Celebrates awards. They will be presented to each winner at the annual Caritas Celebrates event on April 14 at the KCI Expo Center in Kansas City, Mo. Tom White of Kansas City, Mo., has been chosen as the 2012 Sister Rosalie Mahoney Award winner for living the spirit of Sister Rosalie through tireless dedication and service to the mission of Saint Vincent and Duchesne clinics.

White served on the Caritas Clinics’ board of directors for seven years, including two terms as chairman.

Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., has been selected as the 2012 Caritas Award winner as a community partner who, in the spirit of St. Louise de Marillac, enables the clinics to serve neighbors with humility and kindness, and is a bridge to connect those who have and those who have not. Providence donates all lab test processing to Duchesne Clinic, and many Providence-affiliated physicians provide volunteer medical service.

Leavenworth County Commissioner Clyde Graeber has been named the clin-

ics first-ever Community Servant of the Year as an elected official who supports the mission and work of Saint Vincent and Duchesne clinics and promotes access to quality health care for the poor and vulnerable in the communities served by the clinics. In 1986, when the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth opened Saint Vincent Clinic, Graeber stepped forward to lend his support. In addition to serving on the Saint Vincent Clinic board of directors, Graeber led the capital campaign in 2004 and 2005 that enabled the clinic to renovate and move into its current facility.

Leavenworth Production Center, Hallmark Cards, Inc., will be presented with the first Business of the Year award as a business who partners with Saint Vincent and Duchesne clinics to improve the health of individuals and communities, promotes healthy communities through its work in Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties, and/or promotes healthy work environments for its employees and the people of Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties.

To purchase tickets to Caritas Celebrates call Debbie Sparks at (913) 6518860.

12 CLASSIFIEDS Employment Medical practice office manager - Single physician practice is seeking individual that has: excellent computer skills; the ability to interact professionally with insurance adjusters, case managers and patients; and the ability to do in-office billing. Email resume and salary requirements to: Cynrn04@aol. com.

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Financial representative - Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding financial representatives in the Kansas City, Topeka and Atchison areas. This position is ideal for a determined, high-energy, high-expectation, professional, self-disciplined, independent individual desiring to serve others, yet earn a better-than-average income. We provide top-rated financial products to our members and their families and will provide excellent benefits and training. For information or an interview, contact John A. Mahon, 307 Dakota, Holton KS 66436; or call (785) 364-5450.

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Dog- and/or housesitting - Graduate of Rockhurst High School and Benedictine College is available for dog- or housesitting. Will also do basic yard work, moving, errand-running, chauffeuring and more. Curé of Ars parishioner. Call Seán Rielley at (913) 563-9333 or send an email to: srielley@sbc global.net.

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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: mikehammermoving@aol.com.

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Caregiving

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, Debbie or Gary.

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 and based in Lenexa. Call Benefits of Home-Senior Care at (913) 422-1591 or visit our website at: www.benefitsofhome.com.

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Private senior care - Registered nurse offering medical and nonmedical services. Keeping seniors at home and independent. Call (913) 522-4938 or send an email to: jcseniorcare@gmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity Parish, Lenexa.

Retired nurse - housekeeper/companion/ elder care - With over 25 years experience is willing to do hospice and in-home care for your loved one.

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Brick mason - Installation and repair of all types of masonry work — brick, stone, and concrete.

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Small and large jobs accepted. Free quotes in the KC metro area. Call Jim or John at (913) 485-4307.

Clutter getting you down? Organize, fix, assemble, clean! “Kevin Of All Trades” your professional organizing handyman. For a free consultation, call today (913)271-5055. Insured; references. Visit the website at: www.koatindustries.com.

Swalms Organizing Service - Basement, garage, attic, shop — any room organized! Items taken to donation sites, trash is bagged, and areas are clean and neat when job is complete. To view before-andafter pictures, visit the website at: www.swalms.com.

Over 20 years of organizing experience; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115.

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.

Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite, and solid surface.

Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee.

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

Call Lupe at (816) 252-3376 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.

For Sale Residential lifts - Buy/sell/trade. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. Recycled and new equipment. Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood. Call Silver Cross KC at (913) 327-5557.

Vacation Breckenridge, Colo. - 2 BR, 2 BA condo; sleeps 8. Roomy, first-floor unit with washer/dryer, gas fireplace, ski closet, Wi-Fi, cable and covered parking. One block to slopes; two blocks to downtown; 30 steps to hot tubs. For discounted pricing and availability, call (816) 392-2730.

Feb.

Real Estate Beautiful two-story home in desirable Bridgewood Subdivision - Picture-perfect house and private lot, updates galore, chef’s dream kitchen, dynamite finished lower level — shows better than a model! New roof, granite in remodeled master bath, new carpet, faux wood garage doors. Motivated seller. A real gem of a home located at 13204 Briar, Leawood, in Nativity Parish. Won’t last. $615,000. Call Patty at (913) 636-1868 or Shannon at (913) 269-1740.

Reece & Nichols Realtors.

For Rent For rent – Beautiful 2 BR, 1 BA half-duplex in Overland Park. Walk-out basement and garage; neighborhood pool and exercise room; trash and lawn care included. No pets. Call Catherine at (913) 972-8852.

For rent - 1 BR, 1 BA apartment in Shawnee near Nieman and Johnson Dr. $510/month; utilities included. 10911 W. 59th Terr. For a virtual tour, visit the website at: www.shawnee-rentals.com. (913) 6497596.

Office space available - Great location in the Ranchmart area of Prairie Village. Ideal for start-ups, professional and small businesses. Flexible terms.

Call Marek at (913) 461-4491.

Child Care Nanny wanted - Full time, Mon. - Fri., from 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., beginning in mid-March. Must have experience with infants, be CPR-certified and have references. Prairie Village area. Call (913) 522-0241.

Child care – Holy Trinity mom has opening for a 12-month-old or older child from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Call Tracie at (913) 909-7917.

Wanted to Buy Antiques wanted Call Chris at (913) 593-7507 or (913) 642-8269.

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

Misc.

Alumni of Curé of Ars Grade School - This year marks the 50th anniversary of the school. Save April 28 to celebrate an all-classes reunion. There will be a special vigil Mass, followed by a celebration. Alumni are asked to send an email with name, graduation year, current address, phone and email information to: alumni@cureofars.com. If you know a Curé of Ars graduate, share this information with them and ask them to help spread the word.

Entertainment DJ Irishman - Colm Delahunt is available for parties, weddings, graduations, and any other function.

Playing all your favorite hits from the Village People to U2. Call (913) 548-6765 or visit the website at: www.djirishman.com.

To purchase a classified ad

Send an email to: jennifer@theleaven.com, or call (913) 647-0327. The cost is $17.50 for five lines or less; additional lines cost $1.50. All print ads appear on website free of charge.

Want to help someone heal from an abortion?

Call Toll Free 888-246-1504

11

LifeFront will offer a sidewalk counseling training session on Feb. 11, presented by Elizabeth McClung, who was instrumental in the conversion of former Texas Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson. Meet at Planned Parenthood, 4401 W. 109th St., Overland Park, at 8 a.m. to pray and watch McClung sidewalk counsel. Training is from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, 11411 Pflumm, Overland Park. For more information or to register, visit the website at: www.lifefrontkc. org (click “events” tab) or call (816) 2230035.

Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, will host a trivia night on Feb. 11 at the school, located at 8101 W. 95th St. The cost of $12.50 per person includes snacks and beverages. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Organize teams of 8 - 10 players and register together.

Individuals will be placed on teams. The doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the trivia contest will begin at 7 p.m. For information or to register, call Kathleen DeKraai at (913) 599-6395 or send an email to her at: dekraai@yahoo.com.

Queen of the Holy Rosary-Wea Parish, 22705 Metcalf, Bucyrus, will host “A Night in Monte Carlo” on Feb. 11. The doors open at 6 p.m. The cost of $25 per person includes dinner, drinks and gaming. Proceeds will benefit the school. To purchase tickets, call the school office at (913) 533-2462 or Allison Kanakares at (913) 481-7851 or send an email to: akanakares@kc.rr.com.

A healing Mass in honor of St. Peregrine, patron of those suffering from cancer or other serious illnesses, will be held at 9 a.m. on Feb. 11 at Holy Spirit Church, 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park. The sacrament of anointing of the sick will be offered. Special devotions and blessings will be offered with a firstclass relic of St. Peregrine. Packets containing novena prayer and a third-class relic will be available. For information, contact the parish office at (913) 4927318 or Marge Hattrup at (913) 492-7682.

The Ignatian Spirituality Center of Kansas City at Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Mo., will host a winter prayer workshop, entitled “Motions of the Soul,” from 9 - 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 11. Father Mark Thibodeaux, SJ, will discuss how discernment is a process of “praydreaming.” By learning how to let God dream in us, we can begin to touch our deep desires and be more attuned to the movements within our deepest beings. The cost is $20 per person. Scholarships are available. For information or to register, send an email to: info@ignatian centerkc.org, or call (816) 523-5115, ext.

212.

Holy Family Church, Kansas City, Kan., will host a Valentine’s Day dance from 7 - 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 at Mejak Hall, 513 Ohio. Music will be provided by The Don Lipovac Orchestra. The cost is $15 per person. Food will be available for purchase. For information or to purchase tickets, call Robert Serra at (913) 621-3500 or Richard Schutte at (913) 669-3677.

Holy Name Church, Kansas City, Kan., will host its annual ragin’ sweet and spicy fest from 6:30 - 9 p.m. on Feb. 11 in the school cafeteria. There will be a chili, soup and dessert cook-off. Entries

are welcome. The cost of $8 includes a meal and tastings. For information, contact Sharon Staab at (913) 631-1138.

12

sion to an abortion clinic four blocks away. Eucharistic adoration is available for those not processing; Benediction concludes services at 9:45 a.m.

Sanctuary of Hope, 2601 Ridge Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will host its annual music concert, entitled“Download God, Upload Prayer,” at 2 p.m. on Feb. 12. Freewill donations will be accepted. For information, call (913) 321-4673 or visit the website at: www.sanctuaryofhope.org.

Mater Dei Parish, Topeka, will host its annual casino night on Feb. 18 in Rossiter Hall, 204 S.W. 8th St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; gaming will be from 7 - 10 p.m. A suggested donation of $20 per person is appreciated. There will many prizes, including an Apple iPad.

St. Bede Parish, Kelly, will host its annual pancake breakfast from 7 a.m.

- 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 12. All are welcome.

Freewill donations will be accepted.

The Knights of Columbus at St. Paul Parish, 900 S. Honeysuckle Dr., Olathe, will host a pro-life trivia night fundraiser on Feb. 18 from 7 - 10 p.m. in the gym. The evening will include door prizes, raffles, entertainment and cash prizes for the top teams. The cost is $12.50 per person; $100 for a table of eight. For information or to RSVP, call Bob Atwood at (913) 269-8318 or send an email to: ratwood59@sbcglobal.net.

St. John Catholic Club, 414 Barnett Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will host the annual Frank Ladek Memorial Bowling Tournament beginning on Feb. 12 at noon and 3 p.m. The tournament will be held on Sundays through Feb. 26. The entry fee is $15 per person. For information or to register, call (913) 371-9690.

A Fatima rosary rally will be held at 3 p.m. on Feb. 12 at St. Joseph Church, 5901 Flint, Shawnee. Join in praying the rosary, followed by Benediction and enrollment in the brown scapular.

The Multi-Ethnic Education Team (MEET) of Rockhurst High School, 9301 State Line Rd., Kansas City, Mo., will sponsor “Faces of Kansas City,” a program on diversity, at 4 p.m. on Feb. 12 in the Rose Theater on campus. Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and Larry Ruby, Rockhurst principal emeritus, will speak on the value and importance of diversity in our community. This event is free and open to the public. For information, visit the website at: www.rockhursths.edu.

13 The Altar Society of St. John the Evangelist Parish, 2910 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 13. All parish women are invited to attend.

15

Sophia Center, 751 S. 8th St., Atchison, will host a mini-retreat, entitled “A Journal for the Journey,” from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Feb. 15. Sister Thomasita Homan, OSB, will be the facilitator.

Spend a day learning private journaling methods based on Scripture, the Rule of Benedict and life experiences. The cost is $50. For information or to register, call (913) 360-6151 or visit the website at: www.mountosb.org/sophia.html.

16

A healing Mass, sponsored by archdiocesan charismatic prayer groups, will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 16 at Curé of Ars Church, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. Father Anthony Kiplagat will preside. Fellowship will follow in the Father Burak Room. For information, call (913) 649-2026.

The Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan., offers a monthly Scripture series, based on the illuminations of the Saint John’s Bible, from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 16, and every third Thursday of the month.

For information or to register, call (913) 906-8990 or visit the website at: www. mountosb.org/kwc. Free study guides will be provided for those who preregister.

18

Father Barry Clayton will celebrate the archdiocesan monthly prolife Mass at 8 a.m. on Feb. 18 at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church, 44 N. Mill, Kansas City, Kan., followed by a rosary proces-

Come live a day in the life of a Benedictine Sister! Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, will offer a monastic experience on Feb. 18, beginning with morning prayer at 8 a.m. and concluding after vespers at 7:30 p.m. For information, call Sister Barbara Smith at (913) 426-5275 or send an email to her at: barbara@ mountosb.org.

The Curé of Ars Singles will host a Mardi Gras dance from 7:30 - 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 18 in the school cafeteria, located at 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood.

The cost of $15, payable at the door, includes hors d’oeuvres, desserts, wine, beer, soda, and bottled water. For information, call (913) 631-6873.

Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish, Topeka, will host its annual German Fasching (Mardi Gras) on Feb. 18 in the Sacred Heart Parish hall, 312 N.E. Freeman Ave. The evening will include a German Mass, an authentic German buffet, a dance featuring the Ed Grisnik Polka Band, a silent auction, and raffles. A cash bar will be available. Advance tickets cost $25 and are available through Feb. 12 by calling the parish offices at (785) 232-2863 or (785) 234-3338.

20

The Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will offer “How to Make Wise Spending Choices and Live on a Budget” from 1:30 - 3 p.m. on Feb. 20, presented by Chiquita Miller of the K-State Extension office. For information or to register, call (913) 906-8990 or visit the website at: www.mountosb.org/kwc.

21

The Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will offer “Job Readiness, Professional Etiquette for Work, and Life Skills” from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Feb. 21. Lunch will be provided; reservations are required. For information or to register, call (913) 9068990 or visit the website at: www.mount osb.org/kwc.

23 The Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will

offer “Eating and Exercise: Making Both Work,” a nutrition presentation offered in partnership with K-State Extension Services, from 9:30 - 11 a.m. on Feb. 23. For information or to register, call (913) 906-8990 or visit the website at: www.mountosb.org/kwc.

25

Sophia Center, 751 S. 8th St., Atchison, will host a mini-retreat, entitled “Lent and Easter with St. Benedict,” from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Feb. 25.

CALENDAR 13

Sister Judith Sutera, OSB, will facilitate.

This retreat will focus on the exploration of humility, the tools of good works and other spiritual practices to refresh the soul in preparation for Easter. The cost is $50. For information or to register, call (913) 360-6151 or visit the website at: www.mountosb.org/sophia.html.

Would you like to reach out and make a difference in someone’s life? The Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic will host a volunteer information meeting from 10 - 11 a.m. on Feb. 25. For information or to RSVP, call Tammy or Nora at (913) 287-8287 or send an email to: volunteer@ wpcnetwork.org.

28

Sophia Center, 751 S. 8th St., Atchison, will host a mini-retreat, entitled “When Jesus Smiled,” from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 28. Sister Sheila Carroll, OSB, and Sister Gabrielle Kocour, OSB, will facilitate. Come closer to the mystery of the human Jesus and his life among us. The cost is $50. For information or to register, call (913) 360-6151 or visit the website at: www.mountosb.org/ sophia.html.

Misc.

Rediscover your marriage! The Retrouvaille program offers the opportunity to rediscover yourself, your spouse, and a loving relationship. The next Retrouvaille weekend is Feb. 17 - 19. For confidential information or to register, call 1 (800) 470-2230 or visit the website at: www.retrouvaille.org.

Divorced? Widowed? Beginning Experience Weekend gently helps people move through their loss to a new beginning. The next weekend for the Kansas City area will be March 9 - 11. For information or to register, call John at (913) 219-3465 in Kansas City; Kim at (816) 739-4733; visit the website at: www. beginningexperience.org; or send an email to: BEWeekendKC@hotmail.com.

The next Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend will be held from March 2 - 4 at Savior Pastoral Center, 12601 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, Kan. For information or to register, call Ralph and Jan Lewis at (913) 400-7173 or visit the website at: www.neksme.org.

The FertilityCare™ System (Creighton Model) of natural family planning is offering monthly introductory sessions at a variety of locations in the archdiocese. This medical model fulfills Catholic marriage policy requirements and is helpful for achieving and avoiding pregnancy. To learn more or to register for a class, visit the website at: www. fertilitycarekc.com, or call at (816) 8580198. Para Español, call Veronica Woodford, RN, CFCP, at (816) 916-2607.

Healing from pornography? Monthly theology of the body groups and weekly recovery groups are available for men and women. For information, visit the Website at: LoveIsFaithful.com, or call Sam Meier, MA, LPC, at (913) 6470378.

Calendar submissions: Are due at noon on Wednesday, nine days prior to the publication date.

Calendar items will be publicized according to the date of the event. Email submissions to: jennifer@theleaven. com.

14 COMMENTARY

Catholic Press Association Award Winner

1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

QUOTE WEEK

OF THE

“Having a direct relationship with the poor really introduces [Holy Trinity parishioners] to Christ.

They really do see Christ — in such an immediate, tangible, human way that they may not have experienced in other valuable things they’ve done in the parish.

Scott Wasserman See story on pages 7-9

SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Feb. 12 SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Lv 13: 1-2, 44-46; Ps 32: 1-2, 5, 11; 1 Cor 10:31 — 11:1; Mk 1: 40-45 Feb. 13 Monday Jas 1: 1-11; Ps 119: 67-68, 71-72, 75-76; Mk 8: 11-13 Feb. 14 Cyril, monk, and Methodius, bishop Jas 1: 12-18; Ps 94: 12-15, 18-19; Mk 8: 14-21 Feb. 15 Wednesday Jas 1: 19-27; Ps 15: 2-5; Mk 8: 22-26 Feb. 16 Thursday Jas 2: 1-9; Ps 34: 2-7; Mk 8: 27-33 Feb. 17 The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order Jas 2: 14-24, 26; Ps 112: 1-6; Mk 8:34 — 9:1 Feb. 18 Saturday Jas 3: 1-10; Ps 12: 2-5, 7-8; Mk 9: 2-13

THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 10, 2012

C

THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 10, 2012

COMMENTARY 15

MARK MY WORDS

CHURCH AND STATE

Stay . . . just a little bit longer

First Amendment rights at issue with health care law

lara Schumann, the German musician and composer said it best: “Why hurry over beautiful things? Why not linger and enjoy them?”

I have a sneaking suspicion that St. Benedict could have used this advice, especially when it came to his twin sister, St. Scholastica. This Leaven comes out on Feb. 10, which is Scholastica’s feast day.

You’re probably familiar with her story. She lived from about 480 until 543, a time when the Roman Empire was in collapse. This brother-and-sister team desired to show others “how to live as Christians in a chaotic world.”

Benedict did this by founding an abbey in Monte Cassino in Italy and writing a rule of life for the monks. According to Mary Ellen Hynes in “Companion to the Calendar,” the Rule of St. Benedict taught people “how to treat each other with gentleness and respect, as he and Scholastica had always treated each other.” Scholastica became the first woman to embrace the Rule and established a convent in Plombariola, about five miles south of Monte Cassino.

Each year, Benedict and Scholastica would set aside one day to talk together about spiritual matters in a farmhouse halfway between their residences. (This was because Scholastica was not permitted inside the abbey.) At one of these meetings, as it was growing late, Scholastica sensed that this would be their last visit and asked her brother to stay until the next day. Benedict refused, since spending the night outside the monastery would violate his Rule.

Undaunted, Scholastica began to pray, asking God to let her brother

continue his visit. Suddenly, a huge thunderstorm erupted, preventing Benedict from leaving. Horrified, Benedict cried out, “God forgive you, Sister.

What have you done?”

Scholastica replied, “I asked a favor of you and you refused. I asked it of God and he granted it.”

So they spent the night talking about God. Three days later, Scholastica died and was buried in the tomb that Benedict had prepared for himself.

(Story found in “Saint of the Day,” by Leonard Foley, OFM; revised by Pat McCloskey, OFM.) Isn’t there a little of St. Benedict in each of us? We always seem to be in a rush, even amid beautiful things.

Therefore, in addition to being the patron saint of nuns (I get this) and convulsive children (I don’t get this), I would suggest that Scholastica also be appointed the patron saint of lingering, something in short supply today. Like the historical time in which Scholastica lived, ours, too, is a chaotic world, one where we are overstimulated, distracted and time-pressured.

Perhaps we all need to relearn the joy of lingering. A great place to begin is at church. So many folks seem in a hurry to sprint out the door at the end of Mass. Heck, some even dash out after Communion or during the closing

hymn. Why not make it a point this weekend to linger a bit? Say hi to the celebrant of the Mass and visit with your fellow parishioners. Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know.

Stick around for coffee and doughnuts.

Or maybe just linger to pray for a bit in the empty church after Mass is over.

Practice lingering during your personal prayer at home. Savor being in the presence of God. Read a few more lines of Scripture or say a couple more prayers or just sit quietly before God for five more minutes or so.

Why not call a friend to share a leisurely meal? Pick a time and place when you can do that comfortably — avoid, for example, times when restaurants are packed and noisy. Warn your waiter or waitress that you’ll be lingering. Don’t forget to leave the person who waits on you a bigger tip for letting you do this.

Visit an elderly relative or nursing home resident and stay 15 more minutes than you intend to. Taking off your coat and sitting down when in their room makes it easier to stay.

And don’t forget to practice your lingering when alone. Treat yourself to a few more pages in a novel or nap for a few more minutes or soak in the tub for a bit longer. Or follow the advice of Irving Berlin’s 1932 song: “Let’s have another cup o’ coffee and let’s have another piece o’ pie.” When we finally take the time to slow down, life recovers its sanity and displays its beauty.

By the way, the next time you’re caught in a thunderstorm, take it as a hint from St. Scholastica to linger and enjoy the beautiful things in life.

IN THE BEGINNING

Biblical use of ‘unclean’ differs from modern

H

ave you noticed the addition which has recently appeared in the sanctuaries of many Catholic churches?

Because of concern over the spread of the flu and other infectious diseases, dispensers for hand cleanser now grace our sanctuaries, alongside the altar and other liturgical accoutrements.

When those distributing holy Communion make SIXTH SUNDAY IN use of them, the ORDINARY TIME process hopeLv 13: 1-2, 44-46 fully should take place in a more sanitary way. At least, that is the idea.

Advances in medical knowledge have lengthened life expectancy greatly. They have also focused attention upon hygiene. All this is relatively new.

Two thousand years ago, three thousand years ago, it was quite a different story. Our ancestors in the faith were not nearly as concerned about sanitation as they were about ritual purity.

When Sunday’s first reading — Lv 13:1-2, 44-46 — describes a person with leprosy as “unclean,” it does not mean contagious, with the danger of inflecting others with a disease. The concept of uncleanliness found in the Bible differs radically from the modern

concept of septic. Rather, in the Bible, a person became unclean through physical contact with specified objects or actions, such as a dead body, menstrual blood, childbirth, certain species of animals, and certain skin diseases globally identified as “leprosy.” Once unclean, the person was cut off from the everyday life of the community until the contact had ended and the person was purified through a set of religious ceremonies.

We should not confuse uncleanliness in the Bible with sinfulness. It did not necessarily involve any moral culpability, as the example of the person with leprosy should make clear.

Incidentally, the term “leprosy” in the Old Testament included a broad variety of skin diseases, but probably not the dreaded malady known as Hansen’s disease, which can cause severe

disfigurement and, if untreated, leads to death.

Instead, “leprosy” in the Old Testament probably meant diseases such as ringworm, acne, maladies which are not highly contagious. The leper’s warning of “unclean, unclean” was not to prevent the spread of disease.

Instead, it indicated the ritual impurity cutting the person off from the community. Touching a person who was unclean could make you also unclean.

Fortunately, those diseases described as “leprosy” in the Bible often healed on their own. Once healed, the person had to report to the priest to certify the healing and undergo the religious ceremony of purification.

That purification involved bathing with water.

It is no accident that the sacrament of baptism involves bathing with water.

It also is a kind of purification, which washes away the spiritual disease of sin, thus bringing us into the life of the community. Through that sacrament, we have been made clean.

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

O

n Jan. 20, three days before the annual March for Life, Catholics across the nation became abruptly acquainted with the hardball tactics of former Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius that are all too familiar to pro-life Kansans.

While tirelessly lionized in the Kansas press as a political “moderate,” the now-secretary of Health and Human Services has once again acted very immoderately, this time by rejecting the Catholic bishops’ pleas for an exemption from the Obama administration’s outrageous, unlawful, and unconstitutional “contraceptive mandate.”

This demonstration of political muscle-flexing undoubtedly brought im-

mense personal satisfaction to Sebelius, who three years after being publicly instructed to refrain from receiving Communion by her archbishop, leapt at the chance to show the bishops who instructs who around here. The Obama administration high command also undoubtedly saw in the mandate a political opportunity to weaken the Catholic bishops’ public voice by driving a wedge between them and Catholics in the pews, who seem to have little time for their church’s teaching on contraception.

However, rather than cementing the principle of central government supremacy over religious freedom, this

dramatic act of overreach may well prove to be the spark that at long last reignites interest in constitutional first principles, not to mention certain longneglected Catholic social principles.

While only two Catholics signed the Constitution in 1787, the framers’ constitutional architecture of national and state governments — what we call federalism — and the lack of constitutional authorization for federal meddling in the everyday affairs of individuals dovetails neatly with the Catholic social principle of subsidiarity.

In the 1931 encyclical “Quadragesimo Anno” (on reconstructing the social order), Pope Pius XI wrote: “Just as it is gravely wrong to take from individuals what they can accomplish by their own initiative and industry and give it to the community, so also it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and disturbance of right order to assign to a greater and higher association what lesser and subordinate organizations can do.”

Thanks to the no-holds-barred brazenness of the contraceptive mandate, those Catholics who prefer to row from the port side of Peter’s Bark must now question old assumptions about the desirability of continual increases in the size, scope, and reach of federal power.

Prominent Catholics who publicly applauded the federal health care law are now looking with horror upon the spectacle of American bishops having to plead as supplicants before a federal bureaucrat for the right to operate Catholic institutions in accordance with Catholic teaching.

These Catholics may not care a whit for “Humanae Vitae,” but they do care about the First Amendment. They sense its peril and are roused. And that is the last thing Sebelius’ boss needs in a year divisible by four.

Michael Schuttloffel is the executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference.

AS THE CHURCH PRAYS

“W

Liturgist makes case for music at Mass

hy do we have to have singing at Mass? Couldn’t we just speak everything and still have it be as meaningful?”

I received these questions in an email the other day. They are important ones, especially since some folks just don’t care to sing, and others prefer the socalled “low” Mass, where all the texts are recited rather than sung.

So what answers does the church give to these questions?

“As sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, No. 112).

“Liturgical worship is given a more noble form when the divine offices are

celebrated solemnly in song” (CSL, No. 113).

“Religious singing by the people is to be intelligently fostered so that in devotions and sacred exercises, as also during liturgical services, the voices of the faithful may ring out” (CSL, No. 118).

Of course, it is possible to worship the Lord without music, true. But the church underscores the fact that music is more than merely decorative. It does more than simply ornament the liturgy of the people of God. It has a “ministe-

rial function” and is directed to the “service of the Lord” (see CSL, No. 112).

Music communicates like no other medium. It elevates our communication with God, giving it true beauty and enabling the mind and heart to pour forth in praise, in thanksgiving, and even in contrition and petition.

Low Mass is still Mass, period. But the liturgy which embraces and incorporates religious singing anticipates the joy and glory of our worship in heaven.

The Bible is loaded with images of singing and the importance of music, both on earth and in heaven. St. Paul’s instruction to the Colossians provides to me the greatest argument for singing and the Christian life: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another

and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.

And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col 3:12-17).

So, there should indeed be music; but what kind of music? More later . . .

Michael Podrebarac is the archdiocesan consultant for the liturgy office.

DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU

Youth finds March for Life ‘peaceful, purposeful, and powerful’

O

ne of my favorite Gospel passages comes from the first chapter of John, when Philip was asked to “come, follow me” by Jesus.

Philip afterwards finds Nathanael and tells him, “We have found the one of whom Moses wrote about in the law, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” What does Nathanael say? “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

Philip replied, “Come and see.”

Can anything good come from going on the March for Life? Come and see!

One hundred and eighty five young people and adult chaperones did just that. I saw a comment posted on a social media site afterwards that asked, “Are we really making a difference by spend-

ing our time and efforts going every year in sometimes the most unfavorable weather?”

The answer is YES, we are making a difference. I can’t imagine how many more abortions would have taken place in our world today if Nellie Grey had not started this March for Life in Washington, D.C., 39 years ago, or if she and the others had given up after one or two marches. The number of babies that are saved each year from our efforts is worth the time and effort that goes into making this pilgrimage each year.

This year’s pilgrimage was filled with

a few obstacles to say the least. Father Gary Pennings, archdiocesan vicar general, said it best in his homily before the busses departed: “You’re going to encounter hardships and struggles along the way, and people who will oppose what you are doing.”

Of course, I don’t think he anticipated a 22-hour bus ride turning into a 36-hour ride. That, however, did not dampen the spirits of our young people. They understood this is a battle that we’re in here. Jordan McEntee from Blue Valley High School and St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood shared in her blog something that was posted on Twitter: “The March for Life isn’t just a pilgrimage; it is the front line of battle.”

She went on to share her own personal thoughts: “This is spiritual warfare we’re dealing with, and the power of prayer is our number one weapon going into battle. It’s peaceful, purposeful, and powerful.” The final thing she

shared about what changed her at the March for Life is “that our generation has so much power. The youth of the church has so much potential to do so much good for this world.”

“Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity” (1 Tm 5:12). We can be leaders. What great wisdom from a teenage young person!

You will not hear there were over 300,000 people at the March for Life this year. You’ll be lucky to hear that there were 20,000, but that doesn’t mean we stop doing what we’re doing.

Can anything good come from going on the March for Life? Can anything good come from following Jesus Christ?

Come join us next year and see!

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

16 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • FEBRUARY 10, 2012

Celebrating Catholic schools

D

espite returning from a trip to the Holy Land in the middle of Catholic Schools Week, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann was determined to celebrate with Catholic schools, no matter how severe his jet lag. With trips to Hayden in Topeka, St. Thomas Aquinas in Overland Park and Holy Trinity in Lenexa, he praised the spirit and mission of Catholic schools in the archdiocese.

ALL GATHERED

Students and staff of all the Topeka schools gathered at Hayden on Feb. 1 to celebrate Catholic Schools Week with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. Joining the festivities are: (from left) Rick Strecker, president of Hayden High School; Lee Schmidt, principal of Holy Family School; Mark Madsen, principal of Hayden; Heather Huscher, principal of St. Matthew School; Kathy O’Hara, superintendent of archdiocesan schools; Ann Connor, associate superintendent of archdiocesan schools; Karen Kroh, assistant superintendent for special needs; Relynn Reynoso, principal of Christ the King School; Andrea Hillebert, principal of Mater Dei School; and Eric White, principal of Most Pure Heart of Mary School.

Leaven photo by Susan McSpadden

COMMUNION

Archbishop Naumann distributes Communion to students at Holy Trinity School in Lenexa during a Mass to celebrate Catholic Schools Week. Holy Trinity School will celebrate its 100th anniversary later this year.

Leaven photo by Elaina Cochran

FULL HOUSE

The gymnasium of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park is filled to capacity for an all-school Mass with Archbishop Naumann. Aquinas was recently selected to receive the prestigious Governor’s Achievement Award — one of only 18 schools in Kansas to be so honored.