02-28-14 Vol. 35 No. 28 by The Leaven

theleaven.com | vol. 35, no. 28 | february 28, 2014

Couple’s marriage spans 80 years By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

LATHE — Alice and Dale Rockey were both dating other people when a Sunday afternoon drive to the country changed everything. It was 1933, and the two couples had double-dated before. But that day, Dale’s girlfriend was working at her parents’ movie theater. “So Dale was kind of killing time until he could pick her up, and he came by my house,” said Alice, who was sitting on the porch when he arrived. “Come on, go for a ride with me,” he suggested. It turned out to be the trip of a lifetime.

‘Always rich’ Dale and Alice Rockey, 98-year-old members of St. Paul Parish in Olathe, celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary on Dec. 29, 2013. The anniversary marked a milestone not only for them, but for married couples in Kansas. Deacon Tony Zimmerman, lead consultant for the archdiocesan office of marriage and family life, presented a certificate to the Rockeys in February, honoring them for the longevity of their marriage in celebration of World Marriage Day. Dale was 18 and Alice was just a few days shy of her 18th birthday when they said, “I do,” in 1933. With the country in the throes of the Great Depression, the couple started out their married life with only $11 to their name. But Dale would tell newlyweds even today to do the same. Back then, it cost about $2 for the marriage license, and Dale gave the priest about $2.50. With a tank of gas, the newlyweds spent a couple of nights with Dale’s aunt and uncle. “That was our honeymoon,” he said. He headed back to work the next day. Dale made a career in Ford dealerships, with most of those years spent in Alliance, Neb.

“We never had a lot of money, but we were always rich.”

>> See “They” on page 11

Lenten regulations

Leaven photo by Susan McSpadden

Dale and Alice Rockey, members of St. Paul Parish in Olathe, recently celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary. Alice said the secret to making marriage last is simple: “I always let him have my way.”

All Catholics 14 years of age and older are obliged to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, March 5, and all the Fridays of Lent. Catholics 18 to 59 years of age are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday — a fast consisting of one normal meal and two lesser meals, with no eating in between. It is also recommended that Catholics find opportunities throughout the Lenten season to complement their fasts with prayer, reception of the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist, and positive works of charity.

2 archbishop

theleaven.com | february 28, 2014

Life will be victorious

This Lent, root out the idols in your life

or a good portion of my life, I always dreaded the arrival of Lent.

It was a time of depriving myself of some of the things I most enjoyed. However, in more recent years, I have come to look forward to Lent as a time when I feel a great sense of communal support to free myself from some of my self-imposed enslavements. Many years ago, I remember seeing a poster that said: “He is rich who desires little.” At first, I thought this to be a foolish saying that promoted mediocrity. However, as I pondered it more deeply, it became clear to me that the author was not advocating to demand or expect little of oneself, but instead was praising the virtue of simplicity. In other words, a person is rich who is able to experience delight in the simple beauties and comforts of ordinary daily life. Such a person is going to find more enjoyment in life than the person who has grown callous to everyday beauty and demands more glitz and pizzazz in order to be impressed. I was reminded of this while viewing a little bit of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games. It appears there is another competition besides that on the slopes or the skating arena. It seems that each host nation feels an obligation to make the opening and concluding ceremonies even more spectacular than the previous one. The same observation could be made about the halftime program at the Super Bowl. Each year, there

archbishop Joseph F. Naumann appears to be an effort to make the halftime program more extravagant and more over the top (not even to mention less family-friendly) than previous ones. We live in a time of great innovation in technology. We seem to require more and more to entertain us. Many feel a need to have the most updated technology for our phones, computers, televisions, and home entertainment theaters. In misguided expressions of love for our children, we get them addicted to believing they need the latest toy, gadget, phone or fashion. Lent is a time in our Catholic community where we are given the much-needed permission to simplify our lives. It is a time to remind ourselves of all the things — alcohol, sweets, late-night snacks, television, computer games, etc. — that we do not need to make us happy. Truth be told, if we develop a dependency on them, then they actually diminish our capacity for happiness. Lenten fasting can be and should be a liberating experience. What helps us succeed during these six weeks, as opposed to our well-meaning New Year’s resolutions, is the communal support that we receive. There is real power in fasting as a community on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, as well as abstaining from meat on Lenten Fridays. Moreover, we sense

solidarity with the larger Catholic community with even the additional personal “penances” that we choose to do. At the beginning of Lent, we should ask ourselves the question: What are the idols in my life? At first, you might object that idols are a thing of the past, of ancient pagan cultures. However, if we define an idol as anything that we value more than our relationship with God, then we will quickly recognize there are numerous modern American idols. Once again, I have asked all of our parishes during the Wednesdays of Lent (with the exception of Ash Wednesday) to provide the opportunity for the sacrament of penance/reconciliation from at least 6 to 7 p.m. Every Catholic should go to sacramental confession some time during the Lenten season. In order to make a good confession, it is important to make a good examination of conscience, a thorough review of your life, identifying wherever sin may be present. One very simple, but also revealing way to examine your conscience is to ask yourself the question: What do I value more than God? Or posed another way: What do I choose to spend time on instead of participating in the Eucharist or spending time in personal prayer? One of our idols may even be other human relationships. We may discover that in the name of friendship or love, we are actually using another person to make ourselves happy. We may even think that we need this other person to be happy. Certainly, we should derive enjoyment from family relationships and good, holy friendships. Yet,

calendar

“Catholic Way” taping

archbishop

March 8 Men Under Construction — Church of the Ascension, Overland Park

Naumann March 2 Pastoral visit — Sacred Heart, Shawnee Holy Hour and dinner with Apostles of the Interior Life March 3 Fireside chat with leadership class and senior theology students — Benedictine College, Atchison March 4 Priests Personnel meeting March 5 Ash Wednesday Mass — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kan. Mass and lunch — Bishop Ward High School, Kansas City, Kan. March 6 Religious Alliance Against Pornography conference call Administrative Team meeting Mass — St. Lawrence Center “Trust One Greater” — University of Kansas

authentic love is not using another to make ourselves happy, but rather striving to do what we can for the good of the one we love. I encourage you as we prepare to begin the Lenten season to pray over the question: What are the idols in my life? Ask the Lord to reveal to you what things or persons you value more than your relationship with him? Experience the liberation of no longer having to spend time with your idols. As you empty your life of some of your false gods, fill it with more time for

Scooter/bath/wheelchair/pool Free consults. Leaven discounts! Member Good Shepherd, Shawnee

Call Ed Toll Free 1-855-543-8632

March 9 Pastoral visit — St. Patrick, Kansas City, Kan. Rite of Election — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kan. Rite of Election — Church of the Nativity, Leawood

archbishop

keleher March 2 Confirmation — St. Ann, Prairie Village March 4 Confirmation —St. Pius X, Mission March 5 Ash Wednesday Mass and luncheon — Chancery March 8 Men Under Construction — Ascension, Overland Park March 9 Confirmation — Holy Spirit, Overland Park

March 7 “The Drew Mariani Show” (radio)

Stair lifts & More We’ll lift you up!

Parish hall dedication — St. Mary, Hartford

reading the Bible, personal prayer, eucharistic adoration, daily Mass and acts of true love. Once we begin to become free from our idols, we begin to notice how much beauty is already present in our lives. We begin to find the capacity to delight in the ordinary. In our human relationships, we begin to use others less to please ourselves and we find a greater capacity to love others — seeking their good rather than our enjoyment. Enjoy Lent!

TOUCH OF HEAVEN

Catholic Store 119 SE 18th Topeka, KS (785) 232-2543 Hrs. T-F - 10 a.m. 5:30; Sat. 9 a.m. to noon

second front page 3

february 28, 2014 | theleaven.com

Pope changes Vatican bureaucracy Pope establishes panel, with lay members, to oversee Vatican finances By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — In a move reflecting both his drive to reform the Vatican bureaucracy and his oft-stated desire to include laypeople in the leadership of the church, Pope Francis established a new panel, to include almost as many lay members as clerics, to oversee the finances of the Holy See and Vatican City State. Another new office, to be headed by Cardinal George Pell of Sydney, will implement the panel’s policies. The Vatican announced the changes in a statement Feb. 24, explaining they would “enable more formal involvement of senior and experienced experts in financial administration, planning and reporting, and will ensure better use of resources,” particularly for “our works with the poor and marginalized.” The Council for the Economy will include “eight cardinals and bishops to reflect the universality of the church” and “seven lay experts of different nationalities with strong professional financial experience,” the Vatican said. They will “meet on a regular basis to consider policies and practices and to prepare and analyze reports on the economic-administrative activities of the Holy See.” The lay members of the new council will exercise an unprecedented level of responsibility for non-clerics in the Vatican, where the highest offices have always been reserved for cardinals and bishops. The Vatican did not release any names of council members. Reporting to the council will be the new Secretariat for the Economy, which will exercise “authority over all the economic and administrative activities within the Holy See and the Vatican City State,” including budget making, financial planning, hiring, procurement and the preparation of detailed financial statements. “I have always recognized the need for the church to be guided by experts in this area and will be pleased to be working with the members of the new Council for the Economy as we approach these tasks,” Cardinal Pell said in a statement released by the Archdiocese of Sydney, which said he would take up his new position at the Vatican “by the end of March.” Cardinal Pell is a “man who’s got financial things at his fingertips, and he’s a man who’s very decisive, and I think he’s a got a good understanding of how Roman affairs work,” South African Cardinal Wilfred F. Napier of Durban, who sat on one of the advisory panels that reviewed the arrangements before the pope’s decision, told Catholic News Service. Pope Francis established the council and the secretariat with an apostolic letter given “motu proprio” (“on one’s own initiative”), dated Feb. 24, with the

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

CNS photo/Paul Haring

Pope Francis walks with Cardinals Angelo Sodano, left, and Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya as he arrives to lead a meeting of cardinals in the synod hall at the Vatican Feb. 21. The announcement of the new panel to oversee Vatican finances was made Feb. 24. title “Fidelis dispensator et prudens” (“Faithful and prudent steward”), a quotation from the Gospel according to St. Luke. The same letter provides for the appointment of an auditor general, “who will be empowered to conduct audits of any agency of the Holy See and Vatican City State at any time.” The motu proprio makes no mention of the Institute for the Works of Religion, commonly known as the Vatican bank. The pope acted on recommendations from the Pontifical Commission for Reference on the EconomicAdministrative Structure of the Holy See, which he established in July to review accounting practices in Vatican offices and devise strategies for greater

fiscal responsibility and transparency. According to the Vatican, the commission “recommended changes to simplify and consolidate existing management structures and improve coordination and oversight across” the Vatican bureaucracy, and called for a “more formal commitment to adopting accounting standards and generally accepted financial management and reporting practices as well as enhanced internal controls, transparency and governance.” The recommendations were “considered and endorsed” by the pope’s eight-member advisory Council of Cardinals, which met for its third session Feb. 17-19, and the 15-member Council of Cardinals for the Study

of the Organizational and Economic Problems of the Holy See, which met for the last time Feb. 24, since it ceased to exist upon the establishment of the new council. According to Cardinal Napier, a member of the defunct council, at least some of the prelates on the new panel will be drawn from the former 15member body. “Something really needed to be done,” Cardinal Napier said of the pope’s actions. “For instance, there was no serious budgeting that you could call budgeting. . . . It was quite clear that some of the procedures and processes that were in place were not adequate for today’s world.”

Vatican starts hiring freeze, forbids overtime in effort to cut costs VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican announced an immediate end to new hires, wage increases and overtime in an effort to cut costs and offset budget shortfalls. Pope Francis, with input from the Vatican’s central accounting office, also determined that volunteers could be used to help provide the labor needed to make up for the hiring freeze and eventual attrition. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, sent a letter, dated Feb. 13, to the heads of all Vatican offices,

institutions and agencies. He said the budget forecast for 2014 “necessitated the immediate adoption of some measures needed to contain” personnel costs. In its last published report, the Vatican said it had a slight budget surplus of $2.7 million in 2012 after experiencing one of its largest budget deficits of the past decade in 2011. The secretary of state’s letter said the budget forecast expected a cash shortfall for 2014, prompting the pope to approve several

measures that would apply to all Vatican dicasteries, offices, institutions and bodies; the measures were to start immediately and stay in effect until further notice. The new measures included: • Banning new hires, both on temporary and permanent contracts, including a freeze on filling current and future vacant posts. • Temporary contracts, including third-party contracts, will not be renewed when their terms are up, unless there is a “specified”

Editor Reverend Mark Goldasich, stl frmark@theleaven.com

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd@theleaven.com

Reporter Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita@theleaven.com

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

Advertising Coordinator Julie Holthaus julie@theleaven.com

and “documented” need. • There will be no more raises, promotions or new appointments for existing employees even where posts are available. • Overtime is to be considered an “exception” and the frequent or “habitual recurrence” of workers clocking overtime “is forbidden.” • Departments are encouraged to help fill vacancies by notifying the secretary of state of existing personnel who could be transferred to another office.

Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $18/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.

4 local news

theleaven.com | february 28, 2014

New bishop sees ‘great joy’ in helping diocese write its ‘next chapter’ By Christopher M. Riggs Catholic News Service

ICHITA (CNS) — When someone told Bishop-designate Carl A. Kemme that he would be a bishop someday, he would always reply with: “That won’t happen because God is good.” “Well, now I’m going to have to rethink that a little bit,” he said at a news conference Feb. 20, announcing his appointment as the next bishop of the Diocese of Wichita. Bishop-designate Kemme, 53, the vicar general of the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., will succeed Bishop Michael O. Jackels, now an archbishop and head of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa. He was appointed there in April 2013. The episcopal ordination and installation of Wichita’s newly named bishop has been scheduled for May 1. “Without a doubt, Pope Francis could have chosen a far more qualified candidate but, in God’s mysterious plan, he has chosen me, which is a humbling and sobering experience,” he said to about 50 people attending

CNS photo/Christopher M. Riggs, Catholic Advance

Msgr. Carl A. Kemme, 53, is pictured above during a news conference at the Spiritual Life Center in Wichita after Pope Francis appointed him bishop of Wichita. Bishop-designate Kemme has been vicar general and moderator of the curia in the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., since 2010.

the news conference. “I receive all of this as a sign of how God often chooses the least qualified, the weak, and the sinful to accomplish his mission in the world.” Bishop-designate Kemme expressed his gratitude to his parents and to the Diocese of Springfield, where he served as a pastor and at the chancery for 28 years. “Leaving them is a great sadness and sacrifice in my heart. But I know that I take with me the very best of who they are, their love, their support and their prayers.” Raised on a farm in central Illinois, Bishop-designate Kemme’s life also focused around St. Mary of the Annunciation Church where he was baptized, confirmed, received his first Communion, and where he celebrated his first Mass. “My mother, when I told her yesterday on the way here that I was appointed to be bishop of Wichita — after recovering — in her own unique way, she said, ‘Oh, I’ve got to get my hair done now!’” He told his mother she had a bit of time before May 1 to get that done. Bishop-designate Kemme said he had desired to become a priest from

childhood. “Nothing made me happier and makes me happier than serving in the various parishes to which I was assigned,” he said. “Teaching in the grade schools, hearing confessions, baptizing babies, witnessing marriages, presiding at funerals — all the things that parish priests do. “It wasn’t always easy, as our pastors and parish priests will tell you, but there was a deep and abiding sense of joy and satisfaction because I was doing what I was convinced God wanted me to do.” He said he would soon get to know the faithful of the diocese. “For today, it is enough to acknowledge that now we are in this together, beginning to write the next chapter — the glorious, hope-filled and exciting chapter — in the history of the Diocese of Wichita,” Bishop-designate Kemme said. He closed the news conference by saying that his journey and those of the people of the Diocese of Wichita have intersected. “And that from now on, [that] we will journey together makes me very happy, very happy indeed.”

Priests discuss reasons to choose a Catholic cemetery

Father Volz agreed. s Ash Wednesday approach“We express our belief in the resures with prayers that remind rection of the body every weekend in believers of their mortalithe [Nicene] Creed at Mass. Consisty, members of the Catholic tent with this theology, Catholic cemCemeteries of Northeast Kansas board eteries provide continuity of Catholic of trustees want to use this teachbelief that spans the cying moment to heighten cle of life from birth to awareness of the value of For information about death. Our cemeteries Catholic cemeteries and Catholic Cemeteries of preserve the sanctity of their continuity with the Northeast Kansas, visit the the human body and retheology and faith tradiwebsite at: www.cathcem flect the theology of our tion of the church. ks.org; send an email to: information@cathcemks. beliefs.” Chairman Father Jerorg; or call (913) 371-4040 Father Spencer traces emiah Spencer and vice (Kansas City area) or (785) the spiritual importance chairman Father Jerry 272-0820 (Topeka area). of burial to the birth of Volz, of the cemeteries early Christianity. Folboard of trustees, also emlowing Christ’s crucifixion, Scripture phasize the importance of pre-planning recounts information about his burial end-of-life arrangements. place. “Burial or entombment in a Catholic Still today, Christians attach great cemetery is a symbolic conclusion to significance to the places of Christ’s what began for each of us with the saccrucifixion and the tomb where he rament of baptism,” said Father Spenwas buried. The Church of the Holy cer. “Our lives are journeys of proSepulcher in Jerusalem is revered as a gressing toward our eternal home. We special church. Father Spencer notes should think seriously about choosing that St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome is built the sacred ground of our Catholic cemover the tomb of St. Peter on Vatican eteries as our final resting place.”

Hill, which originally was a cemetery. Early Christians respected the bodies of martyrs and other faithful by placing them in catacombs. “The ministry of our Catholic cemeteries today continues this legacy of early Christianity,” said Father Spencer. Another value of Catholic cemeteries is that they can help educate and inform people about church teachings related to end-of-life arrangements. Father Volz points to cremation as a now acceptable option for Catholics. “Ideally, the church prefers that the body be present for the funeral ritual with cremation to follow,” explained Father Volz. “Staff of Catholic cemeteries can help people understand their options and plan accordingly.” As an extension of the church, Catholic cemeteries offer compassion at the time of death and healing after the death of a loved one with memorial Masses and other special observances. The eight cemeteries managed by Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas feature statuary and beautiful mon-

uments that contribute to a prayerful and respectful environment. A final point emphasized by both priests is the importance of pre-planning burial arrangements. “It’s been my experience that too often families give very little thought and attention to this type of planning,” said Father Spencer. Acknowledging that modern culture tries to avoid the uncomfortable aspects of death and dying, Father Volz encourages Catholics to pre-plan burial arrangements. He says talking this through among family members in advance can avoid hasty decisions that may not be in keeping with a loved one’s preferences about burial. “It’s better for everyone if we talk about life and death among our families and know that God is with us through all of this,” said Father Volz. “Catholic cemeteries can provide pre-need or at-need counseling to guide people through this process,” added Father Spencer.

LOCAL NEWS 5

february 28, 2014 | theleaven.com

Frankfort native remembered as strict preacher, gentle confessor By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

Pastoral assignments and ministries

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Father John Leo Cooper was known for many things — but especially for his skill as a confessor. Many people sought him out even in his retirement. “He was such a kind person,” said Chip DeMoss, a member of the St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Latin Mass Community in Westwood. DeMoss remembered a client, a Catholic woman in her 80s, who had resumed attending Mass after decades of absence. She longed to receive the Eucharist, but was timid about the sacrament of reconciliation. DeMoss reassured her and made an appointment with Father Cooper. “The next time I saw her, she gave me a big hug,” said DeMoss. “She told me, ‘[Father Cooper] was so gentle and kind. I feel like a little girl who made her first confession.’” Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher felt much the same way. “Early on, I decided to make Father Leo my ordinary confessor,” said Archbishop Keleher. “He was a very gentle and loving shepherd as he heard my sins and gave me a penance.” “I would often remark, when Father Leo was with me and other priests, that ‘Father Leo is my confessor. And thank goodness because of the seal of confession, he cannot tell any of you my many sins,’” the archbishop continued. “He would blush, and the others would laugh. I shouldn’t have done that, but I often did.” Father Cooper, 96, who served as a priest of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas for 71 years, died on Feb. 21 at Villa St. Francis in Olathe. He was the oldest and longest-serving priest in the archdiocese at the time of his death. A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated for Father Cooper on Feb. 27 at

• 1943 — Parochial vicar, Holy Name Parish, Topeka • 1947 — Chaplain at Saint Mary’s College, Leavenworth; also administrator of Sacred Heart Parish in Kickapoo in 1950, and pastor in 1954 • 1954 — Pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Holton, St. Francis Xavier Parish in Mayetta and Our Lady of the Snows Shrine, Potawatomi Reservation • 1958 — Pastor of St. Bernard Parish in Wamego • 1964 — Pastor of Holy Name Parish in Kansas City, Kan. • 1970 — Pastor of Annunciation Parish in Frankfort and St. Joseph Parish in Lillis • 1976 — Pastor of St. Elizabeth Parish in Blue Rapids • 1978 — Chaplain at Providence-St. Margaret Health Center in Kansas City, Kan. • 1991 — Archivist, chancery offices, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas; also administrator of Sacred Heart Parish in Bonner Springs in 1994. • 2005 — Retired.

St. Mary-St. Anthony Parish in Kansas City, Kan. Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher was the main celebrant. Father Cooper was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Emmett. Father Cooper was born on Dec. 2, 1917, in Frankfort, one of four children of John and Roxie Violet (Purnell) Cooper. He was named for his father, but to avoid confusion went by his middle name. Roxie Cooper was a convert to the Catholic faith. The first hint of a vocation came while he attended the fourth grade at Annunciation School in Frankfort. “A Benedictine Sister caught me outside one day and asked me if I had ever thought about becoming a priest,” Fa-

“He was a very kind confessor. He was a pretty strict priest preaching from the pulpit, but in the confessional he was as kind as Jesus himself. I had a great respect for Father Cooper.” — Father Carl Dekat, retired

“The people of the Latin Mass Community loved him. When Father [Raymond] Davern could, he gave my brother the opportunity to celebrate it again for the people. [Father Cooper] enjoyed the beauty of the Latin Mass.” — Alice Marie Cooper Clark, sister

“He was absolutely devoted to the Legion of Mary. That was his main preoccupation after the Mass and the sacraments. He had a big impact on many people through that organization.” — Msgr. Charles McGlinn, pastor of Curé of Ars Parish, Leawood

Church of the Ascension 9510 W. 127th, Overland Park

Speakers include:

Joseph Pearce

K E A T I N G Mud Jacking Cracked • Bowed • Settled Wall Repair v Wall Bracing v Waterproofing v Steel Underpinning

Kansas City (913) 262-9352

Formerly aligned with the National Front, a white nationalist political party, he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1989.

Eric Sutulovich

Is the Falcon’s Assistant Special Teams Coach. He also is a speaker for Catholic Athletes for Christ.

MUD JACKING

Raise & Level

v Patios v Drives v Garage Floors v Slab Houses LawrenceTopeka (785) 865-0006(785) 246-0128

ordained a priest on Feb. 2, 1943, by Bishop Paul C. Schulte at St. Benedict Parish in Atchison. During his formation at Kenrick, Father Cooper became involved with the Legion of Mary and remained a tireless promoter of the Marian apostolate for the rest of his life, especially among home schooling families. He promoted the Legion among the youth and adults in the archdiocese, and traveled to Israel, the former Czechoslovakia, Romania, Kenya and Turkey for the Legion. He was a friend and spiritual adviser to many, and a friend of the Latin Mass Community.

What they’re saying about Father Cooper

Saturday, March 8, 2014

FOUNDATION REPAIR

ther Leo said in a 1992 Leaven article. “I think it was because she knew I couldn’t sing. I remember her telling Mom one time that she was going to put me on the altar [as a server] because I couldn’t sing a lick.” The family moved to Basehor, where the future priest excelled in track while attending Basehor High School. After graduation in 1935, he attended Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Mo., and then St. Louis Preparatory School in Webster, Mo. His plans to attend the Pontifical North American College in Rome were thwarted by the onset of World War II. Instead, he entered Kenrick Seminary in Webster. Following graduation, he was

Matt Fradd Featuring Keynote speaker

Governor Sam Brownback

Matt was raised Catholic, but left the faith of his childhood. In this talk Matt shares how and why he returned to the enthusiastic practice of the Faith.

“He’d get up at the crack of dawn to visit patients at Providence-St. Margaret Medical Center and go back later in the day. He was a really fine, quality priest. He was dedicated and approachable. He was a humble man, and didn’t mind doing whatever chore it took to promote the Gospel.” — Msgr. Michael Mullen, pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Kansas City, Kan.

“He was the saintliest, most Christ-like person I have ever had the privilege to know. He was just the kindest, most humble man. He was always doing for others.” — Carolyn Mitchell, Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee

6 Local news

theleaven.com | february 28, 2014

Mike Sweeney’s Catholic Baseball Camp returns

HAWNEE — Registration is now open for the 2014 Catholic Baseball Camp of KC, sponsored by Major League Baseball notable Mike Sweeney and the Catholic Youth Organization of Johnson & Wyandotte Counties. The Catholic Baseball Camp of KC was founded by Sweeney, who retired from baseball in 2010 after 16 seasons. Sweeney spent most of his career with the Kansas City Royals and is returning to the organization as a Special Assistant to Baseball Operations. Last year, the camp drew more than 130 campers from across the country. The camp will be held again at Mid-America Sports Complex in Shawnee. It has been expanded this year and is open to the first 160 boys ages 7 to 16 years old who register. The cost to attend is $300. “I wanted to create an authentically Catholic three-day baseball camp/ retreat where kids will see their baseball skills improve and their faith come alive,” said Sweeney. “I have hit game-winning home runs in front of 40,000 fans, played

Calling all seniors

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — More than 200 revelers are expected to attend the 2014 St. Pat’s Senior Ball on March 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Cristo Rey school gymnasium here, located at 211 W. Linwood Blvd. Live listening and dance music will be provided by the KC Swing Orchestra. All senior citizens are welcome to attend the free event. Clubs or organizations wishing to attend the party as a group should RSVP by calling Julie O’Neill

in several MLB All-Star Games and had a pretty good big league career,” Sweeney continued, “but the greatest thing I have ever done on a baseball field is run the Mike Sweeney Catholic Baseball Camp. Using the greatest game ever played to share the message of the greatest story ever told is my life’s passion and purpose. It is amazing to impact kids for eternity while playing the game of baseball.” The camp has created a lot of excitement. “We couldn’t be happier to have the camp back this year,” said CYO executive director Peter Piscitello. “Everyone who attended last year saw what an amazing experience the kids had while growing in their faith and learning baseball from a great group of coaches. There has been a special buzz around the 2014 camp since last year’s ended, and we’re excited to start registrations today.” Part of the buzz surrounding the camp came from its impressive line up of coaches. In addition to headliner Mike Sweeney, the 2013 camp featured Royals legend George Brett along with former Royals Jeff Mont-

gomery, Joe Randa, Kevin Seitzer, Mike Boddicker and many others. Coaches for the 2014 camp in Kansas City will be announced this spring. “Campers who come this year can expect three special days filled with prayer and baseball,” said Piscitello, who indicated that Mass will be celebrated each morning, and opportunities for confession will be offered. The camp will also feature the Mikey Needleman Band. Although the camp celebrates its Catholic foundation, boys of all faith backgrounds are welcome to attend the camp. The camp also works with Catholic Athletes for Christ in an effort to spread the Gospel within the community of Catholic athletes nationwide and is also looking for additional local sponsors at this time. More information on the camp can be found online at: www.catholicbase ballkc.org or by calling the CYO office at (913) 384-7377. All media requests should be directed to Peter Piscitello at the CYO office. He can also be reached by email at: admin@ cyojwa.org.

at (816) 561-7555. Free parking and parking assistance will be available behind the gymnasium. Bagpipe master Kevin Regan will kick off the annual party, and young dancers from the Driscoll School of Irish Dance will perform. Free refreshments will be served and dozens of door prizes will be given away. For more information, call Pat O’Neill at (816) 561-7555 or (816) 392-4051.

Ralph and Marjorie Gagnon, members of Church of the Nativity, Leawood, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on March 2 with a blessing by Father Francis Hund, pastor of Nativity. The couple was married on March 1, 1954, at St. Ann Church, Zurich. Their children and their spouses are: Francis and Lesley Gagnon, Leawood; Robert and Cynthia Reeg, St. Louis; and Glenn and Georgianna Gagnon, Alva, Okla. They also have nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Anniversary policy

• The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th notices. • Announcements are due eight days before the desired publication date. • Announcements must be typed. Include the following Information: • The couple’s names; their parish; the date they were married; church and city where they were married; what they are doing to celebrate; date of the celebration; names of children (if desired); number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or send an email to: Todd@theleaven.com.

Father Chester Smith to lead parish revival in KCK

Bagpipe master Kevin Regan

Kansas city, Kan. — Father Chester Smith, SVD, will lead a revival at Our Lady & St. Rose Church here, located at 8th and Quindaro Blvd., beginning at 7 p.m. on March 3, 4 and 5. Bring your Bible. The Our Lady & St. Rose Choir will provide gospel music. Refreshments will conclude the evening. Security will be onsite.

Jesuit novice master and writer Father Mark Thibodeaux likes to start his mornings off with prayer. But he advises folks stuck in their prayer life to try to relax a bit. Prayer should be a bit like sharing a cup of coffee with your best friend.

God does the heavy lifting, says novice master. All we have to do is show up

t takes a spreadsheet to keep track of Jesuit Father Mark Thibodeaux’s day job when he’s here in Kan-

Story by

Anita McSorley Don’t miss the

RUNNIN’ REVS Basketball Games Priests vs. Youth

March 10 • 7 p.m. Bishop Miege High School April 28 • 7 p.m. Hayden High School • Exciting Action • Fun for everyone • Donations benefit seminarians

kckvocations.com

sas City. With the assistance of Father Jim Goeke, SJ, he supervises six Jesuit novices during their sixweek stay at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas

City, Kan., while they minister throughout the metro area. But at home in Grand Coteau, La., Father Mark has more

time to devote to one of his favorite topics: prayer. It is a subject he has written three books on, and has spent a lifetime studying. Last month, he sat down with The Leaven for a Q-and-A on the topic, just in time for readers who really hope to make some progress in their prayer life this Lent. His first bit of advice? Relax! >> Continued on the next page

Photos by

Lori Wood Habiger

Make a puny commitment to the Lord this Lent >> Continued from previous page

Let’s start, Father Mark, with a simple question. Why did the apostles have to ask Jesus how to pray? Didn’t they already know how?

The first century Palestinian Jew probably did a lot of recitation of the psalms and Old Testament, especially from Isaiah and the prophets. I think the reason why they asked him how to pray is because they knew he was something different, that this was something . . . new. Mark’s Gospel says, over and over again, [how Jesus] speaks with a new authority — on his own authority. And they observed him praying constantly, on his own, in silence. I suspect that first-century Palestinian Jews would be praying in the Temple and synagogues all the time, but Jesus would go off by himself in the desert. And so I think they wanted to know what was he doing when he was spending all that time alone.

Did the introduction of the Our Father by Jesus, then, introduce a totally new way of praying to them?

I think the two things that were new was, first, the idea of “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” This connection between the two — a relationship between the way we forgive and the forgiveness we receive, that those things go hand in hand, and maybe even that we receive healing when we reach out in forgiveness — I suspect that . . . was a new idea for them that they had not heard before. And certainly, the very beginning of the Our Father — calling God “Abba,” or “Father” — that was brand new. Calling God “Abba” — which the best English translation [renders as] “Daddy” — is shocking. And it would have been shocking to Jesus’ audience, to call God the Father by such an intimate name. It even is shocking to us in many ways, because we still don’t really refer to God the Father as “Daddy.” Because we’re still too afraid to, I think — to think of him as our daddy.

Prayer doesn’t always have to be a formal affair, explains Father Mark Thibodeaux. “I’m a Cajun, and we love very strong black coffee. And so, most of the time, I begin my prayer time with a strong cup of coffee with the Lord.”

Father Mark Thibodeaux, SJ, has published several books on deepening your prayer life. But his first advice to people is simple: “Make a puny commitment to the Lord.” the very beginning to the end, and they would have it memorized. So this would have been a refreshingly short piece, and it asks for very simple things, doesn’t it? For daily bread, for forgiveness, for the grace to forgive others and, ultimately, to be led into God’s kingdom in the end. So I think that’s what the grace and the gift of the Our Father is for them.

Was Jesus successful in teaching his apostles this new way to pray?

I think he was successful because, if it’s true that the most unique and shocking part of the Our Father is the very beginning, this “Abba,” and that

In print Father Mark Thibodeaux, SJ, has written three books on prayer. Call ahead to see if the one you are looking for is available at your local Catholic bookstore, or find them online. “God’s Voice Within: The Ignatian Way to Discover God’s Will,” with James Martin, SJ (Loyola Press, 2010; 242 pgs.; $14.95)

In addition to teaching the words of the Our Father to the apostles, what else was Jesus trying to teach them with this prayer?

I would say one of the other striking things about the Our Father is its simplicity — that schoolchildren can understand it, for the most part. So the number one thing I think would be the intimacy that we’ve already talked about — that God is intimate and that we can have this intimate relationship with God. And then, number two, as I said before, is that there’s a reciprocal . . . inseparable relationship between my relationship with God and my relationship with others. But then the third might be just the simplicity of the Our Father — that it isn’t a long, long recitation, as they would have been used to. They were used to reciting an entire psalm from

distracted, you go back [again] to the passage, go back into what your heart is responding to, and you kind of do this give and take. Then, at some point, you might close with the Our Father, or Hail Mary, or Glory Be. So I like to begin and end with a formulaic prayer or a song, read a Bible passage, let your heart respond to the Lord, listen to see if the Lord has anything he wants to say, and then end with a formulaic prayer. Very simple.

“God, I Have Issues: 50 Ways To Pray No Matter How You Feel” (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2005; 192 pgs.; $14.99)

“A r m c h a i r Mystic: Easing into Contemplative Prayer” (St. Anthony Messenger Press, 2001; 180 pgs.; $14.99)

he was trying to teach the apostles and the disciples that God wanted an intimate relationship with them, then it sort of laid the groundwork for what became the agape meal . . . where Jesus has this shockingly intimate meal where he gives his very self, his very body and blood to consume. And so I think that . . . by teaching them to call God “Abba” in the beginning, Jesus laid the groundwork for this intimacy that they were able to experience later through the agape meal, which is now our Liturgy of the Eucharist, our Mass.

I’ve found in talking to people struggling with their prayer life that their basic question is really: “How do you hear God’s side of the conversation?” I mean, if he’s not literally talking out of a burning bush, or sending an angel as a messenger to you, how do we hear his voice?

Lent is a time when many Catholics try to connect to the Lord with the same sort of intimate prayer that he introduced to the apostles. Do you have any advice for them?

I always recommend that people make what I call a puny commitment to the Lord. I say that because I think what happens a lot of times — and for Catholics, a lot of times it’s in Lent — is that they’ll commit something huge, and it goes terribly. It goes wonderfully for day one — Ash Wednesday, [then] Thursday. But then, by the next week, they will have burnt out. And then they feel terribly discouraged and, in a way, they feel like they’ve actually gone backwards instead of forwards! So when I’m teaching about prayer, I usually say make an incredibly puny commitment. Because I think it’s more important that people commit to [and] be faithful to and loyal to a small commitment than that they make some big commitment that they’re not loyal to. So what do I mean by that? Well, what are you comfortable with? Are you comfortable with 10 minutes, 15 minutes, of quiet prayer in your home, or in the church — just quiet, silent prayer for 10 or 15 minutes? If it’s that short, that’s perfectly fine. Whatever you are comfortable with. And if you can sort of keep that commitment — that puny commitment — for a long time, I think what will happen is you’ll grow very comfortable with it, and you’ll grow so comfortable with it that it will feel strange on any given day that you’re not doing it.

So that would be the first little piece of advice that I’d give. Secondly, I think it’s a great idea to have a supply of favorite Scripture passages — your go-to passages. Maybe, you have 10 or 20 passages that you really love. I can name a few of my favorites — Ps 1:39, Ps 1:31, the prodigal son, Luke 15, the paralytic going through the roof, the “I will make you fishers of men” passage. So you might have several passages that really move you, that really speak to you. And if you had that on a list on a sheet of paper — 10, 15, 20 passages that you really like — and if you’re just getting started in your prayer life, you want to kind of stick to those that you know work for you already. Then get yourself quiet. And spend a few minutes, maybe if you like, singing or humming a song like “Amazing Grace” — something simple — and then

read over that passage and see if you can notice your heart being moved by something, your heart moved with a particular emotion. Once you realize that [this is happening], name that emotion to the Lord. Tell the Lord, “Lord, I’m feeling this when I read this passage.” And just sit with that, maybe say it a few times to the Lord — “Lord, I feel joyful,” “Lord, I feel joyful” — again and again, as you’re reading over that passage. Then see if you can detect what’s moving inside the Lord — see if the Lord tells you his own response to this passage, and his response to your emotion. By “see if you can detect it,” I mean do you have a sense in your heart that Jesus is trying to tell you something about his own response to that passage and his own response to you and how you feel about it?

Newcomers to prayer tend to think they have to accomplish something in prayer, said Father Mark. But you need to ask yourself: “What is spending time with your best friend like?” Your best friend is precisely the person you don’t have to get anything done with — you just enjoy the company.

You can even say that back to the Lord — “Lord, I think I’m sensing that you’re telling me this.” And so there’s a sort of heart dialogue, where your heart speaks to the Lord’s heart. Do this for just a few minutes. When you start to feel distracted or bored, go back to the passage. So you read the passage until you get into this quiet state and you can have this conversation between two hearts. If you start to feel yourself getting

I think if you’re going be faithful to your prayer life, you’re going to need some helpers. And by helpers I mean a spiritual director — a priest or religious Sister, or even a layperson — who is further along the path, who has had experience in prayer. Because we all need helpers, we all need someone else on the outside of the experience to help us, to kind of discern what it is the Lord might be telling us at any given time. The other day in the first reading, we had 1 Samuel, Chapter 3, where the boy Samuel hears his name called and he goes to Eli, and says, “Did you call me?” And Eli says, “No, I didn’t call you,” and he goes back to sleep. And it happens three times, right? Finally Eli says, “Oh, this must be the Lord,” and he says, “Next time, when you hear your name called, say, ‘Speak, Lord, I am listening.’” What’s interesting about this is that, OK, the boy doesn’t know that it’s the Lord’s voice. But even Eli, who is this wise, holy man, doesn’t get it until the third time. So it takes a lot of repetition, and it takes dialogue with someone further down the path to discern God’s voice.

I’ve always been touched by the line in the fourth eucharistic prayer in which we pray for “all who seek you with a sincere heart.” Is it possible for people to continue to seek God and never really connect? Or do most of those who seek eventually find?

It’s been my experience that if you work at it and stay with it — and

have a good helper, a good spiritual director or someone further down the path to keep encouraging you — that over time you will, indeed, hear or see or sense God’s presence in your prayer time. It may take a long time and it may be something as simple or as vague as you sense God’s presence in your own hunger, in your own craving of God. And who’s to say that that’s not where God dwells, right there inside your wanting to be with him? And perhaps that hunger, that craving, is what you need more than anything to live a good Christian life.

Do you have any final words of advice for our readers?

What I want to say to people starting out is this: Do the best you can to relax in your prayer time. Try not to make it a chore and don’t feel like something has to happen. Because God does the heavy lifting. All you have to do is show up. God’s going do all the rest of it. In one of my books I talk about . . . when a little baby wants to be fed or needs something, the baby cries and lifts his arms, and Mom shows up. And the baby thinks he has all this power. But all he did was lift up his arms, you know, and Mom comes running across the room. Well, that’s true with us and God. We just sort of lift up our little hands and God does everything else. So we don’t have to do much, we just have to sit in the chair and relax. So do whatever it takes to relax.. . . I’m a Cajun, and we love very strong black coffee. And so, most of the time, I begin my prayer time with a strong cup of coffee with the Lord. And it’s wonderful; I love it. I look forward to it every day. But I wouldn’t look forward to it if I saw it as sort of a chore, or something that I had to get done. You know, we talked about the Our Father earlier and how the most unique and powerful thing Jesus did [with it] was talk about an intimacy with the Lord. Well, what is spending time with your best friend like? It’s probably extremely relaxed. And, most of the time, you probably don’t “accomplish” anything. Your best friend is precisely the person you don’t have to get anything done with, or accomplish anything with or even necessarily even have a good conversation with. You just enjoy the company. That’s sort of what we’re looking for with the Lord. So as best you can, relax, as opposed doing what you think you “should” do. And just trust that the Lord will meet you wherever you are.

local news 11

february 28, 2014 | theleaven.com

‘They always acted like they were happy to see us’ >> Continued from page 1 Alice set linotype and did proofreading and composition for Iron Man magazine. Her work made her a formidable opponent in many a game of Scrabble, said her daughter-in-law Sandy Rockey, who is married to their son Tom. “She knows every word that ever was,” she said, “and how to spell all the words!” But it was her math skills that were at the heart of their happiness. “Alice has said many times, ‘We never had a lot of money, but we were always rich,’” said Sandy, “which I think is a beautiful way to look at life.” “We’re still rich, aren’t we?” asked Alice, turning to her husband. “You bet,” agreed Dale. Dale and Alice raised five boys: Jim, Bruce, Tom, John and Michael. Alice grew up Catholic, but Dale’s conversion came when Michael — their youngest — was about five. Dale went to church with his family and, as they walked home after an evening service, Michael asked a pointed question. “He says, ‘Daddy, why don’t you be a Catholic? It don’t cost nothing,’” recalled Alice. “So I’ve been paying ever since,” said Dale, laughing.

Secrets to a lasting marriage Dale’s faith has taken such a hold on his life that if he filled a journal of their 80 years together, he said, you could track all the churches they’ve visited across the pages. They witnessed the ordination of more than 300 priests during a trip to Rome, for example. “I thought, ‘Boy, just little old me from Nebraska,’” said Dale. “It was a beautiful trip.”

[Sandy] have her way,” he said with a smile. Faith has played a vital role in all of their relationships, said Sandy. Even before she and Tom married — and before she became Catholic — Sandy knew the Catholic Church was deeply embedded in the Rockey family tree. No matter how late a Saturday night stretched, Tom made it to church first thing Sunday morning. “I was very impressed with that,” said Sandy. “Here’s someone who truly has a strong faith.” And when she joined the church, “I helped pour the water,” said Dale. At the same service, both Tom and Sandy became the godparents of the oldest child of one of Tom’s brothers. Leaven photo by Susan McSpadden

While the Rockeys have seen their 80th anniversary, they’ve also witnessed two of their children celebrate 50th wedding anniversaries. He also fondly recalls days of hard work and a lot of laughter, helping groups of Sisters with projects in different parts of the country. Closer to home, Alice often sewed vestments for their parish priests. In 2004, and in their late 80s, the Rockeys moved to Kansas, where Tom and Sandy are parishioners of St. Paul Church in Olathe. They lived for several years with them, but visited their sons in other parts of the country for long stretches at a time. Two of their sons have already celebrated 50th anniversaries, Tom and Sandy have theirs coming up this July, and the other two couples’ golden anniversaries aren’t far behind. Alice says her secret to making marriage last is simple: “I always let him have my way.” And Dale gets the last word: “Yes, ma’am.” Tom says he has learned patience from watching his parents. “I try to be like my dad — I let

‘Just love’ Family means everything to Dale and Alice, and is the center of all they do. “They just always welcomed us with open arms — kids, diaper pails, pets — and they always acted like they were glad to see us, whether they were or not,” said Sandy, recalling many holidays that packed young families with lots of little ones from out of town into their home. “You never felt like you were intruding in their home,” said Sandy. “Everything was just love. There was so much caring.” Not to mention endless homemade Czech food from Alice’s kitchen. Alice and Dale have 15 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and six — and counting — great-great-grandchildren. Looking at the long line of people who turned out in December to congratulate them on their anniversary, they were touched to see what they’d started more than 80 years ago . . . all beginning with a Sunday afternoon drive. “We’ve had a good ride,” said Dale.

Medical professionals worship at annual White Mass By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

ANSAS CITY, Mo. — Catholic health care professionals were praised for “bringing the light of faith to those who require medical care” during the fifth annual White Mass on Feb. 15 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church here. Bishop Robert Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph was the main celebrant, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas concelebrated. Father Charles N. Rowe, vicar general of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, was the homilist. The name “White Mass” comes from the predominant color of clothing once worn by health care professions in a variety of specialties and roles. The Mass was sponsored by the Sts. Cosmas and Damian Guild of the Catholic Medical Association of Kansas City, Mo. “The medical professional tries to heal the person who is ill,” Father Rowe said in his homily. “It is such an exalted occupation that the physician became a metaphor for Christ.” “Very early on in Christian history,” he continued, “Christ came to be called the ‘divine physician’ who healed all the ailments of body and soul. So it’s altogether logical that hospitals were born in the matrix of the Christian church.” Compassion means “suffering with,” and dedicated professionals enter into the suffering of their patients and share their sorrow and discomfort, he said. Like Christ, they take on the suffering of their patients. “Nowadays, Catholic [medical] professionals enter even more deeply into the suffering of Christ for their fidelity to church teaching,” said Father Rowe. “Really, this is fidelity to the promotion of authentic human dignity . . . which is violated by unethical procedures that have now become standard practice.” Father Rowe urged the medical professionals to join in the Blessed Virgin Mary’s song of praise that the lowly are lifted up through their service to God.

Concrete Work

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

Want to help someone heal from an abortion? Call Toll Free 888-246-1504

Harvey M. Kascht (913) 262-1555

Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas • Catholic Bequests

• Donor Advised Funds

• Gift Annuities

• Named Scholarship Funds

• Endowments

• Memorial Funds

Let us help you with your Catholic Legacy

(913) 647-0325 gpratt@archkck.org www.efnek.org

12 classifieds Employment Youth ministry director - Corpus Christi Parish, Lawrence, is seeking a full-time director of youth/young adult ministry and liturgical ministry coordinator. General responsibilities include: providing vision and coordination for the parish’s efforts in ministry to 6th- through 12th-graders, and to the parish’s college-age and young adult populations. In addition, this position is responsible for training, coordinating and overseeing all liturgical ministries in the parish. Bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministry or related field is preferred. Position requires availability to work evenings and weekends, and proficiency in social media technology, PowerPoint and Excel. Compensation commensurate with education and experience. Complete job description can be found on the parish website at: www.cccparish.org. Interested individuals may email a cover letter and resume to: debbiek@cccparish. org. Interviews will begin in early March. Administrative assistant - St. Ann Church, Prairie Village, is seeking an administrative assistant for the ministry office. The position is a 12 - 15 hour per week position and requires a flexible work schedule, select evenings and weekends. The ideal candidate will be proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Drive, have the ability to multitask, have good communication and organizational skills, and work well with volunteers. This person must have a love of the youth and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Send resume and letter of interest by email to: frkeith@stannpv.org. Parish administrator - A northeast Johnson County parish is looking for a committed Catholic who will work 20-25 hours a week as a parish administrator/business manager. Must have computer skills, be a team player, and work well with volunteers and parish staff. Duties also include ability to administer financial affairs of the parish, oversee parish grounds and maintenance of facilities, and create and oversee budgets. Must be able to multitask, be organized with attention to detail, with strong communication skills, both verbally and with the written word. Qualified, interested candidates may send resumes to: St. Agnes Church, 5250 Mission Rd., Roeland Park, KS 66205, Attention: Teresa Youngstrom. Principal - Principal needed for St. Patrick School, Parsons, for the 2014 - 15 school year. Candidate must be a practicing Catholic, eligible for Kansas licensure as an administrator, able to promote a standards-based instructional program, and possess strong interpersonal and organizational skills. For information or to apply, contact Mr. Dan McAdam, Assistant Superintendent, Catholic Diocese of Wichita, 424 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67202; send an email to: mcadamd@ catholicdioceseofwichita.org; or call (316) 269-3950. Application deadline is March 11. Database manager - Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic is seeking an individual to manage databases on a part-time basis. This position supports and maintains all agency database information. Providing reports for financial, donor, client and fundraising information. Ensures consistent outcome reporting to meet the needs of the agency. Maintains up-to-date knowledge of new features and functionalities; works closely with executive director, fundraising, and database developer to implement custom reports and queries as needed for reporting purposes and for ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of data entry; periodically audits database structure to ensure it is serving its purposes related to capturing and reporting data. Perform other duties as assigned. Please send resume by email to: dkelsey@wpcnetwork.org. Bookkeeper - Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic is seeking an individual to provide bookkeeping services on a part-time basis. QuickBooks for Non-Profits is the accounting system being used and experience is helpful. The bookkeeper will be responsible for managing and providing support for all financial information. This position will manage accounts payable, bank reconciliations, general ledger activity, help in grant reporting, and financial reports to executive director and treasurer. Please send resume by email to: dkelsey@ wpcnetwork.org. Resident housemother - Nativity House KC has an immediate opening for resident housemother. This is a fulltime position. She must be a practicing Catholic, at least a high school graduate, have a valid driver’s license, practical experience in working with teens and young adults and willing to help young women with crisis pregnancies. She must be a model for constructive and healthy living — spiritually, physically, financially, and mentally. This is an in-residence position and the compensation package includes both financial and in-kind components. Nonresidential part-time positions are also being considered. Please send an email with resume to Barbara Belcher at: barbarab@nativityhousekc.org or via post at Nativity House KC, P.O. Box 4124, Kansas City, KS 66104.

School cook - St. Matthew School, Topeka, is currently seeking a qualified individual to serve as a cook to work approximately five hours per morning/early afternoon. The successful candidate will be an independent worker who will assist the food service director by preparing meals that are compliant with state and federal regulations and completing light paperwork. Excellent personal hygiene is a must. Experience in a commercial kitchen setting and Virtus training are required, and a practicing Catholic is preferred. Please send resume and references to Melea Huston, SMCS food service director, by email at: hustonm@saintmatthews.org. Because your life matters - Our mission is to help people like you live a healthier lifestyle as well as have the opportunity to enhance your life financially. If you have a passion for health and wellness, serving others and working from home, send an email to: ernie.honas@ gmail.com or call (785) 375-5697 or (913) 938-4078. Financial representatives - Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding a financial representative in the Kansas City metro, Lawrence, Topeka and the Seneca - Sabetha area. 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. Please contact John A. Mahon, general agent, for more information or an interview by sending an email to: john.mahon@kofc.org, by phone at (785) 408-8806 or at 1275 Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66612.

Services 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. Tree service - Pruning trees for optimal growth and beauty and removal of hazardous limbs or problem trees. Free consultation and bid. Safe, insured, professional. Cristofer Estrada, Green Solutions of KC, (913) 378-5872. www.Green SolutionsKC.com. Getoutofdebtlawyer.com - Free first consult! Goals: Save money, erase debts, keep your home and car, save your credit! Let me negotiate debts and foreclosures for you! Fight creditor lawsuits! Dispute your credit report! Bankruptcy! Call attorney Laura Simpson at (913) 248-9400 or send an email to: lsimpson@getoutofdebtlawyer.com. CLUTTER GETTING YOU DOWN? Organize, fix, assemble, install! “Kevin Of All Trades” your professional organizer and “HONEY-DO-LIST” specialist. Call today for a free consultation at (913) 271-5055. Insured. References. Visit our website at: www.KOATINDUSTRIES.com. Housecleaning - Looking for cleaning that’s consistent and thorough every time. A housekeeper you can trust with years of experience and references. Please call (816) 801-0901. Serving your area. Quilted Memories - Your Kansas City Longarm Shop Nolting Longarm Machines, quilting supplies and machine quilting services. We specialize in memorial quilts - Custom designed memory quilts from your T-shirt collections, photos, baby clothes, college memorabilia, etc., neckties etc. For information or to schedule a free consultation, call (913) 6492704. Visit the website at: www.quiltedmemoriesllc.com. Garage door and opener sales and service - 24-hour, 7-day-a-week service on all types of doors. Replace broken springs, cables, hinges, rollers, gate openers, entry and patio doors, and more. Over 32 years of experience. Call (913) 227-4902. Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr.com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer.com. We moved! Come check out our new office in Lenexa. Brick mason - Brick, stone, tile and flat work. 19 years of residential/commercial experience. FREE QUOTES - KC metro area. Small and large jobs accepted. Call Jim at (913) 4854307. www.facebook.com/faganmasonry. Need your home cleaned? I have referrals and have been cleaning for many years. I am in St. Joseph Parish and my son goes to St. James Academy. Please call Marcia for a free estimate at (913) 707-7166.

General office work - Local businessman, Leawood address, is in need of part-time secretarial general office work. Experience required. 10 - 20 hours per week as necessary. Call Mr. Murphy with interest in salary requirements at (913) 696-1034.

Tim the Handyman - Small jobs, faucets, garbage disposals, toilets, ceiling fans, light fixtures, painting, wall ceiling repair, wood rot, siding, decks, doors, windows, and gutter cleaning. Call (913) 526-1844.

Spanish teacher - Bishop Miege High School has an opening for a Spanish teacher for the 2014-15 school year. To apply, email a letter of interest and resume to Mariann Jaksa at: mjaksa@bishopmiege.com.

MEDICATION SETUP & MANAGEMENT - RN support visits for filling weekly pill boxes & managing medication. Affordable and convenient. To learn more, call Home Connect Health Services at (913) 627-9222.

Electrician - Free estimates; reasonable rates. JoCo and south KC metro. Call Pat at (913) 963-9896. Agua Fina Irrigation and Landscape The one-stop location for your project! Landscape and irrigation design, installation and maintenance. Cleanup and grading services It’s time to repair your lawn. 20% discount on lawn renovations with mention of this ad. Visit the website at: www.goaguafina.com Call (913) 530-7260 or (913) 530-5661

Home Improvement 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 SPRING IS ACTUALLY COMING BEFORE WE KNOW IT! HOUSE PAINTING Call today to get a free estimate on your home. Inside or out, decks, kitchens and bathrooms. Basement refinishing and design also! Improve what you have today to enjoy it tomorrow. Insured/tons of references and a local parish member. Call Frankie at (913) 209-9926. Swalms Organizing Service - Reducing Clutter - Enjoy an Organized Home! Basement, garage, attic, shop, storage rooms - any room organized! Belongings sorted, boxed and labeled, items hauled or taken for recycling, trash bagged. For before and after photos, visit: www.swalmsorganizing. com. Over 20 years of organizing experience; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115. Helping Hand Handy Man - Home maintenance chores available by the hour. Special rate for senior and singleparent households. Electrical, painting, wood refinishing, deck repair, yard work, shelving and organizing. Most home problems and needs solved. Member of Prince of Peace, Olathe. Call Mark Coleman at (913) 526-4490. 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) 5791835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. Adept Home Improvements Where quality still counts! Basement finishing, Kitchens and baths, Electrical and plumbing, Licensed and insured. (913) 599-7998 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. 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.

Heating and cooling repair and replacement - Call Joe with JB Design and Service. Licensed and insured with 20 years experience. Member of Divine Mercy Parish. Call Joe at (913) 915-6887. House painting Interior and exterior; wall paper removal. Power washing, fences, decks. 30 years experience. References. Reasonable rates. Call Joe at (913) 620-5776. Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com.

ALL THINGS WOOD ROT Windows and fiber cement siding. New windows, decks, basement remodel or kitchen update. Insured and only the best crews. Serving Johnson and Wyandotte for over 2 decades. Call Frankie to set up a free estimate today at (913) 209-9926. Detail construction and remodeling - We offer a full line of home remodeling services. Don’t move — remodel! Johnson county area. Call for a free quote. (913) 709-8401.

theleaven.com | FEBRUARY 28, 2014

FEBRUARY 28, 2014 | theleaven.com

Caregiving

March

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. Caregiving - Caring, responsible 43-year-old Catholic woman looking to care for your loved one. 15 years experience. Excellent references. I treat my clients with care, respect and love, and find working in this field very rewarding. Flexible hours available, and nights and weekends. If interested, please call Kara at (913) 909-6659. Looking for high quality home care? - Whether you’re looking to introduce care for your family or simply looking to improve your current home care quality, we can help. Our unique approach to home care has earned us a 99% client satisfaction rating among the 1,000-plus families we have assisted. We are family-owned, with offices in Lenexa and Lawrence. Call Benefits of Home - Senior Care, Lenexa: (913) 422-1591 or Lawrence: (785) 727-1816 or www.benefitsofhome.com.

VACATION Colorado vacation - Winter Park; 2 BR, 1 BA, furnished. Mountain biking, golf, hiking, and fishing. $125 per night or $700 per week. Call (816) 392-0686. Irish eyes are smiling when you journey to Ireland with an Irishman! – Complete tour of the entire Emerald Isle, April 30 - May 13. Call Gerry at (913) 648-1560.

REAL ESTATE Wanted to buy - Houses that need an upgrade or are very old that you’re having difficulty selling or are in need of selling quickly. I can pay cash within 20 days. Please call Mark Edmondson at (913) 980-4905. Holy Trinity Parish member. Own Your Own Lodge - Approximately 5,860 square feet. Perfect for large families or a business getaway. 240 feet of lake frontage. Seasonal, summer or winter. Three stone fireplaces, 3 master suites with 3 additional bedrooms, 6 baths, 2 wet bars, 3 living areas for family and friends. Fully furnished. 3-well oversized dock. Sunrise Beach, Mo., in the Ozarks. $695,000. Call (913) 208-8074.

for RENT For rent - Two BR condo. Fireplace, fenced patio, basement, garage, pool and clubhouse. Gas and water included. In a great location with easy access to I-435 or Highway 69. Great for families or singles. Call (913) 231-8574.

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. For sale - Two burial plots at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Olathe. Asking $2,600 for both. Call (913) 940-7949. For sale - First Communion dress sets for 18” or American Girl dolls. Includes dress, veil, shoes, tights, and cross necklace. Full line of doll clothes and accessories in south Johnson County. Will mail anywhere if needed. Call Patty at (913) 345-9498.

Sacred Heart - St. Joseph Parish will host a German Fasching Mardi Gras celebration on March 1 at Sacred Heart Church hall, Topeka. The evening includes a German Mass beginning at 4 p.m., followed by an authentic German buffet, a dance featuring the Ed Grisnik Polka Band, a silent auction, drawings on $1,000 and three handmade quilts. A cash bar will be available during the evening. The cost to attend is an advance ticket purchase of $25 per person; or $225 for a reserved table of eight. Tickets will be sold until Feb. 25 and may be purchased by calling (786) 234-3338 or (785) 232-2863.

St. Pius X Parish will host its second annual chili cook-off, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on March 1. Come taste different chilis, enjoy a chili dinner, and play Texas Hold ’em. The cost to attend is $5 at the door. The cost for Texas Hold ’em is a $20 buy-in for $500 in chips. Father Richard McAlear will give a presentation, entitled “There is a Hunger for God’s Mercy,” on March 1 from 1 - 3 p.m. and “God Wants to Heal You” from 7 - 9 p.m. at St. Matthew Parish, Topeka. Mass on March 2 will be held at 1 p.m. followed by a healing service. For more information, call (785) 862-9738 or visit Father McAlear’s website at: www.frmac.org. The Curé of Ars Singles will host their annual Mardi Gras dance on March 1 from 7:30 - 11:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria at 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. The cost to attend is $15 at the door, which includes meat hors d’oeuvres, desserts, wine, beer, soda, and bottled water. For more information, call (913) 631-6873. Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park, will host its annual dinner party event on March 1 from 6:30 - 10:30 p.m. The theme is: “Happy Days at the Happy Days Diner.” There will be special guests and a variety of music from the ’50s and ’60s. The cost to attend is $15 for dinner, entertainment and bar drinks. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Patty at (913) 3844644. A Mardi Gras benefit dance will be held March 1 from 7 - 11 p.m. at Holy Cross School, 8101 W. 95th St., Overland Park. The cost to attend is $20 in advance; $25 at the door. Mail check to Julie at Sanctuary of Hope, 2601 Ridge Ave., Kansas City, KS 66102, attn: Mardi Gras Dance. All proceeds will benefit Sanctuary of Hope Retreat and Prayer Center.

calendar 13 Sanctuary of Hope Prayer and Retreat Center will host a Lenten retreat conducted by Father Dennis Wait on March 1. Registration and a light breakfast will begin at 7:45 a.m. The day will consist of talks, personal meditation, prayer time, reconciliation and Mass. Lunch will be served at noon. The cost to attend is $30. For more information, send an email to: julie@sanctuaryofhope.org or call (913) 321-4673.

St. Mary Parish, Purcell, will host a spaghetti luncheon on March 2 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. The cost to attend is a freewill donation.

Solemn vespers and Benediction will be held March 2 at 4 p.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 143rd and Nall, Leawood. Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony will be sung by resident archdiocesan choir Sursum Corda. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will begin at 1 p.m.

a light breakfast and lunch, Mass, confession, eucharistic adoration, and child care onsite. For more information, call Beth Manning at (913) 954-8234 or (913) 2329887 or send an email to: bethmanning88 @yahoo.com. Christ’s Peace House of Prayer, Easton, will host a Lenten retreat from March 7 - 9. There will be six conferences, eucharistic adoration, Mass on Saturday evening, time for discussion, prayer, and solitude. Check-in is by 6 p.m. on Friday, with the first conference at 7:30 p.m. The retreat closes at 4 p.m. on Sunday. For more information on attending, send an email to: info@ christspeace.com or call (913) 773-8255.

Boy Scout Troop 295 will host a pancake, sausage, and biscuits and gravy breakfast at Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish hall, 71st and Metcalf, Overland Park, on March 2 after all morning Masses. The cost to attend is $6 per plate; $20 for a family of four or more.

The Cathedral of St. Peter Altar Society will host a women’s Lenten day of reflection on March 8. Sister Mary Cecile (Cele) Breen, a member of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, will present “Lenten Reflection — Sermon on the Mount.” The day will begin at 8:15 a.m. with Mass and will conclude at noon. The cost to attend is $10, which includes a continental breakfast. For registration information, call Terri Schneweis at (913) 558-8285 or send an email to: teschne046@yahoo.com.

Garozzo’s Ristorante will sponsor “Dining to Donate for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet” on March 4. Celebrate Mardi Gras by feasting on Italian cuisine before Lent begins. Garozzo’s will donate 20 percent of all lunch and dinner food sales. Look for the Sister staff at both the downtown and Overland Park Garozzo’s, and they will collect your itemized receipts. Reservations are strongly recommended by calling the downtown location at (816) 221-2455 or the Overland Park location at (913) 4918300.

Are you finding it difficult coping with a major loss, such as a spouse, parent, sibling, or a friend? Living with a loss and getting to a “new normal” can be one of the most difficult challenges you’ll ever face. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to go through and thrive during the grieving process. You are not alone. Church of the Ascension bereavement support ministry meets the second Saturday of every month in the St. Luke Room after 8:30 a.m. Mass for support, education and breakfast. For more information, call Jean at (913) 681-3348.

A 40-day vigil will take place from March 5 - April 13 outside Planned Parenthood, 4401 W. 109th St., Overland Park, or the Women’s Health Center, 4840 College Blvd., Overland Park. 40 Days for Life is a groundbreaking, coordinated, international pro-life mobilization to end abortion. For more information, go to the 40 Days for Life website at: www.40daysforlife. com/overlandpark.

A retreat, entitled “Julian of Norwich: A Mystical Heart,” will be held March 8 from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at Sophia Spirituality Center, Atchison. It will be a quiet day with talks, prayer and a DVD on Julian of Norwich. This retreat will be conducted by Sister Sheila Carroll, OSB, spiritual director and a member of the Sophia staff. Sister Sheila draws on her graduate studies in mysticism and prayer to give retreats on the mystics. For more information or to register, call (913) 360-6151 or visit the website at: www.sophiaspiritualitycenter. org.

The Women of St. Ignatius, Fort Leavenworth, will hold their Lenten retreat, entitled “The Passion of Christ,” on March 6 from 8:45 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. at the Fort Leavenworth Frontier Chapel, 625 Thomas Ave., Leavenworth. The speaker will be Cherie Bowe from the School of Faith. The cost to attend is a donation of $25, which includes

St. Joseph Church, Shawnee, will celebrate its 22nd annual St. Joseph Table and pasta dinner on March 9 in McDevitt Hall. Father Mike Hawken will bless the table at 8:30 a.m. and viewing will be until 2 p.m. A

variety of items will be featured for purchase. A pasta dinner will be served from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The cost to attend is a freewill donation. Proceeds will benefit the needy in the parish community. For more information, call Christine Marion at (913) 268-6677. A Runnin’ Revs Fun Night will be held at Bishop Miege High School, 5041 Reinhardt Rd., Roeland Park, on March 10. Area priests and seminarians will challenge 8th-grade and high school youth from Catholic schools in a fun and competitive game of basketball. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted to benefit seminarians, and a Camp Tekakwitha spot will be auctioned. For more information, visit the website at: kckvocations.com.

Join the platinum-selling contemporary Catholic musician and best-selling author John Michael Talbot in a three-night series at St. Bernard Parish, Wamego, from March 12 - 14 at 7 p.m. each night. The cost to attend is a freewill donation. The event will include different topics and music each night. Talbot travels over nine months per year throughout the world inspiring and renewing the faith of Christians of all denominations through sacred music, inspired teaching, and motivational speaking.

The regular meeting of the KCK Serra Club will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5th and Minnesota, Kansas City, Kan., at noon on March 12. Dr. Robert Luchi will present medical aspects of the crucifixion. Spouses are welcome. An Irish celebration will be held March 15 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 606 S. Elm, Louisburg. A corned beef and Irish stew dinner will be served, and entertainment will be provided by Michael O’Laughlin of Irish Roots Cafe. The cost to attend is $10 for adults; $5 for children. There will also be a silent auction and a quilt auction.

The third annual Mater Dei Irish Fest and 5K Fun Run will be held on March 15 at Mater Dei Assumption Church, 8th and Jackson, Topeka. Both events will begin at 9 a.m. The cost to attend the fun run/walk is $25. For more information, visit the website at: www.materdeiirishfest.com.

Calendar submissions

• Due nine days prior to publication date • email: calendar@theleaven.com • Mail to: 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: calendar

“We constantly hear how grateful children are that their parents had things taken care of. Have you done this for your children?”

For sale - Hospital bed, twin frame and mattress. Adjustable head, foot, and height electric controls. Bought new 2 years ago for $1,000; asking $650. Suggest professional disassembly and transport due to motor mounted on frame. Call Linda at (913) 206-6826.

wanted to buy Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, lighters, fountain pens, post card collections, paintings/prints, pottery, sterling, china dinnerware. Renee Maderak, (913) 631-7179. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee

Funeral home • crematory • Memorial chapels

Antiques wanted - Old canning jars, pop bottles, pharmaceutical bottles, old boxes of ammunition, old cash register. Call (913) 593-7507.

10901 Johnson Drive Shawnee, Kansas 66203 Telephone 913-631-5566 Fax 913-631-2236

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.

Gregg Amos

www.amosfamily.com

Wagner’s Mud-Jacking Co. Specializing in Foundation Repairs Mud-jacking and Waterproofing. Serving Lawrence, Topeka and surrounding areas. Topeka (785) 233-3447 Lawrence (785) 749-1696 In business since 1963 www.foundationrepairks.com

14 commentary Scripture Readings

theleaven.com | february 28, 2014

March 2 eighth sunday in ordinary time Is 49: 14-15 Ps 62: 2-3, 6-9 1 Cor 4: 1-5 Mt 6: 24-34 March 3 Katharine Drexel, virgin 1 Pt 1: 3-9 Ps 111: 1-2, 5-6, 9-10 Mk 10: 17-27 March 4 Casimir 1 Pt 1: 10-16 Ps 98: 1-4 Mk 10: 28-31 March 5 ASH WEDNESDAY Jl 2: 12-18 Ps 51: 3-6b, 12-14, 17 2 Cor 5: 20 – 6: 2 Mt 61: 1-6, 16-18 March 6 Thursday after Ash Wednesday Dt 30: 15-20 Ps 1: 1-4, 6 Lk 9: 22-25 March 7 Perpetua and Felicity, martyrs Is 58: 1-9a Ps 51: 3-6a, 18-19 Mt 9: 14-15 March 8 John of God, religious Is 58: 9b-14 Ps 86: 1-6 Lk 5: 27-32

Find The Leaven in these places Online

www.theleaven.com

Facebook

www.facebook.com/ theleavenkc

Twitter @theleavenkc

YouTube

www.youtube.com/ user/theleavenkc

Who to contact about . . . Story ideas anita@theleaven.com Calendar notices calendar@theleaven.com Anniversary notices todd@theleaven.com Eagle Scouts todd@theleaven.com Advertising julie@theleaven.com

do whatever he tells you

mark my words

eighth week of ordinary time

Unite your struggles with the Lord this Lent

It’s good to be disturbed this Lent

ere is kind of a disturbing story:

Once upon a time, a man saw an apple tree so loaded with fruit that, all around, the laden branches were propped up to keep them off the ground. When asked why, the owner of the orchard said, “Go look at that tree’s trunk near the bottom.” The man noticed that the tree had been badly wounded with a deep gash. “That’s something we’ve learned about apple trees,” said the owner. “When the tree tends to run to wood and leaves and not to fruit, we wound it, gash it, and almost always — no one knows why — this is the result: It turns its energies to fruit.” (Adapted from Anthony Castle’s “A Treasury of Quips, Quotes & Anecdotes for Preachers and Teachers.”) Not being a botanist, I have no idea if this is actually true; so don’t go gashing the apple trees in your yard. However, as a symbol for what Lent can be, it’s great. In a sense, all of us

Father Mark Goldasich Father Mark Goldasich is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989. are like “lazy” apple trees when it comes to our faith. The season of Lent is our yearly “gashing” — through the traditional disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving — that allows us to turn our energies again to bearing good and plentiful fruit. In an effort to bear fruit — to grow in holiness — why not do something puny this Lent? That advice comes from Jesuit Father Mark Thibodeaux in a wonderful, practical article on pages 7-9 in this issue. Relax with it later and savor its wisdom. Father Mark is right in saying that most of us bite off more than we can chew during Lent and end up

abandoning the season long before the Triduum. Since I tend to be one of those people, here’s how I’m planning to do my puny Lent this time around. I’ll sit down this weekend with a small basket, my various to-do lists, and 43 small pieces of paper — one for each day of Lent. I’ll write one task on each piece of paper, fold them up and pop them into the basket. Each Lenten morning, I’ll surprise myself by picking out one paper. The task will take anywhere from a few minutes to complete to up to an hour or more. A few of my Lenten tasks are: • Use up gift cards • Watch an uplifting movie (like “The Way” or “Of Gods and Men”) • Be a secret Samaritan (do good anonymously) • Slow down and savor a spiritual book • Toss the cost of a “fancy” meal into the Rice Bowl • Scan in some old photos, and then pray for the people pictured there • Take a nature walk • Bring order to a neglected drawer, cabinet or paper

pile • Pray for an enemy If I still start to slack, this prayer, written by Sir Francis Drake in 1577, should get me back on track: “Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well-pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. “Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity; and in our effort to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new heaven to dim. “Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes and to push us into the future in strength, courage, hope and love.” To that I can only say, “Amen!”

In the beginning

God’s comfort is like a mother’s for her child

raditionally, certain literary devices characterize English poetry.

For example, the last syllables of the verses often rhyme, creating a pattern: “So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,/So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.” The verses also usually follow a regular rhythm, with a set number of beats. Similarly, Hebrew poetry also draws upon an assortment of literary devices. One of the most common among these is parallelism. The lines appear in pairs, with the second line sometimes echoing the preceding line, sometimes presenting a contrast. In any case, the two lines are linked to each

commentary 15

february 28, 2014 | theleaven.com

Father Mike Stubbs Father Mike Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University. other. They are parallel. Sunday’s first reading, Is 49:14-15, offers us good examples of parallelism: “My Lord has forgotten me” echoes the preceding line, “The Lord has forsaken me.” The two lines express similar concepts. In that way, they are parallel. The next two lines also show parallelism: “be without tenderness for the child of her womb” repeats the idea delineated in the line

Pope francis Pope Francis said the worst thing about growing old is not becoming weaker or infirm, but the “abandonment, the exclusion, the deprivation of love” in today’s “throwaway culture.” The pope’s remarks came in a written message sent to bioethicists, scientists, health care professionals, religious, theologians and

before it, “Can a mother forget her infant?” The presence of parallelism in this passage identifies it as poetry, not prose. It reminds us that the prophets ordinarily spoke in a poetic style. That is why it can be inappropriate to impose a literal interpretation on their writings. Besides parallelism, they drew upon other poetic devices in formulating their message. Vivid images, metaphor, simile — all characterize Hebrew poetry, much like the poetry of other cultures. In this reading from Isaiah, one image pops out at us — that of a mother with her baby. It shows us an enduring and powerful love. Then, the prophet makes his point: God’s love is even stronger. Once again, this point arrives in the form of two parallel lines, a classic

other experts attending the Pontifical Academy for Life’s Feb. 20-21 workshop on “Aging and Disability.” The pope thanked the academy for its “often tiring work, because it demands going against the tide” in a world facing the “tyrannical domination of an economic logic that excludes and sometimes kills.” “We have created a ‘throwaway’ culture” that is no longer about exploitation or oppression, but about

parallelism. But this time, instead of the second line echoing the preceding line, it makes a strong contrast with it: “Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” We can extend the striking image of the mother with her child to apply to our own situation as a recipient of the prophetic message. Just as a mother comforts her child, so also these words of God comfort us. This image in Isaiah of the mother with her baby anticipates the Christian image of the Madonna and Child, Mary with the Child Jesus. That is appropriate, since the Blessed Mother brings us the incarnate Word. What could be more comforting than that?

treating people as “the outcasts, the ‘leftovers,’” he wrote, citing his apostolic exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium” (“The Joy of the Gospel”). The elderly are particularly affected by this trend of exclusion, especially if they are ill, disabled or vulnerable in other ways, he wrote. — CNS

“I

s this normal? Because if this is normal, I don’t like it. It just hurts too much.” Those were the words high school junior Sara Guetterman shared with me before youth group one evening after going through a very difficult first semester. She had lost a teacher, a classmate, a friend she made at Camp Tekakwitha and, finally, her cousin Nick all within a six-month period. These were all fairly

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

young people who lost their lives in automobile accidents. Whereas life and death are normal, losing so many so close friends and family in such a short amount of time is not. At some point, we all will

experience suffering. Will it be to the extreme of what Sara went through? I don’t think so. It could be something altogether different. What we choose to do with our suffering can determine how we get through those times. We can dwell on our sufferings and they will eat at us for as long as we allow them, or we can unite them with the sufferings of Our Lord. I have a favorite line from the movie “The Lion King,” when Simba is dealing with the choices he made and the loss of his father. Rafiki the baboon hits him upside the head with his walking stick. Simba asks, “Why did

you do that?” Rafiki replies, “What does it matter? It’s in the past.” Simba replies, “But it hurts.” Rafiki’s reply is a lesson we should remember: The past can hurt; but you can either run from it or you can learn from it. The choice is up to us. One thing to remember: God will never abandon us, especially in our most difficult times. During eucharistic adoration last week with our young people, I was praying on the sufferings I’ve seen in the lives of those close to me and the suffering that Our Lord endured on the road to Calvary and during his crucifixion.

As we are preparing for Lent, let’s grasp this opportunity to unite our sufferings, our struggles and our pain with the crucified Jesus. Offer some form of sacrifice to Jesus (fasting and almsgiving), seek reconciliation with him, and in adoration place your sufferings at the foot of the cross, asking Jesus to reveal to you what he wishes you to learn from your struggles. My prayer for you this Lent is that you find some time to enter into meditation with Jesus. Through the presence of his grace, may these moments help you grow in faith by uniting your struggles with Our Lord.

do unto others

Christ, through his church, offers us living water

ere is the strangest homily I’ve ever heard. The priest walked to the pulpit and told this story:

There was a prophet who had a vision from God. “Leave your village and go to a cave,” said the Lord. “Spend one year’s time storing up water for yourself, for next year the water of the village will be poisoned. Anyone who drinks of this water will go insane.” So the prophet did as he was told and stored up enough water to drink for a

bill scholl Bill Scholl is the archdiocesan consultant for social justice. You can email him at: socialjustice@archkck.org. lifetime. After a year, people in the village began to go mad and so the prophet fled to his cave. Months went by, and the prophet became very lonely. So he walked to the village to see what had become of the people. Upon entering the town, he

saw they were all insane. The villagers noticed he was not like them for he did not drink their water. They attacked and tried to kill him. The prophet barely escaped and returned to his cave full of safe water. There he lived, all alone, until the day he returned to the village, and he drank their water. The priest then walked away with no explanation and started the eucharistic prayers. “This is the worst homily I’ve ever heard,” I thought. Yet, I find myself thinking of this homily now more than any other. Frequently, our culture urges me to drink the strange waters of insanity. I’m told by Facebook there

are over 50 genders beyond just male and female. I’m told by television that sex is recreational and morally meaningless at one moment, and yet also a profound expression of love — if the script calls for it. However, the strangest water held up for me to drink insists that there is no morally relevant difference between the sex of a homosexual couple and the sex of a heterosexual couple and that anyone who thinks differently is a homophobic bigot. “Bigot, bigot” is what the media villagers cry to anyone who even hints that there is a created moral order. It doesn’t matter that the lifelong marriage

between one man and one woman is the primary way our civilization protects and nurtures children. Anyone who speaks out against same-sex marriage, for whatever reason, is an enemy of equality and must be marginalized or destroyed. Drink the water or die. However, Christ through his church offers us “living water.” If you, or someone you love, is struggling with same-sex attraction and you don’t want to drink the strange water of insanity, you don’t have to be alone. We have Courage and Encourage chapters in the Kansas City area to help. To learn more, call our helpline at (913) 428-9893.

family matters

Catholic couple honored for 80-plus years of marriage

ne of the images associated with the recent Olympics is the medal ceremony. The winners stand on a platform, with the winner of the gold standing on the highest step. The national anthem for the gold medal winner is played and chants of joy, such as “USA, USA,” are heard. During the Olympic competition, another event was being held across the country known as World Marriage Day. World Mar-

Deacon Tony Zimmerman Deacon Tony Zimmerman is the lead archdiocesan consultant for the office of marriage and family life. riage Day honors husband and wife as the foundation of the family, the basic unit of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily life. Part of the World Marriage Day celebration is the

“Longest Married Couple Project.” Prior to World Marriage Day, couples across the country are nominated by family or friends in recognition of their many years of faithful marriage. A winner is chosen for the nation, as well as for each state. The winning couple for the state of Kansas are members of our archdiocese. They are Dale and Alice Rockey. Dale and Alice grew up and met in the small town of Hemingford, Neb. They were married on Dec. 29, 1933, and recently celebrated 80 years of marriage. Dale and Alice have five sons, 15 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren. While spending most of their married life

in Nebraska, they moved to Olathe in 2004 to be closer to their children. My wife Barbara and I had the honor of presenting the award to Dale and Alice on Valentine’s Day weekend. I asked the usual question: “What’s the secret to being married 80 years?” Alice replied with a smile, “I always let him have my way.” There was laughter at the comment. I can see that a sense of humor and enjoying each other’s presence has been a big part of their lives. They shared the practice they have of telling each other every day, “I love you.” The importance of family and their Catholic faith was also part of the fuel that has

propelled them through 80 years of joyful marriage. As we sat with them — surrounded by family — Dale shared a photo album recently created with children and grandchildren during their celebration of the 80th year around the time of Christmas. As I looked at them, and saw the joy on their faces and that of the family present as we presented their award, I was reminded of part of a meditation that was written some years ago for married couples: “This is our beloved couple. This is the sacrament of matrimony. Look and see the joy that is found in the vocation of Christian marriage.”

16 local news

theleaven.com | february 28, 2014

WEEKLY SPECIALS

The Cathedral Knights of Columbus will be holding their fish fries on March 7, 14, and 21, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in the cathedral parish center. Cost is $8 for adults; and $4 for children.

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

Greeley Knights of Columbus, Council 1901, will have all-you-can-eat Lenten fish fries from 6 to 8 p.m. on March 14, 28 and April 11 at St. John Parish hall off 169 Hwy. and Prairie St. in Greeley. Cost is $9 for adults; and $4 for children.

The Church of the Nativity Knights of Columbus will have their weekly fish fry and shrimp dinner at the parish hall, 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood, from 5 to 7:15 p.m. Cost is: $10 for adults ($5 extra for shrimp); $5 for children ages 5-12; and free for ages 4 and under. Family price is $35 for fish; $50 for shrimp.

St. Ann and the Knights of Columbus of Hiawatha will have fish fries from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 14, 28, and April 11 at the St. Ann Parish hall. St. Pius X Parish, Mission, will host soup suppers from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on March 14, 21, and 28. On April 11, the parish will host a fish supper from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

St. Joseph Parish, Nortonville, will host its weekly fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is: $10 for ages 11 and older; $5 for ages 4-10; and free for ages 3 and under. Gift certificates are available. For carryout, call (913) 886-3510. Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish, Topeka, will host its weekly fish dinners from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the parish center, 1750 S.W. Stone Ave. Cost is: $8 for ages 11 and older; $5 for children ages 4-10; and free for children ages 3 and under. Maximum cost is $30 per household. For carryouts, call (785) 272-5590 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. each Friday. Mater Dei Parish will host its weekly fish fry in the basement of Assumption Church, Topeka, from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is: $8 for adults; $4 for children ages 6-12; and free for children 5 and under. Carryouts are available. Knights of Columbus, Council 900, will hold their weekly Lenten dinners from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the council hall, 205 S. Fourth St., Leavenworth. Cost is: $8 per person; $15 for a couple; $20 for a family (parents and children). For more information, call Rod at (913) 651-2337. St. Michael the Archangel, 14251 Nall Ave., Leawood, will host its weekly fish fry from 4:45 to 6:45 p.m. in Porter Hall. (There will be no fish fry on April 4, due to confirmation). New this year is a family pass good for each week. St. Patrick Parish, 94th and State Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will host its weekly Lenten dinners beginning at 5 p.m. Price range is $9-11 per plate. Family price is $25 for two adults and any child under 12. For more information, call (913) 515-0621. Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish, Topeka, will host its weekly fish fry from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church hall, 312 Freeman Ave., Topeka. Carryouts are available by calling (785) 234-6727. Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee, will have a weekly fish fry and smoked salmon buffet from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the multipurpose center, 21801 Monticello Rd., Shawnee. For more information, go online to: http://shoj.org/events.asp#fry.

St. Agnes Knights of Columbus, John Roe Council 3020, will hold a weekly fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. in the school’s Ram’s Café, 5130 Mission Rd., Roeland Park. A Mexican Lenten dinner will be served March 21. The men’s club of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, Wea, 227th and Metcalf, will serve its weekly fish and shrimp dinners from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Knights of Columbus of Divine Mercy Parish, Gardner, will host their weekly all-you-can-eat seafood dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. Cod or cheese pizza is $9; shrimp is $12; age 12 and under are $6. For more information, go online to: kofc10407.org. Good Shepherd Church, 12800 W. 75th, Shawnee, will host its weekly fish fry from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is: $8.50 for ages 12 and older; $7.50 for seniors (65+); $4 for children ages 5-11; and free for ages 4 and under. Family maximum is $25.

Knights of Columbus, Council 10932, will host a weekly fish fry from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Church of the Ascension, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park, in the parish lower level. Cost is: $9.50 for ages 12 and older; $5 for children ages 5 to 11; and free for children 4 and under. Knights of Columbus, Council 7909 of Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe, will host a weekly fish fry and shrimp dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is: $9 for ages 14 and older ($14 for shrimp); $5 for children ages 5-13 ($8 for shrimp); free for children 4 and under. Senior discounts are available. Cheese pizza is available for $4.

DAILY DEALS The following will have Lenten dinners only on certain Fridays of Lent.

The Knights of Columbus of Sacred Heart Parish, 1100 West St., Tonganoxie, will host their weekly fish dinners from 4 to 7 p.m. Cost is: $8 for adults; $7.50 for seniors (60+); $3 for children ages 5-12. Spiced shrimp and fish will be served on April 11 only. Cost is: $15 for adults; $14.50 for senior citizens (60+); $7 for children ages 5-12.

The Holy Trinity, Lenexa, Knights of Columbus will host an all-you-can-eat shrimp dinner from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on March 7 in the parish center. Advance ticket sales are: $15 for adults; $5 for children. Tickets can be purchased after all Masses on March 1 and 2. For more information, call Tom Klein at (913) 7687766.

Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, 22705 Metcalf, Overland Park, will host its weekly Lenten dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. For more information, see the website at: queenoftheholyrosary.org.

Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus, Council 11917, will host an all-you-can eat fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 7 at Sacred Heart Church hall, 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kan. Cost is: $8 for adults; $7 for seniors; and $6 for children under 12.

Knights of Columbus, Council 1149, will host a weekly all-you-can-eat fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity School, 601 E. Chippewa, Paola. Cost is: $10 for adults; $5 for children ages 5-12; free for children 5 and under. Maximum price for immediate family is $30.

Holy Spirit Parish Knights of Columbus will have their weekly all-you-can-eat seafood dinners from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in St. Elizabeth Hall, 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park. Cost is: $15 (shrimp and fish); $10(fish); $5 for children ages 4 to 10; $1 for children under 4.

Christ the King Parish, Kansas City, Kan., will host its weekly fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. March 21 will feature bingo beginning at 6 p.m. Cost is $7 for adults; $5 for children.

St. Bernard Parish, Wamego, will host its weekly fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. at the St. Bernard Parish hall, 1006 8th St., Wamego.

St. Paul Parish, Olathe, will host its weekly fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. in the activity center (gym). Cost is $9 for adults; $5 for children.

The Didde Catholic Campus Center, 1415 Merchant St., Emporia, will have a fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 7. St. Matthew Knights of Columbus, Council 13012, 2700 S.E. Virginia Ave., Topeka, will host a fish fry on March 7 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the parish hall. Annunciation Parish, Baldwin, will have fish fries from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 7, 28, and April 11. Cost is $7 per plate. Holy Angels Parish, Garnett, will host fish fries from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on March 7, 21 and April 4.

Knights of Columbus, Council 11735 of Holy Name Parish, Kansas City, Kan., 1001 Southwest Blvd., will host Lenten dinners from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on March 14, 21, 28 and April 4. Cost is $7.50. St. Joseph Parish, Waverly, will host a fish fry following the Stations of the Cross at 6 p.m. on March 21. St. Theresa Parish, Perry, will host a fish fry from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on March 28 in the parish center. There will be two kinds of fish. Cost is $8 for adults; and $4 for children under 12. St. Columbkille Parish, Blaine, will host a fish fry from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. on March 28. Holy Cross School, Overland Park, will host a fish dinner, featuring Alaskan pollock or smoked salmon, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on March 28 in the school cafeteria. Macaroni and cheese or cheese pizza will be available for children. Annunciation Parish, Frankfort, will host a fish fry from 5 to 8 p.m. on April 4. Curé of Ars Knights of Columbus will host a fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 4 in the cafeteria, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. Cost is $14 for adults; $5 for ages 5 and under. Advance tickets will be sold after Masses the weekends of March 22 and 23 and March 29 and 30. St. Francis Xavier Parish, Burlington, will host a fish fry following the Stations of the Cross at 6 p.m. on April 4. St. Patrick Parish, Osage City/Scranton, will host its Knights of Columbus shrimp and fish dinner on April 11 beginning at 6 p.m. in St. Brigid Hall, 309 S. 6th St., Osage City. Cost is $15. The St. Rose Duchesne Council 7446 of the Knights of Columbus will hold a fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. on April 11 at the Sacred Heart Parish hall in Mound City. Knights of Columbus, Council 534, will host a fish fry on April 11 at 6 p.m. at Mother Teresa Church, 2014 N.W. 46th St., Topeka. St. Teresa Parish, Westphalia, will host a fish fry following the Stations of the Cross at 6 p.m. on April 11. The St. Ann Knights will have their Lenten shrimp dinner on April 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the school cafeteria, 7241 Mission Rd., Prairie Village.