THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 39, NO. 30 | MARCH 16, 2018
PREACHING A GOSPEL OF ENCOUNTER Pope Francis celebrates fifth anniversary By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
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ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope just a few days after telling the College of Cardinals that the Catholic Church faced a clear choice between being a church that “goes out” or a church focused on its internal affairs. After the cardinal from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was elected March 13, 2013, and chose the name Francis, he made “go out,” “periphery” and “throwaway culture” standard phrases in the papal vocabulary. Catholics have a wide variety of opinions about how Pope Francis is exercising the papal ministry, and many of his comments — both in informal news conferences and in formal documents — have stirred controversy. But, as he wrote in “Evangelii Gaudium,” the apostolic exhortation laying out the vision for his pontificate: “I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.” But there are two areas of internal church affairs that he recognized needed immediate attention: the reform of the Roman Curia and the full protection of children and vulnerable adults from clerical sexual abuse. >> See “HAVE” on page 10
PHOTO BY STEFANO SPAZIANI
MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
“A
mazing Grace” is one of the most popular Christian hymns. Written in late 1772 by Anglican clergyman John Newton, it was first sung on January 1, 1773, at the church where Newton served as pastor. Before his conversion and his ministry in the Anglican Church, John Newton had been a sailor who led a dissolute life. Much to his regret later in his life, he participated in the slave trade. In his youth, Newton was rebellious and disrespectful of authority. For a time, he was imprisoned on a ship where he had previously served as a member of the crew. Newton himself was enslaved and performed forced labor on a plantation in Sierra Leone. A friend of his father eventually rescued him. While Newton did not write “Amazing Grace” specifically in opposition to the slave trade, later in his life he became an ardent abolitionist, partnering with William Wilberforce in the effort to abolish slavery in the British Empire. Many interpret his reference to himself as a “wretch” as a direct reference to his participation in the slave trade. The lyrics of “Amazing Grace” were not published with the melody with which we are familiar until 1847. The hymn was much more commonly sung in the United States than England. “Amazing Grace” was popularized during the Second Great Awakening (1790-1850), a time of renewed religious fervor for many Protestants in the United States. “Amazing Grace” was not widely used in Catholic liturgies until 50 years ago, largely because of concerns with some theological deficiencies in the lyrics. While “Amazing Grace” obviously reflects the Protestant theology and spirituality of its author, it also lends itself to an interpretation that is consistent with Catholic theology. Pope Emeritus Benedict wrote in his
God’s mercy is always greater than our sin Amazing Grace Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.
LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN
“The grace of Christ is the gratuitous gift that God makes to us of his own life, infused by the Holy Spirit into our soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It is the sanctifying or deifying grace received in Baptism. It is in us the source of the work of sanctification” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1999). “Sanctifying grace is an habitual gift, a stable and supernatural disposition that perfects the soul itself to enable it to live with God, to act by His love. Habitual grace, the permanent disposition to live and act in keeping with God’s call, is distinguished from actual graces which refer to God’s interventions, whether at the beginning of conversion or in the course of the work of sanctification” CCC, 2000).
introduction for his 2005 encyclical, “Deus Caritas Est” (“God Is Love”): “Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.” At a public audience on Sept. 3, 2008, reflecting on the conversion of
St. Paul, Pope Benedict stated: “Christianity is not a new philosophy or a new form of morality. We are only Christians if we encounter Christ, even if he does not reveal himself to us as clearly and irresistibly as he did to Paul in making him the Apostle to the Gentiles. We can also encounter Christ in reading holy Scripture, in prayer and in the liturgical life of the church — we touch Christ’s heart and feel that Christ touches ours. And it is only in this personal relationship with Christ, in this meeting with the risen One, that we are truly Christian.” Pope Francis in his 2013 apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” (“The Joy of the Gospel”) urged Catholics: “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ” (3). After quoting Pope Benedict’s affirmation that the heart of the Gospel is an encounter with the person of Jesus, Pope Francis added: “Thanks solely to this encounter — or renewed encounter — with God’s love, which blossoms into an enriching friendship, we are liberated from our narrowness and self-absorption. We become fully human when we become more than human, when we let God bring us beyond ourselves in order to attain the fullest truth of our being” (EG, 8). “Amazing Grace” is one man’s reflection on his encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. For John Newton, this experience of the mercy and redeeming love of Jesus was truly transformative. For Catholics, each reception of the sacrament
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, As long as life endures. Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail, And mortal life shall cease; I shall possess, within the veil, A life of joy and peace. The earth shall dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who called me here below, Will be forever mine.
of reconciliation is an opportunity for a profound encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. In making a sacramental confession, we invite Jesus to reveal himself to us by approaching Our Lord with utter humility and trusting faith. It is in this sacrament that we experience the liberating mercy of Jesus — not in an abstract or theoretical manner, but as it applies to the unique circumstances of our lives. In Catholic theology, we do not believe that human beings are wretched by nature. We accept the teaching of Scripture that we are made in the divine image. Moreover, on Calvary God revealed that, despite our sinfulness, the Lord recognizes something so beautiful in each human being that Jesus was willing to suffer death by crucifixion in order that we might know the depth of God’s love and the wideness of his mercy. No matter if we are a slave trader like John Newton or a director of an abortion clinic like Abby Johnson or a Satanist like Blessed Bartolo Longo or a persecutor of Christians like St. Paul, God’s mercy is greater than our sin.
In the sacrament of reconciliation, by speaking aloud our sin, we are able to liberate our souls from being racked with guilt and paralyzed with discouragement. At the same time, we are able to hear Our Lord’s words of mercy spoken by a fellow sinner who has been designated by the church and who, on Easter night, was empowered by Jesus to continue his ministry of mercy. John Newton describes in his lyrics an experience of actual grace that, indeed, was an intervention by God in his life. As Pope Benedict and Pope Francis remind us, we all need these actual graces that transform our souls by encountering the person of Jesus Christ. In the sacrament of reconciliation, the divine life received through the waters of baptism is restored and renewed. Through this sacrament, we also experience God’s mercy, which is God’s love in response to our sin. This is also an occasion for receiving actual graces that deepen our conversion as we welcome Jesus to exercise his lordship over our hearts. John Newton was right. God’s grace is truly amazing!
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ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN March 18 Installation of Father Barry Clayton — St. Philip Neri, Osawatomie Baptism of third or more children — Cathedral March 19 “Shepherd’s Voice” recording Confirmation — Queen of the Holy Rosary, Wea March 20 Priests Personnel meeting Administrative Team meeting Confirmation — St. Pius, Mission March 21 Presbyteral Council meeting March 22 Interparish women’s Bible study — Holy Trinity, Lenexa Confirmation — Holy Name, Kansas City, Kansas March 24 Given KC young Catholic women’s conference Symposium Mass — Benedictine College, Atchison March 25 Palm Sunday Mass — Cathedral, Kansas City, Kansas
ARCHBISHOP KELEHER March 18 Lenten penance/ Mass — St. Agnes, Roeland Park March 20-23 Labor Review Board — Chicago March 25 Palm Sunday Mass — Federal prison camp, Leavenworth
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MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
Christopher Bluemke exchanges a sign of peace with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann at his confirmation on March 10. He was sponsored by his sister, Melissa Cannon.
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Father Bill Bruning, pastor of Queen of the Holy Rosary Church in Overland Park, said he was thankful to have the iCare Mass celebrated in his parish, calling the participants “gifts” of the church.
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“I GET MOVED TO TEARS AT EVERY ICARE MASS BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY OF CATHOLICS IS SUCH A GIFT.”
PRAYERS ANSWERED
Members of iCare community make first Communions, confirmations By Susan Fotovich McCabe Special to The Leaven
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VERLAND PARK — There were smiles, tears of joy, and music — lots of lively music — at the March confirmation and first holy Communion Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Inclusive Catholic Activities and Religious Experiences (iCare) of Northeast Kansas, Inc. Thirteen individuals with developmental disabilities received the sacraments of first Communion and confirmation at the Mass. The candidates were noticeably older than the average age for receiving those sacraments. And there was a time when parents feared their children’s developmental delays would prevent them from ever receiving them. The celebration was coordinated by iCare, a ministry that provides bimonthly Masses, religious education and monthly socials at Queen of the Holy Rosary in Overland Park, and where both children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities are active participants. “We pray that you, your family and each of us receives the sweet aroma of God’s joy. Not only are you special in every way in God’s eyes — you are special and a joy to our church, as well,” Archbishop Naumann told families during the Mass. Kevin Hill’s 22-year-old daughter Lauren was one of those celebrating her confirmation at the iCare Mass. Hill, along with a few of his fellow class of 1984 Savior of the World seminarians — John Johnson, Javier Pedroza and David Tokic — founded iCare in 2016. The program is a re-imagined version of Religious and Education Activities for the Community Handicapped (REACH), a 1970s-era effort to serve Catholic individuals with special needs. “I grew up at Queen, and when I got married and had my own family, we had to go to Mass in shifts because of the disruption that results from Lauren’s diagnosis,” said Hill, who recently moved with his family to Atchison and attends
LEAVEN PHOTOS BY JAY SOLDNER
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann confirms Jenny Buddemyer on March 10 at Queen of the Holy Rosary Church in Overland Park, as her sponsor Jessie Charpentier looks on. Thirteen individuals with developmental disabilities received the sacraments of first Communion and confirmation at the Mass. St. Benedict Church. “It wasn’t that we didn’t feel welcome,” he said. “It was just that it wasn’t conducive to Lauren’s needs. President
Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann
Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)
Editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org
“When we started iCare,” he continued, “I had a lot of families with tears in their eyes share the same story of not being able to attend Mass as a family.”
Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org
Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org
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Reporter Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org
At every iCare Mass, individuals with special needs proclaim the readings, sing in the choir, serve the Mass and bring up the gifts. Father Bill Bruning, pastor of Queen of the Holy Rosary, concelebrated the Mass, with Deacon Jim Lavin assisting. Father Bruning took his microphone to the pews during the petitions, soliciting prayers from individuals with special needs. “I want to express my gratitude to all those with the iCare Mass who make this celebration possible,” Father Bruning said at the conclusion of the Mass. “I get moved to tears at every iCare Mass because this community of Catholics is such a gift,” he added. Like the Hill family, Overland Park resident and Church of the Ascension parishioner Denise Gartner was there for her 21-year-old daughter Carly’s confirmation. Carly, who is nonverbal and was diagnosed with autism, finds it challenging to attend a typical Mass. The Gartner family had to attend Mass in shifts, as well. “I was thrilled to hear about iCare because Carly and I and my older daughter could never go to Mass together,” said Gartner. “It was such a God thing that the iCare Mass came along.” “When we attend, we can feel God’s presence,” Gartner continued. “After Carly made the sacrament of first reconciliation, I could see happiness in her eyes. “She wants to be closer to Jesus. She has that spiritual connection.” In a nod to families raising children with intellectual and developmental disabilities — and those teachers, priests and others in the church trying to help them — Archbishop Naumann said a special prayer for marriages, families and those who work toward an inclusive environment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “Tonight is a special night,” Archbishop Naumann said. “We are so grateful for your love for Jesus and your desire to follow him. “The Lord has taught us that we all have unique gifts. We pray tonight to feel God’s presence in a new and deeper way for each and every one of us.” Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.
MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
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PAYING IT FORWARD
Curé of Ars gives away money, with a twist By Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org
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EAWOOD — Everyone sitting in the pews at Curé of Ars Church here was shocked by the words of their pastor a few weekends ago. “Today I’m going to say something you’ve never heard before in a church,” said Father Rick Storey during his homily. “Today we’re giving you money.” He paused and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. “And you can’t give it back,” he added. Every person in the church, including children too small to walk, came forward after the homily and received an envelope containing either a $1, $5, $10 or $20 bill. “I told them you cannot keep it,” said Father Storey. “You can’t just throw it back in the collection box.” They needed to do something with it. “You can pool your money,” he told his parishioners. “You have to be creative in going out and doing something with it out in the world.” It was a reverse collection, and it had been in the works for months. Toward the end of 2017, a family approached Father Storey with a $25,000 donation, desiring to anonymously give back to the parish community that had given them so much. After some discussion, they agreed Lent was the perfect time to do it. So, 5,000 envelopes with a portion of the parable of the talents (Mt 25:1419) printed on the outside were filled and distributed the weekend of Feb. 24-25 and March 4. “For me, it was really startling because we do receive a lot from the church, but to receive actual money was definitely surprising!” said parishioner Fred Kaffenberger. “It spurred us to think of charity that we maybe have
Curé of Ars Parish’s reverse collection was a huge hit. The Leawood parish gave every parishioner money and asked that they go out and put it to good use on behalf of someone else.
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“FOR ME, IT WAS REALLY STARTLING BECAUSE WE DO RECEIVE A LOT FROM THE CHURCH, BUT TO RECEIVE ACTUAL MONEY WAS DEFINITELY SURPRISING! IT SPURRED US TO THINK OF CHARITY THAT WE MAYBE HAVE PUT OFF.” put off.” “When Karen (his wife) and I got home we said, ‘OK, let’s pass this on right away,’” he said, an eagerness many parishioners shared. “What was really cool was that after Mass,” said Father Storey, “there were still people in the back of the church — lots of families — talking about what they’re going to do.”
“Some of the most creative ways were just hearing the kids talk,” he added. Kim Hammers, vice principal of Curé of Ars School, attended one of the reverse collection Masses with her husband and her two children, who are 8 and 6 years old. “As soon as we got to the car, we opened the envelopes,” said Hammers, “and they were so excited. We went to lunch after Mass and talked about what we could do with it.” After throwing out several ideas, the Hammers family decided to donate to The LIGHT House, a Christian maternity-care facility that encourages young mothers to place their child up for adoption or raise him or her as an alternative to abortion. “We decided we would go shopping and buy diapers and let the kids pick out toys,” said Hammers. “They liked the idea of shopping for other children — it makes sense to them to help other kids.” The reverse collection was a drop of water whose effects are already rippling out into the community and world. “I’ve received a lot of emails,” said Father Storey, “and people were saying
Olathe parish to host Women’s Day of Reflection By Olivia Martin olivia.martin@theleaven.org
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LATHE — Suzan Werner of St. Paul Parish here would travel hundreds miles at the drop of a hat just to see a near stranger. That near stranger’s name is ValLimar Jansen. A few years ago, Werner heard Jansen sing and perform a dramatic interpretation that told the stories of the women of the Bible in Manhattan. She was astounded. “She is just one of those people that, when you talk to her or listen to her, you can see the love of God in her eyes,” she said. Jansen is a singer, teacher, performer, author and inspirational speaker. She has performed internationally, served as emcee for the National Catholic Youth Conference and written and released many albums and books. “After the first time I saw her perform,” Werner said, “I said if ValLimar were within 500 miles of me again, I’d go see her.” It took a few years, but Jansen did indeed come within 500 miles of Werner. This time to Omaha, Nebraska. “I called a friend and asked her and her
husband to come to Omaha and see her perform,” she said. “I wanted to see if she was as impressed with [Jansen] as I was.” Jansen did not disappoint. Both women and their husbands were touched by the beauty of her performance and message. “Her message reiterates that we are all God’s children,” said Werner. “We are brothers and sisters no matter what.” After seeing Jansen that second time, Werner knew she, with the help of her friends, had to bring her to St. Paul Parish in Olathe. After a year of planning and preparations completed by a team of eight women, Jansen is finally coming to St. Paul for a Women’s Day of Reflection on March 24. All women of the archdiocese are invited to attend and experience Jansen’s gifts, talents and deep love for God for themselves. The cost is $30 and includes a light breakfast, lunch, times of reflection and interaction, as well as speeches and a performance on the women of the Bible by Jansen. For more information about Jansen, visit the website at: www.vallimar.com. ValLimar Jansen will perform at a Women’s Day of Reflection on March 24 at St. Paul Church in Olathe.
‘If you thought this kind gesture was going to stay in your community, I assure you it didn’t.’” Emails from San Francisco, New York, Minneapolis, Oklahoma and Nashville, Tennessee, reached Father Storey the following week — all from people who happened to be visiting Curé of Ars during the reverse collection. More impressive than the distance are the ways people have already begun using their reverse collection money to do good. “Everybody was going out of the door to make a difference,” said Father Storey. “It’s amazing.” The Kaffenbergers, who decided to use their money to help the clients of reStart, an organization that helps young adults rise out of homelessness, specifically decided to purchase various pieces of art to give as housewarming gifts. “It’s important for people to have some beauty in their lives,” said Kaffenberger, “and art is something they can take with them no matter where they go.” Though the excitement of the reverse collection will abate, the heightened awareness will remain. “It was a way to get people excited about who we are because it’s an act of being Christian,” said Hammers. “I want my kids to learn that.” “More than anything,” said Kaffenberger, “it was a tangible reminder of how much the church gives to us and the responsibility to share what we’ve been given.” Father Storey was amazed at the energy the reverse collection gave rise to and how clearly it illustrated to parishioners the responsibility of the baptized. “What if the apostles had received the gift of the Eucharist and never shared it with us?” said Father Storey. “That was the challenge — to not only receive, but then to realize that it’s in giving that we receive.”
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Nativity parishioners cap confession with camaraderie By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org
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EAWOOD — At Church of the Nativity here it’s known as “Confessions and Cocktails.” That may sound like the title of a scandalous, tell-all novel. But in reality, it’s one of many terms used to christen a new tradition catching on throughout the Catholic community during Lent. “Spill and Fill,” “Repentance and Repast,” “Fess Up and Pig Out” — whatever you call it, the practice involves receiving the sacrament of reconciliation in community and spending time in fellowship afterwards by sharing a meal. And maybe a cocktail. “This will be the sixth year,” said Maggie Neustadt, who organizes the event at Church of the Nativity. “It started out with a group of five moms; we all had kindergartners that were enrolled in Nativity at the same time. “None of us really knew each other.” The numbers have grown each year since. “It is like an event that people don’t want to miss,” said Lyn Petro, one of the original five. “Maggie sends out the evite and everyone responds immediately “It’s just a celebration of friendship and faith we all really enjoy.” Neustadt converted to Catholicism 12 years ago. When she went through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, she liked the communal aspect of the program. “It was very empowering to be part of a group of people who were going through something together,” she said There is safety in numbers and, for some, the sacrament of reconciliation can be a bit daunting. “It is a little agonizing,” admitted Neustadt. “You’re having to articulate some of your shortcomings.” Understanding this, Neustadt sent an email to a few of the moms she’d met and asked a question. “Would it be sacrilegious,” she wrote, “if I said let’s all go to confession and then have some socialization afterwards?” The women thought it was a great idea. And so does Church of Nativity pastor Father Francis Hund. “I think receiving God’s mercy is an occasion to celebrate,” he said. “What a great moment to be gifted with God’s love. “And just as in the parable of the prodigal son, we throw the feast to celebrate God’s gift of welcome and forgiveness.” Church of the Nativity, like parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, offers the sacrament every Wednesday evening during Lent. “Confession is only from six to seven [o’clock],” said Neustadt. “So, it’s early enough [that] we can go to dinner.” The women go on their own to confession during the allotted time, then meet for drinks and dinner at a nearby restaurant where Neustadt has made reservations.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD
For several years now, women from the Church of the Nativity in Leawood have taken advantage of the additional confession time (6-7 p.m. on Wednesdays) offered during Lent, then gone on to enjoy some fellowship afterwards. Jennifer Kilroy, left, Kelly Bjorseth and Ali Simon spend time in prayer together before heading out for a dinner to celebrate the Lenten tradition.
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“IT IS LIKE AN EVENT THAT PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO MISS. . . . IT’S JUST A CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP AND FAITH WE ALL REALLY ENJOY.” “It’s beautiful to stand in line with one of my friends in front of me and one of my friends behind me, to share that quiet sort of contemplative time when we’re exercising our faith together,” said Neustadt. Petro admits the new tradition has brought some women back to the confessional, including herself. She’s grateful for the event reminding her to receive the sacrament . . . and so much more. “I think it’s a really good reminder for all of us how important it is not only to ask for forgiveness for our sins and shortcomings, but also to understand we need to be forgiving toward each other,” she said. Indeed, the tradition has unified the group of mothers outside the confessional and beyond Lent. One of the moms is currently fighting cancer and the “Confessions and Cocktails” group has rallied behind her. “She’s in the midst of a really powerful struggle,” said Neustadt. “Every Monday morning, this same group gets together
after we drop our kids off at school and prays the rosary for our friend.” “It all comes back to us being friends and having kids the same age,” said Petro. “But, also, it has to do with being part of a faith community and wanting to support each other.” Neustadt has also found talking about “Confessions and Cocktails” with her non-Catholic friends has given her an opportunity to evangelize. “Protestants have this skewed perception of reconciliation,” she said. “They think it is just going and asking to be forgiven so you can leave and do the same thing over again. “So, it’s given me an opportunity to talk about it to non-Catholics or even non-practicing Catholics — to really show them this is a part of our vibrant community.” As a convert, Neustadt said she cherishes the sacrament. “I think there is nothing more powerful,” she said, “than having a priest lay his hands on you and say, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, I forgive you.’ “It’s unlike anything else you get anywhere else.” This group of moms is setting a good example for their children as well. “I think it’s cool for our kids to see,” said Neustadt. “They ask, ‘Where are you going tonight, Mom?’ And I say, ‘I’m going to confession with my girlfriends.’ “I think that sets a great example.” At the celebration after the sacrament, the group is elated with the love they feel for their God and one another. Talk is nonstop, and sometimes includes light teasing about the faith practice they’ve just shared.
Act of Contrition O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend thee, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
“We do talk about confession, too,” said Petro. “Sometimes we joke around: ‘I was in there for a long time. I’m sure you all were wondering what was going on with me.’” But, mostly, it’s an atmosphere of celebration. “It’s a good time during Lent to feel renewed,” said Petro. Father Hund sees in their gathering an illustration of Pope Francis’ call for accompaniment. “Pope Francis uses that understanding of accompaniment often in his writings,” said Father Hund, “and it is an encouragement to us as disciples to accompany one another. “I think this is a beautiful example of accompanying each other and receiving that greatness of God’s mercy.”
MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
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Overland Park church to host relics
TOOLS FOR FAMILIES Growing as Disciples of Jesus
Spring cleaning While we are thinking about how we need to clean the house and garage this spring, let’s not forget to clean our souls as well. Confessions are available every Wednesday evening at archdiocesan parishes this Lent. Confession is the sacrament in which we encounter God’s tender mercy. Remember to confess the sins: • that distract you ARTWORK BY NEILSON CARLIN, 2015 from God • that most affect your spouse • that most affect your children • that most affect your in-laws. — Brad DuPont, consultant for the archdiocesan office of marriage and family life
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CHURCH OF THE WEEK
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VERLAND PARK — Catholics will have a rare opportunity to examine and venerate the relics of several saints during “Sacred Relics of the Saints: Treasures of the Church.” The exposition will be held at 7 p.m. on March 21 at Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park. Father Carlos Martins of the Companions of the Cross will give a brief presentation on these holy objects. He will bring with him more 150 relics, some as old as 2,000 years. Among the treasures will be relics of St. Maria Goretti, St. Thérèse of Lisieux (the “Little Flower”), St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Faustina Kowalska. In the church’s history, many miracles and healings have been worked in the presence of relics, and many have been healed
L Immaculate Conception, Valley Falls Address: 905 Broadway, 66088 Phone: (913) 886-2030 Parochial administrator: Father Lazar Carasala Mass time: Sunday, 10 a.m. Email: sj.ic.cc.parishoffice@gmail.com MORE PHOTOS AND A VIDEO TOUR of this church can be seen online at: www.theleaven.org.
More than 150 relics will be on display at Queen of the Holy Rosary Church in Overland Park on March 21 at 7 p.m. through this ministry. Attendees are encouraged to bring articles of devotion (such as rosaries, holy cards, etc.) and pictures of ill friends and family
members which they will be able to touch to the reliquaries as a means of intercession.
Sister Margaret Marie Mitchell, SCL
EAVENWORTH — Sister Margaret Marie Mitchell, 93, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth for 71 years, died on March 1 at the motherhouse here. She loved the high school students she taught, the elderly and sick she visited, the cats she pampered, and the Royals she followed faithfully. Madge Katherine was born Nov. 13, 1924, in Kansas City, Missouri, the youngest of four children of Eugene P. and Madge L. (McGinley) Mitchell. She graduated from St. Teresa’s Academy and attended the College of St. Teresa, both in Kansas City,
Missouri. She completed her college studies with a bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary College, Leavenworth. She entered the Sisters of Charity on Aug. 14, 1946, and professed vows as Sister Margaret Marie on Aug. 15, 1948. She later earned her master’s degree from St. Louis University. From 1948 through 1980, Sister Margaret Marie taught English, speech and drama at high schools in Kansas and Montana. Her longest tenure was at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas. In 2008, the school inducted her into its Hall of Fame and presented her with the Fine Arts Distinguished Achievement
Award. Former students arranged a trip for her to New York for a Yankees-Royals game and a Broadway show. Sister Margaret Marie transitioned from teaching to parish ministry at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Kansas City, Missouri; St. Ann, Prairie Village; and Our Lady of the Presentation, Lee’s Summit, Missouri. She devoted her final active ministry to pastoral care at Truman Medical Center East in Kansas City, Missouri, where she tried to say, “God bless you” to everyone she met. She retired to the motherhouse in November 2009. Sister Margaret Marie never knew a stranger. She was compassionate, kind and fun. As testimony to her family’s love and respect, several nieces are named in her honor.
Concrete Work
Any type of repair and new work Driveways, Walks, Patios Member of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish
Harvey M. Kascht (913) 262-1555
SAVE THE DATE – APRIL 21
DAY OF REFLECTION
“Healing from the Scandal of Abuse by Clergy, Religious and Others in Authority within the Church”
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he Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas cordially invites you to join Teresa Hartnett for a day of reflection, exploring ways to move forward and heal from the scandal of abuse by clergy, religious and others in authority within the church on Sat., April 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Savior Pastoral Center. We encourage all Catholics to attend, including religious Sisters and Brothers, deacons, priests, lay ministers, as well as any Catholics grappling with the spiritual wounds we share as a church. All survivors of abuse, their friends and family members will find this information helpful and edifying; anonymity will be protected. Teresa Hartnett is founder of Spirit Fire (SpiritFire.Live) and The Healing Voices magazine (thehealingvoices.com). For more information, or to register, go to: www.archkck.org and click on Day of Reflection Registration or call Maura Dodson at (913) 647-0367.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KANSAS CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
he Catholic bishops of Kansas are conducting a search for an executive director for the Kansas Catholic Conference. The Kansas Catholic Conference (kscathconf.org) is the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in the state of Kansas. It operates on behalf of the archbishop/bishops of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, the Diocese of Dodge City, the Diocese of Salina and the Diocese of Wichita. Its purpose is to advocate on the federal and state level to promote public policy objectives consistent with the social teachings of the Catholic Church. The principal areas of concern are life issues, family life, education, poverty, the environment and general social well-being. The executive director represents the Kansas Catholic Conference to the governor, legislators and other government officials; serves as the official spokesperson for the conference, articulating its positions on life, social and educational issues; and directs programs in media relations, public information and governmental relations. The executive director also: • contacts and confers with legislators and public officials to persuade them to support legislation consistent with Catholic social teaching, and plans and coordinates meetings between bishops and elected officials to discuss legislative issues and proposals, allowing legislators to respond to conference concerns.
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• studies and analyzes proposed legislation in the light of Catholic social teaching to determine the possible impact of specific bills, and contacts individuals and groups having similar interests in order to encourage them to contact legislators and to present their views. • prepares news releases and other educational materials and conducts news conferences to communicate the church’s views on public policy issues, and organizes and/or presents testimonies given before various committees. • conducts research, keeps bishops abreast of activities of other state conferences and public opinion, and presents the conference’s position to the public; advises the bishops on public policy and speaks on their behalf when appropriate. • reports to the bishops of Kansas at regular and special meetings, follows and implements policy directions given by the bishops, reports to the archbishop of Kansas City regarding administrative decisions, manages the conference office and staff, plans the meetings with bishops/staff and other activities.
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• prepares and recommends annual budget for approval of the bishops. Candidate must be a practicing Catholic and a good steward in his/her parish, articulate regarding teachings of the Catholic Church, comfortable and responsive to church authority, self-directed, self-motivated, familiar with the legislative process and lobbying, possess outstanding oral and written communication skills, and be conscious of public image as a representative of the Catholic Church. Undergraduate degree required; master’s degree or equivalent desired. Candidate should be able to reside in Topeka during legislative session. Please email resume, applications and pastor’s letter of support to: jobs@archkck.org or mail to: Kathleen Thomas, Director of Human Resources Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109 ATTENTION: KS CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
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Five years of P unique turn By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
V U.S. lay Catholic leaders, activists still feel
‘FRANCIS EFFECT’
By Mark Pattison Catholic News Service
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ASHINGTON (CNS) — As Pope Francis observes his fifth anniversary as the successor to St. Peter, the gifts and style he brings to the papacy are still felt strongly by American Catholics. Catholic News Service asked a number of participants attending the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington in early February about the pope, elected March 13, 2013. “The Francis effect — whoever coined that, it’s been like a healing salve on a hurting church,” said Lynne Betts of Seaford, Delaware, one of two East regional leaders in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Voice of the Poor program. “I don’t want to sound cliched, but he’s like a good parent who picks you up and dusts you off and says life is still good. He’s been able to do that.” Rita Sloan, coordinator of the Life, Peace and Justice Commission for the Diocese of Reno, Nevada, has long felt the church could be more vocal on justice issues, and now the church has Pope Francis speaking on the issues of the day. “Could there be a more wonderful person in the world? I love that man,” Sloan said. “My biggest wonder is why more Catholics are not more outspoken on the issues because we have him leading the way.” Sheila Herlihy, coordinator of justice and charity for the Church of the Incarnation in Charlottesville, Virginia, spoke of Pope Francis’ call to service. “I see this service-oriented ap-
proach that Pope Francis takes definitely inspires people and affirms people in their ministry,” Herlihy said. “For me, it’s a really great resource, because everyone really loves Pope Francis. Whereas other invitations to service may come off as dry or academic, answering that call “might not be their first inclination,” she added, “but Pope Francis is really helpful for framing the ministries” because he “puts a human, teaching face on it.” Jacqueline Moya, 19, a student at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois, who is active in the school’s ministry center working with Hispanic communities, said of the pope: “He’s been wonderful and speaks a lot to millennials.” The pope has inspired Moya to remain active in the church. “I feel like it would have been up in the air as far as being part of the church,” she said. “He speaks to me. . . . It drew me closer to the Catholic Church. It brought me closer to my Catholic faith.” Many people interviewed by CNS during the social ministry conference — with follow-up telephone interviews to some of them — mentioned the idea of how Pope Francis challenges them, but in a way that makes them want to respond positively to the challenge. “He’s challenging me, too. Am I talking a good talk and not doing it?” Sloan said. “He challenges us to be better versions of ourselves as we do it with our lives,” said Deacon Perry Pearman of the Diocese of Spokane, Washington. “I will always remember one of the first things he said: He told all the priests and all of the clergy to take on the smell of the sheep,” Deacon
Pearman added. “I’m a firefighter and an EMT [in South Pend D’Orielle in Washington, near the Canadian border]. I’m also the fire chaplain. I’m right there with people in the worst times of their lives.” Pope Francis “not just challenges us to get out there, but to be more open to their stories they tell,” the deacon said. The theme of encounter was a recurring thread during interviews. Althea Graham, a member of Corpus Christi Parish in Detroit who is active in her parish’s St. Vincent de Paul group, said: “What I realized, he’s so connected to regular people, not necessarily just the religious, but the common folk.” Graham added, “When you talk about encounter he’s been about an encounter with people that comes across as authentic,” adding Pope Francis creates kinship, “almost like he knows you.” People speak lovingly about the pope, she noted. “I feel included.” Tammy Baldauff of Houston said she would be involved in justice issues surrounding American Indians even if it were someone other than Pope Francis in the chair of Peter, but “the environmental — that part of him, myself, as a native American, I really appreciate his stance on that.” Nor are non-Catholics immune from the Francis effect. Ethel Higgins, a regional director with Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina, said she realizes this is a new church which challenges some of the old thoughts about the church, but that it is important to make the connection between young and old philosophies. “He’s the best thing since sliced bread, as they could say,” she told CNS.
POPE FRANCIS
The First Five Years July 22-29 First foreign trip: World Youth Day in Brazil
April 27
Canonizes Blesseds John Paul II and John XXIII
Sept. 19-28
Visits Cuba and U.S., addressing Congress and U.N.
2017
CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING
Pope Francis greets an elderly woman as he meets with people of the Banado Norte neighborhood in Asuncion, Paraguay, in this July 12, 2015, file photo. The pope has shown special concern for the aged, the sick and those with disabilities.
ATICAN CITY (CNS) — A native-Spanish speaker who grew up with Italian-speaking relatives in Argentina, Pope Francis has a striking way with words. Bringing a background in literary themes and devices with him to the papacy five years ago, the pope has shown himself to be a master of metaphor and allegory. His cross-cultural and eclectic knowledge of literature and cinema has supplied him with numerous visual elements that he mixes and matches with a religious message, creating such compound concoctions as “the babysitter church” to describe a parish that doesn’t encourage active evangelizers but only worries about keeping parishioners inside, out of trouble. “Armchair Catholics,” meanwhile, don’t let the Holy Spirit lead their lives. They would rather stay put, safely reciting a “cold morality” without letting the Spirit push them out of the house to bring Jesus to others. The Ignatian spirituality that formed him as a Jesuit also comes through many of his turns of phrase. Just as a Jesuit seeks to use all five senses to find and experience God, the pope does not hes-
April 26
Delivers TED Talk via video on “The Future You”
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Tuesday, he has said. Explaining how it is made from a very thin strip of pastry, the crunchy dessert bloats and swells in a pan of hot oil. They are called “bugie” or “little lies,” he said, because “they seem big, but they have nothing inside, there’s no truth, no substance.” Pope Francis’ frequent focus on the evils of living a hypocritical or superficial life has meant employing descriptions such as showy as peacocks, frivolous as an over-primped star and fleeting as soap bubbles. “A soap bubble is beautiful! It has so many colors! But it lasts one second and then what?” To explain the kind of “terrible anxiety” that results from a life of vanity built on lies and fantasy, the pope said, “It’s like those people who put on too much makeup and then they’re afraid of getting rained on and all the makeup running down their face.” Pope Francis does not shy away from the gory or gross, calling money — when it becomes an idol — the “devil’s dung” and saying the lives of the corrupt are “varnished putrefaction” because, like whitewashed tombs, they appear beautiful on the outside, but inside they are full of dead bones. For the pope, who sees Christ as a “true physician of bodies and souls,” there is no shortage of medical metaphors. Of the most well-known, the pope pines for “the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars! You have to heal his wounds.” Speaking elsewhere about people who have done evil and know it, Pope Francis said, they live “with a constant itch, with hives that don’t leave them in peace.” The consequence of pride or vanity, he warned on another occasion, “is like an osteoporosis of the soul: The bones seem good from the outside, but on the inside they are all ruined.”
Pope Francis’ ns of phrase
CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING
Argentina’s flag is seen as Pope Francis arrives to lead his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in this April 3, 2013, file photo. Pope Francis, a native of Argentina, is the first pope from the Americas. can bring to his community, the pope said such priests make one think, “This man drinks vinegar for breakfast. Then, for lunch, pickled vegetables. And, in
2014
Breaks with protocol during Lenten penance service; before hearing confessions, he goes to confession
Creates his first cardinals, tapping 19 churchmen from 12 countries
2015
Dec. 2
Joins interfaith leaders, signs Declaration Against Slavery
Meets with six survivors of clerical sexual abuse, reiterates message of zero tolerance, accountability and continued commitment to prevention
Holds live satellite link-up with crew aboard International Space Station
March 28
Feb. 22
Dec. 8
Opens Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica to begin Year of Mercy
Nov. 19
Celebrates Mass for first World Day of the Poor, hosts Vatican lunch for people assisted by Catholic Charities
May 24
Signs encyclical “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home”
April 8
Sept. 4
Releases “Amoris Laetitia,” apostolic exhortation on marriage and family life
2018
First Jesuit and first Latin American elected pope
July 7
Oct. 26
Travels to Lampedusa, Italy, praying for immigrants and those who lost lives trying to cross Mediterranean Sea
Appoints Council of Cardinals to advise him on church governance, reorganization of Roman Curia
Releases “Evangelii Gaudium,” (“The Joy of the Gospel”), apostolic exhortation on proclamation of Gospel in today’s world
Synod of Bishops on the family
July 8
April 13
March 13
Nov. 24
Oct. 4-25
the evening, a nice glass of lemon juice.” Christians must not be boastful and shallow like a special sweet his Italian grandmother would prepare for Fat
2016
2013
itate to use language that involves sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. And so he urges the world’s priests to be “shepherds living with the smell of sheep” by living with and among the people in order to share Christ with them, and he tells his cardinals that all Catholic elders need to share with the young their insight and wisdom, which become like “fine wine that tastes better with age.” No chorus is as wonderful as the squeaks, squeals and banter of children, he once said before baptizing 32 babies in the Sistine Chapel, assuring the parents that the commotion and chaos of new life was not only welcome, but wonderful. The pope’s visual vocabulary dips into the everyday with sayings and scenarios from daily routines: like sin being more than a stain; it is a rebellious act against God that requires more than just a trip “to the laundromat and have it cleaned.” Even country living holds some lessons. He once told parishioners to bother their priests like a calf would pester its mother for milk. Always knock “on their door, on their heart so that they give you the milk of doctrine, the milk of grace and the milk of guidance.” Food and drink hold numerous lessons. For example, to convey the corrosive atmosphere a bitter, angry priest
Canonizes Blessed Teresa of Kolkata
Jan. 18
Convalidates marriage of two flight-crew members on plane during Chile visit ©2018 CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
FRANCIS’ FIFTH
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CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING
CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO, HANDOUT
CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO VIA REUTERS
Pope Francis celebrates the closing Mass of the VIII World Meeting of Families on Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia in 2013. In Washington, the pope visited the White House and made history as the first pope to address Congress.
Pope Francis holds a baby as he visits the neonatal unit at San Giovanni Hospital in Rome in this Sept. 16, 2016, file photo. The visit was part of the pope’s Friday works of mercy.
Pope Francis washes the foot of an inmate during the Holy Thursday Mass at Casal del Marmo prison for minors in Rome in 2013. Following the pope’s request, the Vatican issued a decree specifying that the foot-washing ritual can include women.
Have mercy, will travel: A pope for the peripheries >> Continued from page 1 The organizational reform of the Curia has been taking place in stages, but Pope Francis has insisted that the real reform is a matter of changing hearts and embracing service. On the issue of abuse, nine months into his pontificate, Pope Francis established the Pontifical Commission for Child Protection to advise him on better ways to prevent clerical sexual abuse and to ensure pastoral care for the survivors. For Pope Francis, that new course involves evangelization first of all. “Evangelizing presupposes a desire in the church to come out of herself,” he had told the cardinals just days before the conclave that elected him. “The church is called to come out of herself and to go to the peripheries, not only geographically, but also the existential peripheries: the mystery of sin, of pain, of injustice, of ignorance and indifference to religion, of intellectual currents and of all misery.” Mercy is the first thing the Catholic Church is called to bring to those peripheries, he says. Although in 2013 he told reporters he would not be traveling as much as his predecessors, Pope Francis has continued their practice of literally “going out,” making 22 trips outside of Italy and visiting 32 nations. But he also regularly visits the peripheries of Rome, both its poor suburbs and its hospitals, rehabilitation centers, prisons and facilities for migrants and refugees. His desire to reach out has inspired innovations that were noteworthy at the beginning of the papacy, but now seem to be a natural part of a pope’s day. For example, after beginning with Vatican gardeners and garbage collectors, the pope continues to invite a small group of Catholics to join him most weekday mornings for Mass in the chapel of his residence. The residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae, is a guesthouse built by St. John Paul II with the intention of providing decent housing for cardinals when they would enter a conclave to elect a new pope. Pope Francis decided after the 2013 conclave to stay there and not move into the more isolated papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. On Holy Thursday each year, he has celebrated Mass at a prison, care facility or refugee center and washed the feet of patients, inmates or immigrants, both men and women, Catholics and members of other faiths. He also or-
CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO VIA REUTERS
A clergyman hears confession from Pope Francis during a penitential liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on March 28, 2014. The pope has broken traditional protocol by going to confession during penance services. dered the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments to clarify that the feet of both women and men can be washed at the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper. During the 2015-16 Year of Mercy, he made a visit one Friday a month to people in particular need, including those at a school for the blind, a neonatal intensive care unit, a community of recovering alcoholics, a children’s group home and a community for women rescued from traffickers who forced them into prostitution. Once
the Year of Mercy ended, the pope continued the visits, although not always every month. In September 2015 as waves of migrants and refugees were struggling and dying to reach Europe, Pope Francis asked every parish and religious community in Europe to consider offering hospitality to one family. The Vatican offered apartments and support to a family from Syria and a family from Eritrea. Then, seven months later, Pope Francis visited a refugee center on the island of Lesbos, Greece, and
brought 12 refugees back to Rome on the plane with him. Less than three months into his pontificate, he began denouncing the “throwaway culture” as one where money and power were the ultimate values and anything or anyone that did not advance money or power were disposable: “Human life, the person, are no longer seen as primary values to be respected and protected, especially if they are poor or disabled, if they are not yet useful — like an unborn child — or are no longer useful — like an old person,” the pope said at a general audience. In the first three years of his papacy, he published three major documents: “Evangelii Gaudium” (The Joy of the Gospel); “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” on the environment; and “’Amoris Laetitia’ (The Joy of Love), on Love in the Family,” his reflections on the discussions of the Synod of Bishops in 2014 and 2015. Like all popes, Pope Francis frequently urges Catholics to go to confession, telling them it is not a “torture chamber.” And he repeatedly gives priests blunt advice about being welcoming and merciful to those who approach the confessional. Like St. John Paul did each Lent, Pope Francis hears confessions in St. Peter’s Basilica. But, he surprised even his closest aides beginning in 2014 when, instead of going to the confessional to welcome the first penitent, he turned and went to confession himself. He also has surprised people by being completely honest about his age. In April 2017, when he was still 80 years old, he told Italian young people that while they are preparing for the future, “at my age we are preparing to go.” The young people present objected loudly. “No?” the pope responded, “Who can guarantee life? No one.” From the beginning of his papacy, Pope Francis has expressed love and admiration for retired Pope Benedict XVI. Returning from South Korea in 2014, he said Pope Benedict’s honest, “yet also humble and courageous” gesture of resigning cleared a path for later popes to do the same. “You can ask me: ‘What if one day you don’t feel prepared to go on?’” he told the reporters traveling with him. “I would do the same, I would do the same! I will pray hard over it, but I would do the same thing. He (Pope Benedict) opened a door which is institutional, not exceptional.”
MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
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Activists warn of slaughter of Syrian civilians By Dale Gavlak Catholic News Service
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MMAN, Jordan (CNS) — Christian activists warn that 1 million Syrian civilians will face certain slaughter in northwestern Afrin, where they allege Turkey and its militant allies have already carried out “war crimes” and “ethnic cleansing.” They have appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump and top U.S. officials to stop the bloodshed, warning that failure to act jeopardizes the hard-fought U.S.-led military campaign against the Islamic State in Syria. Civilians from other parts of Syria and outside the country have reportedly offered to stand as “human shields” between the Kurdish-backed fighters and Turkish forces set to storm Afrin. Cardinal Mario Zenari, apostolic nuncio to Syria, said, “I have never seen so much violence as in Syria.” In remarks March 9, he likened the situation to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The nuncio called the situation in the war-ravaged land “hell on earth,” especially for vulnerable children. In March, Syria’s conflict entered its eighth year. More than 350,000 people have died, 5 million are refugees and 6.3 million civilians are displaced within the country. Syria is currently “one of the most dangerous places for children,” Cardinal Zenari said. “It’s terrible. I always say, it’s a massacre of the innocents.” Two Christian activists, Bassam Ishak and Lauren Homer, told Catholic News Service of the relentless assault by Turkey and militants from hardline jihadist movements, including the so-called Islamic State. “Turkey has committed war crimes and ethnic cleansing already in Afrin and the Federation of Northern Syria,” or FNS, they told CNS. Ishak heads the Syriac National Council and is a member of the political bureau of the Syrian Democratic Council. He is a graduate of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Homer, an Anglican, is a Washington, D.C.-based international human rights lawyer.
CNS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA
A letter from retired Pope Benedict XVI to Msgr. Dario Vigano, prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for Communications defends Pope Francis; it was written as a promotion for a book series titled, “The Theology of Pope Francis.”
CNS PHOTO/KHALIL ASHAWI, REUTERS
Residents flee after Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army fighters captured the village of Khaldieh in Afrin, Syria. Christian activists warn that 1 million Syrian civilians will face certain slaughter in northwestern Afrin, where they allege Turkey and its militant allies have already carried out “war crimes” and “ethnic cleansing.” “Turkey has already ‘cleared’ villages of Yazidis, Kurds, Christians and others, promising to replace them with Syrian refugees. In fact, Afrin already has enlarged its population by 50 percent to house [internally displaced] Syrians, who are among those being killed, injured or captured,” they said. People in and around Afrin are facing the warplanes, tanks, artillery and other heavy weapons of NATO’s second-largest standing army, Turkey. A local health authority reported more than 220 dead and 600 civilians injured in this mainly Kurdish area of northwestern Syria, some 30 miles from Aleppo. Videos and photos from Afrin taken by both Kurds and members of the Turkish forces depict bombedout houses, mangled bodies of children killed by the blasts and civilians being herded away. Largely untouched by Syria’s deadly conflict until recently, this part of the Federation of Northern Syria succeeded in creating a nonsectarian, pluralist, inclusive government system not seen elsewhere in the Middle East in which there is religious freedom and equal rights are granted to all.
Activists are calling for an immediate no-fly zone over Afrin, enforced by U.S. drones or warplanes; implementation of the Feb. 24 U.N. Security Council resolution requiring a cease-fire by Turkey in Afrin; humanitarian aid and safe passage out for civilians; and mediation of a long-term cease-fire and withdrawal of Turkish troops to its own borders — potentially with promises of U.S. or U.N. border monitors. Meanwhile, the Kurdish council that governs Afrin demanded the U.N. Security Council establish a no-fly zone over Afrin and forcibly respond to the Turkish offensive. “This U.N. and U.S. and NATO inaction will go down in infamy as an inconceivable abandonment of our ‘allies’ the SDF and the FNS. Genocide seems to be only something we are interested in in retrospect, to mourn and wring our hands over,” Homer warned. Pope Francis has repeatedly called on the international community to intervene in Syria to help end the violence. Calling the war in Syria “inhumane,” Pope Francis urged for an end to the fighting, immediate access to humanitarian aid and the evacuation of the injured and infirm.
Salvadoran newspaper describes Romero miracle By Rhina Guidos Catholic News Service
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ASHINGTON (CNS) — Though church authorities in El Salvador said they would wait to give more details of a Vatican-approved miracle that has cleared the way for the canonization of Blessed Oscar Romero, a Salvadoran newspaper March 8 published an account of a 35-year-old woman who said her husband’s prayer asking for the intercession of Blessed Romero saved her life. The newspaper El Diario de Hoy, which publishes the online version ElSalvador.com, said a woman named Cecilia in August 2015 had been having problems with her pregnancy. After
she gave birth, she was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome, a life-threatening condition that affects some pregnant women and damages the liver. The newspaper story said a doctor told Cecilia’s husband that her liver and a kidney were damaged and, “if you believe in something, in a god, [pray)] for her because the way she is, it’s likely that she’ll die.” HELLP is an abbreviation of the three main features of the syndrome: hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count. The husband went home to pray, opened a Bible his grandmother had given him, saw a card with Blessed Romero’s image in it, and even though he’d had an “aversion” to his grandmother’s prayers to the slain Salvadoran archbishop, he prayed for his inter-
cession, the story said. Though Cecilia had slipped into a coma, she awoke Sept. 10 and made a full recovery, the newspaper said. The couple told the newspaper they knew it was a miracle and decided not to tell anyone about it but eventually confided in their pastor, who secured the documentation to send to the Vatican. On March 7, the Vatican announced that the decree approving a miracle attributed to Blessed Romero’s intercession had been approved. At a meeting March 6 with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, Pope Francis formally signed the decree recognizing the miracle needed to advance the sainthood cause of Blessed Romero. No date has been announced for his canonization.
Retired pope says criticism against Pope Francis is ‘foolish prejudice’ By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service
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ATICAN CITY (CNS) — On the eve of the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ election, retired Pope Benedict XVI defended the continuity of the church’s teaching under his successor and dismissed those who criticize the pope’s theological foundations. In a letter sent to Msgr. Dario Vigano, prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for Communication, Pope Benedict applauded the publication of a new book series titled, “The Theology of Pope Francis.” “It contradicts the foolish prejudice of those who see Pope Francis as someone who lacks a particular theological and philosophical formation, while I would have been considered solely a theorist of theology with little understanding of the concrete lives of today’s Christian,” the retired pontiff wrote. Msgr. Vigano read the letter during a presentation of the 11-volume series March 12. Before reading the letter, Msgr. Vigano said he sent a message to Pope Francis and Pope Benedict regarding the publication of the book series. He also asked if Pope Benedict would be “willing to write a page or a page and a half of dense theology in his clear and punctual style that I would have liked to read this evening.” Instead, the retired pontiff “wrote a beautiful, personal letter that I will read to you,” Msgr. Vigano said. Pope Benedict thanked Msgr. Vigano for having given him a copy of “The Theology of Pope Francis” book series, which was authored by several notable theologians. “These small volumes reasonably demonstrate that Pope Francis is a man with profound philosophical and theological formation and are helpful to see the interior continuity between the two pontificates, even with all the differences in style and temperament,” he wrote. Pope Benedict has made no secret of his affection for and admiration of Pope Francis. During a Vatican celebration for the 65th anniversary of Pope Benedict’s priestly ordination June 28, 2016, the retired pope expressed his sincere gratefulness to Pope Francis, saying that his goodness “from the first moment of your election, in every moment of my life here, touches me deeply.” “More than the beauty found in the Vatican Gardens, your goodness is the place where I live; I feel protected,” Pope Benedict said.
MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT School nurse - Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Shawnee is looking for a full-time nurse for the 2018-19 school year. The candidate must be a practicing Catholic and a registered nurse licensed in the state of Kansas. Sacred Heart School enrolls 420 students with 35 staff. The nurse will be responsible for maintaining the health and safety of staff and students. The nurse will also be responsible for the Virtus education of all students in grade K-8, the education and training of all staff members regarding emergency protocol and administration of emergency medication. Other duties include: obtaining supplies for nurse’s office; implementing health-related activities; organization of medical documents; vision and hearing screening; and working with staff to provide emotional support for students. If interested, email cover letter and resume to: Maureen.engen@shoj.org. Teacher assistant - Special Beginnings, Lenexa, is seeking full- or part-time after-school teacher assistants at all locations. We are looking for a teacher assistant candidate who has an excellent work ethic, heart for children and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education. Experience and/or education is a plus, but we will train the right candidate. Teacher assistants will work with the lead teacher to care for and educate the children. Primary responsibilities include assisting the lead teacher with: care and supervision of children, lesson plan implementation, parent communication, and cleanliness and organization of classroom. Starting hourly pay ranges based on experience and education. Pay increases are based on job performance. Opportunities for advancement are available, as the company prefers to promote from within. Apply by sending an email to: chris@specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, KS 66215. Do you enjoy driving? - The Kansas City Transportation Group is looking for chauffeurs to drive our guests to events, airport, dinner, etc. Business is growing and we are in need of workers with flexible hours, those who are retired, etc. Great pay and benefits. Send resume to: jkalbert@kctg.com or in person at Carey, 1300 Lydia Ave., Kansas City, MO 64106. Assistant principal/athletic director - Bishop Miege High School is seeking an assistant principal/athletic director for the 2018-19 school year. The candidate must be Catholic, have a master’s degree in educational leadership and five years’ teaching/administrative experience. Send a letter of interest and resume to: mjaksa@bishopmiege.com. Catholic elementary school principal – Holy Trinity School in Paola is seeking an individual for the 2018 - 19 school year with demonstrated skill in spiritual and academic formation of students and staff. In addition, experience with school advancement, particularly in the area of enrollment management, would be a plus. Holy Trinity has approximately 91 students in K-8th grades and 6 preschoolers taught by 11 teachers. Applicants for principal must be practicing Catholics, understand the mission of Catholic schools and have or be eligible for Kansas licensure in educational leadership. Apply online at: www.archkckcs.org and send resume and credentials to: Superintendent Dr. Kathleen A. O’Hara, Catholic Schools Office, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, or send an email to: kohara@archkckcs.org. Deadline for applications is March 30. Drivers - Special Beginnings Early Learning Center is seeking part-time drivers for its school-age program located in Lenexa. Candidates must be able to drive a 13-passenger minibus, similar to a 15-passenger van. CDL not required, but must have an excellent driving record. Candidates would pick up children from area schools and then work directly with them when arriving back at the center. Experience preferred. Must have strong work ethic and the ability to work with children. Insurance provided. Background check will be conducted. Great opportunity for retired persons or those seeking a second job. Job responsibilities include: ensuring safety and well-being of children who are being transported at all times, including loading and unloading. Driving short, round-trip routes to elementary schools in Lenexa/Olathe area. Summer only: Driving short, round- trip routes to two Lenexa city pools. Maintaining mileage log. Keeping interior of vehicle clean. Apply by sending an email to: chris@specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, KS 66215. School nurse - Bishop Miege High School has an immediate opening for a school nurse. The candidate must possess a current Kansas registered nurse license, current BLS CPR AHA certification. Experience in school nursing preferred. Send letter of interest and resume to: mjaksa@bishopmiege. com. Catholic elementary school principal – Holy Family School in Topeka is seeking an individual with demonstrated skill in spiritual, academic and advancement — particularly in the area of enrollment management leadership — for the 201819 school year. Ability to understand and speak Spanish is a plus. Holy Family has approximately 192 students in K-8th grades and 17 preschoolers taught by 13 teachers. Applicants for principal must be practicing Catholics, understand the mission of Catholic schools and have or be eligible for Kansas licensure in educational leadership. Apply online at: www.archkckcs.org and send resume and credentials to: Superintendent Dr. Kathleen A. O’Hara, Catholic Schools Office, Archdiocese of Kansas City in KS, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, or send an email to: kohara@archkckcs. org. Deadline for applications is March 23. Administrative assistant - St. Ann School in Prairie Village has an opening for administrative assistant for the academic year 2018-19. Applicants must be practicing Catholics and have experience in a school setting, ideally a Catholic school. Excellent communication skills required along with the ability to manage multiple and varied tasks simultaneously. The candidate must be organized and have good attention to detail. Pleasant and welcoming demeanor is also required. Interested applicants should email a cover letter and resume to Mr. Michael Riley at: mriley@stannpv.org.
English Language Arts/reading teacher - St. Ann School in Prairie Village is seeking a 7th/8th-grade ELA/reading teacher for the academic year 2018-19. Qualified candidates should possess a passion for Catholic education, enthusiasm for literature and language arts, and hold a current teaching license. Teachers who are interested in joining an innovative and faith-filled team of educators should email a cover letter and resume to Mr. Michael Riley at: mriley@stannpv.org. Assistant to ReachKCK coordinator – The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is accepting applications for a parttime administrative position in the ReachKCK youth ministry outreach program in Wyandotte County. This position is approximately 25 hours per week. Duties include: supporting youth programs and events through handling logistical details; data entry; creating publicity materials; managing social media; and facilities oversight. The ideal candidate will be a practicing Catholic in good standing and have a minimum of two years’ office work experience. Knowledge of youth ministry and Spanish-speaking strongly preferred. A complete job description and required application are available on the archdiocese’s website at: www.archkck.org/ jobs. Interested individuals should mail cover letter, resume and application by March 30 to: Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Office of Human Resources, Youth Search, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, or send via email to: jobs@archkck.org. Assisted transportation - Ready for the summers off? Join our school transportation division and live like a kid again! Our drivers have the opportunity to serve our community and still get these precious summer breaks. Assisted Transportation seeks caring and reliable drivers to transport K - 12 students in Johnson and Wyandotte counties in our minivans. CDL not required. $12 per hour. Retirees encouraged to apply. Learn more or apply online at: assistedtransportation. com or call (913) 262-5190 for more information. EOE. Director of admissions - St. Teresa’s Academy in Kansas City, Mo., is seeking a full-time director of admissions beginning in the 2018-19 academic year. The director is responsible for all aspects of student admission, including: student recruiting and enrollment; marketing; strategic planning; budgeting; relationship-building with other educational institutions; and collaboration with academy administrators and faculty. To see the full job description and to apply, go online to: stastars.org/jobs. Principal - Co-Cathedral Parish of St Joseph seeks a principal committed to Catholic education with strong leadership, communication and motivational skills. Co-Cathedral School is a parish school in a vibrant parish community with growing enrollment serving K - 8th- grade students with a staff of approximately 25. Cathedral School is located in downtown St Joseph, Missouri. The applicant must be a practicing Catholic; should have a master’s degree in educational administration; teaching experience; and preferably three years’ administrative experience. This position leads school programs that ensure not only academic excellence but also the spiritual, moral, physical and emotional development of the school community. This person is supervised by the pastor of the parish and the assigned superintendent of schools. To apply, follow this link: careers.hireology.com/thecatholicdioceseofkansascitystjoseph/180106/description. Caregivers - Daughters & Company is looking for several compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to ambulatory seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide light housekeeping/light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care management and occasional transportation services for our clients. We need caregivers with reliable transportation and a cell phone for communication. A CNA background is helpful, though not mandatory. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match hours desired. Please contact Pat or Murray at 913-341-2500 to become part of an excellent caregiving team. Guidance counselor- St. Ann School in Prairie Village has a part-time (25 hours/week) guidance counselor opening for the academic year 2018-19. Successful applicants will embody mission commitment; intellectual curiosity; openness to growth; and optimism and zest that are characteristic of our faculty and staff. Qualified candidates should possess a passion for Catholic education, hold a current Kansas licensure through the appropriate accrediting agency (licensed professional counselor, licensed master of social work, national certified counselor or licensed school counselor), have experience working with school-age children and families, preferably in a Catholic setting or for a Catholic organization; and be a practicing Catholic in good standing with the church. Interested applicants should apply online at: www. archkckcs.org and email a cover letter and resume directly to Mr. Michael Riley at: mriley@stannpv.org. Teacher - Bishop Miege High School has a teacher opening for the 2018-19 school year for journalism/publications, including yearbook and newspaper (English endorsement a plus). Send letter of interest and resume to: mjaksa@ bishopmiege.com. Career opportunity - Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding a financial representative in the Kansas City metro and Topeka areas. 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. This is a full-time position. Please contact John A. Mahon, general agent, for more information or an interview at 1275 Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66612 or call (785) 408-8806. You can also send an email to: john.mahon@kofc.org.
DRC Construction We’ll get the job done right the first time. Windows - Doors - Decks - Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and be glad you did. Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com 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) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. EL SOL Y LA TIERRA *Commercial & residential * Lawn renovation *Mowing * Clean-up and hauling * Dirt grading/installation * Landscape design * Free estimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!! www.elsolylatierra.com Call Lupe at (816) 935-0176 Rusty Dandy Painting, Inc. – We have been coloring your world for 40 years. Your home will be treated as if it were our own. Old cabinets will be made to look like new. Dingy walls and ceilings will be made beautiful. Woodwork will glow. Lead-certified and insured. Call (913) 341-9125. NELSON CREATION’S L.L.C. Home makeovers, kitchen, bath. All interior and exterior remodeling and repairs. Family owned, experienced, licensed and insured. Member St. Joseph, Shawnee. Kirk Nelson. (913) 927-5240; nelsport@everestkc.net Father-and-son home exteriors and remodeling - Celebrating my 15th year in The Leaven as a small business owner! We do decks, siding, windows, doors, tile work, floors, wood rot, and interior and exterior painting. We can remodel bathrooms, kitchens or basements. We also reface cabinets and redo pesky popcorn ceilings. Call Josh at (913) 709-7230. HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.com Local handyman - Painting int. and ext., staining, wood rot, power wash, decks, doors and windows, masonry, hardwood floors, gutter cleaning, water heaters, toilets, faucets, garbage disposals, ceiling fans, mowing and more!! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118. 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. Swalms organizing - downsizing - cleanout service - Reduce clutter – Any space organized. Shelving built on-site. Items hauled for recycling and donations. 20 years exp.; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115. WWW. SWALMSORGANIZING.COM. Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dan deeconst@aol.com.
SERVICES Doll dresses - 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. Call Patty at (913) 345-9498. Life Simplified - Professional organizing for home and business in the greater Kansas City area. We organize tools to toys, garages to attics. Pre- and post-moving support for upsizing or downsizing. We advise on what to keep, donate, recycle or toss and offer personalized strategies on keeping organized. Supportive, confidential and nonjudgmental. Call (913) 725-8151 0r send an email to: info@lifesimplified.biz. www.lifesimplified.biz. 8 to Your Ideal Weight - Get real, get healthy, get empowered. Release your weight and restore your power in eight weeks. Certified coach: kathioppoid.8toyourideal weight. com. Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr.com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer.com. Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Speedy Guzman Moving and delivery Licensed and insured Anytime (816) 935-0176
Decked Out In KC - We fix decks. We repair, power wash and stain wood decks and fences. We power wash and seal concrete drives, walkways, pool decks and more. Call Brian at (913) 952-5965. Member of Holy Trinity Parish.
Custom countertops - Laminates installed within five days. Cambria, granite and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee.
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Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover. Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload, and in-home moving. No job too small. Serving JoCo since 1987. St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner. Call Mike at (913) 927-4347 or send an email to: mike@mikehammermoving.com. Rodman Lawn Care Lawn mowing, aeration, verticutting, mulching, Hedge trimming, leaf removal, gutter cleaning Fully insured and free estimates John Rodman (913) 548-3002 Faith-based counseling to cope with life concerns - Kansas City area. Call Mary Vorsten, licensed clinical professional counselor, at (913) 909-2002. Tree Trimming Tree Trimming/Landscaping Insured/References Free Estimates/Local Parishioner Tony (913) 620-6063
FOR SALE Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishioners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC) For sale - Two cemetery plots at Mt. Calvary in Kansas City, Kansas. Located in section 5, lot 79, spaces 1 and 2. $1500 each. Call Jan at (913) 645-1649.
CAREGIVING Situation wanted - Retired nurse will do private care. Available 24/7. Has experience in cosmetology, and massage therapy. Has hospice background. Call (913) 9384765. No agencies. Looking for assisted living at home? - Before you move, call us and explore our in-home care options. We specialize in helping families live safely at home while saving thousands of dollars per year. Call today for more information or to request a FREE home care planning guide. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www.benefits ofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591 CNA - Professional caregiver provides quality private home care assistance for the elderly in the comfort of your home. Part-time or full-time assignments. Will consider live-in arrangements. 20 years’ experience. Dedicated to clients. Call (816) 806-8104. Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation for seniors in their home, assisted living or nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Pat or Gary. Medication support - Need help filling weekly pill boxes? Need daily medication reminders? We can provide these services in your home with daily or weekly visits. Call to learn about our exciting new medication solutions that allow you to continue living safely at home. Call Home Connect Health at (913) 627- 9222. Just like family - Let us care for your loved ones in their homes. Two ladies with over 50 years’ combined experience. Looking for night shift coverage, some days. Great price, great references. Both experienced with hospice care. Call Kara at (913) 343-1602 or Ophelia at (913) 5707276.
WANTED TO BUY 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.
REAL ESTATE Whole Estates Need to sell a home and everything in it? We buy it all at once in as-is condition. Call (816) 444-1950 or send an email to: www.wholeestates.com.
VACATION Branson condo - Newly updated. Perfect for couples or families. Sleeps six; fully furnished; WiFi; no stairs; close to entertainment; pools; exercise room, tennis and golf available. Call (913) 515-3044.
PILGRIMAGE Pilgrimage to Medjugorje - from April 26 through May 3, 2018. Call (913) 449-1806 for details.
BUYING AN AD To purchase a Leaven classified ad, email The Leaven at: beth.blankenship@theleaven.org. Cost is $20 for the first five lines, $1.50 per line thereafter. Ad deadline is 10 days before the desired publication date.
MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CALENDAR will be open from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Dinner will be served from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. The suggested cost for dinner is a freewill donation.
‘DISCOURSE, DESSERT AND THE DOCTORS: TERESA OF AVILA’ Sophia Spirituality Center 751 S. 8th St., Atchison March 18 from 1:30 - 4 p.m. MEMORIAL LITURGY Curé of Ars Parish 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood March 17 at 8 a.m.
There will be a memorial liturgy for deceased loved ones followed by a grief support meeting in the Father Burak Room. The topic will be: “Grief — Winter Into Spring.” For more information, call (913) 649-2026.
IRISH FEST, FUN RUN & WALK Mater Dei-Assumption Church 8th and Jackson, Downtown Topeka March 17 at 8 a.m.
This year, there will be many events: an Irish singalong at 8 a.m., a 5K Fun Run and Walk at 9 a.m. and the St. Patrick’s Day parade at noon. The festival will include Irish foods, music, beverages and kids activities. To register for the 5K Fun Run, go online to: www. irishfestfunrun.com.
Sister Judith Sutera, OSB, will lead this retreat on Teresa of Avila, a Carmelite nun, mystic, theologian of contemplative life and an advocate for reform in the Carmelite order. The retreat will include prayer time, discussion and dessert. For more information or to register, call (913) 360-6173 or visit the Sophia Spirituality Center website at: www.sophiaspiritualitycenter.org.
MEDICARE Keeler Women’s Center 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas March 21 from 10 - 11 a.m.
New to Medicare? Need help understanding your current benefits? This workshop will be presented by Susana Maracos (bilingual — Spanish and English).
ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARTY Holy Angels Parish (hall) 15438 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor March 17 from 2-7 p.m.
A meal of shepherd’s pie, corned beef, potatoes and Irish soda bread will be served. There will be desserts and drinks as well. There will be inflatables, games and face painting for the kids. The cost for tickets is $20 per adult; $5 per child age 14 and under. Tickets can be purchased after Masses or from the parish office at (913) 724-1665.
ST. JOSEPH TABLE AND SPAGHETTI DINNER Cathedral of St. Peter 409 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kansas March 18
Sponsored by the St. Peter Altar Society and the Knights of Columbus, the St. Joseph Table
POTLUCK DINNER Most Pure Heart of Mary (Formation Room) 3601 S.W. 17th St., Topeka March 22 from 5 - 7 p.m.
The Christian widow and widowers organization will host the potluck dinner. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call (785) 233-7350.
EVERY CENT COUNTS Keeler Women’s Center 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas March 22 from 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Find out about managing your money. Learn to make conscious decisions about your finances. This session is presented by Jennifer Rottinghaus, CPA, CGMA.
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brunch will be served in the parish hall following the 10 a.m. Mass. There is no cost to attend. Hear about all the exciting things happening at Bishop Ward. RSVP to: gduggins@wardhigh. org. or call (913) 229-3828 by March 22.
COFFEE AND SILENCE: A LENTEN DAY AWAY Sophia Spirituality Center 751 S. 8th St., Atchison March 23 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Spend a day in quiet prayer and reflection. Coffee will be provided; bring a sack lunch and enjoy a Lenten day of silent prayer, reading, journaling, meditative walking and rest. For more information or to register, call (913) 360-6173 or visit the Sophia Spirituality Center website at: www.sophiaspirituality center.org.
LIVING STATIONS OF THE CROSS Holy Trinity Parish 9150 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa March 23 at 7 p.m.
ST. PATRICK’S 5K/10K RUN/WALK St. Patrick Parish 19384 234th Rd., Atchison March 24 at 8:30 a.m.
Join the fifth-grade students from Holy Trinity School as they lead a living Stations of the Cross. This prayerful devotion commemorates Jesus’ last day on Earth and is a wonderful way to pray together as a family.
There is a choice of an easy trail or a more challenging trail. March 7 is the deadline for the early registration fee of $25 that includes a T-shirt; after March 7, the entry fee is $30 and includes breakfast for all entrants. If not participating in the run/walk, breakfast is $5. For more information and to register, call Heidi at (913) 426-1921.
‘WALKING WITH JESUS’ Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meagher Rd., Easton March 23 - 24
RESPITE CARE PROGRAM Holy Cross School 8101 W. 95th St., Overland Park March 31 from 4 - 8 p.m.
The retreat begins at 9 a.m. on March 23 and concludes at 4 p.m. on March 24. The retreat will be based on Pope Benedict’s book, “Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week to the Resurrection.” There will be four or five talks, daily eucharistic adoration, confession before 5 p.m. Mass at the local parish, and time for private prayer, spiritual direction, spiritual reading and walks in the woods. The cost for overnight guests is $85 per person; $125 per couple. All meals are included. To register, call (913) 773-8255 or send an email to: info@christspeace.com.
JOCO REGIONAL CYCLONE GATHERING St. Agnes Parish 5250 Mission Rd., Roeland Park March 24 at 11 a.m.
Join alumni and friends of Bishop Ward High School at this regional gathering. A light
Respite care provides the gift of time away from caregiving for families with a loved one 5 years of age or older with a disability. For questions about the program, call Tom at (913) 647-3054 or send an email to: tracunas @archkck.org; or Audrey Amor at (816) 7391197 or send an email to: aamor@sjakeepingfaith.org. To register a child for the program, go online to: www.archkck.org/specialneeds and complete the online form.
CALENDAR POLICY DEADLINE: eight days before the desired publication date WHERE TO SUBMIT: Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: calendar; or send an email to: beth.blankenship@theleaven.org.
MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY
Wait, what was I talking about?
FIFTH WEEK OF LENT March 18 FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT Jer 31: 31-34 Ps 51: 3-4, 12-15 Heb 5: 7-9 Jn 12: 20-33 March 19 JOSEPH, SPOUSE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 2 Sm 7: 4-5a, 12-14a, 16 Ps 89: 2-5, 27, 29 Rom 4: 13, 16-18, 22 Mt 1: 16, 18-21, 24a March 20 Tuesday Nm 21: 4-9 Ps 102: 2-3, 16-21 Jn 8: 21-30 March 21 Wednesday Dn 3: 14-20, 91-92, 95 (Ps) Dn 3: 52-56 Jn 8: 31-42 March 22 Thursday Gn 17: 3-9 Ps 105: 4-9 Jn 8: 51-59 March 23 Turibius of Mogrovejo, bishop Jer 20: 10-13 Ps 18: 2-7 Jn 10: 31-42 March 24 Saturday Ez 37: 21-28 (Ps) Jer 31: 10-13 Jn 11: 45-56
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pastor was visiting one of his elderly parishioners at her home. In the course of their conversation, he asked, “Thelma, do you ever think about the hereafter?” “Oh, yes, Father!” she replied. “Why, I’ll go into a room several times a day and ask myself, ‘Now what in the world did I come here after?’” I don’t know about you, but I’m with Thelma. Now, she might suffer from chronic forgetfulness but, more than likely, her real issue is simply being distracted. Last Friday afternoon, for example, I was chatting with our new reporter Olivia Martin. After a bit, she said, “Well, sorry to have distracted you. I’ll get back to work now.” Hearing those words managing editor Anita McSorley burst out laughing. “Distracting him?” she said incredulously. “He’s the one who distracts everyone else in here, especially on Fridays!” OK, she might have a point. But, as I’ve explained to Anita before,
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MARK MY WORDS
FATHER MARK GOLDASICH Father Mark is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989.
I have to make good use of this gift that God has given me! Distractions are a part of life. While some can have dire consequences, like texting and driving, most, thank God, are not so serious. In fact, some describe it as AAADD or Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder. Here is one person’s story: “I decided to wash my car. As I start toward the garage, I notice the mail on the hall table. I decide to go through the mail before washing
the car. I lay my car keys down on the table and separate out the bills. When I put the junk mail in the trashcan under the table, I notice the can is full. So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the trash first. But then I think, since I’m gong to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash, I may as well pay the bills first. I grab my checkbook and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go to my desk where I find a Coke I’d been drinking. Before looking for my checks, I push the Coke aside so I don’t accidentally knock it over. But because the Coke is getting warm, I decide to put it back in the
refrigerator. As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye because they need to be watered. I set the pop on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I’ve been searching for all morning. I decide I’d better put them back on the desk, but first I’m going to water the flowers. I set my glasses down, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote on the kitchen table. Knowing we’ll be looking for the remote tonight, but nobody will remember that it’s on the kitchen table, I decide to put it back in the den. But first, I’ll water those darn flowers. I splash some water on them, but most of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back down on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill. At the end of the day, the car isn’t washed, the bills aren’t paid, there’s a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter, the flowers aren’t watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can’t find the remote,
I can’t find my glasses and I don’t remember what I did with the car keys! When I try to figure out why nothing got done, I’m really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I’m really tired! (Found on the website “Therapeutic Humor with Dr. Steve,” by Steven M. Slutanoff, Ph.D.) We sometimes experience distractions in our prayer life as well. With the end of Lent in sight, it’s important to not let distractions like spring break and March Madness derail our disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. And it seems even more difficult once Holy Week arrives to commit ourselves to celebrating Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil with our parish family. Marking down those times right now on the family calendar might be just the thing to keep distractions on those days at bay. I’ll close with a story about prayer, St. Benedict and a peasant. It goes like . . . hey, look, a squirrel!
Will the ‘grain of wheat’ find fertile soil?
ansas is the wheat state. The first crop of wheat in our state was grown at the Shawnee Methodist Mission in Johnson County in 1839. Drive out to western Kansas, and you will see field after field of wheat growing. Kansas ranked as the leading wheat production state in our country in 2016, with about 467.4 million bushels. One bushel of wheat contains about one million kernels of wheat. That’s a lot of wheat. And that makes Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jn 12:20-33, especially appropriate for us. It tells us: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it
THE GOSPEL TRUTH
FATHER MIKE STUBBS Father Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.
remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” Unlike the synoptic
POPE FRANCIS
Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, where Jesus frequently tells parables to the crowds, Jesus in the Gospel of John instead offers striking metaphors to make his point. Sunday’s Gospel gives us a good example. The metaphor of the wheat, which is planted in the earth only to produce a crop, points
Christians must let go of resentments and forgive those who have wronged them so that they may experience God’s forgiveness, Pope Francis said. This can be particularly difficult when “we carry with us a list of things that have been done to us,” the pope noted in his homily March 6 at morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae. “God’s forgiveness is felt strongly within us as long as we forgive others. And this isn’t easy because grudges make a nest in our heart
to the paradox of death leading to new life. Specifically, that mystery will soon be realized in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. But it is a mystery that Jesus expects all his followers will share in. That is why Jesus immediately adds the words: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” This saying of Jesus parallels what we hear in the synoptic Gospels, where Jesus says: “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it” (Mk 8:35). Jesus expects all of his followers to join him in the mystery of his
death and resurrection. That is why he continues with the words: “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be.” All this takes place in Jerusalem. Jesus has arrived there to celebrate the feast of Passover. He is also there for his death and resurrection. It will be the supreme moment of his life. That is why he announces at the beginning of the Gospel reading: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” It is the time for Jesus’ crucifixion. It is also the time for us to reflect more deeply upon it, and to recognize its meaning for us.
and there is always that bitterness,” he said. The pope reflected on the day’s first reading from the prophet Daniel in which Azariah, one of three young men condemned to death in a fiery furnace, courageously prays for deliverance from God. “Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord,” Azariah prayed. — CNS
MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY
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Placing ourselves in the story has power to transform
he prophet Nathan knew the power of a well-told story to transform. His king, David, did a very bad thing and he needed to be told in a way he could hear. Nathan wisely petitioned the king, who loved justice, with the case of a poor man with only one lamb who was robbed of his sheep by a rich man with many livestock. Outraged, the king said this rich man must die and make fourfold restitution. Nathan taught toward transformation with the words: “You are that man!” (2 Sm 12:7). Placing ourselves in the story has the power to transform.
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o, maybe your Lenten “observance” hasn’t been particularly “observed” this year. You can do one of three things. First: Give up the whole effort altogether; after all, what’s the use? Don’t do that — it reeks of the sort of thing Judas might’ve counseled. Second: Just continue to limp along; after all, it’s almost over, and will soon be done and forgotten. But that seems a little premeditated, and is surely to put you under a bit of a dark cloud when Easter arrives. Third (you guessed it, this is the one we’re
DO UNTO OTHERS
BILL SCHOLL Bill Scholl is the archdiocesan consultant for social justice. You can email him at: socialjustice@ archkck.org.
Recently, I spoke at Benedictine College to an auditorium of students on the subject of
immigration reform. We did an abridged form of an exercise I developed called “Solidarity and the Shipwreck.” I invited 10 students to come up and stand close together. I then encircled the ground around their feet with a rope with room for all inside. Next, I asked
seven to step outside the circle. The group within the circle were passengers on a cruise that came upon a massive shipwreck. The group outside the circle became the drowning sailors, trying to prevent death by getting onboard. Because the passengers had paid a lot of money for the trip, the captain let them decide whether to save the sailors. I then asked the students playing passengers what they decided. These students unanimously agreed to let all those drowning to board. As Americans, we are the ship, and desperate immigrants are the drowning sailors. And
this is a story that can open our hearts to the Catholic Church’s teaching on immigration. The church teaches that, since all humans are created in the image of God, everyone has a right to pursue things required for basic human survival (food, clothing, shelter) within their own country. However, when someone cannot acquire those things needed in his home country, for reasons of a depressed economy or a fear of persecution, then that person has a right to immigrate. The Catholic Church upholds the rights of sovereign nations to secure their borders, but insists this right is
Should you give up on Lent — or finish strong? AS THE CHURCH PRAYS
MICHAEL PODREBARAC Michael Podrebarac is the archdiocesan consultant for the office of liturgy and sacramental life.
going with): Buckle up and keep an especially “observant” Passiontide.
Passiontide means those last two weeks of Lent reserved for particular focus on Our Lord as he heads toward his passion and death. In the older liturgical calendar, it is still formally observed by that name. But even in the revised calendar after Vatican II, though not
formally named, it can still be sensed in the readings and prayers at Mass; through the statues and crosses, which may be veiled during this time; and by the overall pace of events that propel us toward the Lord’s suffering and death. It’s a perfect time to begin resolutions anew. And here are a few simple things one can do to jump-start renewed efforts. Start each day with a prayer, perhaps even just the sign of the cross and a slow, thoughtful Our Father, before heading into the flurry of the day’s activities. It’s been said that one devout offering of the Lord’s Prayer is worth more to
the soul than a thousand just rattled off. Conclude each day with a brief examination of conscience. Begin with the good things the Lord has done for you. Then consider how you’ve responded to these blessings. See where things could’ve gone better. Then offer a sincere prayer of contrition and resolution to amend. On that note, take the time for the sacrament of reconciliation. There are still plenty of opportunities in most of our parishes. Perform your penance throughout the final stretch of the season. Attend Stations of the Cross. Draw close to Our Lord’s passion and death
not absolute. Nations, particularly wealthy nations, have a moral obligation to accommodate immigrants in dire circumstances in ways that still maintain the common good of their own country. Just as the captain of a ship coming upon the wreckage of a vessel much larger than his would have an obligation to take on as many survivors as he could, but not so many that his own ship would sink, so also should nations look upon preserving the rights of immigrants. The U.S. bishops encourage U.S. officials and all Catholics to look at the immigration issue in humanitarian terms.
in this devotional of mind, heart and body. How’s your Lenten Rice Bowl looking? Resolve to put aside all unnecessary eating and drinking these next two weeks and dedicate what that sacrificed food and drink would have cost toward your neighbor in need. Participate in the liturgies of Holy Week — Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday — as much as possible. Walk with the Lord as he suffers for us in love, and you will enjoy the best Easter ever. Don’t be discouraged at what you haven’t yet accomplished, and never give up as did Judas.
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MARCH 16, 2018 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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GOOD AS NEW
Shawnee church undergoes extensive renovation
St. Joseph Church in Shawnee underwent a renovation that included a new narthex, left. Altar furnishings were also replaced, and much of the sanctuary, below, was redone, including the installation of a new, elevated marble ambo.
LEAVEN PHOTOS BY JAY SOLDNER By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
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HAWNEE — The anticipation had been building for months as the renovation of St. Joseph Church here neared completion. And when the construction fences came down, some parishioners couldn’t resist taking just a peek. “The hardest thing to do in the last couple of weeks has been trying to keep everyone out of the church, because we still have construction going on,” said Dan Stewart, co-chairman of the building and campaign committees, in early March. All that anticipation was satisfied when the renovated church was blessed at an 11 a.m. Mass on March 11, Laetare Sunday. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann was the principal celebrant and homilist. Joining him at the altar were pastor Father Michael Hawken and associate pastor Father Daniel Stover. Also concelebrating were Father Gerald Volz, Father Robert Pflumm, Father Dennis Wait, Father Al Rockers and Father William Porter. Deacon Tom Mulvenon assisted, and Msgr. Gary Applegate was master of ceremonies. In his homily, Archbishop Naumann praised Father Hawken and Father Stover for their leadership, as well as the parish lay leadership and all parishioners. “Thank you for all that you’ve done, for the sacrifices that you’ve made, for the commitments that you made to renew and renovate this church of St. Joseph,” said Archbishop Naumann. “It’s beautiful that we have this celebration as, eight days before his feast, it’s a good time to make a novena to St. Joseph and to invoke this great patron who has, as your window depicts, your church and parish community in his hands.” The rounded church, which was a cutting-edge design when it was built in 1968, developed a lot of practical issues and normal wear and tear that needed to be addressed, said Pat McAnany, chairman and co-chairman of the building and campaign committees, respectively. “The basic shell of the building was in pretty good shape; the roof and walls were in good shape,” said Mike Shaughnessy, architect and founding principal of SFS Architecture of Kansas City, Missouri. The project consisted of three basic parts: the interior church renovation, the addition of a spacious 4,000-square-foot narthex (or gathering space) and additional rooms, and Parish Service Center improvements. The Parish Service Center, built as a school in 1958, received energy-efficient windows, air conditioning and an elevator to make the building more accessible. At the church, the small vestibule
was replaced by a narthex with a peaked roof and large, windowed curtain wall looking north to a courtyard with a statue of St. Joseph holding the Child Jesus. Other parts of the addition included an ushers room, restrooms, a gift shop, a bride’s room/cry room, a changing room and a family bathroom. Worshipers pass a large holy water/baptismal font before entering three doors into the sanctuary. Connected to the 4,000-squre-foot narthex is a ground-level portico to improve accessibility for those using wheelchairs or children’s strollers.
Parishioners admire one of the 15 new stainedglass windows at St. Joseph. Seven reflect the life of St. Joseph; the other eight, the ministry of Christ.
Although there are some familiar elements, the interior of the church is dramatically changed from what it was before. In addition to new electrical and concealed lighting systems, the church interior received new fire suppression and audio-visual systems. A hearing loop was installed in the floor to aid the hard of hearing, and Masses can now be simulcast to the narthex and live-streamed to the homebound. Handicapped accessibility was improved throughout the church. Altar furnishings were also replaced, and much of the sanctuary was redone, including the installation of a new, elevated marble ambo. A new choir area was made, and it has a new organ and piano. There are also new, specially designed curved pews and new kneelers to accommodate about 900 worshipers. The original abstract stained-glass windows were replaced by 15 stainedglass windows — seven reflecting the life of St. Joseph; eight, the ministry of Christ. The three devotional areas along the curved back wall were also improved. The need for renewal and improvements was widely recognized by the pastor and parishioners, so Father Hawken began to recruit committee members and choose an architect in 2015. The renovation and addition would mark the 150th anniversary of the parish in 2018, and the 50th anniversary of the church in 2019. The first capital campaign presentation to parishioners was made on Sept. 16, 2016. It was called “Journey of Grace — 150.” Within five months, the parishioners almost reached the campaign goal of $6 million.
In closing comments before the final blessing at the Mass, Father Hawken praised and thanked all those who made the renovation possible, including parish leadership, the architect, general contractor, subcontractors and the parishioners — including some who worked for the subcontractors. One of those subcontractors was McAnany Construction, Inc., of Shawnee. The McAnany family has been part of the parish since its founding. The gifts at the Mass were brought up by representatives of three generations of McAnanys: Katie McAnany, Jack McAnany, Ryan McAnany, Betty McAnany and Pat McAnany. “Our final thanks goes to our parishioners,” said Father Hawken. “It was like light one candle and pass the torch, when we put out the word we were going to do this.” “You got onboard, each in your own way, with what you were able to do and helped us accomplish this,” he continued. “As the archbishop said in his homily, it just speaks of your love for the Lord and the church. “We know there is no one like the St. Joseph community. If we want to get something done, we get it done. And I appreciate the way you stepped forward and made this project possible.” The architectural firm was SFS Architects, with Shaughnessy as lead architect. The general contractor was Excel Constructors of Overland Park. Among their representatives were owner Michael Johnson and senior project manager Christopher Bradley, who is a parishioner. A reception was held in the parish hall after the Mass.