05-10-13 Vol. 34 No. 36

theleaven.com | vol. 34, no. 36 | may 10, 2013

heads up

Hayden senior surprises crowd by switching sides in Revs’ game Father John Schmeidler, OFM Cap., pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Lawrence, attempts a three-point shot during the Runnin’ Revs basketball game April 22 at Hayden High School in Topeka.

The game featured grade school and high school students playing basketball against archdiocesan priests and seminarians to raise money to help seminarians with expenses. The game raised $1,253.

By Marc and Julie Anderson Special to The Leaven

T

OPEKA — The Miege crowds in Roeland Park are accustomed to the biased referees and general hijinks that accompany the benefit games played by the Runnin’ Revs to promote vocations here in the archdiocese.

But on April 22, it was the Hayden g a m e that saw one of the Serra All-Stars — made up of Catholic grade and high school boys — Andrew Gaffney switch sides at halftime to play for the Revs.

Andrew Gaffney, a senior at Hayden High School, wasn’t just helping the exhibition team of priests and seminarians boost its score.

As Father Mitchell Zimmerman, archdiocesan director of seminarians, announced right before play resumed, Gaffney had just become the archdiocese’s newest seminarian.

Gaffney was the stunned recipient of a spontaneous standing ovation.

“I was not expecting that at all,” said Gaffney of the ovation. “I think it was because the majority of the people at the game were from Hayden, and Hayden has not had an alumnus become a priest in 22 years. The last two were Father Jerry Volz and Father Tim Haberkorn. I think people were happy.”

Prior to the game, Gaffney knew he was going to switch sides, but he did not know Father Zimmerman was going to make the announcement.

In fact, Gaffney had not even had his initial meeting with the archbishop yet. Father Zimmerman, however, knew the archbishop had said he was inclined to accept Gaffney as a seminarian; the formal accep-

Leaven Photo by Marc Anderson

tance was scheduled for two nights later.

“It was kind of a gettingto-know-you meeting,” said Gaffney of that later meeting, during which the archbishop asked Gaffney about his family, his parish life and what priests

had inspired him, among other things. Next fall, Gaffney will be attending Conception Seminary in Conception, Mo., as a first-year pre-theology student.

Halftime also featured another highlight: an opportuni-

ty for those in attendance to witness Bob Fisher in action.

Fisher, a resident of Centralia and member of Annunciation Parish in Frankfort, is the holder of not one, not two, but 14 world records, all based on his free-throw speed. Fisher, also

a motivational speaker and known throughout the country for beating Charles Barkley in a free-throw competition on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” demonstrated his skills and made 29 free throws in 30 seconds.

Prior to the game, Father Zimmerman informed the crowd of the game’s three main rules, to the audience’s amusement.

First, if a young man on the Serra All-Stars side made the first basket, it’s a sure sign he would later go into the seminary, he said. Second, if a player fouled a priest, it was “a mortal sin by definition” and in order to return to the game, the young man would need to go to confession to one of the priests on the sideline or in the crowd. And finally, if a fan rooted against the priests, it was a mortal sin by definition, again requiring immediate confession.

The game started out largely in favor of the Runnin’ Revs, and the first foul was called against the Serra All-Stars. Father Zimmerman was at the line to shoot two free throws, but then benched himself in favor of a fan in the audience — Abbot Barnabas Senecal, OSB, who officially retired from active ministry this spring.

Abbot Barnabas missed both shots, but to thunderous applause.

At the end of the first half, the Revs were up 34-21. In the second half, though, the AllStars slowly chipped away at the lead, making several threepoint shots in the fourth quarter and eventually coming back and beating the Revs 62-57.

The game raised $1,253 in donations, all of which will help the archdiocesan seminarians with their expenses.

2 archbishop

theleaven.com | May 10, 2013

Life will be victorious

S

Knight life

Cultivate a friendship with the saints this Year of Faith

now in May reminded me of the 2000 winter Olympics. At the time, I was an auxiliary bishop in St. Louis. I had not paid much attention to the Olympic games.

However, I did watch the women’s figure skating final, because of a visit with some friends the night the competition was being televised.

I actually felt sorry for the young women that were competing. Each of them, after completing their program, burst into tears because they were so relieved their performance was over.

Except for one! A 16-yearold American skater, Tara Lipinski, actually seemed to be having fun and smiled radiantly when she completed her program. Tara became the youngest woman to win the gold medal for figure skating.

Tara’s skating was athletic and beautiful, but what intrigued me more was her composure. She was obviously enjoying what she was doing despite the enormous pressure of the competition.

A few days after her victory, I read an article about Tara Lipinski in which she was asked what was going through her mind when making one of her most difficult jumps. Tara said she was “concentrating on making the jump and begging St. Thérèse for help.”

Tara had a deep devotion to St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Tara sensed that St. Thérèse was accompanying her. She said it helped her to think of St. Thérèse. It

archbishop Joseph F. Naumann made Tara more relaxed.

She said in the interview: “When I’m competing, it helps me because I know she (St. Thérèse) is with me and wants me to do this. It makes me feel calmer and I go for everything.”

Tara’s mother, Pat, also shared her daughter’s devotion to St. Thérèse. Pat Lipinski observed that she did not think St. Thérèse really cared about her daughter winning the gold medal, but somehow St. Thérèse wanted to use Tara’s skating to draw others to Jesus.

Sometimes, I use that story in my confirmation homily to encourage our young people to develop a similar friendship with their confirmation saint.

Our Catholic understanding of the communion of saints is one of the most beautiful aspects of our faith. We believe that just as we can invite holy and prayerful people in this world to pray for us, we can also ask the saints to go to God with us in prayer. Saints can become great friends who support us with their prayers.

I was reminded of this several months ago when I read the book “My Sisters the Saints,” by Colleen Carroll Campbell. The book is a spiritual memoir in which this former presidential speechwriter traces her faith life from her undergraduate years at Marquette University to her life now as a wife, mother, journalist and

EWTN television host.

Colleen Carroll Campbell is a gifted writer who describes quite candidly her spiritual struggles as a college student in the 1990s, dealing with her father’s long and eventually fatal bout with Alzheimer’s, the tensions between career and marriage, and her struggle with infertility. Interwoven in this spiritual memoir is Colleen Carroll Campbell’s devotion to six female saints: Teresa of Avila, Thérèse of Lisieux, Faustina, Edith Stein (Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Mary, the mother of Jesus. These saints were instrumental in helping Colleen Carroll Campbell work through some personal trials, as well as fostering her own spiritual growth.

I highly recommend this book for women and men. I am confident that you will find it both insightful and inspiring. Perhaps it will also motivate you to develop your own friendship with saints. If you are looking for a book to give to your mom or the mother of your children, “My Sisters the Saints” is my recommendation.

If you are more high-tech, Dr. Paul Camarata, the chief of neurosurgery at KU Medical Center, produces periodically a podcast entitled “Saint Cast.” He gives an update about saints recently in the news and usually features a more in-depth reflection on one particular saint.

When I was preparing to leave St. Louis to come to Kansas, a friend asked me to give her a list of my 12 favorite saints. Actually, I found it difficult to limit the list to 12.

My top twelve were: Thomas Aquinas (patron of my home parish), Mother

Teresa, Joseph (foster father of Jesus and my patron), Louis IX (king of France and patron of my hometown), Thérèse of Lisieux, Thomas More, John Neumann (only U.S. bishop to be canonized a saint), John Mary Vianney (patron of priests and secondary patron for our archdiocese), Peter Claver (missionary to the slaves), Luke (my favorite evangelist), Rose Philippine Duchesne, who lived in St. Louis and Kansas, and Mary.

My friend made a little booklet for me with a meditation and a prayer for each saint — one for each month of the year. I enjoy spending one month during the year with these saint friends.

The Little Sisters of the Lamb have a beautiful All Saints Day custom, selecting by lottery a special saint for each member of the community. The idea is to grow in friendship with that saint throughout the year.

They have been thoughtful enough to include me in the lottery the past three years. My saint this year is St. Athanasius, a courageous and heroic bishop who was exiled from his diocese three times. Maybe the Little Sisters are trying to tell me something?

There are many, many ways to cultivate friendships with the saints. Perhaps as part of your Year of Faith observance, you might want to foster a devotion to a particular saint. Reading the lives of the saints and the writings of the saints is informative and inspirational. Our saint friends may not help us win an Olympic gold medal, but they will help us face the challenges of this life and, more importantly, help us get to heaven. It sure will be nice to have a crowd of saints welcoming us to our heavenly home.

“I am proud to continue the legacy of service my grandfather and father began in 1946.”

calendar archbishop

Naumann May 10 Benedictine College baccalaureate Mass May 11 Running with the Cows opening prayer — Queen of the Holy Rosary, Wea Donnelly graduation May 13 Catholic Charities Golf Classic opening prayer Vespers, dinner and meeting with pastoral council

May 14 Administrative Team meeting May 15 Presbyteral Council meeting May 16-17 Kansas Catholic Conference May 17 Holy Hour and dinner for diaconate ordination — Most Pure Heart of Mary, Topeka

archbishop

keleher May 12 Federal prison Mass May 15 Mass — St. James Academy, Lenexa May 16 Confirmation — Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady and St. Rose, Kansas City, Kan.

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

www.amosfamily.com

Archbishop encourages Knights to shine light of faith for others

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

O

LATHE — The 264 Knights of Columbus councils across Kansas already boast 37,000 mem-

bers.

But they’d still love to see those numbers grow.

After all, this order has more work to do — inside churches or out in communities.

More than 500 Knights of Columbus and their families from across Kansas attended a banquet at St. Paul Parish in Olathe May 4 as part of the 112th annual Knights of Columbus Kansas State Convention.

Counting delegates, wives and other family members, close to 1,200 people participated in the convention, which included a golf tournament, Mass, updates and meetings.

The group also recognized many who have made contributions, including the John and Barbara Betzen family of St. Mary Parish in Derby, who were honored as the state family of the year.

The convention, hosted by the Olathe councils — Prince of Peace Council 7909 and St. Paul Council 1913 — took place in both Olathe and Overland Park.

The gathering renewed old friendships, forged some new ones, and gave members a look at the programs of the Knights of Columbus.

Past Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant told the crowd in his remarks that if he were to list all the highlights he has seen in his decades with the Knights, it would take well beyond this one night.

“Outside, within our parishes,

Leaven photos by Jessica Langdon

Close to 1,200 people participated in part or all of the 112th annual Knights of Columbus Kansas State Convention. The banquet, above, was held at St. Paul Parish in Olathe. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, below, gave the keynote address. rendering service to our church and mankind — to me, that says it all,” said Dechant.

He noted the $160 million and 70 million hours of service donated to charity within a year by the worldwide organization, as well as the millions of dollars members raised to help individuals with special needs.

On top of that, members provided financial and moral assistance to thousands of seminarians and postulants and erected 9,000 monuments dedicated to the unborn.

From ultrasound machines to wheelchairs to prosthetic devices for children in Haiti, the Knights are active in many arenas.

They provide assistance to Catholic schools, food and coats for the

poor, and “steadfast support for life, family and religious liberty,” said Dechant.

In his keynote address at the banquet, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann also emphasized the importance of those efforts, especially in what he described as an increasingly secular world.

He also emphasized the necessity of building a personal friendship with Jesus, because it is through that relationship that the creed and dogmas of the church make sense. It is through that relationship, he said, that “we can find the strength to live the truth of the Gospel in a progressively secular culture.”

Looking over the past year, the archbishop also spoke of the im-

pact of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and the humble and simple ways in which Pope Francis has captured the world’s attention.

The example of Pope Francis, he said, has demonstrated the power of the Christian faith when the cross is at the center and it is lived with purity and passion.

Archbishop Naumann encouraged the attendees to take up the challenge of the new evangelization and to be fearless in opposing attacks on human life and dignity, on marriage and family, and on truth and goodness.

“Let us be even more committed to offering our lives as examples of a different and better way of life,” he said.

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theleaven.com | MAY 10, 2013

Sister Regina DeCoursey, SCL

Leaven photo by Laurie Ghigliotti

Cookie Kovar, center, manager of Sacred Heart Variety and More, and two of her volunteers — Allyson Trautloff, left, and Noreen Wilderson, right — look over a recently donated antique saxophone.

Store sales benefit local Catholic schools n Sacred Heart thrift Store has new location, same welcoming attitude

Church in Atchison, was the inspiration and driving force behind the store since the late 1990s until passing on the baton to Kovar, according to Father Gerard Senecal, OSB. “Donna bears immense credit for the success of the thrift store,” he said.

Kovar is pleased with the conBy Laurie Ghigliotti tinued success of the store and the Special to The Leaven perks of its new location.

“The number of customers alTCHISON — In the heart of Atchison is a bargain most doubled and sales have almost hunter’s paradise and an doubled, too,” said Kovar. “Spring institution that is both and summer are usually a dead time a ministry to the community and in sales, but [at our new location] a support to Atchison’s Catholic sales have been great.”

The store’s ministry appeals to schools. Sacred Heart Variety and More, previously known as Sa- members of Atchison parishes like cred Heart Thrift Store, is under Anita Buhman-Wiggs.

“One of the things that I really new management and under a new like about the store is that it helps roof. the people in The store’s the communinew digs on ty while raising the corner of Sacred Heart Variety and More is lomoney for our 5th and Comcated on the corner of 5th and Comschools,” she mercial streets mercial streets and is open Tuesday said. “It makes it brings it into – Saturday. Store hours are 10 a.m. – a lot easier to let downtown, 5 p.m. (Tuesday – Friday) and 9 a.m. go of the excess more than dou– 1 p.m. (Saturday). things in my life. bles the space Somebody else and improves in the commuon the parking of its previous location. Shoppers nity can use it and the schools get and staff are grateful for the change the money. It’s like a recycling bin.”

Sarah Peitsch agrees.

— and the new shopping carts.

“The Sacred Heart Variety and What hasn’t changed are the prices and the welcoming attitude of the More store is such a double, or shop’s new manager and its staff. maybe I should say triple, blessing And, of course, the giant gumball to this community,” she said. “It almachine that stands beside the front lows us to find items we need at affordable prices and it also gives us desk, which was carefully transported from the store’s previous loca- an opportunity to get rid of things tion along with the racks of clothing in our own houses, knowing that they will be used by someone else and bins of toys.

“The kids go crazy about it,” who might need them more than said Cookie (Catherine) Kovar, the we do.”

“The community has come to destore’s manager.

Kovar took on the store’s manage- pend on the store just as much as ment last summer. Donna Willming, our schools have come to depend on longtime secretary of Sacred Heart it, too,” she added.

A

About the store

Kovar, a member of St. Benedict’s Parish in Atchison, said it’s hard to describe the typical customer.

Patrons range from the poor and working class, to the students and professors of Benedictine College, to people passing through and needing a few extra things for their trip — anyone looking for a bargain, she said.

The store’s new name reflects the wide assortment of items available.

“You can go there for so many things,” said Buhman-Wiggs. “It is such a great resource for a variety of things.”

The store is a popular stop for theater props and helps keep theater production budgets in line, for example.

The store’s contributions to Atchison Catholic Elementary School and Maur Hill-Mount Academy in Atchison have been impressive and reflect the vision of Willming, its founder, and the dedication of many volunteers.

“The most important part of the store is my volunteers,” Kovar said.

“We have about 20 regular volunteers.”

While most of the store’s volunteers are women from Atchison parishes, husbands get drafted to make repairs to donated items and students in need of service hours also volunteer at the store.

“There’s a lot of good work being done here,” said Kovar.

Their investment of time and talent in the thrift store has reaped impressive dividends.

“In 13 years, the thrift store has provided $338,367 for [Atchison Catholic Elementary School] and $171,500 to [Maur Hill-Mount Academy],” Father Gerard said.

With its new location, the store promises to be an even greater support for Catholic education in Atchison.

LEAVENWORTH — Sister Regina DeCoursey, 90, died April 23. She served faithfully as Sister of Charity of Leavenworth for 71 years.

Aileen DeCoursey was born on Dec. 26, 1922, in Kansas City, Kan. She was raised there with three brothers and two sisters.

She attended and graduated from St. Peter Grade School and Bishop Ward High School. After two years at St. Mary College in Leavenworth, Aileen enSister Regina tered the religious DeCoursey community of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth on Sept.

1, 1942. As Sister Regina, she made her profession of vows on March 6, 1944.

Sister Regina was an accomplished educator. She received a bachelor’s degree in English from St. Mary College and a master’s in English from Notre Dame University. She taught a few years at the elementary level, but spent most of her teaching years in high schools, where she also held the positions of principal and counselor. Sister Regina was also registrar at Saint Mary College in the late ’70s.

After the 1968 Chapter, Sister Regina was appointed to the Renewal Team and traveled throughout the community houses, assisting the Sisters in implementing renewal changes mandated by the Chapter. She then spent the following five years as a regional coordinator, a new position initiated by the 1968 Chapter.

In 1980, Sister Regina accepted the position as director of the Foster Grandparent Program, a federal program at St. Vincent Hospital in Billings, Mont., where she spent seven years working with active elderly who helped troubled children. That was followed by a sabbatical, during which she was enrolled in the gerontology certificate program at St. Mary of the Woods College in Indiana. Certificate in hand, she joined the social work department at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., in the new Convalescent Outreach Program.

From there, she went to Oklahoma City, where she was involved in ministry to the elderly through St. James Parish. She retired to the motherhouse in 2003.

Father Ignatius Smith, OSB atchison — Father Ignatius (John) Smith, OSB, 86, died April 27, at the Atchison Hospital.

He was born on Aug. 31, 1926, in Wilmore, Pa., the son of Peter Joseph and Florence (Beyer) Smith. He was the oldest of three children, Father Ignatius grew up in the heart of Benedictine territory in Pennsylvania, a short distance from Carrolltown, where Father Henry Lemke, OSB, the first Benedictine monk to come to Kansas, is buried. Six first cousins went on to the priesthood, including several who became monks at St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pa. Father Ignatius followed them and professed his vows as a monk at the archabbey on Sept. 23, 1946. During his time in simple vows, Father Ignatius transferred his stability to Holy Cross Abbey in Canon City, Colo., a foundation of Latrobe.

He was ordained to the priesthood on Dec. 18, 1954, as a monk of Holy Cross Abbey.

While a monk there, he served many parishes throughout Colorado, as well as serving at various times as prior at the monastery in Canon City. In July 2002, when the monks of Holy Cross Abbey voted to close the monastery, Father Ignatius was appointed the temporary superior in the period of transition. He later came to Atchison, transferring his monastic vows there.

local news 5

may 10, 2013 | theleaven.com

Serrans, supporters turnout to honor the Sisters

L

EAWOOD — Wet weather didn’t dampen the spirits of over 300 Catholic religious and laity at the seventh annual “Blisters for Sisters” event at Leawood’s Church of the Nativity on May 4.

“Blisters for Sisters” is a Mass, luncheon, 2.2-mile walk, fundraiser and party cosponsored once a year by Serra Clubs in Missouri and Kansas. Its purpose is to recognize Sisters who have given their lives to others in Catholic education, health care and many other fields.

“I think the beauty of this is the Serra Club’s regard for these Sisters,” said Sister Loretto Marie, SCL, director of the Seton Center in Kansas City, Mo. “Also, I thought it was a wonderful experience for the laity to find out how many services the Sisters offer, especially for people in need.”

In addition to the fellowship, each Sister received a thank-you cash stipend and raffle tickets for prizes, including free passes to movies and car washes.

Catholic businessmen are a major source of donations each year.

“They know how much good the Sisters do,” said Virginia Coppinger of Kansas City, Mo. Janice Arth of Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood has been a part of every Blisters event and says it’s grown every year.

“I love the Sisters,” said Arth, who’s also an Ursuline associate. “We just show up to help out any way we can.”

At the Mass, Kansas City, Mo., Serra Club chaplain Father Joe Cisetti held up the American St. Katharine Drexel as a model of self-giving. In 1889, she gave up a huge inheritance to enter the convent. She eventually founded an order of Sisters devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and to educating and caring for the poorest and most marginalized Americans of her time — work that continues to this day.

“I don’t think any of you parted with

Sister Raffaella Cavallin, AVI, left, Tami Gaughan and Magdalene Gaughan (age 17 months) were geared up for the “Blisters For Sisters” event May 4 at Church of the Nativity in Leawood. The 2.2-mile walk was a fundraiser to benefit religious Sisters in the area. a fortune the size of St. Katharine Drexel’s,” Father Cisetti told the Sisters in his homily, “but all of us have one life to give, and we thank you for giving not just what you have, but who you are.”

The walk is the marquee Blisters event and cool, overcast conditions on Saturday morning provided near-ideal weather for this year’s walk.

The first finisher was Sister Paula Rose, SCL, a retired registered nurse now teaching nursing at the University

of St. Mary in Leavenworth.

Sister Paula ran the course.

“I love it,” she said of her first year at the event. “Not only does it get us all together, it’s a chance to get out and be active and see Sisters in other communities.”

Tanzanian Sister Judy Kapinga, OSB, a theology student at Benedictine College in Atchison, agreed.

“I like it. It’s a chance to meet people,” she said.

Lay participants were equally enthusiastic about the event — happy to get out and happy to support the Sisters in any way they could.

“It’s good exercise and a way to support the Sisters,” said Ellen Allegri of Curé of Ars Parish.

“We love the Sisters and thought it would be a fun thing to do on a Saturday morning,” said Tami Gaughan of St. Ann Parish in Prairie Village. “It was a blast.”

‘Grill Your Seminarians’ serves up hearty side of support

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Don’t let the title fool you; this is no barbecue.

A first-ever “Grill Your Seminarians” trivia night, instead, will turn up the heat on archdiocesan seminarians and show participants just what these future priests are made of.

The trivia night on May 23 — one of a few upcoming events supporting seminarians — will offer a new opportunity to get to know these men in a relaxed, fun setting.

The evening, hosted by the vocation committee of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood, also offers something special to the seminarians.

“We just want our seminarians to be not spoiled, but the most supported in the whole world,” said Father Mitchel Zimmerman, archdiocesan vocation director. “It’s a chance for them to see just how much love and support they have and how much faith people have in them.”

Seminarians will rotate among the tables during the 10 rounds and help out their teams.

Likewise, the players at the tables

‘Grill Your Seminarians’

Meet, pray and see Two events in one will offer opportunities to meet many of the seminarians for the archdiocese and to pray for them.

It starts with a casual “meet and greet” at 7 p.m. on May 22 at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kan., followed by a Holy Hour.

“We’d love to see lots of people,” said Father Mitchel Zimmerman, archdiocesan vocation director.

The hour of eucharistic adoration at 8 p.m. will focus on prayerful support of the four men who will be ordained as priests a few days later.

Anyone may attend that portion of the event, but the second component is for single men ages 16 and older, especially those interested in the priesthood.

That component is called “Venite et Videte.”

What it means: “Come and See” What it is: A power prayer retreat for men ages 16 and older, beginning with the “meet and greet” and Holy Hour, followed by an optional overnight prayer vigil focusing on those about to be ordained, and Mass in the morning.

Father Zimmerman will lead meditations during the overnight vigil and will celebrate the 8 a.m. Mass.

“This retreat will be reflecting really deeply on the mystery of the priesthood . . . what the priesthood is and what the heart of a priest looks like, especially when he’s at prayer,” he said.

To register: Visit the vocations website at: www.kckvocations.com by May 17 and follow the link. There is no cost for the retreat. For more information, call the vocations office at (913) 647-0303, or send an email to: vocation@archkck.org.

will aim to help them by winning prizes such as gift cards for them.

With travel and other expenses, the costs of priestly formation add up, and events like this raise funds to help make ends meet for them.

Attendees can also expect to witness a little good-natured roasting of the four men about to be ordained to the priesthood.

Their fellow seminarians will roast them halfway through the trivia game,

When: May 23; 6:30 - 7 p.m.: Social time/check-in; 7 - 9:30 p.m.: Trivia rounds, with a humorous roast of the four men about to be ordained during the break Where: St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood (Porter Hall) Cost: Team of eight: $280; Single ticket: $35 To register or for additional information: Visit the website at: www.grill yourseminarians.eventbrite.com.

Details: This is a bring-your-ownrefreshments event. Participants are encouraged to take appetizers to share with their tables. Cash/checks only for donation opportunities at the event.

Questions? Call (913) 647-0303, or send an email to: vocation@archkck.org.

which starts at 6:30 p.m.

For those interested in attending, organizing full tables is encouraged, but not required.

Reading about the men preparing for the priesthood is one way to get to know them, but it doesn’t always paint a full picture like spending time with them might, said Father Zimmerman.

“It really tells a much different story,” he said.

6 local news

theleaven.com | may 10, 2013

Aquinas grad ‘overwhelmed by kindness’ of her hosts

By Julie Holthaus julie@theleaven.com

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — “Ima vreme” is the Macedonian phrase for “there is time.”

It is a concept Shannon Feehan, a 2007 graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, has grown very familiar with of late.

Since August 2011, Feehan has been serving with the Peace Corps in the Republic of Macedonia, a country in the central Balkan peninsula in southeast Europe.

Feehan says Macedonians put great emphasis on faith and family and always making time for one another. Or, as the locals say, “ima vreme.”

“The Balkan countries all share breathtakingly beautiful sights and the friendliest people,” said Feehan. “They are committed to closeness, hospitality, and love.

“In America, we may plan our lives on work and let our other daily activities fill in the gaps.

“Here, they prioritize time with each other.”

Graduating from Kansas State University in 2011 with a degree in early childhood education, Feehan left the comforts of home to be immersed in a culture 6,000 miles away.

“I am living with a Macedonian family who has helped me experience the culture daily,” said Feehan. “The majority of Macedonians celebrate their holidays following the Eastern Orthodox calendar.”

Feehan says their Easter celebration started with a midnight Mass and continued throughout the week with activities like traditional Easter egg swaps.

“On Easter Monday morning, the village reunited at the church to exchange Easter eggs,” Feehan said. “This is their way to honor their deceased loved ones by standing near their graves and exchanging eggs with their friends and family.

“I was given eggs anywhere from the bus to the local grocery store. It is simply the hospitable culture of the Macedonians to be grateful for those who have been kind to them throughout the year.”

Feehan has been working in a school in the village of Peshtani and also teaches English to adults and underprivileged children in nearby villages.

“I have been overwhelmed by the kindness that my village has shown me

Photo courtesy of Shannon Feehan

Shannon Feehan poses with a couple of her students in the village of Peshtani in the Republic of Macedonia, a country in the central Balkan peninsula in southeast Europe. Feehan, a 2007 graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas, has been serving with the Peace Corps in Macedonia since 2011. in my time here,” said Feehan. “The children and villagers greet me in the school and on the streets with hugs on a daily basis.

“It really will be a wake-up call when I return to America and my name isn’t constantly yelled across the streets.”

While picking up on the differences between home and abroad, Feehan has also embraced the similarities.

“I am constantly reminded that people here are just like the people back at home,” said Feehan. “We may have been shaped by different cultures, religions and lifestyles, but we are all connected by the same desires. We all desire a way to connect to those around us.”

Since declaring independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, the Macedonian standard of living has ranked among the lowest in Europe, and it continues to struggle economically. Feehan attests to many Macedonians living paycheck to paycheck.

Feehan’s project and the goal of her school, St. Naum Ohridski, is to repair its damaged walls and ceilings. Neigh-

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“The children and villagers greet me in the school and on the streets with hugs on a daily basis.”

Shannon Feehan

boring schools in Trpejca, Elsani, and Konjsko are also included in the project, with similar goals to repair the buildings and improve their functionality.

“One of the goals in the Peace Corps is to help our community learn how to help themselves,” said Feehan. “The people here had never raised money.

Under the communist regime, this sort of activity was neglected entirely as an option.”

Feehan helped the village organize its first fundraiser last year through

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the children selling Easter baskets. The community raised $900 to use toward the renovations.

“The community had their first taste of raising their own money,” said Feehan. “The village will continue to help raise funds as well as provide all the labor for the project. However, they are in need of additional generosity to help with the cost of materials.”

Feehan will remain in Macedonia for another year, working and moving toward completed school renovations.

“My goal in the Peace Corps was to help others but, in turn, they have given me so much,” said Feehan. “If you can give even a small amount, this could make a big difference for so many. The Peace Corps has endorsed this project and I will remain in Macedonia to ensure that the project is completed.”

To donate or for more information, go to the website at: donate.peace corps.gov and type “Feehan” into the search box. Or contact Feehan by email at: sfeehan27@gmail.com.

TOUCH OF HEAVEN

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Under African skies

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Family

“They have the smallest one-bedroom apartment you’ve ever seen in your life. No hot water, no dishwasher, no clothes washer, no heat or air-conditioning. We had to sleep on the floor — no beds.”

finds trip to Morocco full of challenges

Patty Morrisey

By Jill Ragar Esfeld

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — There wasn’t much at all about a trip to Morocco that excited Patty Morrisey, a parishioner of St. Patrick

Parish here.

“They had to really talk me into this one,” said the Catholic Education Foundation director of development After all, there’s no holiday feel to sleeping in 40-degree temperatures, taking cold showers, and sharing meals with strangers — everyone literally eating out of the same bowl.

Her husband, CEF executive director Michael Morrisey, found the trip a little challenging as well. “[Moroccan custom] doesn’t allow eating with the left hand,” he said. “I’m left-handed.

“And their taxis are the smallest vehicles you ever saw in your life; it was very difficult to get my size fifteens into a taxi cab.”

But for more than a year, the Morriseys hadn’t seen their son Shane and his new wife Jenay, both Peace Corps volunteers in Morocco.

And as any parent knows, when it comes to your children’s welfare, you’re willing to do anything.

Except maybe eat raw fish and goat.

“We had our limits,” said Patty.

Above, Michael and Patty Morrisey (center left and right) enjoy a couscous meal with their host family. Everyone eats out of the same bowl. Michael found eating particularly difficult since Moroccan custom doesn’t allow eating with the left hand and he is left-handed.

Students listen as Shane and Jenay Morrisey teach an English class at a youth center in Kenitra, Morocco. The Morriseys are Peace Corps volunteers.

Left, Jenay Morrisey reviews the vocabulary words in the English class she and her husband Shane teach.

Beginning an adventure Shane and Jenay Morrisey were married for just over a year when they began a stint with the Peace Corps in March 2012.

It was difficult for Patty and Michael to see them go.

“They gave us a hard time because we called them children,” said Michael. “They said, ‘Dad, we’re married.’

“So now I refer to them as children that are married.”

Although their permanent assignment was at a “dar chabab” (youth center) in Kenitra, Morocco, the young couple spent their first two months in Fes, Morocco, where their host family helped them learn the language and acclimate to the culture.

It was a big adjustment.

“Ninety-nine percent of Morocco is Muslim,” said Patty. “Five times a day, they have [a] call to prayer through these loud speakers on top of the mosques.

“During the month of Ramadan, the entire city shuts down.”

“I think that’s hard,” said Michael.

“But add the lifestyle that goes with that — it is totally different from the way we live here.

“And nobody there speaks English;

Shane Morrisey instructs students in a life skills class. The class deals with things such as money management, resume writing, and job interviewing. it’s all Moroccan Arabic.”

At the end of May, Shane and Jenay made the move to Kenitra, and started teaching at the youth center. Kenitra is on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, which is in the northwest corner of North Africa.

They’ve been their ever since, teaching English and job skills to high school and college-age students.

Although Internet access was a challenge, through email and Skype, the young couple was able to make contact with their family in the States at least twice a month.

Homesick But as Thanksgiving and Christmas approached, Shane and Jenay admitted on their online blog that they were feeling homesick.

“We have been in Morocco for seven months,” they wrote. “We’ve made a lot of new friends.

“However, we’ve missed three weddings, five births and several fantasy football drafts, among the numerous other significant life events happening back home.”

The couple asked for CARE packages

of peanut butter, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, pancake syrup and Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Patty and Michael decided to give them a bigger CARE package — by making the long journey to Morocco themselves.

They knew the conditions there were going to be a challenge.

“When we made the decision to do it,” explained Michael, “Shane asked if we wanted to stay in a hotel or do the Peace Corps life.

“And [Patty and I] kind of looked at each other and we said, ‘We’ll do the Peace Corps life.’”

After a long flight, the Morriseys first

sight of Morocco made it clear they weren’t in Kansas anymore.

“When we got off the plane, there were soldiers at the airport with machine guns,” said Michael.

But Shane and Jenay were also there.

And though a little thinner, they were healthy, happy and eager to welcome their guests to the apartment they would all share for the next week and a half.

The ‘un-vacation’ “They have the smallest onebedroom apartment you’ve ever seen in your life,” said Patty. “No hot water, no

dishwasher, no clothes washer, no heat or air-conditioning. We had to sleep on the floor — no beds.”

The apartment was located on the fifth floor and accessed by a long, steep set of dimly-lit stairs.

It was constructed of concrete to hold in the cold during the desert summer.

But it wasn’t summer when the Morriseys visited.

“We had long underwear and lots of blankets. And at night, we were able to stay warm,” said Patty, “but it got into the low 40s.”

“So it was a challenge,” said Michael.

“But that’s what they do, so that’s what we chose to do.”

The apartment was located a short distance from the youth center where the Morriseys spent much of their trip, quickly learning that Shane and Jenay were greatly appreciated and loved.

“The highlight for me was when the students put together a surprise party for us,” said Patty. “It was just very heartening that the kids were so cared about.

“I think it made us feel that they were safer because they have that support behind them.”

The Morriseys weren’t surprised that the youth center was located in a very poor section of Kenitra, but they were moved by the level of poverty.

“You can see poverty all around them,” said Patty.

“I won’t say it was worse than we expected,” said Michael, “but it was probably more exaggerated.

“And as a result, the setting that the kids work in and how they go about their business, that was an eye-opener for us.”

Life in Kenitra Aside from the small taxis, walking is the only mode of transportation in Kenitra. The Morriseys estimated they walked six miles a day.

And they soon learned the cost of everything is negotiable.

“Food, clothes, shoes, taxi rides,” said Michael, “there are no set prices. So you have to be able to speak the language — Patty and I were totally helpless.”

That helplessness forced them to rely on their children, and they were soon amazed at Shane and Jenay’s command of the language and their negotiating capabilities.

So they were happy to visit the home of the host family that had helped their children acclimate so well, and they were honored to be invited to share the family’s Friday couscous meal.

“Every Friday at noon,” explained Patty, “in all the family homes, the father comes home, the kids come home from school, and everybody sits down and has [a] couscous meal.”

Couscous, a kind of semolina, is placed in a large bowl and topped with steamed chicken and vegetables. The bowl is then set in the center of the table.

“And everybody just grabs,” said Patty.

“They literally eat out of the same bowl,” added Michael. “So we were kind of looking at each other.”

Only one family member could communicate in English.

“The brother spoke broken English,” said Michael, “and the mom was telling us through him to eat more, eat more.

“And we were saying, ‘Oh no, we’re full, we’re full.’”

A good goodbye Though they didn’t find a food they would particularly recommend, the Morriseys enjoyed touring the desert city of Kenitra with its beautiful palms and coastal beaches —a landscape very different from home.

“There was one little section of a king’s palace we went through that had some grass,” recalled Patty. “And a guy was mowing.

“I remember specifically Shane said, ‘It’s so good to smell cut grass.’”

In the end, saying goodbye to their children was difficult, but easier than the first goodbye more than a year ago.

“Just because there were so many unknowns back then,” said Patty. “But this time, we’d figured out some of those unknowns, and we felt better about it.”

“The kids have been able to adapt, adjust and figure out the job they’re doing,” said Michael. “And they’re obviously successful at doing it.

“They’re able to function in a whole different world and, at the same time, able to maintain their moral values.”

“We basically lived their life for nine days,” added Patty. “[And] it was a great experience for us.”

A great experience, but one they’re anxious to repeat any time soon?

“No,” said Michael. “Knowing that God will take care of them, we probably won’t see them for 14 months.

“And we’re hoping they’re not thinking about re-upping.”

nation/world 11

May 10, 2013 | theleaven.com

Postage stamp led boy to becoming a Swiss Guard

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

V

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — One young man’s dream of becoming a Swiss Guard began with a postage stamp.

Michael Odermatt said that when he was a small child, his godfather gave him a stamp depicting the ornately dressed papal soldier “and I was fascinated by that image and wanted to know everything about the Swiss Guard.”

The allure was kept alive when his older brother became a Swiss Guard and Odermatt was able to see — during visits to Rome from his home in the northern Swiss canton of Aagau — how a papal protector really lived.

“I went so many times to Rome to visit him that I was quite sure I would enter, too,” he told Catholic News Service.

The younger Odermatt’s determination came through on May 6 when he was officially sworn in as a Swiss Guard together with 34 other new recruits.

Before hundreds of family members and friends, and dozens of Vatican officials, he and his comrades took to the stage in the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall with much fanfare and flair to swear to “faithfully, loyally and honorably” serve and protect the pontiff and sacrifice, if necessary, their lives for him.

To the somber taps of five drummers, the recruits marched solemnly in procession wearing their 17thcentury armor and metal helmets adorned with ostrich plumes, and wielding Renaissance weaponry.

The annual swearing-in ceremony is held every year on May 6 — the date 147 Swiss Guards lost their lives defending Pope Clement VII in the Sack of Rome in 1527. Only 42 guards survived. Holding the ceremony on the anniversary is meant to remind new guards of the seriousness of

CNS photo/Paul Haring

A Swiss Guard recruit takes his oath during the swearing-in ceremony for 35 recruits in Paul VI audience hall at the Vatican May 6. New recruits are sworn in every May 6 to commemorate the day 147 Swiss Guards died saving Pope Clement VII’s life during the 1527 Sack of Rome. their commitment.

Even though they are no longer fending off pillaging invaders, service is demanding and comes with a compulsory two-year commitment.

Odermatt said one of the job’s challenges is trying to convince curious tourists they aren’t allowed into Vatican territory without permission.

The Swiss soldiers guard all entrances into Vatican City State as well as keep watch over the pope and his residence in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

“The tourists want to enter some part they aren’t allowed into and you have to say, ‘No, it’s forbidden to go there.’ And some people just don’t understand why it’s not allowed so sometimes you have to be . . .” he said, pausing to think of the right word, “. . . diplomatic with them.”

The other hard part of the job, he said, is sometimes “you have to stay six hours on your feet” for a shift, but he said all the other amazing experi-

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ences the job entails more than compensate for that.

The best part of his work, he said, is getting the chance to meet the world’s leaders, because the Swiss Guard provides security and ceremonial services during visits of heads of state and other dignitaries to the Vatican.

“We see people you’d never meet in your normal life,” Odermatt said.

“The second best reason is serving the pope,” he added.

Pope Francis met the guards and their families before the May 6 ceremony and thanked them for carrying out their “precious and generous” service with “dedication, professionalism and love.”

The pope recognized the daily sacrifices that come with their job and said the strength needed to persevere comes from love and faith in Christ.

Members of the Swiss Guard must be Swiss, Catholic and top-notch soldiers.

Nation

Man bares his soles in solidarity with world’s poor PORTLAND, Ore. (CNS) — Every step Roberto Santiago takes — on numbing winter sidewalks, sharp-edged gravel pathways and feathery grass fields — he walks in solidarity with the poorest of the poor. For six years, the member of Holy Family Parish in Portland has gone without shoes. “It’s just a very small act of solidarity,” Santiago said. “It gives me a little bit of a way to stay connected and be appreciative for what I have.” The World Health Organization reports that more than 25,000 children in developing countries under the age of five die every day from illness or malnutrition that could have been prevented with just a few dollars’ worth of food or medicine. When Santiago heard that startling statistic six years ago, it troubled him. The summer that year had been warm, and he’d been in the habit of kicking off his shoes while puttering around the house. Then one day he felt a strong calling that he shouldn’t put those shoes back on. In its infancy, the calling’s meaning eluded even Santiago, but over time he has come to understand why his act of solidarity is important. Personally, he sees it as a reminder to be ever thankful and humble. Publicly, he hopes his message helps raise awareness about the abject poverty experienced by people in developing countries all over the world.

CNS photo/Clarice Keating, Catholic Sentinel

Roberto Santiago of Portland, Ore., has gone without shoes for almost six years and says it connects him with people on society’s margins.

12 classifieds Employment President/CEO - Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is seeking an outstanding executive leader for its $15M+ operating budget/200+ employee organization located in Overland Park. Candidate must be a practicing Catholic committed to the church’s teaching. Looking for a systems thinker who is customer-focused and goal-driven. Strong executive leadership qualities, business acumen and a commitment to the mission are required. For consideration, email letter of interest and updated resume to Michael Shirley Associates at: atadmin@mshirleyassociates.com. Candidates will be considered regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, disability or veteran status.

Housing counselor - Community Housing of Wyandotte County, a nonprofit organization, is seeking a bilingual (Spanish/English) housing counselor to provide homebuyer education, credit and budget counseling to families seeking homeownership. Applicant should have sound financial skills and the ability to work a flexible schedule. Interested applicants should email resume and cover letter to: hr@ chwckck.org.

Activities assistant - Park Meadows Senior Living is looking for a part-time activities assistant to work every Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Experience with activities and seniors helpful. We are looking for someone fun, positive and reliable. Pay is $11.50 per hour. Fill out an application at 5901 W. 107th St., Overland Park, KS 66207.

School positions - Dickinson Catholic Schools, Dickinson, ND, invites applications for the positions of president, primary and secondary principals to assume duties July 1.

President qualifications: Candidates must show evidence of a strong commitment to and practice of the Catholic faith and a desire to promote deep Catholic identity within the school based on the teachings of the magisterium. A master’s degree in school administration and supervision, curriculum and instruction, or a similar field is preferred. A minimum of three years experience required. Minimum principal qualifications: Practicing Catholic who believes, professes, and follows the teaching of the magisterium. Master’s degree in education. North Dakota teaching certificate.

Three year provisional is offered by ND. Minimum of three years experience. Salary for all three positions is based on qualifications and experience but will be very competitive.

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ALL AREA CATHOLICS WELCOME Christ the King Parish Federal Credit Union 5417 Leavenworth Rd., Kansas City, Kan. Good Car Loan and Share Loan Rates (913) 287-8448 or (913) 980-2192 Hours: 7 - 9 p.m., Mon., Wed., Fri. Housecleaning - Old-fashioned cleaning, hand mopping, etc. A thorough and consistent job every time. References from customers I’ve served for over 17 years. Call Sharon at (816) 322-0006 (home) or (816) 214-0156 (mobile).

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

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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.bankruptcylawinkansascity.com.

Home Improvement Exterior painting, drywall projects, wood rot repair, bathroom and kitchen remodels, and tile work - Quality products. 20 years experience. References. Call (913) 206-4524.

Spring is here! I do decks, fences, siding, windows, doors, roofing, exterior house painting and can cover all your landscaping needs. I bid and do the work, and am fully insured.

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

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Basement finishing, Kitchens and baths, Electrical and plumbing, Licensed and insured. (913) 599-7998 Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick, block and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second-generation bricklayer. Member of St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 8294336.

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House painting - Interior and exterior; wall paper removal. 20 years experience. Reasonable rates. Call Joe at (913) 620-5776.

Ceiling, wall crack and water stain repair Ceilings retextured or painted. Interior painting, no mess! Serving Kansas City, Kan., and the Johnson County area for 23 years. Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144.

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Call Lupe at (816) 252-3376

Caregiving Praying for a companion/caregiver for your parent/ spouse or self? Afraid to make a trip alone? – Would you like to go to the movies, opera, theater, grocery shopping, doctor’s office, hospital, or recovering from surgery? Can hire by 4/8/12/24-hour shift. Week or month or special activity. Retired female nurse. $20/ hour. Excellent references. Last position held 21 years.

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Spent the past 3 years exclusively caring for one client.

Excellent references available. Prefer part time. Call (913) 579-8914.

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

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vacation Lake of the Ozarks - 2 BR/2 BA house with a large dock. Gravois Arm P-Road. Rent for the summer season, May 1 - Nov. 1. Call (816) 223-3244 or send an email to: johnbrulez@aol.com.

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Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood.

Call Silver Cross KC at (913) 327-5557.

For sale - 1998 Ford Crown Victoria-V8-LX. 164,000 miles. Good, dependable, smooth-riding car. Car has been serviced by a family member who is a certified mechanic. N.A.D.A. retail value is $3900. Asking $2,500.

Call (816) 763-7526.

Max’s rosaries - Custom-made locally for all occasions – first Communion, confirmation, baptism, graduation.

Rosary bracelets and beaded earrings too! I also do repairs. Member of the Church of the Ascension, Overland Park. Call (913) 400-3236.

MISCELLANEOUS Home repair help available through Catholic Heart - Are you in the Kansas City, Kan., or Kansas City, Mo., area? Are you in need of some minor home repairs? Or just some general cleanup around home, or do you know of someone in need who may not see this article? Catholic HEART (Helping Everyone Attain Repairs Today) will be in your area, July 15 - 18. Catholic Heart provides the labor and some materials such as paint, tools, and wood.

Requests for assistance must be submitted by June 14.

If you miss the deadline, please send in your request anyway. Visit our website at: https://www.archkck.org/ ministries--offices/ecat-youth/ecat-youth---catholic-heart-work--camp for more information and to fill out the work order forms. For information, call Ernest Boehner at (913) 433-2085, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, or Rick Cheek in the youth office at (913) 284-1725.

wanted to buy Antiques wanted I buy old pocket & wristwatches; sets of silverware; souvenir spoons; advertising signs; coins; and Native American turquoise jewelry, arrowheads & rugs. Call Chris at (913) 593-7507 or (913) 642-8269.

Wanted - Lionel trains. Call (913) 485-6700.

Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid.

Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee. *** Wanted to buy *** Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, prints, sterling, etc.

Renee Maderak (913) 631-7179 St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee

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may 3, 2013 | theleaven.com

May St. Joseph - St. Lawrence, Easton, will host a spring fling on May 11 from 4 - 7 p.m. at the St. Lawrence hall. A Mexican dinner will be served, with bingo to follow. The raffle includes a queen-size hand-quilted quilt.

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The Daughters of Isabella will host Mary’s Holy Hour at 10 a.m. on May 11 at Mater Dei/Assumption Church, Topeka.

The 9th annual Advice and Aid Pregnancy Center’s Walk for Life will be held on May 11 at the Foxhill Medical Building, 4601 W. 109th St., Overland Park. Registration is at 8:30 a.m., with the walk starting at 9 a.m.

Register on the website at: www.aapcwalk. org. The walk of approximately two miles will be followed by family-friendly activities and breakfast. Strollers are welcome.

The vocal ensemble Sursum Corda will present “Let Us Keep the Feast,” a joyful celebration of Easter Vespers, on May 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Lawrence Campus Center, 1631 Crescent Rd., Lawrence. A musical reflection on the presence of the risen Christ in the sacraments, featuring gems of English and Latin sacred Renaissance polyphony, will follow. The cost to attend is a freewill donation.

Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church, 44 N. Mill St., Kansas City, Kan., will host a social club taco dinner at their hall on May 11 from 2 6 p.m. The cost to attend is $6.50 for adults; $3 for children under the age of 12.

Blue Army rosary rally will be held on May 12 from 3 - 4 p.m. to honor the Blessed Mother on Mother’s Day at Church of the Ascension, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park. Three mysteries of the rosary will be prayed, followed by Benediction and the opportunity to enroll in the brown scapular society. All are welcome to attend.

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Keeler Women’s Center hosts a monthly book club for women to read and discuss literature by and about women. The group ordinarily meets every second Tuesday, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Space is limited. To register, call (913) 906-8990. The book, “The Exact Place” by Margie Haack, will be discussed this month on May 14. A limited number of copies are available for group members.

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Villa St. Francis, 16600 W. 126th St., Olathe, will host a community open house on May 15 from 3 - 6 p.m. to showcase recent renovations of the archdiocesan skilled-nursing facility and to celebrate National Nursing Home Week. See the new chapel, rehabilitation services and activities areas, and the

15

renovated areas for resident living, family and guest reception, and admissions. Enjoy tours, refreshments, and music. For more information and to RSVP, contact (913) 747-0275 or send an email to: dorothy@ villasf.org.

“Professional Etiquette and Life Skills for Job Readiness” is a workshop designed to help women assess their skills, set goals, and prepare for the interview and the job.

Participants will leave better prepared for an interview and more confident in their ability to find a job that matches their interest and skills. The workshop will be held on May 15 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Keeler Women’s Center, a ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. Lunch is included. Space is limited and reservations are required.

A course in the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning begins at St. Paul Parish, 900 S. Honeysuckle, Olathe, on May 17 at 7 p.m. A reasonable course fee covers all three sessions. Call Kate or Gavin Essenburg at (913) 713-5707 or the Couple to Couple League of Kansas City at (913) 894-3558 for more information. Online registration is required by visiting the website at: www.ccli.org.

17

Christ’s Peace House of Prayer in Easton will host a contemplative prayer retreat day from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. on May 18. Instruction will be provided on request. Full- or half-day options are available, with a noon meal included. The cost is $25 per participant. The retreat may be extended for an overnight stay. For information or to register, call (913) 773-8255 or send an email to: info@ shantivanam.com.

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Mother Teresa Parish, 2014 N.W. 46th St., Topeka, will hold its annual farmer’s market plant, shrubs, perennial plants and limited seasonal vegetables sale on May 18 from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. in the Don Akin Memorial outdoor pavilion. Any plants you would like to donate are welcome. All proceeds are donated to the Topeka Rescue Mission.

A memorial liturgy for deceased loved ones will be held at 8 a.m. on May 18 at Curé of Ars Parish, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. Following the Mass, the bereavement ministry will hold its monthly support meeting in the Father Burak Room. The topic will be “Ten Commandments of Grief.”

For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

Overland Park Host Lions Club will sponsor a pasta dinner and silent/live auction on May 18 from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Father Quigley Center, 9201 Summit St., Lenexa.

The cost to attend is $10 for adults; $5 for

children ages 3 - 11. Proceeds will benefit the many service projects of the club.

Father Dan Gardner will celebrate the archdiocesan monthly pro-life Mass on May 18. Mass is at 8 a.m. at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church, 44 N. Mill, Kansas City, Kan. Immediately following Mass is a rosary procession to an abortion clinic approximately four blocks away. Eucharistic adoration is available for those not processing. Benediction concludes services by 9:45 a.m.

A class in the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning during the postpartum period will take place on May 19 at 3 p.m. at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave., Topeka. Call Dana or Eric Runnebaum at (785) 380-0062 or the Couple to Couple League of Kansas City at (913) 894-3558 for more information. Online registration is required by visiting the website at: www.ccli.org.

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The annual charismatic Pentecost Mass will be held on May 19 at 2 p.m. at Curé of Ars Parish, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. Father Anthony Ouellette will preside. Father Dennis Wait will concelebrate. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

A class in the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning during the postpartum period will take place on May 22 at 6:30 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist School, 1208 Kentucky St., Lawrence. Call Dana or Eric Runnebaum at (785) 380-0062 or the Couple to Couple League of Kansas City at (913) 894-3558 for more information. Online registration is required by visiting the website at: www.ccli.org.

22

A Mass with prayers for healing, sponsored by archdiocesan charismatic prayer groups, will be at 7:30 p.m. on May 23 in the Father Burak Room at Curé of Ars, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. Father Ken Kelly will preside.

For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

23

St. Monica’s homeschool group is hosting a Kansas City Catholic home school graduation Mass and celebration on May 31 at 6:30 p.m. at Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th, Leawood. Celebration and snacks will follow at Fitness Plus, 4500 W. 107th St., Overland Park.

31

June Advice and Aid Pregnancy Centers, Inc., is in need of volunteers and will offer a volunteer informational meeting on June 3 from 7 - 9 p.m. The meeting will be held

3

at 11644 W. 75th St., Shawnee. For more information on volunteering in this ministry or to RSVP, contact Mary Newcomer at (913) 962-0200 or send an email to: volunteer@adviceandaid.com.

The parish-wide garage sale at Holy Spirit Church, 11300 W. 5-8 103rd St., Overland Park, will be held June 5 - 7 from 8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. and on June 8 from 8 a.m. - noon (50% off). Proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity, Uplift, Santa Gertrudis Parish in Honduras, and Alexandra’s House for terminally ill infants.

The Kansas City Catholic Homeschool Conference will be held 7-8 on June 7 - 8 at St. James Academy, Lenexa. Preregistration will conclude on May 10. For more information, visit the website at: www.kccatholic homeschooler.org.

Christ’s Peace House of Prayer, Easton, will host a weekend re7-9 treat from June 7 - 9 entitled “The Three Stages of Prayer: a practical guide to deepen your interior life.” The format will be a series of conferences and discussions, eucharistic adoration, Mass, prayer and time left free for walking in the woods. Check-in is Friday night between 5 and 7 p.m. The cost is $140 for individuals and $210 for couples. For more information, call (913) 773-8255 or send an email to: directorcp@hotmail.com.

St. Joseph Parish, 300 N. Broadway, Leavenworth, will host its 12th annual Germanfest on June 8. The Mass begins at 5 p.m., followed by a traditional German dinner from 6 - 8 p.m. Dinner includes sauerbraten and bratwurst with sauerkraut, German potato salad, red cabbage, and dessert. The cost is $10 for adults; $4 for children. There will also be a beer garden, raffle, and outdoor music by FesthausMusikanten polka band from 6 - 9 p.m.

For additional information, contact the parish office at (913) 682-3953 or visit the website at: www.icsj.org.

8

Award-winning author and popular EWTN host Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle will speak at Prince of Peace Church, 16000 W. 143rd St., Olathe, on June 8 at 7 p.m.

The topic will be “Living the Virtues in the Family: Guided by Mother Teresa.” She will draw upon her decade-long friendship with this modern-day saint in providing practical wisdom and inspiration for today’s families. There is no cost to attend, but freewill offerings will be accepted.

O’Boyle’s books, DVDs, and CDs will be on sale after the presentation. For more information, visit the website at: www. donnacooperoboyle.com.

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14 commentary

theleaven.com | may 10, 2013

Building the culture of Life

mark my words Scripture Readings seventh WEEK OF EASTER May 12 THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD Acts 1: 1-11 Ps 47: 2-3, 6-9 Eph 1: 17-23 Lk 24: 46-53 May 13 Our Lady of Fatima Acts 19: 1-8 Ps 68: 2-7 Jn 16: 29-33 May 14 MATTHIAS, APOSTLE Acts 1: 15-17, 20-26 Ps 113: 1-8 Jn 15: 9-17 May 15 Isidore Acts 20: 28-38 Ps 68: 29-30, 33-36c Jn 17: 11b-19 May 16 Thursday Acts 22: 30; 23: 6-11 Ps 16: 1-2a, 5, 7-11 Jn 17: 20-26 May 17 Friday Acts 25: 13b-21 Ps 103: 1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab Jn 21: 15-19 May 19 John I, pope, martyr Acts 28: 16-20, 30-31 Ps 11: 4-5, 7 Jn 21: 20-25

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Filling the knowledge gaps in women’s health care

Wanted: Someone to play God

en of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?”

Listen for this sentence from the Acts of the Apostles this Sunday as we celebrate the ascension of Our Lord into heaven. I like these words, spoken by a couple of angels, because they imply that the apostles were a lot like me: much better at theory than practice!

After all, the gawking and talking are easy, fun even.

It’s the witnessing, the getting out and living the faith in the actual world, that’s tough.

Last year, I watched a 1932 film, black and white naturally, that stars a great character actor named George Arliss and a young Bette Davis. Arliss plays a rich pianist, a happy-golucky guy as the film begins.

An ominous note is heard, though, as he reveals that his mother and a couple of other relatives lost their hearing during life. Well, you know what’s coming.

One day, as Arliss is giving a

Father Mark Goldasich Father Mark Goldasich is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989. concert to a visiting dignitary in Paris, a bomb goes off, intending to assassinate the king. It fails, but the blast causes Arliss to lose not only his hearing, but also his light-hearted attitude . . . and his faith in God. He moves to New York City and, from his penthouse that overlooks Central Park, he begins a game, of sorts. Using high-powered binoculars, he focuses on people in the park and tries to read their lips. One day, for instance, he sees a young man seated on a park bench who tells his girlfriend that the doctor has found a spot on his lung and he needs to rest for a year or

so to cure it. Obviously, he doesn’t have the means to do this, and all looks hopeless for the young man and this girl he loves. Suddenly, the young man closes his eyes and begins to pray for a way to get the money for a cure. Arliss sends his butler over to deliver an “answer” to that prayer. As he sees the young man’s gratitude, Arliss turns to heaven and laughs in the face of the God that he no longer believes in.

As time goes by, however, Arliss is transformed and once again finds God. Through the game he was playing — answering the needs of others in the park — God becomes real again to him, because God is ultimately a God of service.

Oh, by the way, the name of the film is “The Man Who Played God.” In a sense, isn’t that what those apostles were instructed to do at the Ascension? They were to witness to the faith — to “play God,” to act as God to others, especially those in need.

Jesus knew, though, how tough this was going to be.

He understood that the idea of being a person of service is often much easier and attractive than actually living that way. That’s why they needed the power of the Holy Spirit, to give them the strength of God to do what they were called to do.

In this issue of The Leaven, we have two stories of people doing just that — folks who have given a few years of their lives to serve in the Peace Corps. One married couple is teaching in Morocco; the other volunteer, a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School, is a teacher in Macedonia. By “playing God” in ministering to the poor in the world in this practical way, they not only do their country proud, but also make real the love of God for the neediest in the world.

And, as all who truly minister in the name of the Lord, I’m sure they’ll discover what Arliss did in the movie: It’s impossible to “play God” without coming to a deeper faith in him. Try it and see.

In the beginning

T

Pentecost marks a new era in salvation history

he countdown has begun. Students are eagerly looking forward to the end of school. They are counting the days that remain until the start of summer vacation.

Sunday’s first reading, Acts 1:1-11, signals a similar countdown. As Jesus leaves his disciples to ascend into heaven, he informs them that “in a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” For nine days they will wait and pray in the upper room for that important event. It is the first novena ever.

The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost will mark a new era in the history of salvation. The time period preceding that has focused on the public ministry of Jesus Christ, culminating in his saving death and resurrection. After his

commentary 15

May 10, 2013 | theleaven.com

Father Mike Stubbs Father Mike Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University. resurrection, our reading from Acts informs us: “He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” This passage in the Acts of the Apostles is the only place in the New Testament which specifies 40 days as the interim between Jesus’ resurrection and his ascension. All of the Gospels mention Jesus’ spending

some time with the disciples before ascending into heaven, but they do not indicate how long that lasted. John’s Gospel even suggests that Jesus ascended into heaven on Easter Sunday.

Since the Acts of the Apostles stands out as unique in giving the number of 40 days as the length of this interim time between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, it is possible that the number 40 appears more as symbolic, rather than literal. After all, the number of 40 days echoes other events in the Bible.

Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert. Noah floated in the ark for 40 days. The Hebrews wandered for 40 years in the desert.

All these periods of 40 represent times of transition. The 40 days that Jesus fasted in the desert linked his private life in Nazareth to his public ministry. The

THE PRACTICAL CATHOLIC Sometimes instant gratification isn’t such a bad thing.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend in the Catholic press posted a breaking-news video on Facebook about a shooting at a Catholic school in Cincinnati, where the son of another friend in the Catholic press was a student.

It took only seconds for posts of prayers and concern to begin.

Eventually, we learned that our friend’s son was safe and sound (the good news) but that there was indeed an attempted suicide by a student during class (a terrible tragedy). Our Cincinnati friend was very

world before it rained for 40 days and 40 nights was full of sin and corruption.

Afterwards, it was clean and purified for Noah and his family, so that they could start all over again. Before the Hebrews spent 40 years in the desert, they were slaves in Egypt. Afterwards, they entered into the Promised Land. In every case, the period lasting 40 days (or years) represented a time of transition. Its meaning is symbolic, rather than exact.

Similarly, the 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension mentioned in the reading from Acts means a time of transition.

It marks the end of Jesus’ visible presence on earth and leads into the new way that Jesus will continue his mission in our world, namely, through his body, the church.

grateful for our prayers, asked for continued ones for all involved, and posted pictures from other Catholic schools that expressed their support and prayers for her son’s school.

Without Facebook, such a timely awareness of a need for prayers would have been impossible, as would our ability to assure our friend of our immediate prayers.

This week, look to using social media for a more meaningful purpose than simply announcing that the Cherry Berry Chiller is back for a limited time at McDonald’s.

— M.G.

T

wo seminars on women’s reproductive health care were held at the Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kan., on April 26 and 27.

These very informative seminars were conducted by Dr. Catherine Keefe, an Ob/ Gyn surgeon with the Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha, Neb. During these seminars, it was discussed how women’s incomplete knowledge of their fertility cycle leads to difficulties, particularly in light of our culture. Society’s embrace of so-called sexual freedom leads to a contraceptive mentality and

Ron Kelsey Ron Kelsey is the archdiocesan consultant for the pro-life office. You can email him at: prolife@archkck. org or call (913) 647-0350. rejection of the natural state of women’s fertility. Fertility is predominantly regarded by the medical profession as a disease to be suppressed and destroyed. The HHS mandate expands the attack on women’s fertility to such an extreme that even our religious freedom is violated when it stands in the way.

Within the culture just described, it is easy to see

how women’s incomplete knowledge of their fertility and gynecologic system can be manipulated. Knowledge can position one to make good decisions, whereas lack of knowledge can lead to potentially disastrous consequences.

Without good information, women can easily be swept away on society’s tidal waves of cancer-causing hormonal contraceptives. Did you catch that? Yes, hormonal contraceptives are known carcinogens.

Oh, some will argue that contraceptives are effective in treating some forms of cancer, even though they may cause other cancers. Taking contraceptives to treat cancer is like playing Russian roulette, except that the pistol is loaded with five bullets rather than only one. And there are

better choices.

Pope Paul VI Institute has developed a new, morally acceptable science for women’s reproductive and gynecologic health: NaProTechnology (Natural Procreative Technology). It incorporates the Creighton Model FertilityCare System of natural family planning. NaProTechnology works cooperatively with a woman’s fertility and is not suppressive or destructive.

It also seeks to identify and correct underlying issues with the menstrual and fertility cycles, rather than only treat the symptoms. It is science directed toward maintaining good reproductive health.

Please help spread the word. There is no need for using hormonal contraceptives or in-vitro fertilization.

Far superior and moral alter-

natives exist.

Fertility is not a disease.

God’s first command to man was to “be fertile and multiply” (Gn 1:28). Fertility is a gift from God, and there are natural, moral ways to treat this gift.

Education is part of the solution. Age-appropriate education is possible even for girls as young as those in seventh grade. Any such education should support the parents in their primary role as educators of their children.

Education programs could be developed which assist parents in this education and should incorporate the principles of modesty, purity, chastity and the theology of the body.

Let’s fill in the existing gaps in education on women’s reproductive health care.

Word of life

Embracing discipleship in the next generation

W

hen Jesus ascended into heaven, he commissioned his apostles with these words: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” So what does it mean to make disciples?

Discipleship is more than a surface-level conversion — it implies a deep level of commitment to the teaching of Christ and an even deeper personal adherence to Jesus himself! One of the primary works of evangelization is to help people become disciples of Jesus by

matt karr Matt Karr is the lead consultant for the office of evangelization and Catholic formation of adults. observing all he teaches and by giving their whole lives to him!

One way we are reaching out to young adults to help them embrace this radical call to discipleship is through the Saint Paul’s Outreach (SPO) Catholic formation program. This formation program has been

in existence for over 25 years in the Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

However, it is only in the past 18 months that the formation program has taken root in our archdiocese.

The Catholic formation program has three primary components: large group teaching, regular small groups, and one-on-one pastoral care. Each of these components is absolutely essential, in my experience, to helping a young Catholic who is striving to follow the Lord to grow in grace and maturity in their faith.

In one of the early SPO households at Benedictine College in Atchison, there was a handwritten note on a poster sheet hung in the family room of one of the

men’s houses. It read: “SPO: Training boys to become men — so that their wives or their bishops do not have to.” Well, that may be overstating it a bit, but the point remains that the SPO formation program desires to help bring young Catholics to full maturity in Christ.

The large group teaching covers a multitude of topics pertinent to Catholic living and doctrine. These teachings are then taken and applied in a small group of men or women. The small group is important in providing stable relationships in Christ and peer accountability in living the Christian life.

In addition, the leader of the formation small group is a Catholic who has expe-

rience and some stability in living the Catholic faith well. Each young adult meets with his or her small group leader for pastoral support in living the faith.

If you are a young adult wanting to plug into our formation program, or if you know a young adult who you would like to connect with our work, please contact Sam Schoenfelder at (651) 357-3380 or by email at: sam@spoweb.org.

You can also join us at our next Trust One Greater event at Ascension Parish, 3800 W. 119th St., Overland Park, on Fri., May 31, at 7 p.m. for a night of eucharistic adoration, praise, and worship with Archbishop Joseph Naumann and other young adults!

16 Local news

theleaven.com | may 10, 2013

Seed of faith blooms Parents’ influence help steer man toward the priesthood

By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — It’s no guarantee that a boy will grow up to be a priest if both his parents are volunteer religious education teachers.

But it certainly helps.

For Deacon Quentin Schmitz, it was at least a guarantee he didn’t miss Mass.

“Going to Sunday Mass was definitely a priority for us,” said Deacon Schmitz.

“At different times, we’d make it to daily Mass off and on. I served daily Mass during some summers, which is when I started thinking about the priesthood.”

Deacon Schmitz’s family originally went to St. Michael Church in Axtell, and later moved to Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville.

“Both of my parents helped teach in the CCD and religious education programs for our parishes, both at St. Michael’s and Sacred Heart,” he said. “My parents definitely influenced me, planting the seed of faith.”

The idea that he might be a priest first occurred to him when he was a young boy, learning how to serve Mass — which is not unusual for most young Catholic boys who’ve been privileged to serve at the altar.

But as he grew older, he didn’t give it much thought.

“When I was younger, it was always there in the background, but I don’t think it was first on my list,” said Deacon Schmitz.

“I would say later in high school and college,” he continued, “I didn’t give it a lot of thought. It wasn’t until later, after college and moving home, [that] I started thinking about it again. I spent several years not thinking about the priesthood.”

For a while he thought his future might lie in agriculture.

“I grew up in a rural area, and I enjoyed the thought of working on a farm,” he said.

Although his parents had farmed before he was born, they owned and operated a printing business for most of his childhood.

“When I was a senior in high school, my parents bought a facility to raise pigs.

My father started to raise pigs, and I really enjoyed that,” he said.

So at Kansas State University, he earned a degree in animal science. After graduation, he moved to western Kansas and worked on a farm near Quinter, but eventually moved back to the area where he was raised.

All the while, during his years in college and working in agriculture, a different seed began to germinate: a religious vocation.

“It really had to do with my engagement in my faith life,” he said. “During college, I continued to go to Sunday Mass, but I wasn’t very involved with the faith outside of that.”

Then, he began very simply — praying with Scripture. After he moved

“

Photo courtesy of Nathan Haverland

Deacon Quentin Schmitz, center, poses with fellow seminarian Evan Tinker, left, and archdiocesan vocations director, Father Mitchel Zimmerman at World Youth Day in Spain in 2011. home, he began to pray the rosary daily.

He became active in the Knights of Columbus and began to frequent perpetual adoration at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Seneca. One evening, his parents commented on how they enjoyed going to daily Mass.

“That got me to thinking that I ought to go to daily Mass,” he said. “So every once in a while, I went to daily Mass and the sacrament of reconciliation.”

Gradually, Deacon Schmitz grew

“I wasn’t entirely certain, even when I entered the seminary, whether I should be there or not. My clarity came while I was in [the] seminary.”

Quentin Schmitz deeper in the faith through these things.

Finally, his pastor surprised him with a question: “Have you ever thought about becoming a priest?”

If he hadn’t before, he did then.

“It came back to the forefront to me, and I began to discern if this was something I was called to do,” said Deacon Schmitz. “I don’t know if I ignored it or pushed it away for awhile, but it seemed like the question was somewhat familiar to me. At the same time, I needed the question. I don’t think I would have gotten there without it.”

The archdiocese offered a lot of guidance as he discerned whether or not to enter the seminary. Two particularly helpful things were the Samuel Group he attended at the St. Lawrence

Personally Speaking Name: Deacon Quentin Schmitz Age: 33 Born at: Seneca Raised: Axtell Parents: Giles and Roxie Siblings: Five sisters, one brother; I am the second oldest Current Home Parish: Sacred Heart in Baileyville Education: B & B High School, 1994 to 1998; Highland Community College, 1998 to 2000; Kansas State University, 2001 to 2003, with a bachelor’s of science in animal science Seminary: Entered Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in Aug. 2007 Favorite TV show: sports Favorite websites: Vatican, USCCB, weather, ESPN Favorite musical group/person: Matt Maher Favorite saint and why: Blessed Virgin Mary. I have witnessed her powerful intercession. She is the mother of God and model follower of Christ.

Catholic Campus Center in Lawrence and meeting Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann over a Christmas break during a Quo Vadis discernment retreat. Father Brian Schieber, then the archdiocesan vocations director, guided him through the whole process.

“I wasn’t entirely certain, even when I entered the seminary, whether I should be there or not,” he said. “My clarity came while I was in [the] seminary.”

His vocation was no surprise to his parents, however. They saw earlier and more clearly than he did that he had a priestly vocation.

Favorite devotion and why: Rosary.

I have found that in reflecting on the mysteries of Christ, the rosary serves as an invitation to go deep into prayer and is always fruitful.

Books now reading: “Pierced by a Sword” by Bud McFarland Jr. Favorite food: Reuben sandwich Favorite childhood toy: Tonka truck Favorite place in the whole world: That I visited — Holy Land Dream vacation: Rome Hobbies/Things I like to do: sports, outdoor activities If I were sent on a difficult missionary journey, the saint I’d take with me would be: St. Isaac Jogues Qualities I admire in priests I know: faithfulness, self-giving, humility, and deep relationship with the Lord My advice for someone seeking his or her vocation: Be open and spend time in prayer listening to God speak to you.

What I’m looking forward to as a priest: Celebrating the sacraments and being with people during their joys and sorrows and everything in between.

“The best advice I got was to remain open to what God is calling you to do,” said Deacon Schmitz. “My father actually told me that when I was leaving for college. I wasn’t necessarily open [to the priesthood] at that time and not really asking God what he wanted me to do.”

He advises others who are considering a priestly vocation to spend a lot of time in prayer and be willing to ask God this question: What do you want me to do?

Deacon Schmitz will be ordained 10:30 a.m. on May 25 at St. Matthew Parish in Topeka.