06-07-13 Vol. 34 No. 39

theleaven.com | vol. 34, no. 39 | june 7, 2013

From left, Deacons Lawrence Bowers, Nathan Haverland, Daniel Schmitz, and Quentin Schmitz stand before Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann as they prepare for ordination to the priesthood on May 25.

Four men took unique paths to the priesthood

By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

T

OPEKA — The ordination Mass on May 25 at St. Matthew Parish here was “standing room only” for a very

good reason.

Actually, for four very good reasons: Four men were ordained to the priesthood.

The pews were packed with friends, family, religious, clerics and well-wishers who were there to

3 Renewal

Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Seneca celebrates its recent church renovation.

celebrate the priestly ordinations of Father Lawrence Bowers, 37, Delia; Father Nathan Haverland, 29, Edwardsville; Father Daniel Schmitz, 28, Holton; and Father Quentin Schmitz, 33, Axtell.

The four men had been ordained to the transitional diaconate on May 19, 2012, at Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka.

The main celebrant, ordaining minister and homilist was Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. He was joined at the altar by Archbishop >> Story continues on page 8

From left, Father Gary Pennings, Father Brian Schieber, Msgr. Michael Mullen and Father Mitchel Zimmerman perform the imposition of hands on the newly ordained, after Archbishop Naumann, the ordaining minister.

3 fortnight for freedom Big losses Archdiocese to mark second “fortnight” with three religious freedom rallies.

4-6

Tornadoes strike Corning and Marysville, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.

10 New parish

Four parishes in Atchison combine to form one new community.

2 archbishop

theleaven.com | june 7, 2013

second front page 3

june 7, 2013 | theleaven.com

Catholics called to join Fortnight for Freedom

Life will be victorious

Holy Hours to mark second Fortnight for Freedom

S

t. Augustine wrote: “The fifty days of Easter excludes fasts, since it is in anticipation of the banquet that awaits us on high.”

I took these words of St. Augustine to heart and suspended my fast from desserts, cookies and candy that I began in early December as part of my prayerful intercession for relief from the Health and Human Services mandates, which are part of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The HHS mandates force Catholic institutions and private Catholic employers to provide abortifacient drugs, contraceptives, and sterilizations under the guise of “preventive health care.”

Unfortunately, the Easter season is over, but the HHS mandates remain. I have taken up again my fast — praying that the administration will rescind the mandates or that the courts will provide relief. With the distinct possibility that neither of these two avenues will spare us from this encroachment upon our religious liberty and conscience rights, I am also praying for courage and prudence for myself, my brother bishops, and the entire American Catholic community in discerning how best to respond to this assault by our own government upon our freedom to live in a manner consistent with Catholic moral teaching.

Once again this year, the bishops of the United States are asking American Catholics and other people of good will to observe a Fortnight for Freedom — two weeks of intense prayer, education and awareness-raising about this very real threat to religious freedom and conscience rights. You may recall that last year, as part of our local observance, we joined with the three other Catholic dioceses in Kansas to hold a statewide rally in Topeka on the steps of the Capitol. In sweltering 105plus degree heat, more than

archbishop Joseph F. Naumann 4,000 people attended. Our rally for freedom was telecast by EWTN and gained national attention. This year, the bishops of Kansas decided to observe the Fortnight for Freedom locally, rather than trying to gather as a statewide Catholic community.

Recently, I received a note from a medical doctor who has a significant minority ownership in a specialized medical service company.

The majority owners had already complied with the HHS mandates. This doctor wanted to know if he was morally required to divest himself of ownership in the company. This is just one of many inquiries that I have received from private employers who are struggling with what to do in the face of the implementation of the HHS mandates, which, for them, began taking effect beginning last August.

Several private employers, Catholic and non-Catholic, have gained from the courts injunctions granting them temporary relief from the mandates until the matter can be fully litigated. These injunctions mean that the courts have found enough merit to the arguments of these private employers to delay enforcement of the mandates. However, this is no guarantee of a positive, final outcome in the courts.

Regarding the requirement of some ministries of the church to comply with the HHS mandates, these are not scheduled to begin to take effect until this August.

The courts have been reluctant to rule on the merits of the church’s challenges to the HHS mandates, because they have not yet taken effect and they wanted to see if the administration would make good on its promise to provide an acceptable accommodation.

Finally, the administration has offered its so-called

accommodation for religious ministries, claiming that it sheltered the church from paying for objectionable “services.” However, this proposed solution really solved nothing.

The administration’s central claim is that contraceptive services are “free” because they save money on childbirths that enrollees in the plan would otherwise have. However, that just means premiums paid by a religious organization for live births will pay for contraception, abortifacients and sterilization instead. The proposed “accommodation” for religious organizations covered by the mandate, while not in final form, offers to have insurers or other third parties impose the objectionable coverage — but this only deprives the employer of the ability to provide coverage to its employees that is consistent with its values. It disregards the conscience rights of both insurers and employees. However the funding is worked out, the simple offer of health coverage by a religious employer will become a trigger for ensuring that all its employees receive morally objectionable “services” — abortifacients, contraceptives and sterilization.

Part of the real tragedy with the HHS mandates is that they are totally irrelevant to authentic health care reform. The Catholic Church has been and continues to be one of the strongest advocates for increased access to good quality health care for vulnerable populations, e.g. those with pre-existing conditions, the poor, etc. The mandates are not about basic health care, but about lifestyle choices. Fertility and pregnancy are not diseases, but healthy conditions.

Unfortunately, by attempting to jam down the church’s throat the provision of abortifacients and contraception, the Obama administration has illustrated why many Americans are concerned about turning over to the federal government something as important and sensitive as health care. By entrusting so much authority over such an important dimension of our lives with its many related ethical and moral issues, it empowers

calendar archbishop

June 17 “Shepherd’s Voice” recording

Naumann

Catholic Charities benefactors’ Mass and reception

June 7 Mass for Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas continuing education program

June 18 Administrative Team meeting

Mass and reconciliation — Camp Tekakwitha June 9 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Pro-Life Committee meeting — San Diego

June 10 USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations workshop USCCB Doctrine Committee workshop — San Diego June 15 Conception Seminary rector and co-directors for seminarians meeting Rosary — Planned Parenthood Life Front

the government to coerce institutions and individuals to violate their deeply held convictions.

It is ironic that the same groups who promoted legalized abortion to the American public as a right to choose, now want to force church ministries and private employers to provide abortifacients and contraceptives. So much for choice!

Concerns about the protection of religious liberty and conscience rights are not limited to the HHS mandates. In Boston, San Francisco, the state of Illinois and the District of Columbia, Catholic Charities is no longer able to provide adoption and foster care services, because of its refusal to place children into the custody of same-sex couples. States have passed laws that threaten to prosecute churches for providing charity and pastoral care to undocumented immigrants. Catholic agencies are no longer able to receive federal grants to provide care for victims of human trafficking, because of their refusal to provide or refer for contraception or abortion.

The Fortnight for Free-

By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

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Johnson County Serra Club Mass and dinner — Holy Spirit, Overland Park June 19 Donnelly College board social

June 20 Midday prayer, luncheon and priests’ meeting Catholic Education Foundation board meeting

archbishop

keleher June 16 Mass — Bally Shannon, Ireland June 20 Family Mass — Mayo County, Ireland

dom begins on June 21 and concludes on July 4. I urge all of you to take advantage of this opportunity to educate yourself about the threats to conscience rights and religious liberty in our own nation. I also ask that you pray daily for our country that we will renew our historic commitment as a nation to protect religious freedom and conscience rights.

I invite you to join me for a eucharistic Holy Hour at Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park on Thurs., June 27, at 7 p.m., or St. Matthew Parish in Topeka on Mon., July 1, at 7 p.m., or St. Francis Xavier Parish in Burlington on Tues., July 2, at 7 p.m.

Finally, we will conclude our archdiocesan observance of the fortnight with a 9 a.m.

Mass on Thurs., July 4 at the Church of the Nativity in Leawood. For more information, please visit our archdiocesan website at: archkck. org.

Pray for our nation and pray that we, as American Catholics, will be courageous and faithful in living our Catholic faith in an increasingly challenging environment!

Leaven photo by Fernando Ugarte

The interior of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Seneca received a complete makeover recently. The renovated church was rededicated on June 1

by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.

Polishing ‘one of the gems’

By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

S

ENECA — There was a bit of last-minute bustling around as parishioners prepared for the Mass of dedication for the renovated Sts. Peter and Paul Church here on June 1.

But Father Arul Carasala, pastor for the past two years and standing in the church’s transept, had the look of a man satisfied with a job well done.

“This is a very traditional Catholic community,” he said of his Seneca parishioners, “and the church is very traditional.”

The refurbished white, Gothic altars with gold trim fairly glowed.

The brass tabernacle doors and sanctuary lamp gleamed. The late evening light showed every vivid color of the sparkling, stained-glass windows. Orderly ranks of intricate stenciling marched around the walls and architectural details throughout the church.

From medallions painted high on the walls of the nave, saints and apostles looked down with holy gravitas.

Murals on the front transepts showed their colleagues at critical moments: on the left, St. Peter receiving the keys from Christ; on the right, St. Paul picking himself up off the road to Damascus.

As a whole, the effect was stunning, a jewel box of a church. The remodeled 1886 building harmonized perfectly with the modern narthex (gathering space) built onto the front.

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

Leaven photo by Fernando Ugarte

Archbishop Naumann blesses the new narthex at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Seneca at a June 1 liturgy.

It was Father Carasala’s dream, but not his alone, he explained.

“Basically, the building committee designed the church interior,” he said.

When Father Carasala came to the parish in July 2011, he could see that the church was in need of renovation and modernization. He and the parish building committee formed a three-stage plan to build a 2,400-square-foot narthex at the entrance and to renovate the church.

This project was very much a labor of love — and an effort of the Year of Faith, said Father Carasala.

“It is so important to renew our faith from time to time, especial-

ly when the archdiocese provided this opportunity during the Year of Faith,” he said. “I asked myself, ‘What can we do to deepen our faith?’ So we had a lot of programs to renew our faith.”

These programs strengthened the parish so that it could proceed with the vital and necessary renovations and addition.

“As we first addressed the issue of strengthening the faith of the community,” he continued, “we then addressed the issue of renovating this whole beautiful church. For the people of Seneca, their whole lives >> See “little” on page 11

Editor Reverend Mark Goldasich, stl frmark@theleaven.com

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd@theleaven.com

Reporter Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita@theleaven.com

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

Advertising Coordinator Julie Holthaus julie@theleaven.com

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Last year over 4,000 Catholics crowded the south side of the state Capitol in tripledigit heat for the first Fortnight for Freedom.

This year’s Fortnight for Freedom, June 21 to July 4, will be a lot closer — and cooler. And there will be ice cream.

The Fortnight for Freedom is a united effort by Catholics across the nation to pray, educate and take action in defense of religious liberty. Of particular concern is the U.S. Health and Human Services contraception mandate, part of the Affordable Care Act. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann will kick off the fortnight with an audio homily to be played at all Masses the weekend of June 22 and 23. He will also be the main celebrant at a Mass at 9 a.m. on July 4 at the Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood.

In order to give nearly everyone in the archdiocese an opportunity to participate in this year’s Fortnight for Freedom, there will be four events at four different places. Three of those will be Holy Hours: • Holy Hour for religious liberty, 7 to 8 p.m. on June 27, with Archbishop Naumann at Holy Spirit Parish, 103rd and Flint St., Overland Park. An ice cream social will follow the devotion.

• Holy Hour for religious liberty, 7 to 8 p.m. on July 1, with Archbishop Naumann at St. Matthew Parish, 2700 S.E. Virginia Ave., Topeka. An ice cream social will follow the devotion.

• Holy Hour for religious liberty, 7 to 8 p.m. on July 2, with Archbishop Naumann at St. Francis Xavier, 214 Juniatta, Burlington. An ice cream social will follow the devotion.

The fourth event for the fortnight will be highly mobile — and a little loud.

There will be a motorcycle “Ride for Life and Blessing of the Bikes” at 11 a.m. on June 22 at Corpus Christi Parish, 6001 Bob Billings Pkwy., Lawrence.

The plan is for the motorcyclists to gather at parishes and then be led by volunteer road captains to Corpus Christi Parish. The blessing will be followed by a hot dog and hamburger lunch.

Participants must print out and complete an agreement form, which will be given to the road captain, along with copies of the driver’s license and insurance card of each rider. To register and get a form, go to the website at: www.archkck.org/ride.

Volunteer road captains are needed.

Passengers under age 18 must wear a helmet, and it is recommended that all drivers and passengers wear helmets. Proceeds generated by the ride will benefit the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic.

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

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4 local news

theleaven.com | june 7, 2013

Gone with the wind

Families find faith in midst of disaster

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

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Waiting and praying When the warnings went out for Centralia and Corning, Monica called her husband Royce, a farmer.

He headed in from his shop.

They sent their kids — 12-year-old Ethan, 11-year-old Corbin, seven-yearold Maveryk, five-year-old Gradey and four-year-old Malayna — to the basement, making sure everybody had shoes.

When a tornado came too close for comfort, Monica abandoned the photography and joined her family downstairs, where they waited for at least 45 minutes.

The noise grew so intense, she thought the worst had to have passed and called a friend. Only then did she learn that the big, slow-moving tornado had not yet even arrived.

“And so we just waited, and prayed and prayed and prayed,” said Monica.

When it hit, the tornado lingered overhead for what felt like two or three minutes.

As their home splintered apart above their heads and grain bins hurtled

Leaven photo by Jessica Langdon

A few interior walls are all that remained standing of the Becker home near Corning after a tornado, reported to be an EF3, struck on May 28. Despite the property losses, the family expressed gratitude that they came out of the basement unharmed and for the help and support of friends.

How to help in Corning An account has been set up to help families affected by the Corning tornado.

Those who would like to contribute may make checks out to “Corning Relief Fund,” and send them to: First National Bank of Corning 6501 Main St. Corning, KS 66417

Help for other tornado victims photo courtesy of Jim McClintock

The tornado that hit the properties of several parishioners of St. Patrick Church in Corning was large and slow-moving, said Monica Becker.

“

“The first thing people said was, ‘Everybody survived.’

Which — when you see this — is really kind of amazing.”

Father John Reynolds, pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Corning

through the air, the family prayed that the basement ceiling and kitchen floor above them would hold.

When the storm passed and they came out from under the blanket, they could see daylight reflecting in the screen of the basement TV. And they knew the walls were gone.

But none of that mattered, said Monica, and quickly reassured her children.

“It’s things. It’s material. It’s replaceable,” she said. “We just hugged. We knew we were going to be fine.”

The storm was scary, admitted Corbin.

He walked with his mom through the house the day after the tornado, looking into his bedroom, which survived more of the storm than much of the house because it was in the basement, right across from Ethan’s.

A quote by Winston Churchill was still visible above the stairs leading to the family’s basement, and the Beckers seemed to have taken the words to heart.

“Attitude,” read the red-stenciled letters, “is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

Royce, a member of the parish council at St. Patrick, embodied that philosophy as he and many volunteers plunged into the cleanup.

“We’re all right,” said Royce. “We’re in good shape. It could be worse. There’s a lot of good people here helping.”

Rush to help Neighbors from Corning and surrounding communities gathered at the hardest-hit homes before the threat of severe weather even faded.

At the Becker house, volunteers

Residents share tears, but also smiles and laughter

>> Continued from page 4

Tornadoes scatter belongings, bond communities ORNING — As winds roared, trees toppled, grain bins crashed, hail pounded and walls ripped apart overhead, seven members of the Becker family added their own voices to the storm.

Huddled in a shower stall in their basement near Corning the afternoon of May 28 with a comforter over their heads, they prayed the rosary.

When the first weather alerts for the community in northern Kansas sounded, the threat was far enough away that Monica Becker took pictures of the first rope she saw coming down from the clouds.

She sent an image to WIBW-TV in Topeka, not yet even imagining that her family’s home stood in the direct path of a forming tornado.

This was the second day in a row severe weather struck northern Kansas communities.

On May 27, an EF2 tornado decimated two businesses and damaged many properties near Marysville.

Then the storms that struck near Corning on May 28, producing EF3 and EF1 tornadoes, affected five families — all parishioners of St. Patrick Parish.

Father John Reynolds, their pastor, visited the families and found that each had a different story to tell.

Even with a background in meteorology and seeing images of tornado damage on TV, he had to see it with his own eyes to fully grasp the power the storms unleashed.

“The first thing people said was, ‘Everybody survived,’” Father Reynolds said. “Which — when you see this — is really kind of amazing.”

Also amazing, but not at all surprising to him, was the way the community came together.

Though they lost property, they were saying prayers of thanksgiving, he said.

local news 5

june 7, 2013 | theleaven.com

Tornado season has taken a toll on many areas this spring.

It’s not too late to help victims of the May 20 tornado in Oklahoma.

Our archdiocese took up a collection to help Oklahoma communities affected by the deadly storms.

Those who would still like to contribute may send checks — marked for Oklahoma Tornado Relief — to their parishes. Or visit the website at: www.catholiccharitiesok.org and click on the “Donate Now” link.

cleared out what they could salvage before impending rain caused further destruction.

Most of the families affected were on the west side of town. Roger and Judy Adams live just down from the Beckers and had significant property damage, but were able to stay in their home.

Charles and Sandra Stallbaumer had damage, and their son Jason and his wife Ann also saw destruction at their property. Ann coordinates religious education at St. Patrick.

Tim and Janet Hiltibrand lost a barn that would have been 100 years old this year on the land that was once the homestead of Tim’s grandparents.

On the other side of Corning, a tor>> See “families” on page 5

nado touched down the same evening, bearing down on the home of the McNally family.

Robert and Trish McNally had taken their kids — 18-year-old Emily, 17-yearold Erin, 15-year-old twins Kaci and Kori, and nine-year-old Ethan — to Gulf Shores, Ala., for a family vacation.

They had time to relax for only a few hours when they started hearing of the storms back home.

The tornado stripped the brick off one side of their house and lifted the roof.

“I had so many people from the community up on that roof putting a temporary roof on,” said Trish, who received updates via cellphone.

“They had to leave my house and take cover again because there was a warning going through,” she said.

After seeing a picture of the volunteers on her roof, she said to her mother Mary Holthaus, “Aren’t we lucky to live in a neighborhood where people care?”

The family cut their vacation short and finally saw the damage in person two days after the tornado.

They were still waiting to learn whether they would be able to return home or if it would be deemed unsafe; until the determination was made, they couldn’t go in.

The American Red Cross provided clothes and shoes to the family to replace theirs, which the insulation had ruined. Family and neighbors contributed more.

By Katie Hyde Special to the Leaven

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Leaven photo by Jessica Langdon

‘God will bring you through it’

Above, Monica Becker, in blue shirt, sorts through belongings at her home. She was eager to comb the house and fields for papers and photographs.

It wasn’t just their helping hands that friends and neighbors offered the families hit. They opened their homes, hearts and wallets as well.

Laurie Kramer, Trish’s sister, went to the grocery store, where the store took care of the bill — even as people in line volunteered their debit cards.

Marsha Grossnickle, president of the Altar Society at St. Patrick, said people weren’t asked to help — they just did.

The Altar Society and city of Corning joined forces to provide a one-stop drop-off for donations at the community center.

Volunteers there prepared hundreds of meals to deliver to the work sites, and the community gathered inside for hot meals at the end of the day.

Right, Marsha Grossnickle, in green, Altar Society president at St. Patrick Parish, reviews volunteer lists for community meals. People didn’t wait to be asked — they just gave.

A family in nearby Wetmore had food left over from a funeral dinner and sent it on to Corning for the families and volunteers.

It’s been heartwarming — but difficult — for the families to be on the receiving end.

“There’s several of us . . . we’d really like to be the ones giving,” said Trish McNally.

Earlier on the day of the tornado, Monica Becker had been collecting clothes for a friend who lives in Moore, Okla., a community devastated by a

deadly tornado earlier in May. Now she had to keep contributed clothing for her own family. It was hard, she said; they were meant for others.

“It’s very emotional,” said Monica, >> See “FOCUS” on page 6

Community comes together after Marysville tornado

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

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ARYSVILLE — Hands have been hard at work near Marysville, picking up debris scattered by a tornado — and folded in prayer for the people affected.

“Neighbors have been coming together to help people across the county,” said Father Jim Shaughnessy, pastor of St. Gregory Parish in Marysville and St. Malachy Parish in Beattie.

A tornado struck rural Marshall County the night of May 27.

The EF2 tornado dealt blows to two businesses — a major John Deere dealership and a truss company — and about two dozen homes sustained damage,

said Bill Schwindamann, emergency management director for Marshall County.

The tornado took off a couple of roofs, blew out windows and damaged a couple dozen outbuildings.

Two horses and two cows were lost.

“We had no injuries and no fatalities, so we were pretty luck on that,” said Schwindamann, a parishioner at St. Gregory. “We got a huge amount of tree damage.”

Father Shaughnessy had heard that both businesses plan to rebuild, and John Deere had a place set up to sell equipment parts to keep farmers supplied with what they need.

There was significant cleanup left to do in some areas, but with the ground

still muddy from the storm, the community decided to wait until it dried so as not to damage residents’ yards and fields in the process.

Members of the Knights of Columbus in Axtell converged on the truss company to help with cleanup there, however, joining many other volunteers in the efforts across the community.

“A lot of these guys worked 16 hours a day,” said Schwindamann.

Father Shaughnessy saw many of his parishioners sharing their heavy equipment — and time — to haul away damaged property.

And he heard many words of thanks.

“In rural areas, they really come to help out each other. They come together immediately,” he said.

ORNING — “You girls look like you know what’s going on,” a woman in a bright blue car told Jessica and me as we walked down a muddy gravel road toward where a tornado had hit the small town of Corning on the afternoon of May 28.

I was a bit confused by her words, as reporter Jessica Langdon and I — clad in skirts and flats — could not have looked more out of place in the rain-soaked, windy, muddy outskirts of the rural farming community.

“We just got here,” Jessica said. “We’re going to interview the family right now.”

The woman quickly pressed $20 into Jessica’s hands.

“Please give this to them,” she said. “I wish it was more.”

Then she quickly drove away.

Though the sky hanging over Corning was dark and heavy with rain, not much looked out of place.

Then we saw the Beckers’ home.

It looked like a war zone. The house was absolutely unrecognizable: Massive sheets of aluminum torn from Royce Becker’s grain bins were now wrapped around the skeleton of what used to be his home.

Shards of glass and broken planks of wood littered the ground. Mammoth farming equipment lay flipped upside down in the yard. Mementos littered the ground, scattered across literally miles of fields.

As we stepped into what used to be the Becker home, remnants of the building were still visible, a melancholy reminder of the normalcy of May 27. Jars of peanut butter and bags of Goldfish sat undisturbed in cabinets whose doors had been ripped off.

Children’s toys and blankets were squished in the mud. A cracked family photo lay gingerly on a smashed banister.

And then, the strangest thing happened.

Amid all of the loss, all of the tragedy that was before us, I heard laughter.

Monica Becker was laughing. And smiling. In the most awful of situations, Monica and the other members of Corning impacted by the devastating tornado found a reason to be happy.

And after speaking with Monica and other members of the Corning community, I think I know why.

They live in one incredible community.

The spirit of solidarity in Corning was tangible in the aftermath of the tornado.

Dozens of friends, family members, even strangers showed up at the Beckers’ house to help.

Farmers from across Corning brought equipment to help clean up. Young girls and boys walked through the muddy ground, picking up photos, toys, anything that could be salvaged from the ruins.

Members of the St. Patrick Parish Altar Society cooked enough food to feed the families and the small army of helpers multiple meals. Grocery store managers told volunteers, “Take anything you want.” Anonymous Good Samaritans like the woman in the blue car donated money, clothing, and food to families they had never met.

Despite the level of destruction, I knew instinctively that the most important thing for the people of Corning — the vibrant spirit of the community, grounded in a deep faith in God — was unshaken.

No tornado could shake this community.

They could survive anything as long as they did it together.

And so it was that a community — with heavy hearts, teary eyes, ready hands, and smiling faces — slowly began to heal.

6 local news

Focus is on family, not things >> Continued from page 5 but added, “If God brings you to it, God will bring you through it.”

God in action In the devastation, people found signs of God’s presence.

Hiltibrand left work at the bank in Corning as the alerts sounded. She picked up her granddaughters from their sitter and hummed to them in the basement of her daughter’s house.

“When I was holding my granddaughters, trying to keep them calm, I think that’s what God did for our community,” she said. “He has his arms around all of us, holding us close to him.”

It’s possible to replace things, but not family, she said.

She was touched to find a statue of Mary standing unharmed right next to a window that had blown out.

“In my twins’ bedroom, there was one crucifix that stayed on the wall,” said Trish McNally. “There was nothing above it. You could see the sky.”

As soon as he heard about the tornadoes, Father Reynolds began praying.

As pastor of St. Patrick in Corning, St. Bede Church in Kelly and St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Onaga, he was home in Onaga when the storms hit.

He waited until he knew it was safe to start calling to check on his parishioners.

He drove to Corning the next morning and helped with the cleanup, wanting to be with his people.

“You’re witnessing what people do here in the country,” he said. “They just kind of chip in and get it done.”

Grossnickle sees God at work in the response.

“It’s amazing that, in these terrible, difficult times, people are giving in loving ways — and are happy to give it,” she said. “They’re selfless at that time, and that’s got to be what God’s like.”

theleaven.com | june 7, 2013

Storm brings out faith, friends and family

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

Singles ministry links adults in social, service, spiritual activities

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

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ORNING — Less than 24 hours after the tornado touched down at Roger and Judy Adams’ home, all that remained of a cluster of 25-year-old pine trees were a couple of rows of stumps.

Yet a few yards away, a stillsmall redbud tree stood remarkably straight, as if determined to keep its fragile grasp on the soil.

They weren’t sure it would survive, but Judy was determined to nurture it.

Her family planted the tree in memory of Roger and Judy’s son Jason, who died in a car accident in July 2009.

He was 28 — a husband, father, brother and member of St. Patrick Parish in Corning.

Roger and Judy are eucharistic ministers at the parish.

Both work in Seneca and weren’t at their home in Corning on the afternoon of May 28 when the weather turned violent.

Roger waited out the storm in the basement of the co-op where he works, and Judy settled into another basement with her 86-year-old mother.

While the sky merely poured rain and hail over Seneca, Judy listened to TV reports about a tornado on the ground west of Corning.

After the storm passed, Monica Becker, their neighbor, talked to Judy.

“She said they were all OK but had lost everything,” said Judy.

So when she and Roger pulled up to their home about 5:30 p.m., they anticipated destruction.

“It’s still such a shock when you come over the hill and see the actual damage,” she said.

The tornado had decimated the large garage that doubled as Roger’s workshop, as well as a building that held a travel trailer and boat.

Windows on their house had blown out.

Roger immediately worried about what happened to their dog Patches, because the outside pen he’d been in when they left that morning was

local news 7

june 7, 2013 | theleaven.com

Leaven photo by Jessica Langdon

Judy and Roger Adams were amazed to see a redbud tree dedicated to their son Jason still standing after the tornado. In the distance are stumps where the storm took out large pine trees.

“

“A part of me feels like we don’t deserve this — we don’t deserve this outpouring of love and support.”

Judy Adams gone, but his fears were quickly allayed.

“We walked in and our dog met us at the door,” said Judy. “I don’t know if he jumped in or was sucked in.”

But he was OK. The storm left a statue of Mary in a reclining position in front of the house and, as Judy returned it to its upright position, she assured Mary that she could rest now; she had protected them through a lot.

Although the tornado doesn’t begin to compare to losing Jason, Judy feels this is the second time in four years that tragedy has touched them.

And through both times, she said, love from their community has enveloped them.

Neighbors have provided everything from food and manpower to prayers and support.

“A part of me feels like we don’t deserve this — we don’t deserve this outpouring of love and support,” said Judy, emotion filling her voice.

A crowd of family and volunteers made quick work of the cleanup at their property and others.

A firefighter found a stone that had been sitting under Jason’s tree.

Inscribed with the words, “In loving memory of Jason,” it was still intact, even after the winds tossed it into a ditch across the road.

The family placed it back under the redbud, along with the angel statue that was still standing.

From their yard, Roger and Judy could see the cleanup progressing at the Becker family’s home and, although they had suffered themselves, their thoughts were with their neighbors.

That’s just the way this tight-knit community in northern Kansas operates.

“We always have heard that God will not send you any more than you can handle, and I’m just hanging onto that,” said Judy. “Our family, our faith and our friends just get us through.”

EAWOOD — Susana Marcos has discovered a treasure in the Kansas City area and can’t think of a single reason not to share it.

She believes many singles would enjoy the opportunities Singles of Nativity has to offer — everything from rich friendships to fun experiences to a dance with a 1980s theme that’s coming up on June 22.

Dances are always a favorite. Marcos and other members hope unmarried Christian men and women in the Kansas City area will bring their single friends to the next one — or any other get-together — to see what SON is all about.

But don’t come expecting to meet Mr. or Mrs. Right, warns the organization’s website. The program is less about matchmaking than about finding people of similar age and beliefs to do things with — whether of a social, service, or spiritual nature.

Nor, despite its name, is SON limited to parishioners of Church of the Nativity or Leawood residents.

While most of its members are Catholic, the organization is open to other Christian members.

Its motto is “connecting unmarried adults in fun, fellowship and faith.”

Marcos, who is president of SON, came to the area from Argentina 10 years ago and soon joined SON. “I’ve made so many friends — hundreds of friends,” she said.

And this year, she has made it her goal to make SON a little bigger and younger, focusing largely on inviting in new members from roughly age 35 to mid-40s.

The idea is to keep the group active and thriving now and in the future.

“We’re friendly and open and we really want to grow with everybody,” said Marcos.

Ken Geier, a member of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park, admits he wasn’t active in many events before a friend encouraged him to join SON on Sundays for tennis.

After many months of encouragement, he gave it a swing.

“That led to some nature walks,” he said.

And because he likes to travel, he organized a white-water rafting trip in Colorado.

“We just flew out there, rented a couple of vans, went hiking,” he said.

And by then he was hooked — and joined SON.

Several members of the Singles of Nativity took part in a white-water rafting trip in Colorado. The group has traveled all over the United States and has a trip to London, Paris and Rome scheduled for this summer. They also hold dances, offer Bible study and host a wide range of social activities.

“I’m just a lot more active, more sociable,” he said.

Although travel is just one of many things SON does, it’s a highlight for Geier.

Trips range from cities in the United States, such as Miami, San Francisco and Boston, to more extensive international travels.

A group is taking off for Europe to visit London, Paris and Rome this summer.

But there’s plenty to do closer to home, too — from Bible studies twice a month to serving twice a year together at a food kitchen.

One of Geier’s favorite sayings is, “Just introduce yourself to three new people.”

Robert Dyer attends Church of the Resurrection in Leawood and found out about SON through Marcos.

“It just kind of grew, like a branching tree system,” he said.

He would participate in one activity, meet people, and find out they were interested in another activity.

“In less than a year’s time, I probably knew 100 people in the group,” he said.

“I’ve enjoyed it immensely.”

He likes the way SON can reach its hand out to many people in the area as a way for them to connect with other sin-

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gle people — and continue to be part of their own parishes.

He, too, would love to see the group branch out even further to include lots of new, younger members.

Sue Zillner, a parishioner at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Leawood, became single after many years of marriage and turned to single friends to help with the transition.

She saw advertisements for SON activities and decided about four years ago to give it a try.

“It seemed they had social functions often, and where best to start but a Catholic-sponsored organization?” she said.

But she knew the first move was up to her. “[I] managed to dig up my courage and went to several functions and made friends and became very involved,” said Zillner. “It was a very positive experience for me.”

So positive, she joined other dedicated volunteers on SON’s board.

Organizers help plan a long list of opportunities — hoping to offer something for everyone. The list includes happy hours, nature walks, bowling, tennis, seasonal activities like Theatre in the Park, concerts, day trips, and much more.

The dances, though, which usually

Get involved Singles of Nativity is open to unmarried adults, and the annual fee is $15.

The next dance takes place from 7-11 p.m. on June 22 at Nativity’s parish hall, and the attire calls for anything ’80s. Tickets are $15 at the door.

Membership forms, a calendar, weekly newsletter and more details are available online at: www. son-ministry.org.

For more information, you may also send an email to: president@ son-ministry.org.

take place about four times a year, are Zillner’s “absolute favorite activity.”

Not only are they fun, they’re a great way to meet new people, she said.

The members of this group become like family, offering prayers and support through difficult times, she said.

They also share a lot of fun times — and they’re always looking to add to the list of activities.

“Somebody dreams up a new idea, and a number of us will get involved,” said Geier. “We go out of our way to try to make people feel welcome.”

>> Continued from page 1 Emeritus James P. Keleher, Abbot James Albers, OSB, of St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, and 65 priests. Msgr. Gary Applegate was master of ceremonies.

The last time four men were ordained at once was in 2011, but they were all members of the Apostles of the Interior Life, a religious order founded in Rome in 2007 by Father Salvatore Scorza, but whose priests will occasionally in the archdiocese. The last time four archdiocesan priests were ordained was in 2004, and before that it was in 2001.

Just the weekend before, four different men were ordained to the transitional diaconate at Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka, which puts them on track to be ordained to the priesthood in a year’s time.

The rite of ordination began after the Gospel reading with the election of the candidates, in which the four men were presented to Archbishop Naumann and the congregation gave its assent with the acclamation “Thanks be to God” and resounding applause.

In his homily, Archbishop Naumann thanked each man’s parents — with special remembrance for Janice Rogers, the late mother of Father Haverland.

“We thank you for giving these men life through your love,” said the archbishop. “We thank you for all that you’ve done to shape and form them into the men they are today.”

The archbishop also expressed gratitude for those who helped the four men discern, study and grow in their vocation: members of religious orders, archdiocesan clergy, and seminary representatives.

Archbishop Naumann talked about the lives and vocational discernment of each man, noting the different paths they took to the one goal of the priesthood. Father Bowers worked in computer engineering, Father Haverland studied nuclear engineering, Father Daniel Schmitz worked in banking and real estate, and Father Quentin Schmitz worked in agriculture.

“Very different and unique paths, but God in his own way led each of you to this moment, to this altar at St. Matthew Church in Topeka,” he said.

“You come into this church already as ordained ministers — deacons of the church,” he continued. “But you will leave St. Matthew’s this morning changed in very significant ways. The same Spirit that Jesus breathed on the apostles in the passage we heard from the Gospel of John will be breathed on you through the instrument of his church.”

After the homily was the promise of the elect, for which the four men knelt before the archbishop and pledged obedience to him and his successors. Next, they lay prostrate before the altar for the Litany of the Saints.

After this, each in turn knelt before Archbishop Naumann for ordination to the priesthood by the apostolic tradition of the laying on of hands.

After the prayer of ordination, each man was invested with stole and chasuble. Father Quentin Schmitz was vested by Father Mitchel Zimmerman, archdiocesan vocations director; Father Nathan Haverland was vested by his uncle, Father Jerry Rogers, from the Diocese of Crookston, Minn.; Father Daniel Schmitz was vested by Father Chris Rossman, pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Holton; and Father Larry Bowers was vested by Father Gale Hammerschmidt from the Diocese of Salina.

Finally, each man knelt before the archbishop to have his hands anointed with the oil of chrism. They were wel-

Father Lawrence Bowers distributes Communion for the first time as a priest during his ordination ceremony at St. Matthew Church in Topeka.

Priests of the archdiocese express the unity of the presbyterate by imposing their hands on the four newly ordained priests May 25 at St. Matthew Church in Topeka. Father Quentin Schmitz, Father Daniel Schmitz, Father Nathan Haverland and Father Lawrence Bowers will begin their first priestly assignments on July 5.

The four lay prostrate before the altar for the Litany of the Saints.

Left, Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann performs the laying on of hands on Father Daniel Schmitz following Father Schmitz’s pledge of obedience.

In his homily, Archbishop Naumann discusses the diverse paths the new priests took their respective priesthoods. comed into the order of the presbyterate by archdiocesan and visiting priests, and then joined the archbishop and their brother priests at the altar to concelebrate the Mass for the first time.

Archbishop Naumann recognized and thanked seminary and religious order representatives: Msgr. Ed Griesedieck and Father James Swift, members of the faculty at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis; Msgr. Michael Glenn, rector of St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver; and Father Chris Popravak, provincial of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of Mid-America.

The archbishop also thanked archdiocesan clergy who guided the four men

in their entry into seminary, including Father Brian Schieber, vicar general and pastor of Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish; Msgr. Michael Mullen, co-director of seminarians and pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Kansas City, Kan.; and Father Mitchel Zimmerman, the soon-to-be pastor of Christ the King Parish in Topeka.

Before the dismissal, Archbishop Naumann received the newly ordained priests’ first blessing, followed by Archbishop Emeritus Keleher and Abbot James.

Following the Mass there was a reception in the parish hall.

Following their ordination ceremony, Father Daniel Schmitz, Father Lawrence Bowers, Father Nathan Haverland and Father Quentin Schmitz exchange hugs as the priests of the archdiocese applaud in the background.

First assignments • Father Daniel Schmitz will be parochial vicar of Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe and chaplain of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park.

• Father Quentin Schmitz will be parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee and assistant chaplain of St. James Academy in Lenexa.

• Father Nathan Haverland will be parochial vicar of Church of the Ascension in Overland Park.

• Father Larry Bowers will be parochial vicar of Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood and chaplain of Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park.

At left, Father Quentin Schmitz is vested with a stole and chasuble by Father Mitchel Zimmerman, archdiocesan vocation director.

Photos by Susan McSpadden

10 local news

theleaven.com | june 7, 2013

DECREE

T

Joining four parishes to form a new parish

he church in and around Atchison has a long and rich history. As early as 1857, the Benedictine monks established a presence in northeast Kansas and Father Augustine Wirth, OSB, established St. Patrick Parish. The first Catholic churches began to be built in 1859. Over the years several parishes were erected in or near the city of Atchison. The faith flourished and the ministry of the Benedictine monks and Sisters bore abundant fruit, and their ministry continues to serve the people of Atchison and all the people of God in northeast Kansas to this day.

Over the years, the demographics have shifted and that, coupled with a diminishing number of priests available to serve local parishes, has necessitated parish communities to strategically plan how to best use limited resources while striving to maintain vitality so as to serve the faithful and proclaim the Gospel. In October 2008 the Atchison Pastoral Region of the archdiocese began a pastoral planning process to identify the current challenges facing the church in that region.

The task force worked to identify anticipated needs for the near future and devise methodologies for successfully pursuing the mission of the church.

The Atchison Pastoral Region Planning Task Force, comprised of representatives and clergy from each of the parishes in the pastoral region, found that it was feasible that four of the parishes in or near the city of Atchison could be merged into one parish. The task force recommended that a committee consisting of members of each of the involved parishes be established to determine how to proceed with the merger. Such a committee was established and met with the pastors of the parishes and representatives from the archdiocesan curia.

Therefore, after reviewing the recommendations of the Atchison Pastoral Region Planning Task Force, hearing the recommendations of the committee representing the parishioners of the involved parishes, and, after

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Attachment A

Territorial Boundary of Saint Benedict Parish, Atchison (unified 2013) Starting at the intersection of 274th Road and Kiowa Road, southwest of the City of Atchison, proceeding east on 274th Road 3 miles to Neosho Road; then North on Neosho Road 2 miles to a point consistent with 290th Road, then East along a line, 1.5 miles, to a point consistent with the continuation of Osborne Road, then North 1 mile to the intersection of Osborne Rd. and Ottawa Rd., then straight East along a line consistent with 298th Road for 2.5 miles to a point consistent with the north extension of Rawlins Road., then North 2.5 miles along a line consistent with Rawlins Rd. to 318th Road, then East on 318th Road, 1.5 miles, to Sedgwick Road, then South 1 mile to a point consistent with the extension of 310th Road, then East along a line consistent with 310th Road to the Missouri river; Following the river bank south to a point directly north of the intersection of River Road and 229th Road (approximately 10 miles southeast of the City of Atchison), then following a line straight south 2 miles to the level of 206th Road, which is the Atchison-Leavenworth County line; then West 6 miles along the County line to a point consistent with the continuation of Rooks Road, then 1 mile North to a point consistent with 214th Road, then straight West 7 miles to Lincoln Road, then 3 miles North to 238th Road, then West 1 mile to Kiowa Road, then North 4.5 miles to 274th Road (Where the territory boundary began).

hearing the Presbyteral Council, in accord with the prescripts of Canon 515, §2 of the Code of Canon Law (CIC), I hereby decree the following: • The territorial parishes of St. Benedict’s, St. Joseph and Sacred Heart, all in the city of Atchison, and St. Patrick in Atchison County, each possessing public juridic personality by the law itself (cf. Canon 515, §3), are to be altered and merged so as to become one new territorial parish in accord with the prescripts of Canon 121.

• In accord with the above referenced canon, the new public juridic person (parish) erected by this decree obtains the goods and patrimonial rights proper to the prior ones and assumes the obligations with which they were burdened. With regard to the allocation of goods in particular and to the fulfillment of obligations, however, the intention of the founders and do-

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nors as well as acquired rights must be respected.

• The new parish, located in Atchison County and the city of Atchison, shall be named Saint Benedict Parish, a name favored by the lay leadership of the four parishes being merged. It may be colloquially referred to as St. Benedict Parish.

• The existing churches of St. Benedict’s, St. Joseph, Sacred Heart and St. Patrick shall retain the names by which they were dedicated and shall serve as worship sites (parish churches) in the newly formed parish, with St. Benedict’s Church serving as the principal parish church.

• The newly formed parish shall have the territorial boundaries of the four merged parishes as defined in Attachment A of this decree.

• Sacramental registers from the four merged parishes are to be main-

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tained at the designated site for the parish office of the newly erected parish, which may be located at the site of the principal parish church or at some other location within the territory of the parish.

• One pastor, appointed by the archbishop, shall serve the newly formed parish. Other priests may be assigned as necessary to assist the pastor in serving the pastoral needs of the parish. Appointment of a priest from a religious community shall be made in accord with the prescripts of Canon 682.

• The existing inter-parochial school commonly called Atchison Catholic Elementary School (ACES) shall become a parochial school attached to the newly formed parish and shall be named St. Benedict Catholic School.

• The effective date of this decree shall be July 5, 2013.

With gratitude to Almighty God, and recourse to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, while invoking the prayerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, St. Joseph, St. Patrick, St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, I pray that the newly formed parish of Saint Benedict be a community of strong faith, devout worship, dedicated service and loving proclamation of the Gospel in Atchison and beyond.

Given on the twenty-ninth day of May in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Thirteen, at the chancery in Kansas City, Kansas.

Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas

Reverend John A. Riley Chancellor

local news 11

june 7, 2013 | theleaven.com

Little nips, tucks leave church glowing >> Continued from page 3 revolve around this church.”

Proof of that was the very generous response of the people of the parish, who provided funds and some labor.

The church renovation included new ceramic floor tile and carpet, new Sheetrock for the sacristy, a new altar and ambo, a lighting and electrical upgrade, new pews, renovation of the choir loft, and new murals, among other things.

Outside, the building and property received new sidewalks, landscaping and lawn irrigation system, exterior lights, a wheelchair ramp, and repair of the foundation and bell tower.

Work remaining to be done includes repair of the stained-glass windows, a new furnace, and exterior repair to the sacristy at the back of the church.

The general contractor was AHRS Construction, Inc., of Bern, and the architect of the narthex was David Emig and Associates of Emporia.

The total cost of the renovation and narthex construction was a little over $2 million.

A picnic-style reception was held outside following the Mass of dedication.

By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

New altar, ambo part of renovation

W

henever a church is renovated and replaces its altar, normally a relic must be placed within that altar.

The altar itself is then anointed with sacred chrism.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, main celebrant and homilist, also had that honor at the Mass of dedication of the renovated Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Seneca June 1.

In his homily, the archbishop said that the renovation and addition was a wonderful testimony to the excellent leadership of Father Carasala and to the faith of the parish.

“This church has always been such a beautiful place of worship, but I think what you’ve done now is to enhance what has always been here, to make this truly one of the gems of the archdiocese,” he said.

The new narthex is a place where people can enjoy fellowship in “warmth and welcome, where life and love is shared,” he said. It is a place where members of the community can welcome guests, share burdens, and to celebrate each other’s joys and accomplishments.

“We are very grateful for this large and gracious gathering space that is a great enhancement and enrichment to this church,” he said.

It’s important also, because by providing a social space, parishioners reserve the church as a sacred place for prayer, said the archbishop.

“One of the hallmarks of our Catho-

Leaven photo by Fernando Ugarte

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann anoints the altar at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Seneca with sacred chrism. lic churches has been, historically, that they are places of quiet, where before and after Mass we can enter into prayer and commune and converse with the living God,” he said.

Joining the archbishop as concelebrants were Bishop Prasad Gallela, from the Diocese of Cuddapah in India, who sent Father Carasala to Kansas; Father Carasala; Abbot James Albers, OSB, from St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison; retired Abbot Ralph Koehler, OSB, a native of the parish; Father Lazar Carasala, from the Diocese of Cuddapah, now at St. Joseph Parish in Nortonville; Father Mathew Francis, from the Diocese

of Cuddapah, now at St. Lawrence in Easton; Father Greg Hammes, a native of the parish, now pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Sabetha; former pastor Father Michael Koller, now pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa; Father John Reynolds, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Onaga; Father Jim Shaughnessy, pastor of St. Gregory Parish in Marysville; Father Quentin Schmitz, associate pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Shawnee; Father Daniel Schmitz, associate pastor at Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe; and Father Pat Sullivan, pastor of Annunciation Parish in Frankfort. Msgr. Gary Applegate was master of ceremonies.

12 classifieds Employment Director of religious education - Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, is seeking a director of religious education.

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Administrative assistant - St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood is seeking an administrative assistant for the religious education office. This position is a 15 - 20 hour per week position and requires a flexible work schedule (some evenings and weekends). The ideal candidate will be proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel and Publisher, have the ability to multitask, have good communication and organizational skills, and work well with volunteers. Send letter of interest and resume by email to Denise Ogilvie at: denise. ogilvie@stmichaelcp.org.

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Youth minister - St. Michael the Archangel, a parish of 2100 families in Leawood, is seeking a full-time youth minister to work with the current youth minister. This position is responsible for organizing and implementing a comprehensive youth program in cooperation with the catechetical staff of our parish. The ideal candidate will be able to lead and guide middle school and high school students to grow in the knowledge of the Catholic faith, in the practice of that faith in light of the principles of Christian morality and social justice, in the celebration of the sacraments, and in the development of their spiritual lives. The youth minister must be a practicing Catholic who lives the Gospel in all aspects of his or her life and be a model of Christian living for the young people of our parish. Additionally, this position requires knowledge of our faith and the ability to teach and share credibly the gift of faith. Preferred skills include a fluent knowledge of Microsoft Office and Photoshop as well as musical and technological abilities. This position requires evening and weekend hours. For more information or to submit a resume, contact Denise Ogilvie at (913) 402-3949 or send an email to: denise.ogilvie@stmichaelcp.org.

Director of liturgy and music - St. Matthew Apostle Church, 8001 Longview Rd., Kansas City, Mo., 64134. The DLM is responsible for facilitating the worship life of the parish community. This person develops and is responsible for an all-inclusive liturgical ministry and serves as a cohesive force among the various liturgical ministries.

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theleaven.com | June 7, 2013 Math teacher - Bishop Miege High School has an opening for the 2013 - 14 school year for a licensed math teacher to teach 2 - 4 units of math. Send an email with a letter of interest and resume to Mariann Jaksa at: mjaksa@bishopmiege.com.

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7913 Santa Fe Dr., Overland Park. (913) 649-2704 or (913) 492-8877. Full service long arm quilting shop!

Brick mason - Available year-round; installation and repair of all types of masonry work — brick, stone, tile and flat work. 19 years of residential/commercial experience.

Free quote – KC metro area – small and large jobs accepted. Call (913) 485-4307. Yes, we renovate kitchen/ bathroom cabinets and install new floor tile.

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).

Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided.

Call (913) 940-2959.

Rodman Lawn Care - Mowing, leaf removal, mulch and more. Call John Rodman, member of Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, at (913) 548-3002 or send an email to him at: Rodman.Lawn@yahoo.com.

Heating and cooling repair and replacement.

Call Joe with JB Design and Service. Licensed and insured with 20 years experience. Member of Divine Mercy Parish. Call Joe at (913) 915-6887.

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

Free consultation and bid. Safe, insured, professional.

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

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) 829-4336.

Electrician - Free estimates; reasonable rates. JoCo and south KC metro. Call Pat at (913) 963-9896.

CLUTTER GETTING YOU DOWN? Organize, fix, assemble, install! “Kevin Of All Trades” your professional organizer and “HONEY-DO-LIST” specialist. Call today for a free consultation at (913) 271-5055. Insured. References.

Visit our website at: www.KOATINDUSTRIES.com.

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

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. Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover.

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

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.bankruptcylawin kansascity.com.

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

Landscape and irrigation design, installation and maintenance.

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

Visit the website at: www.goaguafina.com Call (913) 530-7260 or (913) 530-5661

Home Improvement 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. Serving the Leaven parishioners for 12 years. Call Joshua Doherty at (913)-709-7230.

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

Wood rot and house painting - 25 years experience painting houses and working with wood rot and window repairs. I honestly believe you cannot find a better job out there. Up to 15-year warranty on your paint job!

No job too big or small, and I will be on your job working every day — no subcontracting out work to someone else. Fully insured and plenty of references. Call me today! Mike at (913) 991-3955.

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 Service - Reducing Clutter - Enjoy an Organized Home! Basement, garage, attic, shop, storage rooms - any room organized! Belongings sorted, boxed and labeled, items hauled or taken for recycling, trash bagged. For before and after photos, visit: www. swalmsorganizing.com. Over 20 years of organizing experience; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115.

STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 491-5837 or (913) 5791835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.

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

Adept Home Improvements Where quality still counts!

Basement finishing, Kitchens and baths, Electrical and plumbing, Licensed and insured. (913) 599-7998

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

Call Lupe at (816) 252-3376

Caregiving Caregiver/companion work wanted - Mature woman with nursing background. Excellent references, background check, salary negotiable, will relocate. Prefer live-in. Call (913) 579-5276.

Would you like to keep your senior loved one in the comfort of their home? Experienced seasoned CNA provides quality care in the comfort of your home. Livein optional. References/reasonable. Call (913) 215-1898.

Palliative care - Retired nurse, massage therapist, will give palliative care to meet the physical needs and tender loving care for your loved one. $25 per hour. References. 12-hour shift available. Call (913) 384-2119.

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

Have a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease? Inquire about our fresh, unique approach to care. ComfortCare Homes, a local, family-owned care option, opened its first home in 2005. We have now grown to four homes located in Overland Park and Leawood. All of our homes are located minutes from highways I-35 or I-435, allowing easy access from anywhere in the Kansas City metropolitan area including Lee’s Summit, Shawnee, Liberty and Olathe. To learn more or take a tour, call Courtney Minter at (913) 609-1891 or visit the website at: www.

ComfortCareKC.com.

Caregiving - Personal caregiver with 15+ years experience with excellent references. I am CPR-certified in infant, child and adult. Light housekeeping, meal preparation, medications, bathing, feeding tube, transferring, Foley catheter, trach, Hoyer Lift, vital signs, laundry, companionship. Call (816) 786-1794; ask for Ruth Ann. Looking for high quality home care? - Whether you’re looking to introduce care for your family or simply looking to improve your current home care quality, we can help. Our unique approach to home care has earned us a 99% client satisfaction rating among the 1,000-plus families we have assisted. We are family-owned, with offices in Lenexa and Lawrence. Call Benefits of Home Senior Care, Lenexa: (913) 422-1591 or Lawrence: (785) 727-1816 or www.benefitsofhome.com.

for sale Residential lifts - Buy/sell/trade. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. Recycled and new equipment.

Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood.

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

For sale - Prime crypt space for four persons in the beautiful Central Chapel Mausoleum at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd and Quivira, Lenexa. Price negotiable.

Call (816) 665-8408 for information.

For rent For rent - 2 BR, 4-plex apartment. $625 per month. Private patio, new carpets, paint and mini blinds, ample parking. Electric is the only utility. Shawnee Mission.

Contact Ken at (913) 484-6942.

For rent - Small, private, very modern office with restroom, lots of light, HVAC. Close to Shawnee Mission High School on 61st St. $300 per month. Utilities included. Call Ken at (913) 484-6942.

Real estate

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

For sale - Beautiful family home in Leawood. Classic white colonial. 4+ BR, 4-1/2 BA. Open plan, finished walkout basement, deck, patio, treed, fenced yard. Walk to Nativity; neighborhood pool; incredible value: $439,950.

Open Sunday. 12500 Alhambra, Leawood. Welcome Home Realty. Contact Rosemary at (913) 661-9744.

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

For sale by owner - Overland Park, Nottingham by the Green. All brick, 1-1/2 story, 5 BR, 5- 1/2 BA. Master and guest suites on main floor, large finished basement. Visit the website at: www.13307w129thstreet.blogspot.com.

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.

Perfect Roof - Free estimates; roofing repairs if needed.

Hail and wind damage inspections. Insured and reasonable. Call (816) 288-1693.

vacation Sanibel Island condo - 2 BR, 2 BA, completely furnished, newly remodeled. Enjoy the pristine beaches and warm Gulf waters. For more information, call (913) 888-3032 or send an email to: jdpanjada@everestkc.net.

Classifieds continue on the next page >>

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june 7, 2013 | theleaven.com << continue from previous page Branson getaway - Walk-in condo on Pointe Royale Golf Course. Sleeps 6. Close to lakes and entertainment. Furnished, pool, hot tub and tennis courts.

Nightly and weekly rates. Discounts available. Call (913) 515-3044.

Colorado vacation - Winter Park, 2BR, 1 BA, furnished. Mountain biking, golf, hiking, and fishing. $125 per night or $700 per week. Call (816) 392-0686.

Travel to Tuscany, Italy; 9 days, Nov. 5 - 14 – See Florence, Assisi, Rome, Montacatini and much more.

Travel from KCI, all inclusive, $2,999. For complete information and travel itinerary, call the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce at (785) 762-2632.

Mountain cabin in Winter Park, Colo. - 2 BR, 1 BA, fully furnished; sleeps four. View of Continental Divide from deck. Close to points of interest and activities. $95/night. Call (913) 642-3027. For pictures, visit the website at: www.tillmancabin.com.

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 our 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 for more information and to fill out the work order forms at: https://www.archkck.org/ministries--offices/ecatyouth/ecat-youth---catho lic--heart-work--camp. 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 Wanted - Old drugstore soda fountain. Apothecary and candy jars, signs, slot machines, Coca-Cola.

Spool, thread, dye. Nut and bolt cabinets. Advertising clocks, small antique display case and store displays.

Hunting and fishing old duck decoys and fishing lures.

Autographed baseballs.

Call (913) 593-7507 or (913) 642-8269.

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

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. *** Wanted to buy *** Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, prints, sterling, etc.

Renee Maderak (913) 631-7179 St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.

Buying a classified ad Cost to advertise is: $17.50 for five lines or less $1.50 each additional line Email: julie@theleaven.com Phone: (913) 647-0327

Call Toll Free 888-246-1504

June Mother Teresa Church, 2014 N.W. 46th St., Topeka, will open its farmers’ market for the season on June 8, and continue every Saturday from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. in the Don Akin Memorial outdoor pavilion. Extra produce donations are welcomed. All proceeds are donated to the Topeka Rescue Mission to help those in need.

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St. Malachy Church, Beattie, will hold its parish picnic on June 9.

A beef brisket and pork dinner will be served from 5 - 7:30 p.m.

The cost to attend is $8 for adults; $4 for children under the age of 12. The picnic will also include bingo, games, quilts, a country store and a raffle. The auction will begin at 8 p.m.

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The St. John the Divine reunion committee will be holding a taco dinner fundraiser from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on June 9 at Sacred Heart Church, 34th and Shawnee, Kansas City, Kan. The cost to attend is a $5 donation per plate.

Sacred Heart Parish, Paxico, will hold its buffet style chicken dinner from noon 5 p.m. on June 9 at the parish hall, a mile north of Paxico. The cost to attend is: $7 for adults; $3.50 for children ages 4 - 12; and free for children under the age of 3.

Mass is at 10:30 a.m. Bingo, games, silent auction, and raffle begin at 12:30 p.m.

St. James Church, Wetmore, will host its picnic and auction on June 9. A roast beef and ham dinner will be served family style beginning at 4:30 p.m. The cost to attend is: $8 for adults; $5 for children ages 4 10; and free for children under the age of 3.

The auction will begin at 8 p.m.

Church of the Ascension, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park, will host a garage sale. Hours are: June 12, 3 - 7 p.m.; June 13, 8 a.m.

- 4 p.m.; June 14, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.; and June 15, 8 a.m. - noon. Proceeds benefit many Social Concerns outreach activities.

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Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas will present an estate planning seminar at 9 a.m. on June 12 at Holy Trinity Church, Lenexa. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call (913) 647-0365.

St. Pius X Church, 5500 Woodson, Mission, will host burgers, brats and bingo on June 14 starting at 6 p.m. Bingo begins at 7 p.m. The cost is $10 per card for all 15 regular games or $1 individual games; plus $2 for additional special games. You can also catch the Kansas City Royals on the big screen. It will be a fun, relaxing Friday evening for everyone. Invite friends and plan to attend.

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Sanctuary of Hope will host its 14th annual “Run the Good Race” 5K race/walk and pancake breakfast on June 15. The

race will start on the Sanctuary of Hope grounds at 2601 Ridge Ave., Kansas City, Kan., at 7 a.m. Registration is $25 until June 13. For more information, visit the website at: www.sanctuaryofhope.org or call (913) 321-4673.

Father Tony Lickteig will celebrate the archdiocesan monthly 8 a.m. pro-life Mass on June 15 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 memorial liturgy for deceased loved ones will be held on June 15 at 8 a.m. at Curé of Ars Parish, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. Following the Mass, the bereavement ministry will hold a support meeting in the Father Burak Room. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

The 12-week program, “Light Weigh Bible-Study WeightLoss,” will begin on June 17 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 14201 Nall Ave., Leawood. The faith of Catholic saints reveals how to detach from food while growing spiritually. Preview LightWeigh at 7 p.m. on June 10. Enter Father Porter Hall from the east parking lot. Visit the website at: www.lightweigh.com; contact Christi White at (913) 322-6097; or send an email to: christiwhite@christiwhite.com.

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The Johnson County Serra Club will hold its annual Mass and barbecue on June 18. This event is held to show appreciation to archdiocesan priests and seminarians. The Mass will be celebrated at 6 p.m. by Archbishop Naumann at Holy Spirit Church, 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park, followed by a barbecue in the church hall. Reservations can be made by calling George or Maggie Lents at (913) 492-3239.

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A Mass with prayers for healing, sponsored by archdiocesan charismatic prayer groups, will be at 7:30 p.m. on June 20 in the Father Burak Room at Curé of Ars Parish, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. Father Anthony Kiplagat will preside. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

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The Prince of Peace monthly bereavement support group meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on June 20 in the faculty lounge of Prince of Peace Parish, 16000 W. 143rd St., Olathe. Father Bill Bruning will speak on the topic “We Have A Father Who Knows and Understands.”

The 150th anniversary jubilee of the founding of St. Joseph of the Valley Parish, 31151 207th St., Leavenworth, will be held at 9 a.m.

Mass on July 21. A reception will be held from 10 a.m. - noon at the church hall. All are welcome. For more information, call (913) 682-4904.

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The next Beginning Experience weekend, serving the widowed, separated or divorced, will be held from June 21 - 23 at the Precious Blood Center, Liberty, Mo. Registration is required prior to June 16.

For more information, visit the website at: www.beginningexperience.org; send an email to: beweekendKC@hotmail.com; or contact Kim at (816) 739-4733, or Jerry at (785) 843-2079.

Singles of Nativity will host an ’80s retro summer dance on June 22 from 7 - 11 p.m. at the Church of the Nativity Hall, 3800 W. 119th. St., Leawood. The cost to attend is $15. For more information, send an email to: kcsilpadagirl@gmail.com.

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Sacred Heart Parish, 1100 West St., Tonganoxie, will host summer bingo on June 22. A taco bar and pizza will be served beginning at 5:45 p.m. Bingo starts at 6:30 p.m. Play one card all evening for $10, or purchase individual cards.

St. Mary Parish, St. Benedict, will host its annual picnic on June 23 on the church grounds. Buffetstyle chicken and ham supper will be served beginning at 5 p.m. To-go meals and concessions will be available. There will be all-new games and activities for children of all ages. The auction is at 9 p.m.

All are welcome. Quilts may be viewed on the website at: www.stmstb.org.

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Holy Family Altar Society’s annual golf tournament will be held on June 24 at Sunflower Hills Golf Course, 12200 Riverview Rd., Bonner Springs. The shotgun start begins at 1 p.m. The cost is a $65 entry fee per person, which includes green fee, or a $50 hole sponsor fee. Make checks payable to: Holy Family Altar Society, and send entry with name of players to Holy Family Church, 274 Orchard St., Kansas City, KS 66101.

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The CRAA (Contemporart Religious Artists Association) will present a workshop in neomedieval illumination with Lawrence artist Tony Silvestri on June 26 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and on June 30 from 1 - 5 p.m. The workshop will be held at Savior Pastoral Center, St. Mark’s Room. The cost to attend is $150, or $125 for CRAA members. For more information, visit the website at: www.contemporartreligious artists.org; contact Silvestri at (785) 9170773; or send an email to: anthonysilvestri @mac.com.

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The 19th annual golf classic to benefit the Sisters, Servants of Mary will be held on June 28 at Dub’s Dread Golf Course, 126th and Hollingsworth Rd., Kansas City, Kan. Proceeds will go toward renovating the Sisters’ convent. Registration and lunch will be held from 11 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. The four-person scramble will be at 1 p.m. For more information, visit the website at: www.servingfromtheheart.com or contact George Gallup at (913) 342-5018.

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14 commentary

theleaven.com | june 7, 2013

mark my words

The help came stormin’ in

Scripture Readings tenth week of ordinary time June 9 tenth sunday in ordinary time 1 Kgs 17: 17-24 Ps 30: 2, 4-6, 11-13 Gal 1: 11-19 Lk 7: 11-17 June 10 Monday 2 Cor 1: 1-7 Ps 34: 2-9 Mt 5: 1-12 June 11 Barnabas, apostle Acts 11: 21b-26; 13: 1-3 Ps 98: 1-6 Mt 5: 13-16 June 12 Wednesday 2 Cor 3: 4-11 Ps 99: 5-9 Mt 5: 17-19 June 13 Anthony of Padua, priest, doctor of the church 2 Cor 3:15 – 4:1, 3-6 Ps 85: 9ab-14 Mt 5: 20-26 June 14 Friday 2 Cor 4: 7-15 Ps 116: 10-11, 15-18 Mt 5: 27-32 June 15 Saturday 2 Cor 5: 14-21 Ps 103: 1-4, 8-9, 11-12 Mt 5: 33-37 eleventh week of ordinary time June 16 ELEVENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME 2 Sm 12: 7-10, 13 Ps 32: 1-2, 5, 7, 11 Gal 2: 16, 19-21 Lk 7:36 – 8:3 June 17 Monday 2 Cor 6: 1-10 Ps 98: 1-4 Mt 5: 38-42 June 18 Tuesday 2 Cor 8: 1-9 Ps 146: 2, 5-9a Mt 5: 43-48 June 19 Romuald, abbot 2 Cor 9: 6-11 Ps 112: 1-4, 9 Mt 6: 1-6, 16-18 June 20 Thursday 2 Cor 11: 1-11 Ps 111: 1-4, 7-8 Mt 6: 7-15 June 21 Aloysius Gonzaga, religious 2 Cor 11: 18, 21-40 Ps 34: 2-7 Mt 6: 19-23 June 22 Paulinus of Nola, bishop; John Fisher, bishop, and Thomas More, martyrs 2 Cor 12: 1-10 Ps 34: 8-13 Mt 6: 24-34

O

ne summer evening, a violent thunderstorm erupted. A mother tucked her small boy into bed with reassurances that all would be OK. She was about to turn off the light in the room when the little guy, with fear in his voice, said, “Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?”

The mom smiled and gave the boy a comforting hug.

“I can’t, sweetheart,” she replied. “I have to sleep with your daddy.”

As she left the room, Mom heard her sweet child mutter, “The big sissy.”

That’s a funny joke, but the storms that we’ve witnessed here in the Heartland over the past couple of weeks are no laughing matter. The loss of life, especially of the children, is heartbreaking.

The destruction of homes and businesses in a matter of minutes is almost impossible to imagine.

Even here in the archdiocese, two communities — Marysville and Corning — were hit by tornadoes.

Thankfully, there were no fatalities, but the destruction of property was significant.

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

But that’s not the only part of the story. Despite the devastation, there was laughter, hope and help.

Please take time to read the moving stories on pages 4-6 of this issue about how we in the nation’s breadbasket deal with nature’s fury.

We respond with a fury all our own: an outpouring of help in every way imaginable.

I teared up a couple of times in reading these stories.

There’s the scene of the local grocery store telling victims of the tornado to take what was needed, without cost.

Or the people waiting in line at that same store, offering their debit cards to offset any expenses of the affected families. The parish Altar Society

made sure that there was plenty of nourishing food for both victims and volunteers.

Members of the community rushed to secure the damaged home of neighbors who were on vacation when the twister hit. This is Christian love and service in action. It shows the absolute best that we can be.

In pondering these storms, some random thoughts came to mind: 1. Respect Mother Nature.

Sometimes we get complacent when weather watches or warnings are issued. Be prepared. Be alert. Have a plan in place for getting to safety should the need arise.

2. Follow the good example of Holy Angels in Basehor (see the March 29 issue of The Leaven), which has a storm safety plan, should the parish need to take cover while at Mass.

3. Appreciate the ordinary things in life. Be grateful that you have a lawn to mow (even if it’s a lot more often this year), a house to paint or repair, clothes to launder, or a car to buy gas for or repair.

Many no longer have these “ordinary” things.

4. Look at your “clutter” with new eyes. With people

left with nothing but the clothes on their backs, view your possessions in a different light. Be thankful to have things to organize. Be even more committed to making sure that your excess and unused stuff gets into the hands of those who can most use them.

5. Strive each day to be a helpful person. Don’t wait for a destructive storm to spur you to reach out to people in need. Hold a door open for someone, lift a heavy grocery bag into someone’s trunk, park farther away from the door of a store so someone else can have a closer place, pick up litter from the sidewalk, share your umbrella, volunteer your time.

These rural churches have a lot to teach us about what it means to truly be a community, particularly in times of tragedy. I suspect, though, if you were to tell them how much you marvel at their teamwork and spirit, they’d reply in a practical, no-nonsense manner: Don’t spend your time admiring us.

Just go and do what we do.

Now that’s an attitude that should take the world by storm.

In the beginning

Miracle reveals Yahweh as defender of vulnerable

A

n unexpected recovery from serious illness can make for a great

story.

We have seen that in television shows where ER physicians skillfully rescue patients from the clutches of death. Similarly, we have heard stories how God has worked miracles of healing through the intercession of a candidate for sainthood, thus paving the path to canonization.

But in all these cases, the focus goes on the agent responsible for the healing.

The patient is not emphasized. He or she is only necessary to advance the plot.

Sunday’s first reading, 1 Kgs 17:17-24, presents us with one such dramatic story. The prophet Elijah works a miracle. He has been staying with a widow in Zarephath of Sidon. When her son falls seriously ill, Elijah

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. heals him.

We never learn the names of the widow or her son.

They remain anonymous in the story. However, the force behind the son’s miraculous healing is identified. The widow recognizes Elijah as a man of God. But as a pagan, a non-Jew, she is not familiar with the God of Israel. She does not know the name of God. On the other hand, Elijah, in his prayer of intercession, invokes God by name: “O

Lord, my God.” “Lord” in all upper case, is the convention in English translations of the Old Testament to indicate the proper name of God. Many scholars believe that this Hebrew word was pronounced “Yahweh.”

“Yah” would have been a shortened form of the word.

Incidentally, the prophet’s name, “Elijah,” also means something significant in Hebrew. It is a short sentence which translates as “My God is Yah.” In other words, even the prophet’s personal name declares his belief in the one God of Israel. And Elijah lives up to his name. He is zealous in standing up for the God of Israel and in attacking the false gods of the neighboring peoples.

The miracle that Elijah works vindicates the God of Israel as being more powerful than the false gods.

Yahweh wields power over

THE PRACTICAL CATHOLIC The other day I made a trip to a local bookstore to finally use a gift card I’ve had for a while. I picked up a couple of interesting titles and happily made my way to the cash register, only to discover that said gift card was still safely on my kitchen table. Maybe the reason this card has lasted so long is that I keep forgetting it (or where I put it).

Apparently, I’m not alone. According to the TowerGroup, a research firm, some $41 billion in gift-card value has gone unused since 2005.

Do you have gift cards buried somewhere? Do something with

life and death. But the miracle also presents the God of Israel as compassionate and merciful.

In the absence of a Social Security program or a pension plan, the widow was counting on her son to provide her financial security in her old age. His death would have meant not only tragedy on an emotional level, a deep personal loss.

It also would have meant certain poverty for her in her declining years.

This miracle reveals the God of Israel as a defender of orphans and widows. The Torah would repeatedly instruct the Israelites to care for these most vulnerable members of society. (For example, see Dt 10:18; 16:11; 24:19; 26:12; and 27:19.)

This miracle would show that God was not only commanding compassion from others, but also embracing that responsibility.

them. You can always donate them to a worthy cause or get some of the value back by visiting exchange websites like Cardpool.com or Giftcardgranny.com.

The best solution of all, however, is simply to use them. Summer is a great time to invite a friend out for a treat. My first stop? The Cold Stone Creamery; I’ve got one of their gift cards just burning a hole in my pocket!

— M.G.

local news 15

june 7, 2013 | theleaven.com David and Mary Pat (Gueguen) Miller, members of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, Overland Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at the 4:30 p.m. Mass on June 8 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Mo., followed by dinner with their children. They also plan to attend the 50th wedding anniversary Masses in Kansas and Missouri. Their children and their spouses are: Kathleen and Tracy Lind; John and Karen Miller; and Patrick and Elizabeth Miller. They also have nine grandchildren.

Loretta (Manhart) and Ed Schwerdt, members of Christ the King Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on June 7. The couple was married on June 7, 1948, at Church of the Assumption in Topeka by Father Henry Beier. Their children and their spouses are: Marcia Schwerdt (deceased); Barb Schwerdt; Greg and Laura Schwerdt; Mark and Cindy Schwerdt; Chris and Candy Schwerdt; and Kent and Julie Schwerdt.

They also have 13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Barbara (Finnigin) and Michael Reyn o l d s , members of Holy Cross Pa r i s h , Overland Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 16 with a family dinner in Shawnee.

The couple was married on June 15, 1963, at Sacred Heart Church, Bonner Springs.

Their children and their spouses are: Susan and Christian Luttjohann, Olathe; Steven and Jean Reynolds, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; Julie and Brian Kaemmer, Overland Park; and Joseph and Cathy Reynolds, Olathe. They also have 10 grandchildren.

Michael and Susan (Slaughter) Carroll, members of the Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kan., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at their home with family on April 27. They will continue the celebration with a trip to the Grand Canyon in June.

The couple was married on April 27, 1963, at the cathedral. Their children and their spouses are: Shannon Epping; Michael and Robin Carroll; Kevin and Amy Carroll; and Mary and Jeff Stankiewicz. They also have 11 grandchildren.

Richard “Dick” and Carolyn (Cress) Pate, members of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, Overland Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 18 with a Mass and blessing at the church. The couple was married on June 15, 1963, at St. Frances de Sales Church in Lebanon, Mo. To commemorate the occasion, there will be family gatherings in Mobile, Ala., and Olathe. Their children and their spouses are: David and Debbie Pate; Laura and Joe Campbell; Jim Pate; and Greg and Stacie Pate. They also have 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Anniversary policy

• The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th notices.

• Announcements are due eight days before the desired publication date.

• Announcements must be typed.

Include the following Information: • The couple’s names; parish; date they were married; church and city where they were married; what they are doing to celebrate; date of the celebration; names of children (if desired); number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or send an email to: Todd@theleaven. com.

Golf classic to benefit Sisters, Servants of Mary kansas city, Kan. — The 19th annual golf classic to benefit the Sisters, Servants of Mary is set for June 28 at Dub’s Dread Golf Course here, located at 126th and Hollingsworth Rd. Proceeds will go toward renovating the

Sisters’ convent.

Registration and lunch are from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. At 12:20 p.m., the Sisters will participate in the annual putting contest.

Registration fee is $500 for a team of

Catholic Business Opportunity The Trinity House Catholic Books and Gift shop and the Wee Irish Shop, located in Johnson County, Kansas, is for sale. The founder and owner has decided to sell this successful business, which offers a wide variety of books, gifts, and other Catholic items, as well as a selection of Irish-themed gifts.

Trinity House has been a stable enterprise in the heart of the Johnson County Catholic community for more than 16 years. The ideal new owner should be a committed Catholic desiring to continue serving in this ministry and enjoying this rewarding business. The owner plans to retire and will provide transition assistance to the new owner.

Trinity House Catholic Books and Gifts, Windmill Square Center 7287 West 97th Street Overland Park, KS 66212 For More Information Contact Joe- 816-797-5700

four, or $125 per individual golfer.

For more information or a registration form for the golf scramble, visit the website at: www.servingfromthe heart.com, or contact George Gallup at (913) 342-5018.

Sister Loretta Schirmer, OSB Atchison — Sister Loretta Schirmer, 91, a Benedictine Sister of Mount St. Scholastica here, died at the monastery on May 26.

Sister Loretta was born in Newark, N.J., to August H. and Mary Mager Schirmer.

After graduating from Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth, N.J., she Sister Loretta came to Mount Schirmer, OSB St. Scholastica for college and entered the community in 1940.

After a few years as an elementary teacher, she pursued the study of home economics. She received her master’s degree in food and nutrition, with an emphasis in institutional management, from Kansas State University, and worked in food service at the monastery and at Mount St. Scholastica College.

Sister Loretta served as a teacher, principal and librarian at numerous schools in the Kansas City area (Lillis High School, Kansas City, Mo.; St. Pius X, Mission; and St. Benedict and Sacred Heart schools, both in Kansas City, Kan.); in Maryville and St. Joseph, Mo.; in Atchison; and in Baileyville. She also served as supervisor of the residence hall for Mount St. Scholastica Academy.

Arrowhead events canceled KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Catholics in Action at Arrowhead and the Men Interested More in Christ events scheduled for June 8 at Arrowhead Stadium have been canceled.

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16 Local news

Corpus Christi Photos by Doug Hesse

T

he annual commemoration of the solemnity of Corpus Christi, celebrated jointly by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, was held June 2 at St. Joseph Church in Shawnee. The event started with Mass, followed by a Holy Hour and then a half-mile procession around the church. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann carried the Blessed Sacrament for the first half of the route. Bishop Robert Finn carried the Eucharist for the second half.

theleaven.com | june 7, 2013