07-31-15 Vol. 37 No. 3

THELEAVEN.COM | VOL. 37,

NO. 3 | JULY 31, 2015

Samantha Romero, director of stewardship and development for St. John the Evangelist Parish in Lawrence, and Father Jeffrey Ernst, OFM Cap., pastor, stand outside the church. St. John was named best place to worship in Lawrence.

PHOTO BY CAROLYN KABERLINE

SIMPLY THE BEST

St. John the Evangelist named Best Place to Worship in Lawrence

By Carolyn Kaberline Special to The Leaven

L

AW R E N C E — It’s been 156 years since St. John the Evangelist Parish was established here.

Although the church has undergone a lot of changes in those years, one thing has remained the same: the love the

people have for their parish.

Never has that been more apparent than when the parish was named “The Best Place of Worship” in this year’s Best of Lawrence voting, edging out a multitude of other churches of all denominations.

“We didn’t even know there was such a category,” said Samantha Romero, director of stewardship and development for the parish,

“so we didn’t even know to publicize it to our congregation. We really expected some of the larger evangelical churches to win.”

While the church is well known for its annual Mexican Fiesta and Octoberfest celebrations, Romero believes the church’s popularity comes from more than that. >> See “DIVERSITY” on page 15

2 LOCAL NEWS Rose Mary (Koch) and Paul Altenhofen, members of Sacred Heart Church, Tonganoxie, will celebrate their 50th anniversary on Aug. 9 with a Mass, followed by a luncheon with their children and g ra n d c h i l d re n .

There will be a reception at Myers Hotel in Tonganoxie, open to the public from 5-7 p.m. The couple was married on Aug. 7, 1965, at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Seneca. Their children are: Theresa Mast, Tonganoxie; Damian Altenhofen, Conroe, Texas; Kurt Altenhofen, Gladstone, Missouri; Janet Jardes, Tonganoxie; Bob Altenhofen, Tonganoxie; and Ann Ostlund, Prairie Village. They also have 16 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

Helen (Nick) and Gene McGraw, members of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on Aug. 8 with a Mass, followed by a dinner celebration with their family. The couple was married on June 24, 1950, at St. Patrick Church, Basehor, by Father Harry Imhof. Their children are: Mike McGraw, Olathe; Pat McGraw, Oklahoma City; Theresa Schuman, Basehor; Maura Nulton, Kansas City, Missouri; Carol Farnsworth, Bonner Springs; Tim McGraw, Shawnee; and Melissa Hornback, Shawnee. They also have 23 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Erwin and Linda (Corbin) Ulses, member of Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at the parish’s 4 p.m. Mass on Aug. 8. A family dinner will follow a brief reception after Mass. The couple was married on Aug. 7, 1965, at St. Teresa Parish, Westphalia. Their children are: Carol Roberts; Mary Mooradian; Susan Burns; and Christy Playter. They also have 18 grandchildren.

THELEAVEN.COM | JULY 31, 2015 Bob and Mary Redeker, members of Sacred Heart Parish, Ottawa, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 9 with a dinner with family and a reception for family and friends. The couple was married on Aug. 7, 1965, at Sacred Heart Church, Emporia. Their children are: Tamra Coopman, Pomona; Jean Redeker, Lawrence; Jan Wallis, Ottawa; Bob Redeker, Ottawa; and Elizabeth Lowderman, Ottawa. They also have eight grandchildren.

Sharon (Phillips) and John “Jack” Hassett, m e m bers of St. Matthew Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 8 with a Mass and blessing.

The couple also renewed their vows at the archdiocesan golden wedding anniversary Mass on June 14 at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas. The couple was married on Aug. 7, 1965, at Church of the Assumption, Topeka. Their sons, Jeff and Stan, are deceased.

Ramona (Lee) and PJ Cummings, members of St. Benedict Parish, Atchison, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on July 25 with family and friends. The couple was married on Aug. 2, 1955,

by Father Cyprian Nordhous at St. Patrick Church, Atchison. Their children are: Karen Bell, Atchison; Brenda Levinsky, Pottersville, New Jersey; Sandy Sampson, Parkville, Missouri; Alan Cummings, Atchison; Lisa Hamrick, Roeland Park; and Kevin Cummings, Olathe. They also have 17 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The couple enjoyed a trip to Hawaii in March.

They will also have an anniversary Mass on Aug. 2 at St. Patrick Church, Atchison.

CALENDAR ARCHBISHOP

NAUMANN Aug. 1 Knights of Peter Claver 100th anniversary — Crown Center, Kansas City, Missouri

Aug. 13 Religious Alliance Against Pornography conference call Kansas City-St. Joseph cabinet meeting — Kansas City, Missouri, chancery

Aug. 2-7 Seminarian pilgrimage

Aug. 14 Final vows for Sister M. Karollyn, Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George, Alton, Illinois

Aug. 8 Deacon aspirants Mass and lunch—Savior Pastoral Center

Aug. 15 Solemnity of the Assumption Mass —Immaculate Conception, Dardenne, Missouri

Aug. 9 Installation of Father Daniel Schmitz — Annunciation, Frankfort

Aug. 16 Religious Sisters Appreciation Day — St. Patrick, Kansas City, Kansas

Aug. 10 Mass with Kansas City-St. Joseph seminarians

ARCHBISHOP

Aug. 10-11 Jesus Caritas bishops’ retreat — Savior Pastoral Center Aug. 11 Mass — Fraternity of the Poor of Jesus Christ, Kansas City, Kansas

KELEHER July 31 Archbishop Keleher’s 84th birthday Aug. 2 Mass—Brosna Aug. 9 Mass—Brosna

Benedictine College named an All-Steinway School ATCHISON — Three moving vans rolled onto the campus of Benedictine College here in May. Their precious cargo: 17 brand-new Steinway pianos. That was just one part of an overall plan by the college to enhance its music department and become an All-Steinway School. More pianos would be delivered through the summer, with the final three — including a beautiful concert grand — delivered July 20.

Now every piano on the campus — from classrooms to rehearsal rooms to the recital hall and performance venues — is a Steinway.

“Steinway & Sons is the top piano manufacturer in the world,” said Stephen D. Minnis, president of Benedictine College.

“Their pianos, made by hand in New York, define excellence. Being designated an All-Steinway School demonstrates a commitment to the arts and a commitment to excellence. We are pleased to provide our students and faculty with the best equipment possible for the study of music.”

The arrival of pianos on campus was the culmination of a story that actually began in the 1970s when a young music student, Kathie Weishar, came to Benedictine College. Her experience at the college

and her connection with Benedictine Sister Joachim Holthaus, her favorite music professor, enriched her love of music and especially the piano. Now married to Rick Dalzell, she and her husband have taken a special interest in the Benedictine College music department.

“As a graduate in piano performance, the music department at Benedictine College will always be a special place with many fond memories for me,” she said.

“Recently, Rick and I took a walk through the practice rooms and were concerned about the condition of the pianos. There was no question about the need for better instruments! We are thrilled to be able to make Benedictine College an All-Steinway School.”

The Dalzells gave a donation of nearly $1 million that allowed Benedictine College to make the move to an All-Steinway School. Their gift funded the purchase of 21 new Steinway pianos, as well as the refurbishment of all the teaching studios and rehearsal rooms. The gift also established an endowment that will perpetually fund the Steinway-approved maintenance program, assuring the pianos are kept in performance-quality condition.

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SECOND FRONT PAGE 3

JULY 31, 2015 | THELEAVEN.COM

Planned Parenthood under fire

‘Videos show the dramatic facts of what really occurs during an abortion’

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org Editor’s note: This story contains language and depictions of abortion procedures that might be upsetting to some readers.

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The conversation over wine and salad sounded as callous as it was casual: how to abort an unborn child so their organs could be extracted and used for medical research.

This particular business lunch conversation was recorded between a Planned Parenthood Federation of America official and two “employees” of a new biomedical research company.

“We’ve been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I’m not gonna crush that part, I’m gonna basically crush below, I’m gonna crush above, and I’m gonna see if I can get it all intact,” said Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood Federation of America senior director of medical services, in a video.

The covert video was recorded on CNS PHOTO/LISA JOHNSTON, ST. LOUIS REVIEW July 25, 2014, at a California restaurant Bev Ehlen, state director of Concerned Women for America, holds a sign outside of a Planned Parenthood facility in St. Louis July 21. She was among and released on July 14 this year. several pro-life supporters demonstrating after the release of two videos that showed Planned Parenthood officials discussing the method and price of The biotech company “employees” providing fetal tissue obtained from abortions for medical research. posing as buyers were actually operatives from the Center for Medical Progsuch as ‘tissue’ or ‘blob of tissue.’ The a program 15 years ago, according to ress, which shot the video as part of its videos show the dramatic facts of Mary Kay Culp, state executive direcHuman Capital investigative project.

The Center for Medical Progress what really occurs during an abor- tor of Kansans for Life. In March 2000, tion. The emperor has no clothes — the ABC investigative television prodescribes itself as “a group of citizen gram “20/20” broadcasted a segment journalists dedicated to monitoring or ethics.”

In a July 21 post on the Kansans for about fetal tissue harvesting and donaand reporting on medical ethics and Life blog, KFL legislative research dition at the clinic.

Governor Sam Brownback on July advances.”

21 called on the Kansas Board of Healrector Kathy Ostrowski pointed to a Although a 1993 law forbade the sale Before the furor over the first viding Arts to investigate, as part of its harsh element of fetal tissue collecting. of fetal tissue, it contained an ambigueo died down, a second video was reinspection of office-based surgical “The brutal truth ity about what was “reasonable payleased on July 21. practices, whether any Kansas facilof fetal harvestment” for the process involved.

U.S. In this video, the ity is engaged in the inhumane pracing is that the unAttorney Jim Flory announced in 2008 president of the tice of selling tissue and organs from born child MUST that the buyer did not violate federal Planned Parenthood unborn children who are aborted. He BE CHOPPED UP law.

Federation of Ameralso called upon the Kansas DepartWHILE ALIVE Questions about violation of federal ica’s Medical DiTo view the summary videos, ment of Health and Environment to to extract ‘usable’ and state laws have arisen again with rectors’ Council Dr. full video footage, transcripts and cooperate in any investigation. pre-ordered organs: the two new Planned Parenthood vidMary Gatter talkpress releases from the Center The governor issued the followhearts, lungs, livers, eos. It is illegal to sell human fetal tised with two more for Medical Progress, go to: www. ing statement: heads, etc.,” wrote sue for “valuable consideration,” and Center for Medical centerformedicalprogress.org.

“Kansas remains committed to a Ostrowski. it is illegal to change the manner of an Progress covert opculture that respects the dignity of Although some abortion to procure such tissue. Addierators. life at all stages. Recent videos show make attempts to tionally, federal law prohibits a certain In the video, shot Planned Parenthood employees kind of abortion — the partial-birth in February 2015, Gatter discussed a justify the practice of using tissue from treating the unborn as commodities aborted children for the sake of seekabortion. “less crunchy technique” to abort unas they discuss the sale of tissue ing cures, Kelsey is unaware of any Questions raised by the videos born children in order to get the deand organs. This does not reflect the lifesaving benefit derived from such have led to calls for investigations of sired organs and negotiated the price culture of life most Kansans want. research.

Planned Parenthood’s fetal tissue harWe now call upon the Kansas per specimen.

In an email sent out on July 17, Lauvesting practices.

Board of Healing Arts to address the “Let me just figure out what others On July 15, the U.S. House Comissue of sale of tissue and organs are getting, and if this is in the ball ra McQuade, president and CEO of from the unborn in its inspections of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and mittee on Energy and Commerce anpark, then it’s fine; if it’s still low, then Kansas medical offices.

Mid-Missouri, denounced what she nounced an investigation of Planned we can bump it up. I want a LamborghHuman life has dignity at all stagcalled “outrageous and untrue claims Parenthood. On July 21, Kansas Gov. ini (sports car),” said Gatter. es of life. Senate Bill 95, banning from a rabidly anti-choice group.”

Sam Brownback announced that KanRon Kelsey, consultant for the archdismemberment abortion in Kansas, “We support those Planned Parentsas had become the eighth state to indiocesan pro-life office, has seen both prevents the barbaric procedure of hood affiliates who help women and vestigate Planned Parenthood and fetal videos and he is appalled. dismembering an unborn child. families who decide to donate tissue tissue donation.

“The videos show the disgusting, We must remind ourselves and for often lifesaving research,” said There have also been calls to dehorrific nature of what really hapothers that unborn children are just McQuade. “However, PPKM does not fund Planned Parenthood, the nation’s pens with abortion,” he said. “They that — children — with certain inhave such a program.” largest abortion provider, of its annual are removing the semantic veil used alienable rights that we must reThe Planned Parenthood Clinic in $528 million of taxpayer funding.

by Planned Parenthood and other spect and protect.” abortion providers, which uses words Overland Park did participate in such

Governor calls for Planned Parenthood investigations

Center for Medical Progress

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

Editor Reverend Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

Reporter Jessica Langdon jessica.langdon@theleaven.org

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

Advertising Coordinator Julie Holthaus julie.holthaus@theleaven.org

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4 LOCAL NEWS

THELEAVEN.COM | JULY 31, 2015

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

LEAVEN PHOTO BY RACHEL THOMPSON

Archbishop Naumann meets and greets parishioners of St. Thomas More Parish in Kansas City, Missouri, after celebrating a Mass on June 28.

His responsibilities as administrator of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph as well his duties here in the archdiocese have made for a busy schedule for Archbishop Joseph Naumann this summer. Masses, meetings and even more ordinations have kept him on the road, but his next trip will be a pilgrimage with archdiocesan seminarians in early August.

CATHOLIC KEY PHOTO BY KEVIN KELLY

Archbishop Naumann anoints the hands of Father Andrew Mattingly at his ordination ceremony.

Father Mattingly and Father Alex Kreidler were both ordained by the archbishop on June 27 at the Co-Cathedral in St. Joseph, Missouri, for service in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY LORI WOOD HABIGER

Archbishop Naumann and Father Dan Morris pray the rosary with football players from area Catholic high schools on July 23 at Bishop Miege High School’s football stadium in Roeland Park. Football season for most teams will kick off the first week of September.

CATHOLIC KEY PHOTO BY JOE CORY

Archbishop Naumann chats with Father Pat Rush, left, and Father Ken Riley, at a cabinet meeting with the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph on July 23.

Archbishop Naumann celebrates a Spanish charismatic Mass on July 26 at the Armory in Kansas City, Kansas.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY DOUG HESSE

Healing for women who carry the burden of sexual trauma

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Women who have suffered sexual trauma know what it means to carry the weight of their pain — many times in silence, alone, for years.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Women who have suffered various types of sexual trauma can find hope and healing through the Healing Heart retreat, from Aug. 21 to 23 at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas.

This is the second time the retreat has been offered in the archdiocese.

The women who participated in last year’s retreat reported positive experiences.

“I feel like there’s hope; I’m not alone,” wrote one woman.

“I’m feeling like I am back with God after feeling alone and avoiding him,” wrote another woman.

“It increased my faith, knowing that God does have a plan for me and that he loves me,” wrote still another.

The retreat will be conducted by Beverly Collin, who also conducted the previous one. She’s the assistant director of the Cedar Break Retreat Center in the Diocese of Austin, Texas.

The cost to attend is $125 and scholarships are available. For information, call Deacon Tony Zimmerman, lead consultant for the archdiocesan family life office, at (913) 647-0329, or contact him by email at: famlife@archkck.org.

Space at the retreat is limited to the first 12 who sign up.

Organizers believe the need for this type of healing exists.

“We heard last year that this is prevalent all over the country,” said Deacon Zimmerman.

“There’s date rape on college campuses and sexual assault in the military,” he continued. “So the whole point of this retreat is to help women heal from that trauma. This is a time for women to deal with their trauma with help from the Lord.”

The retreat is designed to help women who have suffered some kind of sexual trauma be it rape, incest, inappropriate touching, sexual assault or something else.

Confidentiality is assured, said Deacon Zimmerman. The whole event is designed to be safe, gentle, loving and supportive.

There is a healing service on Saturday night were people are prayed with and prayed for. There will opportunities to receive the sacrament of reconciliation, and a Mass will be celebrated. A licensed counselor will be available.

Women will be given a token, such as a prayer shawl or rosary, to help them stay connected to their retreat experience after the weekend is over.

Collin keeps in touch with the participants through emails and encourages them to get counseling and spiritual direction.

“At the heart of this is healing,” said Deacon Zimmerman. “When you’re wounded, it’s terribly hard. It becomes a secret — baggage you’re carrying around that you can’t escape. But you can take your burden to God and begin the process of giving it to him.”

LOCAL NEWS 5

JULY 31, 2015 | THELEAVEN.COM

Life Teen teaches youth to be disciples

By Jessica Langdon jessica.langdon@theleaven.org

A

TCHISON — Outside, the day was sunny and warm — the perfect summer afternoon — but teenagers from across the country were happy to crowd together inside, filling the pews at St. Benedict’s Abbey here.

“They thank me for coming,” said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, who celebrated a Mass on June 25 for the Life Teen Leadership Conference.

“But really it’s quite edifying and inspiring to see their faith and their love for the Lord and the church,” he said.

In his homily, Archbishop Naumann thanked the teens — many leaders in their parishes and in their local Life Teen programs — for their participation in their communities.

He emphasized the need for community in practicing one’s faith.

Comparing it to a team sport like basketball, he said there are certain parts of the sport an individual can take part in — dribbling, shooting, dunking the ball — but to truly play the game, a team is necessary.

“We need that community to be able to share the Gospel and witness the Gospel,” said Archbishop Naumann.

“We also need that community to support us and give us strength.”

One reason for that, he said, is that if they’re going to follow Jesus, they’re going to find themselves counter to what today’s world expects.

He told the group — gathered at Benedictine College June 22-26 for talks, worship and sacraments — they have the opportunity to reach their peers.

And those could be people that he and other bishops and priests might never have the chance to encounter.

“One of the things that I’ve always admired about Life Teen is that it’s very focused on the Eucharist and the sacramental life, and it draws kids to a love for the Eucharist,” he said. “That’s one of the great strengths of the program, but they’ve developed a good model, I think, over the years that helps to feed the souls of young people.”

It’s not merely about being a leader, points out the Life Teen website; it’s about learning to be a disciple.

“From the beginning when we start-

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JESSICA LANGDON

Some archdiocesan teens, part of the Northeast Kansas Rural Youth Council, pose with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann for a picture with a selfie stick after the Life Teen Leadership Conference Mass at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison on June 25. The teens are, from left, Marley Wareham, St. Dominic Parish, Holton; Sami Fischer, St. Stanislaus Parish, Rossville; Wade Minihan, St. Columbkille Parish, Blaine; Taylor Bittner, St. Stanislaus; Nikita Rogers, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Burlington; and Braden Myers, St. Francis Xavier. Also pictured are, second from right, Angie Bittner, archdiocesan rural youth ministry outreach coordinator, and Michelle Giesy, St. Patrick Parish, Osage City. ed the Life Teen Leadership Conference, it was always about how do you make sure that a kid is going to say, ‘I’m going to follow Jesus completely and will lead like Jesus led,’” said Phil Baniewicz, now president of Maur HillMount Academy in Atchison and one of the original founders of Life Teen (who has since passed leadership of the program on to others).

Baniewicz accepted a priest’s invitation to help years ago while he was playing college baseball and feeling a call to work in the church. Working with a musician, as well, they launched this program centered on the Eucharist and initially were trying to do something great in one parish — and it took off.

“So the Holy Spirit had much bigger plans than we did,” said Baniewicz.

Life Teen encourages youth to not only go to Mass, but to celebrate fully.

It teaches the teenagers about the truth of the church and the Catholic Church’s teaching — “with love, not in a harsh way,” he said.

And it reaches out to “let them know that they are welcome, that they belong as part of the church,” added Baniewicz.

A number of parishes across the archdiocese have Life Teen programs.

When rural parishes want to start programs like Life Teen, Angie Bittner, rural youth ministry outreach coordinator for the archdiocese, said her office offers some scholarship assistance to help.

Bittner attended the leadership conference in Atchison in June for a second year in a row with the Northeast Kansas Rural Youth Council, made up of teens

from across the archdiocese.

She sees a lot of flexibility in the way Life Teen can work at different parishes.

The conference itself provided understanding on tough topics, she said, adding that, in addition to worship and prayer, the conference sent the teens back home with a call to action to share their faith in their homes, parishes, schools and communities.

“But it also talked a lot about humility,” she said.

And the teens heard about being agents of joy.

“Will they be a foot washer? Will they inspire others to follow Christ by their life?” said Baniewicz.

For more information about Life Teen, visit the movement’s website at: www.lifeteen.com.

Croatian singer to perform August concerts at three locations

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Croatian songstress Tajci’s concerts have always been inspiring and engaging for audience members, especially in regard to their Christian faith.

But there’s always room for more, and that is what she will offer in “Awaken and Live the Life You Were Created For,” the name of the new concert she will perform at parishes in Olathe, Emporia and Seneca this August.

It’s about life, love, God, happiness — all wrapped up in a fun and entertaining evening.

TAJCI ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: “Tatiana Cameron – Tajci” www.WakingUpInAmerica.net www.iDoBelieve.com www.Tajci.net

The idea for “Awaken” came out of years of listening to people telling her what was in their hearts.

Tajci (pronounced TY-chi) was a European pop star before she came to the United States and began to expand her artistic horizons.

“We spent 14 years on the road and we met tens of thousands of people,” said Tajci’s husband Matthew Cameron. “We had dinner with different people and stayed in their homes, and had a million conversations. There is a tremendous amount of people who are unhappy, and they’re dulling their pain in a lot of ways.”

Tajci and Matthew realized that a lot of people had lost their perspective. They were consumed by worry about things that were beyond their control.

They reached an important insight: People do have control over their own spiritual and life journey, and Tajci could help them realize that through her performances. Thus, the concept of “Awaken” was born.

Concert dates Aug. 19 at 7 p.m.

Prince of Peace Church 16000 W. 143rd St., Olathe Aug. 20 at 7 p.m.

Sacred Heart Church 101 Cottonwood St., Emporia Aug. 22 at 6:30 p.m.

Sts. Peter and Paul Church 411 Pioneer St., Seneca

LEAVEN FILE PHOTO

Croatian songstress Tajci will bring her “Awaken and Live the Life You Were Created For,” concert tour to three locations in the archdiocese in August.

In her three concerts, Tajci will give audience members an uplifting, fun and soul-lifting evening through

storytelling and music.

“I want to help people bring about a change in their lives — to engage on a deeper level, with God and their everyday lives,” said Tajci.

No tickets are required for the concert, but a freewill offering will be taken up. Concert-goers should arrive early to get their choice of seating.

6 LOCAL NEWS

THELEAVEN.COM | JULY 31, 2015

Mother, teacher, family: The nature and role of the church

By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

Editor’s Note: Catholics throughout the country have been invited to join in the 10-month preparation for the World Meeting of Families this September in Philadelphia. This reflection is based on the ninth chapter of the meeting’s catechesis, “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.”

O

ne of the great comedy lines of all time is a quip Groucho Marx allegedly penned to resign from The Friars Club of Beverly Hills: “I refuse to join any club that would have me for a member.”

Some clubs are very exclusive. For these, you have to have a lot of money, distinguished ancestors, be in the “right” social set or have political power and “connections.”

Contrary to what some believe, the church is not so exclusionary. To be a Christian, all you have to be is “born from above.”

It can be both simple and complicated, like being a paratrooper: All you have to do is jump out of the airplane.

Clearly, there’s a lot more to being a paratrooper than this. The same goes for being a Christian.

To be “born from above” or “born again” is to be baptized. “From the baptismal font is born the one people of God of the New Covenant. . . . By one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body,” says “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive,” the catechesis for the World Meeting of Families, Sept. 22-25 in Philadelphia.

That “one body” is the Catholic Church. The church has been called the bride of Christ, heavenly Jerusalem, the virgin bride of Christ, the people of God and the body of Christ.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY LORI WOOD HABIGER

To be “born from above” or “born again” is to be baptized. “From the baptismal font is born the one people of God of the New Covenant. . . . By one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body.”

The church has also been described as “holy” and “immaculate.” But how can that be, since people sin even as members of the church?

The mystery is that the church is “at once holy and in need of purification.

Her holiness is the holiness of Christ, her spouse. It is the love of Christ, the bridegroom, that creates the church in the first place,” says the catechesis.

Praise God, the holiness of the church doesn’t depend on our virtue or achievement, but the self-giving love of Christ!

No sin by any member can invalidate the

Rather, our sins remind us of the need to repent and proclaim these truths ever more faithfully.

Married couples have a key role in carrying out the witness of the church.

Like the church in general, married couples are called to live lives that are continually transformed by the love and grace of Christ, given to them through the sacrament of marriage.

As Pope Francis said, “Grace is not given to decorate life but, rather, to make us strong in life, giving us courage to go forward. . . . Christians celebrate the sacrament of marriage because they know they need it!”

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER identity of the church or her holiness, because it doesn’t come from us — it comes from God. Also, “the truths taught by the church cannot be annulled by sins committed against the dignity they proclaim.”

• How does God’s covenant protect us, even when we sin?

• Everyone sins, including Catholic leaders. So why do we say the church is holy?

• What does Jesus want us to do when the church fails to live up to his standards?

LOCAL NEWS 7

JULY 31, 2015 | THELEAVEN.COM

KU grad to FOCUS on Missouri campus this fall

By Katie Hyde Special to the Leaven

HELP A GIRL OUT

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Across the nation, recent high school graduates are readying themselves for the next big adventure: college. They’re busy getting to know their future roommates, selecting meal plans and shopping for matching dorm decor.

Former Leaven intern Heather Nelson is also getting jitters over the first day of school, but her upcoming adventure is a little bit different.

This school year, her role on campus is not as a student, but as a missionary.

FOCUS missionaries must fundraise their entire salary. Heather Nelson, who will be a missionary at Missouri State University in Springfield starting in August, needs to raise at least $2,500 before she can report for duty on campus. To learn more about her story or to help support her work, please call her (402) 658-7892.

I think through that [summit] I learned to go to daily Mass, go to confession, do all these things that we’re supposed to do. And then I was able to lead others better.”

Faith FOCUS-ed After graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Kansas in May, Nelson decided to join FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, as a missionary.

In choosing to do so, she will dedicate at least two years of her life to evangelization, intensive prayer and fellowship. She will live and work at Missouri State University in Springfield, helping other college students encounter their faith through Bible studies and individual mentoring.

Nelson’s interest in becoming a FOCUS missionary began during her time at KU, when she discovered a group of individuals who shared her values and beliefs at the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center. Her junior year, she attended a Student Leadership Summit organized by FOCUS. “That’s when I realized that I was a

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Former Leaven intern Heather Nelson will become a Fellowship of Catholic University Students missionary at Missouri State University in Springfield this fall.

“

“It’s all about trusting in God, going out and doing something that scares you a little, or a lot.”

Heather Nelson

leader in the St. Lawrence Center back at KU,” Nelson said.

“I didn’t really feel like I was a good example of what people should do, but

Faith affirmed Nelson’s faith was strengthened her final semester at KU when she received a journalism internship with The Leaven.

“It kind of made me realize how much I love the faith and how much I love talking to people about it,” Nelson said. “That’s something I got in my stories.”

During her time at the newspaper, she covered subjects ranging from the ministries of individual area Catholics to Catholic Schools Week. These stories, and the people she met writing them, reaffirmed her decision to join FOCUS. “People that I interviewed taught me so much about my faith and keeping with it and just trusting in God,”

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she continued, “just a lot of things I kind of knew but needed to hear them reaffirmed.”

Taking a leap While many of Nelson’s friends were supportive of her decision to join FOCUS, not everyone understood why she was making such a countercultural decision. Her parents reacted with some skepticism when she announced she would not be entering the job market, but rather would be devoting at least two years of her life to evangelization.

“They are supportive,” Nelson said.

“It’s just in a different way. I think that with time, they’ll understand what I’m doing and why I’m doing it — that I’m not just escaping entering the world right away, as some people say. It’s going to be a slow progression for them, but it is getting better.”

It takes a particularly courageous individual to set off to an unknown campus with little more than her faith in God. But for Nelson, that’s more than enough.

“It’s all about trusting in God, going out and doing something that scares you a little, or a lot,” she said.

“I go through days where I’m really nervous about it to the point where I’m like, ‘What am I doing? I shouldn’t be doing this,’” she continued. “But then I’ll have these little ‘aha’ moments throughout the day where God is doing things in my life that I don’t even recognize right away. It might take some time. I don’t know how I do it, but I just kind of accept the fact that I can’t control everything.”

Pope Francis makes historic visit to South America Pope says poor in barrio remind him of Holy Family

By Barbara J. Fraser Catholic News Service

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SUNCION, Paraguay (CNS) — Pope Francis returned to his roots July 12 when he visited Banado Norte, a poor neighborhood near the Paraguay River where residents battle seasonal flooding and face possible eviction.

“I couldn’t be in Paraguay without being with you, in your land,” he told the crowd gathered outside St. John the Baptist chapel, one of 13 chapels in the huge Holy Family Parish. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis ministered in similar neighborhoods.

Bishops in Paraguay organized the visit to Banado Norte, one of a string of riverside neighborhoods called the Banados, which were mainly settled by migrants from rural areas.

The pope praised the people for their solidarity, calling it a “human and Christian virtue that you have, and which many, many of us have to learn.”

“It doesn’t matter how often you go to Sunday Mass,” the pope said. “If you don’t have a heart of solidarity, if you don’t know what is happening to your people, your faith is very weak, or it is sick, or it is dead. It is a faith without Christ, without God, without brothers and sisters.”

Faith and solidarity are the greatest message that the people of the Banados can send to the rest of the country, Pope Francis said. He warned, however, that “the devil wants you to fight among yourselves, because that’s the way he divides you, defeats you and robs you of your faith.”

Pope Francis said the families he met as he walked down an alley in Banado Norte reminded him of the Holy Family.

“They also had to leave all they had and go to another land, where they knew no one, where they had no home or family,” he said.

And the first witnesses to Jesus’ birth were shepherds, “whose lives are also governed by the inclemency of weather and other types of inclemency,” he said.

Every year around April or May, the water level of the Paraguay River rises and often overflows its banks. In 2014, it nearly reached to the door of the tiny chapel where the pope spoke to the people who crowded into the muddy sports

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Pope Francis greets an elderly woman as he meets with people of Banado Norte, a poor neighborhood in Asuncion, Paraguay, July 12. field, waving yellow and white scarves and cheering him warmly.

Every year, some families are forced to leave their homes and take refuge with relatives elsewhere or camp along roads on higher ground, Jesuit Father Ireneo Valdez, pastor of Holy Family Parish, told CNS. Last year’s flooding displaced most of his parish’s 20,000plus families.

As Pope Francis visited the chapel and spoke to the crowd, he was flanked by huge posters of letters and drawings by about 2,500 children from schools, welcoming him, recounting the problems of their families and neighborhoods — flooding, drugs, crime, sickness, separation — and asking his blessing.

Several children expressed fear that their families will be forced to move.

That is on the minds of most adults, as well. The city government has plans

to fill in the area, extend a riverside highway, raze the houses built by residents and replace them with upscale shopping centers and apartment buildings.

“They want to take us away from our places,” Maria Josefina Chamorro, chapel coordinator, told CNS. “We built this chapel ourselves. We have schools and a health center. It would be sad to be taken away from all of this, which we built with so much effort and sacrifice, to a place where we would have to start all over.”

Most Banados residents eke out a living by fishing, gathering and selling recyclable materials, laboring as masons or carpenters, cleaning windshields at traffic lights or selling items on the street, Father Valdez said.

City officials have tried to relocate people to housing elsewhere, but because their livelihoods center around

the riverbank neighborhoods, they return.

He called for a solution that would allow people to stay in their neighborhoods.

“We can’t oppose economic growth, but it needs to be better distributed,” Father Valdez said. “The policies need to benefit the people who live here.”

The neighborhood organizations have a counterproposal for development that would allow the Banados residents to remain in their neighborhoods, Garcia said, but they have not gotten a hearing from the city government.

As Pope Francis bade farewell to the crowd before returning through the alley to head for Mass in Nu Guazu Park, he offered a final word of encouragement.

“Keep going,” he told the crowd, “and don’t let the devil divide you.”

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives to celebrate Mass in Bicentennial Park in Quito, Ecuador, July 7.

Pope Francis waves as he recognizes someone while using incense during Mass in Bicentennial Park in Quito, Ecuador, July 7.

At prison, pope calls himself man ‘saved from his many sins’

By David Agren Catholic News Service

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ANTA CRUZ, Bolivia (CNS) — Pope Francis visited one of Latin America’s most notorious prisons, calling himself “a man who was and is saved from his many sins.”

“I couldn’t leave Bolivia without seeing you, without sharing the hope and faith given in the cross,” he told people at Palmasola prison in Santa Cruz.

Speaking on the final morning of his less than 48-hour visit to Bolivia, the pope called for conversion and a changing of attitudes among inmates in their relations among each other and the broader society, which often views such populations with suspicions.

“When Jesus becomes part of our lives, we can no longer remain imprisoned by our past,” Pope Francis said. “Instead, we begin to look to the present, and we see it differently, with a different kind of hope.”

The visit again reflected the pope’s preoccupation for prison populations, who, in Latin America, often serve their sentences in overcrowded and violent facilities — if they’re sentenced at all.

Palmasola has an especially notorious reputation, especially after a 2013 incident in which a gang armed

with improvised flamethrowers killed 31 inmates and left more than 30 others badly burned.

Three inmates told Pope Francis of their tribulations inside the prison.

“I consider this place to be Sodom and Gomorrah. There is no control here,” Leonidas Martinez, who has spent 18 years in Palmasola, told Pope Francis. “No authority does anything to stop any of this abuse.”

Papal well-wishers lined a muddy road to the prison, where families of the inmates say they have to pay for everything on the inside — including food and places to sleep.

The prison is open for the most part, families say, with an economy of shops, services and food spots set up; the wives and children of some inmates live on the inside.

The prison ministry reports 84 percent of inmates have not been convicted of any crimes. Overcrowding in prisons tops 300 percent. Access to justice is limited, and inmates are forced to pay the transportation costs or give gas money to attend their court days. “[It’s] judicial terrorism,” while those with money pay for lawyers and exit quickly, said Analia Parada, who spoke for the female prison population, which included “many pregnant women.”

Prison officials spend the equivalent of 87 cents per prisoner per day

on food, forcing families to feed and maintain their loved ones on the inside.

“You can imagine the kind of food we’re being given,” inmate Andres de Jesus Cespedes, 19, told Pope Francis.

Equally difficult for the inmate population, most of whom have not been sentenced, “No one knows how long they will be here,” he added.

Pope Francis called for solidarity with prison populations, but also for inmates to show solidarity among themselves.

“Being imprisoned, ‘shut in,’ is not the same thing as being ‘shut out.’ Detention is part of a process of reintegration into society,” Pope Francis said. “The way you live together depends to some extent on yourselves. Suffering and deprivation can make us selfish of heart and lead to confrontation.

“Do not be afraid to help one another. The devil is looking for rivalry, division, gangs.”

The pope ended his speech by asking the inmates to pray for him, “because I, too, have my mistakes, and I, too, must do penance.”

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Prisoners and families of inmates in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, await Pope Francis’ arrival at Palmasola prison July 10.

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Pope Francis speaks at the second World Meeting of Popular Movements in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, July 9.

10 NATION

THELEAVEN.COM | JULY 31, 2015

Chicago to benchmark its buildings for energy efficiency

By Joyce Duriga Catholic News Service

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HICAGO (CNS) — Archbishop Blase J. Cupich has set a goal of benchmarking all 2,700 buildings in the Archdiocese of Chicago to ensure that they are as energy efficient as possible.

He announced the goal during a July 24 news conference at Old St. Mary’s School on Michigan Avenue.

The news conference was held after Chicago’s archbishop toured the school with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy.

“While it is a considerable undertaking, we have to set an example that it can be done and must be done if we are to fulfill our sustainability goals,” Archbishop Cupich said of the benchmarking goal.

“Let’s be honest, this entire effort to protect the environment for future generations will involve some very difficult choices in the future,” he said. “However, those choices will be less difficult if we all do what we can now to protect our common home.”

It is an effort to answer Pope Francis’ call in his encyclical on the environment, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” the archbishop said.

Through benchmarking, churches, schools and other buildings will be evaluated for their water usage, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions.

Data will be tracked using the EPA’s free Energy Star Portfolio Manager.

McCarthy applauded the archdiocese’s efforts, saying it is “answering the pope’s call.”

This February, she noted, the Chicago Archdiocese partnered with the Energy Star program as part of its “commitment to climate action.”

“And with this step they’ve become the first U.S. archdiocese to commit to benchmarking and tracking energy and water emission performance,” she said.

“We’re hoping they are setting the ex-

CNS PHOTO/KAREN CALLAWAY, CATHOLIC NEW WORLD

Archbishop Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, right, and Gina McCarthy, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, look over a board with Ted Hudon that displays the solar panel activity at Old St. Mary’s School in Chicago July 24. ample for faith communities across the country to follow.”

Some buildings in the archdiocese are already eco-friendly. For example, St. Joseph College Seminary, completed in 2012, holds a gold LEED certification — LEED stands for Leadership in Energy Environmental Design.” It also has a green roof and high efficiency lighting control and heating systems.

In addition, the field operations center for Resurrection Cemetery has been heated with a solar system since 1978.

Old St. Mary’s School itself was

built in 2011 as an eco-friendly building. Solar panels on the roof help generate electricity for the school. In the summer months, when school is out, the building receives an average of 40 percent of its energy from the panels.

Archbishop Cupich praised his predecessor, the late Cardinal Francis E. George, for beginning the work to make the archdiocese more energy efficient. For the past three and a half years, the archdiocese’s facilities office has worked with parishes and with schools to make them more energy ef-

Marine killed in shooting recalled as ‘awesome guy’

By Sharon Roulier Catholic News Service

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PRINGFIELD, Mass. (CNS) — Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, one of four Marines killed July 16 by a shooter in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was “an overall awesome guy,” said a classmate from the Marine’s 1994 graduating class of Cathedral High School in Springfield.

“He was fun-loving and a joy to be around,” said Tim Hourihan, who lives in Westfield.

He said Sullivan would be “sadly missed,” and described himself and his friend as “fellow Irishmen” who ran together on the high school’s track team.

“I remember freshmen or sophomore year, he already knew he wanted to be a Navy SEAL,” said Hourihan.

“He was able to live out his dream.”

Sullivan, 40, grew up in Springfield.

He was at a Navy-Marine training center in Chattanooga when he and three other Marines were gunned down by Kuwaiti-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, 24.

Investigators said Abdulazeez, who was raised in the Hixson area of Chattanooga, began his rampage at a military recruitment center at a strip mall near downtown, where he sprayed dozens of bullets. He then drove to a

Navy-Marine training center seven miles away, where he got out of his car and opened fire on the Marines.

The servicemen who were killed immediately were Lance Cpl. Skip Wells, 21; Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, 35; and Sgt. Carson Holmquist, 27.

Three others were wounded. One of them, U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith, 26, died in the early morning hours of July 18. The two surviving wounded are a Marine recruiter who was shot in the leg and a responding Chattanooga police officer who was shot in the ankle.

Police shot and killed Abdulazeez.

The FBI was investigating the crime and law enforcement had not ruled out the possibility it was a home-grown terror attack. A representative for the shooter’s family said the young man had suffered from depression since he was a teenager and struggled with drug and alcohol addiction.

Lynn Anne Leone, a history teacher at Cathedral, had Sullivan in class.

“If a student needed help in school, he would be the one that would assist,” Leone told iobserve, the news website of Springfield’s diocesan Catholic Communications. She added Sullivan loved U.S. history, was a skilled debater and always wanted to serve his country.

“He lived for God and country,” Leone continued. “He always had a smile on his face. It’s devastating. He was overseas. He served his time. But to have it happen here‚ things like that are not supposed to happen at home, but it did. It’s very sad.”

Sullivan also attended the former Holy Cross Grammar School in Springfield.

Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski asked for prayers for Sullivan and his family in a July 17 statement, joining “the voices of others in our community and church in expressing my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family” of Sullivan, whose “life was so tragically taken.”

“As a decorated member of our nation’s armed forces, he represented all that is good about our country, upholding our values and a willingness to put the needs of others ahead of self,” the bishop said. “Through his tours of duty, he sought to bring stability to corners of the globe too often visited by senseless violence.

“At the same time, he was a beloved son and brother, loved dearly by his family and fondly remembered by the Cathedral High School community as an upstanding student and alumnus.”

ficient with projects related to boilers and heating.

Chicago parishes have received a little more than $1 million in rebates from Peoples Gas since 2011. Those rebates go toward paying for highly energy efficient systems. In the suburbs the archdiocese works with Nicor Gas and parishes have earned $183,000 in rebates. An estimated 28 percent of parishes — 97 of 350 — have participated in the utility rebate program in the Peoples/North Shore Gas and Nicor Gas territories.

Father Barron gets appointment to Los Angeles

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ASHINGTON (CNS) — In an era where Catholics are pretty much an afterthought on television, the sight of any cleric on the small screen almost immediately evokes thoughts of “the next Bishop Sheen” — the 1950s prime-time inspirational program host Archbishop Fulton Sheen. But in pretty much all past cases, those clerics weren’t bishops themselves. But now Father Robert E. Barron, a media-savvy priest, has been named an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and will be moving to the heart of the television industry. Bishopdesignate Barron, appointed July 21, may be best known to TV viewers for having hosted “Catholicism,” a 10-part DVD series. Four parts of the series aired on 90 PBS affiliates in fall 2011. The series earned him a Christopher Award and the Clarion Award the following year from the Catholic Academy of Communications Arts Professionals.

WORLD 11

JULY 31, 2015 | THELEAVEN.COM

World Youth Day registration opens

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

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ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis was the first pilgrim to sign up for World Youth Day to be held in Krakow, Poland, launching the opening of registration.

Accompanied by two Polish teenagers who wore World Youth Day 2016 T-shirts, the pope had to make a couple of attempts pressing the screen of a tablet before his online registration went through.

“There. With this electronic device I have signed up for the day as a pilgrim,” he told thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square July 26 for his Angelus address.

The pope said, “I wanted to be the one to open registration” in front of everyone gathered for the Angelus on the day sign-ups began July 26.

The celebrations July 26-31, 2016, will come during the Holy Year of Mercy, which Pope Francis proclaimed to invite people to follow the merciful example of God the Father.

World Youth Day “will be, in a certain sense, a jubilee of youth” during the holy year, as its theme is also about being merciful toward others, the pope said.

God’s merciful power through Jesus “heals every ill of body and spirit,” the pope said before praying the Angelus.

Reflecting on the day’s Gospel reading, St. John’s account of the multiplication of loaves and fish, Pope Francis said the story shows how the disciples

M

CNS PHOTO/MAX ROSSI, REUTERS

A young woman reacts as Pope Francis leads the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican July 26. The pontiff officially opened online registration for World Youth Day 2016 in Poland. tried to find a “market”-based solution by calculating how much money they would need to feed the large, hungry crowd that had gathered by the Sea of Galilee.

“But Jesus substitutes the logic of buying with another logic, the logic of giving” when he points to the generous gift offered by the boy, who offered to give all that he had: five small loaves and two fish.

Even though people could not see how such a small contribution could make a difference, “God is able to multiply our tiny gestures of solidarity and let us participate in his gift,” the pope said.

Jesus offers “fullness of life for those who hunger. He satisfies not only material hunger, but also that deeper hunger — the hunger for meaning in life, the hunger for God,” Pope Francis said.

Complaining does nothing to solve the many problems in life, “but we can offer that little we have like the boy in the Gospel,” he said.

Everyone has some kind of talent or skill as well as time, he said. “If we are willing to put them in the Lord’s hands they will be enough so that there will be a little bit more love, peace, justice and, above all, joy in the world.”

Mayors look to promote equality, environment

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

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ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Many of the mayors who met July 21 with Pope Francis stayed at the Vatican for a second day of discussions focused on city planning that promotes economic growth, equality and environmental protection simultaneously.

Jeffrey Sachs, a U.S. economist and head of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, told the mayors that Pope Francis’ call for “integral human development” matches the United Nations’ definition of sustainable development, which promotes “economic growth that is socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable.”

In such an approach, he said, there is a “triple bottom line: the economic, social and environmental are on a par.”

However, he said, “as Pope Francis constantly reminds us, that is not how the world works today.” Financial profit, the pope has said, seems to be the only goal and that, Sachs said, “doesn’t work for human well-being.”

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio asked the mayors why people are still

Bishops: Escape shows depth of corruption

so committed to outdated models of economic growth when that “model of development is slowly killing us.”

Creating a “sustainable city,” he said, means helping people out of poverty with jobs and affordable housing, but also reducing carbon emissions and other forms of pollution.

Working for change will take courage and will be uncomfortable at times, de Blasio said, but “by setting the high goal, we actually force ourselves day by day to take action related to it.”

All of the mayors from Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa who spoke July 22 mentioned the growing number of poor people in their cities and the increasing gap between their wealthiest and poorest residents, even in cities like Boston or Vancouver with thriving economies and low unemployment rates.

Sam Liccardo, who has served as mayor of San Jose, California, for just over six months, said his Silicon Valley city is “home to more U.S. patent holders than any other city” and that “almost 40 percent of adult residents were born in another country, which is a richness.”

While it is home to some of the

world’s biggest and fastest growing companies, San Jose also is home to strong social inequality and an “opportunity gap,” he said. “We live in one valley, but two worlds”: one of multimillion dollar homes and the other of large homeless encampments.

Liccardo said the city is focusing on identifying, housing and providing other services to the most vulnerable homeless residents, rehabilitating old motels and turning them into transitional housing and expanding the construction of affordable homes.

Mayor Gregor Robertson said Vancouver’s goal is to “build a city and an economy that creates opportunity for everyone,” and in many ways, it is working: Vancouver has “the most successful economy of any city in Canada,” he said.

The big growth areas for Vancouver’s economy, he said, are “green jobs” and “creative jobs,” particularly in animation, visual effects and film production. At the same time, he said, because Vancouver is “the warmest city in Canada,” it has a significant homeless population.

EXICO CITY (CNS) — Bishops across Mexico expressed incredulity with the escape of the country’s most notorious inmate and said it showed the complicity of public officials with drug cartels and the depth of corruption in the country.

Drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman slipped out of a maximumsecurity prison — for the second time in his criminal career — from the shower area of his cell through a nearly mile-long tunnel to a rural settlement.

“Mexicans should make a monument to ‘El Chapo’ because, in a single stroke, he showed the size of our corruption,” Bishop Raul Vera Lopez of Saltillo told reporters.

“It’s hard to understand an escape by a person like him from an extremely high security center if there isn’t complicity,” said Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega of Guadalajara.

Guzman is leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, which grew into the most powerful and quite possibly most profitable criminal organization as it moved drugs from the Andean countries of South America through Central America and Mexico to the United States and other countries. The cartel gained fame for its construction of tunnels to move drugs under the U.S.-Mexico border.

The cartel is so culturally and economically ingrained in Sinaloa that Guzman’s escape was greeted with “music” and “guns being fired in the air,” said Javier Valdez, founder of the Sinaloa news outlet Rio Doce. “He continued being a powerful person from his prison cell.”

Guzman was captured in Guatemala in 1993, but he was wheeled out of a Guadalajara-area prison in a laundry cart. Mexican officials captured him in Mazatlan in February 2014 and locked him up in a high-security facility 50 miles west of Mexico City — opting against extraditing him to the United States.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto called the escape “outrageous.”

After Guzman’s 2014 arrest, he told Univision that another escape would be “unpardonable.”

“The country’s credibility was scarce. And with these events, the credibility that we do enjoy is shaken, in spite of the publicity and all of the promises that are given,” said Bishop Jose Martinez Zepeda of Irapuato. He was quoted in the newspaper Correo in his home state of Guanajuato.

“We have a crisis of credibility, justice, legality and a common effort,” the bishop added. “Criticisms are going to rain down . . . because [the president’s] publicity has been that, in the country, crime has calmed . . . and [then] there’s an escape from a high-security prison.”

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12 CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT Reporter - The Leaven is seeking a full-time reporter to join its national award-winning staff. Position requires a practicing Catholic with excellent news and feature writing skills; a journalism degree and basic photography skills a great plus. Applicant must have a strong work ethic, a good working knowledge of the Catholic Church, and be available to work nights and weekends with the ability to travel for assignments within the archdiocese. Ideal candidate will be a quick and eager learner, and be enthusiastic about sharing the faith stories of the people of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Proficiency in Microsoft Word is required; experience with social media, InDesign, and WordPress desired. A complete job description is available on the archdiocesan website at: www.archkck. org/employment. Interested individuals should mail cover letter, resume, application AND at least three published writing samples to: Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Office of Human Resources, Feature Writer Search, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, or send via email to: jobs@archkck.org. Applicants with samples of photography (three to five digital images only or a link to your online portfolio) may submit via email to the same email address. Application deadline: Aug. 21.

Advertising coordinator and bookkeeper - The Leaven is seeking a full-time advertising coordinator and bookkeeper to join its national award-winning staff. Position requires a practicing Catholic with a minimum of two years bookkeeping or accounts payable/receivable experience or college degree in related field. Applicant must be: detail-oriented, able to work well independently and with others, a quick and enthusiastic learner, and eager to contribute to the larger mission of The Leaven. Interest in writing, photography and website management a huge plus. A complete job description is available on the archdiocesan website at: www.archkck.org/employment.

Interested individuals should mail cover letter, resume and application by Aug. 21 to Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Office of Human Resources, Leaven Advertising Search, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, or send via email to jobs@archkck.org.

Religious education director - Immaculate Conception Church, St. Marys, is accepting letters of application for a director of religious education. The position has a key pastoral leadership and formation role that requires collaboration with the pastor, staff members, volunteers and parishioners and to provide Catholic education for the parish needs. The ideal candidate must have a thorough understanding of the Roman Catholic faith and a passion to live out its teachings. Experience in teaching and leading young children, teens and adults combined with leadership and supervisory experience in a Catholic parish setting is preferred. Applicants should be motivated and effective in communication and be knowledgeable of current media and technology. For a detailed job description and salary range, send an email to: groth1776@yahoo.com. Applicants will be required to submit by email a resume with three references.

Deadline for application is July 31.

Positions - St. Elizabeth School in Kansas City, Missouri, is looking to fill several part-time positions for the upcoming school year (extended care workers, early childhood assistants, and substitute teachers). Hourly rate is $10 - $12. If interested, please contact Joann Aubuchon by email at: jaubuchon@stekcschool.org or call (816) 523-7100.

Full- and part-time facility maintenance assistants St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood, is seeking one full- (evening shift) and one part-time (morning hours) facility assistants. Responsibilities will include light janitorial duties, setup and tear down for meetings and other functions, miscellaneous cleaning and maintenance projects. The full-time position is eligible for the archdiocesan benefits package. For complete details, please see our website at: www.stmichaelcp.org.

Bookkeeper - St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood is seeking a part-time bookkeeper for the church and school. Responsibilities include receiving and organizing invoices from vendors, preparing checks and posting to the general ledger, processing contributions and preparing deposits, and other routine accounting duties. A qualified candidate will possess strong interpersonal and organizational skills and have three years experience in a business or accounting field. An associate’s degree in business or accounting would be beneficial. See job description and contact information under employment opportunities online at: www.st michaelcp.org.

Teachers - St. Agnes Early Education Center, Roeland Park, is currently looking for teachers to work with children ages 1-5 years of age. These positions are for teachers to work in the toddler, two’s, and pre-K classrooms.

The teaching positions would be between the hours of 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., Mon. - Fri. The right candidate will need to be at least 18 years old, be physically able to meet the demands of working with young children, have a positive attitude and be energetic, flexible, creative and patient.

A high school diploma or GED is required and one year or more of experience working in a Kansas licensed child care facility or early education college coursework is a plus. Applicant must meet the Kansas Department of Health and Environment qualifications for lead teachers.

If you are interested in being considered for these openings or know of anyone who might be interested, email your resume to Susie Smith, director, at: smith.susan@ stagneskc.org or call (913) 262-1689.

THELEAVEN.COM | JULY 31, 2015 Gifts division manager - Wellington, Overland Park, is seeking a gifts division manager. The gifts division manager is a creative and forward-thinking leader who is proactive, a charismatic communicator and adept at winning through influencing others. This tenacious person has demonstrated that he or she is an industry leader who is most comfortable when given the freedom and independence to pursue goals and “think outside of the box.” Level of experience: Bachelor’s degree with 10-plus years of experience in corporate promotional products, event planning, PR, advertising or like field through a fulltime job. Promotional product knowledge is preferred and ASI knowledge is an advantage. For more information, visit the website at: www.wellingtonexperience. com.

Faith formation assistant - St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish is seeking a full-time faith formation assistant. The qualified candidate will be a highly motivated self-starter with proficiency in Microsoft Office as well as excellent organizational and prioritizing skills.

Duties include, but are not limited to: staffing the frontdesk, registration for religious education, maintaining accurate class and mailing lists, generating mailings, administrative support in terms of document creation and copying. For a detailed job description, contact information, and instructions on how to submit a resume, please go to employment opportunities on the parish website at: www.stmichaelcp.org.

Parish life coordinator - St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood, is seeking a highly motivated “people person” to fill the staff position of parish life coordinator.

The key role of this position is to maximize the involvement of our members in the life of the parish. This includes helping parishioners make the most of their time and talents, as well as communicating the multitude of opportunities available for participation through various means including social media. For a copy of the complete job description, contact information and instructions on how to submit a resume, please go to employment opportunities on the website at: www.stmichaelcp.org.

Liturgy coordinator - St. Michael the Archangel Church, Leawood, seeks a full-time liturgy coordinator to prepare liturgical ministers, spaces and artifacts for the celebration of the sacred mysteries. The successful candidate will be a practicing Catholic in good standing, familiar with all aspects of Roman Catholic liturgical tradition, possessing a working knowledge of pertinent liturgical documents, books, rubrics and artifacts. The position requires strong organizational and communication skills, initiative, responsibility and flexibility. Regular weekend and some evening hours. Minimum academic requirement: bachelor’s degree or equivalent in related field. Background screening and completion of the Virtus “Protecting God’s Children” course are mandatory.

Salary commensurate with education and experience.

Benefits according to archdiocesan policy. For a copy of the complete job description, please go to employment opportunities online at: www.stmichaelcp.org. Send a cover letter, resume and three professional references to Dr. Kevin Vogt, director, by email at: kevin.vogt@st michaelcp.org.

Development position - Hayden High School is accepting applications for a development/fundraising position.

The duties will include management of the annual auction, concessions, bingo, record keeping and other functions of the PACE organization, along with marketing and communications responsibilities. The applicant should be a practicing Catholic and preferably have experience in development, fundraising and/or management. Please send an email with a letter of interest and resume to Rick Strecker at: streckerr@haydenhigh.org or by mail to 401 S.W. Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.

Safe drivers needed - Assisted Transportation seeks caring and reliable drivers to transport K-12 students in Overland Park, Olathe and/or Kansas City, Kansas, in our minivans. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply. Learn more or apply online at: www.assisted transportation.com or call (913) 262-5190 for more information. EOE. Teacher assistant - Special Beginnings, Lenexa, is seeking full- or part-time teacher assistants at all locations.

We are looking for a teacher assistant candidate who has an excellent work ethic, heart for children, and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education.

Experience and/or education is a plus but we will train the right candidate. Teacher assistants will work with the lead teacher to care for and educate the children.

Primary responsibilities include assisting the lead teacher with: care and supervision of children, lesson plan implementation, parent communication, cleanliness and organization of classroom. Starting hourly pay ranges based on experience and education. Pay increases are based on job performance. Opportunities for advancement are available as the company prefers to promote from within. Apply by sending an email to chris@special beginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, KS 66215.

SOR administrative assistant - Position open at Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee. Individual will provide office support for all aspects of the religious education program, which includes data entry, good organizational skills, proficiency in Word, Excel and Publisher and occasionally assisting volunteers or answering phones. Position is part-time, 12-15 hours weekly, with a Wed., 3:30/4 - 8 p.m. coverage a must; additional shift hours are negotiable. Interested individuals may send resume by email to: sor@shoj.org.

Music teacher - Sts. Peter and Paul School, Seneca, is seeking an enthusiastic K-8 vocal music teacher.

Applicants should send resume and/or letter of interest to principal, Todd Leonard, by email at: tleonard@ sppschool.com. For more information, please call (785) 336-2727. Salary is dependent on education and experience.

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.

Teaching positions - St. Ann Young Child Center, Prairie Village, is seeking to fill a preschool aide position for Mon., Wed., and Fri. from 8 - 11:45 a.m. For more information, call Tati at (816) 716-4676.

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) 252-1391

Prekindergarten teachers - St. Patrick Early Education Center is seeking full- or part-time lead teachers for our three-year-olds classrooms. Lead teachers should have an early childhood education degree or a CDA or a degree in a related field with an emphasis in early education. Prior experience in a classroom setting is preferred.

Our academic year runs from Aug. – May with summers off. Benefits are included for full-time employees. To apply, forward your resume by email to: stpatrickeec@arch kckcs.org, attention Michelle Mank, director, or send to St. Patrick EEC, 1080 N. 94th St., Kansas City, KS 66112.

Drivers - Special Beginnings Early Learning Center is seeking part-time drivers for its school-age program located in Lenexa. Candidates must be able to drive a 13-passenger minibus, similar to a 15-passenger van.

CDL not required, but must have an excellent driving record. Candidates would pick up children from area schools and then work directly with them when arriving back at the center. Experience preferred. Must have strong work ethic and the ability to work with children.

Insurance provided. Background check will be conducted. Great opportunity for retired persons or those seeking a second job. Job responsibilities include: ensuring safety and well-being of children who are being transported at all times, including loading and unloading.

Driving short, round-trip routes to elementary schools in Lenexa/Olathe area. Summer only: Driving short, roundtrip routes to two Lenexa city pools. Maintaining mileage log. Keeping interior of vehicle clean. Apply by sending an email to chris@specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa KS 66215.

SERVICES Professional window cleaning - Residential only. Insured and bonded. Over 40 years experience. Free estimates. Contact Gene Jackson at (913) 593-1495.

K-12 tutoring available - Tutor is degreed and has experience in the K-12 curriculum in various subjects and can help in test preps (ACT, SAT, GED, etc.) as well as French, Spanish, piano, guitar, voice and music theory. Sessions are fun and meaningful in context. Sessions are one-onone and family discount available. For more information, please call or text Kathleen at (913) 206-2151 or send an email to: klmamuric@yahoo.com.

Complete plumbing and bath Master plumber for your entire home. Painting, tile install, bath remodeling. Onyx Collection Distributor.

Serving Johnson County for 20 years.

Member Ascension Parish; call Mike at (913) 488-4930.

NELSON CREATIONS L.L.C. Home remodeling, design/build, kitchens, baths, all interior and exterior work. Family owned and operated; over 25 years experience. Licensed and insured; commercial and residential. Kirk and Diane Nelson.

(913) 927-5240; nelsport@everestkc.net 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.

Water damage restoration - Framing, insulation, painting, sheet rock, mold treatment, and lead safe certified.

Fully insured. Serving Wyandotte and Johnson Counties for 25 years. Call Jerry at (913) 206-1144.

MM Painting & Remodeling - Interior/exterior. 37 years experience. Free estimates. Holy Rosary parishioner. Call (913) 360-9750.

Larry Laney Construction Co. - Specializing in kitchen/ bathroom remodeling and home renovation. Finished carpentry, painting, drywall and tile. I’m an honest, hardworking, dependable, and very skilled, licensed contractor. Insured, with references. Call Larry at (913) 963-3434.

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

Brick mason - Brick, stone, tile and flat work. 22 years of residential/commercial experience. FREE QUOTES - KC metro area. Small and large jobs accepted. Call Jim at (913) 485-4307. www.facebook.com/faganmasonry.

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.

Get the job done right the first time Kansas City’s Premier Services Decks and fences Power washing, staining and preserving Call for a FREE estimate Brian (913) 952-5965, Holy Trinity parishioner Jim (913) 257-1729, Holy Spirit parishioner

Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover.

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

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.

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

DRC Construction We’ll get the job done right the first time.

Windows - Doors - Decks – Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and you’ll be glad you did.

Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com

Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr. com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer. com. Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress.

Adept Home Improvements Where quality still counts!

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

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.

Garage door and opener sales and service - 24-hour, 7-day-a-week service on all types of doors. Replace broken springs, cables, hinges, rollers, gate openers, entry and patio doors, and more. Over 32 years of experience.

Call (913) 227-4902.

HOME IMPROVEMENT Local handyman and lawn care - Water heaters, garbage disposals, toilets, faucets, painting, power washing,doors, storm doors, gutter cleaning, wood rot, mowing, carpet, roofing, etc. Member of Holy Angels Parish.

Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118.

HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.com House painting Interior and exterior; wall paper removal.

Power washing, fences, decks.

30 years experience. References. Reasonable rates.

Call Joe at (913) 620-5776.

Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com >> Classifieds continue on page 13

CALENDAR 13

JULY 31, 2015 | THELEAVEN.COM

August The monthly pro-life Mass and rosary will be held on Aug. 1, beginning with 8:15 a.m. Mass, at Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th, Leawood. After Mass, participants will drive to Planned Parenthood, 4401 W. 109th St., Overland Park, and Archbishop Naumann will lead the rosary.

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The Knights of Peter Claver Founders’ Gala will be held Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. at Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, 2345 McGee St., Kansas City, Missouri. The featured keynote speaker will be Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The cost to attend is $65. For tickets, call Delores Lee at (816) 444-5560.

Sacred Heart - St. Casimir Parish will celebrate its annual roast beef dinner at St. Casimir Church, 715 Pennsylvania Ave., Leavenworth, on Aug. 2 from 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. The cost to attend is $10 for adults; $5 for children ages 12 and under. Carryout meals are available.

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>> Continued from page 12

HOME IMPROVEMENT 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.

Swalms Organizing - Downsizing - Clean Out Service.

Reduce clutter - Any space organized. Shelving built on site. Items hauled for recycling and donations. 20 years exp, insured. Call Tillar: (913) 375-9115. WWW.SWALMS ORGANIZING.COM. Lawn/Landscaping - Mowing, mulch, dirt work, sod, tree trimming, landscape rock, gutter cleaning, and power washing. Mention this ad for special pricing. Call (816) 509-0224.

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

Caregiver - Available to do private duty. Medical background. Looking to help clients stay engaged, and rekindle their enthusiasm for life. Will attend to medical issues. Call Pam at (913) 579-5276.

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.

A silent directed retreat will be held Aug. 4 - 9 at Sophia Spiritual4-9 ity Center, 751 S. 8th St., Atchison.

In the quiet of a monastic setting, come and experience the sacred through personal prayer and daily meetings with a Benedictine Sister who is a trained spiritual director. For more information or to register, call (913) 360-6151 or visit the center’s website at: www.sophiaspiritualitycenter.org.

A conference entitled “Conversion of the Heart through Mary,” hosted 7-8 by the Militia Immaculata in the Midwest, will be held Aug. 7 - 8 at Holy Trinity Church, 9150 Pflumm, Lenexa.

For a complete schedule and to register, visit the website at: www.consecration-midwest. org or call Christine Rossi at (913) 912-2446.

St. Stanislaus Church, Rossville, will serve a picnic dinner in Dekat Hall during the Tall Corn Festival on Aug. 8 from 4 - 7 p.m. There will also be bingo, games, a raffle and a silent auction.

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St. Joseph - St. Lawrence Parish, Easton, will host a summer fest on Aug. 8. Festivities will start with Mass at 4 p.m. at St. Lawrence Church, Easton. A home cooked chicken dinner will be held from 4 - 7:30 p.m. There will also be a raffle, children’s ac-

Caregiver - 45 year old female. Lots of caregiving experience. Flexible hours. Excellent references. Please call Kara at (913) 909-6659.

Residential care for your loved one in my home - For those who need or want the extra TLC that we would be so willing to provide. If your loved one needs long-term care, 24-hour-care after a surgery, stroke, fall, heart attack, or just a place to stay while you take a much- needed break or vacation, please give us a call. We offer one-on-one, personal, 24-hour-care, homemade meals, tuck-in service, heat packs for those cool nights, massages, private room with balcony, laundry service, bathing and grooming. We believe in making everyone’s life as full as possible. A lot of time is spent enjoying the simple pleasures, such as socializing, dancing, enjoying the outdoors, crafting and baking. If you are looking for the special place for your loved one to spend the rest of their days in comfort and love, we are here to help. My home is equipped with an elevator and is handicap accessible. I am certified in dispensing medication, CPR/FA. References are available upon request. Send an email to: thshealth@yahoo.com or call (816) 746-1564 and ask for Patti.

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.

Cemetery plots - Chapel Hill Memorial Garden, Kansas City, Kansas. 2 plots, vaults included. Reduced price! For more information, call Sondra at (913) 441-1650.

For sale - Resurrection Cemetery Charity Garden, lots 108 B 3 and 4, including vaults. Current cost is $8,060.

Sell price is $7,250. Nativity Corridor Mausoleum Niche 228 A (single). Current cost is $4,485; sell price is $3,400. Transfer cost is $200 each; sell price is $100 each. Contact Wayne at (913) 850-4753.

For sale - At Gate of Heaven Cemetery, a double cremation niche with companion urn in the mausoleum. Located in the St. John Corridor, 8 H. Today’s selling price for the double niche and urn is approximately $6,522; offering for $5,000. Call Colleen at (913) 269-6944.

Ora et Labora: How to Find Balance in Our Lives August 28 - 30, 2015

Saint Benedict is the master of balance. He teaches us ‘discretion:’ not too little, not too much of anything, without being mediocre. This allows us to conquer exaggerations of any kind. The retreat is a great opportunity to reflect on our way of life. Father Mauritius Wilde, OSB, Ph.D., is the author of several books and directs retreats regularly. For his reflections on the Holy Rule of St. Benedict, listen to Spirit Catholic Radio or visit www.DiscerningHearts.com. He serves as Prior of our monastery in Schuyler.

Friday, 7:30 p.m. to Sunday after Lunch. Program Fee: $ 60. Rooms per night: Single Occupancy: $ 43 plus tax. Double Occupancy: $ 35/person plus tax. Meals per day: $ 25.50 plus tax.

ST. BENEDICT CENTER Located 3 miles north of Schuyler at Hwy. 15 P.O. Box 528 • Schuyler, NE 68661-0528 • Phone: 402-352-8819 • Fax: 402-352-8884 Email: Retreats@StBenedictCenter.com • Web Site: www.StBenedictCenter.com

tivities, a cakewalk, bingo, music and beverages. The cost to attend the meal is $8 for adults; $5 for children ages 10 and under.

A first-of-its-kind reunion invites all connected to three parishes and 14-16 their schools — Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Rose of Lima and Our Lady & St. Rose in Kansas City, Kansas — to come together on Aug. 14 - 16 at Davern Hall at Christ the King Parish, 53rd St. and Leavenworth Rd., Kansas City, Kansas. There will be a social event on Aug. 14, a carnival and evening banquet on Aug. 15, and a Mass and brunch on Aug. 16. To register, visit the website at: www.ourladyandsaintrose.org or call Barbara Bailey at the parish office at (913) 321-1958.

A memorial liturgy for deceased loved ones will be held Aug. 15 at 8 a.m. at Curé of Ars Parish, 9405 Mission Rd., Leawood. Following the Mass, the bereavement ministry will have its monthly support meeting in the Father Burak Room. Liz Luck will speak on ”Living Life After Death.” For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

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Christ’s Peace House of Prayer will host a weekend retreat on “Mary, Our Mother.”

The retreat will look at Catholic teaching on

For sale - At Resurrection Cemetery, two easements in mausoleum. Contact A. Kelly at (913) 649-9691.

For sale - Two plots, side by side, at Chapel Hill Garden of Valor. $4,200 or best offer. Retails at $5,390. Please call David Nichols at (816) 686-1131 or send an email to: susannichols811@yahoo.com.

REAL ESTATE Family home for sale - 1976 home in the established Knollwood neighborhood of Topeka. 4 BR, 3.5 BA. 4,228 square feet. Asking price is $295,000. Walking distance to Hayden High School and Most Pure Heart of Mary Grade School. It is the perfect setting for entertaining outside and inside, with lots of square feet for family and friends. This home has been well maintained, as is documented in the whole house inspection that has already been completed and is on file. There are exceptional renovations: a new roof, open kitchen with granite countertops and newer appliances. The kitchen sits open to a warm and cozy hearth room with beautiful woodwork and built-in shelves. Every bedroom is spacious with ample square feet for furnishings. The master suite is a haven for pampering and preparing for the day. Tons of closet space and drawers for the extras. There is also a deck off the kitchen that overlooks an amazing backyard with in-ground pool, hot tub and flagstone decking. A home warranty is in place, and this home is ready for a family. Come see us; don’t miss the opportunity to have a perfect home for your family. For more information, call Stan Zimmerman at (785) 640-2223 or Brenda Zimmerman at (785) 224-5885.

WANTED TO BUY Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, lighters, fountain pens, post card collections, paintings/prints, pottery, sterling, china dinnerware.

Renee Maderak, (913) 631-7179.

St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee Wanted to buy - 1950’s, 1960’s, 1970’s convertible wanted in running condition. Call (913) 593-7507 Wanted to buy - Lionel trains. Call (913) 485-6700.

the Blessed Virgin Mary. The retreat will begin on Aug. 15, the feast of Mary’s assumption, and end on Aug. 16. There will be nine talks, eucharistic adoration, Mass at the local parish and time for private prayer, spiritual reading, discussion and walking. For more information, send an email to: info@ christspeace.com or call (913) 773-8255.

St. John the Baptist, the Croatian parish on Strawberry Hill, 708 N. 4th St., Kansas City, Kansas, will host its annual festival on Aug. 15, starting after 4 p.m. Mass. There will be games and prizes for all ages, lots of food and drink, with a traditional sarma dinner in the gym. Kid’s activities include face painting. A free outdoor dance will be held from 9 - 11 p.m. on the museum grounds next door.

For more information, call (913) 371-0627.

Immaculate Conception Parish, St. Marys, will host its parish picnic and reunion on Aug. 16. A chicken dinner with all the trimmings will be served from 4 - 7 p.m. The cost to attend is $8 for adults; $3 for children under the age of 12. There will be games and prizes, drawings and a silent auction. For more information, visit the website at: www.marytown youth.com or call (785) 437-2408.

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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.

VACATION Great Colorado Getaway! - Completely furnished three- story condo, sleeps 10. 3 BR, Wi-Fi, all cooking facilities, satellite, deck with gorgeous views! Hunting, fishing, hiking, train rides through the mountains and much more! For rates and reservations, visit the website at: www.cucharavacationrentals.com, then Aspen Valley Lookout.

Branson getaway - Walk-in condo on Pointe Royale Golf Course. Sleeps six. Close to lakes and entertainment.

Fully furnished. Pool and hot tub available. No cleaning fee. Nightly rates. Wi-Fi available. Discounts available.

Call (913) 515-3044.

FOR RENT For rent - Spacious home near St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Large yard. 4 BR. Great neighborhood. $2,000 per month. Call (913) 271-8051.

MISCELLANEOUS Host families - Welcome an international student into your home by hosting a student attending St. Thomas Aquinas. Hosting is an exciting and rewarding experience. Please contact Jody Shelton Stephen for more information at: jodys@twinnpalms.com, or call (913) 220-8707.

BUYING A CLASSIFIED

Cost to advertise is: $18.50 for five lines or less; $1.50 each additional line; Email: julie@theleaven. com; Phone: (913) 647-0327

14 COMMENTARY SCRIPTURE READINGS

THELEAVEN.COM | JULY 31, 2015

MARK MY WORDS

Want to live a simpler life? It’s simple!

EIGHTEENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Aug. 2 EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Ex 16: 2-4, 12-15 Ps 78: 3-4, 23-25, 54 Eph 4: 17, 20-24 Jn 6: 24-35 Aug. 3 Nm 11: 4b-15 Ps 81: 12-17 Mt 14: 13-21 Aug. 4 John Vianney, priest Nm 12: 1-13 Ps 51: 1, 3-7, 12-13 Mt 14: 22-36 Aug. 5 Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major Nm 13: 1-2, 25 – 14:1, 26-29a, 34-35 Ps 106: 6-7b, 13-14, 21-23 Mt 15: 21-28 Aug. 6 THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD Dn 7: 9-10, 13-14 Ps 97: 1-2, 5-6, 9 2 Pt 1: 16-19 Mk 9: 2-10 Aug. 7 Sixtus II, pope, and companions, martyrs; Cajetan, priest Dt 4: 32-40 Ps 77: 12-16, 21 Mt 16: 24-28 Aug. 8 Dominic, priest Dt 6: 4-13 Ps 18: 2-4, 47, 51 Mt 17: 14-20 Aug. 9 NINETEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 1 Kgs 19: 4-8 Ps 34: 2-9 Eph 4:30 – 5:2 Jn 6: 41-51 Aug. 10 LAWRENCE, DEACON, MARTYR 2 Cor 9: 6-10 Ps 112: 1-2, 5-9 Jn 12: 24-26 Aug. 11 Clare, virgin Dt 31: 1-8 (Ps) Dt 32: 3-4b, 7-9, 12 Mt 18: 1-5, 10, 12-14 Aug. 12 Jane Frances de Chantal, religious Dt 34: 1-12 Ps 66: 1-3a, 5, 8, 16-17 Mt 18: 15-20 Aug. 13 Pontian, pope, and Hippolytus, priest, martyrs Jos 3: 7-10a, 11, 13-17 Ps 114: 1-6 Mt 18: 21, 19: 1 Aug. 14 Maximilian Kolbe, priest, martyr Jos 24: 1-13 Ps 136: 1-3, 16-18, 21-22, 24 Mt 19: 3-12 Aug. 15 ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN Rv 11: 19a; 12: 1-6a, 10ab Ps 45: 10-12, 16 1 Cor 15: 20-27 Lk 1: 39-56

P

robably most people are familiar with the acronym KISS, which stands for: Keep It Simple, Silly!

In reading Pope Francis’ new encyclical, “Laudato Si’,” where he again mentions our “throwaway culture,” simplicity is definitely something we’re encouraged to practice.

Quoting Patriarch Barthlomew, the encyclical calls us “to replace consumption with sacrifice, greed with generosity, wastefulness with a spirit of sharing, an asceticism which ‘entails learning to give and not simply to give up. It is a way of loving, of moving gradually away from what I want to what God’s world needs’” (9).

Living a life of simplicity is, ultimately, simple to understand. A folk tale from the Middle East — featuring Nasrudin, the wise fool — captures the idea well: Everyone in the village had “pilgrimage fever” and got busy packing up traveling clothes and food for the journey. All except for Nasrudin, who watched them laboring away.

Soon, all of the village — the men, women and children — were heading out to Mecca.

They were singing songs and shouting with great excitement about how they were off to find God.

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

They got about a mile or so away when Nasrudin suddenly rode up on his donkey and began to shout about some terrible emergency. The villagers caught the donkey and made Nasrudin tell them what the problem was.

“I’m trying to find my donkey!” he shouted. “Where is my donkey?”

“Why, Nasrudin,” answered the villagers, “you’re sitting on top of your donkey.”

“Oh, really? Is that so?” he replied. “And why are you all going on a pilgrimage to find God?” Of course, Nasrudin’s point is that we don’t have to go to a faraway place to “find” God. We only have to look around, right where we are. What is true about finding God is equally true about finding simplicity. We don’t need to head off to a distant, expensive seminar. Simplicity is

within our grasp, right where we are.

I think we can all use a healthy dose of simplicity.

Doesn’t it seem like there’s rarely downtime any more, now that we’re always “connected” via our cellphones and tablets? Even summers and vacations, which used to be times of simple rest and renewal, are often more taxing than relaxing.

And with school starting up again in just a few weeks, the crazybusy train is about to leave the station.

It doesn’t need to be that way, though. A quick search of the Lifehack website yielded some of this baker’s dozen rules for living a simple life: • Put God first in your life.

Spend time daily with God. Speak to God about your joys and sorrows, dreams and disappointments. Don’t let work, sports or other leisure activities crowd God out of your schedule.

• Believe in yourself, but be aware of your limitations.

Set realistic goals each day.

Be mature enough, however, to own up when you make a mistake. After all, nobody is perfect.

• Declutter and simplify.

• Use everything in moderation. Spend less than you make, pay attention to your diet, and limit your “screen” time.

• Keep things in perspective. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Remember the words: “This too shall pass.”

• Treat others how they want to be treated. Don’t judge, be generous and do something nice for someone daily. Let others say “no,” and don’t pressure or guilt them into doing what you want.

• Have a positive mindset.

Keep in mind the words of Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right!”

• Educate yourself. Keep up on your faith by reading The Leaven (of course) and spiritual books. Learn something new every day.

• Surround yourself with supportive people.

• Banish the word “perfection.” Strive for excellence, not perfection. Most of the time, good enough is good enough.

• Fix it, or deal with it, but stop whining about it.

Don’t blame others for your problems, make excuses or be overly sensitive. And, for Pete’s sake, don’t be a drama queen.

• Remember things that you’re grateful for.

• Be passionate about something. “Let’s go Royals!”

One final rule is in order: Don’t try to incorporate the above rules into your life all at once . . . or you can kiss sweet simplicity goodbye.

IN THE BEGINNING

Exodus shows how God’s love knows no limits

F

or a number of years now, Catholics have been able to attend Sunday Mass on Saturday evening. That is because, according to the ancient way of thinking, the day begins at evening and runs until the following evening.

That goes contrary to the modern way of thinking, which reckons the day from midnight to midnight. Liturgically speaking, Saturday evening is the beginning of Sunday.

This ancient way of reckoning time is reflected in the Bible’s first creation account.

After each day of creation, we hear the words along the lines of: “Thus evening came, and morning followed — the first day” (Gn 1:5).

This reference to the day is also reflected in Sunday’s first reading, Ex 16:2-4, 12-15:

POPE FRANCIS

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.

“In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread.”

God is speaking to the Israelites. Contrary to their fears and expectations, God has not led them out of Egypt into the desert to starve to death. God will feed them.

In the evening, God will send quail which will provide the flesh (meat) for

While youth ministry and education programs must be updated to meet the needs of young people today, the church’s outreach still must be based on love, concern and spiritual guidance, Pope Francis said. Writing to members of the Salesian religious orders marking

the Israelites to eat. In the mornings, during the day, they will find bread-like manna covering the ground.

And this will happen every day. Throughout their trek to the Promised Land, the Israelites will subsist on meat and bread, the two staples of their diet.

The Israelites had complained about the lack of food. And now that this need has been satisfied, they will find something else to complain about. There is no limit to their demands.

Fortunately, there is no limit to God’s love. God will continue to care for them, despite their unreasonableness. At the same time, while God will provide for their needs, God will set some restrictions for them to follow.

For example, the Israelites are to gather only enough

the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. John Bosco, the pope said, “The world has changed much in these two centuries, but the spirit of young people has not: Young men and women still are open to life and to an encounter with God and with others.” Without proper assistance, he said, their ideals and aspirations place them at risk of “discouragement, spiritual anemia and

food for that day, except for the Sabbath, when they are to gather none, but they are to gather a double portion on the preceding day: “Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not.”

God gives gifts in abundance, sufficient for our needs. At the same time, God imposes restrictions on how we are to use those gifts.

In the Our Father, we ask God for our daily bread. We request what we need, not necessarily what we desire or want. In doing that, we focus upon our basic, immediate needs for that day. We follow in the footsteps of the Israelites, who turned to God for manna, day by day.

marginalization.” In his letter dated June 24 and posted on the Salesian order’s website in mid-July, Pope Francis told the Salesian priests, Brothers and Sisters that they must look at “the resources the Holy Spirit raises up in situations of crisis,” and not just the ways modern culture “injures” the young.

— CNS

LOCAL NEWS 15

JULY 31 , 2015 | THELEAVEN.COM

Diversity makes house of worship a home >> Continued from page 1 “What makes St. John’s a great place to worship is we span all demographics,” she said.

“We have a mixture of university deans and professors, doctors, lawyers, dentists, plumbers, janitors, seamstresses — there’s a wide range of people and ages who belong,” said St. John’s pastor Father Jeff Ernst, OFM Cap. “No matter who you are, you’ll find your home here,” he added.

The diversity of the parish is easy to see in the makeup of the six Masses offered each weekend. There’s a 4:30 Mass on Saturday afternoon and Sunday Masses include a folk Mass at 10:30 a.m., a Spanish Mass at 1 p.m. and a contemporary Mass at 5 p.m. Other Sunday Masses with traditional organ and choir are offered at 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

“We are definitely diverse in our style of worship,” said Romero. “We have a warm environment and lots of hospitality, but we don’t lose our focus on the liturgy. People feel they can come here and encounter Christ in a real way through the liturgy, the music and the relationships with each other through fellowship.”

With a belief that they need to meet “people where they are at,” confessions are offered for three hours each Wednesday: from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 7 to 8 p.m., with expanded hours during Lent.

Romero also feels the parish prides itself on simplicity and preserving what it has, which also appeals to parishioners. That preservation can be seen in the use of buildings owned by the parish to house church offices, Catholic Charities and the thrift store Rummage House.

Led by Father Ernst and associate pastor Father Barnabas Ichor, OFM Cap., the parish offers 65 ministries to the more than 1100 families that belong to it. Although these ministries offer much variety, social justice is a

LEAVEN PHOTO BY DOUG HESSE

Led by Father Ernst and associate pastor Father Barnabas Ichor, OFM Cap., St. John the Evangelist in Lawrence offers 65 ministries to the more than 1100 families that belong to it. “big thing,” said Romero. “We have two social justice committees, plus Earth Care.”

One of the social justice committees, Justice Matters, is made up of interfaith volunteers from across Lawrence who are working to obtain a facility for the mentally ill.

“These people are not criminals, but are also not able to function well in society and often end up in jail because of this,” said Father Ernst.

“There’s also a focus on the home environment of the city’s children.”

In addition to the two social justice committees, Earth Care focuses on ways to protect God’s creation. The group is currently emphasizing the importance of recycling and is trying to get rid of all Styrofoam containers on the parish premises. A branch of this committee, the Green Committee, also helps keep the buildings green and has won an award for its work.

Perhaps one of the most unique offerings of the parish is St. John’s Café, which not only offers fellowship after Mass, but also the opportunity to ask questions on any topic in an open forum format. St. John’s Café is offered after the 8:30 a.m. Mass opposite the religious education classes.

“Questions are asked with the priest facilitating and bouncing ideas,” Father Ernst explained. “At the end of the session, he clarifies and gives the dogma that goes with the discussion.”

So far, the sessions, which are held September through June, have seen an average of 20 to 30 participants, ranging from 5th grade to people in their 70s each week.

While this may be the first Best of Lawrence award for St. John the Evangelist Church, with its convenient downtown location, friendly atmosphere and programs appealing to a diverse population, it definitely won’t be its last.

16 LOCAL NEWS

THELEAVEN.COM | JULY 31, 2015

A PLAN OF HOPE Ministry strives to rescue the homeless

By Monte Mace Special to The Leaven

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — When Charles Carney looks at the h o m e l e s s , unwashed or mentally ill, he sees the crucified

Christ.

And he tries to help them, sometimes inviting them into his home.

He and his wife Donna founded St. Lawrence Catholic Worker House at 309 N. 15th St. in Kansas City, Kansas, in 2005. Ever since, they’ve housed one to three homeless people in their home — the Catholic Worker House — until their guests could get on their own two feet.

In 2010, Charles went a step further and founded Companion Ministries.

It helps people get housing, obtain Social Security disability or medical insurance and provides job coaching and counseling. All at no charge.

Even though government or private organizations offer services to the poor and homeless, Carney said the help isn’t enough.

He said lots of organizations provide meals and piecemeal help. But few can do what Companion Ministries does, which is to rescue those who don’t qualify or can’t help themselves.

Carney offers what he called a “Plan of Hope.”

The need was dramatized to Carney in 2010 after the state of Kansas declined federal funding under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and then cut funding for social services and mental health treatment. Carney said that action hamstrung government programs as well as Medicaid, and stymied the work of nonprofit organizations.

“Those who fall between the cracks, we take on,” he said. “We help them apply for Medicaid or Social Security. The ‘Big Three’ are income, homelessness and health care. If there are mental or developmental problems, I help hook them up with organizations that can help.”

In 2013, Companion Ministries helped a record 31 people with similar stories escape homelessness.

Carney has a knack for networking and partnering with organizations that have common goals — often crossing religious lines. The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Christ the King Church

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Companion Ministries runs on a shoestring and seeks volunteers interested in helping the disadvantaged by giving rides, offering accompaniment, doing office work, fixing locks or giving counseling.

The key requirement is the ability to listen and accompany. Needed most are people with a car, cellphone and expertise with the social services system.

Contact Charles Carney at (913) 514-2399 or by email at: companion ministries@gmail.com.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE MCSORLEY

Charles Carney is the founder of St. Lawrence Catholic Worker House and Companion Ministries, two efforts geared toward helping the homeless. In 2013, Companion Ministries helped a record 31 people escape homelessness. in Kansas City, Kansas, Rainbow Mennonite Church, First Central Church of the Brethren and the federal senior employment retraining program all participate with the organization in one form or another.

In fact, the selfless mission of the organization impressed actress Susan Sarandon so much that she has donated money twice after receiving Carney’s mailings.

Brian (not his real name) is an example of the success Carney has had helping people. Brian is 31 and has a learning disability. He was referred to Carney by Catholic Worker House of Kansas City, Missouri. He was living in an abandoned house with a few other men. He was impressionable and easily misled by others. Brian wasn’t an addict but had a felony record.

Nevertheless, Companion Ministries was able to help Brian win a Social Security disability claim in just five months so that he now receives $733-per-month income. Brian tried to find housing, but 45 landlords turned him down. Carney approached a landlord friend in Kansas City, Kansas, and landed Brian a one-bedroom apartment for $325-a-month rent.

Ann Suellentrop, of Good Shepherd Parish in Shawnee, is a Companion Ministries board member and a registered nurse. She houses formerly homeless men in a rental property and has seen Carney’s work up close.

“He has a heart of gold and will go to the nth degree to be of assistance to the poor,” she said. “Charles really knows how to cut through red tape and get people into housing or meet their other needs quickly. The person

“

He has a heart of gold and will go to the nth degree to be of assistance to the poor. Charles really knows how to cut through red tape and get people into housing or meet their other needs quickly.”

Ann Suellentrop, a Companion Ministries board member

that most stands out is a woman over 90 years old who was thrown out of her apartment in the winter. Charles got her into a very nice assisted living place very quickly.”

Another person who has seen Carney work near miracles is Debra Sapp-Yarwood. She’s joining the board of Companion Ministries and is studying to become a hospital chaplain at Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee.

One of the congregants at her church, Rainbow Mennonite Church in Rosedale, was rescued by Companion Ministries after a landlord abandoned a midtown property — leaving

all residents with no utilities and overflowing plumbing.

“We discovered the rules in Kansas and Missouri are completely different and completely bamboozling,” she said. “Ultimately, Charles got our congregant on the waiting list for subsidized housing in Wyandotte County and, from there, he got a placement. Without Charles, we might have given up on him.”

Companion Ministries is headquartered for free at the First Central Church of the Brethren, located at 103 N. 13th St. in Kansas City, Kansas.

Sonja Griffith is pastor of First Central.

She said Carney helps a variety of people who don’t always know where to turn or how to navigate the complex social services structure.

“I have seen Charles get people housing, food stamps, medical care, legal help and even furnaces and Social Security payments,” she said. “He helped a young man who does not have a father who will pay any attention to him. He got this young man to be a part of the community college and got money for coursework. He is currently working with one of our people to get dentures for her. We could use two or three or four Companion Ministries!”

Carney ignores the occasional infestation, body odor or erratic behavior found among the folks he serves.

“Every person should be treated with dignity,” Carney said. “It might be Jesus at your door. We are called to minister to the most downtrodden.

Donna and I have no children. This is our calling.”