Below, supporters of “Value Them Both” react to the news that the amendment failed at a watch party in Overland Park. The amendment, which would have re moved the constitutional right to an abortion in Kansas, was defeated 59% to 41%. PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
WHILE WE CAN’T PROTECT WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM ABORTION BY THE LAW, WE CAN WITH LOVE.
AMENDMENTLOOKINGBEYONDLOSS
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>> See “DRAW” on page 10
ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN “ “
THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 44, NO. 4 | AUGUST 12, 2022
Archdiocese pledges to continue the fight to protect the unborn
CITY, Kan. — Now that the “Value Them Both” amendment has been defeat ed, a big question looms: What’s next? One answer is that the church must redouble its pastoral response. “This turns our attention to our pas toral efforts,” said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. “While we can’t protect women and children from abortion by the law, we can with love. “This makes the work of our preg nancy resource centers more import ant. We need to redouble our efforts in those areas. I and the church are certainly committed to doing that. And our postabortion ministry becomes even more important.” The church will have its work cut out for Chuckit. Weber, executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, said, “Clearly, Kansas is going to grow now as an abortion destination state for the Midwest.“We,as a church, have to step for ward with resources and alternatives, like pregnancy resource centers and postabortive services, to offer these women who are being preyed upon by the abortion industry an alternative.”
KANSAS
Left, “Value Them Both” supporters lined 87th St. in Lenexa on Aug. 1 to show their support for the constitutional amend ment. The Unite the Light event drew a strong crowd of supporters for the candlelight rally.
By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
Saddened but grateful Pro-life activists are “deeply sad dened” by the loss, but grateful, too. “We are profoundly grateful for the countless prayers, volunteer hours and sacrifices that so many across the entire state gave to ‘Value Them Both,’” said Debra Niesen, archdiocesan lead consul tant for pro-life ministries. “We are so proud of everyone who courageously and joyfully advocated for this very noble and important cause — the defense of preborn children and vul nerable women facing an unplanned or
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Our torious—ingandtoadversities.whenlovetheeverythingusScripturescausesreasonsareconfession,frequentprayingwordmeditationeucharisticofinfrequentprayergivesolicGod’sourthensocietalofadvanceado.thinkusPrayerourtheknees.mustofthem.opservicestifyalsoWalkingdiocesesalreadyresourcecommunicateanwithlaunchedofthelife-savingdonationorbycybetteryouoflove.wetheprotectthatWomendoingcyandresourcepregnancycenterscrisispregnanclinicshavebeenthisfordecades.andchildrenweareunabletobylawfromabortionindustrycanrescuewithIencourageeachyoutoconsiderhowmightsupportlocalpregnanresourcecentersvolunteeringand/makingafinancialtotheseministries.Twoyearsago,CatholicbishopstheUnitedStates“WalkingMomsinNeed,”initiativetobetterandtheservicesavailableinandparishes.withMomsisdesignedtoidengapsincurrentandtodevelaplantoaddressThirdly,thedefeat“ValueThemBoth”driveustoourPrayermustbefoundationofallapostolicactivities.isnotprimarilytellingGodwhatweOurLordshouldPrayerismeanttobeconversationwithGod.Ifwearegoingtotheculturelifeinthisdifficultenvironment,wemustattunesoulstolistentovoice.OurCathspiritualtraditionusaricharrayofresources,e.g.,participationMassandreceptionholyCommunion,adoration,upontheofGod,thedailyoftherosary,sacramentaletc.AsChristians,weneverwithoutforhopeandforjoy.TheremindthatGodmakesworkforgoodofthosewhohim,especiallyweencounterOurjobistrustinGod’slovepersevereinseektodohiswill.MyepiscopalmottoLifeWillBeVic—doesnot imply
of death! Election loss is hard, but we’ve much to be proud of. And work to do LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS JOSEPHARCHBISHOPF.NAUMANN AUGUST 12, 2O22 | THELEAVEN.ORG2 LOCAL NEWS CALENDARNAUMANN’SARCHBISHOP Aug. Regional13 deacon convocation Mass — Savior Pasto ral Center, Kansas City, Kansas Installation of Father Ken Clem — Sacred Heart, InstallationAug.Ottawa14 of Father Colin Haganey — St. Francis Xavier, Burlington Aug. Bishop’s19 advisory group — Eucharistic Revival Eucharistic procession — Paola Aug. 20 Kelly Youth Rally Aug. Installation21 Mass — Father Gerard Alba, St. Pius X, “Shepherd’sAug.Mission22 Voice” recording — Savior Aug. Envisioning23 Team meeting — Savior CFNEK board meeting — Savior Aug. 24 Lorie Sage meeting on Veronica’s Towel ministry — Universalchancery chastity education annual update — chan Aug.cery Donnelly25 College convocation Mass — Cathedral Aug. Installation27 Mass of Father Nicholas Ashmore — St. Joseph, Olpe Aug. Minister28 of Lector Mass for diaconate — Savior Religious Sisters’ appreciation day — St. Patrick, Kansas City, Kansas Crossword solution
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The loss of the amendThem“ValueBoth” ment on Aug. 2 was a devastating defeat for those who care about the lives of preborn children and the harm abortion inflicts on mothers, fathers and society.Opponents of “Val ue Them Both,” assist ed by an overwhelm ingly secularsympatheticpress,ran an effective campaign of misinformation foster ing confusion and fear. Sadly, the defeat of “Value Them Both” means there is little in the area of public policy that we can do in the foreseeable fu ture to protect women and children from the abortion industry. I suspect that as taxpayers are coerced to fund abortion, we see the dramatic in crease in the numbers of pregnant mothers from other states coming to Kansas for abortions and the cur rent limitations on the abortion industry are ruled unconstitutional, many Kansans will experience buyers’ remorse.Ithank the thou sands of “Value Them Both” volunteers, many of them young adults, who worked tirelessly making phone calls and knocking on more than 500,000 doors. I am grateful to the many generous donors who made sacrificial gifts to our special Respect Life Fund, in part to help finance educational messages in support of “Value Them Both.” I thank our priests, deacons and lay leaders who worked tirelessly to allKansasAmericaConcernedhealthmedical200-plusDemocratsResearchDobson,ernConventiontheanincludingseculargroupsmanycoalition“ValueifiedThemimportanceparishionerseducateabouttheof“ValueBoth.”IwasproudandedtobepartoftheThemBoth”thatincludedotherfaith-basedaswellasorganizations,theLutherMissouriSynod,Kansas-NebraskaofSouthBaptists,Dr.JamestheFamilyCouncil,forLife,Kansasandmentalprofessionals,WomenforofKansasandFamilyVoice.Iamgratefultothosewhoputup
“Value Them Both” yard signs — and when they were stolen or defaced by our opponents, asked for another.Iamproud of our pastors and parish ioners who, discov ering their churches had been vandalized, turned out that very day to put things right. I am proud of the faithful who, educated in the teachings of our faith, were committed to exercise their moral obligation to protect the fundamental hu man right to life. For me personally, it has been a time of soul-searching. I have pondered and prayed about what I could have done differently as a leader that could have yielded a better result. I also am pray ing for all those who worked very hard, that they not grow discour aged. Though we were hoping for a different outcome, your labor has not been in vain. I am praying for those deeply wounded by abortion, who have had an abortion or encouraged someone else to have an abor tion and now deeply regret it, that you will take advantage of our postabortion healing ministries.Finally,I am praying for the opponents of “Value Them Both.” They, too, have been fashioned in the divine image and are of such worth in God’s eyes that Jesus gave his life on Calvary for them. How dark and bleak your life experience, if your passion is to protect a so-called right to kill your own child? We must ask the God of mercy to empower us with the love and joy of his Gospel to pierce the darkness of the culture of death that envelops the hearts of so many of our brothers and sisters.
Advocacy for public policies that respect the life and dignity of the human person is just one compo nent of the Catholic Church’s pastoral plan to build a culture of life. We must direct our energy and efforts to the other elements of the plan, namely 1) education; 2) abortion alternatives; and 3) prayer.First, we must equip ourselves better to be able to educate oth ers. The results of the “Value Them Both” election make even clearer the importance of the church’s respect life educational efforts. Most education hap pens through one-onone conversation with family, friends, neigh bors and co-workers. We must strive to reach minds and touch hearts to build a broader con sensus supporting the sanctity of human life. We must work to dispel misinforma tion from the secular media. For example, claims that doctors were not economicdisabilitiesbasedmotescaseTheycesstheicine,women,child,lifenotrevealsandraT.co-authoredandtionApartthekillingnotareallethicalBoth.”sagedestructiveprosecution,becauseofthatnanciesriages,treatmentprovidingformiscarectopicpregandconditionsthreatenthelifeapregnantmothertheyfearedweretothepasof“ValueThemEffectiveandtreatmentforoftheseconditionsavailablethatdoinvolvethedirectofthechild.Ihighlyrecommendbook,“TearingUs—HowAborHarmsEverythingSolvesNothing,”byRyanAndersonandAlexDeSanctis,thathowabortiononlydestroystheoftheunbornbutalsoharmsfamilies,medtheruleoflaw,democraticproandtheculture.alsomakethethatabortionprodiscriminationonrace,gender,andsociostatus.
Secondly, the loss of “Value Them Both” highlights the impor tance of our pastoral efforts to surround every woman expe riencing a difficult or untimely pregnancy with a community of love and support. that What it does mean is that Jesus has already won the in its unfolding! yield When follow Jesus faithfully, be come witnesses of true love and joy. When live the Gospel faith fully, it is attractive and contagious. The Gospel of Jesus is the antidote to the culture
we will win elections.
We must never
PANDA isn’t the only organization in the archdiocese that enables young people to serve others in need. Cath olic Heart Workcamps (CHWC) will be celebrating 30 years of service next summer. While PANDA prefers to serve others in their own backyard, CHWC has gone national, bringing in hundreds of campers each week and often signing up high school students from multiple states.Sandra and Sarah Fleissner, a mother/ daughter duo from Omaha, Nebraska, have been pulling double-duty by run ning camps in both Omaha and Kansas City since 2016. Sarah Fleissner, who never attended CHWC as a camper, has been helping her mother manage camps since she was 12 years old.
SPRINGPEOPLEINTOACTION
EMPORIA
Programs give youth the chance to make a difference in communities
Left, Oliver Sheeley, a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Emporia, works on a house as part of Prayer and Action, a low-cost mis sion experience that allows youth to come together and serve their community. It also includes a strong prayer Below,component.Prayer and Action teams worked around Empo ria this summer to improve the community by doing simple tasks at residences and food kitchens. Pictured are: (back row from left) Molly Zachgo, Oliver Sheeley, Katie Madden, Taylor Umscheid, Thomas Moore, Joanna Crawford and Allan Towle; (front row from left) Jensen Crawford and Brooklyn Plummer.
“We’re hoping the young people have those kinds of encounters so that they realize Christian life is not just one of showing up at Mass. It’s not just one of study. It’s also one of doing.”
By Dean Backes Special to The Leaven
“It’s just really nice because you feel like you’re actually doing something rather than saying, ‘Oh, I should be doing something,’” Sheeley said, as he and his team were preparing to weed the garden of a resident one Tuesday morning. “And it just makes you really happy and excited to do it again.” Rock Creek High School junior Brooklyn Plummer from St. George also worked the mid-June camp. Her experi ence was similar to that of Sheeley. “Oh my gosh, it was amazing,” said Plummer, who belongs to St. Columb kille Parish in Blaine. “I’ve been think ing about how to put it into words. But it’s just the feeling that you get at the end of each week. Just watching the grace of God go through everybody — that was so Seminariansbeautiful.”from the Diocese of Salina founded Prayer and Action (PANDA) some years ago. Now, Kansas City, Wichita and Denver also offer PANDA missions to the youth of their communities.FollowingMass, a hot, hearty break fast and a work shift that typically runs from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. three to four days a week, campers head back to their quar ters where they’re served dinner, get some free time and participate in the fun-and-games part of the mission. Essential to PANDA is a daily Mass and rosary, works of charity in the com munity, praise and worship, eucharistic adoration, meditation and contempla tion, reconciliation, Liturgy of the Hours, small group discussion, dialogue with seminarians, religious and other adults, and silent Deaconreflection.BillScholl of Our Lady & St. Rose Parish in Kansas City, Kansas, and the archdiocesan consultant for social justice, said campers aren’t just doing a job, they’re also being a witness and serving Christ. He went on to say that in Chapter 25 of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus reminds us that when we serve those in need, we’re serving him.
“Often, in the life of a Christian, we discover that we show up thinking we’re going to serve and we’re going to help,” Scholl said. “But then the Lord turns it around on us and we have this amazing conversation in which we en counter the Holy Spirit, and we walk away going, ‘Wow, I don’t know how much good I did for the other person — I sure hope I did — but God has really done something in me.’
IT’S JUST REALLY NICE BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING RATHER THAN SAYING, ‘OH, I SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING.’ OLIVER SHEELEY PARISHIONER, SACRED HEART, EMPORIA “ “ >> See “RESIDENTS” on page 5
YOUNG
“We have been fortunate to meet every person that we’ve provided ser vices for,” Sarah said of the team that started managing Omaha’s CHWC or ganization in 2008. “That means coming down one or two weekends before camp starts and knocking on as many
President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, frmark.goldasich@theleaven.orgstl Managing editor Anita anita.mcsorley@theleaven.orgMcSorley Production Manager Todd todd.habiger@theleaven.orgHabiger senior rePorter Joe joe.bollig@theleaven.orgBollig advertising coordinator Beth beth.blankenship@theleaven.orgBlankenship social Media editor/rePorter Moira moira.cullings@theleaven.orgCullings Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 7215276; or email at: sub@theleaven.org. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $23/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109. Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) AUGUST 12, 2022 | THELEAVEN.ORG 3LOCAL NEWS
PANDA, which serves a different community every summer, offered mis sion trips to Emporia throughout June and most of July. High school students typically help their assigned resident with yardwork, scraping, painting, cleaning, minor repairs, working at food kitchens, sorting mail and so much more.
— Much like the two and a half dozen other Prayer and Action campers traveling around town here this week, Oliver Sheeley and his team of five boys and three girls were toiling in the hot sun so others don’t have to. It’s all part of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas’ plan to offer low-cost mission experiences to area youth, allowing them to come togeth er to serve their neighbors and to fall deeper in love with Jesus Christ. Sheeley, who will be a freshman at Northern Heights High School in Allen this fall and is a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Emporia, enjoyed the company of other young Catholic men and women and the constant prayer during his mid-June camp so much, he signed up for the season’s final outing in late July.
The great challenge new principals face is learning to juggle all their differ ent responsibilities, said Carney. The archdiocese gives them a lot of support and guidance, but it also allows them the flexibility to really administer their schools.“Ithink the concept of subsidiari ty that the Catholic Church operates under is absolutely wonderful,” said Carney. “It provides some autonomy in decision-making at the local level so our schools can do a little bit different things in terms of how they run.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE Kelli Minshall has taught at Nativity School in Leawood and been vice principal at Visitation School in Kansas City, Missouri, during her 14-year educa tional career. She is now the new principal of St. Ann School in Prairie Village SACRED HEART FELT LIKE COMING HOME. I TELL MY CHILDREN THAT WE’VE LIVED IN DIFFERENT HOUSES, BUT SACRED HEART HAS BEEN HOME FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
ALI GEITZ NEW PRINCIPAL OF SACRED HEART SCHOOL IN EMPORIA “ “
Kelli Minshall was practically born to fill the role of principal. She grew up watching the work of her father, the late Mike Alex, founding president of St. James Academy in Lenexa. In her 14year educational career, she has taught at Nativity School in Leawood and was vice principal at Visitation School in Kansas City, Missouri. “The archdiocese is amazing at an swering any questions,” said Minshall, who will lead St. Ann School in Prairie Village. “I can text Allison Carney at any time and she will answer me and help me out. I feel super-supported.”
“Our principals have a lot of control in their schools in our archdiocese and it’s really wonderful for them.”
AUGUST 12, 2O22 | THELEAVEN.ORG4 LOCAL NEWS
“After they were hired, superin tendent Vince Cascone and associate superintendents Lorenzo Rizzi and myself met with the new principals [on June 14] to welcome them, answer any questions they had and shared a plan of action on how we’ll mentor them through their first couple of years,” said associate superintendent Allison Carney.Additionally, the new principals met on July 13 with Holy Family School of Faith personnel to learn about the School of Faith’s role in their schools and their program of faith formation. These first two meetings are only two components of the New Principal Mentorship Program. Other compo nents include regional principal meet ings and monthly new principal cohort meetings to address specific issues, said“WeCarney.alsoassign mentor principals to the new principals,” said Carney. “Of course, they can reach out to anyone in their region. I’m also considered their official mentor as associate superinten dent.“We provide them a folder at that first meeting with a document that is ‘The First 60 Days [as a Principal],’ which includes questions like: ‘What do you do during your first 60 days?’; ‘What do you see as your Catholic identity?’; ‘Who are the key stakehold ers?’; and ‘What is the culture of your school?’“Italso provides an opening for them to reflect on who they are as lead ers, what they’re passionate about and what they want to share with their new community. We talk about habits they should develop at school, like daily prayer with the staff and how to visit with different classrooms throughout the year. It covers the different forms of communication . . . with their pastor, board and parents, and the different mechanisms already in place.” One of the new principals is Ali Geitz at Sacred Heart School in Em poria. It’s where she began her career as a student teacher while she was in college. She’s spent her 21-year career as an educator both in public schools and at Sacred Heart. Her children went to school there, and she filled a number of roles over the years at Sacred Heart. “Sacred Heart felt like coming home,” said Geitz. “I tell my children that we’ve lived in different houses, but Sacred Heart has been home for their entireThelives.”mentorship program has been helpful, she said. “There is a wealth of support emotionally and in terms of the cur riculum, and in terms of faith and communication,” said Geitz. “I have a mentor principal and a regional group of veteran principals. Vince Cascone and Allison Carney have been to our school. The archdiocesan school office [support] is based on personal connec tion.”Kevin Lunsford’s 35-year career in education includes being a principal at three different public elementary schools.“Ihad been teaching at Benedictine College (Atchison),” said Lunsford. There was just one problem. “I really missed the kids,” he said. “I began my career in Catholic schools and I wanted to return to Catholic ed ucation and give back to the church. It’s always been my mission to lead a strong Catholic life. . . . Now, I can lead it in a Catholic school.” Even though he has experience as an elementary school principal, he found the new mentorship program to be helpful as he prepares to become prin cipal at St. Benedict School in Atchi son.“I will say Vince Cascone and the archdiocesan school office personnel have done a great job,” said Lunsford. “They had a new principals’ orienta tion that brought us all together, and we talked about the different things we all need to do. They went through the handbook with us and talked about the policies we need to implement.”
Mentorship program helps new principals learn the ropes
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — School may seem to be a long way off for Catholic school students enjoying their summer break, but not for the principals — and especially the new principals. Eight new elementary school princi pals and one new high school princi pal are hard at work preparing to take the helm for the first time this coming schoolThey’reyear.a mixed lot. Some of them are principals for the first time, while others have been assistant principals or principals at other Catholic schools, or even principals at public schools. There’s a lot to do and learn, even for the veterans. Fortunately, they don’t have to do it alone. The archdiocesan school office has a new principal pro gram to form, mentor and assist them.
“We’re typically off in July but I’m here every day,” said Minshall. “It’s the calm before everything gets started. I can get a lot of [detail work] done with my vice principal before school starts — organizing, going through hand books, hiring one more teacher, un derstanding our school’s strategic plan and goals for our accreditation, getting to know people and establishing my own administrative priorities as I go.”
LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE Kevin Lunsford, the new principal of St. Benedict School in Atchison, chats with superintendent Vince Cascone at the new principals kickoff on Aug. 2 at Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa. Lunsford’s 35-year career in education includes being a principal at three different public elementary schools.
By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
Like the other new principals, Min shall is trying to understand the culture of the school and the community. She’s working through her own assessment of what the school needs and is gather ing input from different stakeholders. It’s a lot of learning and listening.
Residents youth,impressedwerebygratefulforthehelp
Bettis, 66, who is retired after run ning his own printing company for 30 years, was impressed with the work ethic of the campers that helped with his“Thoseyardwork.kids. They were awesome. I can’t say enough about how they coop erated,” Bettis said. “They went above and beyond and never complained. And they had fun doing what they did.”
Father Bob Conroy, who grew up in Christ the King Parish in Topeka, will serve as the keynote speaker for the annual fundraiser for the Olathe and Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinics.
>> Continued from page 3
As only the third priest ordained to the Missionaries of Charity Fathers, the male branch of Mother Teresa’s famous order of women religious, serving “the poorest of the poor” was not part of his plan. After graduating from Topeka’s Washburn Rural High School, Father Conroy studied as a priest for the archdiocese. Upon his graduation from St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana in 1983, the late Archbishop Ignatius J. Strecker sent him to the Pontifical North American College in Rome for theological studies. While there, he met the Missionaries of Charity and started volunteering alongside them during the summers in places such as Ireland and DiscerningTanzania.acallto follow God in that order instead of in the diocesan priesthood, Father Conroy was or dained on Jan. 28, 1989, with Mother Teresa as a witness to his ordination in Tijuana, Mexico. Although he has lived all over the world, Father Conroy is currently right back where he started his priestly ministry, living in and serving the poorest of the poor in Tijuana. He also serves as the or der’s vicar Reflectinggeneral.onSt.
The Fleissners also received some as sistance from Mary Smith, a resident of the historic Westheight neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas, who played the role of liaison between her neighbors and the Fleissners. Smith’s hard work made it possible for neighbors like Rod erick Bettis and Susan Allen to get the help they needed. During many visits to the residenc es that were being served, Smith said she never saw anyone slacking and that she has always been impressed with the campers’ desires to finish as many proj ects as possible.
AUGUST 12, 2022 | THELEAVEN.ORG 5LOCAL NEWS
as 30 homes in a day. We quickly meet people, but also spend enough time with them so we can get their story.”
By Therese Horvat Special to The Leaven KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas is of fering families the unique opportunity to create a lasting legacy with the design and placement of customized mausoleums in the new “Communio Sanctorum” (“Communion of Saints”) Family Es tates under development starting this summer at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd and Quivira Rd., Lenexa. “Together throughout much of their lives, members of a family can partic ipate in the selection and design of a private mausoleum where remains of their loved ones will be together in eternal rest,” said Sharon Vallejo, Cath olic Cemeteries president. “They will be able to preserve their family heri tage and provide a shared resting place for future generations.” Special design features still being finalized will mark the entryway and the central area of Communio Sancto rum, and landscaped gardens will en hance the overall beauty of this desig nated area where families can reserve space for construction of customized mausoleums. The section will have a gated entry with lights. Catholic Cem eteries has identified 2.6 acres on the northwest side of Resurrection Ceme tery for development of this new sec tion. This garden will be located im mediately to the right as people enter the cemetery from W. 83rd St. This area can accommodate 60 to 70 private mausoleums.BryanAlonzo, director of sales and marketing, explains that placement of these private structures requires estate lots that will vary in size based on the dimensions of each mausoleum. Cath olic Cemeteries will work with fam ilies to select the lot and mausoleum suited to their design preferences and the number of persons they expect to be interred in the private estates. The mausoleums can accommodate from one to 20 entombments based on their design. They are intended for full body entombments, but families can add cremation niches to the structures for a variety of interment options.
Catholic Cemeteries family service advisers will assist during the selec tion, design and construction phases. Catholic Cemeteries is developing the Communio Sanctorum section in col laboration with Johnson Granite Supply, Inc., North Kansas City, Missouri, ini tial design rendering; BKM Construc tion, Leavenworth, concrete and stone work; Coldspring, St. Cloud, Minneso ta, estate structures and customization; and GLMV Architecture, Kansas City, Missouri, entrance and altar design, and landscape architecture.
Allen, 76, a retired journalist, said her experience was similar. “They had a great spirit,” she said. “And they were willing to help. When they were finished with one task, they asked if I had something else that needed to be done. They were so will ing and able to do the work. “I like it that these kids are learning different things about housework and yardwork. And I would like to think that I contributed to that.”
For more information or to make an appointment with a family service adviser to discuss this private family mausoleum opportunity, call (913) 3714040 or send an email to: information @cathcemks.org.
COURTESY PHOTO Families will be able to choose from a variety of design options for their customized mausole ums to be located in the new section under de velopment at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa.
“And that certainly would have been politically uncomfortable, sim ilar to her statements at that prayer breakfast,” he continued. “She wasn’t looking to gain points with politi cians. At the same time, she wasn’t intentionally antagonistic.”
These mausoleums are fully cus tomizable with optional features, including stained-glass windows, granite walkways, planters, benches, pillars, gates/doors, granite color op tions, statues, engraving and more. Families can further beautify their private estates with small gardens.
“A couple of my neighbors just thanked me and said, ‘I feel so much better now that my yard looks nice,’” said Smith. “We want them to feel good about their yard and themselves.”
“When we touch that transcenden tal nature of God, we are transformed and that can be in all pro-life activi ties,” he said. “That can be in serving the mother, serving the children, an swering the phone, whatever it is, we are encountering God himself, and that’s Mother Teresa living complete ly stripped down on that day-to-day level of just remaining at the cross and serving Jesus in the most vulner able and in this case, they don’t even have a voice. Who’s going to speak for them? If the mother won’t speak, then who?”Toregister or for more information about the fundraiser, go to the website at: LifeandHopeBanquet.com.
Topeka native to headline pregnancy resource center banquet on Sept. 1
New section at Resurrection Cemetery for private family mausoleums
In fact, Father Conroy said, St. Teresa somehow always found a way to love those with whom she dis agreed.“Mother Teresa was always able to bring the good out of people. And so, with Hillary Clinton, she made that bridge toward her and together they opened a home for unwed mothers. And Hillary Clinton intentionally went to [Mother Teresa’s] funeral in Calcutta. She really felt loved by Mother Teresa, so it shows that the saints are able to, even though some one may be completely on the other side of a divide politically, create or build a bridge toward that person. That’s amazing,” Father Conroy said. As to his banquet presentation, Father Conroy hinted he will discuss the notion of beauty and how every one can imitate St. Teresa of Kolkata.
By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
Teresa’s thoughts about abortion, Father Conroy dis cussed the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast in which she addressed the president, the first lady, members of Congress and others by saying, “I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion because it is a war against the child. . . . A direct killing of the in nocent child, ‘murder’ by the mother herself. . . . And if we can accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?” The speech became famous both for the saint’s direct words, but also for the reactions of those in the crowd who didn’t share the nun’s views.
OVERLAND PARK — Let’s do something beau tiful for God. It’s both a saying and a philosophy of St. Teresa of Kolkata, according to Mis sionary of Charity Father Bob Conroy, and it’s something he hopes to impart to those who attend the Life & Hope Banquet on Sept. 1 at the Overland Park Convention Center. Father Conroy, who grew up in Christ the King Parish in Topeka, will serve as the keynote speaker for the annual fundraiser for the Olathe and Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinics.
“Mother Teresa was never interest ed in being politically correct,” Father Conroy said. “Even at her Nobel Prize acceptance speech in 1979, she spoke about abortion. You could say they were giving her the award not as a pro-life representative but as a great humanitarian.“Howcan we speak about world peace,” Father Conroy said she asked, “if there’s not peace between mother and her child?”
New bilingual evangelist can bridge communities
LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE
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AUGUST 12, 2O22 | THELEAVEN.ORG6 LOCAL NEWS ACROSS 1 Type of missiles 6 Thy word is a __ unto my feet 10 Female parent 14 Book after Daniel 15 Seaweed substance 16 Eager 17 Perfect 18 __ girl 19 Space administration 20 Programming language 22 Chest bones 24 Wooden leg 25 Last letter of Greek alphabet 27 Large ponds 29 Father, Son and Holy Spirit 32 Flightless bird 33 Part of a min. 34 Hiccup 37 Deceive 41 A cozy room (2 wds.) 43 Resort hotel 44 Secondhand 45 Traveled by car 46 Gift of the wise men 48 Compass point 49 Manta 51 Pilot controlled airfoil 54 Seasoner makers 56 Herb 57 Some 58 Soaring plaything 60 Most recent 64 Valley 66 Middle East dweller 68 Courage 69 Declare 70 Cube 71 Result 72 Word written on the wall (Daniel) 73 Hurried 74 Inscribed pillar DOWN 1 Liner 2 Musical repeat 3 Avails 4 Biblical church servant 5 Salted sausage 6 Drag 7 Ancient Greek marketplace 8 They brought gifts 9 Difficulty 10 Guy 11 Biblical Greek word for love 12 He received Ten Commandments 13 A king of the Amalekites 21 Allows 23 Surface to air missile 26 Nomad 28 Antelope 29 Russian ruler 30 Make over 31 Type of tea 35 April (abbr.) 36 Wife of Abraham 38 Russia 39 Mexican money 40 Adam and Eve’s garden 42 A Roman emperor 46 Lots 47 Small mountain 50 __ of the covenant 52 Five __ and three fishes 53 Existent 54 Scoundrel 55 Man-made fiber 56 __ be with you 57 __ and Eve 59 Set off 61 Otherwise 62 Spirit 63 Birch 65 Female sheep 67 Sleeping place Solution on page 2COPYRIGHT © BY CLIFF LEITCH, THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE REFERENCE SITE, WWW.CHRISTIANBIBLEREFERENCE.ORG. USED BY PERMISSION By Joe Bollig Leaven Staff KANSAS CITY, Kan. — When it comes to God’s will, expect the unexpected. Or so Karla Melgar, the new consultant in the archdioce san office of evangelization, discovered. She planned on a career as a dental surgeon in El Salvador, not as a Catholic evangelist in Kansas. Melgar and her husband Robert have four children (three living at home) and are members of St. Paul Parish in Olathe, where she served as director of reli gious education and faith formation for the past seven years. Previously, she did pastoral work for seven years at Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park. “I’m originally from El Salvador in Central America,” said Melgar. “I’ve lived in the United States for the last 25 years in Kansas. I have a background as a dental surgeon in El Salvador. . . . We married in El Salvador and came here to start our family.” As her children grew and entered Catholic schools, Melgar got more in volved, too. She grew in her faith and began to work, little by little, in parish ministry.“Istarted slowly as a translator,” said Melgar. “I became a bridge between the Anglo and Hispanic communities. . . . I fell in love with service. God was calling me little by little into the ministry of cat echesis. I discovered opportunities to be involved in the new call God has for me to serve his church in this country.” She received training at Instituto de Fe y Vida in Stockton, California; as a parish catechetical leader through the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio; leadership in the Hispanic min istry for the New Evangelization; arch diocesan training for ecclesial ministry for youth and adult leaders; advanced formation from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas; and the Symposium on Leadership for a Comprehensive Pasto ral Juvenile from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.
“Her hire is a collaboration between the archbishop’s office, the office of evangelization and Father Michael Hermes as vicar for Hispanic minis try,” said Deacon Nearmyer. “The vision Father Hermes has for our pastoral plan for Hispanic ministry is that there will be Hispanic leaders in all our offices throughout the whole fabric of the arch diocese.”Melgar considers her greatest pas toral accomplishment to have served as a bridge between Hispanic and non-Hispanic communities. She hopes to do the same on the archdiocesan level.“[God’s] church is one community — Anglo and Hispanic,” she said. “I’m here to serve and be a bridge between these communities. What I love is to serve the people of God, those in need of cat echesis, to make those who need forma tion and accompaniment feel welcome.”
Karla Melgar is a new consultant in the archdiocesan office of evangelization. She’s a member of St. Paul Parish in Olathe, where she served as director of religious education and faith formation for the past seven years.
“Karla has been one of my key advisers for the past six years at least,” said Deacon Dana Nearmyer, archdiocesan director of evangelization. “She’s been incredibly suc cessful at faith formation. She was on the planning board for the 2019 archdiocesan convocation along with a few other hand picked folks from archdiocesan parishes. She has incredible intuition about how to pass on the faith in ways people gratefully receive formation.” And she’s a bridge builder. “[Karla] has a rich cultural empathy for both English- and Spanish-speaking parishioners,” he added. “She’s done faith formation at two culturally diverse parishes.”Butperhaps her greatest qualification is simpler still. “Her heart for Jesus is palpable,” said Deacon Nearmyer. “People are moved in conversations with her. Her approach is veryMelgarChrist-centered.”willbepart of a team that works on special initiatives for the archdiocese, including Enflame and the Eucharistic Amazement initiative. She will also consult on the evangelization office’s strategic planning regarding outreach to the Hispanic population of the archdiocese, but will work with non-Hispanics, too.
According to the Springtide Institute, “Identity today is increasingly seen as something that each individual personal ly constructs piece by piece, rather than something handed down from a prior generation or imposed by a community.”
Acouple weeks before my three sons left for college, I took each to supper. They chose the restaurant, re flecting their personalities: a Thai place, a steak house, a premium burger grill. I picked up the tab, but I wasn’t there for dinner. I wanted to talk. I gave each a copy of a card a car toonist friend had given me some years before. Spoofing a Monopoly game card, it depicted Pope Francis letting a bird out of a cage and the caption: “Get out of hell free!” I told each son to put the card in his wallet as a reminder that he could come home any time. Nothing he could ever do, I said, should ever make him feel like he couldn’t come home. No circumstances would close our home, our love, to him. I couldn’t promise I wouldn’t be angry or disappointed or saddened by these un known, unimaginable actions, I said, but I would always welcome him home. If you ever feel like you’re in hell, use the card and come home, I told them.Iknow it all sounded overly dramat ic to 18-year-olds excited for life’s next chapter, but I worry about my sons. I know they are not evil young hoo ligans. I can’t imagine them getting ar rested or kicked out of school. I know they are fine young men respected by their peers, teachers and bosses. I wanted them to embrace college life fully. Learning is more than class work and studies. I told them to ex plore, to seek out new, different people and experiences. Have fun! But I also know that exposes them to bad things and bad people. It exposes them to things and events that could hurt them, emotionally, mentally and spiritu ally. Bad things do happen. Sometimes even the best people make bad choices. I also know they face challenges my generation never faced at the same age. A 2019 study by global health service and insurance company Cigna found that “loneliness was at epidemic levels” and the loneliest cohort is Generation Z, people born after 1996. Nearly 79% of Gen Z respondents reported feeling lonely.The Springtide Research Institute, which issues an annual “State of the Religion and Young People” report fo cused on “the lived realities of young people as they navigate shifting social, cultural and religious landscapes,” is finding similar data. Born into an era of personal and social upheaval, Gen Z doesn’t remem ber a time before the war on terror. They watched families struggle through financial crises in the Great Recession. They are the leading edge of Amer ica’s demographic shift: 48% are nonwhite. They are more likely to have grown up amid diverse family struc tures — single parent and multiracial households — at a time when gender roles are blurred. Their lives are inte grally entwined with technological in novation and ubiquitous media.
By Dennis Coday Catholic News Service
CNS PHOTO/LISA JOHNSTON, ST. LOUIS REVIEW Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults candidates and instructors share a light moment Jan. 31, 2019, at Washington University’s Catholic Student Center in St. Louis. The path of faith college-aged adults take will be their own, separate from their parents’, and they will have to navigate it.
Building a faith foundation for GENERATION Z
A young person prays Jan. 5, 2019, during the SEEK2019 conference at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Ultimately, it’s up to college students to decide for themselves how to build their spiritual lives.
AUGUST 12, 2022 | THELEAVEN.ORG 7FEATURE
On the Jesuitical podcast of Amer ica magazine, Springtide’s executive director Josh Packard was more collo quial: “As they are looking at the detri tus of social life around them, [young people] are trying to figure out how to make a meaningful life out of it.” What’s a parent to do? “You want to be one of the sticks out of which they build their spiritual home. That is a longer play,” Packard said. You do that by forming relationships with them so that you can be part of their conversa tion with life. My wife and I — perhaps unwitting ly — laid out such a game plan years before. We grounded our boys in our faith tradition through Catholic school, religious education and sacramental prep. We modeled personal prayer and church attendance for them. We talked openly and honestly about beliefs and practices. This was their foundation. The conversation continued as we prepped for college. On campus tours, I made sure we found the Newman Center and tried to meet the staff. Whether my sons joined those activities was up to them — and the dynamics of the ministry staff — but at least introductions were made. It was one resource among many. My major concern wasn’t whether or not they attended Sunday Mass. I want to make sure they made the con nections they needed to stay emotion ally and mentally healthy. I encouraged them to join as many extracurriculars as their studies al lowed. I suggested they check out campus ministry service projects but also other activities that matched their interests and are grounded in justice values — Engineers Without Borders, tutoring, choral groups and volunteer ing at a children’s hospital. I wanted them to meet caring mentors who, in Packard’s words, would continue the conversations we had started. And then we let them go. My wife and I phone and text reg ularly, but not often. We visit only oc casionally. One thing we insist on is that they come home for the holidays. Spring breaks and summers are theirs, but the holidays are for home. It was tough but so far so good. None has used his card — yet.
CNS PHOTO/COURTESY FELLOWSHIP OF CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Participants at Camp Tekakwitha at Prairie Star Ranch listen to a presentation during the camp’s 25th anniversary celebration on July 30. Karla Melgar, archdi ocesan consultant for evangelization, talked about Eucharistic Amazement, while Dr. Mark Zia spoke about the Shroud of Turin.
SOLDNER
Nearmyer eventually became director of youth ministry and confirmation preparation at Nativity. Her husband Dana Ne armyer, a convert to the Catho lic faith, was an English teach er and soccer coach at Olathe North High School. Msgr. Tank then sold Arch bishop James P. Keleher on the idea of a Catholic camp and re cruited the Nearmyers to be the co-founding directors. They got to work draw ing up the first camp curricu lum of teaching, activities and prayer. They recruited and trained staff. Since they had no actual camp, they utilized Perry House, a property owned by the archdiocese at Lake Perry, and the Kansas State Grange Center, both located north east of Topeka. The first Camp Tekakwitha was held in June 1998 with about 30 high schoolaged campers and about eight staff.Joe Passantino Jr. was camp assistant director. Among the other early personnel were Bar bara Berg, former director of re ligious education at St. Dominic Parish in Holton and St. Francis Xavier in Mayetta; Katie June Creal, counselor; and Shawn Madden, who became Prairie Star Ranch director until 2010; Lyn McMahon, who was a youth minister at Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park; Father An thony Ouellette before he was even a seminarian; and Kathy White, a youth minister from Topeka. Naming the camp after St. Kateri Tekakwitha was a sug gestion of former archdiocesan youth ministry director Larry Livingston. Go big and go to camp Msgr. Tank knew that Camp Tekakwitha needed its own, per manent, residential camp prop erty. Joe Falco, a parishioner involved in Scouting, knew of a nearly 300-acre defunct dude ranch in need of refurbishing for sale in “TheWilliamsburg.supportofArchbishop
Camp Tekakwitha at Prairie Star Ranch offers a wide range of fun activities from bike riding, high ropes, and a climbing wall, hosts camps for families, Spanish-speakers and people with special needs.
TEKAKWITHACAMPCELEBRATES25YEARS
Msgr. Thomas Tank had long been a proponent of an archdiocesan camp. When the opportunity to purchase a 300-acre defunct dude ranch near Williamsburg presented itself, Msgr. Tank sold then-Archbishop James P. Keleher on the idea. BY BY JAY
JOE BOLLIG | PHOTOS
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — BenedictineriasAnnafreshmanincomingWhenZachaarrivesat College in Atchison this fall, she’ll bring something that can fill almost 300 acres and possi blyThatmore.“something” will be her memories of Camp Tekakwitha at Prairie Star Ranch, the arch diocesan youth camp in Wil liamsburg.“Istarted going to camp when I was in the fifth grade, in 2014,” said Zacharias, a member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood. “I was a camper there for eight years and this year, the ninth, as a counselor.”Goingto camp has been such a great experience that her three younger sisters followed her, and then her whole family attended Family Camp. “For me, camp is a space to truly be myself and talk about the faith,” she said, “and ques tions I have about spiritual things of our walk and journey with people who are willing to listen intentionally and are asking the same questions. “It’s a down-to-earth and au thentic place where I can let my guard down. It’s an honest, genuine community. And it’s really cool to be in an environ ment where you can experience God in people around you and nature without the distractions of the Thisworld.”summer, Camp Tekak witha celebrated its 25th anni versary. It’s one of the crown jewels of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, and it’s making memories and building a legacy of faith across genera tions.
Msgr. Thomas Tank had only been ordained three years when, in the late 1960s, he had an idea about starting a camp for the youth of the archdio cese.“Camp Tekakwitha was really a thought that came to me because of the other Christian camps, like Kanakuk and other camps,” he said. “A lot of our Catholic kids were going to those. My concern was that we, as a church, were not taking care of our own kids as we should, and it would be good to have some sort of camping expe rience for them that would be fun, enjoyable, community-building and faith-based in terms of help ing them experience Christ in the church . . . and claim their identity fully as NothingCatholics.”happened for years, but that didn’t mean the idea was“Indead.1986, when Msgr. Tank had just started the Church of the Nativity Parish, I was in high school,” said Deborah Ne armyer. “I went to a Christian (Protestant) summer camp. And when I got back, he asked me to tell him about my experi ence. He listened to a 16-yearold in his parish who had a really amazing experience of the Holy Spirit at camp and was having some doubts and questions about the Catholic faith.”
Home on the Grange
Deacon Dana Nearmyer and his wife Deborah were instrumental in the success of Prairie Star Ranch. They have helped run the camp since it opened.
STORY
Keleher was essential for us to begin the project,” said Msgr. Tank, who was an archdiocesan vicar general at the time. “I took Archbishop Keleher and [vicar general] Msgr. Charles McGlinn down there after I first saw the land. Msgr. McGlinn wasn’t very optimistic about it. He thought it was going to be a money pit. But Archbishop Keleher, because it was for our young people, was veryMsgr.supportive.”Tankbought the ranch in August 1999 for the archdio cese.The property, which was named Prairie Star Ranch, needed a lot of work and some new construction for dormito ries, staff and director housing, and program areas — such as a climbing tower and high ropes course. Archdiocesan consultant for real estate and construction Leon Roberts played a key role in developing and refurbishing the ranch infrastructure. And, of course, a lot of parishioners donated money and volunteer hours.The program has continued to grow since the first sessions at Prairie Star Ranch in June and July 2000. Each year during June and July, the camp hosts approxi mately 1,700 campers in 11 ses sions: Camp Kateri for fifth and sixth grades; Camp Tekakwitha for junior high and high school; Max camp and Xtreme camp for high school; and three sessions of Family Camp — one being for campers with special needs and new this year, Spanish-language Family Camp.
Father Mertes has long associ ations with youth ministry, Camp Tekakwitha and Prairie Star Ranch. The Spanish-speaking Family Camp, new this year, was creat ed as a result of his suggestion to promote their deeper participation andForbenefit.more than 25 years, he has gone to camp to teach, offer the sacraments and even have“I’vefun.always tried to help out with confessions and presiding at Masses,” he said. “Maybe five years ago, I started going down there for several days. . . . One year, I did all the activities so I could say I did them — although I did hurt myself!”
“It“painfully.”tookthree months for my upper arm to get better,” he said. “Moral of the story? Sixtyyear-old men shouldn’t leap off of power poles.” Why does he do it? He enjoys the kids. “I find them quite inspiring,” said Father Mertes. “People who say the young are going to hell in a handbasket haven’t been to camp.”
Breeden became a camper in 1999.Ray Wilson has been in volved in F.I.R.E. ministry at the ranch, helps maintain the grounds, and created and placed a crucifix and two cross es on the peninsula of the ca noeing lake. “It’s been such a huge return for our Catholic community,” said Ray Wilson. “Yes, there was investment and expense, but the return is immeasurable. We don’t know how many lives will ultimately be impacted for generations to come. It’s the right thing to do.”
Deacon Dana and Deborah Nearmyer are still co-directors of the camp. She is now director of faith formation at St. James Academy in Lenexa, and he is director of the archdiocesan office of evangelization. “I became the youth director for the archdiocese and we start ed using [Camp Tekakwitha] as a laboratory to try different kinds of Bible studies, different methodologies and pedagogy, reading everything we possibly could about what was igniting the Catholic world in different places, and what was the secret sauce at the Steubenville confer ences,” said Deacon Nearmyer. “FOCUS (Fellowship of Cath olic University Students) start ed the same year . . . as Camp Tekakwitha,” he added. “We were minding the things Curtis Martin was talking about and throwing the spaghetti on the wall and see what was sticking and take it back to our youth.” And it worked. The camps became a place where youth could have experiences of con version and encounter with JesusKyliChrist.Maddox, a member of St. Agnes Parish in Roeland Park, is one of the many who were changed by their camp experi ence.“My life and camp have pretty much been interwoven since 1998, when I was a camper at the Grange,” said Maddox, now a campus minister at St. James Academy. “I could have never even begun to imagine the ex traordinary impact that experi ence would have on my life. “Camp means everything to me. . . . It’s a sacred space where my heart is most at home and my soul is delighted in the freedom found. It’s the house that built me, a place where so many of my favorite memories were created — the hard ones, the challenging ones, the valued ones, the essen tial ones, the cherished ones.” Camp, she said, will never cease to be a part of her life be cause she carries in her heart the life-changing lessons she learned there and is still using them 25 years later.
On July 30, the traditional closing ceremony for the camp was held, the Echo of Kateri Picnic, where the Echo of Kateri Award was given to two couples and one priest for their service to the camp and youth ministry. The 25th anniversary was cele brated, as was the campaign of Eucharistic Revival the archdio cese is now undergoing. Msgr. Tank looks upon the conclusion of another success ful camping season, and the 25th anniversary, with a sense of sat isfaction.“What’s happened at Camp Tekakwitha and Prairie Star Ranch far exceeds my expec tations,” said Msgr. Tank. “It’s because of the people who took the leadership and went with it — that was the crucial thing. Yes, it gives me a sense of sat isfaction that I was an initiator of that, but I’m particularly ap preciative of all the people who carried it on.”
By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
Somethingcelebratingworth
The Noah Anthony Band capped the 25th anniversary celebration with a concert for the campers. Each year the camp hosts approximately 1,700 campers.
WILLIAMSBURG—Ifthereisonethingthatthisyear’swinnersoftheEchoofKateriAwardhaveincommon,it’sthis:commitment.ThetwocouplesandonepriesthavebeeninvolvedwiththeranchandCampTekakwithafordecades.TheEchoofKateriAwardwaspresentedtoDennisandMarisaHurdandRayandKatyWilsonjustbeforetheclosingMassforthecampingseasononJuly30.FatherMarkMertes,pastorofSt.PatrickParishinKansasCity,Kansas,andarchdiocesanmoderatorofthecuria,receivedhisawardonJuly22.TheHurds,membersofSt.PaulParishinOlathe,haveafamilyconnectiontothecampsince2001.TheyattendedthefirstFamilyCampandlatersentallthreeoftheirdaughterstoeachsummercamp—andallofthembecamecounselorsoradultstaffafterhighschool.Since2002,they’vestoodatthefrontgateofthecamptowelcomeandprayforthecounselorsandstaff.“Notonlydowemeetthemwhentheycomefortraining,butwealsolifttheminprayerthroughoutthesummer,”saidMarisaHurd.“Weprayforeachoneofthembynameandcollectively.Weaskforintentionsthattheymayhave.Weprovideaspiritualfoundationforthemwhiletheyareatsummercamp,anditkicksoffoursummer.”TheWilsons,membersofCuréofArsParishinLeawood,senttheirdaughterAmandatocampin2001.ShebecameacounselorandBlueTeamLeader.Amanda’shusbandJay
On the high ropes course, he climbed up a power pole, stood at the top, and leapt out to catch a bar — and he did catch it . . .
Dennis and Marisa Hurd, members of St. Paul Parish in Olathe, were presented the Echo of Kateri Award at the 25th anniversary celebration of the camp. Ray and Katy Wilson, members of Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood, receive a hug from Deborah Nearmyer after receiving their Echo of Kateri Award. Echo of Kateri Awards given to longtime camp supporters wall, to archery, swimming and more. In addition to sessions for kids, Prairie Star now
The “Value Them Both” amendment would have reversed the 2019 Kansas Su preme Court decision that found a right to unlimited and unrestricted abortion in the state’s 1859 constitution.
Also aiding the anti-amendment cam paign was the secular media’s failure to hold it accountable for spreading fear and misinformation about the amend ment — such as restricting medical care for ectopic pregnancies and miscarriag es, as well as it being an abortion “ban.”
“I think it obviously motivated people on both sides of the issue to come out,” said Archbishop Naumann. “Again, I’d go back to the campaign the other side ran, which was to frighten and scare people. “So, the big turnout in this election was the unaffiliated. A lot of those un affiliated, from what I could see, voted ‘no’ on the amendment. . . . It brought out a lot of voters that normally wouldn’t come out in a primary.”
The timing of the Dobbs ruling, coming so close to the election, fueled not only turnout but also confusion.
“There are certainly some things we can do,” she said. “And if we do have prolife majorities [in the Legislature] and a pro-life governor, we can pass some things. But whether or not they’ll be upheld in court is another matter.”
Prayer and action Gawdun predicts that, despite the dif ficulties, pro-life efforts will continue on the political level.
challenging pregnancy,” she added. Kansans voted 534,134 votes or 59% against the amendment, and 374,611 votes or 41% in favor of the amendment.
Anti-amendment forces also misled voters by claiming there was no need for “Value Them Both” because Kansas has strong laws regulating abortion. But there was more to the story.
From left, Joan and Rick Henry and Bob and Sharon Niehues, parishioners of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Seneca, gather at the church on Aug. 1 to pray for the passage of the “Value Them Both” amendment.
The state’s high court ruling in Hodes & Nauser v. Schmidt has effectively nullified more than 20 years of pro-life legislation by making abortion a funda mental right, placing all laws regulating abortion under a stricter standard of scrutiny.Because of the Hodes ruling, laws ban ning the live dismemberment of unborn children, as well as laws requiring clinic licensing and inspections, have been struck down. More laws are expected to fall as they are challenged.
“They would tout all the limits that the abortion industry fought against in the Legislature,” said Jeanne Gawdun, di rector of government relations for Kan sans for “TheyLife.continued to cite these limits,” she continued, “never once saying those limits are now presumed unconstitu tional and will be struck down by abor tion industry lawsuits. And the main stream media was a willing accomplice to spreading this misinformation.”
“The abortion industry targeted the Catholic Church as a way to deflect from the real question of unlimited and unre stricted abortion in Kansas,” said Weber. “They successfully changed the conver sation, and the secular news media not only allowed them to make that happen but became an echo chamber for that narrative.”
The U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in its June 24 ruling of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization contributed to a very strong turnout compared with past primary elections.
“The abortion industry and its sup porters were able to concentrate a tremendous amount of resources in Kansas,” said Archbishop Naumann. “More than 70 percent of the money spent on their campaign came from outside of Kansas. Additionally, their campaign was a campaign of misinfor mation and scaring people with argu ments that were absurd.”
“I think we’re in a great cultural strug gle right now,” he said. “Fifty years of legalized abortion in this country has conditioned people to think that there is a right to abortion. What is the right they’re talking about? The right to kill our own children.” This vote does not mean the state has changed, said Niesen. “We do not believe that Kansas has become a pro-abortion state, but we were not able to overcome the millions in out-of-state money that the abortion industry spent,” she said. “Sadly, I be lieve that the majority of Kansans who voted ‘no’ did not fully understand the amendment as a result.”
Archbishop Naumann frequent ly stressed the campaign to pass the amendment was an effort to uphold human, rather than religious, rights. And that the Catholic Church had a rightful place in that “Religiousfight.faith . . . helps people see the moral implications of these human rights issues,” he said. “Historically — whether it was slavery or civil rights — [people of faith] have always led the way on human rights causes. But this is what it is, a human rights cause. It doesn’t take religious faith to know that it’s wrong to kill a Therechild.”was an ugly side of the cam paign that saw instances of vandalism and intimidation directed at “Value Them Both” supporters.
“The abortion industry successfully created an environment of hysteria that fed into their narrative that somehow women would not get proper health care if we passed the ‘Value Them Both’ amendment.”
As the church faces the postelection realities, all efforts must draw strength from spiritual sources, said Archbishop Naumann.“Thefoundation of everything we do is prayer,” he said. “The election results drive us to our knees to pray for guidance from the Lord and the Holy Spirit as how we go about building this culture of life and civilization of love, where every life will be respected and cherished — the unborn child and the mother as well.”
Cash and misinformation Millions in largely out-of-state cash powered the “no” vote.
Draw strength from prayer, archbishop advises
LEAVEN PHOTO BY FRAN REITZ
AUGUST 12, 2022 | THELEAVEN.ORG 10LOCAL NEWS >> Continued from page 1
Anti-amendment forces won the spe cial election on Aug. 2, which was also a primary, through an effective campaign of fear and misinformation, said Arch bishop Naumann.
“That ruling created a period of con fusion in our culture,” said Weber. “I think Americans are still trying to wrap their heads around what the overturning of Roe v. Wade means.
Reading the tea leaves Seemingly, the vote did not break en tirely along party lines, and there seemed to be many factors at play: a high number of first-time voters, a rural versus urban/ suburban split, and perhaps a genera tional“It’sfactor.true there was some difference between rural and urban . . . [and] gen erational as well,” said Gawdun. “A lot of the younger generation have been brought up knowing about [live dismem berment abortion]. They knew this was what they were doing to babies. . . . But the ones in their late 20s have grown up with this as a so-called right. They were told ‘Value Them Both’ would take away their right, and it’s not a right.”
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Eileen Sheehy was born on March 15, 1928, in Butte, Mon tana, to Cornelius and Anna Sheehy. She joined the Sisters of Charity community on Aug. 14, 1946, taking the religious name of Sister Gregory. She later returned to her baptismal name. Sister Eileen served as an elementary teacher and principal in schools across the West and Midwest. After many experiences in teach ing and administration in several schools, Sister Eileen served as the superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. In 1965, she joined others from the diocese to march with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for racial justice in Selma, Alabama. Her picture ap peared in many newspapers and publi cations and her likeness was displayed in “The Undefeated,” a children’s book recounting the efforts for racial jus tice.Sister Eileen held master’s and doctorate degrees in pastoral studies. Other ministries in her lifetime in cluded juniorate and vocation director for the Sisters of Charity, acting head of the education department at Saint Mary College in Leavenworth and parish work.
ABORTION?
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Sister Maureen Craig, SCL, longtime educator, health care minister dies Sister Eileen Sheehy, SCL, who marched with MLK in Selma, dies LEAVENWORTH — Sister Eileen Sheehy, 94, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth for 75 years, died on July 29 at the moth erhouse here. Sister Eileen was known as an excellent educator, pastoral minister and lover of music with a warm, hospitable, and welcoming smile.
here.Maureen
AUGUST 12, 2022 | THELEAVEN.ORG 11LOCAL NEWS
Correction In the story about foster grand parenting on page 16 of the July 29 issue of The Leaven, the contact in formation for Shelia Freeman, proj ect director of the Foster Grandpar ent program in Wyandotte County, was incorrect. The correct email sfreeman@catholiccharitiesks.org.is: Mass of Innocents to be held on Oct. 30 OVERLAND PARK — Have you or someone you know lost a child or loved one during pregnancy or in early infancy? If so, Archbishop Joseph F. Nau mann invites you to commemorate this loss at a Mass on Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. at Holy Spirit Parish in Over land Park. This annual Mass gives parents, grandparents, siblings or other loved ones the opportunity to receive consolation, whether the loss was recent or many years ago. Even if you have not personally experienced this kind of loss, you are invited to join at this Mass to support those who have. For ques tions or more info, contact Brad DuPont at (913) 647-0301 or by email at: bdupont@archkck.org. 913-621-2199 A PAST
LEAVENWORTH — Sister Maureen Craig, 88, a Sister of Charity of Leavenworth for 69 years, died on June 14 at the motherhouse Frances Craig was born on Aug. 15, 1933, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to John and Mary Craig. The family even tually moved to Tulsa, Okla homa, where she grew up. She attended Holy Family Grade School and High School in Tulsa before entering Saint Mary College in Leavenworth. She entered the Sisters of Charity community on Feb. 11, 1953, and pro fessed vows as Sister John Mary Craig on Feb. 22, 1955. She later returned to her baptismal name. In 1961, she com pleted a bachelor’s degree in education with a specialization in English at Saint MarySisterCollege.Maureen taught En glish in primary and second ary schools for over 20 years in Kansas, Missouri and Mon tana. She loved teaching, but a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, coupled with a heart condi tion, kept her from being as effective as she wanted to be as a teacher. In the mid-1970s, while at Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, she left classroom duties to help the school with communications, public relations and fundraising. After 32 years in education, she changed her ministry focus to health care. In 1987, she went to Saint John’s Hospital and Health Center in Santa Monica, California, to work as a chap lain. In 2000, she was recognized as a “Woman of Distinction” by the YMCA of Santa Monica. A high point of Sister Maureen’s life was in 2012 when she received the highly regarded Caritas Award for “exemplary leadership” and “personal commitment” to the health care minis try of Saint John’s Health Center Foun dation. She served at Saint John’s for 32 years.In2019, Sister Maureen retired from active ministry.
Open positions - Maur Hill-Mount Academy, a Catholic boarding/day high school in Atchison, seeks candidates for the following positions: activity bus drivers, hoursbased off activity schedule (must have or be willing to obtain a CDL); substitute teachers (must have a KSDE substitute teaching license or be wiling to obtain one); part-time para-educator (working directly with stu dents and student success plans). Please send an email expressing your interest to Debbie Schneider, director of human resources, at: dschneider@mh-ma.com. Posi tions will remain open until filled.
Part-time - Family and sacramental ministry - Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa is seeking an individual passion ate about families and the Catholic faith. This person will assist the director of family and sacramental ministry in sacramental preparation/catechesis and coordination of ongoing faith formation for families with children. If you have a heart for the sacraments, empowering parents and supporting families, this part-time position may be for you. Hours are flexible and may include some eve nings/weekends. For more details or to submit a resume, contact: kwillis@htlenexa.org or call (913) 895-0607.
Custodian - The Church of Nativity Catholic Parish School has an immediate opening for a full-time hourly custodian. Qualified applicants should have prior cus todial experience, specifically in a school environment, and must be able to work 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. shift with some holiday work expected. Applicants must have compatible work history, references, dependable trans portation and be willing to participate in a background check. Compensation of $17 to $19 per hour will depend on experience, negotiable with the right qualifications.
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Parish business manager – St. Joseph in Shawnee is seeking a full-time business manager. This person must have accounting/financial management expertise; management/supervisory experience; a base of hu man resources skills; and computer and business skills. This person will be expected to be a proactive leader in: managing and operating the financial aspects of the parish; the annual budget; overseeing the financial aspects of parish grounds and building maintenance; and working closely with the pastor, principal, early education center director, staff, parish committees and parish members. Good oral and written communica tion are mandatory, along with good organization and prioritization skills with attention to detail. A detailed job description can be found at: www.stjoeshawnee. org. Interested individuals should mail cover letter and resume to the attention of the pastor at St. Joseph Par ish, 5901 Flint St., Shawnee, KS 66203 or by email to: frscott@stjoeshawnee.org. For more information, you can call (913) 631-5983.
DSPs needed - Direct care professionals needed in Overland Park in an intentional living community for adults with intellectual disabilities. Training provided. Live-in or live-out options. Weekends, evenings and overnight shifts available now. $13 - $15 per hour. Email: heartland@larcheks.org. Part-time teacher in our after-school care program - Prince of Peace Early Education Center is seeking a year-round, part-time teacher in our after-school care program who has a love for children. You may find the application on our website: popolathe.org/earlyeducation-center. Experience in early childhood or background in early childhood is NOT required and we provide training.” You may find the application on our website: popolathe.org/early-education-center. Nonmedical caregivers - Saint Rita Home Care is hiring nonmedical caregivers for seniors. Seeking com passionate individuals to fill all shifts. Call or text Renee Margush at (913) 229-4267, or rmargush@saintritahc. com. Member of Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe. Drivers and aides - Assisted Transportation is now hir ing safe drivers and aides to transport students with special needs in Johnson, Wyandotte and Clay County, Missouri, in company vans. Drivers earn $14 - $16 per hour. Aides earn $12 per hour. Part-time and full-time schedules available. CDL not required. Retirees encour aged to apply. Make a difference in your community by helping those in need. Call (913) 521-4955 for more in formation.
TIERRA *Commercial
Adjunct faculty job openings - Donnelly College, Kansas City, Kansas, a Catholic college offering higher education for those who may not otherwise be served. Adjunct faculty job openings include: biology; clini cal nursing, math; information systems coordinator; Lansing Prison Program (on-site theology, accounting and mathematics). Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.
Director of faith formation - St. John Parish, Law rence, is seeking a full-time director of faith formation. This person would develop, articulate and administer a vision and direction for parish faith formation programs. He/she would oversee all faith formation programs and evaluate their effectiveness, and develop/imple ment ideas and programs that would be available for parishioners from womb to tomb. The ideal candidate will be a bilingual (English/Spanish) practicing Catho lic who holds a degree in catechesis or theology and/ or has equivalent work experience relating to faith for mation. This person would also have strong knowledge of Catholicism, intercultural competence in ministry, strong interpersonal skills, proven organizational and leadership skills and computer/technology competen cies. Two - four years of parish ministry experience pre ferred. Please see full job description and requirements at: www.sjevangelist.com. This is a full-time position and eligible for the archdiocesan benefits package with a start date of August 2022. The position will be open until filled. Send cover letter and resume to Father John at: frjohn@sjevangelist.com (use DFF on subject line) or mail to St. John the Evangelist Parish, Attn: Father John, 1229 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS 66044.
Hispanic ministry coordinator - This is a part-time position averaging 18 hours per week and will support the work of the office of Hispanic ministry within the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph from the chancery office as well as onsite in parishes. Duties will include the coordination of parish programs and courses, and collaboration with parishes in organizing, implementing and evaluating events. Go to: www.kcsjcatholic.org for more information or to apply. Marketing coordinator The Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas (CFNEK) is seeking a full-time mar keting coordinator. This position manages the CFNEK donor and fund holder marketing and communication. This includes managing social media, production of the annual report and the monthly newsletter. This position is also responsible for several events including the foun dation’s annual Deo Gratias celebration, #GiveCatholic ArchKCK and the Continuing Education Program. A col lege degree is required in communications, marketing, public relations or other related field; previous experi ence in marketing, public relations or nonprofit setting is preferred. Must be a practicing Catholic in good standing. Please visit: www.archkck.org/jobs to apply. Position open until filled.
EMPLOYMENT
Early childhood educators – With multiple locations in Johnson County, Special Beginnings Early Learning Center provides high quality child care in a safe, loving Christian environment. Our classrooms are full, and we are looking to add to our amazing team. We are look ing for both full-time and part-time teachers for all ages of children. If you have an excellent work ethic, a heart for children and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education, we would love to meet you. For more information or to apply, call Carolyn Andruss at (913) 894-0131, ext. 102. Youth minister - St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood is seeking a youth minister for grades 7 - 12, including confirmation prep. This position requires an active spiritual and sacramental life; the ability to work collaboratively within a pastoral team; and have a heart for working with youth. This role works with anoth er youth minister on staff and is expected to disciple core team members; create new and support existing programs including theology of the body; coordinate volunteers; and manage resources dedicated to youth ministry. This is a year-round, full-time position eligible for full benefits. Complete description at: stmichaelcp. org/employment. Send cover letter and resume to: denise.greene@stmichaelcp.org.
Caregivers - Daughters & Company is looking for sev eral compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide light housekeeping/light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care man agement and occasional transportation services for our clients. We need caregivers with reliable transportation and a cellphone for communication. A CNA background is helpful, though not mandatory. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match up hours desired. Contact Gary or Laurie at (913) 341-2500 if you want to become part of an excellent caregiving team.
Community engagement admin support specialist –Are you compassionate, motivated, mission-driven and desire to empower others? Do you have experience with office coordination and/or management? Catholic Char ities is seeking a community engagement administrative support specialist to assist our resource bus program in screening and scheduling appointments, volunteer coor dination/communications and other program operations. This position will also provide support to the community engagement team, as needed. To learn more or apply, visit: catholiccharitiesks.org/careers/ and scroll down to “Job opening” to view open positions. Digital marketing coordinator - This individual will have primary responsibility for Bishop Miege High School’s website maintenance, social media strategy and execution of digital marketing campaigns to ad vance the mission and vision of the school, supporting both the admissions and development departments. The ideal candidate will be mission-driven with 1 - 3 years of relevant website and digital marketing experi ence. Excellent benefits package; salary commensurate with experience. Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to Molly Peterson at: mpeterson @bishopmiege.com.
Looking for something new? - Use your administra tive skills to help a developmental optometrist change people’s lives. Summer hours vary. No health benefits. Background in Word, Excel and QuickBooks. Customer service and medical office experience helpful. Send resume to: Dr. Beth Bazin, 13600 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64145 or email: bbazin@visiondevelop.com.
Positions available - John Paul II Preschool/Child Care is seeking self-motivated, responsible, organized and creative individuals to serve in the following positions: full-time assistant in our Montessori preschool program (M-F, 7:45 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.); part-time assistant in our preschool extended-care program (M-F, 1-6 p.m.); and part-time lead staff in our after-school program (M-F, 3-6 p.m.). We offer competitive wages based on experience and level of education. If interested, please contact Donna at: dhogue@archkckcs.org.
Volunteer engagement admin support specialist – Are you compassionate, motivated, mission-driven and desire to empower others? Do you have experience with office coordination and/or management? Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is seeking a volunteer engagement administrative support specialist to as sist our volunteer engagement team in recruiting and onboarding initiatives for the 21+ programs at Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. To learn more or apply, visit: catholiccharitiesks.org/careers/ and scroll down to “Job opening” to view open positions.
hauling *Dirt *Landscapegrading/installationdesign*Freeestimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!! Call Lupe at (816) 252-1391 Handyman - Home repair; skilled labor; remodeling; handyman work done in a timely manner. References available on request. Call Jeff Mauk at (913) 915-4738. Popcorn ceiling texture removal Interior wall painting specialist. Jerry at (913) 206-1144. 30 years’ experience. Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. Gearing up for spring! We now offer financing on all your home improvement projects with approved credit. Here is a list of the construction services I offer: floor ing; tile; interior/exterior painting, as well as deck and fence staining; ceiling scraping/retexturing; bathroom, kitchen and basement remodeling; siding; decks and covered porches. We also do cabinet refinishing! Look me up on Facebook at “Father & Son Home Exteriors & Remodeling.” I work on all jobs, no subcontractors. Thank you to all my clients! (913) 709-7230. Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or
Preschool teacher - Holy Spirit Catholic School in Overland Park is seeking a part-time preschool teacher for our 4-year-olds. The lead teacher is responsible for developing, planning and executing all activities/learn ing experiences for the children in the classroom. Re quirements: must attend Virtus training; college degree required, elementary education or special education emphasis preferred. Contact Tessa Piscitello at (913) 492-2582 or email: tpiscitello@hscatholic.org for more information.
The Church of Nativity is located just west of 119th and State Line in Leawood. Nativity offers a comprehen sive benefit program including medical, dental, vision, vacation and 401(k). Interested applicants should email resumes and work history to: jobapplication@ kcnativity.org. Resumes welcome by fax or mail. No phone calls please. Fax: (913) 491-5065; mail to: Church of the Nativity, Attn: Custodial Position, 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood, KS 66209.
Early childhood positions - Wonderful opportunity for adults interested in working with young children! Catholic preschool seeks caring individuals to work with children in our infant and toddler classes. Positions are full time. Great working conditions and immediate benefits! Call Ms. Theresa, director, at (913) 248-4589, or email: tgavila@stjoeshawnee.org.
The Church of Queen of the Holy Rosary - Wea is locat ed in Bucyrus. QHR Wea is a thriving and growing rural community with a historic church building with approx imately 700 families, an elementary school building with approximately 200 students, a rectory, a chapel, several outbuildings and a cemetery. QHR Wea’s mis sion is to grow a welcoming community of faith through prayer and worship, fellowship and service, formation and Christian living. Qualifications include: must be a practicing Catholic; have a minimum of five years of management/leadership experience; have financial management experience and a knowledge of non- prof it operations. For a full job description, visit: www. qhrwea.church/careers. To apply, submit a cover letter and resume by Aug. 8, either by mail to: Father Jerry Arano-Ponce, Pastor, Queen of the Holy Rosary - Wea, 22705 Metcalf Ave., Bucyrus, KS 66013, or by email to: careers@qhrwea.org.
Assistant cheer coach - Bishop Miege High School is seeking an assistant cheer coach for the 2022-23 school year. The ideal candidate will have experience as a cheer coach at the high school, college or competitive level and possess thorough knowledge of rules, regulations, strat egies and techniques. Contact Joe Schramp, athletic di rector: jschramp@bishopmiege.com or (913) 222-5802.
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Stylists needed - Are you addicted to the TV show “Say Yes to the Dress”? Are you self-motivated, love fashion and enjoy helping people look their best? If so, we want to talk to you! Sincerely Susan, a unique destination shop boutique is a warehouse environment where clients come in by appointment only. You must have a sense of style and a great personality to be able to interact with our “moms.” Hours are flexible. Must be willing to work a minimum of one evening per week and weekends. Must be able to stand and walk on con crete for long periods of time and reach overhead to pull gowns. Previous retail experience preferred, but not necessary. Hourly rate is based on experience. If interested, call (913) 730-8840. Permanent teacher positions - Holy Trinity Early Ed ucation Center is currently hiring for permanent teach er positions for all age groups ranging from 2 years to school-aged. All positions have both part-time and fulltime opportunities. Our mission at HTEEC is to provide an environment that supports each child’s intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual growth. If you are ener getic, patient and appreciate the joy children inevitably bring to the day, please send your resume to: jpfaff@ htslenexa.org and mtodd@holytrinityeec.org for ques tions and additional information. We would love to discuss if you are the right person to add to our HTEEC teaching team!
residential *Lawn renovation *Mowing *Cleanup
Parish business administrator - The Church of Queen of the Holy Rosary - Wea is seeking a highly skilled par ish business administrator to actively manage the dayto-day business operations, including financial, human resources, and office administration. This individual will work collaboratively with the pastor to practically implement the vision, mission and strategic direction of the parish. This individual will coordinate with the school principal in matters related to the parish school and will work closely with the director of faith forma tion. This individual will supervise parish administrative staff, including the administrative assistant, buildings and grounds manager, IT manager and bookkeeper. This position requires exceptional professionalism and the ability to work in a complex environment where multitasking, sound decision-making, self-motivation and discretion are essential. This salaried position in cludes the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas full benefits package and a flex-time 40-hour workweek, including some evenings, weekends and holy days. Ad ditional hours in excess of 40 hours may be required.
Staff job openings - Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, has the following staff job openings available: systems administrator; ADN specialist; security and facilities manager; advancement officer; senior ac counting specialist; and systems administrator. Find job descriptions and details at: www.donnelly.edu/careers.
Development associate - Bishop Miege High School is seeking an outgoing, mission-driven individual to support event planning, community engagement and general fundraising efforts in our faith-filled community. The ideal candidate will have 2 - 5 years of experience in develop ment, event planning and community relations. Excellent benefits package; salary commensurate with experience. Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to Molly Peterson at: mpeterson@bishopmiege.com.
Extended day care position - Holy Spirit Catholic School in Overland Park is seeking an enthusiastic person to be the group leader in our after-school care program. This well-established program runs from 3 to 5:45 p.m. each school day. We are looking for a faithfilled, responsible, organized and creative person. Ap plicants should have knowledge of child development and be able to implement age-appropriate activities. The ability to communicate clearly with children, colleagues and parents is most important in order to foster positive relationships. Applicants must attend Virtus training, ongoing child care training and be at least 18 years old. Contact Tessa Piscitello at (913) 492-2582 or email: tpiscitello@hscatholic.org for more information.
Team members - Watko Benefit Group, an Overland Park-based company specializing in employee bene fits consulting and services, is seeking additional team members to help support the needs of our growing cus tomer base. We have both full- and part-time positions available with specific needs in marketing support, customer service, and various presentation and admin istrative support type of responsibilities. If you seek a fun, supportive, positive and flexible work environ ment, reach out to us at: info@watkobenefit.com. You can also call Greg Watkins, principal of Watko Benefit Group, at (913) 685-0043. For more information on our company, visit: www.watkobenefit.com.
Evangelization coordinator St. Michael the Arch angel Parish in Leawood is seeking an evangelization coordinator. This role reports to the evangelization, for mation & outreach director and works collaboratively with staff and parishioners. Current initiatives include Christ Renews His Parish, “Vine” small groups, Bible studies, young adult ministry, adult formation presen tations, and events such as parish missions, speakers and visitation of relics. This is a year-round, full-time position with full benefits. For full job description, go to: stmichaelcp.org/employment. Send cover letter and resume to: denise.greene@stmichaelcp.org.
EEO HOME IMPROVEMENT STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior re pairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. SOL Y LA & and colored patios and drives. Retain ing walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excava tion and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com. Local Handyman - Painting int. and ext., wood rot, ma sonry (chimney repair), gutter cleaning (gutter covers), dryer vent cleaning, sump pump (replace, add new), windows, doors (interior and exterior) honey-do list and more! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118. SERVICES Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick, block and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; secondgeneration bricklayer. Member of St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 271-0362. Painting - Interior, exterior, drywall and wood rot repair. Quality workmanship. Insured. Call (913) 9387597 or (913) 206-4524; email: robaprinc@aol.com; or visit the website at: aprkansascity.com.
Bilingual counselor needed - The Keeler Women’s Center, located at 759 Vermont Ave., Suite 100-B, in Kansas City, Kansas, is seeking a Spanish-speaking counselor. Please contact Sister Bridget Dickason, OSB, at (913) 689-9375 or email: kwc@mountosb.org.
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Tutoring - for K - Adult. Sessions are fun and meaning ful. For more information please call Kathleen at (913) 206-2151 or email: Klmamuric@yahoo.com. Quality remodeling - Renovates kitchens and bath rooms; tilework; countertops; drywall; custom cabine try. Quality work. Call or text (913) 206-4524 or (913) 938-7597; email: robaprinc@aol.com or visit the web site at: aprkawsascity.com.
For sale - Two plots at St. Joseph Gardens Cemetery in Shawnee. Section D, plot 33, spaces one and two. Valued at $2200 each, asking $2000 each. Call (913) 677-2839. REAL ESTATE We buy houses and whole estates - We are local and family owned, and will make you a fair cash offer. We buy houses in any condition. No fees or commissions and can close on the date of your choice. Selling your house as is never felt so good. Jon & Stacy Bichelmeyer (913) 599-5000. WE WANT TO BUY YOUR HOUSE - There are so many new companies in town advertising to buy houses. But we’re the only ones that have been here and we’re local Holy Trinity parishioners. I will give you a fair price on any conditions you are up against. Call Mark Edmond son. (913) 980-4905. |
CALLED TO LOVE AGAIN DIVORCE MINISTRY Stone Pillar Winery 11000 S. Woodland St., Olathe Aug. 13 at 5:30 p.m. Divorced? Feel alone? Need support? Join us for fellowship, formation and fun! Enjoy some conversation, meet new friends and learn new tools to heal from this diffi cult situation and prepare for what’s next.
Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishio ners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC).
ROSARY RALLY IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish 4737 N. Cleveland Ave., Kansas City, Aug.Missouri14from 3 to 4:15 p.m. We will pray the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the rosary. Benedic tion will follow, as well as an opportunity for attendees to enroll in the brown scap ular. For more information, visit the web site at: www.rosaryrallieskc.org.
Thinking about downsizing? - Just want to get some stuff gone? I am always buying: old jewelry, old coins, pocket watches, pocketknives, old trains, crocks, oil lamps, old toys, glassware, old clocks, old fans, Coca Cola items and spool cabinets. Most old items consid ered. Call Patricia at (913) 515-2950.
THELEAVEN.ORG 13CALENDAR/CLASSIFIEDS
CONSECRATION TO MARY RETREAT Christ’s Peace House of Prayer 22131 Meagher Rd., Easton Aug. 12-14
Free estimates - We are offering free estimates to all those thinking about painting this year. At Stone Paint ing , we put the customer first. We provide interior, exterior house painting along with deck staining, fence painting, etc. Stone Painting ensures a professional, clean and fair-priced job. Call today for your free esti mate. (913) 963-6465. Pressure washing: Driveways, sidewalks, patios, decks, fences and garage floors Call John for a free estimate. Serving Johnson County KS (913) 827-8616 St. Joseph parishioner & St. James Academy graduate 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. WANTED TO BUY Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.
Our Lady of Unity Parish 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas Aug. 27 from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. The festival includes Sacred Heart and St. John the Evangelist parishes. There will be carnival games and inflatables for kids and all-day entertainment from dif ferent musical groups. There will also be mariachi groups, Hispanic dance groups and much more. Food includes barbecue and traditional Mexican-style food. There will also be a silent auction. For more information, call Augustine Oropeza at (913) 236-6271.
Catholic counseling - For individuals, couples, fam ilies, adolescents and young adults. Sam Meier, MA, LPC. Call (913) 952-2267 or book an appointment at: StillwatersKC.com, in-person or Telehealth.
CROATIAN FESTIVAL St. John the Baptist Parish 708 N. 4th St., Kansas City, Kansas Aug. 20 at 5 p.m. There will be traditional Croatian food, music and dancing on the agenda. There will be sarma (cabbage rolls) din ners and sausage sandwiches, as well as hamburgers and hot dogs and cold beer and beverages. There will be games for children and booths with a chance to win prizes. Hrvatski Obicaj will provide Croatian music. Proceeds will be used to help the parish’s community with repair, maintenance and operation of the parish. Admission is free.
CAREGIVING Saint Rita Home Care - Compassionate care in the comfort of home. We serve people in Miami and south Johnson counties. Kansas state licensed, nonmedical home care agency. Contact us today for supportive care at: www.saintritahc.com; rmargush@saintritahc. com; (913) 229-4267; owner, member of Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe. Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, com panionship, care management, and transportation for seniors in their home, assisted living or nursing facili ties. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Com pany at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Pat or Gary.
Family member with dementia or need help at home? - We specialize in helping seniors live SAFELY at home, where they want to live! We also offer free dementia training and resources for families and caregivers. Benefits of Home - Senior Care , www. Benefitsofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591. Companion/caregiving - Caregiver can provide parttime companion care for your retiree. Has nursing back ground. Call (913) 602-1289.
Wanted to buy - I buy silver and gold coins. Longtime member of Curé of Ars Parish. Call Doug at (913) 9982140. Wanted to buy - Do you have a car or truck that you need to get rid of? If you do, CALL ME! I’m a cash buyer. We’re Holy Trinity parishioners. My name is Mark. (913) 980-4905.
BINGO NIGHT Sacred Heart Parish 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. The Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus will be hosting bingo for cash prizes. Re freshments will be sold. Any questions? Call Bob at (913) 850-3348.
ACT Prep Founded by a Bishop Miege graduate, Path way Prep has helped over 250 students during the last four years improve their scores. In-person or vir tual sessions available. For more information, visit: path wayprepkc.com and contact Alex Pint at (913) 991-8217 or: alex@pathwayprepkc.com.
WILL AND TRUST SEMINAR St. Gregory the Great Parish 207 N. 14th St., Marysville Aug. 17 from 1 - 2 p.m. Education and insight on how to create your legacy and make your wishes known with a will or trust. Jon Stanfied, an estate planning attorney, will be the speaker. Coordinated by the archdiocese for the faithful. To register, contact Terry Lynn at: tlynn@archkck.org or call (913) 6470365.
Faith-based counseling to cope with life concerns - Kansas City area. Call Mary Vorsten, licensed clinical professional counselor, at (913) 909-2002. Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704. Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover. Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage con tainer 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.
BEGINNING EXPERIENCE COPING WITH LIFE ALONE Sessions start Aug. 22 Mondays from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The Coping with Life Alone program sessions are designed to help men and women who are widowed, separated or divorced to work through the grief pro cess associated with the end of a mar riage and move into the future with a new hope. This is a nine-week program that meets virtually once a week. The cost is $75 (scholarships available). For more information and to register, go online to: beginningexperiencekc.org or call Maria at (913) 314-9844.
FOR SALE
HAYDEN HIGH REUNION Class of 1972 Sept. 23 - 25 Request information by sending an email to: haydenhs1972reunion@gmail. com or by calling (785) 230-0143.
INDOOR PICNIC AND BINGO St. Patrick Parish 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. The picnic and bingo will take place in the parish center. The cost is $10 for a great meal and 10 games of bingo. For more information, call Fritz at (913) 5150621.
EVERMORE IN LOVE RETREAT Christ the King Parish 5973 S.W. 25th St., Topeka Aug. 20 - 21 Parents, this phase of life is so busy that it’s easy to forget that it all started with a man and a woman in love. It can even feel selfish to want to spend a week end away with your spouse. But what if the passion you felt in the beginning is just what you need to thrive in the midst of the chaos of family life? What if it’s possible to grow ever more in love with your spouse? To register, go online to: EverMoreinLove.org/events. Use promo code ArchKCK for $100 off! PANCAKE BREAKFAST St. Patrick Parish 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas Aug. 21 from 8 - 11 a.m. The St. Patrick Knights of Columbus will host a breakfast featuring pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, and biscuits and gravy. The cost is a freewill offering.
BEREAVEMENT MEETING Curé of Ars Parish (Father Burak Room) 9405 Mission Rd., Leawood Aug. 20 at 8:30 p.m. The bereavement ministry at Curé of Ars will have a grief support meeting after the 8 a.m. Mass. Grief counselor Ann Elbert will speak. For more informa tion, call (913) 649-2026.
Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, sterling, etc. Single pieces or estate. Renee Maderak, (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee.
The retreat begins on Aug. 12 at 5:30 p.m. and ends on Aug. 14 at 4:30 p.m. Spend the weekend dedicated to Mary and make/renew your Marian consecra tion on the vigil of the solemnity of the Assumption. There will be Marian con ferences, a consecration to Mary cere mony and a celebration. Guests are wel come for the ceremony and celebration on Aug. 14. There will be conferences, eucharistic adoration, Mass, confession, and time for private prayer, reflection and walking. Cabins/courtyard rooms: $170 single/$250 couple or single guest rooms: $100 (meals included). To attend, fill out the reservation form at: christs peace.com or call (913) 773-8255.
DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLA LITTLE FLOWER CIRCLE Christ the King Parish 5972 S.W. 25th St., Topeka Aug. 28 at 12:40 p.m. There will be a rosary followed by the business meeting and social time. If anyone knows of a member or family member of Daughters of Isabella in need of the circle’s prayers, call Diana Ortiz at (913) 554-4256.
Painting - Diamond Painting, (913) 648-4933, Residen tial/Commercial, Exterior/interior, Free Estimate, Af fordable, Decks, DiamondPaintKc.com, Kcmo/Overland Park Metropolitan area.
HEALING MASS Curé of Ars Parish (Father Burak Room) 9405 Mission Rd., Leawood Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. A Mass with prayers for healing, spon sored by area charismatic prayer groups, will be held. Father Anthony Ouellette will preside. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.
10TH ANNUAL UNITY FEST
PARISH BAZAAR St. Gregory the Great Parish 207 N. 14th St., Marysville Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. There will be a 4 p.m. Mass. Afterward, there will be a homemade fried chicken and ham dinner in the parish hall with dine-in or carryout available. Lots of kids and adult games, including a cakewalk, bingo, poker, fish pond and more on the school grounds. There will also be raffle prizes and a quilt drawing. A beer garden and hamburgers, brats and hot dogs are also available. All are welcome.
131ST IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ANNUAL PARISH PICNIC Immaculate Conception Parish 208 W. Bertrand, St. Marys Aug. 20 from 4 - 7 p.m. There will be a hot meal of pulled pork with fixings for $10. There will also be games, bingo and a garage sale from 58 p.m. The night ends with a dance and great fellowship.
Garage Door Repair New Garage Doors A Total Door - KC family owned since ‘83. www.ATotalDoor.com or (913) 236-6440 A Total Door (913) (913)205-0926236-6440.cell
ANNUAL BIRTHDAY POTLUCK Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish 3601 S.W. 17th St., Topeka Aug. 25 from 5 - 7 p.m. The Christian Widow and Widowers organization will host the birthday pot luck dinner. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call (785) 233-7350.
Rose of Lima, virgin 2 Thes 2: 1-3a, 14-17 Ps 96: 10-13 Mt 23: PsBARTHOLOMEW,Aug.23-2624APOSTLERv21:9b-14145:10-13,17-18Jn1:45-51Aug.25
center of Sunday’s first reading. The more prominent one is the persecuted prophet Jeremiah, one of the towering figures of the Old Testament. The other is King Zedekiah, the most abysmally foolish king in the history of ZedekiahIsrael.came to the throne in a time of crisis. The little kingdom of Judah had gotten into an illconceived confronta tion with the immense Babylonian empire. The Babylonians had forced King Jehoiachin to surrender and had taken him and much of the upper class off into exile. The Babylonians put Zedekiah in charge to maintain peace and order in the defeated city.Despite the weak ness of his position, Zedekiah made plans to revolt against the Babylonians. Jeremiah warned him against this move. He declared that the people’s social injustices and idol atries had piled up so high that God had decided to remove their independence. God would not defend them against the Babylonians. Zedekiah ignored Jeremiah and rebelled anyway. The Babylonians mobilized another army and headed back to Jeru salem.When the massive Babylonian force ap proached the city, Jer emiah urged surrender as the least bad option. (It is for this unpopular counsel that we see him being persecuted in Sunday’s reading.) Zedekiah wavered. He listened to Jeremiah but was intimidated by the war party in Jerusa lem. (They were Jere miah’s enemies). “The king could do nothing with them,” the biblical author tells us. In the end, out of fear, Zedekiah did not surrender. Inevitably, the Babylonians cap tured the city. As they began to put the in habitants to the sword, Zedekiah fled, but the Babylonians caught up with him. His suffer ings then, and those of Jerusalem, were pain ful in the extreme.
The pope highlighted the importance of small business es, whether they be “stores, workshops, cleaning businesses, transportation businesses” and others. These kinds of businesses are the ones “that don’t appear on the world’s richest and most powerful lists and, despite the difficulties, they create jobs, ful filling their social responsibility,” he said.
Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the great humanitarian and theologian, found in a letter by Andrew C. Davison who was visiting him in Africa: “It was about 11 a.m. The equatorial sun was bearing down merci lessly, and we were walking up a hill with Dr. Schweitzer. Sud denly, he left us and strode across the slope of the hill to where an African woman was struggling upward with a huge armload of wood. I watched with admiration and con cern as the 85-year-old doctor took the entire load of wood and car ried it up the hill for the relieved woman.
Does Jeremiah have an unwelcome, but helpful, message for us?
Someone’s gotta be the Thisfool.was one of my Grandma Modrcin’s pearls of wisdom. (It sounds more exotic in Croa tian.)Whenever some one had an argument, Grandma encouraged one of those parties to be the “fool.” That is, to be humble enough to take the first step at reconciliation — no matter if the “fool” was the injured or the injurer.Grandma under stood that anger festers inside a person and then spreads to poison other relation ships. The “wise fool,” if I can coin such a phrase, doesn’t give anger a chance to take root in one’s heart. I’ve been reflect ing on Pope Francis’ recent popebegThethethatpilgrimage”“penitentialtoCanadawasfeaturedinJuly29issueofLeaven.“Ihumblyforgiveness,”thesaid,“fortheevil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples. “I am sorry . . . in particular, for the ways in which many mem bers of the church and of religious commu nities cooperated, not least through their in difference, in projects of cultural destruction and forced assimila tion promoted by the governments of that time, which culminat ed in the system of residential schools.” I had no idea the magnitude of this injustice. Priests and nuns ran about 60% of these residential schools for the Cana dian government. At least 150,000 children were taken from their families and communi ties between 1870 and 1997(!) and forced to attend these schools. And to add tragedy to tragedy, at least 4,120 children died at those schools and several thousand others (em phasis mine) vanished without a acrossRecently,trace.Icamethisstoryabout
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KEVIN PERROTTA Perrotta is the editor and an author of the “Six Weeks with the Bible” series, teaches part-time at Siena Heights University and leads Holy Land pilgrimages. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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MARKWORDSMY AUGUST 12, 2O22 | THELEAVEN.ORG14 COLUMNISTS DAILY READINGS TWENTIETH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Aug. 14 TWENTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Jer
Louis; JosephpriestCalasanz, 1 Cor 1: 1-9 Ps 145: 2-7 Mt 24: 42-51 Aug.Friday26 1 Cor 1: 17-25 Ps 33: 1-2, 4-5, 10-11 Mt 25: 1-13 Aug. Monica27 1 Cor 1: 26-31 Ps 33: 12-13, 18-21 Mt 25: 14-30
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Bad judgment, being carried along by events, losing control of the situation, giving in to fear — what a sad display of weak char acter and poor leader ship. Most striking is Zedekiah’s refusal of Jeremiah’s advice. How shall we view this man who brought destruction down on everything dear to him? We could regard him with contempt. More usefully, we could ask ourselves whether we don’t all share somewhat in his failings.Ifwe find some Ze dekiah in ourselves, we could consider wheth er God is sending a Jeremiah into our life. What is his unwelcome but helpful message to us? And how will we respond?
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Small businesses invest in common good in local communities, pope says
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VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis asked people to pray for those running small- and medium-sized businesses since they contribute so much to the good of the local community and are still hard-hit by so many crises.“As a consequence of the pan demic and the wars, the world is facing a grave socioeconomic crisis. We still don’t realize it! And among those most affected are small- and medium-sized businesses,” the pope said. In a video message released by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network Aug. 2, the pope of fered his prayer intention for the month of August, which he dedicated to the owners of smalland medium-sized businesses. At the start of each month, the net work posts a short video of the pope offering his specific prayer intention.
“When asked by one of the members of our group why he did things like that, implying that in that heat and at his age he should not, Dr. Sch weitzer pointed to the woman and replied, “No one should ever have to carry a burden like that alone.” (Story adapted from “illus trations Unlimited,” edited by James S. Hewitt.)Ifeltlike our 85-year-old pope was doing the same thing in Canada, reaching out to those scarred by the abuses of the residential schools and saying, “No one should ever have to carry a burden like that alone.” The church that had hurt others so deeply was there now, in the humble figure of an aged man in a wheel chair, to begin a long and
Christ’sastoPopegroundhavethingcanhealbattle.a“Iearlylivingprocesslong-overdueofhealing.PopeFranciswaswordsfrominhispontificate:seethechurchasfieldhospitalafter...Youhavetowounds.Thenwetalkabouteveryelse....Andyoutostartfromtheup.”ThankGodthatFrancisiswillingbea“fool”—afool,St.Paulsays,“onaccount.”
TWENTY-FIRST WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Aug. TWENTY-FIRST21SUNDAYINORDINARYTIMEIs66:18-21Ps117:1-2Heb12:5-7,11-13Lk13:22-30Aug.22TheQueenshipoftheBlessedVirginMary2Thes1:1-5,11-12Ps96:1-5Mt23:13-22Aug.23
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Rv 11: 19a; 12: 1-6a, 10ab Ps 45: 10-12, 16 1 Cor 15: 20-27 Lk 1: Aug.39-5616
Witness the hurt and the healer
Father Mark is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989. 38: 4-6, 8-10 40: 2-4, 18 12: 1-4 12: Aug.49-5315
MARKFATHERGOLDASICH
Stephen of Hungary Ez 28: 1-10 (Ps) Dt 32: 26-28, 30, Mt35cd-36b19:23-30Aug.17WednesdayEz34:1-11Ps23:1-6Mt20:1-16Aug.18ThursdayEz36:23-28 Ps 51: 12-15, 18-19 Mt 22: 1-14 Aug. 19 John Eudes, priest Ez 37: 1-14 Ps 107: 2-9 Mt 22: doctorBernard,Aug.34-4020abbot,ofthechurchEz43:1-7bPs85:9ab,10-14Mt23:1-12
Jim and Kathy Kessler, mem bers of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Empo ria, will cele brate their 50th wedding anni versary on Aug. 20 with family and friends. The couple was mar ried on Aug. 19, 1972, at Sacred Heart Church, Gardner. Their children are: Clint Kessler, Brett Kessler, Traci Gant and Abbey Kessler. They also have six grandchildren.
AUGUST 12, 2022 | THELEAVEN.ORG 15LOCAL NEWS
Mary and Chuck Brennan, theirebratewillLeawood,Parish,angeltheMichaelbersmemofSt.Archcel60th wedding anniversary on Aug. 25. The couple was married at St. Thomas Church in Emmetsburg, Iowa. Their children are: Colleen Brennan Browne, Kathleen Brennan Nixon and Scott Charles Brennan. They also have eight grandchildren. A family dinner is planned to celebrate.
Concrete Work Any type of repair and new work Driveways, Walks, Patios Member of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish Harvey M. Kascht (913) 262-1555
Terry and Phil Punswick, mem bers of St. Paul Parish, Olathe, will celebrate their 50th wed ding anniver sary on Aug. 13 with a Mass and family dinner. The couple was married on Aug. 12, 1972, at St. Raphael Cathe dral in Madison, Wisconsin. Their chil dren are: Eric Punswick, Amy Spacek and Kevin Punswick. They also have 12 grandchildren.
Rosemary and Dan Miller, mem bers of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, will celebrate their 50th the1972,riedcoupleAug.anniversaryweddingon19.ThewasmaronAug.19,atQueenofHolyRosary Church, Overland Park. Their children are: Jenny Fitzmorris and Kate Hogard. They also have four grandsons.
Alleta and Donald Biggs, members of Curé of Ars Parish, Leawood, will celebrate their 70th wed ding anniversary on Aug. 23. They were members of Sacred Heart Church in Leav enworth for about 40 years. The couple was married in 1952 at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church, Topeka. Their children are: Bryan Biggs, Jan Everett, Stan Biggs, Bev McKittrick, Donna Warden and Susan Jones. They also have 24 grand children and 22 great-grandchildren.
Annie and Mike Kucenic, mem bers of St. John the Baptist Parish, Kansas City, Kansas, will celebrate their 50th wed ding anniver sary on Aug. 27 with family and friends at 4 p.m. Mass followed by a gathering at St. John’s auditorium. The couple was married on Aug. 26, 1972, by Msgr. John W. Horvat. Their children are: Michael James Kucenic and Christina Denise Grey. They also have four grandchil dren.
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Rosemary (DiFelice) and John Weber, mem bers of Holy Spirit Parish, Overland Park, celebrated their 50th TheNorthOuterfamilyJulyanniversaryweddinginwiththeirattheBanks,Carolina.couplewas married on Aug. 26, 1972, at St. Monica Church in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. Their children are: Jamie Karges, Katie Tucker, Michael Weber and Elizabeth Beslow. They also have seven grandchildren.
The couple was married by Father A.H. Wietharn on Aug. 11, 1962, at Sacred Heart Church in Topeka. Their chil dren are: Bob, Frank, Donnie, Donna McClane and Joshua. They also have 15 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchil dren.
Jerry and PatriciaStrohmeyer,(Farrell) members of St Bernard Parish, Wamego, will celebrate their 50th Peter19,riedcoupleAug.anniversaryweddingon19.ThewasmaronAug.1972,atSts.andPaul Church, Seneca. They plan to celebrate quietly at home.
Lawrence and Mara Lee (Lyons) Sieve Jr., mem bers of Holy Trinity Church, Lenexa, cel ebrated their 50th PatrickmarriedcouplearaAug.anniversaryweddingon11atNiagFalls.ThewasatSt.Church, Kansas City, Missouri. Their children are: Anna Robinson, Jesse Sieve, Leah Yates, Ryan Sieve and Lawrence Sieve III. They also have 11 grandchildren.
Gloria and Van Davison,niversaryding50thedcelebratBasehor,Parish,AngelsofmembersHolytheirwedan with their children in Lido Key, Flor ida, in July. The couple was married on Aug. 25, 1972, at Blessed Sacrament Church in Kansas City, Kansas. Their children are: Scott and April. They also have two grandchildren.
Maurice and Dorothy McMullen, members of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, cele brated their 70th wedding anni versary on July 24 with Mass and a gathering with family. The couple was mar ried on July 25, 1952. Their chil dren are: David McMullen, Kim Mead, Brandon McMullen, Karyl Elliott and Kendra LeCluyse. They also have 14 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
William and Janet (Browne) Barkemeyer, members ofanniverweddingtheirebratewillTopeka,Parish,JosephHeart-St.Sacredcel50th sary on Aug. 12. The couple was mar ried at Sacred Heart Church, Topeka, on Aug. 12, 1972. They will be celebrat ing with their family later this month. Their children are: Bill, Trisha, Brett, Megan, Stephen, Keith, Chad and Scott. They also have 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Susan (Schell) and Francis Lam brecht, mem bers of Mother Teresa of Cal cutta Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 60th familyfollowedaonanniversaryweddingAug.20at4p.m.Massbyadinner.
(CNS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA Pope Francis kisses the hands of Father Andrew E. Gaffney, who was ordained to the priesthood in May for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, at the end of the general audience in St. Peter’s Square June 15. Joining Father Andrew with the pope are Father Luke Doyle, left, and Father Thomas Maddock, right. WE WERE SHOCKED AND HUMBLED THAT THE VICAR OF CHRIST WOULD KISS OUR HANDS.
Archdiocesan priests meet Pope Francis during pilgrimage
UNBELIEVABLE“
AUGUST 12, 2022 | THELEAVEN.ORG 16LOCAL NEWS
By Therese Horvat Special to The Leaven KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Three recently ordained archdiocesan priests shared the experience of a lifetime this summer while on pil grimage to Rome. Friends from their seminary days, Fa thers Luke Doyle, Andrew Gaffney and Thomas Maddock were in the Eternal City for the first time since becoming priests. Fathers Luke and Thomas were ordained in May 2021; Father Andrew, this year on May 28. As new priests, they found deep meaning in visiting the sacred foundational site of the Catholic Church.Thethree scored second row seats for the Wednesday, June 15, general au dience at which Pope Francis addressed and blessed the thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square. Better yet, the three were among those granted brief personal visits with theAndpope.when Father Luke introduced the trio as newly ordained priests from the U.S. and Kansas, the pope’s face lit up. Pope Francis then asked if he could kiss their hands — the traditional way of reverencing the presence of Christ in a priest.“We were shocked and humbled that the Vicar of Christ would kiss our hands,” exclaimed Father Thomas. Father Luke agreed. “It was very humbling to have the presence of Christ in me reverenced by the Vicar of Christ on earth, by the suc cessor of St. Peter,” he said. Father Andrew says the personal en counter of only a couple of minutes felt amazingly like forever. He remembers the pope speaking to them in broken En glish and saying, “Know that I am pray ing for each of you. Please pray for me.” Walking away from their exchange with Pope Francis, the three priests remained astonished. They kept com menting that they had met the pope and he kissed their hands. That sense of awe continued as they offered Mass together on June 18 in the Irish Chapel in the Vat ican Grottoes under St. Peter’s Basilica. This chapel was across from the Clem entine Chapel where St. Peter, the first pope, is buried. Fathers Luke and Thomas had been in Rome before, but this was Father An drew’s first time. Their meeting up was both a bit of luck and a little coordina tion.Fathers Thomas and Andrew had made a pilgrimage of attending the or dinations of friends in the United States and traveling to Rome. Father Andrew’s intention was to offer a Mass of thanks giving in St. Peter’s Basilica for his own ordination.FatherLuke, meanwhile, was in Rome as guide and translator for a small group from St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood, where he is associate pastor. But it was a little help from a friend that made their time even more special. When he lived in Rome while in the seminary, Father Luke worked in the U.S. Bishops’ Office for United States Visitors to the Vatican. In preparation for this trip, he contacted acquaintances there who helped arrange tickets for special seating at the pope’s general audience. Father Luke’s friend Father Sean Pat rick Riley, a priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool, England, facilitated the personal visit with Pope Francis. He secured a letter from his archbishop to the prefect of the papal household requesting that the three new priests meet the Holy Father. So, at dinner the evening before the general audience, Father Sean told the three Kansans they would soon be meet ing the Evenpope.asFather Sean handed them the specially marked tickets, however, they didn’t believe him. In fact, they can hardly believe it still!
Father Maddock is associate pastor at Christ the King Parish and chaplain at Hayden High School, both in Topeka; Father Gaffney is associate pastor at Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe and chaplain at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Overland Park. In addition to his parish ministry, Father Doyle serves as assistant director in the archdiocesan vo cation office.
FATHER THOMAS MADDOCK ASSOCIATE PASTOR, CHRIST THE KING, TOPEKA “
