09-13-13 Vol. 35 No. 6

theleaven.com | vol. 35, no. 6 | september 13, 2013

Veg Out

n The Gardner Community Garden, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, has enlivened the parish, built community and produced free food for the elderly and economically disadvantaged. n Below, Tom King fills bags with freshly picked corn, assisted by (from left) Bob Crain, Aubrey Crain and Makenna Kolars.

Gardner-Edgerton parish enjoys harvest more than produce from garden Story and photos by Joe Bollig

G

ARDNER — There was a time when Bob Crain was blissfully ignorant of pigweed.

But that all changed this spring, when he and his wife Suzanne rented two plots at the Gardner Community Garden, a project sponsored by Knights of Columbus, Sacred Heart Council 10407.

“I didn’t know what it was called until we started out here,” he said. “We get it in our yard.”

Now, instead of it being just another anonymous yard weed, pigweed is the enemy that must die. The whole family feels the same way.

“I kill it,” said Aubrey Crain, 11. “I kill it with a sharpened hoe.”

The vicious pigweed battle notwithstanding, the Crains — members of Divine Mercy Parish of

Gardner — are having a good time at the newly established garden.

And they are not alone. The Catholicsponsored garden has drawn people of all faiths from across the community and has distributed the benefit of homegrown, organically produced veggies throughout Gardner and beyond. >> See “donations” on page 4

Seeking great recipes

W

hen a pope resigns, a conclave is called, a new pope is elected, and a Catholic newspaper has its work cut out for it.

The downside? All these developments bumped some of The Leaven’s regular features — our Lenten recipe spread, for example.

So this fall, we’re inviting our readers to submit their tried-and-true favorites for fall — especially those that have proved favorites at parish fall festivals.

If you have a great recipe for an entrée, side dish, dessert, or ethnic delicacy, please send it — along with your full name, parish and city — by email to jessica@theleaven. com by Sept. 19. Or mail it to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109.

If you have a picture of the dish, please send that, too!

Recipes will appear in an upcoming edition of The Leaven, or, depending on the response, online at: www.theleaven.com.

— Jessica Langdon

Serving Francis

Archdiocesan seminarian Agustin Martinez (far right) served Mass for Pope Francis at a vigil to pray for peace Sept 7.

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Life will be victorious

Call for peace

Annual pilgrimage a time of formation, inspiration

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or the past five years, I have made a pilgrimage in early August with our seminarians.

The pilgrimage affords me the opportunity to get to know our seminarians better by spending several days with them. There is no better way to get to know someone than to travel with them.

It is important for me to know our seminarians, because it will be my responsibility to call many of them to ordination someday.

The ordination of priests is among the most important actions of a bishop. A priest I ordain today, God willing, will serve the church for perhaps 40-plus years, touching thousands of lives.

Holy and zealous priests provide great leadership for our parish communities.

With effective leadership, parishes thrive.

The pilgrimage also affords me the opportunity to take a personal hand in the formation of our seminarians. During the course of the pilgrimage, I have the opportunity to preach to our seminarians and to share with them what I consider most important in their preparation for the priesthood.

I also always find these pilgrimages to be a time of personal inspiration. During the course of the pilgrimage, we ask the new seminarians to give their “call story” — what were the events in their lives that motivated them to make the huge decision to enter the seminary. It is beautiful to listen to how God revealed to each seminarian his desire for them to explore a priestly vocation.

This year’s pilgrimage was very Marian. We travelled to La Crosse, Wis., to visit the beautiful shrine dedicated to Our Lady of

archbishop Joseph F. Naumann Guadalupe. We also visited, near Green Bay, the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help.

In 2010, the bishop of Green Bay formally approved the 1859 apparitions, stating that the events that occurred there “exhibit the substance of a supernatural character and are considered worthy of belief.”

Apparitions, even those recognized by the church, are considered private revelations. Catholics are not obliged to believe in them.

However, when they are given recognition, it means that, after careful investigation by the local bishop, nothing about the apparition is contrary to Catholic teaching and the experience of the visionary appears credible.

The visionary for the apparitions at Our Lady of Good Help was Adele Brise, a young woman from Belgium. In Belgium, Adele was associated with a group of young women who desired to become religious Sisters, serving in the foreign missions. When Adele’s parents decided it best for the family to immigrate to the United States, Adele was conflicted because of her desire to become a missionary. Adele spoke with her confessor about her internal conflict. He advised her to go with her family to America. If it was God’s will, she could serve Our Lord and the church as a religious Sister in America.

On Oct. 9, 1859, Adele was taking a sack of wheat to a local mill, when she saw a mysterious woman dressed in white. The woman said nothing and disappeared

TOUCH OF HEAVEN

Catholic Store 119 SE 18th Topeka, KS (785) 232-2543 Hrs. T-F - 10 a.m. 5:30; Sat. 9 a.m. to noon

after a short time. The next Sunday, Adele was walking to church, passing through the same area, when the woman in white appeared again. This time, Adele was accompanied by her sister and a neighbor, who could not see the woman but witnessed Adele’s reaction to the apparition.

Adele told her parish priest about the apparitions and how they frightened her. He advised her not to be afraid, instructing her, if the woman appeared again, to ask her who she was and what she wanted. On the way home, the woman appeared again, clothed in white with a yellow sash with a crown of stars around her.

Adele did as the priest had counseled her, asking: “In God’s name, who are you and what do you want of me?” The woman identified herself as the Queen of Heaven. She said to Adele: “What are you doing here in idleness, while your companions are working in the vineyard of my Son?” Adele understood this to refer to her friends in Belgium who had become religious Sisters and were serving in the missions.

Mary told Adele: “Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation. Teach them their catechism, how to sign themselves with the sign of the cross, and how to approach the sacraments; that is what I wish you to do. Go and fear nothing. I will help you.”

Adele took seriously the commission given to her

by Mary. She went to the homes of settlers, offering to assist with chores if they would allow her to teach their children the faith.

Within 10 years, Adele would build a school and a chapel on the site where the apparitions took place.

Adele’s fidelity to the mission that Mary had given her, despite many obstacles

and difficulties, adds to the credibility of the apparitions. One of the early bishops of Green Bay received many negative reports about Adele’s fundraising for the school and chapel, the veracity of the apparitions and questions about her competency and psychological health.

The bishop ordered that Masses no longer be celebrated at the shrine and the school be closed. The bishop requested that Adele turn over the keys for the school to him. Adele obediently complied.

However, as she turned over the keys to the bishop, she reminded him that now he would be responsible for the souls of all the children who would no longer be catechized. The bishop thought about Adele’s admonition for a few moments and then promptly returned the keys, asking her to continue her catechetical ministry.

I sympathize with the bishop. It is a difficult task to discern if an apparition is authentic or not. This episode also reminds me how much I depend on our Catholic school teachers and parish school of religion catechists to help me with my responsibility to assist Catholic parents with the formation and the education of their children.

I am so grateful that God has blessed us with 36 seminarians. I am also grateful for the dedication and competence of our Catholic school teachers and PSR catechists. Please pray for our seminarians that the Lord will help them to know God’s will for them and will give them the courage to follow his will wherever it leads. Pray also for Catholic educators that the Lord will make them not only competent teachers about our Catholic faith, but will help them become even more compelling witnesses of Jesus and his Gospel for their students.

Archdiocesan seminarian serves at Pope Francis’ peace vigil

calendar archbishop

Naumann Sept. 14 Dedication of the Little Monastery of the Little Sisters of the Lamb “Vocation Boom!” radio show St. James Academy leadership dinner — Lenexa Sept. 15 Installation of Father Anthony Ouellette — All Saints, Kansas City, Kan. Little Sister Marie of the Little Sisters of the Lamb receives her habit Sept. 16 “Shepherd’s Voice” recording CORE priests and seminarians appreciation day Sept. 17 Priests Personnel meeting Wyandotte Pregnancy Center benefit dinner — Overland Park Convention Center Sept. 18 Presbyteral Council meeting

CNS photo/Paul Haring

Pope Francis leads a vigil to pray for peace Sept. 7 in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Agustin Martinez, far left, an archdiocesan seminarian in his second year of theology at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, entered a lottery at the college to serve for the pope and was one of those chosen.

Confirmation — St. Theresa, Perry

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

Sept. 19 Catholic Education Foundation board meeting

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — When Pope Francis called on people around the world to fast and pray for peace in Syria, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas served at the heart of the pope’s prayer vigil at the Vatican.

Agustin Martinez, now in his second year of theology at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, entered a lottery at the college to serve for the pope on Sept. 7, and was grateful and thrilled to be among those chosen.

“I was even more excited to be praying alongside Pope Francis for the peace that the world is most in need of right now,” said Martinez.

His studies in Rome have already given him a front row seat to many historic moments this year.

He witnessed Pope Francis’ installation Mass, his first canonization Mass, many of the Holy Week services and a number of Sunday Angelus services.

But Sept. 7 brought an altogether different experience, one that — in the midst of global attention on the heightening crisis in Syria — carried a grave international tone.

Noting the scale and location of the vigil, the Vatican described the event as an unprecedented gesture for peace by a pope.

Approximately 100,000 people — of

Sept. 20-23 Knights of the Holy Sepulcher meeting — Des Moines, Iowa

archbishop

keleher Sept. 14 Mass and banquet — Lansing State Prison Sept. 15 Mass at federal prison Sept. 16-20 Teaching class — Mundelein Seminary

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

different faiths — gathered at the Vatican for hours to pray for peace, particularly focusing on Syria and the Middle East.

Looking out from the front of the vigil, Martinez was moved by how far back the crowd stretched.

“The vigil itself was incredible.

During the times of silence [in] adoration, you could hear a pin drop,” he said.

“The feeling that I sensed was a feeling of prayer and solidarity with our brothers and sisters throughout the world.”

Somber vigil The vigil occurred on the same day U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with European leaders as President Barack Obama considered a military strike as punishment for the use of chemical weapons in the civil war that has been raging in Syria.

The situation in Syria hit home especially for Martinez.

He spent a month of his summer working in Israel — Syria’s neighbor to the southwest — mainly leading tours of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, the Old City of Jerusalem and other holy sites.

He was in Israel on Aug. 21 when an alleged chemical attack killed more than 1,400 people near the Syrian city of Damascus.

“The Wednesday that the chemical weapons attack occurred, I was actually as close as you can be to Damascus from

Israel, in a region called [the] Golan Heights,” he said. “I saw the U.N. camp and the huge land-mine fields that prevent the Syrians from crossing into Israel, so I was very familiar with the conflict even as it was developing.”

His brush with the political situation in Syria and the suffering of the people there heightened his desire to take part in the vigil — an event pervaded with a decidedly more somber tone than many of the pope’s other public appearances.

Pope Francis did not smile or wave when he came out of the basilica at 7 p.m.

In his brief homily during the fourhour vigil, he did not specifically refer to current events, but spoke of war in biblical terms.

“When man thinks only of himself, his own interests, and places himself in the center, when he permits himself to be captivated by the idols of dominion and power, when he puts himself in God’s place, then all relationships are broken and everything is ruined,” said Pope Francis. “Then the door opens to violence, indifference and conflict.”

Hope for peace But he offered a hopeful conclusion, pointing to the cross.

“How I wish that all men and women of good will would look to the cross, if only for a moment,” he said. “There, we can see God’s reply: Violence is not answered with violence, death is not

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answered with the language of death.

In the silence of the cross, the uproar of weapons ceases and the language of reconciliation, forgiveness, dialogue and peace is spoken.”

Priests heard confessions before and during the vigil.

“The most touching moment for me particularly was when the pope in his speech talked about the damage of war and political agendas, the destruction of humanity by humanity itself, of the silencing of our consciences and the improvement of weapons [whose] only function is to bring death,” said Martinez. “He spoke about innocent children — ‘bambini’ — and women dying at the mercy of those in power through war and destruction.”

And Martinez’s thoughts — as the crowd prayed for peace in Syria, the Middle East and the entire world — also naturally traveled to his native Mexico and the violence it has seen at the hands of drug cartels.

Many innocent lives there have been lost, too, he said.

“The thing that the pope wanted to get across was very simple: Peace!” said Martinez. “Peace is something that we are all called to; it is imprinted in our human nature. We are social beings, we need each other, and only in peaceful societies can humanity really flourish. War and destruction are against humanity.”

This article also contains information from Catholic News Service.

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Donations, grant and elbow grease make pastor’s dream a reality >> Continued from page 1

They pick ’em, you buy ’em

Growing the concept The idea for a community garden originated with Father Joseph Cramer, pastor of Divine Mercy Parish, which was formed from the merger of Sacred Heart Parish in Gardner and Assumption Parish in Edgerton.

“Father Joseph caught me going into Mass and asked me if the Knights would form a farmer’s market,” said Bill East, Grand Knight of Council 10407.

East, who also coordinates food drives for Catholic Charities, formed an ecumenical advisory committee, chaired by Tom King, a local Baptist.

Brian Bouttee, a Knight and Divine Mercy parishioner with experience as a commercial gardener, became the technical expert and go-to guy.

East and his cohorts discovered that a community garden would be more practical than a farmer’s market, so East and the advisory committee started looking for land.

Fortunately, the Knights were able to find five acres of cropland immediately south of the church. The current owners, descendants of the Dale and Marcelle Baker Family, gave the Knights an incredible deal on the former corn and soybean field.

“We were expecting to pay $125 an acre, which is the going rate, but they were kind to us and we negotiated a lease for $1 a year,” said East.

Any project needs funding. But the Knights scored again when they secured a $5,000 community garden grant from Kansas State University and a $3,500 grant from the Carpenter’s Union 315, which was used to build an 18- by 24-foot barn.

Nor can you work a garden without tools. But they got help there, too.

“We did a tool and equipment drive in conjunction with our quarterly food drive,” said East. “We collected everything from rakes, shovels, tillers, a garden tractor and all kinds of stuff. So that has been extremely beneficial. We have a really generous parish.”

A donated skid loader was used to build a gravel road and parking lot on the church side of the property line providing access to the land.

And you can’t grow a garden without water. Jeff Steward, director of Gardner’s parks and recreation department, offered to help construct a water

Unloading cantaloupes are (back, from left) Makenna Kolars, Aubrey Crain, and Bayleigh Russell, and front, Bradyn and Madi Russell. Parents like bringing their children to the garden so they can experience nature and learn where food comes from. The families experience togetherness as they garden, and some children have even begun to earn a profit for their work. line to the garden from adjoining Westside Park. “[Steward] was ecstatic that we were going to have a garden,” said East.

When the city couldn’t dig the trench, the garden committee asked a past Grand Knight, who was also director of Rural Water District 7, for help. Through his contacts, they were able to get donated time and equipment.

“Four hours later, we had water in the garden,” said East. “It’s a good example of how this project has come together with a lot of people cooperating.”

Growing community Father Cramer wanted a project that would promote unity not just in the parish, but across the entire community of Gardner, said East. He was also concerned about the ability of poor families and the elderly to access nutritious food.

The land is divided into about 40 individual and family plots, with the remainder being the communal garden.

Individual plots can be rented for $40 for the first plot, and subsequent plots for $35. Families often have multiple plots. People who work in the communal plots can earn “veggie bucks” for their time, which they can redeem for produce.

Suzanne and Bob Crain, members of Divine Mercy Parish in Gardner, inspect a plant on their plots.

Some of the smaller plots are tended by 4-H clubs, families and individuals.

They also help in the communal section, along with the Knights and the Boy Scout troop they sponsor. The garden workers are from throughout the

The general, non-gardening public can procure the veggies through a garden market held on site, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., when food is available.

The garden posts signs and makes announcements of garden markets on its Facebook page and website: www.gardnercommunitygarden. com.

The garden has also arranged to have a display at Cosentino’s Price Chopper in Gardner.

“They’ve been really good to us, and they put up a beautiful display at the front door of the grocery store,” said East.

Produce is also donated, when available, to the Gardner Senior Center, Medicalodges Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Gardner, and Catholic Charities food pantries.

community and of all backgrounds — just as Father Cramer wanted. When help is needed for the communal plot, the committee sends out text messages.

“I can speak from personal experience that I’ve met a lot of nice people through the garden that I didn’t know six months ago,” said King.

Many of these gardeners are novices, so King and Bouttee have had to teach them the basics.

“So many people have never farmed or gardened before, but they have all the energy and they want to work,” said Bouttee. “They’re fast learners.”

“It’s amazing,” he continued. “You should see the look on people’s faces who’ve never planted a seed before.

Next week, the plants are two inches tall, and they’re elated.”

Father Cramer is elated, too.

“The neatest thing is seeing 57 families coming together,” he said. “To see their faces when they’ve done these plots is incredible — it’s worth it. They’ve accomplished something of their own by their own hands.”

He’s proud of the families who have become self-sufficient and help the hungry. But he is also glad that they are growing closer as a community.

“I’ve been out there and I’ve seen their faces,” said Father Cramer. “They have true pride in being able to do something. It’s their work.”

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September 13, 2013 | theleaven.com

Pumpkin Patch Day plants seeds for Catholic education n fundraising event set for Oct. 5 at KC Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — With fall fast approaching, the Catholic Education Foundation hopes a big crowd will carve out some time for a fun day at the pumpkin patch.

CEF Futures — a group of young professionals from their 20s to 40s committed to promoting CEF’s mission — invites everyone to the very first CEF Day at the Pumpkin Patch.

It runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 5 at the KC Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze in Gardner.

With a hayride, corn maze, zip line, barrel train, petting zoo, live music and more, it’s bound to be a blast for the kids.

Proceeds will also benefit kids within the archdiocese, by helping to provide scholarships so students in need can attend Catholic schools.

Everyone is welcome, but organizers

hope this event will appeal in a special way to young families.

“It’s something we think a lot of people would do anyway in the fall, so why not have them come do it with CEF, and learn m o r e about our organization and the kids we help?” said Derek Teeter, a member of the CEF board.

This year, CEF is providing about $1.1 million in scholarships to help roughly 1,400 children attend 20 CEF schools.

Teeter and his wife Holly lead the Futures group, and believe this is a unique opportunity — and a good deal.

A $40 family pass will admit a family group for the event, whether they stop in for a half-hour or stay for the whole day. Individual passes cost $10.

It’s a good way for church groups or parents’ groups to get together, added Derek Teeter.

The Hamptones — a band that features Hamp Henning, CEF board chairman — will provide live music from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“There are dozens and dozens of things to do at the KC Pumpkin Patch that day,” said Erica Kratofil, grants and social media manager for CEF. The idea for these fall festivities stemmed from an earlier Futures gathering.

Kirk and Julie Berggren, parishioners of Holy Spirit Church in Overland Park and owners of the KC Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, said Kratofil, are big supporters of Catholic education and contributed to a Futures fundraiser in the spring.

‘Faith + Reason’ = powerful exhibit KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A picture might be worth a thousand words.

But in an exhibit on display this September, the words literally become the art.

Quotes from an impressive list of Catholic luminaries — popes, saints and thinkers ranging across 2,000 years of church history — make up an exhibit called “Faith + Reason: Quotes from the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.”

The words, artistically spelled out in black letters on white backgrounds, line the wall at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kan. The sayings invite visitors to take a journey that explores humans’ relationship with God, with the natural world and with one another.

Donnelly College first displayed this collection of quotes in its arts space, and the exhibit sparked such

interest that Donnelly partnered with the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and the Catholic Fine Arts Council to continue to share it.

The exhibit is open for viewing at the pastoral center, located at 12601 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kan., during business hours through Oct. 4.

Donnelly College also extends the opportunity to host this traveling exhibit to parishes and schools.

The college believes it’s a way to invite reflection and discussion among both adults and youth groups.

For more information or to schedule a monthlong exhibit, contact Andrew Julo, curator of the arts space at Donnelly and coordinator of service learning. He can be reached by email at: ajulo@donnelly.edu. Or call him at (913) 621-8712.

“Faith + Reason: Quotes from the Catholic Intellectual Tradition” uses words as art. The exhibit is open for viewing at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kan., through Oct. 4.

CEF Day at the Pumpkin Patch When: Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Where: KC Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, 29755 W. 191st St., Gardner Price: $40 for family pass; $10 for individual pass; lunch (hot dog, chips and drink) will be offered for $5; sponsorship opportunities are also available.

For more information or to register, visit the CEF Futures website at: www.cefks.org/futures. Or call Erica at (913) 647-0379.

Afterward, the family wanted to do something with the Futures to help raise more scholarship money — and the seeds for the KC Pumpkin Patch Day were planted.

“We definitely encourage families to come as a fun family activity,” said Kratofil.

“We also encourage other people to come with their friends,” she added, “and just enjoy a day outdoors in the great weather.”

Speaker recounts lifealtering experience Sept. 22 at Ascension OVERLAND PARK — John O’Leary expected to die. He is now teaching others how to live.

O’Leary will speak at 1:15 p.m. on Sept. 22 at the Church of the Ascension gym, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park.

His talk is appropriate for all ages.

O’Leary will revisit the day he was burned over 98 percent of his body as a nine-year-old. He recalls the night he was told he’d die; the afternoon he first believed he wouldn’t; and other formative experiences after the fire.

Following the talk, there will be a panel discussion at 3 p.m. featuring Dennis Schemmel, Ph.D.; Molly Whitaker, licensed marriage and family therapist; Julie Kovac, licensed professional counselor; and Msgr. Tom Tank.

After the panel discussion, there will be a prayer service.

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theleaven.com | september 13, 2013

A staycation of the first order

LYDE, Mo. — Summers generally mean working internships or family vacations for many of America’s college

students.

But when Sarah Starman went back to school this fall, she had quite an unusual answer to the question, “How did you spend your summer vacation?”

No beaches or office cubicles for Sarah, a senior studying international relations and Spanish at Benedictine College in Atchison. Instead, she spent the summer at a monastery with the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, Mo. Just two months after returning from a study abroad experience in Spain, the Nebraska native packed up and made the five-hour car trip to the Benedictine Sisters’ monastery in northwest Missouri to work as a volunteer this summer.

She wasn’t a stranger to the group of contemplative nuns. She’s known many of them since she was just three years old, thanks to her Aunt Ruth.

Benedictine Sister Ruth Elaine Starman, that is.

“When my brothers and I were younger, we visited Aunt Ruth for a few days nearly every summer,” Sarah said. “I have so many fond memories of the monastery, and the Sisters have become a bit of an extended family to me.”

It was that special connection that helped the college senior decide how to spend her summer. With just a short time to job search after returning from Europe, she discovered there might be another way to spend the next two months.

“Aunt Ruth, half-jokingly I think, suggested I volunteer at the monastery,” Sarah said.

The idea was interesting and tempting, offering Sarah a chance to grow in prayer as she prepared for her final year of undergraduate work. It didn’t take long for her to decide to forgo working during the summer in order to spend it at the monastery.

“My friends and family were so supportive of my decision,” she said. “In a way, it’s been a summer-long retreat.”

During her time at the monastery, Sarah worked as a portress, where she greeted guests, led tours, managed the gift shop and answered the phone. She also spent time helping in the altar bread department and working outside, tending to the monastery grounds with novice Maria Gara.

“It has been a delight for me to have Sarah spend the summer here at Clyde,” Sister Ruth Elaine said. “Having lived away from Nebraska while all my nieces and nephews were growing

Ascension Scout earns Eagle Overland Park — Jason Frederick, a member of Church of the Ascension Parish here and Boy Scout Troop 92, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He received his award at an Eagle Court of Honor on June 2.

For his Eagle project, Frederick expanded the Council Ring at Rotary Youth Camp in Lee’s Summit, Mo. In addition to enlarging the campfire area, he added more seating to the site.

By the numbers

@ Pontifex, Pope Francis’ Twitter account

1st

highest number of retweets

2nd

most-followed leader in the world behind U.S. President Barack Obama

7.2 million Photo courtesy of the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration

Sister Ruth Elaine Starman, OSB, stands with her niece Sarah Starman at the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration monastery in Clyde, Mo. Sarah spent part of her summer as a volunteer. Sarah is a senior at Benedictine College, Atchison. up, I only got to see them maybe once or twice each year. To have this much time with Sarah has been a rare and special treat.”

Sarah often joined the Sisters for prayer, starting with morning prayer at 6:30 a.m., Mass and two evening services each day.

“I was thrilled to attend prayer with the Sisters in the adoration chapel,” Sarah said. “What better place could one be? I am blessed that I could build even more on my relationship with Christ. I definitely feel the Holy Spirit in this place.”

While Sarah wasn’t the first to offer her time and talents to the Benedictine Sisters, it was the first time Benedictine Sister Pat Nyquist, prioress general, could recall a college student staying the entire summer as a volunteer and not as someone contemplating a religious vocation.

“We’ve been blessed with volunteers over the many years and also had women in discernment join us for weeks or months at a time,” Sister Pat said. “People have helped in our soap shop or in the altar bread department, but this was the first time we were gifted with someone of Sarah’s age for an entire summer, a young woman who simply wanted to share her time with us. She was a joy to have, and we loved spending time with her.”

Sarah, recalling those early visits to the monastery when she was younger, remarked how often she heard a Sister comment, “You look just like your Aunt Ruth.” A grinning Sarah said, “It’s something I’m secretly proud of.”

Similar looks aside, Sarah shares another trait with her aunt. At the tender age of 11, she began to wonder what being a nun would be like. As the years pass, the feeling is stronger at times, weaker at others.

“I’ve felt that pull, that wonder, off and on throughout the years,” Sarah said. “It’s something I am open to, but at this point in my life, I’m still discerning.”

Regardless, spending the summer at the monastery was a gift in so many ways for Sarah. It was a chance to extend her prayer life and grow in Christ.

It was an opportunity to share her talents with an organization that holds a special place in her heart. It offered the time to slow down for a few weeks, a brief respite from busy college life and all the expectations and commitments it entails.

“There is definitely a peace that can be felt while walking the quiet grounds at the monastery,” Sarah said. “I was glad to be of service to the Sisters while at the same time improving my faith and relationship with Christ.”

Sister Florentine Motichek, OSB Atchison — Sister Florentine Motichek, 92, a Benedictine Sister of Mount St. Scholastica here, died at the monastery on Sept. 1.

Sister Florentine was born on July 19, 1921, the daughter of Joseph and Veronica Druzgola Motichek of Madisonville, La. After graduating from St. Scholastica Academy in Covington, La., in 1938, she contributed to the efforts of

World War II through her work in California, riveting wings to airplanes.

She entered the Benedictine community in Covington in 1947 and made monastic profession in 1949. She attended Loyola University in New Orleans and taught second-graders for 22 years in her community’s schools.

Sister Florentine then became community baker and manager of the monastery kitchen. When she transferred to Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, in 1988, she continued to provide fresh homemade bread and rolls for the Sisters and for community bake sales until her retirement to Dooley Center, the monastery’s health care facility.

followers on Twitter

9

different @Pontifex accounts used by the pope

11,100

retweets for every Spanish tweet

8,200

retweets for each English tweet

40

world leaders, including the Israeli government, prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, and the president of Lebanon that follow @Pontifex

37,100

number of times Pope Francis’ most popular tweet was retweeted.

It was four days after his March 13 election. It said: “Dear friends, I thank you from my heart and I ask you to continue to pray for me.

Pope Francis.”

local news 7

september 13, 2013 | theleaven.com Kathy (Mantel) and Mike Novosel, members of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 7.

The couple was married on Sept.

7, 1963, at St. Anthony Parish, Kansas City, Kan. Their children and their spouses are: Mike and Liz Novosel, Overland Park; Chris and Amie Novosel, Shawnee; and Ann and Craig Elbert, Olathe. They also have 10 grandchildren.

The couple attended the golden wedding anniversary Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kan., on June 23 and also celebrated with a family gathering and dinner.

Cletus and Phyllis (Gudenkauf) Broxterman, members of Sacred Heart Parish, Baileyville, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 14 with family and friends, followed by a Mass of thanksgiving at 7 p.m. The couple was married on Sept. 14, 1963, at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Seneca. Their children and their spouses are: Joe and Sandy Broxterman, Kissimmee, Fla; Steve and Cindy Broxterman, Hoyt; Randy Broxterman, Baileyville; Ed and Amy Broxterman, Olathe; Michael and Ruth Broxterman, Lenexa; and Angela Broxterman, Silver Lake. They also have seven grandchildren.

Pat (Vande Velde) and Galen Rezac, members of Immaculate Conception Parish, St. Marys, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 14 with a family dinner. The couple was married at Holy Cross Church, Emmett, on Sept. 14, 1963.

Their children and their spouses are: Debra and Dave Meyers, Overland Park; David and Carrie Rezac, Leawood; Angela Gragg, Overland Park; and Mark and Paige Rezac, Topeka. They also have eight grandchildren.

Dolores (Haug) and Lawrence Boeckman, members of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Seneca, were honored with a card shower and a small family gathering in recognition of their 60th wedding anniversary. The couple was married on Sept. 5, 1953, at St. Mary Church in St. Benedict.

Their children and their spouses are: Bill and Joyce Boeckman, Goff; Barbara and John Fencl, Tecumseh; and Brian and Collete Boeckman, Netawaka. They also have seven grandchildren, six step-grandchildren, one great-grandson, and one step-great-granddaughter.

Robin (Novak) and Mike Peterson, members of the Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kan., celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 7. The couple was married on Sept. 7, 1963, at Blessed Sacrament Church, Kansas City, Kan. Their children and their spouses are: Anita and Brian Cash; Ann and Fred Golubski; Margaret and Kevin Shriver; Joe and Kendra Peterson; and Molly and Chad Watskey. The couple spent their anniversary celebrating with a family gathering and dinner.

Linda (Haug) and Bill Adkins, members of Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Topeka, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 21. The couple was married on Sept. 21, 1963, at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church, Topeka. Their children and their spouses are: Steve and Kay Adkins, Topeka; and Staci and Mark Osterholm, Shawnee. They also have four grandchildren.

day of enrichment for marriage Nov. 2, Savior Pastoral Center

Source: Twiplomacy

Featuring Coleen Kelly Mast Coleen Kelly Mast, nationally known and respected author, speaker and co-host on Catholic radio’s show, “The Doctor Is In” with Dr. Ray Guarendi, will present a day of enrichment for marriage and family at the Savior Pastoral Center.

She will speak on: Unity or Division in Marriage: how the qualities and gifts of being male and female can bring couples closer together.

She will also address: Couples raising love-wise kids: practical tips for educating children on sexuality so that they can remain innocent without being ignorant.

Sponsored by the Archdiocesan Office of Marriage and Family Life.

For more information, contact Deacon Tony Zimmerman, Lead Consultant, Marriage and Family Life, (913) 647-0329.

Barbara and Kent Harrison, members of St. Ignatius Parish, Fort Leavenworth, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 24 with a home Mass as well as at the golden wedding anniversary celebration June 23 at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kan. They also received a marriage blessing at St. Ignatius on Aug. 24 and a papal blessing from Pope Francis. The couple was married on Aug. 24, 1963, at St. Columban Church, Chillicothe, Mo. Their children and their spouses are: Heidi and Eric Tamke, Gainsville, Va.; Ben and Lisa Harrison, Gig Harbor, Wash.; Tim and Nicole Harrison, Woodlands, Texas; Sarah and Rob Egan, Irvine, Calif.; and Gabrielle and Doug Winton, Carlisle Barracks, Pa. They also have five grandchildren.

Bette and Dave Murrell, members of Church of the Nativity, Leawood, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept.

14. The couple was married at St. Monica Church, Creve Coeur, Mo., on Sept. 14, 1963. Their children and their spouses are: David and Tara Murrell, Leawood; Lisa and Dave O’Toole, Leawood; and Stephanie Murrell, Kansas City, Mo. They also have six grandchildren.

Leo and Nina (Noll) Kreutzer, members of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Sept. 3. The couple was married on Sept. 3, 1953, at Corpus Christi Church, Mooney Creek.

Their children and their spouses are: Pat and Gary Buckhave, Sunman, Ind.; Joan Kreutzer, Lawrence; and Beth Kreutzer, Pleasanton. They also have six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

Peggy and Michael Kahler, members of Curé of Ars Parish, Leawood, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Aug. 31.

The couple was married on Aug. 31, 1963, at St. Agnes Church, Roeland Park. Their children and their spouses are: Sean and Heather Kahler; Mark Kahler; and Alicia and Doug Bastien. They also have five grandchildren. A Mass of thanksgiving was held at Curé of Ars Church, followed by a reception at Indian Hills Country Club.

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Stairway to heaven

Class gift leaves lasting legacy at Overland Park school

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

O

VERLAND PARK — As music teacher at Holy Spirit School here, Connie Maltby knows Father Richard Storey, the parish’s pastor, watches over the school.

No pressure.

This school year, though, he has company.

“Every time I’m going across my room, the pope is watching me,” said Maltby. “Every time I glance out my door, the pope is watching me.”

That’s right. The larger-than-life face of Pope Francis is angled in such a way that he appears to be peering into the doorway of her downstairs music room.

The pope’s image is just one part of a huge, colorfully painted masterpiece decorating the stairwell that students and teachers walk through every day.

The eighth-grade class of 2013 gave the mural to the school as its gift.

And every time Maltby sees it, she smiles.

She heard lots of gasps of surprise from the students the first week of school, when they saw it for the first time.

The painting depicts kids dressed in Holy Spirit uniforms singing and playing musical instruments in the bottom left-hand corner, as Pope Francis smiles down on them.

At the top of the stairs, the images of God the Father and St. Michael the Archangel — as depicted in the Sistine Chapel — are painted.

The scene also includes the Earth, stars, an American flag and many bright, playful touches.

“I think it adds a lot of joy — and just smiles,” said Ann Marie Growney, a 2013 Holy Spirit graduate who is now a freshman at St. James Academy in Lenexa.

She saw it for the first time in August and loved the way it came together. She planned to show it to her friends and family.

“It shows that we loved our school and that we’re proud of our faith,” she said.

Artist in the parish The eighth-graders didn’t have to look far to commission this project.

Jay Martin, a Holy Spirit parishioner, has spent his career with the U.S. Air Force — and painted seven murals on concrete while serving in Iraq.

He has painted a few murals at home — a tropical waterfall in the bedroom of his daughter Lauren, a 2009 Holy Spirit graduate and also an artist; and music legends, such as Bob Marley and Paul McCartney, for his son Thomas, a 2010 graduate.

Martin first measured the wall at Holy Spirit to get the scale right and then crafted a cartoon-style draft using PowerPoint.

After reviewing it, the eighth-graders asked him to incorporate the new pope and the American flag.

“It was inspired,” said Martin of the idea.

With a yardstick in hand, he marked the previously plain wall to note where everything — from the Earth to the tip of God’s finger — would go.

The picture of Pope Francis actually started in a different spot, but Martin soon had to move it to accommodate the handrail for the staircase.

He says it was a happy mistake that Pope Francis is now the first thing people see when they turn the corner into the hallway.

But Michele Watson, the school’s principal, believes that it was the Holy Spirit at work.

Martin deliberately painted the new

pope smiling.

“I really, personally, am inspired by him because he’s very humble. And I think that he’s going to attract a lot of people to the church — back into the church — because he comes across as Everyman,” said Martin. “And so I felt very comfortable painting him, I guess for those same reasons.”

Lauren, now a freshman at Kansas State University in Manhattan, also added a few touches.

“I decided that I was going to give the God piece to her, and I had roughed it in with some spray paint,” explained Martin. “And I said, ‘Lauren, your task is to make that blob up there look like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.’

“And I knew it was in good hands.”

Open arms Lauren and Jay Martin knew they

were in good hands at Holy Spirit the moment they walked through its doors a decade ago when Martin was first assigned to Fort Leavenworth.

They toured it the day of eighth-grade graduation and were welcomed with open arms.

What Martin had originally planned as a three-year Kansas stay has stretched into 10.

“We have known that we were part of something very special,” he said.

So he was happy to give back to the parish through his art.

Father Storey believes this painting from the class of 2013 reflects what Holy Spirit is, and he sees it as an avenue to bring people closer to their faith.

He likes the progression of the picture as people travel up the steps.

The image of the kids — designed so every student can relate to someone in the painting — is in the corner.

Then there’s a feeling of “being led by

the spiritual leader right up to the Creator,” he said. “When you look at it, you eventually go up, and it’s all about God.” The mural includes a few musical notes — the first line of “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High,” a favorite hymn at the school.

Watson hopes the students’ understanding of the art will grow with them over the years.

“When they’re younger, they’re going to take in the colorfulness and the

Jay Martin and his daughter Lauren, a 2009 Holy Spirit graduate, stand in front of the mural Jay painted at Holy Spirit, a gift from the eighth-grade class of 2013.

Leaven photo by Lori Wood Habiger

beauty,” she said. “But I think as they get older, I want them to really see the progression and make sure they realize that God the Father is the beginning of all that we do.”

Nation / world 11

september 13, 2013 | theleaven.com

Pope names diplomat as Vatican’s No. 2

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

V

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Although Pope Francis has not hesitated to break with convention during his brief pontificate, in appointing a seasoned member of the diplomatic corps as the top Vatican official, he resumed a long-standing tradition.

The pope appointed Archbishop Pietro Parolin, 58, a longtime official in the Vatican secretariat of state and nuncio to Venezuela since 2009, to be his secretary of state.

On Oct. 15, Archbishop Parolin will succeed Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, 78, who came to the post in 2006 after serving as archbishop of Genoa, Italy.

The secretary of state is the pope’s highest-ranking collaborator, coordinating the work of the entire Roman Curia, overseeing the operation of the Vatican press office and newspaper, coordinating the preparation and publication of papal documents, and supervising the work of Vatican nuncios in their relations with Catholic communities in individual countries and with national governments.

For years, Archbishop Parolin led Vatican delegations to Vietnam each year to discuss church-state issues with the country’s communist government, a process that eventually led Vietnam to accept a nonresident papal representative to the country. The move was widely seen as a step toward establishing full diplomatic relations.

While at the Vatican, Archbishop Parolin also represented the Vatican at a variety of international conferences on climate change, on human trafficking and on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He led the Vatican delegation to the 2007 Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Md. At a news conference in 2006, Archbishop Parolin said Vatican nuncios and papal representatives play an important role “in defending the human being” and in strengthening local churches, especially in regions where Christians face poverty, discrimination or other hardships.

The Vatican’s presence around the world through its nuncios shows people that the church and the pope are always near, that Christians — no matter how small their numbers — are not alone in the world, he said.

In the current Vatican organizational framework, the secretary of state is responsible for ensuring that the pope’s policies and priorities take concrete form in the work of Vatican offices. The secretary typically has been very close to the pope and meets with him often.

Many observers have suggested that the secretary’s role could change as part of a wider reform and reorganization of the curia. Because the office’s responsibilities are so broad — covering the internal workings of the Vatican, international church affairs and foreign relations — Cardinal Bertone was often blamed by critics when things went wrong during Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate.

Archbishop Parolin was born Jan. 17, 1955, in Schiavon, Italy, and was ordained to the priesthood in 1980.

He studied at the Vatican diplomatic academy while earning a degree in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1986, he began working at Vatican embassies, serving in Nigeria and in Mexico before moving to the offices of the Vatican Secretariat of State. He was named undersecretary for foreign relations in 2002.

Pope takes car for spin, leaves security in the dust

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

V

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ATICAN CITY — When an Italian priest handed Pope Francis the keys to his classic 30hp Renault 4, the pope got behind the wheel and took off, leaving security squirming behind, knowing full well this would be just the beginning of a pope truly on the move. Even though he shouldn’t be able to reach Ferrari-like speeds with a 300cc engine, it might be tough keeping up when he hits the hills.

“The security personnel next to me were very concerned because they understood that from now on he would be tooling around the Vatican in my car,” the car donor, 69-year-old Father Renzo Zocca, told the Italian Catholic magazine, Famiglia Cristiana. But the priest told the police, not to worry, “I left some snow chains in the trunk.

You never know!”

The new addition to the papal fleet — a silver-white four-door 1984 Renault with 186,000 miles on the odometer — happened on Saturday, just a few hours before the Sept. 7 prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Square for peace.

The pope didn’t get his new wheels on eBay. Father Zocca said he wrote the pope, saying he wanted to meet him, donate his car, and tell him about his ministry: living and working for 25 years in a run-down, working-class neighborhood in Verona — the northern Italian city made famous by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

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The pope was unsure, the priest said, and suggested the priest give it to the poor.

“I answered that this car had already given much to the poor and now it had to go to the pope,” he said.

He told the magazine that he wanted to give the pope something that was a testimony to his experience and ministry of going into the outskirts “and what a better gift than my Renault 4?” he said.

When the pope was sure Father

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CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Catholic Press Photo

Pope Francis walks outside the Paul VI audience hall to accept a gift of a 1984 Renault at the Vatican Sept. 7. The silver-white four-door vehicle with 186,000 miles was donated by Father Renzo Zocca of Verona, Italy.

Zocca had another car to use, the pope pulled out his appointment book, leafed through the pages and started listing the days and times he would be free in early September. With the appointment set for Sept. 7 at 3 p.m., Father Zocca had his mechanic, Stefano, give the car a tune-up, clean the spark plugs and put air in the tires. The car also runs on methane so “the Vatican won’t have to worry about high gas prices,” the priest said.

They brought the car to the front of the pope’s residence at Domus Sanctae Marthae where the pope greeted the priest and gave him a big hug. Father Zocca told the pope that he felt bad half of their group was stuck outside the gates because of security concerns, so the pope told him, “Let’s go!”

They hopped in the car with the priest behind the wheel and the pope in the passenger side while the mechanic and the priest’s assistant got in the back. The mechanic warned Father Zocca to “Go slow! We’re in the Vatican” even though they were only going 18 mph.

The pope met the rest of the group and then they headed back inside the Vatican with the car. The pope said he had had a Renault 4 back in the day and that “it had never let him down.”

Before saying goodbye, the pope told Father Zocca, “‘Write me again.’

Then I gave him the keys and he got behind the wheel,” the priest said.

“I watched him drive off in that car as if it were the most normal thing in the world,” he said.

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Pope Benedict returns to public eye for Mass with former students VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI emerged briefly from prayerful retreat to celebrate Mass with a group of his former doctoral students. His homily in German was aired in part by Vatican Radio and published as partial excerpts by the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, marking the first time the retired pope’s remarks to a private gathering were made public. The Vatican television had aired the historic meeting March 23 between Pope Benedict and his successor, Pope Francis, and portions of their conversations. Although the retired pope did not join the former students for the annual talks, as he had for nearly four decades, he met with them Sept. 1 to celebrate Mass at a chapel inside the Vatican City State’s governing office.

The 86-year-old retired pope delivered his homily off-the-cuff without notes and looked and sounded well, according to one participant. Pope Benedict spent about an hour greeting and speaking individually to each of the more than 50 participants. One of the former students, Divine Word Father Vincent Twomey, described the retired pope as “in good form, and evidently he was glad to see us, and we were glad to see him.”

Nation

Just war in attacking Syria?

Some see cloudy, some see clear answers WASHINGTON (CNS) — Even with just war theory as a guide, the answers remain murky to moral and ethical questions about whether a military strike is the appropriate response to what U.S. officials believe was a chemical attack against Syrian civilians, analysts said.

While President Barack Obama, Congress and other world leaders weigh how to respond to the reported chemical weapons attack Aug. 21 that killed as many as 1,400 civilians, the church’s just war teachings on when a military response is appropriate were being raised as a guide to decision-making. Two Catholic priests, Jesuit Father Richard Ryscavage of Fairfield University in Connecticut, and Father Bryan Massingale, of Marquette University in Wisconsin, each suggested that the just war criteria for military action may well be met in this case, though perhaps not without other approaches being tried before resorting to an attack.

Three other academics who specialize in ethics and international law in dispute resolution each found less to support a military strike by the United States. Father Ryscavage, director of Fairfield’s Center for Faith and Public Life and professor of sociology, observed that the just war principles don’t make Catholicism “a pacifist church. There’s a very strong theory of justice,” that defines the just war teachings, he said. Sometimes the pacifist approach of “‘go for peace,’ is just not possible.”

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12 classifieds Employment Executive director - Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas. Catholic Charities, a ministry of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina, is accepting resumes for the position of executive director. The works of Catholic Charities are a ministry which flows from the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. The executive director supervises four regional offices which cover the 31 county social services mission of the Diocese of Salina. The executive director supervises the employees and volunteers who minister in the name of Catholic Charities as well as oversees fundraising activities, grant programs, and ongoing program development. The successful candidate will be able to witness to the church’s teachings by personal example as well as enjoy competence in the following areas: the hiring and retention of support staff; working in a collaborative manner with the board of directors and the bishop of Salina; effective communication within the Catholic Church’s structures; and networking with social service agencies and other professional organizations outside the Catholic Church. Minimum qualifications include a bachelor’s degree and experience in a social service setting. A graduate degree and experience in the Catholic Church’s social service ministry is preferred. Interested candidates are invited to submit a resume and cover letter no later than Sept. 15 to Search Committee, Catholic Charities, 103 N. 9th St., Salina, KS 67401, or send an email to: chancery2@ salinadiocese.org.

Graphic design specialist - Bishop Miege High School is seeking a graphic design specialist to be responsible for the production of various publications which include writing, editing, and layout with design software. The position also holds the responsibility of website management and media communications and reports to the vice president of development. Competitive salary and benefit package based upon experience. Send letter of interest, resume, references, salary expectations and three writing samples to: Susan Tremonti, Bishop Miege High School, 5041 Reinhardt Dr., Shawnee Mission, KS 66205, or send an email to: stremonti@bishopmiege.com.

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Financial representatives - Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding a financial representative in the Kansas City metro, Lawrence, Topeka and the Seneca - Sabetha area. Ideal for a determined, high energy, high expectation, professional, self-disciplined, independent individual desiring to serve others, yet earn a better-than-average income. We provide top-rated financial products to our members and their families and will provide excellent benefits and training. Please contact John A. Mahon, general agent, for more information or an interview by sending an email to: john.mahon@kofc.org, by phone at (785) 408-8806 or at 1275 Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66612.

Activity facilitator - Park Meadows Senior Living is looking for a fun, energetic, creative and compassionate person to do activities with our senior citizens. Experience with health care/activities is not necessary, but excellent customer service skills and a love for senior citizens is. The position is part time, approximately 15 hours per week. The hours are Sat. from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Sun. from 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. The wage $11.50 per hour. Drug screen and background checks will be required. If you think you are a good fit and can commit to this schedule, please email your resume to: ralexander@spectrumretirement. com. For more information, visit our website at: www. parkmeadowsseniorliving.com.

Safe drivers - Assisted Transportation seeks caring and reliable drivers to transport K-12 students in minivans in the Johnson County area. Drivers will start their day at our facility located at I-635 and Metropolitan, Kansas City, Kan. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply. You can apply in person at 1521 S. 45th St. Kansas City, Kan., or by visiting the website at: www.assistedtransportation. com. EOE.

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Tree service - Pruning trees for optimal growth and beauty and removal of hazardous limbs or problem trees. Free consultation and bid. Safe, insured, professional. Cristofer Estrada, Green Solutions of KC, (913) 378-5872. www.

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House painting - Good Shepherd parish member. 25 years experience. Up to 15 year warranty. Caulking and priming, better then any other job in town. Call (913) 991-3955.

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Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided. Call (913) 940-2959.

Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr.com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer.com. We moved!

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

Visit the website at: www.goaguafina.com Call (913) 530-7260 or (913) 530-5661 Rodman Lawn Care - Mowing, leaf removal, mulch and more. Call John Rodman, member of Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, at (913) 548-3002 or send an email to him at: Rodman.Lawn@yahoo.com.

Lawn Mowing Spring Cleanups/Landscaping Local Parishioner Insured/References Free Estimates Call Tony (913) 620-6063 Housecleaning - Old-fashioned cleaning, hand mopping, etc. A thorough and consistent job every time. References from customers I’ve served for over 17 years. Call Sharon at (816) 322-0006 (home) or (816) 214-0156 (mobile).

MEDICATION SETUP & MANAGEMENT - RN support visits for filling weekly pill boxes & managing medication.

Affordable and convenient. To learn more, call Home Connect Health Services at (913) 627-9222.

ALL AREA CATHOLICS WELCOME Christ the King Parish Federal Credit Union 5417 Leavenworth Rd., Kansas City, Kan. Good Car Loan and Share Loan Rates (913) 287-8448 or (913) 980-2192 Hours: 7 - 9 p.m., Mon., Wed., Fri.

Home Improvement Adept Home Improvements Where quality still counts!

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

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

Is your home ready for FALL and cooler temps? There is still plenty of time to get those leaky windows fixed or replaced. Wood rot is something we fix in every season.

Schedule for winter months and save some money. 25 years experience and fully insured. You won’t find better work out there. I personally take pride in every job, no matter the size. Making your home look its best is my passion. Basements, baths, kitchens, decks, siding, windows, interior and exterior paint and doors. I am a James Hardie fiber cement siding expert. Call Mike at (913) 991-3955.

Perfect Roof - Free estimates; roofing repairs if needed.

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

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

The Drywall Doctor, Inc. - A unique solution to your drywall problems! We fix all types of ceiling and wall damage — from water stains and stress cracks to texture repairs and skim coating. We provide professional, timely repairs and leave the job site clean! Lead-certified and insured! Serving the metro since 1997. Call (913) 768-6655.

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

House painting Interior and exterior; wall paper removal.

Power washing, fences, decks.

30 years experience. References. Reasonable rates.

Call Joe at (913) 620-5776.

STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 491-5837 or (913) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com.

Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.

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

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.

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

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

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

Call Lupe at (816) 252-3376

Caregiving Caregiving - Retiree looking for part-time work. Household duties, errands, pets, doctor appointments, nursing care, light housekeeping, housesitting. Possibly available overnight. Call (913) 322-4297. Overland Park area.

Caregiving - CNA home health care specialist provides quality home comfort and care for the elderly. Available anytime. References. Affordable/seasoned/non-smoker.

Call (816) 521-1336.

Pam’s Home Care - Providing assistance with personal care, companionship, light housekeeping, doctor appointments, and meal preparation. Call Pam McallisterWing at (913) 624-4409 or send an email to: pamwing @sbcglobal.net.

Looking for high quality home care? - Whether you’re looking to introduce care for your family or simply looking to improve your current home care quality, we can help.

Our unique approach to home care has earned us a 99% client satisfaction rating among the 1,000-plus families we have assisted. We are family-owned, with offices in Lenexa and Lawrence. Call Benefits of Home - Senior Care, Lenexa: (913) 422-1591 or Lawrence: (785) 727-1816 or www.benefitsofhome.com.

Position wanted - Caregiver/companion. Qualifications: Refresher, 70 hours certified nursing assistant.

2012 practical nursing 1,240 hours. Previous CMA license. 160 hours Swedish massage. 480 hours cosmetology school for manicures, pedicures, haircut and color. Palliative care available. Will travel. Call (913) 384-2119.

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

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

ComfortCareKC.com.

vacation

<< continueD from previous page

Real estate For sale - Upper Peninsula vacation home on nearly 10 acres. Farm setting with several outbuildings. 4 BR, 2.5 BA, first floor is wheelchair accessible. 4 season porch, Anderson windows, wood stove, and much more. Offers a true taste of the great north. $159,000. Call (913) 6821566.

For sale - Spacious ranch home, Roeland Park. Walk to Bishop Miege High School. 4 BR, 4.5 BA, kitchen/hearth room with pantry and island. Finished lower level with 5th BR/office and full bath. 1st floor utility room, screened porch. $269,900. Call (913) 384-0680 after 6 p.m.

Lovely Lawrence townhome - 3 BR/2 BA patio, washer and dryer included. Snow removal included. Great for young families or retirees; wonderful neighbors. Call Mary Ryan, Prince of Peace parishioner, at (913) 8140574.

wanted to buy

Branson getaway - Walk-in condo on Pointe Royale Golf Course. Sleeps 6. Close to lakes and entertainment. Furnished, pool and hot tub. No cleaning fee. Nightly and weekly rates. Discounts available. Call (913) 515-3044.

Wanted - Old drugstore soda fountain. Apothecary and candy jars, signs, slot machines, Coca-Cola. Spool, thread, dye. Nut and bolt cabinets. Advertising clocks, small antique display case and store displays. Hunting and fishing old duck decoys and fishing lures. Autographed baseballs.

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

Mountain cabin in Winter Park, Colo. - 2 BR, 1 BA, fully furnished; sleeps four. View of Continental Divide from deck. Close to points of interest and activities. $95/night.

Call (913) 642-3027. For pictures, visit the website at: www. tillmancabin.com.

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

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

Bahamas beachfront condo - Enjoy the crystal clear waters, beachfront pool and beautiful sunrises from our newly remodeled condo that sleeps four. $125/night; $750/ week. Local owner will rent to mature adults and families.

To view, visit the website at: www.coralbeach1602.com or send an email to: coralbeach1602@gmail.com.

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

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

for sale For sale - Four cemetery lots in Ascension Garden of Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd and Quivira, Lenexa. Will not sell single lots. Groups of two or all four. Call (660) 492-2822.

For sale - Exclusive rights for two burial easements at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd and Quivira Rd. These easements are located in the mausoleum, corridor Queen of Holy Rosary, tier C, crypts 107. Today’s selling price at this level would be $12,000. We are offering this space for $9,000 (or best offer). Contact Ambrose Kelly at (913) 649-9691.

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

Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood. Call Silver Cross KC at (913) 327-5557.

Heirloom quality American Girl doll furniture Bedsandthreads.com Avoid shipping charges; pickup in Shawnee Call John Hember at (913) 631-4060.

St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner Residential lifts - Buy/sell/trade. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. Recycled and new equipment.

Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood.

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

For rent For rent - Beautifully renovated 2 BR, 1 BA located in Overland Park. Very spacious with shaded walkout patio and includes laundry hookup, attached garage, neighborhood workout room, outdoor pool, lawn care, and snow and ice removal.

Real estate For sale - Cuchara, Colo., condo. Southern Front Range 9000+ feet. 2 BR, 1 BA, 2 decks. $65,000. Great views, hiking, fishing, hunting. Send an email to: cbohaty@ kc.rr.com for photos and details.

For sale - 10219 Longwood Ave., cul-de-sac in Westlake, Kansas City, Kan. 4 BR, 2.5 BA. S/S split level - huge fenced backyard. Piper school district. 1.5 miles from the Legends.

FSBO. $174,500. Call (913) 940-9919.

For sale - 350 N. Sumac, Gardner. $121,900. 2 BR, extra large master bedroom with walk-in closet. 2 BA with extra large master bath. Less than one mile from grocery store and new shopping/restaurant district. Fenced-in yard.

FSBO. Call (913) 940-9919.

For sale - Move-in ready; 3 BR, 2 BA, new paint, new carpet, finished downstairs, fireplace, deck, double garage, fenced yard, schools; Louisburg. Call Donna Lee at (913) 837-5155.

Classifieds continue on the next page >>

calendar 13

SEPTEMBER 13, 2013 | theleaven.com

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.

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

September Catechism: A Pilgrimage of Faith sessions will begin in September. For course descriptions, locations, and to register, visit the website at: http://www.archkck. org/schooloffaith.

Come enjoy an early autumn evening of sacred and secular 13-14 a cappella concert music presented by the Kansas City women’s ensemble, Siren Song, at 7 p.m. on Sept. 13 and 14 at St. Agnes Parish, Roeland Park. Under the direction of Katie Beyers, the group consists of five professional and semiprofessional singers. A freewill offering benefits the music ministry of St. Agnes and Siren Song.

The Little Sisters of the Lamb invite you to the inauguration of their new monastery, 36 S. Boeke St., Kansas City, Kan., on Sept. 14. Mass begins at 10:30 a.m. on the front lawn, celebrated by Archbishop Joseph Naumann. Please bring your own chair. An open house and refreshments will follow. RSVP online by Aug. 31 by visiting the website at: www.archkck.org/ littlemonastery, or by calling (913) 621-1727.

14

Benedictine Sister Marie Ballmann will conduct a retreat at the Sophia Spirituality Center, Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, on Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The retreat is entitled “Becoming Real.”

The cost to attend is $50. For more information or to register, call (913) 360-6151, or visit Sophia Center’s website at: www. sophiaspiritualitycenter.org.

St. Matthew Church, 2700 S.E. Virginia Ave., Topeka, will host its St. Matthew Gala dinner auction on Sept. 14. Cocktails start at 6:15 p.m. Reservations are $40 per person, or $360 per table of eight. The attire is semiformal. Reservations include hors d’oeuvres, full bar and a three-course dinner. Attendees will have the opportunity to help raise money for the parish by bidding on both silent and live auction items. The reservation deadline is Sept. 6. For more information or to make a reservation, contact the parish office at (785) 232-5012, or send an email to: parishoffice@saintmatthews.org.

Holy Cross Parish, 8311 W. 93rd St., Overland Park, will host its annual festival on Sept. 14 from 2 - 5 p.m., followed

by Mass at 5 p.m. JJ’s All-Star Band will perform live from 6 - 9 p.m. The concert is free and will include hits from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. All are welcome.

St. Therese Church, Richmond, will host its final parish dinner on Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. The cost to attend is $8 for adults; $5 for children ages 4 - 10. The cost for a carryout dinner is $9. There will also be a raffle and a country store.

15

Sacred Heart Parish, Sabetha, will host its annual picnic on Sept. 15. A chicken and ham dinner with all the trimmings will be served beginning at 4:30 p.m. The cost to attend is $8 for adults; $4 for children ages 10 and under. There will also be bingo, cards, a cakewalk, games, a country store and a raffle.

The Daughters of Isabella, St. Faustina Circle, meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the Divine Mercy Parish center, 224 E. Warren, Gardner. The rosary begins at 6:45 p.m.

16

You are invited to a free event to preview the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class to be held for nine weeks, Sept.

24 - Nov. 19, at St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. The preview event will be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 17 in the basement of the old school. For more information or to register, visit the website at: http://www. daveramsey.com/fpu/preview. For further information, send an email to Ginger McCormick at: gingerjmccormick@ gmail.com or call (816) 588-2245.

17

“Journey into Journaling” will be offered on Sept. 17 from 1:30 - 3 p.m. at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. Cultivate your heart through journaling, the art of writing just for yourself. To register, call (913) 9068990.

A Mass with prayers for healing, sponsored by archdiocesan charismatic prayer groups, will be at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 19 in the Father Burak Room at Curé of Ars Parish, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

19

“Interventions: An Introduction for Family and Friends of Those Dealing with Addictions” will be offered on Sept.

19 from 1 - 2:30 p.m. at Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. To register, call (913) 906-8990.

St. Joseph Parish, 11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, will celebrate its annual fall festival on Sept.

20. A fried chicken dinner will be served from 5 - 7 p.m. in the church basement. There will also be bingo, a silent auction, games and raffles. For more information, call Mike and Tandy Reichmeier at (913) 492-3356.

20

A course in the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning begins at 7 p.m. on Sept. 20 at St. Paul Parish, 900 S. Honeysuckle Dr., Olathe. Online registration is required by visiting the website at: www.ccli.org. For more information, call Kate or Gavin Essenberg at (912) 7135707 or the Couple to Couple League of Kansas City at (913) 894-3558.

Holy Name Knights of Columbus will host a spaghetti dinner on Sept. 20 from 5 - 8 p.m. at Holy Name School, 1007 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kan. The cost to attend is: $6 for adults; $3 for children ages 6 - 14; and free for children ages 5 and under.

St. Francis de Sales Church, 900 Ida St., Lansing, will host a 5K race at 8 a.m. on Sept. 21.

Proceeds will benefit the Built on Rock campaign.

21

A memorial liturgy for deceased loved ones will be held at 8 a.m. on Sept. 21 at Curé of Ars, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood.

Following the Mass, the bereavement ministry will hold its monthly support

meeting in the Father Burak Room. The topic will be on the stress of grief. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

The Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kan., will host its annual fall festival on Sept. 21 from 5 - 9 p.m. A taco dinner will be served in the parish hall. There will also be raffles, a silent auction, food items, bingo, fun games for the kids, and great booths including homemade povitica. For more information, call David or Diane at (913) 342-8878.

Church of the Ascension, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park, will host an “Inspirational Family Day” on Sept. 22 from 1:15 - 4 p.m. Bring your family to hear the amazing story of nationally known speaker John O’Leary. There is no cost to attend, and no reservations are required. For more information, visit the website at: www.risingabove.com.

22

St. John Parish, Greeley, will host its annual bazaar on Sept. 22. Dinner will be served from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Our Lady of Fatima Circle, Daughters of Isabella, will host its annual baby shower to benefit the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic at 1 p.m. on Sept. 25 at Christ the King Parish, 53rd and Leavenworth Rd., Kansas City, Kan. New or gently used baby and toddler clothes, care items and monetary donations will be accepted. A business meeting will follow the shower.

25

A class in using the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning during the pre-menopause period will be held on Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist School, 1208 Kentucky St., Room 208, Lawrence. For more information, call Shannon or John Rasmussen at (785) 749-1015 or the Couple to Couple League of Kansas City at (913) 894-3558. Online registration is required by visiting the website at: www.ccli.org.

The Auxiliary of St. Joseph Medical Center is sponsoring an 26-27 art expo on Sept. 26 from 7 a.m.

- 6 p.m. and Sept. 27 from 7 a.m.

- 4:30 p.m. Shop for a variety of items at 1000 Carondelet Dr., Kansas City, Mo. Proceeds help support SJMC projects.

Bishop Ward High School will host its 35th annual auction on Sept. 28. The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with a silent auction and a social reception featuring appetizers from some of Kansas City’s most beloved restaurants. The live auction will begin at 7:30 p.m.

28

Holy Family Church, 274 Orchard St., Kansas City, Kan., will host its fifth annual Slovenefest beginning after 4 p.m.

Mass on Sept. 28. Festivities will follow at the school grounds, 513 Ohio, Kansas City, Kan., from 5 - 10 p.m. There will be an authentic Slovenian dinner, silent auction, games, and music and dancing, featuring The Don Lipovac Orchestra with Brian McCarty and Hrvatski Obicaj. All proceeds will benefit Holy Family Church. For more information, contact the church office at (913) 371-1561 or send an email to: holy familychurchkck.com.

14 commentary Scripture Readings

theleaven.com | september 13, 2013

Sept. 15 Twenty-fourth sunday in ordinary time Ex 32: 7-11, 13-14 Ps 51: 3-4, 12-13, 17, 19 1 Tm 1: 12-17 Lk 15: 1-32 Sept. 16 Cornelius, pope, and Cyprian, bishop, martyrs 1 Tm 2: 1-8 Ps 28: 2, 7-9 Lk 7: 1-10 Sept. 17 Robert Bellarmine, bishop, doctor 1 Tm 3: 1-13 Ps 101: 1-3, 5-6 Lk 7: 11-17 Sept. 18 Wednesday 1 Tm 3: 14-16 Ps 111: 1-6 Lk 7: 31-35 Sept. 19 Januarius, bishop, martyr 1 Tm 4: 12-16 Ps 111: 7-10 Lk 7: 36-50 Sept. 20 Andrew Kim Tae-Gon, priest, and Paul Chong Ha-sang, and companions, martyrs 1 Tm 6: 2c-12 Ps 49: 6-10, 17-20 Lk 8: 1-3 Sept. 21 MATTHEW, APOSTLE, EVANGELIST Eph 4: 1-7, 11-13 Ps 19: 2-5 Mt 9: 9-13

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Building the culture of Life

mark my words

twenty-fourth week of ordinary time

D

commentary 15

september 13, 2013 | theleaven.com

Do something, for a change

o you know Abraham, Martin and John?

Folks of a certain age, on hearing those three names in that order, will undoubtedly flash back to the 1968 song by Richard Holler. I’d not heard it in quite a while until last May at Quality Hill Playhouse in Kansas City, Mo. As soon as I heard the opening notes, though, I started to tear up.

Even after all these years, that song stirs up deep emotions.

For the younger generation who may not be familiar with it, the song lauds Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy. (You might remember, too, the end of the song mentions Bobby Kennedy as well.) All were assassinated. Having lived through three of those dark days, I can recall a sense of great sadness. It was as if hope for a better world was being smothered. The song wistfully asks: “Didn’t you love the things that they stood for?/Didn’t they try to find some good for you and me?”

These memories came flooding back as the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington was celebrated

Father Mark Goldasich Father Mark Goldasich is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989. a few weeks ago. The year 1963 was one of spectacular promise and great sorrow.

Juxtaposed with King’s iconic “I Have A Dream” speech was the death of the beloved Pope John XXIII in June of that year and, of course, President Kennedy was killed that November.

In modern-day terms, those larger-than-life figures — Abraham, Martin, John, and Pope John — are called “agents of change,” defined as “leaders . . . that can initiate and drive positive changes toward the achievement of a goal.”

I like that term “agent of change.” In fact, that’s what all of us as Christians are ultimately called to be. At the same time, though, it’s easy to look around and feel overwhelmed and defeat-

ed as to what can actually be done. When I’m feeling those things, I reflect on this little story: One day, a man named Freddy and the Lord were at a baseball game, where the Lord’s team was playing Satan’s.

The Lord’s team was at bat, the score tied 0-0, in the bottom of the ninth with two outs. Into the batter’s box stepped a player whose name was Love. Love took a swing at the first pitch and hit a single, because Love never fails. The next batter was Faith, who also got a single, because Faith works with Love.

The third batter was Wisdom. Satan wound up and threw the first pitch.

Wisdom looked it over and let it pass: ball one. Three more pitches and Wisdom walked, because Wisdom never swings at what Satan throws.

With the bases loaded, the Lord brought in his star player Grace. Satan’s whole team relaxed when they saw Grace. Thinking he had won the game, Satan fired his first pitch. Grace blasted the ball harder than anyone had ever seen. But Satan was not worried; his center fielder let very few get by. He went

up for the ball, but it went right over glove and the fence for a home run.

The Lord’s team won!

The Lord turned to Freddy and asked if he knew why Love, Faith and Wisdom could get on base, but couldn’t win the game.

Freddy had no answer, so the Lord explained: “If your love, faith and wisdom had won the game, you would think you had done it by yourself. Love, Faith and Wisdom will get you on base, but only my Grace can get you home.”

Isn’t that the truth? The Lord wants us agents of change to put our love, faith and creativity to work in the world, knowing that ultimately only his grace will bring things home to completion.

Although most of us will not be well known in our efforts “to free a lot of people” as did Abraham, Martin and John, that’s not so bad.

Maybe it’s in being “secret agents” of change that we best do what the Lord asks of us: “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing . . . and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

In the beginning

God doesn’t deny his children — even when he’d like to

S

ometimes, a parent upset with the misbehavior of a child will shift the responsibility for that child by complaining to the other parent about “your child.”

In Sunday’s first reading — Ex 32:7-11, 13-14 — God is taking exactly that approach by saying to Moses, “Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved.”

Notice that God says, “your people,” not “my people.” By calling the Hebrews “your people,” God is telling Moses that they are his responsibility, not God’s.

When Moses attempts to calm God down, however, he respectfully asserts God’s responsibility for the Hebrews. Much as God did

Father Mike Stubbs Father Mike Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University. toward him, Moses refers to them as “your people.” He says, “Why, O Lord, should your wrath blaze up against your own people?”

In his response to God, Moses supports his claim that the Hebrews belong to God by reminding God how the Hebrews were saved from the Egyptians by God. Through that saving action,

Pope francis Fight off a drug- and alcohol-pushing culture and other hazardous trends sweeping across today’s world, Pope Francis told young people. “In life, there will always be people who will make you offers to slow or impede you on your way. Please, go against the current. Be courageous,” he said. He also

God established a relationship with them. Moses also points out how God swore an oath to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Israel. If the Hebrews are destroyed, then God will not be able to live up to that promise.

God’s reputation is on the line.

Evidently, Moses is very convincing: “So the Lord relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.” Notice that the text reads, “his people.”

Even the writer of the Book of Exodus agrees with Moses that the Hebrew people belong to God, and not to Moses.

Interestingly enough, the Hebrew word in that sentence translated as “relented” can also be translated as “repented.” It’s the same

asked for prayers for his ministry “because this work is unhealthy, it’s not good for you,” he said with a laugh.

The pope made his comments during a meeting in St. Peter’s Basilica Aug. 28 with some 500 young people from the northern Italian diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio. They were in Rome as part of a Year of Faith pilgrimage with their bishop. In unscripted

word in Hebrew. It basically means “had a change of heart.” And that is what is really involved in repentance from sin. We sometimes think of repentance as beating yourself up, feeling miserable because of sin.

But according to the Scriptures, a change of heart lies at the core of repentance.

And fortunately for the Hebrew people, that’s what God had in regard to them.

Fortunately for us as well, God had a change of heart toward us. God wishes to forgive our sins. That is because we also are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Instead of Moses, Jesus Christ has interceded on our behalf. And he continues to intercede for us, at the right hand of the Father.

remarks, the pope said he loved being with young people because they always carry and share the joy and hope in their hearts.

If older adults complain about how miserable things are in life and that nothing can be done about it, the pope said he just reminds them that something can be done and an individual can actually do a lot.

— CNS

T

he tide has changed.

The pro-life movement has the pro-abortion forces on their heels.

Momentum swings to the side of life

Almighty God will always be on our side and now Mighty Mo (momentum) is with the pro-life movement.

Forty years of pro-life forces pushing against the culture of death is now bearing much fruit. Momentum is a major asset, which will allow us to leverage our strengths and obtain additional future victories.

Why do I say that momentum is now on our side? Let’s look at some of the indicators. The abortion indus-

Ron Kelsey Ron Kelsey is the archdiocesan consultant for the pro-life office. You can email him at: prolife@archkck. org or call (913) 647-0350. try is trying to move away from “pro-choice” language because that deceptive language is losing — more people now consider themselves pro-life than pro-choice.

Most people understand that pro-choice objectively means that one supports legalized killing of unborn babies, no matter how one tries to rationalize otherwise.

The pro-abortion forces are now trying to sell the lie that pro-life people are waging a war on women. Of course, the pro-life forces are truly pro-woman, rather than the pro-abortion forces, which favor subjecting women to the horrors of abortion and which have no problem with legally aborting over 600,000 females each year. So the war on women language is also doomed to fail.

The pro-abortion movement is struggling to find a new marketing message and, ultimately, always will. After all, they cannot get away from the fact that they want it to be legal to kill precious unborn babies.

Sizable pro-life gains were made in the states in the 2010 elections, resulting

in a multitude of additional pro-life laws in the states, including Kansas. The murder trial of late-term abortionist Gosnell has unveiled more of the widespread horrors involved in the abortion business. Now we are seeing momentum in the states and at the federal level to provide additional protection to unborn babies.

Guttmacher Institute, which is closely aligned with major abortion provider Planned Parenthood, was quoted on Aug. 26 in the Huffington Post (hardly a pro-life publication) as stating: “This kind of change is incredibly dramatic . . . so different from what’s happened in the past.” Kat Sabine, executive director of NARAL’s Arizona affiliate, says in

the same Huffington Post article: “This has turned into a nightmare.”

Even Planned Parenthood, who is politically entrenched and financially strong, has struggles. Efforts continue to eliminate tax-payer funding of abortion; several of their locations are closing; locations are being exposed for poor clinic conditions and for women suffering from abortion complications; and Planned Parenthood is experiencing challenges in states for Medicaid fraud and improper billings.

Yes, momentum is now on our side. Our response must be to increase our efforts.

What will you do? God is rewarding our persistent efforts and he will continue to produce results.

from the super

Friendship with Jesus at heart of Catholic schools mission

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ear friends of Catholic schools,

Trey started kindergarten this year. His father texted me pictures with the message: “It went well.”

If the pictures were any indication, it certainly seemed to go well. Trey was grinning from ear to ear; his eyes were sparkling; and he was standing up so straight and tall, shoulders thrust back.

It looked to be a proud moment, a moment of eager excitement. He was ready for a new adventure!

Thousands of children

kathy o’Hara Kathy O’Hara is the superintendent of archdiocesan schools. across the country experience those same moments every school year. We educators have a profound responsibility to nurture that sense of wonder and awe that young children bring with them to school. This is no small task to accomplish

in the setting of an organized school structure.

At our school leaders’ kickoff meeting in early August, we reminded our presidents and principals about the fundamental purpose of Catholic education: “passing on our faith through word and action in order to help our students develop a friendship with Jesus Christ and a love for his church.”

In order to accomplish this purpose, we strive to help our students develop their God-given gifts and talents and to prayerfully discern how God is calling them to use these talents.

We do this by relying on one of the hallmarks of

Catholic education — the belief that children should be exposed to beauty, truth and goodness so that their souls may grow in virtue.

We show children beauty, truth, and goodness, in part, by selecting literature and other reading materials that illustrate Gospel values that are uplifting; by having students learn the incredible intricacies of the God-created universe and natural law; by filling our school buildings with art that is inspiring; and by complementing our liturgies and classroom activities with music that stirs the soul.

Perhaps the most important element of what happens in Catholic schools,

though, is the interaction between students and teachers. This interaction is eloquently described by Father Richard Jacobs, OSA, who describes teaching as an “intimate communication between souls.” Father Richard also reminds us that in Catholic schools the “subject of education is the student.”

So that brings me back to Trey. I know my grandson will learn to read and write well during his years of schooling; I pray that he also will learn to love Jesus, and that he never loses that sense of wonder. ¡Via con Dios!

ordained to serve

L

New group takes second step toward diaconal ministry

ast month, Archbishop Naumann admitted 19 men as “candidates” for the permanent diaconate. What does that mean?

Well, it does not mean that the ordinations will take place anytime soon. This group of men — known as a “cohort” — is not slated to be ordained until spring 2017.

For that matter, becoming a deacon candidate carries no guarantee of eventual ordination.

Candidacy does mean, however, that the archbishop is asking these men to perse-

Leon Suprenant Leon Suprenant is the pastoral associate for administration in the office of the permanent diaconate. He also blogs at: www.archkck.org/blog. vere in a program of human, spiritual, academic, and pastoral training for the next few years as they continue their discernment.

When we hear the word “candidate,” we may think of one who is running for office.

While the deacon candidates do aspire to the public “office” or “order” of deacon, thankfully there will not be

the negative campaigning or smear tactics that characterize many elections.

In fact, it’s just the opposite. Rather than try to oneup or outshine their brother candidates, the cohort’s goal is to help one another succeed. In this noble effort, they are already modeling the call to service that is at the heart of diaconal ministry.

In order to understand the significance of “candidacy,” marriage may provide a better analogy than an election.

The first year of formation, known as aspirancy, may be seen as a courtship, or “going steady”; candidacy is a form of betrothal or “engagement”; and the rite of ordination may be likened to the wedding ceremony.

Just as marriage only begins with the wedding, so

ordained ministry in service of God’s people only begins with ordination.

So this period of candidacy, like a period of engagement before marriage, is a time of intensive formation.

We speak of diaconal “formation,” not diaconal “education,” because training for the diaconate — like preparation for marriage — is not merely an academic pursuit, but rather a discipleship that encompasses every aspect of one’s personality.

Theological knowledge is important. But the goal of formation is to allow the theology to continually mold the hearts of the candidates so that they will minister in the church with the heart of Christ.

Before admitting potential deacons as “candidates,” the

archdiocese exercised due diligence. The candidates have already gone through an extensive application process, Virtus training, fingerprinting in Topeka, criminal and credit checks, interviews, and psychological evaluations. Equipped with the best available information and guided by the Holy Spirit, the archbishop called the 19 men forward to candidacy.

Meanwhile, the candidates themselves have continued to test their call to ordained ministry. This discernment is not something they do on their own, but rather occurs in close, ongoing conversation with spouses, family members, peers, spiritual directors, and the formation team.

Please pray for our new candidates, the deacon cohort of 2017!

16 Local news

theleaven.com | september 13, 2013

Field of dreams New crucifix completes stadium at Miege

Story by Jessica Langdon \ Photos by Doug Hesse

The fiberglass corpus on the crucifix at Bishop Miege’s football stadium stands eight feet tall and was crafted by Inspired Artisans of Milwaukee, Wis. The crucifix was installed over the summer and blessed at the opening game of the Stags football season on Sept. 6 by Miege chaplain Father Larry Bowers.

R

OELAND PARK — It stands 24 feet high at the south end of the Bishop Miege High School stadium and it makes a clear statement: This is a Catholic school.

For several years, members of the mission team at this Roeland Park high school have been considering various faith symbols to complete the outdoor stadium that was built in 2007.

They finally decided on the perfect one.

“The central symbol of our Catholic faith is the crucifix,” said Joe Passantino, president of Bishop Miege.

With a crucifix already displayed in every classroom and other areas of the school, it just felt natural to add one to the outdoor stadium where Miege’s football, soccer and track teams practice and compete.

The new school year kicked off with the new crucifix in place — and it’s something fans don’t often see in a football stadium.

While many people who come to the stadium already keep faith at the center of their lives, said mission team member Sister Kathleen Condry, OSU, others likely don’t have regular contact with the sacred or with religious images.

The stadium’s crucifix changes all that.

“Bishop Miege is a place that is God-centered,” said Sister Kathleen. “It will allow the students themselves to connect in another way their faith and the rest of their daily lives.”

It will also serve as a focal point when teams pray before practice or the crowd prays at the start of a game.

“It really grabs you,” said Passantino.

The mission team took its time — carefully reviewing images and making sure everything fit the vision — but agree that this crucifix was worth the wait.

“It had to be one that would withstand the weather and still look as delicate and beautiful as a crucifix should,” said Sister Kathleen.

Mike Shaughnessy served as the architect, and JE Dunn Construction handled the cross, which is formed out of tubular steel, and the setting.

The fiberglass corpus alone stands eight feet tall and was crafted by Inspired Artisans of Milwaukee, Wis. Three school families were quick to volunteer to fund the project.

The crucifix was installed over the summer and blessed at opening game of the Stags season on Sept. 6 by Miege chaplain Father Larry Bowers.

The crucifix stands larger than life, towering over the teams that gather beneath it to pray.

But it’s the crowds of fans that get the best view of the addition, since it was designed to draw the attention of those in the bleachers during prayers before the national anthem, said Passantino.

The coaches have taken on the challenge of incorporating the crucifix into their teams’ efforts. But the addition of the crucifix has touched the whole school.

“I think it’s very satisfying to know that we were able to put the symbol of our faith out there and have such positive reactions to it — inspiring reactions,” said Passantino.

To him, the response of Judi Wollenziehn, librarian at Miege, aptly summed up the sentiments he has heard.

“It is a stunning sculpture,” said Wollenziehn when she returned from taking some pictures of the new crucifix for Miege.

“When I got close enough to take the picture, my eyes were so misty from being overwhelmed by the beauty and power of the work, I could hardly focus,” she said.

The Bishop Miege cheerleaders start their pregame warm-ups beneath the new crucifix at Bishop Miege’s Dixon Doll Stadium.