theleaven.com | vol. 35, no. 8 | September 27, 2013
special report
Shattered dreams The Leaven travels to Tijuana, Mexico, to put a human face on immigration reform Stories by Katie Hyde | Photos by Elaina Cochran
familiar face
Leaven intern Katie Hyde interviews Father Pat Murphy, CS, former archdiocesan animator for Hispanic ministry, who now directs Casa del Migrante, which provides respite to deportees in Tijuana.
Dejected
A deportee waits for his introductory interview after arriving at Casa del Migrante. Buses arrive at the Casa throughout the day, bringing groups of men who have been deported directly from the California border.
American nightmare
What happens when, after 26 years in the United States, a man is suddenly ripped from his family and deported? Page 7
broken system
Father Pat Murphy, CS, sees the heartbreaking reality of deportation on a daily basis. Page 8
Helping hands
Volunteers from around the world help the deportees cope with life after deportation. Page 10
2 local news
theleaven.com | september 27, 2013
Life will be victorious
Help family and friends better understand church teaching
D
uring the pilgrimage with our seminarians this summer, we asked each of the men to share with the
archbishop Joseph F. Naumann
group something about their experience during the summer. Most of them are involved in some sort of ministry, e.g., Totus Tuus, Prayer and Action, camp counselors at Prairie Star Ranch, internship at a parish, etc. This summer, one of our seminarians, because of some health issues during the regular school year, needed to take some classes at a local community college. One of the courses was on biology. During one of the very first classes, the professor was speaking about the AIDS epidemic and the importance of preventing transmission of the disease. She told the class that the best way to protect against AIDS was the use of condoms. The seminarian was uncomfortable with what she was telling the class, but he hesitated to challenge the professor, not knowing how the teacher might react. He wondered if perhaps he should express his concerns after class. However, he was concerned that the entire
class had been given bad information that needed to be challenged. In the end, he decided that he could not remain silent. The seminarian raised his hand and, when called upon, asked: “Wouldn’t the best way to protect yourself from contracting AIDS be abstinence from premarital sex and fidelity in marriage — not having extramarital sex?” The professor asked our seminarian: “What is the basis for your question?” The seminarian replied: “It is based first of all upon reason. If the principal means for the transmission of the HIV virus is sexual intercourse, it makes sense if you only engage in sexual intimacy with your spouse, then you will have dramatically reduced the possibility of contracting AIDS. Secondly, it is based on the teaching of the Catholic Church.” The professor asked him: “What qualifies you to speak for the Catholic Church?” He replied: “First of all, any baptized, confirmed Cath-
olic should be able to tell you the moral teaching of the church.” He added: “I also happen to be a Catholic seminarian studying to become a priest.” The professor paused for a moment and then acknowledged what our seminarian said was true. The best way to protect yourself from AIDS is to refrain from having premarital or extramarital sex. After class, the seminarian and the professor had a follow-up conversation. The teacher was a devout Christian, a member of the Assembly of God Church. She actually agreed scientifically and theologically with the intervention of our seminarian. The professor acknowledged that she was just teaching what was contained in the textbook for the class. I was very proud of the courage of our seminarian. I admired his willingness to take a personal risk of possibly offending his teacher to prevent his classmates from receiving incorrect and really dangerous misinformation. He was not only right scientifically about the best means to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, but he was also correct that any baptized, confirmed Catholic should be able to articulate the church’s moral teaching on this matter as well as many others. There are frequent opportunities in the
workplace, with neighbors and friends, and at family gatherings, to help others understand what our church teaches and why. Remember that not to say anything is to say something. Silence is often interpreted as consent or approval. I am not suggesting that we engage in arguments about some of these culturally neuralgic issues. The way we express ourselves is as important as what we express. One of our youth ministers told me recently that her father often counseled her: “Nobody is going to care about what you have to say until they know you care about them.” Pope John Paul II challenged Catholics to speak the truth, but always with love. It must never be our intent to embarrass or put down those who do not agree with us. Next time you are in a situation where one of these culturally controversial issues comes up, I suggest you say a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to inspire you about what you should and should not say. As our seminarian discovered, you may find out that people are more sympathetic and open to the truth than you think. Who knows? Our Lord may use you to help prevent someone from making some very bad decisions. Be not afraid!
calendar archbishop
Naumann Sept. 27 Donnelly Scholarship dinner Sept. 28 Apostles of the Interior Life women’s retreat Installation of Father Benjamin Tremmel, OSB — St. Mary, Purcell Sept. 29 Footsteps of St. Paul pilgrimage begins Oct. 1-8 Pilgrimage — Footsteps of St. Paul
archbishop
keleher Sept. 16-20 Teaching class — Mundelein Seminary Sept. 24-25 Labor Review Board — Chicago Sept. 23-27 Teaching class — Mundelein Seminary Oct. 1-4 Teach class — Mundelein Seminary Oct. 7-11 Teach class — Mundelein Seminary
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september 27, 2013 | theleaven.com
Muslim intern builds bridges between faiths By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill@theleaven.com
O
V E R L A N D PARK — Before leaving the United States and her summer internship at Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, Yara Al Adili wanted to have her picture taken in front of a hay roll. She was fascinated by these huge objects that decorate fields across Kansas. In all her 21 years growing up in Palestine, she’d never seen anything quite like them. Something else that captivated Yara during her stay here was donuts, especially Dunkin’ Donuts. There are no such treats in her Leaven photo by Jill Ragar Esfeld hometown of Bethlehem — or at Bethlehem University where she is a senior Yara Al Adili stands with former president and CEO of Catholic Charities Jan Lewis. Yara, a Muslim studying business administration and and a senior at Bethlehem University, spent the summer working as an intern for Catholic Charities. marketing. And don’t even get her started on Catholic Charities of Northeast offices,” she said. “I’ve attended a lot of curly fries, onion rings or barbecue. Kansas was Yara’s top choice for her different meetings, and done job shadShe loved them all. internship. owing. “We’ve been eating lots of really bad “The job description said, ‘Help “I’ve met different refugees, and I foods,” said her Kansas host “mom” Jan build a cultural competency library,’” actually helped move furniture in a Lewis, former presshe said. “And I warehouse.” ident and CEO of think coming from And what this young Muslim girl Catholic Charities a different culture from the Middle East said about her This is the first year Bethleof Northeast KanI would be able to experience with Catholic Charities hem University has offered the sas. help.” may surprise some. Sir John H. McGuckin Mentoring Aside from eatShe hasn’t been “It has allowed me to live out the and Internship Program. To learn ing, Yara spent her disappointed. precepts of Islam,” she said. more about the program and to summer charming “This project Indeed, Islam instructs Muslims to read the blogs of Yara and oththe staff and volI think is coming help the needy and to protect and safeer student participants, go to: unteers at Catholic along beautifully,” guard the poor, sick and oppressed. http://www.bethlehemblog.org. Charities where she she said. “What I “We’ve had lots of great conversahelped build a culhad to do is look for tions about our different faiths,” said tural competency library. books that are about different cultures Lewis. “Finding the similarities beIn her homeland, Yara’s name means — the history of different cultures.” tween them has been really good.” “a drop of honey”; Lewis thinks that In addition to books, the library carYara understood she was a bit of an moniker is spot-on. ries movies, documentaries and softanomaly in Kansas, and she was happy “I think that’s what she’s been,” she ware, like the Rosetta Stone foreign to satisfy the curiosity of many people. said. “She’s just so joyful.” language learning program. “Everybody has been genuinely Lewis patterned the idea for the interested in the fact that they have library after one she saw at Caritas a Muslim girl with them,” she said. Roma — Catholic Charities in Rome. “I think I have been able to portray a Its purpose is to help workers gain betdifferent side of Islam than the media Though Yara is Muslim, being sur- ter insight into the cultures and ethnic- portrays here.” rounded by Catholics wasn’t hard for ities they serve. her. She’s attended Catholic schools all “Part of our strategic vision is that her life. we will continue to form the hearts of “I was really thrilled to learn about our staff and volunteers,” said Lewis. how so many of her friends are Chris“I think our view of Islam is the radtian,” said Lewis. “And that her experiical piece that we see,” said Lewis. “Evence at Bethlehem University is really erything we see is filtered through this about this coming together of those lens of terrorism and radicalism and opfaiths.” The library was Yara’s primary re- pression of women. Ten students from Bethlehem Unisponsibility during her internship, “And so to see someone whose famversity are participating in an initial but she experienced quite a bit more ily is supporting her in pursuing a caoffering of the Sir John H. McGuckin during her time with Catholic Chari- reer — and to know how aligned we are Mentoring and Internship Program. ties — including satisfying a craving around so many issues — was probably Sponsored by the Bethlehem Unifor a favorite food from home. a surprise to me.” versity alumni relations office in coop“I actually had a chance to help fix a Yara has often been asked why she eration with Catholic Charities USA, meal for the guests at Shalom House,” doesn’t cover her head. the program places students with she said. “I made something I’m real“It is a personal choice,” she exCatholic Charities operations through- ly famous for doing, which is stuffing plained. “I will probably do it eventualout the United States so they can learn grape leaves. ly, but I haven’t decided to wear that yet. firsthand how the organization pro“That is my favorite food from “That is not something you must do vides services. home, so I got to eat it.” or that men oppress you or make you “So we can go back home and take Yara has enjoyed visiting the many do.” the knowledge and experience we different outreach programs that CathYara has found herself assuring learned and gained and just help in imolic Charities of Northeast Kansas promany of her new American friends that proving Bethlehem and Palestine,” said vides. Muslim women are allowed and even Yara. “I’ve been to several different encouraged to be independent, seek
Read Yara’s blog
Getting to work
A different side of Islam
A wider view
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education and travel the world. “I never thought Islam was this misunderstood,” she said. “Now I think I have a mission somehow to help people understand Islam.” In addition to talking about her faith, Yara has spent some time educating staff and volunteers about Palestine. “I’ve been able to explain where I come from and what it’s like back home,” she said. In talking about her home, Yara said she would like Americans to understand the hardships Palestinians face, but to also know how they strive to get along. “I want them to know it’s not easy to be living back home,” she said. “But it’s actually not as horrible as it’s portrayed. “I want them to know that we live together as Muslims and Christians. We’ve been living like that together all of our lives. “And we don’t think about the differences between people when we meet them.” Besides her favorite foods, Yara misses the bright sun of Palestine and the coffee shop where she hangs out with her friends. This is the longest time she’s ever spent away from home, and she has a definite plan for when she returns. “I think the one thing I miss most is my house. So I plan on lying on the floor for a couple of days and just being in my house,” she said.
A new view While clearing up some misunderstandings about her homeland, Yara has learned that she had a few misconceptions about United States, too. “I just did not know there were so many poor people here,” she said. “I did not know there were so many difficulties facing people in the United States.” In her senior English book, Yara said the United States is called the “Land of Opportunities.” “And this is probably what everybody thinks,” she said. “But what I have learned is that it can be really the land of opportunities if you work toward something, if you make your own opportunities. “It’s not going to hand things to you.” Yara is returning to Bethlehem with new perspectives about America, the services provided by Catholic Charities, and herself. “I think I’ve changed a lot,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot about myself. “I was a little bit shy at first, but I think I’ve gotten over that — sometimes I can be a better speaker than I thought.” After a short vacation with the Lewis family in Colorado, Yara will meet with the other interns in Washington, D.C., for a debriefing before they return home. “We had our first touch-base with the Catholic Charities USA coordinator last week,” said Lewis. “And her question was, ‘Would you do it again?’ “And I said, ‘We would definitely do it again!’”
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Jeremy Schwerdt
Member of Christ the King Catholic Church, Topeka
Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) President: Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann
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4 local news
theleaven.com | september 27, 2013
Benedictine entrusted to Mary at ceremony
480-mile pilgrimage was three years in the making
By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com
By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com
A
TCHISON — In the weeks leading up to a unique and historic day for Benedictine College here, senior Kat Kennedy envisioned feeling “absolute joy” when the moment arrived. The day she and many others anticipated was Sept. 8 — when the entire college was consecrated to Jesus through Mary. “If we look at [the] Scriptures, Christ — from the cross — gave Mary as our mother,” said Abbot James Albers, OSB. “Jesus said this is a way to get to me — through my mother,” he continued. “So to dedicate oneself or to dedicate an institution to Mary’s care is an attitude of desiring to come ever closer to Christ in that way of relationship through Mary.” The consecration ceremony on Sept. 8 — the feast day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary — drew more than 1,100 from near and far. Many students helped lead the event, which included a Mass at St. Benedict’s Abbey and a procession to Marian sites on campus, including the grotto. Marian hymns and recitations of the “Memorare” and the rosary laced the ceremony. The actual consecration of the college by Abbot James and a blessing of a new 21-foot-tall Our Lady of Grace fountain in front of Ferrell Academic Center were highlights of the day.
Marian connections Benedictine College has always cherished strong ties to Mary. Stephen D. Minnis, Benedictine’s president, loves to share the story of Father Henry Lemke, OSB, founder of the college. Lost in a Kansas winter storm in 1856, Father Henry turned to Mary, asking for help. A lantern appeared in a distant window and guided him to the warmth and safety of a frontier home. He learned later that the young girl who lived there had woken to the sight of a woman dressed in white, and her mother had then placed the lantern in the window. Two years later, in 1858, Benedictine College was founded. Minnis has a special devotion to the rosary and to Mary, and bringing this
LOCAL NEWS 5
September 27, 2013 | theleaven.com
Don and Mary-Theresa decided that at their age it would be nice to have their own bathroom, so they generally stayed in a hotel in the cities or a pensione in other places. Bedbugs, which they feared, did not prove to be a problem. The food is basic, inexpensive and pretty good. Most places offer a pilgrim’s menu for about $12 a meal, which includes a nice bottle of wine. A typical pilgrim’s meal would offer three dishes to choose from for the main course — rice with seafood and sausage, soup or pasta. There would be a side dish, and then meat or fish. Dessert could be fruit. “We had the most wonderful fish that I never heard of,” said Mary-Theresa.
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Abbot James Albers, OSB, leads Benedictine College’s consecration to Jesus through Mary ceremony on Sept. 8 — the feast day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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“The consecration was a statement about the values of the college and where it is headed. It was an important event for me to see the place I care so much about formally place importance on a love for God and a love for Mary.” Andy Green, Benedictine senior consecration to fruition was a “labor of love” for him. “Benedictine College has called upon Mary from the very beginning to help us,” he said. “I’ve always believed the college is a chosen place with a special mission.” Discussion of the new evangelization
— and the role of Our Lady of Guadalupe in it — at a conference in Rome in 2012 inspired Minnis, and he saw now as a perfect time to move forward with consecration plans. Sue Durkin, special assistant to the president for events, helped plan the day, which involved reaching out to Benedictine families, local parishes and churches in surrounding states, and even bishops and organizations from across the country. Durkin was touched by notes bishops sent back expressing their support. Many who couldn’t attend sent items to be blessed. Attendees also brought religious items for blessing.
Sharing faith In the consecration prayer, Abbot James asked Mary to help everyone live the consecration by closely following Jesus. “May we be quick to follow God’s will, recognize Christ in others and bring him into the lives of those we meet,” he said. Water began to flow from the new Marian fountain at the conclusion of the
ceremony, accompanied by fireworks overhead and cannons that showered gold confetti into the air. “The consecration was a statement about the values of the college and where it is headed,” said Andy Green, a Benedictine senior and a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus. “It was an important event for me to see the place I care so much about formally place importance on a love for God and a love for Mary.” Kennedy, who grew up a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Paola, was personally consecrated to Jesus through Mary in 2012. As a lead student ambassador, she works with freshmen and other new students and was excited to start off the school year sharing news of the consecration with incoming groups. “I’m really happy it’s happening my senior year — I get to experience it before I leave,” she said. “But these people get to see the start of this consecration and get to live it out four years. I can’t imagine anything more beautiful.” Steve Johnson of Benedictine College contributed to this article.
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ANSING — Most people would consider finishing a 480-mile pilgrimage to be an accomplishment. But with your spouse? A miracle! All kidding aside, there are few things more rewarding than taking a long, walking pilgrimage across northern Spain with your spouse, say Don and Mary-Theresa Madill, members of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lansing. From May 29 to July 10, the Madills hiked the way of St. James, known as El Camino de Santiago. Many people learned about the pilgrimage through the 2010 movie, starring Martin Sheen called “The Way.” The Camino has been an important pilgrimage for at least 1,000 years. There is one main or major route across northern Spain that is considered “the” Camino, but it is actually the “trunk” of a whole network of routes that fan out all over Europe like the branches of a tree. The Camino terminates at the Cathedral of St. James in the city of Santiago de Compostella, where the bones of St. James are reputed to be buried.
Everybody’s doing it After a few centuries of neglect, the Camino’s popularity is now booming and draws pilgrims from all over the world. The Madills heard about the Camino from people they knew who made the journey: their former pastor, Father Michael Stubbs; Don’s former colleague retired Col. George Steger, U.S. Army; and Sister Joan Sue Miller, former community director of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. “Anyone who wrote a journal about it, we read those, too,” said MaryTheresa. “And we did extensive research online.” They also took some time to plan and think about it. “We had about three years to think about it,” said Don. “When we first heard about it, I was still working. We waited until I retired and had enough time to make the pilgrimage.” They wanted to go because they thought it would be a challenge. “I thought it would be great to have all that quiet and introspection time,” said Mary-Theresa. “No phones, no emails.”
Good enough for a do-over Don and Mary-Theresa Madill, members of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lansing, complete a 480mile hike along the way of St. James, known as El Camino de Santiago. Not quite. They sometimes used a computer at libraries along the way to send reassuring emails back to their daughters. Don turned 70 just after completing the Camino; Mary-Theresa is 62. They’re in reasonably good shape, thanks to the regular walking they’ve done after Don’s heart attack 10 years ago. Don even runs half-marathons as part of his cardio-conditioning. They discovered — through research and personal experience — that the Camino is well-supported and (mostly) well-marked. “If you ever start in the wrong direction, the locals will quickly tell you,” said Don. “Yes, they’ll run down the block saying, ‘Un momento!’” said Mary-Theresa.
The journey begins Their journey began at the village of Roncesvalles in the Pyrenees mountains, not far from the border with France. The first few days were cold, rainy and muddy. They had to negotiate their way across rocky areas and even fell into the mud. The rest of the way, however, was often flat and on highways. Traditionally, the Camino is divided into 33 stages, each stage being about 18 miles, a stage a day. This was too long for the Madills, who settled on an aver-
age 12 miles a day. And there are no Porta-Potties on the Camino. “With some of these villages you’ll be walking and walking, and you know the village is supposed to be coming up, and it’s not, and you’re thinking, ‘Oh my gosh,’” said Mary-Theresa. “And then — this is the most beautiful sight — when you walk over the top of a hill and look down below and there is the tiniest, most beautiful village you’ve ever seen,” she continued. “And you know they’re going to have a bathroom.” Unlike a wilderness hike, Camino pilgrims do not have to carry tents, a lot of water or water purification, stoves or food. The Madills carried minimal items — just one change of clothes (which necessitated daily bucket washings of laundry). But some items were particularly useful: headlamp, zip-off hiking pants, good shoes, wool socks, walking sticks and moleskins. The moleskins patches were used for blisters on their feet. Water sources were plentiful along the way. The couple did not take along cellphones or any other technology other than their camera — which they lost at the very end of their journey. Pilgrims have a variety of options for accommodations, ranging (from best to basic) a hotel, casa rural, pensione and albergue. The basic albergue is like a big dorm.
Of course, the whole purpose of the pilgrimage is spiritual in nature. The couple often prayed along the way, and used the daily prayer book, “Give Us This Day.” They went to daily Mass when possible. “Early on . . . a few days into our Camino, we went into a church and found the equivalent of this book in Spanish,” said Don. “So we ended up with a Spanish version to go with our English version.” The highlight of the trip was arriving in Santiago de Compostella and entering the cathedral. “[We] were walking for 41 days, and it’s like, ‘There it is — it’s wonderful!” said Mary-Theresa. “The cathedral is beautiful, and gorgeous, and gigantic, and you can see it from quite a distance away. “ “And we made it right before noon Mass,” she continued. “Every day, they have a pilgrims’ Mass at noon. And the best part of all is this huge censer, the biggest in the world, and they only use it on special occasions.” And it just so happened that it was in use. Was it worth it? For the Madills, the answer was an emphatic “yes” — so much so that they want to go back and take a longer route, maybe the “French way” over the Pyrenees, adding a couple of hundred miles or so. And they want it to be soon. “Don said to me, ‘We aren’t getting any younger,’ so we should do it soon,” said Mary-Theresa.
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Simple habits of faith keep it close at hand
hen Pope Francis spoke to three million listeners at July’s World Youth Day, he spoke to us all: “The Gospel is for everyone, not just for some. Do not be afraid to go and to bring Christ into every area of life, to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away.” His message echoes Jesus’ call to Christians of every age to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. Whether we take the Gospel to the end of the street or to the ends of the earth, Jesus’ call might seem daunting to some. For those who think they bring little to this task, Jesus’ words to us in October will offer hope.
father david mercer Father David Mercer is the parochial administrator of St. Thomas of Canterbury Church in San Jose, Calif.
On the first Sunday in October, the Gospel reminds us that faith the size of a mustard seed can move a tree. In other words, Jesus works with the faith we bring forward, even if we think it is too little. Our faith is our greatest asset, but we need to carry it with us each day, wherever we go. Or else, our faith will not support the mission that Jesus gives us. To illustrate, consider the story of the man painting lines on a new highway. The first day he paints 100 miles, a marvelous pace that catches the attention of his supervisors. However, on the second day, he paints
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only 20 miles; the third day, 10; and the fourth day, only one mile. His supervisors then fire him, but he protests: “It’s not my fault. I kept getting farther away from the paint bucket.” Just so, the further we move away from our faith, the less our faith will be there when we need it. Often, we only need to adopt simple habits that keep our faith nearby. For example, I grew up Catholic, but my family prayed before meals only in the house, never in a restaurant. Only after I was ordained a priest did I see people saying grace before eating in public. Out for dinner with parish young adults, I picked up my fork and began eating as soon as the food was placed on the table. “Father, don’t you say grace before you eat?” I put down my fork, joined hands with the others, bowed my head, and be-
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gan a new habit to keep my faith with me at all times. But we need not stop with meals. More than a century ago, English Catholic author G. K. Chesterton wrote: “You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the play and opera, and grace before the concert and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing, and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.” Simple habits of faith stand to keep faith at hand for whatever God puts before us each day. Jesus stands ready to work with the faith we bring forward. In the Gospel, there is a context for Jesus reminding us that our faith can move a tree, even if only the size of a mustard seed. Just before that passage, he directs us to forgive a repenting sinner,
even if the person “wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I am sorry.’” His immediate disciples think Jesus asks too much of them, so they appeal to him: “Increase our faith.” They think their faith is too little. Although we might think our faith is small, if we keep our faith with us throughout the day, Jesus will work with it to help us forgive those who might hurt us. Forgiveness is only one side of the mission that Jesus assigns to us. Pope Francis reminds us that, whatever our mission might be, it extends beyond our street and “into every area of life, to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away.” Say grace, and bring your faith with you. Your faith is your greatest asset, and Jesus pledges to do something wonderful with it.
special report
Dream becomes a nightmare American dreams shatter when undocumented immigrants are deported
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IJUANA — The distance from the Casa del Migrante in Tijuana, Mexico, to the California border is less than five miles. But for Angel Fernando Silva Corona, a 35-year-old deportee from Mexico City, it might as well be half a world away. As Angel sits in the Casa, a temporary refuge for migrants and deportees, his head hangs in his hands. Loneliness and despair are etched in his posture. As he begins to tell his story, his eyes fill with tears. Angel’s nightmare began on Sept. 15, 2011. Angel had been living in Los Angeles without documentation for most of his life — 20 years — when he was stopped by police at a DUI checkpoint. Although he had not been drinking, he did not have a license, so the police confiscated his truck and all of his tools. Without his truck, Angel could no longer run his mobile car wash business. And he quickly began running out of the money that had kept his two-year-old and 10-month-old daughters in diapers and milk. At the end of the month, Angel’s landlord demanded the rent. He was $215 short. Angel went to the welfare office and contacted the food stamp program, but they said they could not help. With the temperatures soaring daily into the triple digits, Angel knew his family would not survive if they took to the streets. “I had no option,” Angel said. “I had to get the money somehow.” Then, in a plot twist worthy of Victor Hugo, Angel made a desperate decision — and was caught stealing baby formula from Target. He was thrown in jail and soon sentenced to four years. As the judge read the sentence, he said, “This is what happens when people like you come into my country and steal.” I met Angel after he had served two years of his jail term in the United States — then was deported July 15. Like many men deported from the United States to Mexico, Angel made his way to the Casa del Migrante in Tijuana, which provides male migrants and deportees with food, shelter, and medical attention for up to 12 days. There, like most of the men, he waits. Waits for a job. Waits for his family to call. Waits for some indication
Now or never
Separated
Angel Fernando Silva Corona, a deported immigrant from Mexico City, holds a picture of his daughter Lindsy Maria. Corona was arrested stealing baby formula for his two children, and has not seen either of them for two years. from somewhere as to what he should do next. Waits for a miracle.
Welcome to America Angel was and is a firm believer in the American Dream. After all, California has been his home for 20 years. It’s where he went to school and worked, where he raised his children and first fell in love. Angel first crossed the border illegally with his father when was 15, leaving his mother at home in Mexico City. Like most migrants from Mexico, they came in search of work, believing that America was the promised land for dreamers like them.
Three ways to help
1
Become an ‘Amigo de la Casa’
The Casa is always in need of donations of men’s tennis shoes, socks, underpants, T-shirts, pants, personal hygiene items, cleaning supplies and food. They also welcome financial donations. If you would like to become an “Amigo de la Casa” (“Friend of the Casa”) and provide any sort of financial assistance, please contact Gilberto Martínez by email at: sadel mig@yahoo.com.
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Volunteer
Life was good in Los Angeles. Angel and his dad had a small apartment, food on the table, and employment. Angel was able to enroll in school. Then, when Angel was just 16 years old, his father decided to return to Mexico City to rejoin his wife, leaving Angel alone in the apartment with two months’ rent. Angel’s father told him not to call Child Protective Services, or they would place him in foster care. So for two years, until he graduated from high school, Angel told no one that he was living alone and working part time after school in order to survive. After graduating, Angel met his girlfriend and fell in love. They
Father Pat is always looking for both short- and long-term volunteers. Both private and parish groups are invited to spend a few days or a week in service at the Casa. But longer-term volunteers are needed to help run the Casa on a day-to-day basis. To inquire into volunteer opportunities, email the Casa at: sadelmig@yahoo.com.
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The U.S. bishops have advocated for more than a decade for the reform of the nation’s immigration laws. But recently, they’ve been advised that the time is now or never for the kind of reform that can alleviate the suffering of tens of thousands, reunite families and create a road toward citizenship for those, like Angel Fernando Silva Corona (see story on the left), who have lived most of their lives in the United States. Archbishop Joseph Naumann is therefore asking Catholics of the archdiocese to contact their representatives and urge them to support immigration reform. Showing your support for the U.S. bishops in this matter couldn’t be easier. Simply go to the website at: www.justiceforimmigrants.org and send an e-postcard to your senators and representative in support of the bishops’ advocacy. Here’s what the card says: I agree with the U.S. Catholic bishops that now is the time to pass just and compassionate immigration reform. I ask that in the 113th Congress you support immigration reform that • Provides a path to citizenship for undocumented persons in the country; • Preserves family unity as a cornerstone of our national immigration system; • Provides legal paths for low-skilled immigrant workers to come and work in the United States; • Restores due process protections to our immigration enforcement policies; • Addresses the root causes (push factors) of migration, such as persecution and economic disparity. I look forward to monitoring your public position on this vital issue to our nation. Our nation can no longer wait. More information on the type of reform the bishops advocate, is available on the website at: www. justiceforimmigrants.
had two “beautiful” daughters. In 2011, Angel finally believed he had made it. He had a family, a job, and a home. Then, in an instant, it was all gone. >> See “american” on page 8
Join Father Pat at a benefit dinner
The easiest way of all to support Father Pat’s work at the Casa is to join him and the Amigos de la Casa for an Oct. 12 dance. The $10 cover charge will benefit the Casa. The event will run from 6 p.m. to midnight at St. Mary-St. Anthony Church at 615 N. 7th St. in Kansas City, Kan., and will include food for sale and some carnival games. For more information, call the archdiocesan office of Hispanic ministry at (913) 281-6644.
special report
A Mexican heart Welcome to the Casa
Dona Mari, an employee of the Casa, hands out blankets and personal toiletries to the guests every evening from 8-9 p.m.
Let us pray
Men staying at the Casa pray the Our Father during a Tuesday evening Mass celebrated by Father Pat.
Cleanup
Following dinner, the migrants help with dishes and cleanup. All guests at the Casa are asked to help with basic chores.
At home at the Casa
Father Pat Murphy, CS, is photographed here in front of the Casa del Migrante in Tijuana, Mexico. Father Pat has been the director of the Casa for less than a year but, according to him, “felt at home here after a week.”
Former animator of Hispanic ministry finds a new home at the Casa del Migrante
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ather Pat Murphy, director of the Casa del Migrante, receives more than a few raised eyebrows from newcomers to the Casa. After all, he is a boisterous Irish New Yorker, a self-proclaimed “gringo.” But then he opens his mouth to welcome them to their temporary home, and his absolutely perfect Spanish dispels any doubts that Father Pat is up to the job of running the house for migrants in Tijuana. “I always tell the guys, ‘I’m not Mexican, but my heart is,’” he said. Father Pat, a member of the Missionaries of St. Charles (Scalabrinians), has worked in Hispanic ministry since 1980, when he was first ordained to the priesthood. His work has taken him all over North America, starting in Illinois and then to California. He finally landed in Kansas, where he served as the animator of Hispanic ministry for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas for 10 years. From Kansas, he was called to move to Tijuana. You could say working with the Hispanic community is a passion of his. “I just love the sense of community,” said Father Pat. “I love the sense of family. They welcome you.” Father Pat certainly got a taste of Mexican hospitality when he uprooted his life in Kansas and moved to Tijuana to head up the Casa May 1. “I felt at home here after a week,” he said. Given the unprecedented number of deportees over the last few years and the possibility of immigration reform on the horizon, Father Pat’s first months in Tijuana have been very busy.
Since moving to Tijuana he has done upwards of 35 interviews with newspapers, radio programs, and organizations like Human Rights Watch. The house has also seen an upsurge in visitors, given the record high deportation numbers. Aside from overseeing the dayto-day workings of the house, Father Pat raises money to maintain the house, hosts groups and delegations that wish to visit and volunteer, and supports the volunteers who make the house run smoothly. He is also a source of comfort and hope to the men in the house, some of whom seek him out for confession — or just for a chat. He also says Mass each week, just for the deportees. “There is so much hope here,” said Father Pat. “The first day, they are beaten down and sad, and in two days — with a little TLC — they get up and have a sense that they can do something.” Though Father Pat was no stranger to immigration issues when he moved to Tijuana, living with those who have experienced deportation firsthand sheds a new light on the situation. In turn, Father Pat has developed endless compassion for the struggles of the men who walk through his door. “What most people don’t understand is that most everyone would like to cross legally, but the line for any form of legalization is 15 years long,” he said. “Their families would starve if they waited that long.” “We need to move away from thinking about this issue just in numbers,” he continued. “Behind every number is a human face. Families torn apart. Kids left behind. “We need to understand things in a different light.”
Checking in
Alejandro Huerta, who works the 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. shift, gets some basic information from the men looking to check into the Casa.
Lights out
Father Pat watches as the men staying at the Casa del Migrante make their way to bed for the night.
American Dream has turned to dust for millions of immigrants seeking a better life >> Continued from page 7
One in two million Angel’s story is not uncommon. In fact, given the unprecedented numbers of deportations in the past five years, it is a commonplace one at the Casa del Migrante. President Barack Obama’s administration has deported as many undocumented immigrants in five years as George W. Bush did in his entire eight years in office. At the current rate, Obama will have deported two million people by the end of 2013, nearly the same number of deportations from 1892 to 1997, according to some statistics. Over 1,000 people are deported every day under the current administration, many of whom come to Tijuana
and wind up in the Casa del Migrante. “These are disposable people,” said Gilberto Martínez, administrator of the Casa. “When they are needed, they are used. And when they are not needed, they are deported.” Angel’s story is just one of 220,000. Since the Scalabrinian Missionaries opened the Casa 26 years ago, over 220,000 men have passed through its doors. When it was opened, 90 percent of the guests were going north, seeking employment and a better life in the United States. Now, 90 percent are deportees whose American Dream has turned to dust. Every day, an average of 100 migrants come to the Casa for free food, shelter and medical attention. And as all of the staff and volunteers
at the Casa will tell you, each one has a story full of tragedy and suffering just like Angel’s. There’s 64-year-old Francisco Gastelum, who prefers to be called Frank. Frank came to the United States when he was two years old and served as an Army paratrooper for 12 years in Vietnam. He was deported after a fistfight led to the death of a debtor, and Frank was convicted of manslaughter. There’s 49-year-old Victor Hernandez, who was deported on his way to the DMV after being in the United States for 32 years. He has been separated from his child, who is now living in Palm Springs, Calif., with a relative. Like Angel, most men here consider the United States their home. They have few memories of life in Mexico or
Central America. Furthermore, almost all have been torn from their families by deportation. “After I was arrested, I begged them, ‘At least let me see my kid,’” recalled Victor. “‘He depends on me only.’ “They didn’t let me. I feel so helpless.”
An uncertain future It has been two years now since Angel has seen his children. All he has of his daughters is a yellowing photo of his eldest, Lindsy Maria, who is now 5. He is stuck in Tijuana, with no family on this side of the border and no way to contact his children. He spends his days pawning his belongings in the streets of
Tijuana, trying to raise enough money to return to the United States by whatever means possible. And with a broken immigration system and a line for legalization 15 years long, the legal route back to Los Angeles seems a distant dream. Many migrants decide to travel back to their cities of origin, reuniting with distant relatives still living in Mexico or Central America. Others stay indefinitely in Tijuana, searching for work. Some, like Angel, risk everything and attempt to cross the border illegally once more. At the time of this writing, Angel had decided to make the 70-mile trek through the desert to California with three women and another man. It is a perilous journey that has left thousands dead in the past decade from violence,
exposure, and thirst. Unlike many border crossers, Angel’s group will not be guided by a “coyote” — a smuggler paid to help people cross the border illegally. This is because the coyotes charge anywhere between $4,000 and $12,000 a person to get people across the border, and Angel barely has enough money for lunch. Though mugging and beating are a near certainty, death a likelihood, deportation a viable threat, and reunification with his family a distant dream, Angel is going to cross. Because any danger is worth it to see his children again. “I can’t just leave them,” he said. “They are my babies. I can’t just go back to Mexico City and forget about them.”
special report
Offering a helping hand
Volunteers help Casa del Migrante offer quality care for 26 years
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Meeting of the minds
Laura Bellini, an Italian master’s student at the University of Milan - Bicocca, leads the men staying at the Casa in a daily meeting. Bellini came to the Casa to learn more about immigration for her social policies major.
ith hundreds of migrants coming and going each week, the staff and volunteers of the Casa del Migrante work hard to ensure every guest has what he needs. Luckily, after 26 years in operation and over 220,000 guests, they have their jobs down to an art form. Each day, hundreds of sheets, blankets, and towels are washed and dried, and dozens Tracy Jackson, a senior at of meals are the College of Wooster in prepared by Ohio, volunteered at the the dediCasa del Migrante over the cated staff summer as inspiration for members and volunhis thesis project. teers that run the Casa. Additionally, the entire building is washed inside and out, donations are unloaded and organized, and nightly formation for the men is prepared. Many volunteers here have devoted years of their lives to this kind of work. One particular group of volunteer cooks has been coming for over 25 years. “I do it for the love of service, no?” said Alba Barrios, who has volunteered at migrant shelters in both Tijuana, Mexico, and Guatemala. The core of the staff here consists of six full-time, live-in volunteers who have dedicated anywhere between two months to a year of service to the Casa. They come from all over the world to learn more about immigration issues and to volunteer their time.
“The first few days I was here, I thought, ‘What did I get myself into?’” recalls Tracy Jackson, an Atlanta-born senior at the College of Wooster in Ohio who volunteered at the Casa over the summer while working on a thesis project. “I am just a beginner in Spanish. But it’s cool to see I can still make people laugh even though there’s a language barrier.” Like Jackson, Laura Bellini, an Italian master’s student at the University of Milan - Bicocca, came to the Casa to learn more about immigration for her social policies major. She was spending the summer as a volunteer. “The house is very well organized,” she said. “I love working with people and hearing their experiences.” Despite the transitory nature of the house, the volunteers and staff here are a family, at the head of which is director Father Pat Murphy, CS, who is affectionately known as “buelho,” a variant of the Spanish word for grandfather. “This house is held together by the volunteers, the staff, and the cooks,” said Father Pat, formerly animator for Hispanic ministry in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas for 10 years. “They cook like they’re cooking for their own children.” Their efforts are met with the unaffected thanks of the migrants, many of whom have not slept in a warm bed or eaten a warm meal in awhile. “It’s a real picker-upper when you’re deported to be able to come here,” said Francisco Gastelum, who was deported after living in the United States for 62 years. “Being deported is so crushing. But they’re so helpful here. This organization is really a blessing.” Gilberto Martínez, administrator of the Casa, agrees. “It’s a square of paradise in this journey of sadness,” he said.
Local Catholics march for immigration reform
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — When Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann called archdiocesan Catholics to demonstrate their support for comprehensive immigration reform, one parish didn’t take the news sitting down. Our Lady & St. Rose Parish of Kansas City, Kan., took to the streets on Sept. 21, processing from the church at 8th and Quindaro to Blessed Sacrament Church at 22nd and Parallel, all in support of immigration reform. Like civil rights marches of decades past, blacks, whites and Hispanic Catholics made this mini-pilgrimage together, encouraging all they met to advocate to their congressperson for immigration reform. The event concluded with a bilingual Mass at Blessed Sacrament and a parish fiesta.
united we stand
Local News 11
september 27, 2013 | theleaven.com Geraldine (Dekat) and Clyde Ebert, members of St. Joseph Parish, Flush, will be honored with a card shower and a small family gathering in recognition of their 65th wedding anniversary. The couple was married at St. Joseph Church on Oct. 5, 1948. Their children and spouses are Dale (deceased) and Cindy Ebert, Curtis and Nancy Leiker, Daniel Ebert, Patricia Chrest, and Todd and Janet Ebert, all from Wamego; and Pamela Bennett, Topeka. They also have 20 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. Mike and Judy Walberg, members of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 1 with a Mass and blessing by Father Mike Hawken, followed by a dinner with their children and grandchildren. The couple was married on June 2, 1963. Their children and their spouses are: Michael and Monica Walberg, Overland Park; David Walberg, Overland Park; and George Joseph and Erin Walberg, Shawnee. They also have six grandchildren. The family enjoyed a week at Table Rock Lake the first week of July.
Anniversary policy
• The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th notices. • Announcements are due eight days before the desired publication date. • Announcements must be typed. • They are for parishioners of Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, or for those who have resided in the archdiocese for a significant period of time. Include the following Information: • The couple’s names • their parish • the date they were married • church and city where they were married • what they are doing to celebrate • date of the celebration • names of children (if desired) • number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; Photo specifications: • Emailed photos need to be at least 200 dpi. • Mailed photos can be any size. • If you would like your photo returned, include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or send an email to: Todd@theleaven. com.
Relics of ‘Little Flower’ on rare display Oct. 8 By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com
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eawood — You won’t get any closer to St. Therésè of Lisieux — this side of heaven, anyway — than to encounter three items she used to pen her spiritual masterpieces: a writing desk, pen and inkwell. Catholics in this region will have the rare opportunity to view and venerate these second-class relics of St. Therésè of Lisieux, the Carmelite Sister known as the “Little Flower of Jesus,” on Oct. 8 at the Church of the Nativity, 3800 W. 119th St., Leawood. Public veneration of the relics will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. There will be a prayer service at 7 p.m. Participants will be able to place a card with their name and prayer request inside a box containing the relics. These will be carried to the Carmelite convent in Lisieux when the relics are returned. This is the first time that the relics have been allowed to leave the convent in France where St. Therésè of Lisieux lived, said Father Richard Halvorson, director of the Pontifical Mission Societies of the United States for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. “The relics are on tour in the United States,” said Father Halvorson. “She is the patroness, along with St. Francis Xavier, of the missions.” The Carmelite Sisters of Lisieux decided to allow the relics to tour, under the patronage of the Pontifical Mission Society, to encourage Americans to read the saint’s spiritual writings and to promote support for the mission society. The relics will be taken to 20 dioceses in the United States. Directors of the various diocesan mission societies submitted requests to have the relics visit their diocese, and only a few were granted the privilege. “In this Year of Faith, we hope to inspire others by the writings of St. Therésè, through which she taught about the faith and supported missionaries in the work of evangelization,” said Father Andrew Small, OMI, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States. The laptop writing desk, or escritoire, was used by St. Therésè almost daily from 1894 until her death on Sept. 30, 1897. St. Therésè used it to write her spiritual masterpiece “Story of a Soul,” seven plays, 47 poems, 16 prayers and 95 letters.
Leaven photo by Joe McSorley
Father Tom Kearns, along with Catholics from Our Lady & St. Rose and Blessed Sacrament parishes, marches in support of comprehensive immigration reform on Sept. 21 from Our Lady & St. Rose to Blessed Sacrament. The march concluded with a bilingual Mass.
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St. Therésè of Lisieux St. Therésè of Lisieux lived her whole vocation as a cloistered Carmelite Sister in a convent in Lisieux. She died of tuberculosis at age 25. Nevertheless, St. Therésè is loved by millions of Catholics, is honored as a saint and a doctor of the church, and is a patron of the missions. She was born as Therésè Martin in Alençon, France, on Jan. 2, 1873. Both of her parents were very devout and considered religious vocations, but instead married and raised a family. Of the couple’s nine children, only five daughters survived childhood; all of them became nuns. Therésè grew up to be sensitive and pious but, as she admitted, “far from . . . a perfect little girl.” She wanted to become a contemplative nun like her two older sisters and join them in the convent in Lisieux. Despite her tender years — she was only 15 years old at the time — she became a Discalced Carmelite Sister on April 9, 1888. Her spirituality and vocation matured in the few short years that followed. She began to support missionaries through prayer and personal sacrifices. In her journey to sanctity, she discov-
ered what she called “the little way” — that is, it is possible to love God and attain holiness by doing little things out of love. After she died, her autobiographical writings were collected and published as a book entitled “The Story of a Soul,” which became very popular. St. Therésè of Lisieux was canonized on May 17, 1925, and proclaimed universal patron of the missions, with St. Francis Xavier, on Dec. 14, 1927.
What is a relic?
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relic is a part of the body of a saint, an object used or owned by a saint, or an item associated with the life of Christ, such as his cross. Relics, which are a kind of sacramental, are preserved in a dignified manner so the faithful may venerate them and ask the saint’s interces-
sion. Relics are divided into three classes. First-class relics are items associated directly with the life of Christ or the bodily remains of a saint. Second-class relics are any item owned or used by a saint, such as an article of clothing, tool or personal possession. Third-class relics are items touched to a first- or second-class relic. There are references to God using relics to perform miracles in both the Old Testament and New Testament. It is recorded in 2 Kgs 13:20-21 that a man was brought back to life when his body came into contact with the bones of the Prophet Elisha, after the deceased man’s body had been hastily thrown into the tomb during a Moabite raid. Further, it is recorded in Acts 19:11 that, “So extraordinary were the mighty deeds God accomplished at the hands of Paul that when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and evil spirits came out from them.”
12 classifieds Employment Pastoral associate for evangelization - The Office of Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is seeking a full time pastoral associate for evangelization to assist the director of evangelization in promoting the new evangelization and provide administrative support to the director of evangelization. The position requires exceptional organization and communication skills. Responsibilities include office administration and correspondence, hospitality, event planning, managing websites and coordinating new media. A degree in theology or a related field is preferred. Minimum two years administrative experience, experience in a religious education/evangelization setting strongly preferred. Experience in a customer service environment preferred. Must be a practicing Catholic in full communion with the church, be faithful to the church’s magisterium and have a deep love of Jesus Christ, the Catholic church, and the new evangelization. Applicants are required to submit the following: a cover letter addressing why you want to work for the church; resume; application; and letter of support from your pastor. Please mail to: Kathleen Thomas, Director of Human Resources, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Evangelization Search, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, Kan., 66109; or submit by email to: jobs@archkck.org. Submission deadline is Oct. 11. The full job description may be viewed on the website at: www.archkck.org/jobs. Nurses - Seeking CMAs/CNAs for the state of Kansas to join our team! ComfortCare Homes of Kansas City has unique, eight resident or less, actual home settings that provide care for the elderly living with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Must have a good attitude and be willing to work as a team. For more information, visit the website at: www.comfortcarekc.com. Online is an application that must be filled out. Email the completed application to: info@comfortcarekc.com, stating your interest in a position and contact information, or mail to 3848 W. 75th St., Prairie Village, KS 66208, or fax to (913) 273-1520. Baby-sitting help wanted - On call daytime baby-sitter needed when single mom can’t leave work because of sick child. Two girls, ages 1 and 5. Children live and attend daycare near 75th and Quivira, Shawnee. Additional babysitting help on occasion. Nonsmoker. Must drive and be familiar with car seats. Flexible schedule. $10 an hour. If interested, contact Ann at (816) 213-3083. Executive vice president business development - This position will work in partnership with the CEO of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas; the position is responsible for all fundraising activities and external relations to further the organization’s vision of creating communities where neighbors are helping neighbors. EEO. Qualifications include 8+ years of professional fundraising experience. BA or BS. Demonstrated success in major gift fundraising, grant writing and relationship building. Proven ability to source potential donors, follow up and close gifts. High energy and demonstrated passion for the mission of Catholic Charities and the required culture. Ability to construct, articulate and implement an annual development plan that supports the objectives of the five-year strategic plan. Strong organizational and time management skills. Proven ability to recruit, develop and coach a high performing team of professionals and volunteers. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and highly effective interpersonal skills. If interested, please send resume and any correspondence to: admin@ michaelshirleyassociates.com. Driver - Tallgrass Creek senior living community, located at 13800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, is currently seeking an experienced part-time driver. CDL preferred. Shifts include every Saturday from 4 - 7 p.m. and on call as needed. For more information, contact the Human Resources Department at (913) 945-2111. 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.
Services Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick, block and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second-generation bricklayer. Member of St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 829-4336. Garage door and opener sales and service - 24-hour, 7-day-a-week service on all types of doors. Replace broken springs, cables, hinges, rollers, gate openers, entry and patio doors, and more. Over 32 years of experience. Call (913) 227-4902. Caregiving - Caring lady will care for patient and clean house. Excellent cook. References. $10.50 per hour. Call (913) 682-5520. Sandy’s Cleaning Service - House cleaning. 30 years experience. Excellent references if needed. House or apartments. Call (913) 788-7676 or (913) 956-1626. Brick mason - Brick, stone, tile and flat work. 19 years of residential/commercial experience. FREE QUOTES - KC metro area. Small and large jobs accepted. Call Jim at (913) 485-4307. www.facebook.com/faganmasonry.
theleaven.com | September 27, 2013 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. SPOTLESS CLEANING - Housecleaning services, leave your cleaning to me so your time will be free. Detailed! Thorough! Dependable! Residential, commercial and builders. Outstanding references available. Plan ahead for your holiday cleaning. Southern Johnson County area. Call Kristina at (913) 957-8189. Financial advisor to the Catholic community – I’m Bill McMahon with Morgan Stanley, dedicated to helping Catholics accumulate and grow, or derive more income from your wealth. To find out how, please contact me for a complimentary portfolio review. Bill McMahon | Financial Advisor (913) 402-5267 bill.j.mcmahon@morganstanley.com 11161 Overbrook Road, Leawood, KS 66211 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover. Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload, and in-home moving. No job too small. Serving JoCo since 1987. St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner. Call Mike at (913) 927-4347 or send an email to: mikehammer moving@aol.com. Tree service - Pruning trees for optimal growth and beauty and removal of hazardous limbs or problem trees. Free consultation and bid. Safe, insured, professional. Cristofer Estrada, Green Solutions of KC, (913) 378-5872. www. GreenSolutionsKC.com. Housecleaning - Looking for a dependable housekeeper. Consistent and thorough every time. I also make a great guest. Years of experience and references. Serving your area. Call (816) 214-0156 (mobile). Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided. Call (913) 940-2959. Tim the Handyman - Small jobs, faucets, garbage disposals, toilets, ceiling fans, light fixtures, painting, wall ceiling repair, wood rot, siding, decks, doors, windows, and gutter cleaning. Call (913) 526-1844. 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. Quality craftsmanship at a reasonable price! - Wood rot and house painting. Fiber cement siding/James Hardie. Window replace or repair, decks, basements and baths. Interior and exterior painting. Call Mike at (913) 991-3955. Electrician - Free estimates; reasonable rates. JoCo and south KC metro. Call Pat at (913) 963-9896. 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! Come check out our new office in Lenexa. T-shirt Quilts! Graduation Quilts! Quilted Memories is now accepting graduation quilt orders. Let’s work together to design a unique memory quilt for your grad! 7913 Santa Fe Dr., Overland Park. (913) 649-2704 or (913) 4928877. Full service long arm quilting shop! 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). 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. Agua Fina Irrigation and Landscape The one-stop location for your project! Landscape and irrigation design, installation and maintenance. Cleanup and grading services It’s time to repair your lawn. 20% discount on lawn renovations with mention of this ad. Visit the website at: www.goaguafina.com Call (913) 530-7260 or (913) 530-5661 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 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.
Home Improvement Adept Home Improvements Where quality still counts! Basement finishing, Kitchens and baths, Electrical and plumbing, Licensed and insured. (913) 599-7998 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. STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 491-5837 or (913) 5791835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. Exterior painting, drywall projects, wood rot repair, bathroom and kitchen remodels, and tile work - Quality products. 20 years experience. References. Call (913) 206-4524. 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. 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. House painting Interior and exterior; wall paper removal. Power washing, fences, decks. 30 years experience. References. Reasonable rates. Call Joe at (913) 620-5776. House painting - Interior and exterior; wall paper removal. 20 years experience. Reasonable rates. Call Joe at (913) 620-5776. 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 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. swalmsorganizing.com. Over 20 years of organizing experience; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115. Perfect Roof - Free estimates; roofing repairs if needed. Hail and wind damage inspections. Insured and reasonable. Call (816) 288-1693.
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.
Caregiving Have a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease? Inquire about our fresh, unique approach to care. At ComfortCare Homes of Kansas City, we provide a calm, stressfree and well-structured home environment for five to eight residents living with Alzheimer’s disease. A ComfortCare home is not “homelike” but rather it is a real home in a real neighborhood — there are no signs in the yard, no restaurant-style dining and no long, impersonal halls lined with patients. To tour and learn more, call Courtney Minter at (913) 609-1891 or visit the website at: www.ComfortCareKC.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 - CNA home health care specialist provides quality home comfort and care for the elderly. Available anytime. References. Affordable/seasoned/nonsmoker. Call (816) 521-1336.
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. 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.
vacation 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. Branson fall colors and Christmas shows - Walk-in condo for six on golf course. Close to entertainment. Fully furnished. Nightly rental. No cleaning fee. Discount available. Call (913) 515-3044. 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.
for sale 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.
Real estate For sale - 5-room home with 2 BR bungalow. Basement garage, all appliances will stay. Located at 10th and Central, Kansas City, Kan. Call (913) 248-0094 for more information. 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.
wanted to buy Wanted - Old drugstore soda fountain. Apothecary and candy jars, signs, slot machines, Coca-Cola. Spool, thread, dye. Nut and bolt cabinets. Advertising clocks, small antique display case and store displays. Hunting and fishing old duck decoys and fishing lures. Autographed baseballs. Call (913) 593-7507 or (913) 642-8269. *** Wanted to buy *** Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, prints, sterling, etc. Renee Maderak (913) 631-7179 St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.
Buying a classified ad Cost to advertise is: $17.50 for five lines or less $1.50 each additional line Email: julie@theleaven.com Phone: (913) 647-0327
calendar 13
SEPTEMBER 27, 2013 | theleaven.com
September
October
The Militia Immaculata Queen of Peace Village will meet on Sept. 28 after the 9 a.m. Mass at St. Joseph of the Valley Church, 31151 207th St., Leavenworth. For more information, contact Ginny Berry at (913) 758-0809 or send an email to: gemmaj@ aol.com.
Prince of Peace bereavement ministry, 16000 W. 143rd St., Olathe, will host “The Four Tasks of Mourning” from 2 - 3 p.m. on consecutive Wednesdays from Oct. 2 - Nov. 6. This is a six-week grief support group for anyone grieving a loss. For more information, contact Brent Doster at (913) 775-2421. Group size is limited and preregistration is required.
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Good Shepherd Church, 12800 W. 75th St., Shawnee, will host a fall festival from 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Sept. 28. The festival will feature three exciting live animal shows presented by “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.” Show times are 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The event will also include carnival games and inflatables, followed by a celebratory Mass and potluck dinner. For more information, visit the website at: www.gsshawnee.org. 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. 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 on 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: holyfamily churchkck.com. St. Pius X Parish, Mission, will host a seminar entitled “Exploring the Charisms of the Holy Spirit” on Sunday afternoons, beginning Sept. 29 from 2 - 4 p.m. This is an outreach of the archdiocesan charismatic renewal for the upcoming Year of Evangelization. The seminar will be held in the Glowacki Room of the former school at 5500 Woodson, Mission. There is no cost to attend. For more information, call Jim at (913) 236-4534.
29
You are invited to a golden jubilee celebration for Sister Kathleen Dueber, OSU, on Sept. 29 at St. Agnes Church, 5250 Mission Rd., Roeland Park. Mass will be held at noon, followed by a reception from 1 2:30 p.m. Sister Kathleen currently serves on the leadership team of the Mount St. Joseph Ursulines in Maple Mount, Ky. However, she is returning to her home parish of St. Agnes to celebrate her 50th anniversary as an Ursuline Sister. She graduated from St. Agnes Grade School and Bishop Miege High School, and served as teacher and principal in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas for many years. She is looking forward to visiting with former students and friends. All are welcome. The gospel choir of Our Lady & St. Rose Church, 2300 N. 8th St., Kansas City, Kan., will present its annual fall music concert at 3 p.m. on Sept. 29. For more information, contact Barbara Bailey at the church office at (913) 321-1958.
2
A Taize prayer will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 3 in Annunciation Chapel on the campus of the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, 4200 S. 4th St., Leavenworth. For more information, visit the website at: www.marillaccenter. org or call (913) 680-2342. Catholic Education Foundation is hosting a pumpkin patch day on Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Kansas City Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, 29755 W. 191st St., Gardner. Spend a day of fun and help CEF provide needy kids with scholarships to attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. The cost to attend is $40 for a family pass. Passes include a hayride, corn maze, zip line, barrel train, pedal go-karts, petting zoo, and much more. To register or to be an event sponsor, visit the website at: www.cefks.org/ futures or call Erica at (913) 647-0379.
5
The Curé of Ars Singles will host its annual harvest moon dance on Oct. 5 from 7:30 - 11:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria at 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. The cost to attend is $15 at the door, which includes appetizers, drinks, and desserts. For more information, call (913) 631-6873. The Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus, 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kan., will host a spaghetti dinner from 5 - 7 p.m. on Oct. 5. The cost to attend is: $7 for adults; $4 for children ages 6 - 12; and free for children under the age of 5. Divine Mercy Parish will host an Oktoberfest on Oct. 6 from 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the parish center, 122 W. Warren St., Gardner. Dinner will feature American and German foods. The cost to attend is: $8 for adults and teens; $4 for children ages 4 - 12; and free for children under the age of 4. There will also be crafts, games, and bingo.
6
St. Boniface Church, Scipio, will host its annual fall bazaar on Oct. 6 in the parish hall. A roast beef dinner will be served from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. The cost to attend is: $8 for adults; $4 for children ages 5 10; and free for children ages 4 and under. Carryout dinners are available. St. Theresa Church, Perry, will host its annual fall bazaar on Oct. 6. A turkey and ham dinner with homemade pie will be served in the new parish hall from 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Carryout dinners are available. The cost to attend is $8 for adults; $4 for children. There will be a silent auction, baked goods, a country store, a cakewalk, bingo, and lots of fun games for kids. St. Francis Xavier Parish, Mayetta, will host its annual bazaar on Oct. 6. A roast pork and turkey dinner will be served from
3 - 6 p.m. The cost to attend is $7 for adults; $3 for children. There will also be a silent auction, quilt and miscellaneous raffles, a clown, games, bingo, and a cakewalk. St. Mary - St. Anthony Church, 615 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kan., invites you to join them for a fall afternoon of bingo and fun at 2 p.m. on Oct. 6 in Bishop Forst Hall. The cost to attend is $5 for a bingo card, free desserts, popcorn and coffee. For more information, contact Carol Shomin at (913) 897-4833 or the rectory office at (913) 371-1408. St. Thomas Aquinas High School, 114th and Pflumm Rd., Overland Park, will host an open house on Oct. 6 from 1 - 4 p.m. for elementary age students and their parents. Tour the school, meet teachers, coaches and administrators and learn about this 2012 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. “Aubry’s Angels” rosary garden dedication will be held Oct. 6 at 3:30 p.m. at Christ the King Parish, 5973 S.W. 25th St., Topeka. A living rosary is planned as part of the dedication. Please join us in this happy and holy event. For more information, visit the website at: www. ctktopeka.org/parish-life/rosary-garden. Sacred Heart - St. Casimir Parish, 1405 2nd Ave., Leavenworth, will host its annual fall fest from noon - 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 6. A turkey and ham dinner will be served along with entertainment, an auction, a white elephant sale, a country store and fun games for all ages. St. Michael the Archangel Church, Leawood, will host “Consoling the Heart of Jesus” for 10 consecutive weeks, beginning at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 in the St. Gabriel Room. This is the follow-up retreat to Father Michael Gaitley’s “33 Days to Morning Glory” Marian consecration. Bring your own copy of the book or you can order a personal retreat packet. For more information, contact Christi White at: christiwhite@ christiwhite.com or call (913) 322-6282.
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St Leo Church, 1340 1st Ave. East, Horton, will host a fall bazaar beginning at 11 a.m. on Oct. 7. The KCK Serra Club will host a luncheon meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5th and Minnesota, Kansas City, Kan., at noon on Oct. 9. Msgr. Tom Tank and Gary Pratt, planned giving officer for the archdiocese, will present the Catholic Legacy Society, the resources available to Serra Club members to help them leave a legacy for seminarians and the church, and how endowments are helping to support religious vocations in the archdiocese.
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Father Tom Hesse will conduct an organizational meeting of Emotions Anonymous at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10. Meetings will be held every Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in Room 2 of St. Francis Hospital, 1700 S.W. 7th, Topeka. For more information, call (785) 887-6276.
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14 commentary Scripture Readings
theleaven.com | september 27, 2013
Sept. 29 Twenty-sixth sunday in ordinary time Am 6: 1a, 4-7 Ps 146: 7-10 1 Tm 6: 11-16 Lk 16: 19-31 Sept. 30 Jerome, priest, doctor of the church Zec 8: 1-8 Ps 102: 16-23, 29 Lk 9: 46-50 Oct. 1 Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin, doctor Zec 8: 20-23 Ps 87: 1-7 Lk 9: 51-56 Oct. 2 The Holy Guardian Angels Neh 2: 1-8 Ps 137: 1-6 Mt 18: 1-5, 10 Oct. 3 Thursday Neh 8: 1-4a, 5-6, 7b-12 Ps 19: 8-11 Lk 10: 1-12 Oct. 4 Francis of Assisi Bar 1: 15-22 Ps 79: 1-5, 8-9 Lk 10: 13-16 Oct. 5 Saturday Bar 4: 5-12, 27-29 Ps 69: 33-37 Lk 10: 17-24
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Called to Discipleship
mark my words
twenty-sixth week of ordinary time
O
Wait, who is the winner?
n your mark . . . get set . . . GO! How many times as a kid did you hear that? It seems like we were always racing, eager to show just who was “the best.” Some people never quite get over the “race mentality.” They appear constantly ready to prove who is the most famous, the wealthiest or the smartest. With that in mind, mull over this little story, originally told by Leith Anderson, pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minn.: A town in India holds an annual bike race. What makes this one so unusual, though, is that, unlike the Tour de France, the object of this race is to go the shortest distance possible within a specified time. Imagine the scene: The cyclists wait at the starting line, the gun sounds and every racer . . . stays put. If a racer tips over, he is disqualified. If a bicyclist starts to wobble and puts a foot on the ground to steady himself, he is disqualified. As bikers start to lose their balance, they try to inch forward just enough to keep the bike upright.
Father Mark Goldasich Father Mark Goldasich is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie. He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989. When the designated time has elapsed and the gun sounds, the person who has gone the farthest is the loser, and the person closest to the starting line is declared the winner! (Story adapted from “Unexpected Rules for Life’s Race” in “Perfect Illustrations for Every Topic and Occasion,” by Craig Brian Larson and Drew Zahn.) I think that Jesus would be delighted at such a race. Remember this is the person who said in the Gospel a few weeks ago: “For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Jesus had a knack for turning the rules of this world on their head. Pastor Anderson says to imagine yourself in that race
in India. Pretend that you don’t know the rules. What would happen? Well, you’d probably hear the starting gun and zip off with a tremendous burst of speed, amazed and pleased that everyone else was still back at the starting line. You’d pedal faster and faster, smiling at how fantastic you were doing. At the final gun, you’d raise your hands in triumph: No one was even close to catching you. Then, you’d learn what the rules were — to go the shortest, not the longest, distance — and all your effort would have been for a losing cause. Over the past few weeks, Luke’s Gospel has clarified the “rules of the game” for following Jesus, and they sound very foreign to our American ears: “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions” (Aug. 4); “Sell your belongings and give alms. . . . For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Aug. 11); “Anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple” (Sept. 8); and “You cannot serve both God and mammon” (Sept. 22).
You’ve heard the expression: “He who dies with the most toys wins.” Jesus’ take is quite different, especially regarding our possessions. Sadly, our possessions can lead us down many dangerous paths. We can, for example, put all of our trust in them and the supposed security they provide, instead of ultimately depending upon God. Possessions can take over our life, possessing us by stealing our time, our energy and our focus. But the most destructive of all is that we can begin to value things over people, like choosing to wax the car instead of spending time with family or friends. The season of autumn can be a visual reminder of one aspect of discipleship. As the trees drop their leaves, may we strive to “drop” our excess possessions into the lives of the needy — developing, as Father Ed Hays once wrote, “holey” hands. We started out our lives with empty hands. At the end of our lives, may God find us as close to that starting line as possible.
In the beginning
W
commentary 15
september 27, 2013 | theleaven.com
Prophet’s works speak to us still
e often associate poverty with the inner city. Detroit offers the perfect example. We visualize abandoned buildings, overgrown yards, alleys filled with trash. On the other hand, poverty is also a problem in rural areas. It thrives like a weed amid the abundant crops of the countryside. In such isolated areas, it remains hidden. It is easy to ignore. That was also true centuries ago, during the time of the Old Testament. In Sunday’s first reading — Am 6:1a, 4-7 — the prophet strongly criticizes the wealthy who have ignored the poor in their midst. In his view, these members of the wealthy class look greedy, idle and self-indulgent. Amos describes them as “lying upon beds of ivory, stretched
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. comfortably on their couches.” They do not lift a finger to help those in need, but instead lounge around, enjoying themselves. Even the beds decorated with ivory that they are lying on are not ordinary beds, but rather luxury items. The ivory would have been extremely expensive, imported from Africa. It would have formed part of the international trade
Pope francis People who judge and criticize others are hypocrites and cowards who are unable to face their own defects, Pope Francis said. Gossip, too, is “criminal” as it destroys, rather than exalts, the image of God present in others, he said in his early morning homily
made possible through the export of wine and oil, items that the wealthy living in Israel also indulge in: “They drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils.” The wealthy have pressured the tenant farmers to grow these luxury items, rather than the crops the poor need to live on. The wealthy whom Amos criticizes belong to a powerful elite that had developed around the monarchy. They lived in the cities, as opposed to the countryside where the majority of people, the farmers, lived. This wealthy class had learned how to manipulate the economic and political system, in order to profit from it. A small minority prospered at the expense of the much larger rural population. Unfortunately, that is the situation in which many
Sept. 13 at his residence of Domus Sanctae Marthae. “Those who live judging their neighbors, speaking badly of them, are hypocrites because they don’t have the strength, the courage to look at their own defects,” he said. “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the
Third World countries find themselves in our own time. The economic injustices that Amos prophesied against continue on. We still need to hear his words. The leaders of the Catholic Church echo Amos when they declare: “It is necessary to reform international economic and financial institutions so that they will better promote equitable relationships with less advanced countries. The efforts of poor countries working for growth and liberation must be supported. This doctrine must be applied especially in the area of agricultural labor. Peasants, especially in the Third World, form the overwhelming majority of the poor” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2440). Some things never change.
wooden beam in your own,” he said, referring to the day’s Gospel reading according to St. Luke. Every time “we judge our brothers and sisters in our heart, and worse, when we talk about it with others, we are killer Christians,” imitating Cain who committed “the first homicide in history.” — CNS
Jesus or bust: A story of discipleship
I
am a disciple of Jesus Christ because I believe what Jesus tells us in the Gospel: “Without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).
However, I haven’t always believed those words of Jesus. For much of my life, I placed other things in the center of my Sunday, my free time, and my hopes for the future. I was a Christian like I was a Royals fan: semiinterested during the good times (like holidays or winning streaks), but never
Father Andrew Strobl Father Andrew Strobl is the archdiocesan director of evangelization.
totally invested. Jesus was one of many relationships. He was important, but anyone observing closely could tell I wasn’t a die-hard. On July 15, 1998, I was forced to face the state of my
discipleship. It was the day that my brother and I were standing next to my father’s bed in the ICU. He had been electrocuted, thrown off a building, and had a crushed spinal cord. The doctors told us that he only had a 2 percent chance of surviving that night. Just before I witnessed our parish priest give my father the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, my dad spoke to my brother and me. He simply said, “It’s OK. I’m with Jesus.” And there it was. At the most powerful moment of my life, the name of Jesus was spoken. The problem? I did not care. I cared that the doctors could fix my father. I
cared about him living long enough to see my mother walk in the room. I didn’t care that my father was “with Jesus.” It wasn’t until that night that it hit me: I was helpless. I couldn’t fix my father. I couldn’t keep him alive. I was not self-sufficient. I was not in control. By the grace of God, I turned to Jesus Christ at that moment and prayed like there was no other option. It wasn’t easy to admit, but without Jesus I could do nothing. I had no “Plan B.” It was Jesus or bust. By the grace of God, my father lived through that first night and every night since for the last 15 years. Most
importantly, my dad is still “with Jesus.” That’s my story of discipleship. When Archbishop Naumann appointed me director of evangelization for the archdiocese, he shared with me his desire for every person in the archdiocese to be able to clearly explain why they are a disciple of Jesus Christ. We must be able to articulate our joy. As Pope Francis tweeted on June 19: “Christians are ready to proclaim the Gospel because they can’t hide the joy that comes from knowing Christ.” Evangelization is simple — invite others to share our joy.
family matters
Your marriage does make a difference
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don’t know about you, but when I look forward to a weekend retreat, I hope for a message that will energize and challenge me.
Having just returned from a retreat for deacons and their wives with the theme “And the Greatest of These is Love,” I can truly say I was challenged and energized. While the retreat master and his words were a great source for personal reflection, it was the example of
Deacon Tony Zimmerman Deacon Tony Zimmerman is the lead archdiocesan consultant for the office of marriage and family life. two married couples making the retreat that touched me most deeply. The first couple has been married for over 50 years. They exude a joy in and love for each other that lights up the room. You want to
be around them. The slowness of walk or lessening of strength that comes with the passing of years does not impede their love. They turn it into a gift of love as they support and care for each other in all the little things of everyday life. As I gazed at my wife before falling asleep that night, I prayed for the grace to bring that joy to her life. The second couple, also married for some years, shared the current condition of their young grandson who was hospitalized for treatment of a brain tumor. They thanked us for our prayers and support. As they spoke, I sensed this quiet peace in the midst of the storm going
on in their lives. That peace could only come from their deep faith and trust in God and in each other. Look around you: Reflect on those married couples who inspire you. How we as married couples live out our vows of a free, total, faithful and fruitful love does make a difference! The studies about the exodus from marriage as a way of life by young people tell one important thing: They do want a happy and lifelong marriage. Sadly, they see divorce in their family or families of friends, and of the married couples they know, few seem happy. Their hope and the hope for marriage lies in what a young couple in marriage
preparation shared with the couple preparing them: They wanted to be like their 80-year-old grandparents who, when they looked at each other, still had the appearance of a young couple in love. Married couples, like those on the retreat, or the grandparents of the engaged couple, are like neon lights that catch our eye. We are drawn to that light; it brightens our way and inspires us to heroic love. God is entrusting the future of marriage and family to us. He calls us to preach the Gospel with our lives. How will we answer the call today?
do unto others
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As Catholics, we need to meddle in immigration reform
ecently in a Sept. 16 homily, Pope Francis preached,
“A good Catholic meddles in politics, offering the best of himself — so that those who govern can govern.” Such a teaching is indeed providential, considering the U.S. bishops have been accused of meddling in the recent immigration debate. What has upset some of the faithful is a recent advocacy push by the bishops to get legislators to vote for comprehensive immigration reform. What animates much of the acrimony is the mislabeling of the bishops’ position as “amnesty” and support for “illegals.”
bill scholl Bill Scholl is the archdiocesan consultant for social justice. You can email him at: socialjustice@archkck.org. The bishops do not support amnesty for people who came or reside in this country without legal permission. Amnesty would be to allow people who did not follow the rules to remain in this country without any penalty. The “amnesty” label reproaches any policy that lets people stay as a re-
ward for bad behavior and encouragement for more. Currently, there are over 11 million undocumented people residing in this country. Some kind of legal incentive to come forward and normalize their situation has to be offered to restore order. The comprehensive plan that the bishops support would entail penalties and force such immigrants to the back of the line in applying for citizenship. This plan would also allow for immigrants who were brought here as children to have special consideration in applying for residency. One of the most vitriolic chapters in this debate has concerned the DREAM Act. Its legislation was created specifically
to help immigrant children. Just because the bishops’ policy is merciful does not mean it is amnesty. Opponents of immigration reform label immigrants without documentation as “illegals.” The term evokes images of criminality and is meant to dehumanize the immigrant. Actions are illegal, but people never are. To label such people as illegals makes the bishops’ advocacy for them appear as though our shepherds support breaking the law. This is not the case. The bishops argue that by allowing for more legal immigration, which promotes unification of families, our nation can more effectively stop illegal immigration. For the degree to which something is ille-
gal, it cannot be regulated. Earlier, in that same homily the pope taught: “Politics, according to the social doctrine of the church, is one of the highest forms of charity, because it serves the common good. I cannot wash my hands, eh? We all have to give something!” It’s time we faithful follow our pope and the bishops’ lead. The plight of millions of immigrant families is unjust and the situation is untenable. The Gospel compels us to meddle, so call your representatives today, tell them you support comprehensive immigration reform, and pray they have the grace to govern well.
16 Local news
theleaven.com | september 27, 2013
‘We build the future together’
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On Catholic-Orthodox unity
f you were vacationing off-planet last week, perhaps you missed the Catholic journalistic coup of the century — a now-famous interview with Pope Francis that appeared simultaneously in Jesuit publications around the world. But if you only heard about it on the nightly television news, do yourself a favor. Go to: www.americamagazine. org/pope-interview and read the entire interview — the first of its kind with any pontiff, and readily accessible to the average reader. In the meantime, here is just a taste of what you have to look forward to.
“We must walk united with our differences: there is no other way to become one. This is the way of Jesus.”
On rules “The church sometimes has locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules. The most important thing is the first proclamation: Jesus Christ has saved you. And the ministers of the church must be ministers of mercy above all.”
CNS photo/Paul Haring
Pope Francis blesses a sick man inside the Basilica of Our Lady of Bonaria in Cagliari, Sardinia, Sept. 22.
On the universal church “This church with which we should be thinking is the home of all, not a small chapel that can hold only a small group of selected people. We must not reduce the bosom of the universal church to a nest protecting our mediocrity.”
On priorities
On the young church “For me, the relationship between the ancient Catholic churches and the young ones is similar to the relationship between young and elderly people in a society. They build the future, the young ones with their strength and the others with their wisdom. You always run some risks, of course. The younger churches are likely to feel self-sufficient; the ancient ones are likely to want to impose on the younger churches their cultural models. But we build the future together.”
CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano via Reuters
Pope Francis lives in a suite in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the guesthouse built in 1996 to house cardinals during a conclave. This is his bedroom.
On the papal apartment I chose to live here, in Room 201, because when I took possession of the papal apartment, inside myself I distinctly heard a ‘no.’ The papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace is not luxurious. It is old, tastefully decorated and large, but not luxurious. But in the end it is like an inverted funnel. It is big and spacious, but the entrance is really tight. People
can come only in dribs and drabs, and I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others.”
On his phone calls
“If one has the answers to all the questions — that is the proof that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble.”
“Another example from recent days that I saw got the attention of newspapers: the phone call I made to a young man who wrote me a letter. I called him because that letter was so beautiful, so simple. For me this was an act of generativity. I realized that he was a young man who is growing, that he saw in me a father, and that the letter tells something of his life to that father. The father cannot say, ‘I do not care.’ This type of fruitfulness is so good for me.”
On reform
On the modern world
“The first reform must be the attitude. The ministers of the Gospel must be people who can warm the hearts of the people, who walk through the dark night with them, who know how to dialogue and to descend themselves into their people’s night, into the darkness, but without getting lost. The people of God want pastors, not clergy acting like bureaucrats or government officials. The bishops, particularly, must be able to support the movements of God among their people with patience, so that no one is left behind. But they must also be able to accompany the flock that has a flair for finding new paths.”
“What I said in Rio referred to the time in which we seek God. In fact, there is a temptation to seek God in the past or in a possible future. God is certainly in the past because we can see the footprints. And God is also in the future as a promise. But the ‘concrete’ God, so to speak, is today. For this reason, complaining never helps us find God. The complaints of today about how ‘barbaric’ the world is — these complaints sometimes end up giving birth within the church to desires to establish order in the sense of pure conservation, as a defense. No: God is to be encountered in the world of today.”
On false prophets
“I see clearly that the thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars! You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else. Heal the wounds, heal the wounds. . . . And you have to start from the ground up.”
On faith as ideology “If the Christian is a restorationist, a legalist, if he wants everything clear and safe, then he will find nothing. Tradition and memory of the past must help us to have the courage to open up new areas to God. Those who today always look for disciplinarian solutions, those who long for an exaggerated doctrinal ‘security,’ those who stubbornly try to recover a past that no longer exists — they have a static and inward-directed view of things. In this way, faith becomes an ideology among other ideologies.”
On certitude “I have a dogmatic certainty: God is in every person’s life. God is in everyone’s life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else — God is in this person’s life. You can, you must try to seek God in every human life. Although the life of a person is a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow. You have to trust God.”