10 13 17 Vol. 39 No. 10 by The Leaven

THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 39, NO. 10 | OCTOBER 13, 2017

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS

Becca Northcott, left, and her daughter reunite with Becky Wright at Ascension School in Overland Park. Wright, the school’s principal, donated her kidney to Northcott, a former teacher, this past summer.

THE GIFT OF LIFE

Ascension principal donates kidney to former teacher

By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org V E R LAND PA R K — Becky Wright, principal at Church of the Ascension School here, inspires her teachers in many ways. This summer, she topped them all by giving a piece of herself — literally. On June 30, Wright donated her kidney to Becca Northcott, the school’s former Spanish teacher. “Her willingness and her generosity to be able to change my life the way she has,” started Northcott . . . but then couldn’t finish. It leaves her speechless.

The fight for life At age 13, Northcott developed an autoimmune disorder that attacks the blood cells near the skin. Because the kidneys are vascular, she said, it also attacked the capillaries in her kidney, causing permanent damage. At 14, Northcott went on dialysis and discovered she would need a transplant. “I was on dialysis for six months and was able to maintain with medication until I was about 16 or 17,” she said. “And then they started looking at needing a kidney.” Northcott’s parents were unable to donate due to health reasons, and her siblings were minors at the time, ruling them out as well. That’s when she got put on the list to receive a kidney from a donor. “I was on the list for about

three months when I got my first kidney,” said Northcott. “But a lot of people don’t realize that when you get a transplant — it doesn’t matter what transplant it is — they don’t last forever,” she said. So from age 17 to 28, life went back to normal for Northcott. But in 2014, she began an active search for another donor. And she kept her principal informed. “I told Becky, ‘This is what’s happening. I’m going to need a kidney. I’m on the list, so if I get a call during school, I’m taking the call and I’m leaving,’” said Northcott. “And I’m the one who finds a sub,” said Wright, “which is why I need to know these things.” One day, Wright mentioned to Northcott that if she didn’t have so much on her plate, she’d get tested to see if she was a match. “A lot of people will say that and

don’t follow up,” said Northcott. “It’s a huge life-changing thing, and I’m not sure they’ve thought it all the way through.” But not Wright. A few months later, she told Northcott she wanted to do it. “I was floored,” said Northcott. Wright was tested and discovered she was a match. In the months that followed, she spent her days off going through rigorous health testing in preparation for surgery. All the while, the women still hadn’t announced what was going on to the rest of the school. “I didn’t want to tell everybody about it because I didn’t want everybody to get all excited until we had the final date,” said Wright. Once they had it, Northcott made the announcement to Ascension staff. >> See “EVERYBODY” on page 4

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

ARCHBISHOP

Help build a civilization of love and a culture of life

ast week, I promised to provide some concrete suggestions on how each of us can contribute to building a culture of life and a civilization of love. At the heart of developing this culture of life is fostering a renewed respect for life of the unborn, the frail elderly and those with serious disabilities. While these direct threats to innocent human life are of paramount importance, they are not our only areas of concern in our efforts to build a civilization of love. We need also to reform our culture wherever the dignity of the human person is diminished or disrespected. As Catholics, we must oppose all forms and expressions of racism. In recent years, we have witnessed tragically a deepened racial polarization in our nation. Catholics are called not only to work for an end of racial bigotry, but also to labor at building bridges and promoting healing. The Gospel challenges us also to have a special concern for the materially poor. We are called to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the sick, visit the imprisoned, and provide educational and employment opportunities. Pope Francis recently launched the “Share the Journey” Campaign as an effort to raise worldwide consciousness for the plight of refugees and migrants, many of whom are fleeing religious persecution, civil strife in their homeland and/or dire poverty. As we all know, immigration is a contentious issue in our nation. Illegal immigration and chaos on our borders is not good for our country, nor is it in the best interest of immigrants. Catholics do not

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN look at refugees or immigrants as legal or illegal, or documented or undocumented. We look at every person as one created in the divine image, as one so precious in God’s eyes that Jesus gave his life on Calvary. For those who share our Christian faith, we treasure them as brothers and sisters with whom we share life in Christ. At this moment, there is a window of opportunity to begin to create a path for authentic immigration reform. Congress has five months to enact a secure legislative solution for those young adults who were brought to our nation as children. I encourage you to communicate with the member of the House of Representatives for your congressional district, as well as our two U.S. senators (Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran), urging them to support legislation that grants legal status to these young adults who desire to use their gifts and talents to contribute to the welfare of our communities and nation. It is not possible for any of us to be equally engaged in the broad constellation of issues and ministries that are not only relevant, but important, to the building up the civiliza-

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(Act of October 23, 1962; Section 4369, Title 39, United States Code) PS Form 3526 1. Title of Publication: The Leaven 2. Publication Number: 0194-9799 3. Filing Date: Oct. 1, 2017 4. Issue Frequency: Weekly September - May, except Friday the week after Thanksgiving and New Year’s, and Friday after Easter; biweekly June August. 5. Number of Issues Annually: 41 6. Annual Subscription Price: $21 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, KS 66109 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, KS 66109 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher and Editor and Managing Editor:

tion of love. However, we all can and must do something. We need to discern prayerfully where our time, talent and treasure can best be used and have the greatest impact in defending life and promoting the dignity of the human person. At the same time, we need to cultivate a sense of solidarity with those who are called to work in a different area of the respect life arena. Some of the specific ways that we can personally become involved in fostering a culture of life and building a civilization of love are: 1) volunteer at a pregnancy resource center or with our postabortion healing ministry; 2) provide respite care for families with a profoundly disabled family member; 3) support the Sisters Servants of Mary in their incredible ministry of going into homes to care for the dying and to assist their families; or 4) visit elderly residents at Villa St. Francis or a skilled nursing facility in your community. Catholic Charities offers a whole range of volunteer opportunities that include assisting at food pantries, helping at homeless shelters, assisting a recently arrived refugee family become familiar with a new culture, or working at TurnStyles — a thrift store that helps provide funding for so many other critical ministries. We do not have to volunteer formally at a

service agency to help with the building of a culture of life. The most important work often happens within families, neighborhoods and parishes. If your family is raised, perhaps Our Lord is asking you to provide encouragement or even financial support to a couple in your parish who is in the midst of raising a large family. You might also consider calling or visiting an elderly relative, neighbor or parishioner. Perhaps, the Lord is calling you to provide help and support with a family caring for a disabled child or adult. For advocacy opportunities regarding the life issues, I encourage you to Google “Human Life Action” (HLA). Working closely with the U.S. bishops conference, HLA can provide you with up-to-date pro-life public policy information. HLA will assist you formulate messages to send to your representative or senators. The Kansas Catholic Conference can also supply you with a menu of opportunities to communicate with your state representative or senator regarding all the public policy issues that are important to Catholics. There are limitless ways in which each of us can help build a civilization of love and a culture of life. None of us can do everything, but each of us can do something. Our seemingly small and insignificant individual acts of compassionate love, when united with millions of similar works of mercy by our fellow Catholics, can help transform the reigning culture of death into a society that welcomes, cherishes and celebrates human life. Together, we can make a difference.

Publisher: Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, 66109-3718 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas Editor: Rev. Mark Goldasich, 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, 66109-3718 Managing Editor: Anita McSorley, 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, 66109-3718 10. Owner: Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None 15. Circulation: Av. No. copies Single issue each issue during nearest to preceding 12 mos. filing date A. Total no. copies printed (Net press run) 52,118 51,509 B. Paid Circulation 1. Mail Subscriptions 51,607 51,054 3. Sales through dealers

ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN

Foundation Gaudeamus event — Overland Park Convention Center

Oct. 13 Convocation for Parish Ministries — Savior Pastoral Center

Oct. 22 150th anniversary of St. Patrick, Scranton

100th anniversary of Fatima Mass — Queen of the Holy Rosary, Overland Park Oct. 14 Pro-life wine event — KC Wine Company, Gardner Oct. 15 Pastoral visit to Sacred Heart-St. Joseph, Topeka Project Andrew — Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Topeka Oct. 16 Vocation Day — Topeka Pastoral Council meeting

Project Andrew — Holy Cross, Overland Park Fraternity Poor of Jesus anniversary Mass — St. Mary/St. Anthony, Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 23 Priests small group meeting “Shepherd’s Voice” recording Kairos 2017 fraternal dinner Oct. 24 Kairos 2017 “United in Christ” — Forerunner School of Ministry, Grandview, Missouri

Oct. 17 Priests Personnel meeting

Topeka regional priests meeting

Administrative Team meeting

Catholic Charities annual meeting, vespers and reception

St. Benedict’s Abbey annual priests gathering — Atchison Oct. 18 Santa Marta annual board meeting Confirmation — St. Bernard, Wamego, and St. Joseph, Flush Oct. 19 Archbishop’s Call to Share clergy luncheon — Savior Pastoral Center Priests retirement meeting Vitae Society dinner — Sheraton Overland Park Hotel Oct. 20 Juvenile Correctional Complex visit, Topeka Oct. 21 Catholic Education

ARCHBISHOP KELEHER Oct. 14 Auction, Mass and dinner — St. James Academy, Lenexa Oct. 15 Mass — Federal prison camp Wedding — St. James Academy Oct. 21 Catholic Education Foundation Gaudeamus event — Overland Park Convention Center Oct. 22 Mass — Federal prison camp Oct. 24-25 Bishops’ retreat — Louisville, Kentucky

and carriers, street vendors and counter sales 0 0 C. Total Paid Circulation 51,607 51,054 D. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 1. Outside-County copies included on PS Form 3541 275 262 4. Free Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or Other Means) 0 0 E. Total Free Distribution 275 262 F. Total Distribution (Sum of C and D) 51,882 51,054 G. Copies not Distributed Office Use, Left-Over Unaccounted, Spoiled 236 193 H. Total (Sum of 15 f and g) 52,1186 51,509 I. Percentage Paid and/ or Requested Circulation 99.4% 99.4% I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Rev. Mark Goldasich, Editor

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

Donnelly SHINEs light on outstanding students By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org

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

s Peilong Zhou, from China, shares his story with the audience at SHINE. Zhou will graduate from Donnelly next May with an associate’s degree. Dr. Ahmed Awad was one of three alumni elected to Donnelly College’s Hall of Fame. Awad came to Donnelly College in 1984 as part of the English as a Second Language program. He went on to medical school and is a nephrologist in Kansas City, Missouri.

ANSAS CITY, Mo. — SHINE is not just the name of Donnelly College’s annual celebration and fundraiser; it is the college’s goal for every student that walks through its doors. There is no greater proof of the achievement of that goal than the discussion panel of students highlighting each SHINE event. This year’s panel was led by Donnelly president Msgr. Stuart Swetland and consisted of students Aly Mponezya, Ada Sanabria, LaCherish Thompson and Peilong Zhou. Mponezya is from Tanzania and said he had found a home at Donnelly. He’s currently in the nursing program. “I’m gong to graduate in two months, with honors,” he said. He attributes his success there to the “brilliant staff,” and said he loved the small community that creates an environment conducive to studying. Sanabria was born in Honduras and came to the United States when she was five. She’s now 19 and on scholarship at Donnelly, pursuing a degree in business. “What I love most,” she said, “I get individual attention every day from every instructor in every class. “That helps me be a success.” Thompson is a Kansas City, Kansas, native who came to Donnelly with the intention of getting an associate’s degree and then leaving. But, she said, “the faculty and staff saw something in me I didn’t see in myself.” She is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree and balancing her studies with the responsibilities of being student body president. At Donnelly, she has discovered that she’s a leader. And she loves leading students who are so diverse. “It’s like a storybook here, with so many people from different backgrounds,” she said. Zhou was born and raised in China. His family came to the United States seven years ago. “When I first visited [Donnelly],” he said. “I loved the diversity — that’s the value that first captured my interest.” Indeed, Donnelly has made the news recently as topping the U.S. News and World Report list of the most ethnically diverse colleges in the Midwest. “I’m proud to say I’m part of the diversity,” Zhou told the audience at SHINE. “What is unique is the closeness between students and faculty. “I can get individual instruction from professors.” He also appreciates the impact Donnelly has had on his spiritual life. “The Mass we have every day — other colleges don’t have that,” he said. “It has helped me grow my relationship with God.” All four students have ambitious plans for the future. Zhou will graduate with an associate’s degree next May and then hopes to attend an international business

IT’S NOT TOO LATE ANNIVERSARY submissions

If you missed SHINE and want to help Donnelly students, consider giving a gift of support today. Go online to: www.donnelly.edu/give.

program at Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri. “Donnelly has all the opportunity here for me,” he said. “I just have to take the initiative to show up.” Thompson looks forward to getting her master’s degree in education administration. “Donnelly has helped me see I am a leader,” she said. Sanabria’s long-term goal is to be the CEO of a company, but even imagining such a high goal wouldn’t be possible without an education. “Without the financial assistance at Donnelly,” she said, “I wouldn’t be in

college right now.” Further proof of the college’s success came as alumni were inducted into its hall of fame. Dr. Ahmed Awad came to Donnelly College in 1984 as part of the English as a Second Language program. As one of this year’s inductees, he spoke to the SHINE attendees about how Donnelly not only helped him learn English, but also gave him his first taste of French fries and his first lessons in baseball. Awad went on to medical school and is a nephrologist in Kansas City, Missouri. “This college offered me an opportunity to pursue my dreams,” he said. George Breidenthal, who was inducted into the hall of fame posthumously, got his associate’s degree from Donnelly College in 1969. He went on to become a successful banker, civic leader and board chair of Donnelly College.

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

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

Reporter, Social Media Editor Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org

The third inductee, Dr. Liza Rodriguez, also came to Donnelly College as part of the English as a Second Language program in 2001. Father Michael Hermes, who accepted the award for Rodriguez, said, “Instructors awakened in her a passion to become a nurse.” Rodriguez received her associate’s degree in science from Donnelly, and then went on to graduate from Avila with a degree in nursing and from Kansas University with a doctorate in nursing. Clearly, Donnelly College is a place where students can shine. In the college’s 2017 graduating class, 92 percent were students of color and nearly 80 percent were the first in their families to graduate from college. These success stories wouldn’t be possible without generous donors who help Donnelly keep its promise of a quality, affordable Catholic higher education for anyone who wishes to pursue it. As Sister Esther Fangman, OSB, said during the opening prayer for SHINE, “God has done great things for Donnelly College. “We are filled with gratitude and joy.”

Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

Hunts, Ward senior recognized at Seton Gala By Regina Garcia Special to The Leaven

ASHINGTON, D.C. — As the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Washington Redskins on “Monday Night Football” Oct. 2, there was one member of the Hunt family who was not at Arrowhead Stadium. Lamar Hunt Jr. and his wife Rita were in Washington, D.C., instead, attending the 27th annual National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) Seton Awards Gala — as this year’s recipients of the prestigious St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award. NCEA’s Seton Award is named after Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, SC, in recognition of her lifelong dedication to teaching and children. The Seton Awards commemorate individuals and organizations devoted to faithful service to Catholic education. The Hunts have generously supported various elementary and high schools in both the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Lamar Hunt served as chair of Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann’s private appeal, benefiting, in part, several Catholic schools in the archdiocese. In addition, the Loretto Foundation, created by Rita and Lamar Hunt, has assisted several Catholic schools in both dioceses with major capital projects. The Hunts were instrumental in the building of the new St. Michael the Archangel High School in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and also in the major renovation of the St. Thomas Aquinas High School facility in Overland Park. While the Chiefs game made for good conversation and occasional score updates among some attendees, Hunt’s acceptance remarks focused on the importance of Catholic education

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NCEA

Lamar Hunt Jr. and Rita Hunt were the recipients of this year’s Seton Award, which is given annually to those devoted to Catholic education. Standing with the Hunts are Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, left, and Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. and the need to ensure that all families have the opportunity to attend Catholic schools. “We really need to get shoulder to shoulder with Jesus and work. Everything counts. Every small thing we do, counts,” he said. Both Archbishop Naumann and Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. attended the gala event, happy for the chance to see the Hunts acknowledged for their work in both dioceses.

“They want to support our Catholic schools,” said Archbishop Naumann of the Hunts, “to help our young people know Jesus and understand what it means to live a virtuous life.” One such young person is Adrian Daniel DeHaro, a graduate of Resurrection Catholic School at the Cathedral and a senior at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas. DeHaro traveled to D.C. to receive the Rita and Lamar Hunt Jr. Seton Scholarship,

which was awarded at the event. Son of Juan DeHaro and Evelia Soto, he is the second of six boys. He is co-captain of the football team, participates in the REACH Mentoring Program, and is the head boy for the BWHS House Alliance System. He also serves as a school ambassador, thus continuously sharing the good news of his Catholic high school with visitors and others in the community.

‘Everybody can do something,’ says donor “When everybody found out it was actually going through and I had a donor here in school, they were very excited,” she said.

something about it.” Despite her strength, Northcott’s health problems required her to rely on others for help. Fortunately, Wright was there for her every step of the way.

A remarkable ride

Wright to the rescue

Northcott’s journey leading up to her second transplant resembled a roller coaster. Northcott, who taught Spanish at Ascension until this spring, and her husband Peter couldn’t have children of their own because of her kidney problems. So they decided to adopt. But things didn’t go quite as planned. Their daughter was born May 4, just days after Northcott’s last day of teaching. In the same short stretch of time, Peter started a new job and Northcott’s mom passed away. All with the transplant looming. Northcott attributes her strength during the tough times to her upbringing. “We were kind of raised with a ‘do what you need to do’ mentality,” she said. “It’s not going to do any good to just sit back and feel sorry for yourself,” she continued. “If you don’t like it, do

Donating an organ is something Wright never imagined she’d do. “I had organ donation on my license, but just thought it would be after I passed away,” she said. But when this opportunity arose, Wright couldn’t shake the feeling she was meant to be the donor, despite her nerves. “The Holy Spirit put the heavy on my heart and wouldn’t go away,” said Wright. “I finally had to listen.” Her decision to say “yes” was easy when she thought about who was receiving her kidney. “[Northcott’s] personality, who she is, her faith and fundamentals and everything she’s about is honestly the reason I wanted to help her,” said Wright. “I don’t know if I would’ve done it for just anybody,” she continued, “but to hear her stories these past three years — she so deserves it.” Despite the torment that came with

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waiting for a kidney, Northcott maintained an upbeat attitude. “She’s always so positive, so happygo-lucky,” said Wright. “You would never know everything she’s dealing with.” “In the three years she was not feeling so hot, most of the community had no idea what her health issues were,” she added. When Wright told Northcott she would donate her kidney, Northcott was elated. “She tells me, and I fall a little bit to pieces,” said Northcott.

Full circle In the months leading up to the surgery, life was hectic for Northcott and Wright. Wright traveled with other principals to the Holy Land, getting home just weeks before the surgery. Northcott and her husband spent seven weeks out of town waiting to bring their baby home and got back nine days before the surgery. “The way everything worked out between the adoption and the Israel trip and the transplant — you know it was God,” said Northcott. “There was no way everything else was going to work out that way,” she

added. The surgery was successful for both women. And although the recovery was tough, both are doing well. The experience left Wright digging deeper. “My husband [Steve] now gives platelets, and we never talked about that before this,” said Wright. “Everybody can do something in some way, shape or form to help others,” she said. The faith of both women felt tested — and affirmed — from the experience. “Even though it feels like it’s never going to end and you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, God truly does have a plan in the end,” said Northcott. “If you’re willing to go through it and suffer with Christ, at the end, everything is made new,” she added. Northcott remains inspired by God working through Wright to bring her out of dark times. “It’s so humbling to know someone would give a piece of themselves so that you could live,” said Northcott. “As hard as it was then is how fulfilled I feel now. “Because by the grace of God, I was able to keep going. He has blessed my life immensely.”

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

Miracle on 18th Street: Sisters, Servants celebrate 100th By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Somewhere near the Grotto of Our Lady, located in the backyard of the Sisters, Servants of Mary provincial house here, there is a little treasure buried since the early 1920s. Don’t bother looking for it. Even the Sisters don’t know exactly where it is. And they aren’t anxious to find it. They figure it’s supposed to stay there. The “treasure” — perhaps only a corroded lump by now — is a Miraculous Medal buried by one of the early Sisters. At one time, the site of the provincial house at 800 N. 18th was an open field. The Sisters needed to build a new home, and this was one of two sites they were looking at. It was also their favored site. But it cost too much. So one day, the mother superior gathered her Sisters and trooped them off to the site for a picnic. As they discussed the remote likelihood of procuring the property, one Sister was inspired to bury her Miraculous Medal on the site — and encouraged all of them to pray earnestly that God grant them the property. And that’s exactly what they did. Later, they and their benefactor Lee M. Sedgwick made another inquiry and discovered, mysteriously, that the price had dropped. He bought the Sisters the property. The groundbreaking and blessing took place in 1924, and the Sisters moved into the newly completed building in 1925. Sedgwick, a modest and pious convert to Catholicism, never took credit

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE BOLLIG

Sister Lucero Garcia (left), mother superior of the local Sisters, Servants of Mary, and Sister Catherine Bussen, director of vocations, stand beneath an early portrait of Lee M. Sedgwick, who is responsible for bringing the religious order to Kansas City, Kansas, 100 years ago. for his role. The only time he entered the new building was when they brought his body there in 1935, for his funeral in the chapel. This year, the Sisters, Servants of Mary are celebrating the 100th anniversary of their order’s foundation on Nov. 14, 1917, in Kansas City, Kansas. The observance of the centennial actually began with a Mass on Nov. 14, 2016, and continued with special Masses for the community on the 14th of every month. But a special series of celebrations will be held from Nov. 8 to 14. (See sidebar.)

The Sisters, Servants of Mary were founded in Madrid on Aug. 15, 1851. Father Michael Martinez Sanz shared his idea of Sisters who would care for the sick and poor in their homes. St. Maria Soledad Torres y Acosta was inspired by this priest to gather six other women and start the religious order. Eventually, the order sent Sisters overseas to Cuba in 1871, Puerto Rico in 1887 and Mexico in 1896. Sedgwick, a wealthy railroad executive from Kansas City, Missouri, was vacationing in Puerto Rico in 1916, when he learned of the Sisters. He was so impressed that he invited the Sisters to establish a presence in the Kansas City area. At the time, there was a brutal antiCatholic campaign by the government in Mexico. All the convents were closed. Some Sisters went to Spain, but U.S. soldiers in Mexico during an armed intervention in 1914 gave the Sisters safe passage — first to Galveston, Texas, and later to New Orleans. Sister Orosia Cabezas and Sister Amelia Lopez — two refugee Sisters from Mexican convents — came north to the Kansas City area. Bishop John Ward of the Diocese of Leavenworth gave his blessing to their foundation in Kansas City, Kansas. The Sisters moved their convent three times as their numbers grew, permanently settling on 18th Street. It became the provincial house for the Province of Mexico and the United States in 1928. A few things have changed over the years. Now, the Sisters receive their nursing training at Kansas City Kansas Community College. Their certifications are: CNA (Clinical Nursing Assistant), LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse), and RN (Registered Nurse). Today, the 27 Sisters only offer care at night.

Centennial liturgies All events are open to the public. • Evening vespers, 6 p.m. on Nov. 8 in the chapel (RSVP by Oct. 20 by calling (913) 371-3423) • Evening Vespers, 6 p.m. on Nov. 9 in the chapel (RSVP by Oct. 20 by calling (913) 371-3423) • Mass at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 with Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann at the Cathedral of St. Peter, 409 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kansas. There will be a reception in the parish hall following the Mass. • Mass of thanksgiving at 8 a.m. on Nov. 12 at the convent chapel • Mass of Thanksgiving at 8 a.m. on Nov. 13 at St. Mary/St. Anthony Church, 615 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas • Mass of thanksgiving at 8 a.m. on Nov. 14 at St. Patrick Church, 1066 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas

In addition to being the provincial house, the 18th St. convent also serves as a house of formation for newly professed Sisters. Besides this November’s events, the Sisters hope to offer a public viewing of a film about their foundress, St. Maria Soledad Torres y Acosta. The film, “The Light of Soledad,” debuted in Spain last year and will eventually be on DVD. No date or location of a viewing in the Kansas City area has been determined as of yet, but the Sisters are hopeful. Interested persons can see the trailer on the Sisters, Servants of Mary website at: www.sisterservantsofmary. org.

Workshop offers teachers, catechists ways to surmount learning obstacles By Doug Weller Special to The Leaven

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Catholic school teachers and parish catechists are charged to walk the journey of faith with their students, but the path is often difficult. “Children can feel inferior, unloved, lost, unwanted, lonely or separated from God even in the midst of affluence. Parents can feel overwhelmed, inadequate, untooled for parenting and spiritually empty even if they are surrounded by people, activities and living a comfortable lifestyle,” said Sister Pat McCormack. Helping teachers and catechists surmount those obstacles is the focus of the workshop, “Accompaniment: Join the Journey,” offered at no charge on Nov. 6 at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas. Sister Pat, a well-known education consultant featured regularly in Today’s Catholic Teacher magazine, will provide the morning keynote address and an afternoon session, then speak again in the evening. Other educational experts from the area will lead breakout sessions in the morning and afternoon. Sister Pat is a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and is program director for her congregation’s office of formative support for parents and

teachers in Philadelphia. She has taught and been an administrator at all grade levels and holds bachelor’s degrees in theology and sociology, a master’s in primary and middle school education and a doctorate in private school administration. “Jesus and Pope Francis call us to go to the outskirts, to reach out to the marginalized, the forgotten and the underserved,” said Sister Pat. But teachers and catechists know they don’t have to travel to distant lands to address that challenge, she noted. “Both marginalized children and disenfranchised parents can be found in every parish,” she said, and even the most involved parents often consider themselves inadequate to meet the faith needs of their children. In her presentations, Sister Pat said she hopes to offer practical ideas to help teachers, catechists and administrators accompany parents and children through their life challenges. Her morning keynote address, “Be the ‘I’ in Accompaniment,” will help educators identify ways to foster Catholic identity at school and at home. An afternoon breakout session, “Connect the Dots Between Attitude, Behavior and Self-Esteem,” will focus on the connection between human need and behavior; how to read signs of neediness and give effective responses; and how to develop practices to help children control emotions and impulses.

Her evening presentation, “Agents of Accompaniment,” will offers ways to witness, mentor and teach in the manner of Pope Francis — “that is, leading with compassion, empowering and providing hope,” said Sister Pat. “We are so excited to have Sister Pat speak in our archdiocese,” said Karen Kroh, associate superintendent for student services for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. “I believe teachers, school leaders, catechists and directors of religious education will be inspired by their vocation to pass on our faith to all students; build compassionate relationships with students and parents; and grow as witnesses and mentors to our youth.” Education experts providing breakout sessions include: • Dr. Sean Smith, professor of special education at the University of Kansas, on “Universal Design for Learning” • Dr. Bernard Franklin, director of university programs in the Shawnee Mission School District, on “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Impact on Learning” • Dr. Matt Ramsey, chair of the education department and director of special education at Benedictine College, Atchison, on “Building Relationships with Families and How to Have Critical Conversations” • Tom Racunas, lead consultant on special-needs ministry for the archdiocese, on “New Guidelines for Catechesis

for Individuals with Disabilities.” Racunas said the challenge that educators face of walking the journey of faith with students and their parents includes children with special needs. “The tone of this workshop will assume inclusiveness within our religious education programs,” he said. His session will focus on recently revised guidelines approved by the U.S. bishops in administering the sacraments to people with disabilities. “This will, hopefully, create a heightened awareness that the sacraments are a gift to all of us, that no one should be denied if they are properly disposed. And we have the teaching techniques and materials we need to prepare children and adults with cognitive and other developmental disabilities to receive the sacraments,” he said. Kroh said she is excited about the information and encouragement that all educators can receive from the workshop. “Participants will leave this conference both inspired and empowered as catechists of our faith,” she said. The workshop is sponsored by Perfect Wings, the office of children’s catechesis and the special-needs ministry of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. To register, visit the website at: www. archkck.org/accompaniment.

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

Homecoming queen is a pioneer at Hayden

TOOLS FOR FAMILIES Growing as Disciples of Jesus

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By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org

Go to the storehouse October is the month of the holy rosary. Does your family pray the rosary together? Blessed Alan de la Roche said, “The holy rosary is the storehouse of countless blessing.” Here are a few blessings my family has experienced in praying the rosary: 1. We reflect on the life of Christ together. 2. We bring our needs ARTWORK BY NEILSON CARLIN, 2015 to God and Mary. 3. Prayer unites us and reminds us of what’s most important. See what’s in the storehouse for your family. — William O’Leary, director of religious formation, Church of the Ascension, Overland Park

WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE

TEAM OF THE WEEK CROSS COUNTRY

Bishop Miege The Bishop Miege boys and girls cross country teams were in action on Oct. 5 at Lake Lenexa. The girls finished in first place at the meet while the boys finished third. Leaven photographer Jay Soldner captured the action. To see his photos, go to The Leaven’s Facebook page.

OPEKA — Amanda Young is the first student with Down syndrome to attend this city’s only Catholic high school — Hayden — in its more than 100-year history. That fact is not lost on those closest to Young, including her paraprofessional Mickey Arnold. Arnold has been working with the high school senior since Young was in the second grade at Most Pure Heart of Mary Grade School. At the time, Young was also that school’s first student with Down syndrome. “She’s a pioneer in Topeka,” said Arnold. “Her parents (Mark and Terry) are good advocates for her,” he added. “But she’s a pretty good advocate for herself.” Now Young has carved out a new spot for herself in the Hayden community. On Sept. 22, she was crowned Hayden’s homecoming queen. Terry Young said she never dreamed her daughter would be able to attend a Catholic school. A friendship with Bill Holthaus and his late wife Joan, then a kindergarten teacher at Most Pure Heart of Mary, led to a conversation about the family’s challenges in finding the right school for their daughter. Before the couple knew it, Joan Holthaus extended an invitation for Amanda to be in her class. “It was incredible,” Terry Young said. “We never thought the Catholic school would be an option.” As part of the kindergarten roundup process, Holthaus talked with the students who eventually became Amanda’s classmates, as well as their parents. That day, is one her mother will never forget. “All of the students waited in line to hug Amanda,” she said. Then tragedy struck.

“SHE’S A PIONEER IN TOPEKA. HER PARENTS (MARK AND TERRY) ARE GOOD ADVOCATES FOR HER. BUT SHE’S A PRETTY GOOD ADVOCATE FOR HERSELF.”

Amanda Young and Jake Comstock were crowned Hayden High School’s homecoming queen and king in Topeka on Sept. 22. Amanda is the first person with Down syndrome to attend Hayden. Before Amanda was an official member of the kindergarten class, Holthaus died unexpectedly. Nevertheless, the family enrolled Amanda at the school. It was a decision the family never regretted. It was something that would profoundly affect others, too. For example, Jake Comstock, this year’s homecoming king, has been a classmate of Amanda’s since kindergarten. She inspires him daily, he said. “I didn’t know she was different at first,” Comstock said. “I just see her as another kid in my class.” Watching her, he continued, he’s learned “to have a good attitude about everything and to persevere through struggles and difficulties.” “She’s always smiling, and she’s

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Sunday, Oct. 15, 4-7pm at Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Topeka or Sunday, Oct. 22, 2-5pm at Holy Cross School, Overland Park Register at vocation@archkck.org or (913) 647-0303 Parents invited too.

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always happy,” Comstock said. “Everybody in our senior class loves Amanda.” In fact, Amanda’s happiness and love for everyone made her “a perennial favorite of the senior class,” according to Angela Herman, chair of Hayden’s theology department. Herman also coordinates the nomination of royalty candidates, as well as the actual voting process. She was not surprised at all that Amanda received a large percentage of the votes, said Herman. “Just spend five minutes with Amanda, and she will make your day,” she said. Amanda’s mother was delighted to learn that many of her daughter’s classmates agreed. The night Amanda was crowned, Terry Young learned that most, if not all, of the other candidates voted for Amanda rather than themselves. “She’s still grinning,” said her mother nearly two weeks later. And what does Amanda herself think? “Homecoming was so much fun!” she said with a big smile. “I loved being with all my friends and riding the Jeep in the parade.”

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS St. Joseph Ladies Guild celebrating 125 years

HAWNEE — On Nov. 5, the Ladies Guild at St. Joseph Parish here will host a special celebration of the guild’s 125 years in the parish. All parishioners are invited to attend the noon Mass in memory of deceased members and a luncheon after Mass at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Past officers will be recognized, and Emily Lopez, lead consultant for the office of adult evangelization for the archdiocese, will be guest speaker. Those wishing to attend can call Mary Spruk at (913) 825-0358 or Marianne Glavinich (913) 268-7977. Seating is limited; attendance is by reservation only.

Burlington Scout earns Eagle rank BURLINGTON — Derrick Braden Myers, a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish here and Boy Scout Troop 139, was recently awarded Boy Scouts’ highest advancement rank, Eagle Scout. Myers’ Eagle Scout project consisted of coordinating, supervising and implementing the r e c o n s t r u c t i on Derrick Myers of the U.S. playground map for Burlington Elementary School.

George and Margaret Lents, members of Holy Spirit Parish, O ve r l a n d Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 14 with family and friends. The couple was married on October 14, 1967, at St. Thomas Church in Decatur, Illinois. Their children are: Teresa Franzen, Rick Lents, Josh Lents, Gina House and Katie Lents. They also have five grandchildren. Sharon (Quinn) and Jim Nelson, members of Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 14. The couple was married at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church in Topeka on Oct. 14, 1967, by Msgr. William Merchant. Their children are: Heather Crocker, Olathe; Jason Nelson, Oskaloosa; and Ryan Nelson, Gardner. They also have seven grandchildren.

Jerry and Paula (Kohake) Rottingh a u s , m e m bers of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Seneca, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 15 with a Mass, dinner and reception at the church. The couple was married on Oct. 14, 1967, at Sts. Peter and Paul. Their children are: Theresa Pettay, Brian Rottinghaus, Ted Rottinghaus and Valerie Scott. They also have 12 grandchildren. Robert

and

Bonnie

(Crabtree) Pe n ro s e, members of St. Paul Parish, Olathe, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 14. The couple was married on Oct. 14, 1967, at St. Edward Church, Mendon, Illinois. Their children are: Aaron Penrose and Angela Penrose Lewis. They also have two grandchildren. They will celebrate with family.

ANNIVERSARY submissions ANNIVERSARY submissions

POLICY: The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th anniversary notices. They are for parishioners in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas DEADLINE: eight days before the desired publication date. WHERE TO SUBMIT: Send notices to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109, attn: anniversaries; or email: todd.habiger@theleaven.org.

Conference organized for everyday Catholics

ICHITA — The Spiritual Life Center here has just announced a brand-new program set for January 2018 called “Catholic Faith Conference: Catholicism Beyond the Pew.” This special event features nationally recognized Catholic speaker Jon Leonetti, along with many excellent diocesan presenters. The program will be Jan. 19-20. The conference is designed to appeal to the average Catholic sitting in the pew on Sundays. It will include breakout sessions for all stages of life — single, married, retired, etc. Space is limited to the first 150 registrants. To register, call the Spiritual Life Center at (316) 744-0167 or go online to: slcwichita.org.

Marillac to host retreat focusing on St. Thérèse LEAVENWORTH — The author of books and materials on St. Thérèse of Lisieux will facilitate a one-day retreat at the Marillac Center here on this modern saint as a model of mercy for today’s world. Brother Joseph Schmidt, a De La Salle Christian Brother, will share his insights on Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Donation for the retreat is $40 (includes lunch). Scholarships are available. Overnight accommodations are $55 per night. Registration deadline is Oct. 30.

Give generously on World Mission Sunday Oct. 21-22 The Society for the Propagation of the Faith

WORLD MISSION SUNDAY 2017

THE POPE’S MISSION MESSAGE

Mission at the heart of the Christian faith

CHAT with D POPE FRANCIS

ext week, we will celebrate World Mission Sunday. Each year, the entire church is invited to support the young mission dioceses in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe, where priests, religious and lay leaders serve the poorest of the poor. This year, we are invited to “chat with the pope” to learn more about his missions.

ear brothers and sisters, Once again this year, World Mission Day gathers us around the person of Jesus, “the very first and greatest evangelizer” (Paul VI, “Evangelii Nuntiandi,” 7), who continually sends us forth to proclaim the Gospel of the love of God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit. This day invites us to reflect anew on the mission at the heart of the Christian faith. The church is missionary by nature; otherwise, she would no longer be the church of Christ, but one group among many others that soon end up serving their purpose and passing away.

Mission inspires spirituality

Open the FACEBOOK MESSENGER APP on your mobile phone.

Go to the and select CODE.

The church’s mission is enlivened by a spirituality of constant exodus. We are challenged “to go forth from our own comfort zone in order to reach all the peripheries in need of the light of the Gospel” (“Evangelii Gaudium,” 20). The church’s mission impels us to undertake a constant pilgrimage across the various deserts of life, through the different experiences of hunger and thirst for truth and justice. The church’s mission inspires a sense of constant exile, to make us aware, in our thirst for the infinite, that we are exiles journeying toward our final home, poised between the “already” and “not yet” of the kingdom of heaven. Mission reminds the church that she is not an end unto herself, but a humble instrument and mediation of the kingdom. A self-referential church, one content with earthly success, is not the church of Christ, his crucified and glorious body. That is why we should prefer “a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security” (ibid., 49).

TAB SCAN

SCAN the code to the right to CHAT WITH THE POPE about his missions for World Mission Sunday — and throughout the year.

The hope of mission

Help build the global church Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Each October, the celebration of World Mission Sunday leads us to the heart of our Christian faith — leads us to mission, as Pope Francis explains in his message for this year’s celebration on Oct. 22. The collection on the next-to-last Sunday in October is unique. It is truly a global effort for the entire church. It is a central moment each year to provide for the building up of over one thousand local churches in Asia and Africa, the Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America and Europe — an area that covers more than half the territory of the globe. Through the work of these churches and their witness to Christ, the poor receive practical help and experience God’s love and mercy, his hope and peace. The materials for World Mission Sunday from the Society for the Propagation of the Faith encourage an ongoing formative relationship for mission, offering portraits of today’s missionaries inspired by the words of our chief

missionary, Pope Francis. I invite all of us in this Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas to see World Mission Sunday as a special moment of encounter with the pope’s missions throughout the world. Meeting the priests, religious and lay leaders who, day in and day out, witness to the Gospel and serve the poor, will, as Pope Francis says, “enable the missionary heart of Christian communities to join in prayer, testimony of life and communion of goods, in responding to the vast and pressing needs of evangelization.” As I remain grateful for your generosity, I ask your full support, through prayer and sacrifice, on World Mission Sunday and throughout the year, as you are able. Sincerely yours in Jesus, the Lord of Life,

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas

Young people are the hope of mission. The person of Jesus Christ and the good news he proclaimed continue to attract many young people. They seek ways to put themselves with courage and enthusiasm at the service of humanity. “There are many young people who offer their solidarity in the face of the evils of the world and engage in various forms of militancy and volunteering. . . . How beautiful it is to see that young people are ‘street preachers,’ joyfully bringing Jesus to every street, every town square and every corner of the earth!” (ibid., 106).

The service of the Pontifical Mission Societies The Pontifical Mission Societies are a precious means of awakening in every Christian community a desire to reach beyond its own confines and security in order to proclaim the Gospel to all. In them, thanks to a profound missionary spirituality — nurtured daily — and a constant commitment to raising missionary awareness and enthusiasm, young people, adults, families, priests, bishops and men and women religious work to develop a missionary heart in everyone. World Mission Day, promoted by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, is a good opportunity for enabling the missionary heart of Christian communities to join in prayer, testimony of life and communion of goods, in responding to the vast and pressing needs of evangelization.

2; and give throughout the year with the Missio app

he Catholic Church, through the Pontifical Mission Societies, supports a global network of people working on the front line of service for the world’s most vulnerable communities. Every year, though, the need outstrips our ability to help. Through MISSIO, projects that might otherwise remain un- or underfunded, can now be showcased via a digital platform. Projects are vetted by the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States and reviewed by the ordinaries of those (arch)dioceses in which the projects are located. Here are a few projects that you can support through MISSIO. Use the MISSIO app on your mobile phone or go online to: missio.org to see these and many more projects you can support.

Protect Madagascar’s orphaned children There are 910,000 orphaned children in Madagascar. Child trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of abandoned Malagasy children is a common phenomenon. Children are the most vulnerable segment of Madagascar’s population. To help and protect them, the community of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist operates a residence and school for abandoned children in the village of Ambatolahy. Forty children live in the home and 300 children attend the primary school. Their small campus lacks a fence to keep their children safe.

Food crisis in Ethiopia The drought and food shortage in Ethiopia has worsened. The government has officially reported that 10.2 million people will be affected by the food shortage and many will not have enough food to survive the next year. Dramatic climate change has caused crop loss near 90 percent in many areas, and presents a very real danger. Local bishops, the government and aid agencies are collaborating in life-saving efforts. Your support is needed now.

South Sudan needs you South Sudan is hard hit with famine. Conflict and unrest have added to the crisis. Families are seeking shelter, food and care in Catholic hospitals and various health centers. Others are fleeing in search of safety and food. Right now, 40 percent of the country’s population is in need of immediate assistance, or they may die of starvation. Catholic priests and Sisters are reaching out to bring food, care and supplies to these communities. Put resources in the hands of these first responders so they can help save lives.

Bring clean water to Kenyan farmers St. Theresa Church Asumbi in the Diocese of Homa Bay, Kenya, is in desperate need of two wells for clean drinking water. The parish runs a health center and provides help and support to small family farmers in the surrounding community. In times of severe drought, the community is without access to a sufficient amount of clean groundwater for drinking or farming. As a result, food becomes scarce and diseases such as typhoid spread rapidly. In times such as these, children are forced to stay home from school for fear of illness or because their family simply cannot afford to send them. You can help save lives now and for years to come by bringing water to the parish, health center and community.

End child labor in India What many call “bonded child labor” is a modern form of slavery common in Andra Pradesh, India. Families that inherit a debt send their children to work as domestic servants, in brick kilns, quarries, mines and farms. Bonded labor leads to human trafficking and terrible abuses. Although India banned child labor 23 years ago, the country continues to have the largest number of child workers in the world. Ten million children in India, mostly girls under the age of 14, work in these conditions. Father Yesudsu Gorre and the Elurupadu Mission serve low-caste families who many still call “untouchables.” This depressed caste too often cannot afford to keep its children out of the labor force. Father Gorre invests in building support structures for whole families so that the mission can keep their children in school. Father Gorre is raising money to provide food and supplementary income to families, as well as purchase materials for their small school.

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

NATION

Trump administration expands exemptions on HHS mandate By Carol Zimmermann Catholic News Service

ASHINGTON (CNS) — The Trump administration Oct. 6 issued interim rules expanding the exemption to the contraceptive mandate for religious employers, such as the Little Sisters of the Poor, who object on moral grounds to covering contraceptive and abortioninducing drugs and devices in their employee health insurance. Leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops praised the action as “a return to common sense, long-standing federal practice and peaceful coexistence between church and state.” The contraceptive mandate was put in place by the Department of Health and Human Services under the Affordable Care Act. While providing an exemption for religious employers, the new rules maintain the existing federal contraceptive mandate for most employers. President Donald Trump had pledged to lift the mandate burden placed on religious employers during a White House signing ceremony May 4 for an executive order promoting free speech and religious liberty, but Catholic leaders and the heads of a number of Catholic entities had criticized the administration for a lack of action on that pledge in the months that followed. From the outset, churches were exempt from the mandate, but not religious employers. The Obama administration had put in place a religious accommodation for nonprofit religious entities such as church-run colleges and social service agencies morally opposed to contraceptive coverage that required them to file a form or notify HHS that they will not provide it. Many Catholic employers still objected to having to fill out the form. The HHS mandate has undergone numerous legal challenges from religious organizations, including the Little Sisters of the Poor and Priests for Life. A combined lawsuit, Zubik v. Burwell, made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices in May 2016 unanimously returned the case to the lower courts with instructions to determine if contraceptive insurance coverage could be obtained by employees through their

CNS PHOTO/TYLER ORSBURN

The U.S. Supreme Court is seen in Washington Sept. 26. The Trump administration Oct. 6 issued interim rules expanding the exemption to the contraceptive mandate for religious employers, such as the Little Sisters of the Poor, who object on moral grounds to covering contraceptive and abortion-inducing drugs and devices in their employee health insurance.

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A “GOVERNMENT MANDATE THAT COERCES PEOPLE TO MAKE AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE BETWEEN OBEYING THEIR CONSCIENCES AND OBEYING THE CALL TO SERVE THE POOR IS HARMFUL NOT ONLY TO CATHOLICS BUT TO THE COMMON GOOD.” insurance companies without directly involving religious employers who object to paying for such coverage. Senior Health and Human Services officials who spoke to reporters Oct. 5 on the HHS rule on the condition of anonymity said that the exemption to the contraceptive mandate would apply to all the groups that had sued against it. Groups suing the mandate all the way to the Supreme Court include the Little

Sisters of the Poor, the Archdiocese of Washington, the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Eternal Word Television Network and some Catholic and other Christian universities. In reaction immediately after the 150page interim ruling was issued, religious groups that had opposed the mandate were pleased with the administration's action. An Oct. 6 statement by Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of GalvestonHouston, USCCB president, and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB's Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, said the new rule “corrects an anomalous failure by federal regulators that should never have occurred and should never be repeated.” The church leaders also said the decision to provide the religious and moral exemption to the HHS mandate recognizes that faith-based and mission-driven organizations and those who run them “have deeply held religious and moral beliefs that the law must respect.” Cardinal DiNardo and Archbishop Lori said the decision was “good news for all Americans,” noting that a “government mandate that coerces people to make an impossible choice between obeying their consciences and obeying

the call to serve the poor is harmful not only to Catholics but to the common good.” Michael Warsaw, chairman of the board and CEO of the EWTN Global Catholic Network, said the television network's legal team would be “carefully considering the exemptions announced today and the impact this may have on our legal challenge to the mandate, but we are optimistic that this news will prove to be a step toward victory for the fundamental freedoms of many Americans.” Mark Rienzi, senior counsel at Becket, told reporters in a telephone news conference an hour after the rule was released that it is a “common sense and balanced rule and a great step forward for religious liberty.” He said the rule “carves out a narrow exemption” and keeps the contraceptive mandate in place for those without moral or religious objections to it. He noted that it does not provide immediate relief for those groups who had challenged it, such as the Little Sisters of the Poor, which Becket represents. They will “still need relief in courts,” he said, but was confident now that it would happen. “We've traveled a long way,” he added, of the multiple challenges to the contraceptive mandate in recent years, which he described as an “unnecessary culture war fight.” Rienzi, noted that the HHS rule could have eliminated the contraceptive mandate completely but it did not do so. He also said the new rule is open for comments for a 90-day period and will likely face legal challenges, which already began in a lawsuit filed Oct. 6 by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of members of the ACLU and Service Employee International Union-United Health Care Workers West who say they are at risk of losing their contraception coverage because of where they work or attend school. In the lawsuit, the ACLU said the interim rules violate the establishment clause regarding religion in the First Amendment and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment in the Constitution “by authorizing and promoting religiously motivated and other discrimination against women seeking reproductive health care.”

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT Drivers - Ready for the summers off? Join our school transportation division and live like a kid again! Our drivers have the opportunity to serve our community and still get those precious summer breaks. Assisted Transportation seeks caring and reliable drivers to transport K - 12 students in Johnson and Wyandotte counties in our minivans. CDL not required. $12 per hour. Retirees encouraged to apply. Learn more or apply online at: assistedtransportation.com or call (913) 262-5190 for more information. EOE. Do you enjoy driving? - The Kansas City Transportation Group is looking for chauffeurs to drive our guests to events, airport, dinner, etc. Business is growing and we are in need of workers with flexible hours, those who are retired, etc. Great pay and benefits. Send resume to: jkalbert@kctg.com or in person at Carey, 1300 Lydia Ave., Kansas City, MO 64106. Teacher assistant - Special Beginnings, Lenexa, is seeking full- or part-time after school teacher assistants at all locations. We are looking for a teacher assistant candidate who has an excellent work ethic, heart for children and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education. Experience and/or education is a plus, but we will train the right candidate. Teacher assistants will work with the lead teacher to care for and educate the children. Primary responsibilities include assisting the lead teacher with: care and supervision of children, lesson plan implementation, parent communication, and cleanliness and organization of classroom. Starting hourly pay ranges based on experience and education. Pay increases are based on job performance. Opportunities for advancement are available, as the company prefers to promote from within. Apply by sending an email to: chris@ specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, KS 66215. Sales professional - We respect your many years of experience; we value and need your wisdom. We only ask if you are “coachable”? If so, Catholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas has openings for sales trainees in our Johnson, Shawnee and Wyandotte counties area cemeteries. An excellent earning of $40K to $50K+ in commissions is legitimate income potential for the first year. Training allowance your first 30 days, then draw commission with bonus opportunities. Medical, life, dental, optical, prescription, 401(k) plans, etc., are some of the many perks our employees receive. Excellent opportunities for women and men interested in a sales career and in helping people. Advancement opportunities are available for hard-working and focused individuals. Must be willing to work some evenings and weekends when our client families are available to see us in their homes. Once you learn our formula for success, your schedule is determined by you. Please email your resume and contact information to: dvanthullenar @cathcemks.org or fax to (913) 353-1413. Drivers - Special Beginnings Early Learning Center is seeking part-time drivers for its school-age program located in Lenexa. Candidates must be able to drive a 13-passenger minibus, similar to a 15-passenger van. CDL not required, but must have an excellent driving record. Candidates would pick up children from area schools and then work directly with them when arriving back at the center. Experience preferred. Must have strong work ethic and the ability to work with children. Insurance provided. Background check will be conducted. Great opportunity for retired persons or those seeking a second job. Job responsibilities include: ensuring safety and well-being of children who are being transported at all times, including loading and unloading. Driving short, round-trip routes to elementary schools in Lenexa/Olathe area. Summer only: Driving short, round- trip routes to two Lenexa city pools. Maintaining mileage log. Keeping interior of vehicle clean. Apply by sending an email to: chris@specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, KS 66215. Caregivers - Daughters & Company is looking for several compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to ambulatory seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide light housekeeping/light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care management and occasional transportation services for our clients. We need caregivers with reliable transportation and a cellphone for communication. A CNA background is helpful, though not mandatory. We typically employ on a part-time basis, but will strive to match hours desired. Contact Pat or Murray at (913) 341-2500 to become part of an excellent caregiving team. Teachers - WE LOVE OUR TEACHERS - COME SEE WHY YOU WANT TO WORK HERE! The Goddard School, Olathe Northwest, is looking for dynamic, energetic, professional teachers to add to our faculty. The Goddard School is a premiere preschool where children from 6 weeks to 6 years are encouraged to develop at their own pace in a nurturing environment, lovingly guided by our highly skilled, professional teachers. We are hiring for the following positions: FULL-TIME PRESCHOOL TEACHER; FULL-TIME TODDLER TEACHER; FULLTIME ASSISTANT TEACHER; PART-TIME AFTERNOONS ASSISTANT TEACHER. To apply, send an email and resume to: olathe2ks@goddardschools.com. Praise and worship music leader - St. John the Evangelist Church in Lawrence is currently looking for someone to be responsible for planning and leading music for the Sunday 5 p.m. Mass. Music is largely contemporary praise and worship style, but also includes traditional hymns. The leader coordinates a group of 5 - 10 singers and instrumentalists. Piano playing and singing capabilities are preferred. Other opportunities for leading worship will also be available throughout the year. Monthly stipend. Send an email to Lisa Roush, director of liturgy and music, at: lroush@saintjohns.net.

Substitute teacher - Bishop Miege High School is seeking a long-term substitute teacher to teach three periods of math each day for the remainder of the 2017-18 school year. Send letter of interest and resume to Mariann Jaksa at: mjaksa@ bishopmiege.com. International student coordinator - This is a work-fromhome opportunity. Twinn Palms is seeking a part-time international student coordinator to manage local host families and international high school students. Qualifications: must be personable, detail-oriented; must have valid driver’s license; must be willing to host student(s) until host family is found. Additional compensation will be awarded. If interested, send an email to Erin Martinez at: erinm@twinnpalms. com. Administrative assistant - St. Michael the Archangel Parish has an immediate opening for an administrative assistant in the parish office. Job duties include: maintaining the parish membership database; scheduling rooms and managing the parish calendar for parish ministries and rentals; coordinating the parish’s Virtus compliance; and assisting with a variety of clerical tasks. This is a year-round, full-time position and is eligible for the archdiocesan benefits package. A complete position description is available at: www.stmichaelcp. org; click on the “About Us” tab, scroll down to “Employment Opportunities” and click on “Administrative Assistant.” Part-time administrative assistant - Divine Mercy in Gardner is seeking a part-time, 24 hours per week, administrative assistant. This position provides administrative support to the pastor and other staff; sacramental record keeping; maintenance of the parish database; will also answer phones and greet visitors. Candidates must possess exceptional communications and organizational skill and proficiency in Microsoft Office systems. Interested applicants should email a resume to: secretary@divinemercyks.org.

SERVICES Life Simplified - Professional organizing for home and business. We organize tools to toys, closets to attics. Pre- and post-moving support for upsizing or downsizing. We advise on what to keep, donate, recycle or toss and offer personalized strategies on keeping organized. Supportive and non-judgmental. Call (913)-725-8151 or email: info@lifesimplified.biz www.lifesimplified.biz Tree Trimming Tree Trimming/Landscaping Insured/References Free Estimates/Local Parishioner Tony Collins (913) 620-6063 Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite, and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee. Agua Fina Irrigation and Landscape The one-stop location for your project! Landscape and irrigation design, Installation and maintenance. Cleanup and grading services It’s time to repair your lawn. 20% discount on lawn renovations with mention of this ad. Visit the website at: www.goaguafina.com Call (913) 530-7260 or (913) 530-5661. Rodman Lawn Care Lawn mowing, aeration, verticutting, mulching, Hedge trimming, leaf removal, gutter cleaning Fully insured and free estimates John Rodman (913) 548-3002 Clutter getting you down? - Organize, fix, assemble, install! “Kevin of all trades” your professional organizer and “Honey-do” specialist. Call or email me today for a free consultation at (913) 271-5055 or kev@koatindustries.com. Insured. References. Speedy Guzman Moving and delivery Licensed and insured Anytime (816) 935-0176 Professional window cleaner - Residential only, fully insured. Over 40 years experience. Free estimates. Contact Gene Jackson at (913) 593-1495. Quilted memories - Your Kansas City Longarm shop Nolting Longarm machines, quilting supplies and machine quilting services. We specialize in memorial quilts - custom designed memory quilts from your T-shirt collections, photos, baby clothes, college memorabilia, neckties, etc. For information or to schedule a free consultation, call (913) 649-2704. Visit the website at: www.quiltedmemoriesllc.com. The Grounds Guys - The Grounds Guys know that fall is one of the toughest times to keep an immaculate lawn. That is why we are standing by with an array of lawn care services to help: cleanup of fallen leaves and branches, aeration, dethatching, fertilization, mulching, seasonal color and winterization of irrigation systems. Call Brian at (913) 242-1902. Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr.com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer.com. Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress.

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

HOME IMPROVEMENT Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second-generation bricklayer. St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 829-4336. 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. Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided. Call (913) 940-2959. Helping Hand Handy Man - Semi-retired handyman can help with your ‘to do list,’ small and medium projects around your house. Also electrical; ceiling fans, light fixtures, outlet and switches. Most deck and shed repairs, power washing, restaining and painting. No yard work. Member of Prince of Peace, Olathe. Call Mark Coleman at (913) 526-4490. 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!! www.elsolylatierra.com Call Lupe at (816) 935-0176 Rusty Dandy Painting, Inc. – We have been coloring your world for 40 years. Your home will be treated as if it were our own. Old cabinets will be made to look like new. Dingy walls and ceilings will be made beautiful. Woodwork will glow. Lead-certified and insured. Call (913) 341-9125. STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 491-5837 or (913) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. DRC Construction We’ll get the job done right the first time. Windows - Doors - Decks - Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and be glad you did. Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com Local handyman - Painting int. and ext., staining, wood rot, power wash, decks, doors and windows, masonry, hardwood floors, gutter cleaning, water heaters, toilets, faucets, garbage disposals, ceiling fans, mowing and more!! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118. NELSON CREATION’S L.L.C. Home makeovers, kitchen, bath. All interior and exterior remodeling and repairs. Family owned, experienced, licensed and insured. Member St. Joseph, Shawnee. Kirk Nelson. (913) 927-5240; nelsport@everestkc.net Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com. Swalms organizing - downsizing - cleanout service Reduce clutter – Any space organized. Shelving built onsite. Items hauled for recycling and donations. 20 years exp.; insured. Call Tillar at (913) 375-9115. WWW.SWALMS ORGANIZING.COM. HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.com Thank you for another great year - Through your support, my family has been blessed and my business has grown. We do windows, trim, siding, doors, decks, interior and exterior painting, wood rot, bathroom renovations, tile and sheetrock. If you need work done around your home, we can do it. Josh (913) 709-7230.

FOR SALE Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishioners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC) Home for lease - Brick ranch in Lenexa; completely renovated three BR, one BA (marble), granite kitchen. New hardwood floors throughout, full basement, one-

car garage, stainless steel appliances, washer and dryer; lawn care included. $1500/month. Call Matt, Holy Trinity parishioner, at (913) 721-6543. For sale - Double lawn crypt at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa, Garden of Hope section, double lawn crypt, lot 78 C, space 4. Conveyance fee included. $8100. Call Lou at (512) 294-2869.

WANTED TO BUY Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee. Wanted to Buy Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, prints, sterling, etc. Renee Maderak (913) 475-7393 St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee I NEED HOUSES! - We are members of Holy Trinity Parish and we pay cash for any real estate without any realtor commissions or fees. If you would like an easy, no-hassle sale at a fair price, please call me. We have 13 years of experience. Mark Edmondson (913) 980-4905.

REAL ESTATE Whole Estates Need to sell a home and everything in it? We buy it all at once in as-is condition. Call (816) 444-1950 or send an email to:

CAREGIVING Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation for seniors in their home, assisted living or 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, Pat or Gary. Caregiver - Available days or nights, M - F. Can do nursing care, hospice care, housekeeping, cooking or whatever needs to be done. 30 years’ experience. Call Pam at (913) 579-5276. “Dignity and integrity home health care” - Certified CNA. Senior care, respite care, meals cooked, showers, end-of-life care; worked in hospice many years; overnights, Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. 33 years’ experience. Call Sarah at (913) 449-8348. Medication support - Need help filling weekly pill boxes? Need daily medication reminders? We can provide these services in your home with daily or weekly visits. Call to learn about our exciting new medication solutions that allow you to continue living safely at home. Call Home Connect Health at (913) 627- 9222. Looking for assisted living at home? - Before you move, call us and explore our in-home care options. We specialize in helping families live safely at home while saving thousands of dollars per year. Call today for more information or to request a FREE home care planning guide. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www.benefitsofhome.com or call (913) 4221591. CNA - 47-year-old female available to work nights and weekends. Lots of experience, excellent references. Call Kara at (913) 909-6659.

VACATION Branson getaway - Walk-in condo on Pointe Royale Golf Course. Sleeps six. Close to lakes and entertainments. Fully furnished. Pool and hot tub available. No cleaning fee. Nightly rates. Wi-Fi available. Discounts available. Call (913) 515-3044.

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Wagner’s Mud-Jacking Co.

Specializing in Foundation Repairs Mud-jacking and Waterproofing. Serving Lawrence, Topeka and surrounding areas. Topeka (785) 233-3447 Lawrence (785) 749-1696 In business since 1963 www.foundationrepairks.com

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CALENDAR BOW TIES FOR BABIES Grand Street Plaza 4740 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Missouri Oct. 13 at 6 p.m.

The Friends of Alexandra’s House, a place with a program of peer support for perinatal hospice needs, will host a gala called “Bow Ties For Babies” with silent and live auctions and dinner. Tickets are $150 per person. For more information, visit the website at: bow tiesforbabies.com or call (816) 931-5378.

100TH ANNIVERSARY OF FATIMA Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park Oct. 14 at 9 a.m.

evening of prayer, inspiring priests, learning about discernment and a delicious dinner. Parents may attend. There will be a special session with parents of seminarians. There is no cost, but please register by sending an email to: vocation@archkck.org or calling (913) 647-0303.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST Christ the King Parish (Davern Hall) 3024 N. 53rd St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 15 from 8 - 11 a.m.

This Knights of Columbus breakfast will benefit Bishop Ward High School’s Project Grad. There will be pancakes and much more. Come hungry and help the Ward seniors.

There will a rosary procession following the 8:15 a.m. Mass to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fatima.

HOLY NAME DIVAS DINNER Holy Name Parish (cafeteria) 1007 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 14 from 6 - 9 p.m.

There will be a benefit dinner for scholarships to the school and to remodel the church bathroom sponsored by the Holy Name Divas. There will be tacos, tostados and tunes. The cost is $7 per meal. Music will be provided by Stranded in the City.

QUARTER MANIA Christ the King Parish (Yadrich Hall) 5973 S.W. 25th St., Topeka Oct. 14 from 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

This is a fundraiser for Christ the King Early Education Center. You can bid on items from many vendors, including LuLaRoe, 31, Avon, Perfectly Posh and many more. For more information, call (785) 272-2999.

PUBLIC SQUARE ROSARY Lenexa Commons 17101 W. 87th St., Lenexa Oct. 14 at noon

The Legion of Mary group from Holy Trinity Parish is sponsoring this event. The rosary will be prayed in honor of the 100th anniversary of Fatima. There is a public garage for parking.

ROSARY PROCESSION Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish 7023 W. 71st St., Overland Park Oct. 14 at 9 a.m.

There will be a rosary procession following the 8:15 a.m. Mass in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Fatima.

OKTOBERFEST DINNER Church of the Ascension Parish (hall) 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park Oct. 15 from 6 - 8 p.m.

The Knights of Columbus will be hosting a meal of brats, hot dogs, bierocks, red cabbage, sauerkraut and strudel. Soft drinks are included. The cost will be $9.50 for adults ages 12 years and over; $5 for kids ages 5 - 12. Entertainment will be provided by the Alpen Spielers polka band.

DINNER AND CRAFT FAIR Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish - Wea 22779 Metcalf Rd., Bucyrus Oct. 15 from noon - 4 p.m.

A chicken dinner with sides will cost $10 for adults; $5 for kids ages 3 - 12; and families (2 adults and 3 or more children) $40. There will also be bingo, a kids carnival, craft booths, homemade desserts and a quilt raffle.

PROJECT ANDREW Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish 2014 N.W. 46th St., Topeka Oct. 15 from 4 - 7 p.m. Holy Cross School 8101 W. 95th St., Overland Park Oct. 22 from 2 - 5 p.m.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann invites single men ages 16 and over to Project Andrew, an

A Mass with prayers for healing, sponsored by archdiocesan charismatic prayer groups, will be held. Father Richard Storey will preside. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

BEGINNING EXPERIENCE Sanctuary of Hope 2601 Ridge Ave., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 20 - 22

This is a weekend away for those who are widowed, separated and divorced — those who are suffering the loss of a love relationship and feel left out by their church and uneasy around married friends. This weekend offers an opportunity to focus on an experience of positive growth and turn the pain of loss into a new beginning. For more information, go to the website at: beginningexperience.org; or send an email to: register.bekc@gmail.com; or call Lori at (913) 980-7966.

MEMORIAL LITURGY Curé of Ars Parish 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood Oct. 21 at 8 a.m.

FALL BAZAAR St. Theresa Parish 209 3rd St., Perry Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

A turkey and ham dinner with homemade pie for dessert will be served in the parish hall. The cost is $10 for adults; $4 for kids ages 10 and under. Takeout meals will be available. There will be games, a silent auction, bingo, a cakewalk, baked goods and a country store.

SYMPTO-THERMAL METHOD OF NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING St. John the Evangelist School (Room 208) 1208 Kentucky St., Lawrence Classes begins Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. A reasonable course fee is online registration is required or an online class at: ccli.org. or John Rasmussen at (785) more information.

HEALING MASS Curé of Ars Parish (Father Burak Room) 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m.

charged and for this class Call Shannon 749-1015 for

GRIEF SUPPORT WORKSHOP Prince of Peace Parish 16000 W. 143rd St., Olathe Oct. 19 at 7 p.m.

If you have experienced the loss of a loved one and find yourself facing the holidays in the midst of grief, come to “Preparing for the Holidays in the Midst of Grief: A Grief Support Workshop.” To register, call Brent Doster at (913) 433-2058.

CORPUS CHRISTI DAY OF FUN Corpus Christi Parish 6001 Bob Billings Pkwy., Lawrence Oct. 14 at noon

There will be a beer garden along with hotdogs, brats and other food. The cost to enter this area is $20 for food and drink. There will also be other foods available for sampling, a classic car show, a raffle and many other things to make this a fun day. All proceeds benefit the music ministry program.

ROSARY RALLY St. Andrew Parish 6415 N.E. Antioch, Gladstone, Missouri Oct. 15 from 3 - 4:15 p.m.

We will pray the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the rosary. Benediction will follow, as well as an opportunity for attendees to enroll in the brown scapular. For more information, visit the website at: www. rosaryrallieskc.org.

‘GOSPEL NONVIOLENCE’ Keeler Women’s Center 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 17 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Experience the message of nonviolence that has been preached by Jesus and wise people through the ages.

There will be a memorial liturgy for deceased loved ones followed by a grief support meeting in the Father Burak Room. The topic will be: “Coping with Grief and the Holidays.” For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

STEAK DINNER AND BINGO St. Patrick Parish (center) 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 21 at 6 p.m.

The Green Club is hosting this event. Tickets cost $15 for a 10 oz. steak and sides, desserts and drink. Bingo starts at 7 p.m. and costs $1 per card with 3 boards on each card. Call Fritz Vertz at (913) 515-0621 to reserve tickets or purchase in advance.

OKTOBERFEST DINNER St. Mary-St. Anthony (Bishop Forst Hall) 615 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 21 at 4 p.m.

The cost for dinner tickets is: $10 in advance; $12 at the door; and $3 for kids. Roast pork and sides will be served. 250 dinners will be served. To assure being served, purchase tickets in advance. To purchase tickets, call Carol Shomin at (913) 897-4833; the parish office at (913) 371-1408; or visit Theresa’s Hair Salon at 508 N. 6th, Kansas City, Kansas.

OCTOBERFEST SINGLES DANCE Curé of Ars School (cafeteria) 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood Oct. 21 from 7:30 - 11 p.m.

The cost of $20 at the door includes hors d’oeuvres, snacks, desserts, wine, beer, soda and water. Drive around to the lighted parking behind the school. For more information, call (913) 649-5770.

30TH TWINNING CELEBRATION Good Shepherd Parish 12800 W. 75th St., Shawnee Oct. 22 from 12:15 - 4 p.m.

The celebration will begin with a bilingual Mass with La Comunidad de El Buen Pastor. Following Mass, a lunch will be served. There is no charge to attend.

DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLA, LITTLE FLOWER CIRCLE 503 Christ the King Parish (Yadrich Hall) 5973 S.W. 25th St., Topeka Oct. 22 at 12:30 p.m.

There will be a covered dish luncheon and installation of officers. A reception will follow. If you know of a member or one of their family members in need of prayer, contact Theresa Smith-Lawton at (785) 640-1403. If you are interested in or would like more information about the Daughters of Isabella, call Marilyn Unrein at (785) 230-8448 or Cindy Keen at (785) 228-9863.

FALL DINNER AND BAZAAR St. Philip Neri Parish Osawatomie City Auditorium 425 Main St., Osawatomie Oct. 22 from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The cost for a dinner of homemade chicken and noodles with sides and desserts is: $10 for adults; $5 for kids ages 6 - 12; and free for kids 5 and under. There will also be live and silent auctions, a country store and children’s games.

FALL FESTIVAL St. Matthew Parish 2700 S.E. Virginia, Topeka Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The cost for a dinner of turkey and sides is: $9 for adults; $4 for kids under the age of 10; or free with the donation of two nonperishable food items for the parish food pantry. There will also be games for all ages, inflatables and laser tag. For more information, call the parish office at (785) 232-5012.

NATIVITY HOUSE BABIES BEER AND BBQ 2017 Boulevard Brewery 2501 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri Oct. 23 from 6 - 9 p.m.

This is a fun night to support Nativity House, a maternity shelter based on Catholic tradition. Tickets and table sponsorship opportunities are available online at: www.picatic. com/nhkcbbb2017.

ANNIE KARTO IN CONCERT Church of the Ascension 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park Oct. 24 at 7 p.m.

Annie Karto is a nationally known Catholic singer who has won two Catholic music awards, as well as receiving two apostolic blessings for her song, “You Are A Priest Forever.” The suggested donation is a freewill offering.

‘LECTIO DIVINA WITH THE SCRIPTURES’ Sophia Spirituality Center 751 S. 8th St., Atchison Oct. 26 from 10:30 - 11:45 a.m. Share in the traditional monastic practice of guided reading, listening, reflecting and responding to the word of God in the Scriptures. No charge; donations will be accepted. For more information or to register, call (913) 360-6173 or go online to: www.sophia spiritualitycenter.org.

RESPITE CARE PROGRAM Holy Cross School 8101 W. 95th St., Overland Park Oct. 28 from 4 - 8 p.m.

Respite care provides the gift of time away from caregiving for families who have a child with a disability. The program is designed for children between the ages of 6 and 18. For exceptions to the age range, call Tom Racunas at (913) 647-3054 or send an email to: tracunas@archkck.org. Volunteers are needed to be a respite buddy to a child with a disability. To register a child for the program or to volunteer, go to the website at: www.archkck.org/special-needs and complete the online form.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS

DEADLINE: Noon, Thursday, 10 days before the desired publication date. INCLUDE: time and date of event; street address; description of event. SEND TO: beth.blankenship@theleaven.org.

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

COMMENTARY

Donate at the speed of life

TWENTY-EIGHTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Oct. 15 TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Is 25: 6-10a Ps 23: 1-6 Phil 4: 12-14, 19-20 Mt 22: 1-14 Oct. 16 Hedwig, religious; Margaret Mary Alacoque, virgin Rom 1: 1-7 Ps 98: 1-4 Lk 11: 29-32 Oct. 17 Ignatius of Antioch, bishop, martyr Rom 1: 16-25 Ps 19: 2-5 Lk 11: 37-41 Oct. 18 LUKE, EVANGELIST 2 Tm 4: 10-17b Ps 145: 10-13, 17-18 Lk 10: 1-9 Oct. 19 John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, priests, and companions, martyrs Rom 3: 21-30 Ps 130: 1-6 Lk 11: 47-54 Oct. 20 Paul of the Cross, priest Rom 4: 1-8 Ps 32: 1-2, 5, 11 Lk 12: 1-7 Oct. 21 Saturday Rom 4: 13, 16-18 Ps 105: 6-9, 42-43 Lk 12: 8-12

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t wouldn’t be an official Lent for me without the Rice Bowl. Dutifully, I assemble that little cardboard bowl from Catholic Relief Services and put it on my kitchen table. Then, I proceed to cheat the poor. Don’t get me wrong, I do put money into the bowl. But nowhere near as much as I’m capable of contributing. Sadly, I resemble the guy in this story: A man once approached Peter Marshall, the former chaplain of the U.S. Senate, and said, “I have a problem. I’ve been tithing for some time. It wasn’t too bad when I was making $20,000 a year; I could afford to give up $2,000. But now that I’m making $500,000, there’s no way I can afford to give away $50,000 a year.” Marshall replied, “Yes, sir. I see that you have a problem. I think we ought to pray about it. Is that all right?” After the man agreed, Marshall bowed his head and prayed, “Dear Lord, this man has a problem,

MARK MY WORDS

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

and I pray that you will help him. Please reduce his salary back to the place where he can afford to tithe.” (Found in “1001 Illustrations That Connect,” edited by Craig Brian Larson and Phyllis Ten Elshof.) Whoa! Why is it that the more we’re blessed by the Lord, the stingier we become? We don’t usually think twice about spending freely on something we want for ourselves, yet only reluctantly and “frugally” do

we reach out to relieve the pressing needs of others. The good news is we don’t have to wait until Lent to change our ways. We have an opportunity to become more generous stewards in just a week, when we celebrate World Mission Sunday in our parishes. But Pope Francis knows that, as Christians, we can’t limit our generosity to just one Sunday in church. That’s why he’s making it easy to remember the poor, no matter where we find ourselves. (The pope is sneaky that way.) Pope Francis realizes that most of us in the First World are glued to our smartphones

and tablets. So, why not make use of this incredible technology to effortlessly do good for those not so fortunate in terms of food, water, education or health care? Since you’ve probably got your digital device nearby, head over to page 8 of this issue and follow the instructions to scan that photo of Pope Francis. Then prepare to be amazed at all the opportunities now at your fingertips to help people from Puerto Rico to South Sudan to the Philippines. Each project shown there, sponsored by the Pontifical Mission Societies, includes pictures, a detailed description and a monetary goal. Best of all, there’s a button where you can donate immediately (before you change your mind). For example, I found a project to bring clean water to a parish in Nyeri, Kenya. I actually stayed in that town for a few days back in 1980 when I arrived in Africa to work for a summer as a deacon. How could I not contribute to building a new well to

bring safe water to that community? After pushing the “Donate Now” button, I set up an account in just a couple of minutes, plugged in my credit card info and zap! — $25 was on its way to this project instantaneously. Just for “fun,” try out this no-sweat, online giving to the missions. Start small (so you don’t give yourself a heart attack by being too generous all at once). The next time you’re out to eat, for example, go ahead and enjoy a glass of wine. Then, once it arrives, send a corresponding amount of money to the missions. Or maybe forego an appetizer or a dessert and instead zap that amount via your smartphone. It won’t be rude to do it right there at the table. Your dining partners will forgive you . . . and maybe you can coax a donation out of them as well. That’s probably why the pope is smiling on page 8: He knows that donating at the speed of life will do a world of good.

Wedding banquet parable invites us as well

unday’s Gospel reading, Mt 22:1-14, overflows with extremes. We hear the parable about a king who issues invitations to his son’s wedding and how people respond to the invitation. And it’s quite shocking. It’s one thing to decline an invitation, but quite another to kill the messenger who brings the invitation: “Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them and killed them.” Similarly, we can understand why the king whose messengers were killed would be angry. But why destroy the entire city where the killers lived?

THE GOSPEL TRUTH

FATHER MIKE STUBBS Father Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.

“The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.” It looks a bit extreme.

POPE FRANCIS

Politics as service to the common good and the need to create spaces where citizens and migrants can meet and overcome fear were topics Pope Francis repeatedly returned to Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Arriving in Bologna mid-morning Oct. 1, Pope Francis went directly to the “Regional Hub,” a government-run processing center

And finally, the guest who shows up to the wedding inappropriately dressed is not only escorted out, but is hogtied: “Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” Is that any way to react? These extreme measures certainly catch our attention. And that

is part of their purpose. They exaggerate in order to make a point. This hyperbole follows the general approach of Matthew’s Gospel. It frequently ratchets the level up to make the narrative more dramatic, more intense. Compare it to Luke’s Gospel, which tells the same parable, but in a much lower key. There, no messengers are killed, no city burned, no inappropriately dressed guest thrown out. And the person issuing the invitation to the banquet is not even a king, but only a householder. The banquet is not specified as the son’s wedding feast, but only as a great banquet (Lk 14:16-24). Matthew paints a more colorful, dramatic picture to emphasize his point. This invitation

for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. He was given, and wore, a yellow ID bracelet with his name and a number, just like the migrants and refugees there wear. Just four days after he kicked off Caritas Internationalis’ “Share the Journey” campaign to encourage Catholics to meet a migrant or refugee and listen to his or her story. Pope Francis told the 1,000 people at the hub, “Many people don’t know you and

is really important, a matter of life and death. The various details added by Matthew also lend themselves to allegorical interpretation. For example, we can identify the king’s son with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The city destroyed by the king because of its rejection of his invitation can correspond to the city of Jerusalem, which rejected Jesus and was later destroyed by the Roman army in the year 70. The guest who lacks a wedding garment corresponds to the Christian who initially accepts the invitation to follow Christ, but then fails to follow through in his manner of life. The parable ends with us asking ourselves the question: How will we respond to the invitation?

they’re afraid.” The fear “makes them feel they have the right to judge and to do so harshly and coldly, thinking they see clearly,” the pope said. “But it’s not true. One sees well only up close, which gives mercy. From far away, we can say and think anything, like easily happens when they write terrible phrases and insults on the internet,” the pope added. — CNS

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

COMMENTARY

Catholic Charities partnerships help kids learn how to help kids

“T

his hand is just like mine,” exclaimed a sixth-grader at St. Michael the Archangel School in Leawood. “So is this one!” echoed a classmate. On the wall in the school gymnasium hung a poster filled with colorful handprints from an activity done by children who had received a meal at one of our Kids Summer Food sites. Moments earlier, Meg McLaughlin, Catholic Charities outreach coordinator, had asked the students of St. Michael to match their hands with those on the poster. It’s debatable whether what they noticed

INSIDE CATHOLIC CHARITIES

KEN WILLIAMS Ken Williams is the executive director of Catholic Charities.

was as powerful as what they didn’t notice. They observed the hands were the same general size and shape as their

own. They didn’t differentiate race or religion or socio- economic status. The hands were all alike; they were all neighbors. So, it surprised the students that the poster hands also belonged to neighborsin-need. At Catholic Charities, our outreach and advocacy

team works together with parishes, schools and our community to introduce and incorporate social teachings into their organizations. We are invited to collaborate within our community to provide resources to help others live this out in their daily lives. We provide individuals the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus through lesson planning, service learning, and small and large group presentations. We are able to interlace classroom topics into hands-on service projects, whether that’s collecting food for the hungry at one of our emergency assistance centers, donating and sorting clothing for our

TurnStyles thrift stores, or welcoming the stranger through our refugee program, among many other ministries. While the visibility and outreach to all areas is gratifying, being able to step inside a classroom or visit with a youth group to share the significance of helping our fellow neighbor is particularly rewarding— especially when it’s kids helping kids. We are blessed to afford youth an avenue where the act of serving others can be put into practice outside the classroom. This summer, area children volunteered over 1,200 hours at our Kids Summer Food Program, experiencing

firsthand how to live out a corporal work of mercy by feeding the hungry. Research shows that children who are involved in service activities perform better academically, have increased self-esteem and are less likely to engage in destructive behaviors. It also helps to develop an increased sense of social responsibility and a heart for “giving back” and helping others. We’re prompted in the Book of Proverbs to train a child in the way he should go, so that when he is old, he won’t depart from it. At Catholic Charities, we are grateful to partner with the parents, teachers and youth leaders who are doing just that.

Support new anti-pornography efforts with your prayers

here are several exciting updates we have been working on, including a new infographic to protect Catholic children from pornography, two large events with Christopher West in February and a workshop in November for sexual integrity. We have developed a new infographic on three effective ways that Catholic parishes and schools can protect children from the dangers of pornography and sexual abuse. The infographic includes a survey published in IntegrityRestored. com’s 2017 “Informed” workbook, indicating that 70 percent of students

PROTECTING FAMILIES FROM PORNOGRAPHY

SAM MEIER Sam Meier is the consultant for the My House Initiative. For more information about protecting families from pornography visit: www. archkck.org/myhouse

at a Catholic high school reported viewing pornography multiple times per

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week or more. The infographic has three action steps for Catholic parishes and schools, including having all K-12th-grade parents watch the CMGParent.org video on pornography and sexting, distributing the book “Wonderfully Made Babies” to the parents

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of all fourth-graders and distributing the book “Good Pictures Bad Pictures” to the parents of all second-graders. The infographic also includes several other great resources for parents including CovenantEyes. com software, the book “Every Parent’s Battle” by Dan Spencer and Fight TheNewDrug.org. West, a bestselling author and popular speaker, will offer a presentation with Mike Mangione on Feb. 2 in Topeka and on Feb. 3 in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. The Feb. 2 event in Topeka is open to adults and teens over 15, and will be in the Beultel Activity Center gym at Hayden High School. The Topeka event will

be similar to West’s and Mangione’s dynamic event several years ago at Johnson County Community College with live music, art and stories that tap the deepest desires of the human heart. On Feb. 3, West and Mangione will give a keynote presentation at the Men of Valor conference hosted at Abundant Life in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. These will be wonderful opportunities to hear West offer a vision of the Gospel through the lens of St. John Paul II’s theology of the body. Personally, theology of the body has had a profoundly positive impact on my marriage, and the marriages of

many men and couples I have worked with in the counseling office over the years. On Nov. 9-11, we will have our next My House workshop at Savior Pastoral Center for men healing from sexual struggles, porn addiction, broken trust, infidelity, etc. This threeday workshop features national experts Dr. Todd Bowman and Father Sean Kilcawley. Most of the men who have come to these workshops are in their 40s to 60s, and have shared feedback about their experiences of hope and healing. Please say a prayer for these new resources and upcoming events!

OCTOBER 13, 2017 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

ON THE FRONT LINES Pregnancy clinics help women through unplanned pregnancies By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Ashley was young, single, troubled and pregnant. She already had two children and a host of problems. Grasping at any sort of help she could get, Ashley went to the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic, located at 3021 N. 54th St. in Kansas City, Kansas, and listened to what the counselors had to say. “These people are really nice, but I’m never coming back,” Ashley told WPC executive director Mary Mason later. “I’ve got to have an abortion.” Ashley made an appointment and went to a Kansas City area abortion clinic. It was something she’d done twice before. “She was on the table,” said Mason. “For some reason — like a miracle — the tech who was with her said ‘Do you want to hear the [baby’s] heartbeat?’” Ashley said yes. “She heard the heartbeat and immediately remembered some of the things said to her here [at WPC],” said Mason. “She got up and said, ‘I am not doing this.’” The abortion clinic personnel did not want to give back her driver’s license. They wanted her to pay. But Ashley grabbed her license and ran out of the clinic. And then she went back to WPC. Months later, with the support of WPC, Ashley gave birth to a beautiful, red-haired boy. “She adores him,” said Mason. “It pains her deeply to think that she would ever have not allowed him to live. It was her encounter here that gave her the courage to flee that place.” The story of Ashley and her son is just one of the many happy outcomes of what could have been a tragedy, thanks to the work of pregnancy help organizations.

A growing movement Pregnancy help organizations — once referred to as “crisis pregnancy centers” — were first launched in the late 1960s as abortion advocates began to work to legalize unrestricted abortion. The work of the pregnancy help organizations became all the more urgent after the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton abortion rulings. As abortion clinics popped up all over the nation, small numbers of church-supported volunteers pioneered the movement to offer lifeaffirming alternatives. “It’s interesting that, at one time, the ratio of abortion clinics to pregnancy help clinics was four to one,” said Ron Kelsey, WPC board treasurer and steering committee chairman of the nascent Olathe Pregnancy Clinic. “But now, with the advances of the pro-life movement over the decades, that’s reversed,” he continued. “There are now about 650 abortion clinics in the United States and about 2,500-plus pregnancy help clinics.” An online search of “pregnancy resource centers” or the older term “crisis pregnancy centers” revealed

LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE BOLLIG

Mary Mason, executive director of the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic in Kansas City, Kansas, stands in front of a wall of women and children the clinic has helped over the years. Although the first were founded in the late 1960s, pregnancy clinics now number more than 2,500 throughout the United States.

“

“IT’S INTERESTING THAT, AT ONE TIME, THE RATIO OF ABORTION CLINICS TO PREGNANCY HELP CLINICS WAS FOUR TO ONE. BUT NOW, WITH THE ADVANCES OF THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT OVER THE DECADES, THAT’S REVERSED.” that some sort of pregnancy help organization exists in most of the large and medium-sized cities and towns of Kansas. But not all pregnancy help organizations are the same. Some offer testing for sexually transmitted diseases and sonograms, and some don’t. Some have medical directors, and some don’t. They may differ in the ways they do pregnancy testing, or what kind of classes and mentoring they offer. Although the terms “clinic” and “center” are used somewhat interchangeably, clinics offer medical services and have medical directors or nurses, while centers may not. “I like to say that we all have our own little flavor and culture,” said Ruth Tisdale, executive director of the Advice & Aid Pregnancy Centers, located at 10901 Granada Lane in Overland Park and 11644 W. 75th St. in Shawnee. “We have some similarities in the services we offer, but each clinic is run differently and has distinct philosophies.” Despite the variety of centers and

clinics, they have the same mission: to help women who are in crisis because they have an unplanned pregnancy. “In a classic sense, a pregnancy help organization exists to offer women an alternative to abortion, to give ‘feet’ to the Gospel and actions to the words that ‘life is precious from conception to natural death,’” said Mason. “It’s not enough for us to say ‘abortion is wrong, it’s a sin; don’t do it,’” without offering a hand of help that translates into something real.” “We exist to help moms choose life, and to help families be built up instead of being torn down.”

From the beginning and onward Churches are the main support for pregnancy help organizations, said Kelsey. They provide most of the funding and volunteers. Most of the centers and clinics, however, are 501(c)(3) notfor-profit organizations. “Everything we do is through donations,” said Mason. “We do get a small grant through the state of Kansas that allows us to have a full-time social worker on staff. I don’t know many clinics that have a social worker on staff, but we do. It’s called the Pregnancy Maintenance Initiative.” Although the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic is housed in a former convent and was initiated in 2007 by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, its support and operations are ecumenical Christian. “We are not under the auspices of the archdiocese or the Catholic Church, but it was [Archbishop Naumann’s] initiative because he saw a void in services in Wyandotte County,” said Mason. “It’s Catholic in its roots and ecumenical in its reach.” The Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic, like Advice & Aid and many other

pregnancy help organizations, has a philosophy of accompaniment and mentoring for the women who seek its help. This means offering help all through the women’s pregnancies and their baby’s infancy. “We want to connect with the mothers relationally,” said Mason. The services and material items they offer — clothes, cribs, diapers and more — are free, although women can earn “points” through participation in education programs that they can “spend” at on-site baby boutiques or supply closets. “Our clinic gave away $160,000 worth of material aid last year,” said Mason. Are the pregnancy help organizations making a difference? Definitely. Advice & Aid Pregnancy Centers served about 550 clients, with 102 babies born in 2016. And since the WPC opened in January 2007, abortions for Wyandotte County residents dropped from 749 in 2006 to 365 in 2015. Despite the good work of existing pregnancy help organizations, the need is still acute — especially in fast-growing areas like Johnson County. That’s why Kelsey is leading efforts to establish the new Olathe Pregnancy Center. They’re in the early stages of a $500,000 capital campaign, and he hopes they can raise the funds and find a location for the clinic to be up and running by the later half of 2018. When a site is found, the Mobile Pregnancy Clinic affiliated with WPC and OPC will be at or near the Olathe site. For information, go online to: www.babiesatrisk.org. And of course, all the pregnancy help organizations need donations of funds, volunteers, material donations, fundraising participation, word-ofmouth promotion and prayer.