THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 43, NO. 11 | OCTOBER 15, 2021
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
Cindy Willich, who works as a sonographer at the Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic in Kansas City, Kansas, retrieves some information while Donna Kelsey, the clinic’s volunteer executive director, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann look on. The demonstration followed the blessing of the 4D ultrasound machine on Oct. 9, which was a gift of the Knights of Columbus and is the 24th such machine donated by the organization to a pregnancy resource center in Kansas.
4D imaging brings Respect Life Month mission into focus “ BY OUR EFFORTS TO OBSERVE GOD’S WORK OF CREATION, “
By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The feeling never gets old, at least not for Cindy Willich at the Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic here. As the clinic’s sonographer, Willich performs ultrasounds on women facing difficult pregnancies. It’s work she has done at other clinics, too. She never tires of seeing the reactions of women as they get their first glimpses of their babies in utero — especially those who are considering abortion, but after seeing the baby on-screen, change their minds and choose life. Willich was among those on hand
ESPECIALLY THROUGH THIS ULTRASOUND MACHINE . . . WE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE ‘CULTURE OF LIFE.’ ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN
Oct. 9 to witness the blessing of the clinic’s 4D ultrasound. The machine, a gift of the Knights of Columbus, arrived at the clinic on Sept. 14 and is the 24th one donated by the organization to pregnancy clinics within the state of Kansas. The Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic
opened July 1, 2020, and was dedicated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann on Aug. 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Located at 721 N. 31st St. in Kansas City, Kansas, the clinic occupies four rooms on the second floor of the Mercy and Truth Medical Missions building.
The new ultrasound machine, which has already saved at least four children from abortion since its arrival on Sept. 14, sits within the Julie Francis Brown Ultrasound Room, named after one of the state’s earliest grassroots prolife activists. Brown’s involvement in the pro-life movement began in 1973, not long after the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its famous ruling in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, which legalized abortion in the United States for almost any reason. The building is one of two operated by Mercy and Truth Medical Missions, an organization founded in 1995 to serve the underserved and uninsured >> See “PREGNANCY” on page 7
Father O’Sullivan dies
World Mission Sunday
Father Peter O’Sullivan died on Oct. 9 after battling an illness. He was serving as pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Paola. An obituary will appear in the next issue of The Leaven.
World Mission Sunday will be on Oct. 24 this year. Read about the missions and how you can help. Pages 8-9
2
T
ARCHBISHOP
OCTOBER 15, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Synodality is listening to the Lord speak through one another
his past Sunday (Oct. 10), Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the beginning of the preparations for a Synod of Bishops on Synodality scheduled to be held in October 2023. The actual title for the synod is: “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission.” Every bishop in the world has been asked to kick off the synodal process in his diocese this Sunday, Oct. 17. By next spring, each diocese will provide a report, 10 pages or less, to its national conference of bishops, describing the synodal process in its local churches, as well as sharing the knowledge and insights gained. Each national conference of bishops will summarize the fruit of the synodal process in its country. Summaries of all these reports from the national conferences will be provided to the Holy Father as well as to the synod delegates. Due to prior speaking commitments on Oct. 17, our archdiocese will initiate the synodal process on Sunday, Oct. 24, with a 10 a.m. Mass that I will celebrate at the Cathedral of St. Peter. All are welcome to join me at the cathedral on Oct. 24. If you have persevered this far, you may be asking: What is a synod? A synod is a worldwide gathering of bishops. Not every bishop is invited to
LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN participate in a synod, but every national conference of bishops has delegates who participate in the synod. Synods are designed to assist the pope in reflecting upon what the Holy Father considers to be some of the most important and consequential issues confronting the church at a given moment. Trusting the Holy Spirit is speaking through the delegates, the synod helps the Holy Father discern the path forward for addressing the challenges confronting the church. The next question might be: What in the world is synodality? In launching the church, Jesus sent his disciples on a journey to proclaim the Gospel to the entire world and in the process to make disciples. The church is not a personality cult that is dependent on charismatic individuals, but is a family of believers journeying together. Synodality is an understanding that
the church is intended to be collaborative and collegial, as opposed to a collection of lone rangers. Synodality communicates an understanding of the church’s identity as disciples journeying together, striving to follow Jesus along a path illuminated by the Holy Spirit. Synodality is a listening attitude that expects to discover the Lord’s will for the church as we listen to Our Lord speaking through one another. Through the synodal process for our archdiocese, we will discover and affirm the many ways in which we are already living synodality. I am fortunate to have many consultative groups that advise and assist me with my responsibilities of leading the church in northeast Kansas. I meet a couple times a month with my administrative team that consists of our vicars general, moderator of the curia, and the lay leaders of our largest departments and critical ministries — e.g., our chief financial officer, superintendent of schools, stewardship and development
director, president and CEO of Catholic Charities, and director of evangelization. I also meet several times a year with our archdiocesan finance council, our priests council, our pastoral council (composed of lay representatives from each region of the archdiocese), the board of the Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas, the archdiocesan envisioning team, the curia (the heads of all our archdiocesan offices), our ethics council, the Catholic Education Foundation, etc. Thankfully, I do not exercise my leadership of the church in northeast Kansas in a vacuum but with the support, collaboration and guidance of many faith-filled, holy and smart individuals Pope Francis throughout his pontificate has urged the church to reach out to those on the peripheries. The Synod on Synodality is an opportunity to do that in a much more intentional way. The pope is urging us to go beyond the usual suspects and to reach out to those on the margins. At the same time, Pope Francis has been quite clear that a synod is not the same as a parliament. Synodality does not mean that we will be voting on the doctrinal and moral teachings of the church. The leader of the synod is not any or all of the bishop delegates. The leader of the synod is the Holy
ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN’S CALENDAR Oct. 17 Respect Life convention (keynote speaker) — Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis Our Lady of Guadalupe for Life Mass and dinner — Orlando’s Event Center, St. Louis Oct. 18 Confirmation — Immaculate Conception, Louisburg Oct. 19 Priest Personnel meeting — chancery Administrative Team meeting — chancery Oct. 20 Eucharistic Adoration — St. Thomas Aquinas Meeting of the Curia — Savior Pastoral Center Jesus Covenant Prayer Partner meeting Oct. 21 Kenrick Formation Committee meeting — Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, St. Louis Kenrick board meeting — Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, St. Louis Oct. 22 Eucharistic Revival bishop’s advisory board meeting Oct. 23 Gaudeamus — Overland Park Convention Center Oct. 24 Kickoff Mass for Synod on Synodality — Cathedral of St. Peter, Kansas City, Kansas Mass of Innocents — Holy Spirit, Overland Park Oct. 25 “Shepherd’s Voice” recording — chancery
Spirit to whom we entrust the guidance of the process. A synod is not an effort to discern the will of the people, but the will of God. I am confident the Holy Spirit will give us new insights through the synodal process. In the coming months, you will be hearing more about synodality.
Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide this process for the archdiocese and the universal church. Let us discover how the Holy Spirit wants us to encounter Jesus as we journey together proclaiming his Gospel to a world that needs desperately its truth, hope and joy.
LOCAL NEWS
OCTOBER 15, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG
3
P.R.A.Y. TO THE RESCUE
Organization saves children’s lives in Brazil, Africa
By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
How to help
W
AMEGO — Every child who comes into the care of P.R.A.Y. has a story, and there are so many to tell. Sister Magdalena of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, PJC, will never forget the story of Patricia, who was born in Jacunda in the state of Para, in the Amazon region of Brazil. Children’s services in the city received a report of an abused and neglected child. When the authorities investigated, they found a traumatized, bruised 8-year-old girl chained in a man’s yard. No one knew how long she had been there, her name or who her parents were. There was no one to take the child, except for P.R.A.Y. — Project Rescue of Amazon Youth. “When she got [to P.R.A.Y.], she was very fearful and wouldn’t speak,” said Sister Magdalena. “It took her two months to be able to speak. She now has become a wonderful young woman.” Since its founding in 1997, P.R.A.Y. has saved the lives of abandoned, abused and neglected children in Para, Brazil. In recent years, P.R.A.Y. has partnered with the Brazilian-based religious order the Fraternity the Poor of Jesus Christ, to which Sister Magdalena belongs, to help children and families in Pemba, a city in the African nation of Mozambique. There, they help rehabilitate children discharged from a hospital and provide nutritional aid. But it all began with a three-woman prayer group in Wamego. Maria Kientz is one of the founders of P.R.A.Y. and a member of its board of directors. She is a Brazilian who came to the United States in 1989 and became a citizen. She and two of her friends — Jeannie Dieball (now deceased) and Sally Savery (now Sister Magdalena) — would get together three times a week to P.R.A.Y. “From that prayer group, Sally (Sister Magdalena) wanted very badly to go to Brazil with me,” said Kientz. Savery went to see the Amazon rain forest. But when she got to Brazil, she saw instead the heartbreaking situations of poor, abused
For information about the work of P.R.A.Y., send an email to Sister Magadalena at: Magdalenapjc@gmail. com. Donations to P.R.A.Y. can be sent to: P.R.A.Y. c/o Brenda Patterson, treasurer, 601 Elm St., Wamego, KS 66547.
COURTESY PHOTO
Sister Hadassa, PJC, watches over two children in Pemba, a city in the African nation of Mozambique. P.R.A.Y. — Project Rescue of Amazon Youth — was founded in 1997 and has saved the lives of abandoned, abused and neglected children in Para, Brazil. In Mozambique they help rehabilitate children discharged from a hospital and provide nutritional aid. and neglected children who had no one to help them. “She felt that desire [to do something for children],” said Kientz. “She felt that desire immediately. So, I was very surprised when I came home, and she wanted to stay. “I was very worried leaving
her in Brazil. So, I left her with friends because she did not speak the language. She wanted to know more about the people and the language. . . . By the time she came back, she was ready for us to start to think about what we wanted to do.” So, the little three-woman
President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann
Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 7215276; or email at: sub@theleaven.org. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.
Production Manager Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org
prayer group prayed, planned and gathered support. They founded P.R.A.Y. as a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit charity and began to raise finds. They garnered support from individuals and an interdenominational coalition of a Presbyterian church, independent
Editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org
Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
Christian congregations and St. Bernard Parish in Wamego. There is no end to the tragic situations P.R.A.Y. deals with. “They’re very dirty, malnourished, sometimes on the brink of death,” said Sister Magdalena of the children P.R.A.Y. receives. “They’re very much neglected and abused.” In one instance, a 5-yearold girl was taking care of her 1-year-old brother because their alcoholic mother frequently abandoned them for long periods of time. In another situation, a woman found a baby that had been abandoned on a trash pile near a river. If the woman hadn’t felt a powerful impulse to go out in the rain that night, the baby would have died. In still another situation, four girls were left orphans after their father murdered their mother. He went to prison — but no one wanted the girls. Except for P.R.A.Y. It’s especially difficult to place children 13 years and older, so the girls become foster children in the households of P.R.A.Y. families, relatives of Kientz, in Tocantinopolis in the nearby state of Tocantins. The social safety net has been improved since P.R.A.Y. was founded. The county government has established a health post, with a doctor and a dentist, at the children’s shelter in Jacunda. The towns offer more support, too, through social workers. Right now, P.R.A.Y. needs more funds to pay for medications, food, a new water well and van repairs. Although the needs continue, support for P.R.A.Y. has declined. “We’ve lost donors,” explained Sister Magdalena. “The people on the board have been there for a very long time. It’s been difficult to >> See “P.R.A.Y” on page 5
Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org
Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org
Social Media Editor/Reporter Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
4
LOCAL NEWS
OCTOBER 15, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Rookie teachers grateful for their Catholic school educations By Jan Dixon Special to The Leaven
L
EAWOOD — They spent nine years of their lives learning together at Church of the Nativity School
LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE
Isabel Burnett, a math teacher at Ascension School in Overland Park, helps seventh graders Elizabeth Schultz and Mannie Fasching with their classwork.
COURTESY PHOTO
Bridget Koeppen attended Church of the Nativity School in Leawood and now teaches at Holy Cross School in Overland Park.
COURTESY PHOTO
Natalie Hagedorn graduated from the University of Kansas in Lawrence and now teaches at Curé of Ars School in Leawood.
“
here. Now, three young women have taken up the torch as teachers in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Bridget Koeppen attended Nativity, Notre Dame de Sion High School in Kansas City, Missouri, and the University of Kansas in Lawrence. During her student teaching experience at Holy Cross School in Overland Park, Koeppen fell in love with the idea of teaching in a Catholic school. “I wanted to be a teacher because of my teachers at Nativity,” she said. “After attending Catholic school all through elementary and high school and then student teaching in one, I could not imagine teaching without talking about God and praying with students.” And that is exactly what she does every day with her Holy Cross sixth, seventh and eighth graders. Isabel Burnett attended Nativity, St. Teresa’s Academy in Kansas City, Missouri, and the University of Missouri in Columbia. She always knew she wanted to be a teacher. But being a math teacher was not on her radar until her middle school years. “Mr. Bill Powers made math fun and understandable, and I wanted to be a teacher just like him,” said Burnett. “And that started me on an advanced math track through high school and college.” Upon completion of a secondary math degree, Burnett chose to teach at Church of the Ascension School in Overland Park. “Catholic school was a big part of my education,” she said. “I liked having religion integrated into all subjects. Teaching in a Catholic school was an easy choice for me.” Natalie Hagedorn attended Nativity and Notre Dame de Sion. She always enjoyed working with young children, and during high school, she participated in community service and volunteer opportunities. It was while helping in a multi-aged classroom at Operation Breakthrough that her interest in teaching grew. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Kansas and accepted a fourthgrade teaching position at Curé of Ars School in Leawood. “The Catholic faith has always been a big part of my life,” said Hagedorn. “Teaching in a Catholic school in the archdiocese was the best way for me to continue to grow in my faith.” The team of middle school teachers that inspired Burnett, Hagedorn and Koeppen to become Catholic school
“ I WANTED TO BE A TEACHER BECAUSE OF MY TEACHERS AT NATIVITY. I COULD NOT IMAGINE TEACHING WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT GOD AND PRAYING WITH STUDENTS. BRIDGET KOEPPEN TEACHER AT HOLY CROSS SCHOOL, OVERLAND PARK
teachers has been together at Nativity for many years. “We have always tried to treat our middle school students as young adults, giving them a
voice and respect,” said Stephanie Fournier, language arts teacher at Nativity. “We have given them options and opportunities to prepare them to be
lifelong learners.” Nativity’s faculty fostered a caring community where their students made connections and felt a sense of belonging. “After going to school every day together for nine years, we really knew each other very well,” said Burnett. “That was important for me.” During their years as students in Catholic schools, these first-year teachers developed deep roots in their faith. Now, they teach in Catholic schools out of love for their students, the church and the Lord. They don’t teach because their students are Catholic —
they teach because they are Catholic. Witnessing the growth of her students’ faith at Holy Cross strengthens Koeppen’s own faith and motivates her to share it even more. Teaching math and building a faith-filled classroom of Ascension students inspires Burnett to want to be a model of faith. Being part of the faithful community at Curé of Ars School sparks excitement in Hagedorn about her Catholic identity. At Nativity, these students grew in faith because they were taught by passionate teachers. They learned how to achieve and live for others. Now they, as Catholic school teachers in the archdiocese, will inspire another generation of students to do the same.
OCTOBER 15, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
5 Joyce and Darrel Kreutzer, members of Our Lady of Unity Parish, Kansas City, Kansas, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on Oct. 20. The couple was married at St. John the Evangelist Church, El Dorado, on Oct. 20, 1956. Their children are: Paul Kreutzer, Catherine Parkhurst, Susan Marshall and David Kreutzer. They also have 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JOE BOLLIG
This past July, Sister Eva-Maria Ackerman, FSGM, arrived in the archdiocese to take positions as administrative assistant in the advancement office at St. James Academy in Lenexa and as archdiocesan delegate for religious and consecrated life.
Sister to work with students, religious By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — She admits it sounds corny, but Sister Eva-Maria Ackerman, FSGM, doesn’t care. “I really love to be up early in the morning and watch the sunrise,” she said. “It reminds me that every day is new, and no matter what’s going on, you can always start over. And God is always there — always.” Sister Eva-Maria saw some spectacular sunrises during her previous assignment in Cuba. But she’s already learning that Kansas has some of its own to offer. This past July, Sister Eva-Maria arrived in the archdiocese to take up two positions. First, she became an administrative assistant in the advancement office at St. James Academy in Lenexa. Second, she was appointed the archdiocesan delegate for religious and consecrated life. This is a new position, but similar to a position she held while in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. “We are blessed by the presence and ministry of many religious men and women in our archdiocese,” said chancellor Father John Riley. “Archbishop Naumann desires to more closely collaborate with them and to support them in their ministries. “He has desired to have more ongoing communication and dialogue with them and is especially sensitive to any needs that they have which may not be currently met. Many of our religious are from other countries, so ongoing and frequent outreach to them makes them feel welcome and supported.” Sister Eva-Maria is a native Texan, born in Houston. Her family moved to different cities in Texas, eventually ending up in Corpus Christi. She received a bachelor’s in journalism with a minor in sociology in 1976 from Texas A&M in Kingsville. As a layperson, she worked for the
newspaper of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. “I started my work the day Pope Paul VI died,” she said. She would receive a master’s in religious studies in 1990 from Christendom University in Arlington, Virginia. In 1979, she entered formation to become a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George. The Sisters have their motherhouse in Thuine, northwestern Germany, where they were founded. Here in the United States, the order is based in Alton, Illinois. There are about 110 FSGM Sisters in the United States. All eight of the Sisters in Kansas work in the archdiocese — five of them engaged in various ministries, and three studying at Benedictine College in Atchison. “Our charism is to make the merciful love of Christ visible in our service,” said Sister Eva-Maria. “We are involved in the more traditional apostolates of teaching and heath care. We also work with youths.” In her 42 years of religious life, Sister Eva-Maria has been involved with a number of ministries. From 1996 to 2009, she was director of the office of consecrated life in St. Louis, where she met Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. One of her more interesting assignments, from January 2011 to January 2021, was in Havana. There, she helped with oversight of domestic services, taught English and worked in administration at Cuba’s major seminary, San Carlos y San Ambrosio. She worked as well in the offices of the Cuban Diocese of Santa Clara. It was a ministry of service that she won’t soon forget. “I miss the people,” said Sister Eva-Maria. “The people are warm and friendly. It’s a culture of friendship and family, and they share with you what they have. I felt, for me personally, it was a time of formation. They’re very Caribbean, so they don’t let some things bother
them. They looked at us like ‘what’s the matter’ [when] we had to schedule and know what’s going on next. I found it was very hard to plan but that was very good. We could overplan what’s going to happen next week and not live in the present moment.” The Catholic Church in Cuba is relatively poor, but all parishioners — even the children — make sure to place a peso in the collection basket. They do what they can with the resources they have, and the people who do go to church are very faithful. The greatest compliment she received from the Cubans was: “You’re almost Cuban, Sister.” Sister Eva-Maria believes her Cuba experience will help her in her work as delegate here in the archdiocese. “I think that I have a totally different way of looking at it now because I’ve gone through being in a foreign country and a different country, and I didn’t know the language,” said Sister Eva-Maria. “I understand better now the sacrifices foreign Sisters, priests and Brothers make to come to our country to serve. Hopefully, my experiences will help me to better assist them in whatever their needs are.” “Sister Eva-Maria is a welcome addition to our archdiocesan staff and to the St. James Academy staff,” said Father Riley. “I have very much enjoyed the ministry and charism of the Sisters. I enjoy celebrating Mass for them in their chapel and providing the occasional Holy Hour — and they are very good cooks.” “We certainly would welcome more of the Sisters to the archdiocese,” he concluded. “I encourage the faithful to pray for an increase in vocations to consecrated religious life, so that the church and the faithful may benefit from their witness of faith and their services to Our Lord’s church.”
Edward and Patricia (Schauf ) Talbott, members of Christ the King Parish, To p e k a , will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 21. The couple was married at St. Catherine Church, Dubuque. Their children are: Kelly Gentry, Natalie Moranz, Amy Gutierrez and Mollyanne Dempsey. They also have 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Theresa and James Muckenthaler, members of Sacred H e a r t Parish, Emporia, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 10 with a Mass and blessing from Father Carter Zielinski, followed by a Knights of Columbus breakfast and family gathering in their home. The couple was married on Oct. 11, 1961, at St. Anthony Church, Strong City, by Msgr. Edward J. Albers. Their children are: John, Jay and Joe. They also have eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
P.R.A.Y. offers hope to children >> Continued from page 3 get the word out. At one time, there was a story in the local paper that P.R.A.Y. was closing, and that was completely wrong. We lost a lot of supporters because people thought P.R.A.Y. wasn’t functioning anymore.” “But I believe this is God’s work and P.R.A.Y. has been helping God’s children,” she added. “It has continued because God is supporting us, even though we’ve been barely getting by.”
Crossword solution
6
LOCAL NEWS
Parishioners form guild to buy hand-built church organ “ I THINK IT’S GOING TO EXPAND
ASEHOR — In 13 years as a bishop, Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, had never blessed an organ. That is until recently. The bishop celebrated the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Oct. 3 to mark the patronal feast of Holy Angels Parish in Basehor. Concelebrating the Mass were Abbot James Albers, OSB; pastor Father Richard McDonald; chancellor and vicar general Father John Riley; and Father Ronald Livojevich, retired from ministry. Prior to Mass, Bishop Conley blessed the parish’s “new” organ. Featured on the radio show called “Pipedreams,” the organ known as Opus 5 is famous throughout church music circles. Completely hand built in 1997 by Halbert Gober of Gober Organs, it has 1,317 pipes and is perhaps the only one in North America people can walk through. It has no electrical parts except for that of the blower, making it similar in design and sound to organs from the 16th century. Originally built for the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Brooklyn, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, the organ stood against the building’s back wall. When the congregation disbanded, the building was purchased by St. Elias Catholic Church; however, the church had no use for the organ. As part of the Melkite Rite, St. Elias is steeped in the Byzantine tradition, relying heavily on liturgical chant. The organ was listed for sale with the Organ Clearing House, an organization whose mission is to, among other things, “help churches, schools and private individuals acquire high-quality vintage pipe organs, preserving venerable instruments from abandonment or destruction.” Over time, the St. Elias community grew weary of waiting for someone to buy the organ and was about ready to demolish it when Father McDonald heard about it. First, Dr. Lucas Tappan, director of liturgy and music at Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Topeka, called him. “He said, ‘Father, I’ve got to tell you this is the opportunity of a lifetime. This will be the best organ in any Catholic church in the state of Kansas. It is that good of an organ,’” Father McDonald
“
By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
B
OCTOBER 15, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG
THE BEAUTY OF THE WORSHIP AS IT SHOULD, AND I THINK IT’S GOING TO INTRODUCE A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF BEAUTY IN THE FORM OF MUSIC TO THE REGION TO HAVE THIS KIND OF ORGAN IN OUR MIDST. DONNA THOMAS MEMBER OF HOLY ANGELS MUSIC GUILD, BASEHOR said Tappan told him. After talking with Tappan, Father McDonald got a call from Kevin Vogt, director of worship and sacred arts at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood. Vogt said, “Father, I know you have a love for beauty of sacred music and appreciate it, and I thought you could follow through with it.” Father McDonald wasted no time. Calling an emergency finance council meeting within days, the parish was all set to buy the organ valued at the time at $900,000. Both the finance council and pastoral council had approved the purchase. Then, COVID-19 turned the world upside-down, and the parish thought it might not be prudent to expend the funds. That’s when parishioners Terry and Donna Thomas formed the Holy Angels Music Guild to raise funds privately. Other guild members included Jacques and Sara Moraille, Tim and Diane Jones, Tim and Jeri McDonnell, Laura Beeves, Craig Gaffney and Vogt. The guild set up an account with the Greater Kansas City Foundation in the form of a 501(c)(3), and donations poured in, allowing the parish to officially purchase the instrument in September 2020. In early November 2020, the organ arrived in Basehor. Shortly thereafter, Gober temporarily relocated from Toronto to both fit the organ to its new space and properly voice it with the goal of making it sound even better than when it was in Ohio.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
Holy Angels Church in Basehor recently purchased a “new” organ, hand built in 1997 by Halbert Gober of Gober Organs. It has 1,317 pipes and is perhaps the only one in North America people can walk through. The organ was blessed Oct. 3 by Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska. “I just don’t know how else to explain it. It’s just a different type of beauty. It’s just beautiful,” said Thomas, adding the sound is “just heavenly.” “I think it’s going to expand the beauty of the worship as it should, and I think it’s going to introduce a whole new world of beauty in the form of music to the region to have this kind
ACROSS 1 University (abbr.) 5 Pungent 10 Mix 14 Curved roof 15 By the __ of God 16 KJV pronoun 17 Set down 18 Radio word 19 Food 20 __ A Small World . . . 21 Young woman’s title 22 Book before Jeremiah 24 Church officials 26 First man 27 Rascal 28 Exploiter 29 Freudian term 32 Shorten (abbr.) 35 Pituitary hormone 37 Brother of Moses 39 Sticky 41 Shoshonean 42 Son of Abraham 43 Giant in “Princess Bride”’ 44 Highest quality 46 Island 47 Beam 48 Den 50 Help COPYRIGHT © BY CLIFF LEITCH, THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE REFERENCE SITE, WWW.CHRISTIANBIBLEREFERENCE.ORG. USED BY PERMISSION
of organ in our midst,” she continued. When all is said and done, Thomas said she’d like everyone in the archdiocese to experience the organ firsthand. “Just come and see it. Come listen to it,” she said. “Enjoy its beauty. It’s just glorious sound.”
52 Overindulge 53 Harmful thing (sneeze causer) 57 The Messiah 60 Bovine 61 Anger 62 Part of a day 63 Furious 65 Afloat 66 Son of Adam and Eve 67 Grain storage towers 68 Stare 69 Bars 70 Slightly wet 71 Pen fillers DOWN 1 Improvise a speech 2 Raccoon-like animal 3 Awry 4 Lair 5 One of the Herods 6 Symbol of suffering 7 Torn up fabric 8 Winter hazard 9 Twit 10 Boiling water vapor 11 Siamese 12 Small particle 13 Haste 21 Dad’s mate
23 Wife of Abraham, originally 25 Employer 26 Sackcloth and __ 28 Express 29 Epochs 30 Destination 31 __ upon a time 32 Seaweed substance 33 __ fide 34 This is my __ given for you 36 Length of forearm 38 Side note 40 Hollers 45 Least short 49 Absorption 51 Infirm 52 Lasses 53 Cars 54 Got out of bed 55 Biblical word for Gentile 56 Many months 57 Blacken 58 Tramp 59 Feared 60 Indonesian island 64 River (Spanish) 65 Boxer Muhammad Solution on page 5
OCTOBER 15, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
7
Pregnancy centers build relationships with expectant mothers >> Continued from page 1
CANDLE ROSARY
PHOTO BY MELISSA SCHRAMP
Hailey Gibson, an eighth grader at St. Benedict School in Atchison, lights a candle that represents a bead of the rosary. The school gathered on Oct. 1 in the gymnasium to pray the rosary and celebrate October as the Month of the Rosary. For how to pray the rosary, see the infographic below.
with their medical needs. Ron Kelsey, president of the Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic’s board of directors, said the new clinic’s location at the Mercy and Truth Medical Missions enables it to easily serve clients on both the Kansas and Missouri sides of the state line. Moreover, the location helps it counter the reach of Planned Parenthood in the inner city. Prior to blessing the machine, Archbishop Naumann prayed that “through the work of our hands and the help of technology, we cooperate with the Creator to improve the earth as the dwelling place of the human family. By our efforts to observe God’s work of creation, especially through this ultrasound machine — which will promote the choice of life over that of death — we will contribute to the advancement of the ‘culture of life’ and will help carry out Christ’s mandate to follow him in serving one another in love.” The Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic is one of four established in large part due to the volunteer work of Kelsey, who along with his wife Donna have engaged in pro-life ministry for 48 years. In addition to the Kansas City Pregnancy Clinic, the couple also helped to form Mary’s Choices in Topeka, the Wyandotte Pregnancy Clinic and the Olathe Pregnancy Clinic. In the archbishop’s remarks, he stressed the importance of pregnancy care, especially as part of the Walking with Moms in Need program, a national initiative launched by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in March 2020 “to increase outreach and support to pregnant and parenting mothers in need. . . . The goal of Walking with Moms is not to reinvent the wheel or turn parishes into pregnancy centers; rather, it is about building relationships with and enhancing referrals to these helping agencies.” Building relationships with pregnancy centers and expectant mothers in need was, according to Maryteresa Kissell, daughter of Hal and Julie Brown, the norm for her family. Her mother regularly offered women in unplanned pregnancies a place to stay in the family’s home, donated money and time to pregnancy clinics, took kids to the March for Life in Washington and engaged in legislative advocacy. The tradition is honored today by Kissell and her family. In fact, her 14-year-old daughter Grace raised some $2,000 to help furnish the ultrasound room by baking and selling cookies. Additionally, she also created an online baby registry for the clinic and gathered her friends to help organize clothes and diapers. Kissell said the blessing was, for her, bittersweet. She was humbled to see her mom’s name on the door, but it’s only been three years since she passed away, so she still misses her terribly. Still, Kissell said her mom would be proud — but also never satisfied. “If Mom were here on earth,” said Kissell, “she’d tell us, ‘Let’s get to work.’”
WORLD MISSION SU BRING THE FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE OF JESUS
TELL YOUR STORY By Shemaiah Gonzalez Catholic News Service
“W heard” (Acts 4:20).
e cannot but speak about what we have seen and
This verse is the theme of this year’s World Mission Sunday, a Sunday set aside to recognize our common responsibility as Catholic Christians to evangelize the world. World Mission Sunday was first instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1926 and is celebrated on the next to the last Sunday in the month of October. Not only do we remind ourselves of our call to evangelization, but a special collection is taken to share in this responsibility throughout the world. As Catholic Christians, we seem to be most comfortable sharing our faith by our acts of service. This year, Pope Francis challenges us to share our stories. Stories are how the church began. Two thousand years ago, the apostles and others in that first group of Jesus’ followers told the story of how they first met and felt loved by Jesus. Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene told their stories to anyone who would listen. Sharing these personal experiences is how the good news of Jesus was spread, building our church from just a few to many. Pope Francis reminds us in his 2021 message for World Mission Sunday that these first Christians faced hardship and hostility, marginalization and imprisonment, and yet they still shared these stories. How could they not, when they had received such grace?
CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO
Pope Pius XI, who served as pope from 1922-1939, is seen in this undated photo released by the Vatican Dec. 7, 2010. World Mission Sunday was first instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1926. They endured hardships but clung to Christ. Pope Francis encourages us to find this strength in Jesus, just as they did. This pandemic has brought out many discouraging stories. The morning paper, nightly news and social media are full of stories that divide and isolate us . . . even as we look to them for connection. But our faith is one of hope and freedom! We need not forget this. There is power in sharing our stories of faith. Not just for those listening but for the speaker as well. We remember God’s goodness to us. We remember how he met us in dark places and provided for us. As we articulate his goodness to others, we experience his love all over again. And the more we share our story, the more details we remember and the better we become at sharing that story. Think of some of your favorite family stories. Perhaps how you met your husband. Or when your parents brought home your younger sibling. When you share these stories over dinner or with a new friend, you feel the emotions all over again. You laugh and cry tears of joy, and the love is palpable. We have all heard the statistics. How Mass attendance is declining. How young adults are not continuing in the faith. How parishes are being consolidated.
Many young people say they do not turn to the church because they do not find it relevant. They find the church lacking in authenticity. When we share our faith in stories, we regain that authenticity. The world will see we are genuine. When we share our faith in stories, the world meets Jesus in a new way. This World Mission Sunday, join Pope Francis’ invitation to speak about what we have seen and heard. Share our living and vibrant Christ. Think of the first time you experienced his grace in your life. Or a time when you were amazed at God’s goodness. Or just today, what do you want to thank God for? Talk about what you love. Get used to sharing these stories. If you need to, practice with your family or parishioners first. Remind yourself what it feels like to be loved by God, how you want other people to feel that love, how that love makes you care for other people. After a year of darkness, it is time to share our glorious Light. Jesus said, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few” (Lk 10:2). Renew your commitment to evangelization. Share the story of how Jesus brings light to your life. Gonzalez is a freelance writer. Her website is: www. shemaiahgonzalez.com.
By Ken Ogorek Catholic News Service
W
hen Catholics are asked to support the missions with prayers, financial resources or direct, hands-on service, we might feel as if we’re the ones who are doing all the giving. Ask anyone who has consistently helped mission work unfold in mission lands, though, and you’ll likely hear statements like, “I thought I was the one who was giving, but it was me who received the most!”
In Ethiopia: Hunger satisfied, Christ’s body nourished
Centuries ago, missionaries introduced people in Ethiopia to Jesus. After a decline in missionary activity, a priest arrives. He is escorted by torchlight through dark paths to a hut serving as the chapel. All light is extinguished but for one candle. The people sing a song learned long ago to Jesus, making the sign of the cross. The priest falls to his knees and thinks, “How hungry are the people for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!” Elsewhere in Ethiopia, children walk four miles each way to a school run by missionaries. There each morning the children — hungry from their walk — are given two biscuits: one to eat at school, the other to take home. A girl offers the priest a piece
of her biscuit, saying she wants to share in the name of Jesus. She is confident that Jesus will take care of her hunger and that of her family. Missionaries — and those who support them — are helping to make spiritual and corporal works of mercy happen, including catechesis, evangelization and nurturing of vocations.
In Vietnam:
Seminarian’s perseverance made possible by mission support, entire church benefits A Vietnamese seminarian spends 11 years preparing to be ordained, the first of his ethnic group to become a priest. Like a modern-day St. John Vianney, this young man works against great odds, helped by those who support missions throughout the world. In gratitude for missionaries, he maintains a singular focus on serving the church. The body of Christ is served. Those who gave so that a young man in a mission land could hear confessions, anoint the sick and confect the Eucharist are themselves recipients of great blessings throughout this mystical body.
In Uganda and Nigeria: The served give
back, ‘hugging the whole world’ in prayer
On the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ,
FACTS ABOUT THE MISSIONS
AFRICA
19,000 young men are preparing for the priesthood.
ASIA
Six million children receive an education from Religious Sisters in more than 15,000 church-run elementary schools.
LATIN AMER
Catechists travel to re areas to bring the goo of God’s great love to
UNDAY Oct. 24
WE CELEBRATE THIS DAY BY REMEMBERING OUR BAPTISMAL CALL — TO BRING THE GOSPEL TO ALL! THE COLLECTION TODAY FOR THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH SUPPORTS THE WORK AND WITNESS OF THE MISSION CHURCH AS IT PROVIDES FOR PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS AND LAY LEADERS WHO OFFER THE LORD’S MERCY AND CONCRETE HELP TO THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES IN THE POPE’S MISSIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.
October is month to focus on living as missionaries every day, pope says
V CNS PHOTO/WILL BAXTER, CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
Febedu Mehari serves a meal of injera and a yellow split pea dish to her children in Hadush Emba, Ethiopia, Feb. 7, 2019. Centuries ago, missionaries introduced people in Ethiopia to Jesus. women approach the convent with baskets on their heads — offerings of eggs, fruits and vegetables to express gratitude to the missionaries and those who help make their service feasible. Whenever a missionary returns to the United States, the words of farewell are: “Goodbye. May God and Our Lady keep you safe.” A young girl’s baptismal name means light. She attends a school staffed by missionaries. Shortly before her first holy Communion she locks herself in a room for a short while, to pray intensely that she will do good works in return for Jesus coming to her. She sees God as the great missionary to the world and calls her prayer an act of mission service. She centers her life on prayer in a desire to help the whole world. When she prays the mission rosary (multicolored beads
RICA
emote od news o families.
representing Asia, Africa, the Americas, Oceania and Europe), she says, “I am hugging the whole world — especially America, home of our missionaries and those who support them.” An orphan boy becomes a priest; his sister enters consecrated life. Given a choice, he becomes a missionary, serving in the United States. “I am ready to pour out my blood,” he says, “in appreciation for the missionaries who served me.” Each day, he offers his private Mass intention, along with personal prayers, for every American.
In Iraq:
Brutal persecution can’t quench faith, hope and love Her father was beheaded. Her sisters taken as sex slaves. Her house was burned — in part because it is marked by a
THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
3,500 religious bring the Lord’s mercy and peace to those in need.
cross. She exclaims to a missionary, “They can never take my faith!” A tent is set up to serve as a chapel, including a cross as a sign of hope. An American cardinal visits and she kisses his pectoral cross as a gesture of reverence and an expression of the hope instilled in her by missionaries, supported in part by those who participate in World Mission Sunday. The cardinal’s reaction to this loving act of faith and hope? “I was catechized!” he said. Choosing Sunday for World Mission Day is no accident. On this day, we gather around the altar as a worldwide community to be fed by Jesus, to be blessed by our one Lord and built up for service to his people throughout the world. Missionaries bring faith to places where a deep hunger for God is felt; they give hope
by pointing out the cross of Jesus — and all its blessings. And missionaries show love to those who are ready to express gratitude by giving of themselves in return, all with Jesus at the center, always. On this World Mission Sunday, please ask God to show you how he wants you to join in his ever-present missionary work. When you respond with loving generosity, you might be surprised at how your outreach fills you up with blessings. Ken Ogorek is available for retreats on a variety of topics based on his 20-plus years of diocesan evangelization and catechetical work. Information on his parish missions, days of reflection and related ministries can be found online at: www. kenogorek.com.
EUROPE
New churches are being built to welcome faith communities, renewed after years of persecution.
ATICAN CITY (CNS) — All Christians are called to be missionaries, which at its most basic level involves living in such a way that other people ask what motivates their love and concern, Pope Francis said. “Jesus asks us all, and you as well, to be missionary disciples. Are you ready?” the pope asked in a video marking the beginning of the church’s annual celebration of October as Mission Month. World Mission Sunday is Oct. 24. The pope’s prayer intention for the month of October is: “We pray that every baptized person may be engaged in evangelization, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavor of the Gospel.” The intention and the pope’s video commenting on it are distributed by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, formerly known as the Apostleship of Prayer. To be a missionary, the pope said in the video, “it’s enough to be available to answer his call and to live united to the Lord in the most common daily things — work, meeting other people, our daily duties, the chance events of each day — allowing ourselves to be guided always by the Holy Spirit.” The way a Christian lives should provoke admiration in others, he said. Then they will ask, “How is it possible for this person to be this way?” or “What is the source of the love with which this person treats everyone — the kindness and good humor?” Evangelization or missionary activity is not about forcing or coercing anyone, he said. “Mission is based on an encounter between people, on the testimony of men and women who say, ‘I know Jesus, and I’d like you to know him too.’”
10
VATICAN
OCTOBER 15, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG
Indiana Catholic, former senator, is Vatican ambassador nominee
W CNS PHOTO/REMO CASILLI, REUTERS
Pope Francis celebrates a Mass to open the process that will lead up to the assembly of the world Synod of Bishops in 2023, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 10.
Synod can be process of healing, pope says VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A synod calls on everyone to become experts in “the art of encounter” in a way that is uplifting and transformative, Pope Francis said, formally opening the process leading up to the assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023. “Celebrating a synod means walking on the same road, together” just like Jesus did — encountering, listening and discerning with all who one meets, the pope said in his homily at the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Oct. 10.
“Are we prepared for the adventure of this journey? Or are we fearful of the unknown, preferring to take refuge in the usual excuses: ‘It’s useless’ or ‘We’ve always done it this way?’” he asked. Some 3,000 people attended the Mass, including the 270 people — cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and laypeople — invited to the day of reflection in the Vatican Synod Hall Oct. 9. The weekend of events began the “synodal journey,” which will explore the theme, “For a synodal
church: communion, participation and mission.” Bishops around the world were to open the process in their dioceses Oct. 17. The diocesan phase, which runs until April, will focus on listening to and consulting the people of God. In his homily, the pope said they should begin the synodal process “by asking ourselves — all of us, pope, bishops, priests, religious and laity — whether we, the Christian community, embody this ‘style’ of God, who travels the paths of history and shares in the life of humanity.”
Pope to name St. Irenaeus of Lyon a doctor of the church By Junno Arocho Esteves Catholic News Service
V
ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis said he intends to declare as a doctor of the church St. Irenaeus of Lyon, the second-century theologian known for his defense of orthodoxy amid the rise of gnostic sects. During a meeting Oct. 7 with members of the St. Irenaeus Joint OrthodoxCatholic Working Group, the pope praised the group’s efforts in creating a space for dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox Christians, much like their namesake. “Your patron, St. Irenaeus of Lyon — whom I will soon declare a doctor of the church with the title, ‘doctor unitatis’ (‘doctor of unity’) — came from the East, exercised his episcopal ministry in the West, and was a great spiritual and theological bridge between Eastern and Western Christians,” he said. According to its website, the purpose of the St. Irenaeus Joint Orthodox-Catholic Working Group is “to investigate the profound differences in mentality, ways of thinking and of doing theology which are related to current problems in Orthodox-Catholic dialogue, to understand their character, and to try
CNS PHOTO/THE CROSIERS
The likeness of St. Irenaeus of Lyon is pictured in a stained-glass window at the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. During an Oct. 7, 2021, meeting with members of the St. Irenaeus Joint Orthodox-Catholic Working Group, Pope Francis said he will soon declare St. Irenaeus a doctor of the church. to see how both traditions can enrich each other without losing their own
identity.” St. Irenaeus, the group’s website said, “is revered as a patristic father in both the Eastern and Western churches” and “thus represents an example of the spiritual connection between the churches in East and West, which the working group seeks to promote through its discussions.” Born in Smyrna, Asia Minor — now modern-day Turkey — St. Irenaeus was known as a staunch defender of the faith. Concerned about the rise of gnostic sects within the early Christian church, he wrote “Adversus haereses” (“Against Heresies”), a refutation of gnostic beliefs which emphasized personal spiritual knowledge over faith in Christian teachings and in ecclesiastical authority. During their 2019 fall assembly, the U.S. bishops’ conference added their assent to a motion made by the Archdiocese of Lyon, France — the region where St. Irenaeus ministered — to have the second-century bishop declared a doctor of the church. Once declared, St. Irenaeus would be the second doctor of the church named by Pope Francis after St. Gregory of Narek, who was given the designation in 2015. He would bring the total number of doctors of the church to 37.
ASHINGTON (CNS) — President Joe Biden will nominate Catholic lawyer Joseph Donnelly of Indiana, a former member of the U.S. House and Senate, to be the next U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. The White House announced Biden’s pick for the ambassador post Oct. 8. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate. Donnelly, 66, served in the U.S. House of RepresenJoseph Donnelly tatives from 2007 to 2013, representing Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District, and was a U.S. senator from 2013 to 2019. He is currently a partner at Akin Gump, a Washington firm specializing in public law and policy law. He was a member of the Afghanistan Study Group and has been a professor at his alma mater, the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1977 and a law degree in 1981. “Joe has been an exemplary public servant in Congress, an invaluable friend of Notre Dame and of me personally, and he is an ideal choice to represent the United States at the Vatican,” said Holy Cross Father John I. Jenkins. “He will bring to this role a deep understanding of the issues currently facing our nation and the world, a genuine Catholic faith and an understanding of the role the church can play in our world,” the priest said in a statement issued shortly after the White House announcement. “On behalf of the Notre Dame family, I offer my congratulations and prayers as he prepares for this new responsibility.” Donnelly is a pro-life Democrat, “committed to protecting the sanctity of life,” he has said, though he also believes exceptions should be made on abortion in cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s health could be at stake. When Donnelly was running for reelection to the Senate in 2018, Democrats for Life of America said: “Donnelly has been a consistent pro-life voice as well as advocate for women and families, co-sponsoring many important pieces of legislation.” Donnelly met his wife, Jill, while attending Notre Dame and they were married in 1979. They have a son and a daughter. Since Ambassador Calista Gringrich’s tenure ended in mid-January, the post has been temporarily filled by American diplomat Patrick Connell, who is chargé d’affaires ad interim. Gingrich was President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador and was confirmed by the Senate in a 70-23 vote Oct. 16, 2017.
CALENDAR
OCTOBER 15, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG
ROSARY RALLY IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA St. Andrew the Apostle Parish 6415 N.E. Antioch Rd., Gladstone, Missouri Oct. 17 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.
COVID-INDUCED ANXIETY The Keeler Women’s Center 759 Vermont Ave., Kansas City, Kansas Suite 100-B Oct. 18 from 10 -11 a.m.
Fears, stress and worry about COVID -19 can take an emotional toll, especially if you’re already living with an anxiety disorder. Come to learn tips and techniques that can help you get through this stressful time as we enter a new phase of the pandemic.
TAX REDUCING STRATEGIES FOR PRE- AND POST-RETIREES Holy Spirit Parish (Mary and Martha Room) 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park Oct. 19 from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
The event will begin with a social at 4 p.m. The speaker, Bill Eckert, a certified adviser in philanthropy, will talk about ways to respond to shifting tax laws and how to protect your assets through gift planning. Visit the website at: archkck.org/holy spiritseminar/. This event is hosted by the parish and the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development. RSVP online to:
plannedgiving@archkck.org or call (913) 647-0365.
HEALING MASS Curé of Ars Parish (Father Burak Room) 9405 Mission Rd., Leawood Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
A Mass with prayers for healing will be held in the Father Burak Room. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.
SYMPTO-THERMAL METHOD OF NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING St. John the Evangelist (extra building) 200 W. 13th St., Lawrence Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m. or Oct. 23 at a Topeka location
Couple to Couple League can teach the modern sympto-thermal method of natural family planning without the burden of contraception. There is a reasonable course fee. For more information and the specific Topeka location, call Dana or Eric Runnebaum at (785) 380-0062 or visit the website at: www.live-the-love.org. Preregistration is required for these or online classes at: www.ccli.org.
GERMANFEST St. Joseph Parish 320 N. Broadway, Leavenworth Oct. 23 from 4 - 8 p.m.
Mass will begin at 4 p.m. and the German dinner and music will begin at 5 p.m. There will be sauerbraten and bratwurst, sauerkraut, German potato salad, red cabbage, dessert and beverages. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Beer and wine will also be
11
available. Music will be provided by the Festhaus-Musikanten Band. Carryouts will be available. A silent auction of German items will also be held.
‘THE MIRACLE BOX’ Church of the Ascension (St. Mark and St. Matthew Room) 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m.
The 60-minute film “The Miracle Box” by Father John Clote will be shown. There will be a discussion led by Chuck Jansen, founder of the Forgiveness Institute KC, Inc. The film is set to be released the first week in October. COVID protocols will be followed.
LINGER OVER BREAKFAST KC Avila University 11901 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, Missouri Oct. 23 from 9 - 11 a.m.
Treat yourself to an enriching morning program that promises to feed your mind, body and spirit. Explore how to incorporate green living into your lives with community members from Jerusalem Farm in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 2012 with the support of Avila University and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Jerusalem Farm is built on the four cornerstones of prayer, community, service and simplicity. The event is complimentary. Go online to: www.csjsl.org to register.
DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLA LITTLE FLOWER CIRCLE Christ the King Parish (Yadrich Hall) 5972 S.W. 25th St., Topeka Oct. 24 at 12:45 p.m.
meeting and social time. Social distance and masks will be required. If anyone knows of a member or a family member of the Daughters of Isabella in need of the circle’s prayers, call Bobbie Graff Hendrixson at (785) 271-0145. If you are interested in or would like more information about the Daughters of Isabella, call Cindy Keen at (785) 228-9862.
TRUEFOOD DINNERS Location given upon registration Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m.
Food, fun and formation for young adults. Let’s get real about relationships and the hookup culture over a homecooked potluck meal. Register online at: https://kcascension.org/truefood.
SAUSAGE SUPPER Sacred Heart Parish 22298 Newbury Rd., Paxico Oct. 31 from noon - 3 p.m.
This is a drive-thru-only event. Approach from the east; no pre-orders. The parish hall is located one-and-a-half miles north of Paxico. The cost for the sausage supper is: $12 for adults; $6 for kids ages 4 - 12; and kids under 4 eat for free.
CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE: Noon, Thursday, 10 days before the desired publication date. INCLUDE: time and date of event; street address; description of event. SEND SUBMISSIONS TO: beth. blankenship@theleaven.org.
A rosary will be followed by a business
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
SALES Advertising Account Manager Sell ad space for Church bulletins. Salary, expenses, commission PLUS benefits. Reply: Recruiting@jspaluch.com www.jspaluch.com
CLASSIFIEDS
12 EMPLOYMENT Live-in caregiver - Looking to hire a full-time, mature, compassionate, experienced live-in caregiver for a senior woman. Responsibilities include: meal prep; housekeeping; laundry; medication management; bathing/ grooming assistance; errands; and meaningful companionship. Must have reliable transportation, cellphone and references. Please call (215) 733-9600. Case manager - Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is seeking a compassionate, yet energetic, case manager looking to make a difference in the community. This person will work alongside the manager of Family Support Services at our Wyandotte County location providing financial assistance to those who may qualify. We are looking for someone that can manage diverse funding streams, enjoys being part of a team and works effectively with volunteers. If this is you, please apply at: https://catholiccharitiesks.org/careers/. Early childhood educators – With multiple locations in Johnson County, Special Beginnings Early Learning Center provides high quality child care in a safe, loving Christian environment. Our classrooms are full, and we are looking to add to our amazing team. We are looking for both full-time and part-time teachers for all ages of children. If you have an excellent work ethic, a heart for children and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education, we would love to meet you. For more information or to apply, call Carolyn Andruss at (913) 894-0131, ext. 102. Financial representatives - Knights of Columbus has full-time openings in northeast Kansas and western Missouri for full-time financial representatives. Ideal for determined, disciplined, professional, highexpectation individual desiring to serve others. We work exclusively with the families of brother Knights and Catholic gentlemen who are eligible to join the Knights. We have established territories where agents devote their working day to the needs of the members in their assigned councils. Excellent, multi-tiered training and benefits are provided, allowing the successful field agent to earn a professional level income. This is a career opportunity that may be the right fit at the right time for you, or possibly for someone you know. For further information, contact John A. Mahon, general agent, at (785) 408-8800 or email: john.mahon@kofc.org. L’Arche Heartland house assistant - L’Arche is an organization where people both with and without developmental disabilities choose to share life together to promote the dignity of every human person. L’Arche’s unique model of care seeks to offer more than a job; it’s an opportunity for personal transformation through relationships. L’Arche homes are regulated by he state of Kansas and are part of an international federation with written practices and guidelines based on 55 years of experience lived out in 37 countries around the world. The role of an assistant (direct support provider) is to share life with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other assistants in relationship of mutuality; to support the individuals in daily life activities; and to live fully the identity and mission of L’Arche in the context of an intentional faith community. This includes; assisting individuals with activities of daily living, including personal care and passing out medications; implementing support plans; documenting care given; and providing transportation. The job is full time; pay is $13.25 - $15 per hour. Benefits include: simple IRA; IRA matching; employer-paid dental insurance; employer-paid disability insurance; employee assistance program; employer-paid health insurance ; paid time off; and employer-paid vision insurance. Must have a driver’s license; have a high school diploma or equivalent; have one year of experience as a direct support provider of caregiving/direct patient care. Must embrace the mission and values of L’Arche: must be 18 or older; pass a background test and be eligible to work in the United States. Finally, must e dependable peopleoriented and adaptable/flexible. Interested candidates, submit a letter of interest, a current resume and references with contact information to the L’Arche Heartland discernment/search team at: Harmony@larcheks. org. Position open until filled. Care coordinator - Heartland is seeking a care coordinator. The position includes the following duties: recruitment; human resources/training; state documentation; in-home training; annual trainings; scheduling; coordination of assistant meetings/team meetings; accompaniment of house coordinators; supervision of assistants (accompaniment); quality assurance in home, maintenance, cleanliness, fire extinguishers, monthly drills and yard upkeep; rotate on-call. Salary $40,000. Interested candidates, please submit a letter of interest, current resume and references with contact information to the L’Arche Heartland discernment/ search team at: Harmony@larcheks.org. Position open until filled. 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 for children from 6 weeks to 6 years where children are encouraged to develop at their own pace in nurturing environments, lovingly guided by our highly skilled, professional teachers. Full- and part-time positions available. No experience? We will train the right person. Ask about our $600 hiring bonus. Janice Kennedy, owner. Email: olathe2ks@goddardschools. com or call (913) 768-4499.
Client Care Coordinator position - The Client Care Coordinator (CCC) reports to the owners and works in the office/showroom on a full-time basis, generally during the 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. office hours. The CCC greets showroom visitors; provides efficient, courteous, sales consultation and customer service; coordinates the day-to-day operations of the technicians and sales appointments for staff; and fields incoming calls. Additionally, the individual will assist owners and sales in projects, mailings and marketing. This role would be well suited to a person with a background in sales/service, caregiving or health care services. Requires basic computer skills and ability to learn a CRM system. Competitive hourly rate, bonus opportunities and benefit plan. Please send resume to Maria at: mkoch@kclift. com. Coaches - Bishop Miege High School is seeking coaches for the 2021-22 school year in the following sports: assistant baseball; assistant boys wrestling; and assistant girls wrestling. Contact Joe Schramp, athletic director, at: jschramp@bishopmiege.com or (913) 2225802. Director of administrative services - Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa is seeking a full-time director of administrative services to assume responsibilities by Dec. 1. Responsibilities include: parish fiscal management; upkeep of campus facilities; hospitality with parish community; and oversight of human resources, accounting and maintenance. The director reports to the pastor and supervises office and maintenance staff. Qualified candidate should possess a bachelor’s degree in business or related field; have five - 10 years of business and management experience; excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills; and the ability to work with a variety of constituents. The full job description is available on the Holy Trinity website at: www.htlenexa.org. Full-time, salaried and exempt position with benefits. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume via email to: careers@ htlenexa.org. Part-time maintenance opening at Good Shepherd, Shawnee - Make a difference in our school and parish by providing midday janitorial/custodial cleaning, ensuring an attractive and sanitary facility. This is a parttime position, Monday - Friday, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. that will assist with the operation and maintenance of daily activities. If interested, contact Brad Roder at: broder@ gsshawnee.org or (913)-563-5304. Seasonal tax consultant - Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas is hiring a seasonal tax consultant to coordinate our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Last year, our amazing volunteers prepared 474 tax returns free, bringing over $647,000 in refunds! Please go to: www.catholiccharitiesks.org to find this position and others under the “About Us” tab. Caregivers - Daughters & Company is looking for several compassionate caregivers to provide assistance to seniors in their home, assisted living or in a skilled nursing facility. We provide light housekeeping/light meal preparation, organizational assistance, care 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 up hours desired. Contact Gary or Laurie at (913) 341-2500 if you want to become part of an excellent caregiving team. Fifth grade teacher - St. Ann is seeking a 5th grade homeroom teacher for the 2021-22 school year. This teacher will be responsible for teaching 5th grade religion and 5th/6th grade social studies classes. Applicants should apply online through the archdiocesan website, at: www.archkck.org/jobs, and email principal Liz Minks at: lminks@stannpv.org. Care coordinator - L’Arche Heartland is seeking a professional services coordinator. This is a highly responsible position that reports directly to the community leader. Duties include: sharing life with community members; training of new assistants on state regulatory prepossesses and Heartland policies and procedures; oversight of all medical support/attend appointments as needed; liaison with Heartland Home Care; audit all medication deliveries; creates/verifies/ edits all MARs; liaison with nurse consultant, scheduling medication trainings and MAR audits; prepares all needed documentations for the BASIS; attends all BASIS meetings; helps write behavioral support plans (BSPs); attends all BSP meetings; completes risk assessments and obtains human rights committee approval and signatures; conducts three-month and annual reviews for assistants; maintains personnel files for assistants and follows disciplinary process according to policies and procedures; conducts oversight and verification of household accounts and core member accounts at least monthly; maintains all 17 core member contact notes, monthly reviews and maintain archive files at the office; attend weekly and monthly meetings; attends community gatherings of formation and celebration; conducts oversight of house vehicle maintenance. This position requires a bachelors’s degree and supervisory experience. This is a salaried position which includes a favorable benefits package. L’Arche experience preferred. We are an equal opportunity employer. Interested candidates, please submit a letter of interest, a current resume and references with contact information to the L’Arche Heartland discernment/search team at: Harmony@larcheks.org. Position open until filled.
L’Arche Heartland house coordinator - Responsibilities of the house coordinator regarding quality of life for the core members are: to provide direct support in the house and actively participate in the sharing of daily home life; serve as an advocate and contact for core member parents and guardians for house-related needs and as liaison to the coordinator of professional services/ community life for other core member needs; cooperate with the coordinator of professional services to ensure that the medical, financial, safety and spiritual needs of each core member are fully met, and that all documentation is completed and submitted in a timely manner; schedules and facilitates weekly house meeting with core members to ensure everyone has opportunities to be meaningful members of the home; encourages and helps build a family atmosphere; supports household prayer life and spiritual growth by way of evening prayer, celebrations, observation of religious seasons and core member involvement in their local faith community. Key responsibilities regarding quality of life for assistants are: facilitating weekly team meeting and participating in regular formations and trainings to develop a relationship of trust and collaboration; serving as a liaison between assistants, coordinator of community life to ensure that the personal and spiritual needs of assistants are being met; preparing the home for guests or volunteer visits; and creating a welcoming and hospitable atmosphere in the home. Administrative responsibilities include: attending and actively participating in weekly leadership team meetings; ensuring that core member goal tracking, MARs and other required paperwork are being completed and sent to the coordinator of professional services; with the coordinator, ensuring that home and vehicles are maintained and that safety precautions are followed and documented; in cooperation with coordinator of professional services and the coordinator of community life, monitoring home environmental needs and coordinating repairs and purchases as needed with the approval of the community leader; ensuring that the household finances and spending are organized and in agreement with the designated budget. Share the mission of L’Arche by: working with other members of the leadership team to share and spread the mission of L’Arche to the Kansas City metro area; assist in the planning and facilitating of community nights, holiday gatherings, retreats, trips and fund-raisers; foster communication and sharing between Heartland and other L’Arche communities. Requirements for the job: embrace the mission and values of L’Arche; previous L’Arche or other community living experience preferred; maturity and commitment to one’s own personal and spiritual growth; experience with people with developmental disabilities strongly preferred. Interested candidates, please submit a letter of interest, a current resume and references with contact information to the L’Arche Heartland discernment/search team at: Harmony@larcheks.org. Position open until filled. Drivers and aides - Assisted Transportation is now hiring safe drivers and aides to transport students with special needs in Johnson, Wyandotte and Clay County, Missouri, in company vans. Drivers earn $14 - $16 per hour. Aides earn $12 per hour. Part-time and full-time schedules available. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply. Make a difference in your community by helping those in need. Call (913) 521-4955 for more information. EEO Executive director - Hot Lunch Service, Inc. (dba St. Mary’s Food Kitchen) is seeking an executive director. The responsibilities include executing all day-to-day operations, including staffing, employee evaluations, budgeting, social media, equipment procurement and repair, and working with all coordinators whose groups provide the daily meals for our guests. Other key duties include fund-raising, marketing and community outreach. The executive director reports directly to the board of directors. This position will be a full-time salaried position with benefits. Requirements include: bachelor’s or higher degree in business, a related field or its equivalent; food service experience is preferred; 3-5 years’ demonstrated history of leadership skills; 5 or more years of nonprofit 501(C)3 management experience working with a board of directors; demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in writing, verbally and through social media; solid organizational abilities such as planning, delegating and financial management. Interested candidates, please submit a current resume, letter of interest and references with contact information to: hotlunchserviceinc@gmail.com. Nursing faculty - A full-time nursing faculty position carries the primary responsibility of helping students to master subject material and skills that will contribute to their personal and intellectual development and success in the nursing program. This person works with the director of nursing to schedule coursework/activities that will help students to complete their goal of becoming health care professionals and to support the program. Must be able to pass a background check and complete Virtus training. Qualifications include: MSN or BSN with MSN in progress; unencumbered Kansas nursing license; committed to diversity and serving a diverse population; ability to communicate well and assist students in gaining practice and knowledge in the clinical situation; adult teaching experience preferred; excellent leadership and communication skills; experience with instructing technology-based courses; alternative teaching strategies preferred; demonstrate a thorough and accurate knowledge of use of electronic communication and audiovisual equipment; philosophically aligned with the mission and values of the college to engage and support our Catholic identity. Please email your cover letter, resume and transcripts to: hr@donnelly.edu with “Nursing instructor” in the subject line.
0CTOBER 15, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG Skilled remodeler - Kansas City Remodel is seeking part-time semi-retired skilled carpenters. Also offering full-time year-round employment with benefits. Email resume to: workorders@kansascityremodel.com. Join the Santa Marta team - Santa Marta is recognized as a premier senior living community in Olathe. You will make a positive difference when you join the Santa Marta team. We are looking for part-time servers. Responsibilities include: serving meals to residents in a professional and hospitable manner in either independent living or health care neighborhoods; respectful interaction and communication with residents and co-workers is required; work with a team in a professional manner within dining and other departments; use proper food handling and cleaning techniques; setup and clean the dining rooms after each dining session. Part-time servers are normally scheduled for three to five shifts per week (evening from 4 - 8 p.m. and weekend breakfast, lunch and dinner shifts). Pay is $10 - $11 hourly rate depending upon relevant experience. Part-time associates earn paid time off for hours worked. Thank you for your interest in joining the Santa Marta team. Check out Santa Marta at: https://www. facebook.com/SantaMartaRetirement/. Advancement officer - Donnelly College is looking for a driven advancement officer to join the college’s advancement team. This exciting opportunity requires an individual who is attentive to details, works well with a diverse array of constituencies, enjoys meeting people, works well individually and as part of a team. Responsibilities include: serve as integral member of the advancement team with the primary goal of securing major gifts to support Donnelly’s mission and vision through new and existing donor prospects; manage the cultivation cycle leading to the successful solicitation and securing of major gifts for annual fund, capital projects, endowment, event sponsorships and planned gifts; manage (and help grow) a portfolio of major gift prospects (up to 125 in portfolio); develop and coordinate major gift prospect strategies with donor database analyst, annual fund coordinator, vice president of advancement and, when appropriate, the president of the college; schedule and hold individual meetings with prospects and donors to qualify interest and capacity; create individualized prospect engagement and stewardship plans for all constituents in your portfolio; recruit membership into the Jerome Society by securing annual gifts of $1,000 and above. Please email your cover letter, resume and transcripts to: hr@donnelly. edu with “Advancement officer” in the subject line. Nurse intake coordinator - The position of Allied Health intake coordinator is responsible for building relationships with area schools, health facilities and the community at large to recruit prospective students who are interested in the health field. The successful candidate will help students understand career paths within the health care industry, particularly those related to CNA, LPN and RN licenses and guide students along academic paths in these areas. This position works closely with the director of nursing in candidate selection for both the nursing and CNA programs. Qualified candidates should have an associate degree with health care-related experience required, bachelor’s degree preferred; maintain confidentiality of health care paperwork and sensitive information provided by students who apply for a seat in the Allied Health programs; understand nursing profession and Allied Health curriculum and experience advising students; be aware of the impact of cultural patterns on student retention and student learning; have the ability to work collaboratively with faculty, administrators, students, staff; proficient in Microsoft Office products; be detail-oriented; and be philosophically aligned with the mission and values of the college to engage and support our Catholic identity. Practicing Roman Catholic preferred. Please email your cover letter, resume and transcripts to: hr@donnelly.edu with “Nurse intake coordinator” in the subject line. Director of development and stewardship - St. John Church and School in Lawrence seeks a full-time director of development and stewardship. The director will develop and administer development plans to ensure the long-term viability of the church and school. The director will oversee all advancement activities necessary by building relationships with a broad range of parishioners, parents, alumni, volunteers and community members. Candidates with three to five years of fundraising experience and bilingual (English and Spanish) are preferred. Please see full job description and requirements at: www.sjevangelist.com. This position is eligible for an archdiocesan benefits package. Please send cover letter and resume to Father John Cousins at: frjohn@sjevangelist.com or mail to: 1229 Vermont St., Lawrence, KS 66044. Receptionist/administrative assistant - Immaculate Conception, St. Marys, Kansas, is seeking a part-time receptionist. This position will be Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., approximately 27.5 hours per week. This position is responsible for receiving all calls and visitors, emails, weekly bulletin and other clerical duties as assigned. The ideal candidate will be a practicing Catholic in good standing. High school diploma required and at least three years of secretarial or administrative experience. Proficiency with Microsoft Office products required. Must be able to provide hospitality and efficient response to all calls and visitors. To apply, please visit: http://www.immaculateconceptionstmarys.com. >> Classifieds continue on page 13
CLASSIFIEDS
OCTOBER 15, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG >> Continued from page 12 Bookkeeper- St. John the Baptist and Holy Family parishes in Kansas City, Kansas, are seeking a part-time bookkeeper. This position is responsible for managing the finances of the parish, such as payroll, accounts payable, financial reporting for finance council and other bookkeeping needs. This position will have flexible hours. Bachelor’s degree in accounting or closely related field required; minimum three to five years’ previous accounting/bookkeeping experience required; proficiency in QuickBooks, Excel and Word; knowledge of or experience in nonprofit accounting preferred. To apply, please visit: www.stjohnthebaptistcatholicchurch.com. Receptionist/administrative assistant – St. John the Baptist in Kansas City, Kansas, is seeking a part-time receptionist. This position will be Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This position is responsible for receiving all calls and visitors, sorting mail, compiling the weekly bulletin and other clerical duties as assigned. Ideal candidate will be a practicing Catholic in good standing. High school diploma required and at least three years of secretarial or administrative experience. Must be able to provide hospitality and efficient response to all calls and visitors. To apply, please visit: www.stjohnthebaptistcatholicchurch.com. Instructional assistant - St. Ann School in Prairie Village is seeking an instructional assistant. The ideal candidate would be available 20 - 29 hours per week and will be supporting both students and teachers. Interested candidates, please contact St. Ann principal Liz Minks at: lminks@stannpv.org.
SERVICES Senior Care Authority - Navigating senior care options can be overwhelming. We’ll help you sort through and understand all your care and living options and point you to vetted resources. Placement assistance is FREE. We do a thorough assessment, do all the research and walk with you as you make these big decisions for you or your loved one. Call (913) 359-8580.
13
Mike Hammer local moving - A full-service mover. Packing, pianos, rental truck load/unload, storage container load/unload and in-home moving. No job too small. Serving JoCo since 1987. St. Joseph, Shawnee, parishioner. Call Mike at (913) 927-4347 or send an email to: mike@mikehammermoving.com.
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.
Win disability benefits - Disabled and no longer able to work? Get help winning Social Security disability benefits. Free consultation. Eight years’ experience. No fee unless you win. Call (785) 331-6452 or send an email to: montemace2000@yahoo.com or visit http://www. montemacedisability.org.
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) 579-1835. Email: smokey cabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.
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.teresakiddlaw. com. Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress. Faith-based counseling to cope with life concerns - Kansas City area. Call Mary Vorsten, licensed clinical professional counselor, at (913) 909-2002. ACT Prep - Founded by a Bishop Miege graduate, Pathway Prep has helped over 250 students during the last four years improve their scores. In-person or virtual sessions available. For more information, visit: path wayprepkc.com and contact Alex Pint at (913) 991-8217 or: alex@pathwayprepkc.com. Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
Handyman - I wanted to let you all know that we do basement finishes, deck building, bathroom and kitchen remodeling. This includes tile work, cabinet refinishing, and any sheetrock work. We also do all things flooring, siding, windows, doors, covered porches, sheds and much more. I really appreciate all your support. Please call Joshua Doherty at (913) 709-7230.
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
Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite, and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee.
Popcorn ceiling texture removal Interior wall painting specialist. Jerry at (913) 206-1144. 30 years’ experience. Call with questions
Local Handyman - Painting int. and ext., wood rot, masonry (chimney repair), gutter cleaning (gutter covers), dryer vent cleaning, sump pump (replace, add new), windows, doors (interior and exterior) honey-do list and more! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118.
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) For sale - Two cemetery plots at Chapel Hill Gardens in Kansas City, Kansas; lot 102B, spaces three and four. Asking $1695. Call Ernest at (913) 706-5958 or email: ecowden11@yahoo.com. For sale - Two plots at Resurrection Cemetery, Assumption Garden, section C, plots 3 and 4. $4000 for both. Call Becky at (913) 205-8002. For sale - Two side-by-side crypts, tier B 13 and 15, located in the beautiful St. Joseph Chapel at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas. The only two left in the chapel. Discounted below retail. Call (913) 269-6176.
REAL ESTATE Get Instant Cash Offer on Your Johnson County Home! Skip the Showings Move on Your Schedule Low Fee Structure Get Started Today! www.FullPriceHomeSale.com OFFER CODE KS01 We buy houses and whole estates - We are local and family owned, and will make you a fair cash offer. We buy houses in any condition. No fees or commissions and can close on the date of your choice. Selling your house as is never felt so good. Jon & Stacy Bichelmeyer (913) 599-5000
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: www.wholeestates.com. CASH FOR YOUR HOME (913) 980-4905 Any condition in the metro area Mark Edmondson - local parishioner http://www.buykcproperty.com Tired of being a landlord? I’ll buy it. Call Mark Edmondson (913) 980-4905 Local parishioner.
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. Family member with dementia or need help at home? - We specialize in helping seniors live SAFELY at home, where they want to live! We also offer free dementia training and resources for families and caregivers. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www.Benefits ofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591.
WANTED TO BUY Wanted to buy -Do you have a car or truck that you need to get rid of? If you do, CALL ME! I’m a cash buyer. We’re Holy Trinity parishioners. My name is Mark. (913) 980-4905. Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, sterling, etc. Single pieces or estate. Renee Maderak, (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Cost is $20 for the first five lines, $1.50 per line thereafter. To purchase a Leaven classified ad, email The Leaven at: beth.blankenship@theleaven.org.
NEED HELP SELLING A HOUSE? Please call me. I’m local, I pay cash anytime. Leave items not needed. I’ll even pay your closing cost. MAKE IT EASY. Mark Edmondson 913-980-4905 www.Mark@BuyKCProperty.com Holy Trinity Parishioner
THE SHEPHERD’S VOICE 8:30 a.m. Sundays on 92.9 FM and KEXS AM 1090 Encore Monday at 11:30 a.m.
Follow us on FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/ theleavenkc
NEED HELP HEALING FROM A PAST ABORTION? Call or text 913-621-2199 \ Compassionate, Confidential, Free
14
COLUMNISTS
Here’s a bit of food for thought
DAILY READINGS TWENTY-NINTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Oct. 17 TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Is 53: 10-11 Ps 33: 4-5, 18-20, 22 Heb 4: 14-16 Mk 10: 35-45 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 5: 12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21 Ps 40: 7-10, 17 Lk 12: 35-38 Oct. 20 Paul of the Cross, priest Rom 6: 12-18 Ps 124: 1b-8 Lk 12: 39-48 Oct. 21 Thursday Rom 6: 19-23 Ps 1: 1-4, 6 Lk 12: 49-53 Oct. 22 John Paul II, pope Rom 7: 18-25a Ps 119: 66, 68, 76-77, 93-94 Lk 12: 54-59 Oct. 23 John of Capistrano, priest Rom 8: 1-11 Ps 24: 1b-4b, 5-6 Lk 13: 1-9
Paul of the Cross 1694-1775 Paolo Francesco Danei, the oldest son in a poor but noble Italian family, lived austerely even as a teen. After a year in the Venetian army, he returned to a monk-like life of prayer and penance, and refused to marry. In a vision in 1720, Our Lady, wearing a black habit with a white cross and bearing Jesus’ name, told Paul to start an order to preach Christ’s passion. With his bishop’s approval, he founded the Discalced Clerks of the Most Holy Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which he led for the rest of his life, and later began a nuns’ institute. Passionists were soon doing missions, retreats and spiritual direction throughout Italy. Paul was canonized in 1867.
C
all us dumb and dumber. The place: Rome. The time: late June 1978. Fellow seminarian Mike Curran, from Brooklyn, and I had just survived our first year of theological studies, done all in Italian. It was now time for a monthlong summer of European travel. Armed with Eurail passes and our travel bible, “Europe on $5 a Day,” we ate a hearty breakfast at the North American College before heading to the train station. Dumb (Mike) asked Dumber (me), “Do you think we need to take anything with us to eat or drink?” “Naw,” I replied, “we’ll be fine.” Who would need any nourishment when our first stop, West Berlin, was a mere 17-and-a-half hours away? We’d had breakfast, would sleep eight hours on the train and could surely survive some nine-plus hours without food or drink.
A
OCTOBER 15, 2O21 | THELEAVEN.ORG
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.
About three hours in, I got thirsty and headed to the train’s restroom sink to grab some water. Imagine my shock on seeing the sign: “Acqua non potabile” (“nondrinkable water”). No problem, I thought, we’ll buy some provisions at the next stop. As the train halted at the platform, refreshment carts swarmed outside. Seeing the exorbitant prices of things, we clung to our money
instead. Unfortunately, that didn’t slake our thirst or quiet growling stomachs. About five hours later in northern Italy, an elderly man and woman entered our compartment. We’d barely gotten under way when they brought out their lunch: delicious crusty bread, salami, cheese and wine. We must have looked desperately hungry (or maybe it was my copious tears at the sight of food), because this generous couple offered to share their meal. It was delicious, complemented by much laughter, conversation and wine. Honestly, that was
the first time I’d experienced gnawing hunger. And only for several hours. I’ve never forgotten that feeling and, since then, have been acutely conscious of those who endure the tragedy of hunger. It’s fitting to mark World Food Day during Respect Life Month. The United Nations established this Oct. 16 celebration to “heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.” According to the U.N., food is a “requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity.” Probably few consider hunger a “life” issue, but it is. In the United States in 2020, Feeding America reports that more than 38 million people, 12 million of them children, faced hunger. Obviously, worldwide statistics are more horrible: 811 million people suffer hunger due to war,
weather disasters or COVID. Food is often taken for granted. From sporting events to wedding receptions to overflowing pantries and refrigerators, we’re never far from something to nosh on. Because most of the world doesn’t have that luxury, it’s up to us as Christians to act. A simple first step is to say grace before and after every meal or snack, to see all food as a blessing from God. Next, let’s make sure to keep our food waste to a minimum, instead of its present 30-40% . Locally, donate to organizations like Catholic Charities’ Family Support Centers by picking up some “extras” to share every time we go grocery shopping. Nationally and internationally, make a financial donation to Catholic Relief Services, Caritas or Bread for the World. This Respect Life Month, may our reflections on the issue of hunger provide plenty of food for thought.
Discipleship is found in giving one’s life in service
s a newly ordained priest, Jesuit Father Walter Ciszek heard Pope Pius XI’s call for missionaries to serve the faithful struggling under atheistic communism in Russia. It was, he said, “almost like a direct call from God.” After World War II broke out, Father Ciszek entered Russia under a false identity. Soon after, as the war raged on, Soviet authorities arrested and falsely accused him as a Vatican spy in 1941. They sentenced him to five years of solitary detention and torture in Moscow’s notorious Lubyanka prison followed by 15 years of hard labor in the Gulag. In his book, “He Leadeth Me,” compiled
,
JEM SULLIVAN Sullivan is a professor at The Catholic University of America.
many years later, Father Ciszek wrote: “My aim in entering Russia was the same from beginning to end: to help find God and attain eternal life.” In Sunday’s first reading, the prophet Isaiah points to the figure of a suffering servant who gives his
life willingly as offering for sin. Through his suffering, he reflects the light of God’s love. And his sufferings bring hope to many. The psalmist expresses this hope in the words of one who suffers patiently while praying: “Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you.” The author of Hebrews fixes our gaze on Jesus, high priest and Son of God, who while sinless, endured the
depths of suffering as he willingly offered his life on the cross out of the love for the world. “We do not,” says the author of Hebrews, “have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.” And in the Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples the hidden source of deep and lasting happiness, even as they argue uselessly about who is the greatest among them! The gift of finding one’s life in giving one’s life in service of others is the heart of Christian discipleship. True happiness and enduring greatness spring, not from egodriven selfishness, but from acts and lives of self-giving love poured
out to those in need. Dedicating ourselves to service of others is the most authentic and longlasting form of power and love. It is what Pope Francis calls the “secret of vocation: to go beyond oneself and put oneself at the service of others.” Each day, we are faced with opportunities to go out of ourselves in service of others. Some opportunities of service are easy to carry out while others are difficult, even painful at times. Jesus gives us his own example of servant love that carried him to his cross and resurrection. With God’s grace we follow the path of Jesus’ self-sacrificing service as we pray with confident faith: “Speak to me, Lord.”
Pope and religious leaders thank world’s teachers for their dedication VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A former educator himself, Pope Francis and other religious leaders helped celebrate World Teachers’ Day by promoting a global alliance aimed at creating an “open and inclusive” education for everyone. The representatives of different religions thanked the world’s teachers “for your dedication and sacrifice as you carry out the noble mission of educating young
people. And we wish to encourage you to continue on your journey, despite the difficulties and challenges of our time, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic,” they said in a joint message Oct. 5. They called on government leaders to hold the teaching profession in high esteem, including guaranteeing fair pay, creating better working conditions and offering assistance in continuing
education for teachers. “We hope that each nation will give due value and recognition to your service, in the knowledge that the future of humanity depends on the quality of teachers and educators,” the representatives said. The written message came at the conclusion of a one-day meeting at the Vatican, “Religions and Education: Toward a Global Compact on Education.”
COLUMNISTS
OCTOBER 15, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG
A
15
How do you grieve someone you never got to know?
s we stood around the Batman cake, I felt a deep gratitude in my heart for the friends that had gathered to celebrate our son’s first birthday — because he had died nine months earlier. While many people would have found such a gathering morbid, our friends supported us this day as they had for the previous nine months. They joined us in gratitude for the gift of Peter’s life, and shared tears with us over his absence. In the United States, approximately 10-20% of confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage, and five out of every 1,000 live births end in the death of the infant. Unfortunately for
FAMILY MATTERS
BRAD AND LIBBY DUPONT Brad and Libby DuPont are consultants for the archdiocesan office of marriage and family life.
us and other parents who have had this experience, the fact that it is common does not make it less devastating. There is a unique kind of suffering that
comes from the loss of one so small, since we are left with only questions. Would he have looked more like Mom or Dad? Would she have been a talented athlete or a skilled artist? Which sibling would he or she have been closest to? In the case of early miscarriage, parents
may even need to guess about the gender of the child. This makes grieving very abstract. How do you grieve for someone you never got to know? Further, since we had such a brief window of time with the child, life quickly begins to return to what appears normal. The bassinet gets put away, or perhaps it is filled by another child. Our daily lives are again filled with work, school and chores. Since there aren’t any memories to recount, friends and family mention the child less and less, sometimes leaving families to wonder if their child has been forgotten. This can add loneliness to the grief.
In grieving our son Peter (and later, his sister Gianna), we were blessed with friends who not only came to awkward birthday parties, but who texted us on the anniversaries of our children’s deaths. They allowed us to tell the few stories we have of our kids in regular conversation. They asked our baby saints to intercede for their own families. In doing these simple things, they filled the space left by their absence with great love. Do you have friends or family who have lost a little one? If so, we would like to invite you to our annual Mass of Innocents to be held on Oct. 24 at
1 p.m. at Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park. Celebrated by Archbishop Naumann, this Mass commemorates the lives of these precious children, whose names are recorded in a book that he prays with during the month of November. This celebration is a wonderful way to support grieving families and let them know that no matter how long they lived or how long ago they died, their children will not be forgotten. Even if you don’t personally know a grieving family, you are invited to come fill the space left by the absence of these children with your love.
Pandemic upend your prayer life? Schedule a date night with Jesus
L
ast month, my parish hosted its annual Stewardship
Fair. As I sat at my table, ready to share information regarding planned giving opportunities available to parishioners, I spotted our eucharistic adoration ministry. It reminded me of the several conversations I have had with my wife about how we need to pick a time and begin eucharistic adoration again. For several years, we held down a Sunday evening time in the adoration chapel at Queen of the Holy Rosary in Overland Park. Basically, this is a date we had with Jesus and often we extended the date by stopping
YES TO THE CALL
BILL MALONEY Bill Maloney is the executive director of the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development. You can email him at: wmaloney@ archkck.org.
for ice cream on the way home. The ride home was also a time of faith sharing, discussing the rosary meditation or a Sunday homily we
listened to from one of our favorite priests. It was a peaceful way to end our weekend and ready ourselves for the week ahead. The pandemic changed that. The adoration chapel was closed down and our date night with Jesus was over. Through the early months of the pandemic, we prayed the rosary together
on Sunday nights, but over time, we strayed from that habit as well. The good news is that God is always waiting to welcome us back and he sure did on our first trip back to eucharistic adoration. Our new date night with Jesus is now Wednesday at 8 p.m. That night, the Divine Mercy chaplet ministry meets to pray and have eucharistic adoration at 7 p.m. The group ends their adoration at 8 p.m. and the monstrance is processed back to the chapel as they sing “Holy God We Praise Thy Name.” The lyrics are so powerful and peaceful — “cherubim and seraphim, in unceasing chorus praising,
fill the heavens with sweet accord: Holy, holy, holy Lord.” That hymn moves my heart. What a way to begin adoration. I know we will not be late each week. I believe the Holy Spirit guided us back not only to adoration but to this particular time. The rest of the time was also full of “Holy Spirit moments.” A young mother came in with her two children to pray. I prayed for her and for whatever needs she was carrying. Another man came in briefly and touched the crucifix so reverently. The man we share the hour with beautifully prostrated himself before the Blessed Sacrament before
“We are proud to be a locally owned family funeral home serving our community.”
he left. I was also touched by the man who came after us. He is the father of four young children. What a witness of faith he is giving to his children. Prayer is a pillar of stewardship and eucharistic adoration is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with Our Lord. I am blessed to witness others with such devoted prayer lives. This month, each household will receive a letter from Archbishop Naumann inviting you to submit prayer intentions. I encourage you to mail in your prayers or go online to: archkck.org/prayer intention. The archbishop will pray for your intentions in his private chapel throughout this next year.
INTERIOR HOME PAINTING SPECIALISTS UPDATE YOUR WALLS WITH A FRESH COAT OF BEHR PAINT! SERVING JOHNSON COUNTY FOR 30 YEARS ,INSURED! (913) 206-1144 ASK FOR CHRIS OR JERRY
FUNERAL HOME • CREMATORY • MEMORIAL CHAPELS 10901 Johnson Drive Shawnee, Kansas 66203 Telephone 913-631-5566 Fax 913-631-2236 Gregg Amos
www.amosfamily.com
LOCAL NEWS
OCTOBER 15, 2021 | THELEAVEN.ORG
16
Pandemic exposed inequities that El Centro seeks to redress
T
his week, the president and CEO of El Centro takes us inside her ministry in Kansas City, Kansas. Meet: Irene Caudillo.
Q.
What is your title and where do you minister?
A.
I am president and CEO of El Centro, a ministry founded through a grant from the archdiocese in 1976. Our mission is to strengthen communities and improve the lives of others, through educational, social and economic opportunities.
Q. Please describe what you do. A. I am the day-to-day leader of
the organization, responsible for raising dollars, marketing, strategic operations, and being the face and voice for the organization. I report to a governing body of community members known as our board of directors. El Centro’s programs and services are family-centered and focused with a common thread of education, information and integration. We define integration as embracing our families’ culture and language. El Centro is uniquely prepared with special expertise to provide appropriate services that meet these cultural and language needs. We provide the following programs: dual-language preschool, health education and navigation, economic empowerment and policy/advocacy services.
Q.
How would you describe how that fits into the larger mission of the Catholic Church?
A.
Catholics are taught to live our faith through the social teachings. Catholic social teaching recognizes those who are in need are the most vulnerable. Those individuals and families who enter our doors only ask for human dignity and respect. El Centro fits into the larger mission of the Catholic Church by moving beyond welcoming the stranger, and building a common good through stewardship, trust and belonging with our community.
Q. Is this what you set out to do
in life?
A.
My parents wanted a doctor, lawyer or “big” money-making career for their children. They wanted us to have more than they had. They also taught us to be servant leaders. They changed their view of careers after several of my siblings became social
LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE
Irene Caudillo, president and CEO of El Centro, takes Leaven readers inside her ministry and how it fits into the mission of the larger church. Above, she chats with El Centro receptionist Stella Morales. workers, educators, lawyers and nurses. I convinced my parents that helping people and loving what I do was what mattered more. So, my path led me to nonprofit management. It’s a career path that allows me to work with the community and support myself.
and our ancestors.
What have you learned about people in this job?
A.
Q.
We all want a place to call home, belong and be respected. I learned that, despite the fact that I have some privilege because of the tables I sit at, that I am no different. But I need to use this privilege to be a voice, build voices, and create safe and welcoming spaces for all, no matter where I sit or what I do in my work.
A.
What have you learned about yourself ?
marily serve?
Q.
El Centro serves Latino individuals and families living in Wyandotte and Johnson counties in Kansas who are predominantly Spanish speaking, many undocumented, underserved and uninsured.
A.
What do you wish everybody knew about your ministry?
Did you collect some skills from other jobs along the way that have proved surprisingly applicable? If so, explain. Most people assume nonprofit means organizations do not operate as a business. The skills I have learned along the way and incorporated throughout my career include standard operating procedures, budgeting, budget forecast and human resource policies that surprisingly are lacking in some service-oriented programs. It is important to sustain our work, so running our organization like a business is my job. This allows our staff to continue providing the compassion, love and service our families need.
Q.
What would the average Catholic be most surprised to learn about your job?
A.
Catholics will be most surprised to learn about the people we serve. Most of the misinformation about our population is heartbreaking. I get to see every day the many Latino families who built this community and continue to make an economic impact. Catholics would be surprised to learn of the many stories of our families that resemble the stories of us all
Q.
Q. Who does your ministry pri-
We have been in service for 45 years and provide many opportunities for our faith community to support and volunteer, all the while meeting incredible people.
Q.
Why does the world need more of what you’re offering, do you think, especially right now?
A.
The racial and economic inequities in our country were exposed in the COVID-19 pandemic. We saw essential workers unable to work from home, remaining vulnerable to the virus while keeping our community going. Our families lacked rental agreements, an understanding of their housing and workforce rights and, of course, many families lacked internet and hardware for their children to move into the virtual world. We need to make equity a part of everything we do, including education, housing, health care and workforce. This takes all of us, policy change and funding, especially now.
A.
Q. A.
I have learned I must listen to understand, and work to be understood to find common ground on any issue important enough to fight for.
Q.
How has it changed the way you view your identity as a Catholic?
A.
I was raised Catholic. I believe in the values of the church. I have not changed my views or views as a Catholic. My work has only strengthened my actions to see Jesus in all, to be less judgmental, to believe more in humanity, to always give and love more.
Irene Caudillo is married to Ryan and the proud mother of Julian, Sophia and Olivia. They live in Kansas City, Kansas, and are members of Christ the King Church there.