Leaven 10-16-15 Vol. 37 No. 11 by The Leaven

THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 37, NO. 11 | OCTOBER 16, 2015

Dr. Joseph McGuirk is the director of KU Medical Center’s division of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics.

CELLULAR WON Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center in Kansas City, Kansas, proves that ethical and effective are a one-two punch that’s hard to beat. STORY BY JOE BOLLIG | PHOTOS BY DOUG HESSE

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Dr. Joseph McGuirk strode purposefully through the Westwood Campus of the University of Kansas Cancer Center, chatting with a visitor about one of his favorite topics: treating the sick with stem cells.

HAPPY 100

McGuirk, a hematologist/oncologist, is director of the medical center’s division of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics, part of the KU Cancer Center. Simply put, he works to cure people of blood cancers through stem-cell transplants. Restoring people to health and saving their lives gives him a tremendous sense of fulfillment.

St. Francis Xavier Parish in Mayetta celebrates its 100th anniversary. Page 3

“It’s indescribable,” said McGuirk. “To be trusted, and for people to have confidence in you is extremely humbling. And it’s a profound responsibility. “When things go well and you’re able to impact in a positive way in an absolutely devastating, terrible situation — some 18-year-old kid with leukemia, for example — that’s what it’s all about for us.” Halfway up a stairwell, McGuirk had an unexpected but joyful reunion with one of his patients, Rebecca Hertzog. “We took care of her when she had a very aggressive leukemia,” said McGuirk. “We got her cancer into remission, thank God. Unfortunately, she relapsed, and the only potential hope

MEMORIES

Former students and instructors reflect on 50 years of Savior of the World. Page 5

RESPECT LIFE MONTH

he Leaven launches its Respect Life Month coverage with this article on the many medical breakthroughs that adult stem-cell research have made possible. Watch for more Respect Life stories in upcoming issues of The Leaven.

for her was a stem-cell transplant.” The stem cells came from blood within the umbilical cord of a healthy mother and healthy newborn baby. The baby went to the nursery and the umbilical cord blood — which is normally thrown away — was saved and used to treat Hertzog. >> See “NOT” on page 8

NEW BEGINNING

Immaculata football was dead — until a partnership gave it new life. Page 16

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

ARCHBISHOP

Our very civilization depends on the success of the family

he primary reason that Pope Francis made his recent pastoral visit to the United States was not to address Congress or to give a speech to the United Nations or to address the issues of religious liberty and immigration reform on the steps outside of Independence Hall. In his address to the bishops of the United States at St. Matthew Cathedral, the Holy Father stated: “I appreciate the unfailing commitment of the church in America to the cause of life and that of the family, which is the primary reason for my present visit.” Pope Francis came to the United States to give his personal support and encouragement to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. Pope John Paul II initiated the World Meeting of Families in the early 1990s as a vehicle to highlight the importance of marriage and family for the world, society and the church. The final keynote address for the World Meeting of Families was given both by Pastor Rick Warren, leader of an evangelical megachurch and author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” and Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston. Pastor Warren, inspired by an observation of Pope Francis regarding the many threats to the family today, described our current situation: “In today’s society, materialism is idolized, immorality is glamorized, truth is minimized, sin is normalized, divorce is rationalized and abortion is legalized . . . The elderly are dehumanized, the sick are euthanized, the poor are victimized, the mentally ill are os-

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN

LISTEN to this article online at: www.theleaven.org. tracized, immigrants are stigmatized and children are tranquilized.” Pastor Warren suggested that the solution to many of the world’s problems is joy-filled families that are built on the firm foundation of faith in a loving God. At one point, Pastor Warren challenged Christian families to stop acting like they are in the “witness protection program,” but instead become joyful and bold witnesses of faithful, committed love in the world. Cardinal O’Malley observed: “It is important that Rick Warren is here. This is a witness of unity that’s important in today’s world as we strive to proclaim “The Gospel of Life”: the need to protect every human being from the first moment of conception until natural death, to defend the family as the sanctuary of life, and family as a sacred calling described on the first pages of the Bible.” Pope Francis in his address at the prayer vigil for families asserted that the most beautiful

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thing God made was the family: “He (God) created man and woman. And he gave them everything. He entrusted the world to them. . . . All the love he put into the marvelous creation, he entrusted to the family.” The Holy Father reminded us that, after the sin of our first parents, God did not abandon us, but eventually gave us the greatest demonstration of his love by sending his son. And where did God send his son? It was not to “a palace or a city or an office building, but to a family.” The Holy Father said that God delights in families that are united, that love, that educate and form their children in virtue, that help build a society of goodness, truth and beauty. Pope Francis acknowledged that some might object that he has a romantic notion of family because he is not married. The Holy Father admitted that families have problems, difficulties and arguments. He said that children cause headaches and sometimes in the family plates fly! “Families always, always have crosses. Always. Because the love of God, the Son of God, also asked us to follow him along this way. But in families also, the cross is followed by the resurrection, because there, too, the Son of God leads us. So the family is . . . a

15. Circulation: Av. No. copies Single issue each issue during nearest to preceding 12 mos. filing date A. Total no. copies printed (Net press run) 53,700 53,256 B. Paid Circulation 1. Mail Subscriptions 53,182 52,213 3. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors and counter sales 0 0 C. Total Paid Circulation 53,182 52,213 D. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 1. Outside-County copies included on PS Form 3541 308 297 4. Free Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or Other Means) 0 0 E. Total Free Distribution 308 297 F. Total Distribution (Sum of C and D) 53,490 52,510 G. Copies not Distributed Office Use, Left-Over Unaccounted, Spoiled 210 746 H. Total (Sum of 15 f and g) 53,700 53,256 I. Percentage Paid and/ or Requested Circulation 99.4% 99.4% I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Rev. Mark Goldasich, Editor

workshop of hope, of the hope of life and resurrection.” In the Holy Father’s address to the bishops at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, he challenged us as pastors to be close to families and particularly young couples. The pope recognized the pressure on young people not to start a family in some cases “because they lack the material means to do so, and others because they are so well-off that they are happy as they are. That is the temptation, not to start a family.” In this cultural context, it is our responsibility as pastors to encourage “young people to be brave and to opt for marriage and family.” The Holy Father challenged us to show the world that the “gospel of the family is truly good news in a world where self-concern reigns supreme!” The pope asserted “the perseverance that is called for in having a family and raising it transforms the world and human history. Families transform the world and history.” Everything depends on the strength of the family. The health of our nation, the future of civilization, the vitality of the church — all depend on the family. The essential, bedrock foundation for the family is the faithful, committed love of a husband and a wife. The greatest gift children can receive is a father who loves their mother and a mother who loves their father and who together love them. Please pray for the bishops from throughout the world that are gathered in Rome for the Synod of Bishops on the family. May the Holy Spirit guide and direct their deliberations and decisions so that

CALENDAR

ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN Oct. 16-17 Conception Seminary board meeting Oct. 17 Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Foundation Gala — Starlight Theater Oct. 18 Installation of Father Quentin Schmitz — St. Francis Xavier, Burlington Project Andrew — St. Joseph, Shawnee Oct. 19 “Shepherd’s Voice” recording Immaculata adoration — St. Joseph, Leavenworth Pastoral Council meeting, vespers and dinner — Savior Pastoral Center Oct. 20 Lawrence regional priests meeting — St. Lawrence Campus Center Catholic Charities annual meeting, vespers and reception Oct. 21 St. James Academy Mass Confirmation — Annunciation, Frankfort; St. our church can better support strong marriages and healthy families, as well as discern better ways for us to accompany families and individuals who are hurting. If you are married, I encourage you this week to do something special to demonstrate your love for your spouse. If you are not married, make a special effort to encourage, support and/or pray for married couples. Cardinal O’Malley shared that once he asked a couple that had

Monica-St. Elizabeth, Blue Rapids; and St. Columbkille, Blaine Oct. 22 Kansas City-St. Joseph cabinet meeting and personnel board meeting Confirmation — St. Gregory, Marysville, and St. Malachy, Beattie Oct. 23 Dedication Mass — Holy Cross, Overland Park Oct. 24 Catholic Education Foundation Gaudeamus dinner — Overland Park Convention Center Oct. 25 Project Andrew — Christ the King, Topeka

ARCHBISHOP KELEHER Oct. 18 Federal camp Mass Oct. 20 Confirmation — Immaculate Conception, Louisburg Oct. 24 Catholic Education Foundation Gaudeamus dinner Oct. 25 Federal camp Mass

been married 50 years their secret for a successful marriage. The husband said that at the beginning of their marriage they settled on a division of decisionmaking responsibilities. He would make all the big decisions and his wife would make all the little decisions. Cardinal O’Malley asked the man: “And this has worked well for you?” The husband replied: “Oh yes, very well! So far, there have been no big decisions!”

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

100 YEARS AND GOING STRONG St. Francis Xavier Parish celebrates centennial

By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org

More photos

from this event can be seen online at: www.theleaven.org

Walking the road of faith “It is good to recall all those individuals who received life in Jesus through the waters of baptism the past 100 years as part of this community,” said the archbishop, “all those who have been nourished by the Eucharist . . . all who have been transformed and challenged and encouraged by hearing the word of God proclaimed and preached . . . all who have experienced God’s mercy . . . all who have had the Holy Spirit and his gifts poured into their hearts through the sacrament of confirmation . . . all who have vowed their lives in marriage . . . all who have discerned a vocation to the priesthood or the consecrated life . . . all who have been strengthened and healed . . . all who have received comfort and hope in a time of grief and mourning . . . all the children who were taught the faith . . . and for the friendships that have been formed, providing support to one another and living out the way of Christian discipleship and helping each other, encouraging each other to grow in holiness.”

AYETTA — At 93, Doris Foster is one of the oldest members of St. Francis Xavier Parish here. She’s also one of the members with the longest number of years spent at the parish, having joined it more than 50 years ago. She’s always been involved in some way. So it was no surprise to anyone that Foster made all of the pickles served at a sit-down luncheon, one of four activities held on Oct. 6 to mark the parish’s centennial anniversary. The festivities also included the praying of the rosary as a parish, a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and the blessing of a monument dedicated to the unborn, donated to the parish by Knights of Columbus Council 9535. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Marianand Mendem who was officially installed earlier in the day as the parish’s pastor as well as the pastor of nearby St. Dominic Parish in Holton and Our Lady of the Snows Shrine on the Pottawatomi Reservation. Additionally, three former pastors — Father Carl Dekat, Father Bob Hasenkamp and Father Tom Hesse, all retired from active ministry — concelebrated the Mass. Monsignor Gary Applegate served as the master of ceremonies. Surrounded by several members of her family at the luncheon, Foster reminisced about her parish involvement

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

Archbishop Naumann blesses an expectant mother — Elena Wabaunsee — at the 100th anniversary celebration of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Mayetta.

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

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

Father Marianand Mendem, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Mayetta, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann celebrate the parish’s centennial Mass on Oct. 6. Father Mendem was also installed as pastor earlier that day. throughout the past several decades. “I enjoy church work. I really do,” said Foster, adding that she had made 18 bowls of pickles for the luncheon. Through the years, she has been involved in religious education classes, the Altar Society and even the choir. She also made sure her six kids got to Mass and were involved in parish life as well. Yet, it’s in the kitchen that she always felt at home. “I lived in the kitchen,” Foster joked. She often assisted with the food for parish events, including parish bazaars (one of her personal favorites) and youth group fundraisers. To this day, she assists in the annual baking of more than 50 dozen cinnamon rolls for the parish youth group. Foster’s favorite moment of the eventful day came early when the archbishop prayed over a young expectant mother after first blessing the monument to the unborn. Why was Foster so thrilled by this? The mother is carrying her greatgreat-grandchild, and she’s been praying regularly for both the mother and the baby. “That was my favorite moment,” said Foster. The parish celebration fell on Respect Life Sunday as well as on the opening day of the second Synod of Bishops on the family in Rome. During his homily, the archbishop explained the importance of cel-

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON

Archbishop Naumann, with the assistance of Msgr. Gary Applegate (left), master of ceremonies, and Father Mendem prepares to bless a monument to the unborn. ebrating anniversaries within families, but also within parishes. “It’s important in families to celebrate anniversaries, and it’s also important in parish families to do that as well,” the archbishop said. He encouraged all those gathered to be thankful for those who had gone before them in faith. Near the end of his remarks, the archbishop discussed the Scripture readings and their importance on the parish’s centennial anniversary, tying them in with the recent papal visit and the opening of the synod in Rome. “[The readings] speak to us about the importance of marriage and family life,” Arch-

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

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

Reporter Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita.mcsorley@theleaven.org

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

Advertising Coordinator Beth Blankenship beth.blankenship@theleaven.org

bishop Naumann told the crowd, sharing with them that the pope came to the United States because he wanted “to show his support and encouragement for families. . . . The readings today challenge us to realize the importance of marriage.” “In giving ourselves away in love is when we find the true meaning and purpose of life,” the archbishop said, adding the centennial provides an opportunity to “recommit ourselves to living our Catholic faith and living it in a special way.” Ultimately, the archbishop said, when families flourish, parishes thrive, the archdiocese thrives and, finally, the church thrives as well.

Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $18/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

Bible scholars gather in Lansing — weekly in fact By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org

ANSING — In an era known for its busy schedules, heavy workloads and countless distractions, parishioners throughout Lansing and surrounding areas are breaking away from the noise to focus on faith. Their inspiration? The Bible. At St. Francis de Sales, a parish of roughly 500 households, nearly 70 participants attend a 20-session adult Bible study course held on Monday nights. Attendants greet one another with warm smiles and enjoy coffee and snacks. The program then begins with a DVD, followed by small group discussions over the evening’s lesson. The parish’s Bible study boasts humble beginnings, starting out in 2011 with less than a dozen participants. But in 2014, the attendance jumped to 45. “This thing has worked because the Spirit wants it to work,” said Tama Brzustowicz, who plays a key role in running the Bible study with her husband Tad. “No question in my mind about that.” What sparked the interest of additional participants was the decision to utilize “The Bible Timeline: The Story of Salvation,” a Jeff Cavins course that treats the books of the Bible as a journey through faith and time. The group has since moved on to the current program known as “Epic,” which features Steve Weidenkopf, who draws viewers in with an intriguing, informative overview of Catholic Church history. Programs like these are what has encouraged many Catholics to slow things down, meet fellow parishioners and, most importantly, reconnect with God. “This is just a bunch of people coming together to make it fly. We’re really direct — what you see is what you get,” said Tama. St. Francis receives the Bible study’s DVDs from the archdiocesan office of evangelization. Participants purchase their own study books, making the program cost-effective and easy to follow. Participants are also given the option of donating funds for an additional book, in order to give those who cannot afford it the chance to receive one. Linda Gilliland, a St. Francis parishioner of 20 years, has been attending

LEAVEN PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS

Participants in Lansing’s St. Francis de Sales Bible study course break into small groups to discuss the week’s lesson. Nearly 70 people attend the 20-session course on Monday nights. the parish’s Bible study since it started nearly five years ago. A cradle Catholic, Gilliland joined the program because she “needed to advance a little bit further, and this was a good way to start.” She had received basic faith formation, said Gilliland, but “it kind of gets abandoned and watered down over the years. So this really keeps you tuned up and learning.” Building on their existing knowledge of the faith appears to be a major motive for many Bible study attendees. Tom Novak, who has been a member of St. Francis for the past 15 years, said what motivated him to start this program was “a recommitment to my faith. That’s what did it, really.” Novak, also a cradle Catholic, was motivated to learn more about the history of the church. “I come in contact with a lot of people who are not Catholic,” he said, “so I wanted to be able to explain my faith.”

“The program used is exceptional, very engaging,” said pastor Father Bill McEvoy, “and the group is very welcoming and hospitable — folks feel at home very quickly.” A course with more interaction and depth than the average Bible study, Gilliland said the program “allows you to form good friendships with people who have the same ideas and thoughts.” Novak remarked on how impactful it is “to listen, to get feedback from other people’s thoughts and ideas, as well as their life experiences in regards to the faith, from all different walks of life.” It is clear the participants feel stimulated by this course. “I’m extremely busy,” said Novak, “but this is extremely important, so I make time for it.” People who are interested in participating in a Bible study like this but have hectic schedules are encouraged to try it out and attend as many sessions as they can. The key is to set personal

goals that can be achieved with a little effort. And the results are immeasurable. “I think [the program] has drawn us more [together] as the body of Christ in prayer as a group, which helps in private prayer as well,” said Novak. Gilliland talked about the Bible study as an “internal type of conversion.” It is clear that faith formation in a group setting also molds participants’ personal faith lives, continued Novak. This is an opportunity that can revamp your faith in God, no matter the stage of life you find yourself. “We use a lot of Scripture at Mass, but I’m told a lot of Catholics don’t often open their Bible at home,” said Father McEvoy. “I am hoping the Bible study ignites a hunger for Scripture — to delve deeper into God’s word, to come away with more of an understanding of how God is revealing himself in their life.”

Prairie Star plays host to American Heritage Girls camp By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Rocker Cyndi Lauper from the 1980s was absolutely right: Girls just want to have fun — at American Heritage Girls summer camp. Girls from five Catholic-sponsored American Heritage Girls troops romped all over Prairie Star Ranch near Williamsburg Aug. 14-16, earning badges and engaging in a range of outdoor and spiritual activities. “The girls love it,” said Kim Grandon, troop coordinator for AHG Troop KS2206, sponsored by Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood. “They have so much energy. We don’t have one spare moment. Their entire weekend is planned out and they go, and they go, and they go. They sing while they walk and make up their skits and songs for the bonfire. They just love every bit of camp.”

To join or find out more about American Heritage Girls, contact the nearest parish with an AHG troop or go online to: www. americanheritagegirls.org.

American Heritage Girls, founded in 1995, is a nationwide Christ-centered character development and leadership program for girls ages 5 to 18. “Our troop was the first [Catholic AHG unit] in our archdiocese,” said Grandon. “We went to a camp [in 2013] for all the area AHG troops that first summer. It was fine, but it lacked the things we place value on in our faith, so we decided to have our own camp.” This is the second year Prairie Star Ranch hosted the American Heritage Girls with 54 girls and 37 adults, an increase of 33 campers over last year. Participating troops included MO-6506, >> See “SKILLS” on page 6

PHOTO COURTESY OF PRAIRIE STAR RANCH

A group of American Heritage Girls take a cart tour of Prairie Star Ranch during a retreat at the camp near Williamsburg.

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

SAVIOR MEMORIES

Former teachers, students, reflect on 50 years of Savior By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — It’s 50 years old and still looking good, but you should have seen Savior Pastoral Center when it was brand spanking

new. Construction of the new Savior of the World Seminary was one of the most exciting things going on in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas in 1964. “I was there when it was going up,” said Father Al Rockers, now a senior associate at the Church of Nativity in Leawood and one of the first faculty members. “It was delightful. It was majestic, with the bell tower reaching into the sky and the arches all around the building,” he continued. “It was amazing.” This was a modern building that spoke of optimism for the future. It had clean, horizontal lines with no architectural frills or decoration. The colors were stark — black and white. The big plate class windows let in a lot of light and the hallways were long and spacious. “Back in 1970, a missionary from Africa visited,” said Father Rockers. “He stood at the front doors and saw that broad hallway going to the cafeteria. “‘All that space!’ he remarked, with tears rolling down his cheeks. ‘If I only had this hallway for my classrooms in Africa.’” Savior of the World Seminary was a longtime dream of Archbishop Edward J. Hunkeler, who served as archbishop from 1951 to 1969. He began a campaign in 1962 to raise funds to build a high school level (minor) seminary. Ground was broken on 100 acres of donated farmland west of Kansas City, Kansas, in 1964. The building was dedicated in 1965, and the doors opened to welcome 94 freshmen and sophomore boys. Father Ken Kelly, pastor of St. Pius X Parish in Mission, was a student from 1967 to 1971. His family belonged to St. Agnes Parish in Roeland Park. “Monsignor [Herman J.] Koch was the pastor, and he was keen to have his boys in the new minor seminary,” said Father Kelly. “He took a big group of junior high boys out to Savior to just look at it. They just had freshmen and sophomores out there at that time. We swam in the pool and sat in on some classes.” His impressions? It was beautiful — and it was way out in the boonies. The nearest thing of any interest was a little café and bus stop at Victory Junction, the corner of Kansas Highway 7 and Parallel Parkway. Father Pat Riley, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Eudora, attended the seminary as a student from 1969 to 1973 and then taught as a faculty member from 1984 to 1986. Students lived at the school from Sunday evening to Friday and then went home for the weekend, sometimes hosting a classmate without family nearby. Savior didn’t seem isolated to Father Riley. “For an eighth-grader just leaving home, it was so huge, especially learning my way around the place,” said Father Riley. “Living there all week seemed strange to me — I could walk to my parents’ house in five minutes.”

LEAVEN FILE PHOTO

Msgr. Michael Mullen, a former instructor at Savior of the World Seminary, talks with Chris Towle in 1975 for SemWeek, a time set aside in the summer for grade school boys to spend time at the seminary and get to know archdiocesan priests and seminarians.

“FOR AN EIGHTH-GRADER JUST LEAVING HOME, IT WAS SO HUGE, ESPECIALLY LEARNING MY WAY AROUND THE PLACE. LIVING THERE ALL WEEK SEEMED STRANGE TO ME.” Father Pat Riley Savior of the World Seminary had a good environment and offered a good education, remembered Father Kelly. At Savior, he learned how to take notes from one of his teachers, Msgr. Michael Mullen. “It served me well in college and graduate school,” said Father Kelly. “The mandatory study halls taught me to get all my homework done in one-anda-half hours,” said Father Riley. “That really helped me in college.” In a lot of ways, Savior of the World Seminary was a lot like any other high school. The students participated in plays, clubs and classes. They had debate and forensics. They had sports: basketball, swimming, track, cross-country and tennis. Instead of football, they had soccer. But in a lot of ways, the seminary was very different from the average high school. It was all-boys, it was residential and it was religious. That meant no socializing with girls (except on the weekends) and lots of prayer as part of the daily routine. There was daily morning and evening prayer, Mass before lunch and prayers at meals. The seminarians also studied religion and took spiritual direction from the priests on the faculty. “It was humbling to be a spiritual director,” said Father Rockers. “But I en-

joyed helping the boys move along, helping them to become more interior and think beyond themselves.” “I did a lot of individual counseling,” he added. “It was great to see them grow up in the spiritual as well as physical and mental realms. I enjoyed being a catalyst for their spiritual growth.” Life at Savior was, as Father Riley remembered, no social life and “pretty much chapel, classes, studying and sports.” Even so, they weren’t student monks. Boys will be boys — with stomachs like bottomless pits. “They had fun,” said Father Rockers. “They were teenagers. Even when they were supposed to be praying, they were poking around in the tunnels under the building. There were emergency [Civil Defense] crackers by the cases, and they were eating the crackers in the tunnels. We could hear them through the vents. They thought they were hiding, but we could hear them.” Occasionally, some of the students would raid the kitchens for a midnight snack. “Sometimes, the boys would sneak off to Victory Junction to buy a hamburger and chips, or hitch a ride to a shopping center at 78th and State,” said Father Kelly. “It had a Kmart.” “One thing I remember from being on the faculty and living in the dorm with the students,” said Father Riley. “After my first week, I called [former faculty member] Father John Erickson and apologized for everything we made him go through in the dorm when I was a student.” Savior of the World Seminary was a great place not just for the academics, but because the students were “young men with a purpose,” said Msgr. Michael Mullen, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Kansas City, Kansas. He was a faculty member for the entire existence of the seminary and also one of its rectors.

“It was an ideal setting for young men to develop all their qualities and virtues — to grow in prayer and academically, to grow in friendships and in responsibilities, and to grow athletically,” said Msgr. Mullen. There was a closeness and camaraderie among the students, and the faculty got to know the students really well. “I think there was a wonderful spirit of family,” said Msgr. Mullen. About 750 students entered Savior during its 22 years as a seminary. About 270 graduated, and approximately 45 became priests or members of religious orders. “Of those who did not pursue a religious vocation, a significant number remain active in parish life,” said Msgr. Mullen. “It’s interesting that they became religious education teachers, eucharistic ministers, parish council members and other things.” Savior of the World was designed and built to be a seminary, but it was also built with other uses in mind. “Right from the start, there was foresight in the design of Savior so that it could also be used as an archdiocesan pastoral center,” said Msgr. Mullen. “The design of the chapel and the dining room was to accommodate twice the number of students that would attend. That proved to be providential as, in the 1970s, there were much more requests for meeting space and for Marriage Encounter, Cursillo and other programs.” Savior of the World Seminary closed in 1987 and the minor seminary program was transferred to Maur Hill Prep School in Atchison. In the early 1990s, Savior’s classroom wing was renovated and became the archdiocesan chancery. The remainder of Savior Pastoral Center underwent remodeling in various areas, but many areas — notably the chapel — remain the same as when Savior was a seminary.

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

Skills, badges combine with prayer, worship for Heritage girls

WEB EXCLUSIVE

>> Continued from page 4

sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 6506 in Blue Springs, Missouri; KS-2206; KS-1279 from St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood; KS-0138 from Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa; and KS-3130 from Church of the Ascension in Overland Park. American Heritage Girls earn proficiency badges that fall under five categories: patriotic, family living, arts, outdoors skills and personal well-being. The different units of a troop have different requirements appropriate for their age levels. “This year we chose a Native American theme,” said Grandon. “We tried to focus on earning the Native American badge for all our units. The little girls made clay pots and painted designs on them. The middle-aged girls built their own tepees. The older girls brought their 18-inch dolls, researched different clothing worn by different tribes and made outfits for the dolls.” The girls earned their textile badge by making wampum belts, rosary bracelets and tie-dye shirts. And they did activities such as archery, canoeing, swimming and horseback riding. They also enjoyed a hayride and evening bonfire activities with songs and skits. “We were fortunate this year that ‘Wet Willie’ was still up, so we used the big water slide,” said Grandon. Because AHG is Christ-centered, prayer and worship was a big part of the camp. The girls earned their joyful mysteries of the rosary badge, recited rosaries, prayed before meals, worshiped at Mass on Saturday evening and participated in eucharistic adoration Sunday morning. There were also prayer and talks before and after activities. The Prairie Star Ranch retreat team facilitated the activities at the camp. “The girls were joyful and excited to be at the camp,” said Katie Friess, a retreat team member. “They were ready to take part in all the activities with much enthusiasm.” Friess was impressed by how natural prayer was for the girls and how the AHG incorporates the Catholic faith into all their activities. She was also impressed by how much the mission of Prairie Star Ranch and the AHG matched each other. “This was definitely the kind of group we want to see,” said Friess. “The leaders were organized and clear in their expectations. The kids were awesome, so excited to be at camp and participate in all the activities. They want to be here, and that gives us a lot of joy.” “Also, the fact that [AHG] is seeking to build the Catholic faith of their campers is really exciting for us at Prairie Star Ranch,” added Friess. “It is our mission to unite youth and families to the church through evangelization, Catholic formation and adventure catechesis. American Heritage Girls fits right into that mission.”

CHURCH OF THE WEEK Darrell and Barbara (Becker) Rew, members of St. Paul Parish, Olathe, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 17 with a Mass of thanksgiving and renewal of their vows, followed by a dinner hosted by their children. The couple was married on Oct. 16, 1965, at Assumption Church, Topeka. The couple also took a pilgrimage to Rome and Ireland in August. Their children are: Ingrid Williams, Iowa; Bryan Rew, Olathe; Kevin Rew, Thailand; Monica Krumm, Olathe; Brandon Rew, Golden Eagle, Illinois; Jason Rew, St. Joseph, Missouri; Michael Rew, San Francisco; Mark Rew, Olathe; Mary Rew, Olathe; and James Rew, Olathe. They also have 20 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Ruth Ann (Martell) and Kadhim Shuker, members of Christ the King Parish, Kansas City, Kansas, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 16. The couple was married on Oct. 16, 1965, at Christ the King by Msgr. Michael J. Price. Their children are Eric, Brian and Kevin Shuker. They also have seven grandchildren. Robert and Grace (Block) Strathman, m e m bers of Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Seneca, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on Oct. 24 with a 5 p.m. Mass with family and friends. The couple was married at Sts. Peter and Paul Church on Nov. 11, 1950. Their children are: Richard Strathman, Donald Strathman, Jean Ann Stueve, Ellen Rowland and Max Strathman. They also have 16 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

Raymond

and

Rachel (Ramirez) Segura, members of St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Oct. 22. The couple was married at St. Mary Church, Kansas City, Kansas, by Father Carl Dekat. Their children are: Suzanne Brooks, Overland Park; Julie Gregory, Spring Hill; Sara Podrebarac, Lake Quivira; Rebecca Swanson, Overland Park; Raymond Segura, deceased; and Stephan Segura, Kansas City, Kansas. They also have 12 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. The couple will celebrate with their family on Oct. 24. Dee (Saitta) and Art Good, members of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Oct. 16. The couple was married at St. Michael the Archangel Church, Kansas City, Missouri, on Oct. 16, 1965. They have three children: Katie Patterson, Kevin Good and Father Karl Good. They also have seven grandchildren. The couple will celebrate on Oct. 18 with a Mass and reception at Holy Spirit Parish, Overland Park. Betty and Joe Nick, members of Holy Angels Parish, B a s e h o r, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Oct. 11 at 10:30 a.m. Mass, followed by a luncheon celebration at Father Quinlan Hall. They were married on Oct. 14, 1950, at St. Patrick Church, Basehor, by Father Harry Imhof. They have six children: Josie Bukaty, Basehor; Rose Anna Hendricks, Basehor; Danny Nick, Bonner Springs; Joe Nick Jr., Basehor; Leonard Nick, Prairie Village; and Susie Nick, Falmouth, Maine. They also have eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Announcement

VERLAND PARK — Father Craig Maxim, pastor of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish here, has requested a leave of absence from priestly ministry. Father Maxim stated that, after much prayer and discernment, he makes his request for personal reasons. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, after hearing Father Maxim, has granted his request and affirms that

Father Maxim left active ministry in good standing. Since Father Maxim’s request was unanticipated, the archbishop has not, at this time, named a new pastor or administrator; however, he is expected to do so soon. Until then, the archdiocese will provide priests to celebrate Masses and offer sacramental care for the parishioners at Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish.

St. Joseph, Wathena Address: 102 S. 7th St., 66090 Phone: (785) 989-4818 Parochial Administrator: Father Francis Bakyor Mass Time: Saturday, 5 p.m. Email: francisbakyor@yahoo.com

Video

A video tour of this church is available online at: www.theleaven.org.

More photos of this church can be seen online at: www.the leaven.org.

Red Mass for those in law, politics set for Oct. 29

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — What’s the favorite color of Catholic political office holders and those in the legal professions? At least for one day a year, it’s red. For the past 10 years, the Catholic Lawyers Guild of Kansas City has sponsored an annual Red Mass for judges, lawyers, paralegals, law office staff, law school deans, professors, students and current political office holders. This year, the Red Mass will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 29 at St. Peter Church, 815 E. Meyer Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri. The main celebrant will be Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. It was a practice in pre-Reformation Europe for various guilds to gather once a year to worship at Mass together, often on the feast day of their patron saint. Vestiges of that practice can be found in the annual Blue Mass (for law enforcement), the White Mass (for those in the healing arts) and the Red Mass. But who put the red in the Red Mass? It’s a long story and nobody’s quite sure. The earliest recorded Red Mass was celebrated in Paris during the 1200s. The Red Mass was offered at the beginning of the annual session of court, when judges, attorneys and other public figures gathered to pray and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Red is associated with Pentecost and the Holy Spirit, but also with the red legal robes worn by judges in medieval Europe. For information regarding the Red Mass, contact Josh McCaig by calling (913) 575-1776 or by email at: JMcCaig@Polsinelli.com

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

‘Success is measured in so many ways’ >> Continued from page 16 and Varney leave behind the Immaculata name. “Ever since first grade,” said Varney, “I went to Imac games and wanted to be them. Now I can’t really do that because we’re playing for Maranatha. “But it is a new opportunity where maybe something better will come of it. You never know.” For Holcomb, the feeling is the same. “There is some sadness,” he said. “I wish I could have played four years with my school. But still, it’s an opportunity to play.”

Successful season Though Maranatha High School’s record stands at 0-6, Maranatha head coach Bryan Burdette considers this season a success. “Success is measured in so many ways,” he said. “We want to gauge whether we are successful by this: Are we doing our dead level best to use the gifts that God has given us to glorify him? If so, we have been successful. I believe, for the most part, we have done that.” Burdette has stressed hard work and learning from mistakes to his team. “Football has been a positive experience for 17 boys [this year],” he said. “I want to thank both school communities for their efforts to allow our two schools to come together to enable God to do his work. I don’t think he is finished just yet.”

One night only — the Raiders return

HAWNEE — There was a secret brewing within the Maranatha Christian Academy football team. Since the beginning of the Maranatha-Immaculata co-op, head football coach Bryan Burdette has embraced the situation and looked for ways to include the traditions of both schools. Since Maranatha’s home field doesn’t have lights, three games were held at Abeles Field, Immaculata’s More photos h o m e from this event can football be seen online at: field — includwww.theleaven.org i n g homecoming on Oct. 9. But Burdette had an even better idea, which the team executed on the night of homecoming. After warming up in their Maranatha uniforms, the team went into the locker room and switched into Immaculata uniforms, much to the delight of the home crowd. Immaculata senior Justin Varney, though injured and not able to play, appreciated the uniforms. “To have my teammates be able to walk out in those uniforms was pretty cool,” Varney said. “And I think the fans appreciated it.”

Maranatha Christian Academy seniors David Peck (7) and Ben Kynion (66) lead the team out of the locker room in Immaculata High School uniforms, surprising the homecoming crowd. Maranatha head football coach Bryan Burdette talks to his team during a time out against Troy High School. Maranatha ended up losing 61-23 at Abeles Field in Leavenworth. LEAVEN PHOTOS BY LORI WOOD HABIGER

Not all stem-cell research is opposed by the church >> Continued from page 1 “We used them to save her life,” said McGuirk. “She’s a year out from cord blood transplant and look how beautiful she is!” Tears formed in his eyes as he listened to Hertzog praise him and his team. “I couldn’t think more of them,” said Hertzog, 26, from Lee’s Summit, Missouri. “They took the best care of me. Through it all, they had my back. They listened to me if I had anything to say. They would do anything for me. All of them prayed for me. They are family to me.” McGuirk beamed as he continued on his way. He and his team saved another life. That’s what it was all about.

From cutting edge to mainstream Stem-cell research and treatments have gone from science fiction to science fact. “This is cutting-edge medicine — as cutting-edge as it gets — as represented by stem-cell transplantation,” said McGuirk. Stem cells are unspecialized kinds of cells that maintain the body and repair tissue. They can renew themselves and change into different types of specialized cells. Whenever the body grows, maintains or repairs itself — voilà! Stem cells are on the job. Although stem cells were part of the first successful bone marrow transplant in 1956, it was only in 1961 that stem cells in the marrow were discovered. In 1999, researchers discovered that stem cells can be made to change into different kinds of cells. Most of the progress in treating blood cancers with stem cells has occurred in the past 20 years. “It’s been a steep learning curve,” said McGuirk. “The early years were fraught with very serious problems. We still have challenges and problems. If you look at survival outcomes 30 or 40 years ago, the patients we take care of had a 100 percent chance of dying. Today, we save half of those lives with this therapy. We are deeply thankful we’ve made that kind of progress, but we have a long way to go.”

Matchmaker, make me a match Depending on their origin, stem cells can be categorized as embryonic or adult/mature. In the case of human embryonic stem cells, the name says it all. The stem cells are taken from a human embryo, which is destroyed in the process. In the case of human adult or mature stem cells, the stem cells can come from a variety of tissues: bone marrow, peripheral blood, skin, liver, muscle, pancreas, body fat, nasal tissue and the fetal life support system which includes the placenta, umbilical cord and particularly blood from the umbilical cord, all of which is discarded after birth. “Cord blood transplantation, which really came about in the 1990s, has really become quite successful in the past 10 years,” said McGuirk. “Cord blood transplants have given rise to cord blood banks around the world, a number of them in the United States. There is no risk to the mom or baby, and it’s a waste product.”

In any case, it all starts with a donor. “Those stem cells can be derived from several sources,” said McGuirk. “They can be derived from a brother or a sister or parent or child. They can be derived from someone not related to the patient. Indeed, in the case of bone marrow, there are registries of about 20 million people around the world who are willing to donate.” Finding a match isn’t as hard as you might think. “There are seven billion people in the world, not seven billion unique immune systems,” said McGuirk. Nevertheless, rejection is still a serious problem, even with compatible donors. Currently, the KU Cancer Center is collaborating with another KU entity, the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center (MSCTC), to address the problem of graft-versus-host disease.

Stem cells good and bad The writer Gertrude Stein once wrote, “A rose is a rose is a rose.” Maybe, but you can’t say the same about stem cells. Some researchers will have nothing to do with embryonic stem cells. “Embryonic stem-cell research is not ethical because it involves the destruction of a human embryo,” said Ron Kelsey, archdiocesan consultant for prolife ministry. “Fetal stem-cell research is immoral if the fetal stem cells are obtained from aborted babies. By contrast, adult stem-cell research offers many opportunities to ethically search for treatments for various diseases.” Sometimes, people believe that the Catholic Church is against any and all stem-cell research. Not so, said Father Gary Pennings, archdiocesan vicar general. “The Catholic Church supports ethically acceptable stem-cell research,” said Father Pennings. “The church opposes the kind of stem-cell research that destroys human embryos or creates human embryos with the intention of harvesting stem cells from them.” “The Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center operates in a manner that is consistent with Catholic ethical principles,” he continued. “The church is very supportive of the kind of research that uses adult stem cells and stem cells from umbilical cord blood and [non-embryonic] tissues.” Not only are embryonic stem cells ethically problematic, so far they simply haven’t produced cures. “It calls into question if the utilization of embryonic stem cells is necessary, [and if] anyone needs to cross that line,” said McGuirk. “I would assert, ‘No.’” “There is no scientific evidence that I have yet seen presented that convincingly tells us that there is an advantage to using an embryonic-derived stem-cell population,” he continued. “All the genes

“THIS IS CUTTING-EDGE MEDICINE — AS CUTTING-EDGE AS IT GETS — AS REPRESENTED BY STEM-CELL TRANSPLANTATION,” Joseph McGuirk, director of KU Medical Center’s division of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics

in an embryonic stem cell are present in these cord blood-derived stem cells, and we can get them without harming anybody.” Embryonic stem-cell promoters claim these cells can do things other stem cells can’t. Not true. “I’ve not seen any data to that effect, and I’ve read a great deal about this issue,” said McGuirk. What about the potential for embryonic stem cells to produce cures? Such potential is only speculation. But it’s a fact that hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved using adult-derived stem cells without crossing ethical lines. “Really, in the last 10 years, the debate has swung away — pretty significantly away — from embryonic tissues, as many investigators around the world have demonstrated we can accomplish these same things with adult-derived stem cells,” said McGuirk. “That’s an important point.” So why the continued research into embryonic stem cells? Kelsey pointed to one reason. “Embryonic stem-cell research will go on because the National Institutes of Health continues to provide millions of dollars for embryonic stem-cell research,” he said.

Good for what ails you Stem-cell therapies have been used successfully to treat different kinds of blood cancers and other medical conditions as well. The list is short, but it’s growing. Currently, stem-cell clinical trials include diabetes, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, stroke, heart disease, cornea damage and scarring, according to Dr. David A. Prentice, who serves on Dr. Zhuo Tang works on a machine that controls factors such as oxygen, pH, carbon dioxide and glucose to produce an environment conducive for increasing the number of stem cells.

the advisory board of the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center. “There are at present 3,098 ongoing or completed clinical trials using adult stem cells, listed in the [National Institutes of Health/Food and Drug Administration] approved database, with over 70,000 people around the globe receiving adult stem-cell transplants each year for dozens of different conditions,” said Prentice in testimony this year before the Kansas Legislature. He further said that the applications of adult and cord blood stem cells in clinical therapies are growing, thanks to the collaboration between the KU Cancer Center and the Midwest Stem

“THE CHURCH IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE KIND OF RESEARCH THAT USES ADULT STEM CELLS AND STEM CELLS FROM UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD AND [NON-EMBRYONIC] TISSUES.” Father Gary Pennings, archdiocesan vicar general

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Father Gary Pennings tour the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center in May. of producing stem cells,” said Mitchell. “However, an estimate at our current rate generates about 50 billion stem cells per year, and our capacity is approximately 1.2 trillion stem cells using our current processes. We plan to expand this over the next one to two years.”

A bright and ethical future

Cell Therapy Center. “The KU Cancer Center itself performed over 300 marrow and blood stem- cell transplants for cancer treatments in 2013,” said Prentice. “It is anticipated that this year (2015) there will be over 340 transplants. To date, the KU Cancer Center has done more than 2,800 successful transplant procedures.”

Rebecca Hertzog’s life was saved with a stemcell transplant. She had an aggressive leukemia that McGuirk got into remission. Unfortunately, she relapsed and her only hope was a stem-cell transplant. The stem cells came from blood extracted from an umbilical cord — which is normally thrown away — and was used to treat Hertzog.

What’s cooking in the kitchen

Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center. Although only created by the Kansas Legislature in 2013, the MSCTC has already become an important player in stem-cell research in the United States. Its director is Dr. Buddhadeb Dawn and it has a staff of seven.

Tucked away in some surprisingly modest quarters of the University of Kansas Medical Center campus is the

The MSCTC has a number of objectives, which include: advancing non-embryonic stem-cell research and therapies, producing clinical grade stem cells for clinical trials and therapies; fostering a regional network of physicians trained in stem-cell use; maintaining a database of clinical trials and therapies; initiating stem-cell clinical trials; and educating the public. In efforts to identify applications of center-produced adult stem cells, the MSCTC is working with KU Medical Center researchers and physicians to produce therapies and treatments for graft-versus-host disease; cardiac scar tissue repair following a heart attack;liver repair; spinal cord repair; stroke and traumatic brain injury repair; and Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). “We are beginning to work with external research institutions and biotech companies to support their efforts in evaluating adult stem cells for specific disease applications,” said James W. Mitchell, manager for MSCTC’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facility. “This involves production and the conduct of clinical trials. In fact, we will be initiating a new stem-cell clinical trial in the next one to two months in collaboration with an external company, investigating scar tissue repair following a heart attack,” Mitchell continued. “We are in discussions with three other external companies interested in working with the center that will hopefully result in the start of clinical trials over the next six months to a year.” You can’t conduct clinical trials or preclinical investigations without stem cells, and the MSCTC produces them in its own “factory,” the GMP facility. “The GMP facility is the heart of the MSCTC and provides clinical-grade stem cells from adult tissues and cord blood for clinical trials and for scaleup processing of cellular products for potential therapeutic use,” said Prentice, speaking before the Kansas Legislature. The MSCTC GMP facility, said Prentice, is the only such qualified laboratory in this region and is on par with the best in the nation. “We have yet to complete a full year

In keeping with its legislative mandate, the MSCTC only works with stem cells derived from adult/mature (non-embryonic) tissues: fat tissue, bone marrow, the placenta and umbilical cord (which has a substance called Wharton’s jelly), and umbilical cord blood. Work with embryonic or fetal tissues cells is absolutely prohibited. And it is because of this — and the MSCTC’s excellent work — that Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and Father Pennings visited the center this May. “I was very impressed by the professionalism of the staff, the advances they were making through their research and by their commitment to avoid any research that involves embryonic stem cells,” said Father Pennings. “In the field of stem-cell therapy, the regimens that have proven to be effective have been derived from adult stem cells.” Catholics should not be involved with embryonic stem-cell research because that would be cooperating with the destruction of human life. That is not the case with adult stem cells. “I would encourage Catholics to participate, in any way they can, with MSCTC — either by working as a researcher or in some other way supporting their work,” said Father Pennings. “They work exclusively with adult stem cells. The work being done at MSCTC is being conducted in an ethically acceptable manner and hopefully will save many lives in the near future.” The staff at the MSCTC shares Father Penning’s optimism. “I’m cautiously optimistic about the future of [adult] stem-cell therapies,” said Mitchell. “Data is just beginning to come in from human clinical studies regarding the safety and efficacy of a variety of stem-cell therapies. That said, this is an area that does hold tremendous promise, and all of us here at MSCTC and our collaborators are excited about the possibilities in the disease areas we are working in. “Regarding the future of the MSCTC, I believe it is very positive, and we are looking forward to being able to meet the objectives laid out for us.”

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

NATION

Archbishop Cupich urges nation to back gun control

who, as Pope Francis recently comHICAGO (CNS) — Archmented, have profited mightily. Surely bishop Blase J. Cupich of there is a middle ground between the Chicago, saying it is time to original intent of the amendment and “take meaningful and swift the carnage we see today,” he added, action to address violence noting that during the pope’s address in our society,” called for stricter gun Sept. 24 to Congress, many “stood . . . control laws in Illinois. to applaud Pope Francis’ call for an end “Recently, the city of Chicago adoptto the weapons industry that is motied a tough ordinance to tightly regulate gun stores here. I applaud Chica- vated by ‘money that is drenched in blood.’” go’s leadership for taking this Archbishop Cupich called important step to protect our the combination of a ready children and families,” Archsupply of firearms, the glambishop Cupich said in a comorization of crime, “a socimentary published in the Oct. ety where life is cheap” and 9 issue in the Chicago Tribune. untreated mental illness “a “For this measure to truly be recipe for tragedy.” effective, however, the GenerHe cited the Oct. 1 masal Assembly must pass a simisacre at Umpqua Communilar law, especially considering ty College in Oregon, where how many guns are sold in gun shops located outside of Chica- Archbishop Blase J. nine people were murdered go,” he added. Cupich of Chicago and another nine wounded “Let’s be honest. The Second called for stricter because the victims had “the Amendment was passed in gun control laws misfortune of simply being an era when organized police in the wake of the at school,” as well as “nearly forces were few and citizen Oct. 1 massacre a dozen” who had died from militias were useful in main- at Umpqua Com- gun violence in the Archditaining the peace. Its original munity College in ocese of Chicago in a recent two-week stretch, as well as authors could not have antici- Oregon. “those injured, maimed and pated a time when the weapons we have a right to bear now include traumatized . . . simply too many to count.” military-grade assault weapons that Among those wounded, Archbishop have turned our streets into battleCupich said, were “10- and 11-monthfields,” Archbishop Cupich said. “The Second Amendment’s origi- old infants. Princeton Chew, the nal intent has been perverted by those 11-month-old, will not remember his

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grandmother or his mother, who both died in the Back of the Yards (a Chicago neighborhood) shooting. He will never know the brother or sister his mother carried.” The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for “reasonable regulation and controls for guns, especially handguns,” as well as a ban on assault weapons. “After the 2012 murders of 20 first-graders and six staff members at a Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school,” Archbishop Cupich said, “the USCCB sent testimony to Congress the following year. ‘This is the moment,’ said the USCCB spokesperson who testified before Congress, ‘to push for better gun controls. We want to build a culture of life and confront the culture of violence.’ “That moment,” Archbishop Cupich added, “came and went without meaningful action.” He said, “It is no longer enough for those of us involved in civic leadership and pastoral care to comfort the bereaved and bewildered families of victims of gun violence. It is time to heed the words of Pope Francis and take meaningful and swift action to address violence in our society. We must band together to call for gun control legislation. We must act in ways that promote the dignity and value of human life. And we must do it now.”

Priests who join military as chaplains ‘answering a call within a call’ WASHINGTON (CNS) — Father Ben Garrett said he has “never felt more useful in my life” as a priest than as a Navy chaplain meeting the pastoral and sacramental needs of service members. “Being a priest in the military is extremely fulfilling,” he said. “Not only is it a need for our people, but it’s also a great blessing for the priest himself. “Our men and women in uniform take on great sacrifices on behalf of our country, and they need to be taken care of spiritually,” he told Catholic News Service. Father Garrett, who was ordained for the Washington Archdiocese in 2006 and joined the U.S. Navy in 2009, was one of the military chaplains who gave their perspective on “serving those who serve” for a group of 10 priests who came from around the country for an Oct. 5-8 retreat aimed at helping them discern if they have a call to the military chaplaincy. Sponsored by the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services, the retreat included an overview of the archdiocese, a look at life in the five branches of the U.S. armed forces through chaplains’ presentations and remarks by military officers. The retreatants ranged in age from 30 to 45 and came from dioceses in New Jersey, Arizona, Ohio, Georgia, Texas, Florida and Illinois. “Answering a call within a call” and “serving those who serve” were two common themes running through their time together.

WORLD

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

Aid workers in Greece brace for more migrants By Dale Gavlak Catholic News Service

ESBOS, Greece (CNS) — Greece is bracing for thousands more Syrians and other people to land on Lesbos and other key island crossings from Turkey, as those fleeing conflict remain undeterred by the worsening weather and colder autumn temperatures in their desperate search for safety in Europe. “The waves were rolling fiercely with the salt water nearly choking us,” said Syrian Um Tariq, who identified herself using the familial Arabic nickname, meaning mother of Tariq, her eldest son. “We thought we were going to die.” “The trip, meant to be a half-hour long, was a painful three hours in a tightly packed dinghy we feared would overturn,” she told Catholic News Service of the sea voyage from Turkey to this Greek island, better known in the past for its olive oil and ouzo. Women cried out in panic and men shouted, desperately holding onto their babies and young children, appealing for assistance from the volunteers gathered on shore to help them land. Among the relief groups that help those coming ashore are the international Catholic Caritas organization, the interdenominational OM Greece, EuroRelief

and A Drop in the Sea. Um Tariq recounted what pushed her family of four from Hama, Syria, to make such a dangerous trip. The tide of humanity fleeing violence in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq continues into Greece, a key entry point to Europe. Some 169 people reportedly drowned crossing the Aegean Sea in September; 44 of them were children. As the seas become more violent as colder autumn weather sets in, aid workers fear the conditions will only worsen. In one week in early October, 7,000 people a day came ashore in Greece, said the International Organization for Migration. Recently, a 1-year-old was found dead on a boat after it partially capsized. After Syrians, Afghans are the chief nationality among the nearly halfmillion people who have landed on Greek shores from Turkey this year, marking a tenfold increase from 2014. “We help them to get out of the water to get safely onto land,” said Hein van der Merwe of OM Greece. “As soon as the refugees see they get closer to land, they just jump into the water. Sometimes they put themselves at risk doing this,” he said. Afterward, they are given towels and dry clothes

and something to eat and drink. “We give them information about the 44-mile trek to the camp for registration and where they can catch buses,” van der Merwe told Catholic News Service. Caritas is also distributing vital food and essential items, like diapers, said Evelyn Karastamati, the group’s emergency program coordinator. Sleeping bags, snacks and mats are given to those arriving on the islands of Lesbos, Kos and Chios. Caritas also provides toilets and showers for their use, she told CNS. The European Union has approved a plan to spread 160,000 migrants, mostly Syrians and Eritreans, across

its 28 member states in order to tackle the continent’s worst migration crisis since World War II. “But there is no information at this time about what the Greek authorities in cooperation with the European Union want to do,” Karastamati added. A European Union official said a group of Syrian refugees, the first to be officially reassigned from Greece, was due to be relocated from Greece to Luxembourg under the EU plan around Oct. 18. However, most migrants make the trek from Greece to their desired countries of destination, such as Germany and Sweden, on their own and by their own financial means. Meanwhile, the cash-strapped Greek government, struggling to provide for its own citizens, has been turning some former Olympic facilities in Athens into shelters for mainly Afghan migrants and others with longer stays as autumn’s rains have forced them out of the capital’s parks. However, the government and local authorities often depend once again on international nongovernmental organizations, like Caritas and OM Greece, as well as local churches to give out food, clothing and other items to the migrants.

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT Customer service - Local company is looking to fill a position that requires computer skills, outgoing personality and great phone etiquette. Full or part time, with a minimum of 30 hours. Please send resume to: print@ bestgraphicsinc.com. Music director - St. Matthew Apostle Parish seeks a part-time music director. Candidate will be responsible for planning music, providing instrumentation and vocals for weekend Masses, and directing a choir. Please send resumes by email to: jessica.ast@stmatthew apostle.org. Level 1 catechists needed - St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood is starting a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program. We need trained, level 1 (ages 3 - 6) catechists. Atrium hours can be based on your availability, daytime or evening. Contact Mary Ann Moore, director of Christian formation, at (913) 402-3949 or send an email to: maryann.moore@stmichaelcp.org for more information. Director of facilities - Sacred Heart Church in Shawnee is seeking a full-time director of facilities. Duties include management and maintenance of the campus buildings, equipment and grounds, including electrical, painting, plumbing, heating/ventilating, roofing, lawn care, snow removal, security and required inspections. Working knowledge of HVAC and control systems, working with outside vendors and contractors and the ability to be “hands on” and assist in maintenance work (when needed) is strongly preferred. Supervision experience is required. If interested, please email Julie Krause at: julie. krause@shoj.org to obtain an application to complete. Coordinator for school lunch program - St. Paul Catholic School in Olathe is seeking a coordinator for the school lunch program. Candidate would be responsible for preparing and serving school lunches and for the documentation and paperwork related to the program. The position is 15 hours/week. Please send resumes to Tonia Helm at: thelm@stpaul.eduk12.net. Full-time marketer/fundraiser and full-time clinical business developer - LPN preferred. Competitive salary and benefit package available. Please send resumes by email to: jesse@villasf.org, or drop resumes by Villa St. Francis, 16600 W. 126th St., Olathe. Full-time administrative assistant - To assist with the day-to-day operational functions of the front office. Competitive wage and benefits available. Please send resumes by email to: jesse@villasf.org, or drop them by Villa St. Francis, 16600 W. 126th St., Olathe. Drivers - Special Beginnings Early Learning Center is seeking part-time drivers for its school-age program located in Lenexa. Candidates must be able to drive a 13-passenger minibus, similar to a 15-passenger van. CDL not required, but must have an excellent driving record. Candidates would pick up children from area schools and then work directly with them when arriving back at the center. Experience preferred. Must have strong work ethic and the ability to work with children. Insurance provided. Background check will be conducted. Great opportunity for retired persons or those seeking a second job. Job responsibilities include: ensuring safety and well-being of children who are being transported at all times, including loading and unloading. Driving short, round-trip routes to elementary schools in Lenexa/Olathe area. Summer only: Driving short, roundtrip routes to two Lenexa city pools. Maintaining mileage log. Keeping interior of vehicle clean. Apply by sending an email to chris@specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa KS 66215. Teacher assistant - Special Beginnings, Lenexa, is seeking full- or part-time after school teacher assistants at all locations. We are looking for a teacher assistant candidate who has an excellent work ethic, heart for children, and a willingness to learn more about early childhood education. Experience and/or education is a plus but we will train the right candidate. Teacher assistants will work with the lead teacher to care for and educate the children. Primary responsibilities include assisting the lead teacher with: care and supervision of children, lesson plan implementation, parent communication, cleanliness and organization of classroom. Starting hourly pay ranges based on experience and education. Pay increases are based on job performance. Opportunities for advancement are available as the company prefers to promote from within. Apply by sending an email to chris@specialbeginningsonline.com or in person at 10216 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, KS 66215. Student drivers needed - In Overland Park, Olathe and Kansas City, Kansas. We offer flexible part-time and fulltime schedules. For more information, call (913) 2623100 or apply online at: www.assistedtransportation. com. EOE. Drivers needed - Medi Coach Transportation is looking for caring and reliable drivers for nonemergency transportation. CDL is not required. Contact Jeff at (913) 8251921.

SERVICES Professional window cleaning - Residential only. Insured and bonded. Over 40 years experience. Free estimates. Contact Gene Jackson at (913) 593-1495. Need to lose weight, get in shape? Improve balance, coordination and flexibility. Nutrition packages available. Call Angela, personal trainer, at (913) 558-7759. www. angelanosworthy.jeunesseglobal.com.

Junior high/high school theology individualized instruction - Teacher with degrees in theology and education from Benedictine College, with four years’ experience in teaching within the archdiocese, available to privately teach public school, home school, and/or private school students that are in need of orthodox theology instruction or enrichment! Call (816) 529-4954 for more information. Faith-based counseling to cope with life concerns - Kansas City area. Call Mary Vorsten, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor at (913) 909-2002. College application essay coach - Secondary English teacher with 39 years experience in Catholic schools. Have mentored students applying to Notre Dame, Rice, and Stanford. Flexible! Initial meeting followed by email consultation. Nativity Parish, Leawood, parishioner. Contact: ludwig.sl@gmail.com. Machine quilting - by Jenell Noeth, Basehor. Also, quilts make to order. Call (913) 724-1837 Tree service - Pruning trees for optimal growth and beauty and removal of hazardous limbs or problem trees. Free consultation and bid. Safe, insured, professional. Cristofer Estrada, Green Solutions of KC, (913) 378-5872. www.GreenSolutionsKC.com. Complete plumbing and bath - Master plumber for your entire home. Painting, tile install, bath remodeling. Onyx Collection Distributor. Serving Johnson County for 20 years. Member Ascension Parish; call Mike at (913) 488-4930. 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. Bankruptcy consultation - If debts are overwhelming you, seek hope and help from compassionate, experienced Catholic attorney, Teresa Kidd. For a free consultation, call (913) 422-0610; send an email to: tkidd@kc.rr. com; or visit the website at: www.teresakiddlawyer. com. Please do not wait until life seems hopeless before getting good quality legal advice that may solve your financial stress. Agua Fina Irrigation and Landscape The one-stop location for your project! Landscape and irrigation design, installation and maintenance. Cleanup and grading services It’s time to repair your lawn. 20% discount on lawn renovations with mention of this ad. Visit the website at: www.goaguafina.com Call (913) 530-7260 or (913) 530-5661 Garage door and opener sales and service - 24-hour, 7-day-a-week service on all types of doors. Replace broken springs, cables, hinges, rollers, gate openers, entry and patio doors, and more. Over 32 years of experience. Call (913) 227-4902.

HOME IMPROVEMENT Brick mason - Brick, stone, tile and flat work. 22 years of residential/commercial experience. FREE QUOTES - KC metro area. Small and large jobs accepted. Call Jim at (913) 485-4307. www.facebook.com/faganmasonry. The Drywall Doctor, Inc. - A unique solution to your drywall problems! We fix all types of ceiling and wall damage — from water stains and stress cracks to texture repairs and skim coating. We provide professional, timely repairs and leave the job site clean! Lead-certified and insured! Serving the metro since 1997. Call (913) 768-6655. Custom countertops - Laminates installed within 5 days. Cambria, granite, and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee. Swalms Organizing - Downsizing - Clean Out Service. Reduce clutter - Any space organized. Shelving built on site. Items hauled for recycling and donations. 20 years exp, insured. Call Tillar: (913) 375-9115. WWW.SWALMS ORGANIZING.COM. EL SOL Y LA TIERRA *Commercial & residential * Lawn renovation *Mowing * Clean-up and hauling * Dirt grading/installation * Landscape design * Free estimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!! www.elsolylatierra.com Call Lupe at (816) 252-1391 Masonry work - Quality new or repair work. Brick, block and chimney/fireplace repair. Insured; second-generation bricklayer. Member of St. Paul Parish, Olathe. Call (913) 829-4336. KIRK’S PAINTING WHOLE HOUSE PAINTING Interior and exterior, wood rot and siding repair and replacement. 25 years experience, licensed and insured, family-owned and -operated. (913) 927-5240 or nelsport@everestkc.net Local handyman and lawn care - Water heaters, garbage disposals, toilets, faucets, painting, power washing,doors, storm doors, gutter cleaning, wood rot, mowing, carpet, roofing, etc. Member of Holy Angels Parish. Basehor. Call Billy at (913) 927-4118.

NELSON CREATIONS L.L.C. Home remodeling, design/build, kitchens, baths, all interior and exterior work. Family owned and operated; over 25 years experience. Licensed and insured; commercial and residential. Kirk and Diane Nelson. (913) 927-5240; nelsport@everestkc.net Concrete construction - Tear out and replace stamped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dan deeconst@aol.com. HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.com Detail construction and remodeling - We offer a full line of home remodeling services. Don’t move — remodel! Johnson County area. Call for a free quote. (913) 709-8401. Get the job done right the first time Kansas City’s Premier Services Decks and fences Power washing, staining and preserving Call for a FREE estimate Brian (913) 952-5965, Holy Trinity parishioner Jim (913) 257-1729, Holy Spirit parishioner Last year was a great year, thank you to all my customers! We do decks, windows, doors, house painting, (interior & exterior), wood rot, deck staining, and siding. You name it, we can do it. No job too big or small, just give us a call. Insured. Call Josh 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 you’ll be glad you did. Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 491-5837 or (913) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa. Lawn/Landscaping - Mowing, mulch, dirt work, sod, tree trimming, landscape rock, gutter cleaning, and power washing. Mention this ad for special pricing. Call (816) 509-0224. House painting Interior and exterior; wall paper removal. Power washing, fences, decks. 30 years experience. References. Reasonable rates. Call Joe at (913) 620-5776.

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

Looking for high quality home care? - Whether you’re looking to introduce care for your family or simply looking to improve your current home care quality, we can help. Our unique approach to home care has earned us a 99% client satisfaction rating among the 1,000-plus families we have assisted. We are family-owned, with offices in Lenexa and Lawrence. Call Benefits of Home Senior Care, Lenexa: (913) 422-1591 or Lawrence: (785) 727-1816 or www.benefitsofhome.com.

REAL ESTATE For sale - Patio home. 2 BR, 1 BA. Single-car garage, Shawnee area. $93,000. Call Lisa at (913) 240-6004.

FOR SALE Jazzy Elite electric wheelchair - brand-new $3,000. Call Sheila at (913) 547-0549. Residential lifts - Buy/sell/trade. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. Recycled and new equipment. Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Leawood. Call Silver Cross KC at (913) 327-5557. For sale - At Mount Calvary Cemetery, tandem crypt in mausoleum. Today’s selling price is $7,935. Offering this space for $5,000. Call Marcie at (913) 712-8124. For sale - At Gate of Heaven Cemetery, a double cremation niche with companion urn in the mausoleum. It is located in the St. John Corridor, #8 H. Today’s selling price for the double niche and urn is approximately $6,522; offering for $4,500. Call Colleen at (913) 269-6944. For sale - Two plots, side by side, at Chapel Hill Garden of Valor. $4,200 or best offer. Retails at $5,390. Please call David Nichols at (816) 686-1131 or send an email to: susannichols811@yahoo.com.

WANTED TO BUY Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, lighters, fountain pens, post card collections, paintings/prints, pottery, sterling, china dinnerware. Renee Maderak, (913) 631-7179. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee.

FOR RENT Rooms for rent - Each room is $500 per month, all utilities included (Wi-Fi and cable also). Rooms are furnished. No deposit or lease required. Located in Kansas City, Kansas, just north of Shawnee. For more information, contact Jeannie at (913) 283-8793.

PURCHASE AN AD Want to buy a classified ad? Contact The Leaven’s advertising coordinator, Beth Blankenship, at (913) 6470327 or email her at: beth.blankenship@theleaven.org. Cost is $18.50 for the first five lines, and $1.50 for each additional line.

Concrete Work

Any type of repair and new work Driveways, Walks, Patios Member of Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish

Harvey M. Kascht (913) 262-1555

EQUIP YOURSELF TO DEFEND THE FAITH “The Role of Reason and of the Heart in Faith” Presented by Dr. Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy at Boston College

Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. Rockhurst University, Arrupe Hall auditorium Parking is available in the north parking garage (52nd St. and Troost Ave.) For details visit http://tinyurl.com/Peterkreeft or use this QR code. The Kansas City Chapter of the Order of Malta and the Thomas More Center for the Study of Catholic Thought and Culture at Rockhurst University are pleased to host Dr. Peter Kreeft, a major literary force in the world of English-language Catholic philosophy and apologetics for decades. The author of over 70 books, including “Handbook of Christian Apologetics.” Dr. Kreeft will give a second lecture Nov. 7 at Benedictine College, Atchison, at 10:30 a.m. He will speak on “Existence of God- CS Lewis’s argument from Desire” in the McAllister Board Room on the 4th Floor of the Ferrell Academic Center. Brunch will be provided.

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

CALENDAR and crafts to choose from — featuring items ranging from jewelry to antiques to home decor. Handmade religious items, including rosaries, will also be featured. A continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon refreshments will be provided by the St. Joseph Garden Club at a small cost. For more information, call Hettie Ann Leary at (913) 972-1786.

GRIEF SUPPORT SESSIONS Good Shepherd Church 12800 W. 75th St., Shawnee Oct. 5 - 26 from 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Understanding the complex emotions associated with grief following a loved one’s death can be very difficult. Mark Fenton will be continuing his discussion on grief with these topics: Oct. 12 - Embracing our Humanness, Oct 19 - Finding Meaning in the Loss, Oct 26 - Moving Forward with a New Normal. Please join us from 7-8:30 p.m. in the school library at Good Shepherd Church, 12800 W. 75th St., Shawnee. For more information or to register, call Diane Drouhard at (913) 563-5304 or send an email to: ddrouhard@ gsshawnee.org.

PUMPKIN PATCH Holy Cross School 7917 W. 95th St., Overland Park Oct. 12 - 31, Mon. - Fri., 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sun., noon - 5 p.m.

There will be games for children, a hay bale maze and lots of photo opportunities. Admission is free, and pumpkins are for sale. Proceeds will be used for the school. Freewill donations will be accepted.

BEGINNING EXPERIENCE Sanctuary of Hope 2601 Ridge Ave., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 16 - 18

Beginning Experience serves the widowed, separated and divorced who are suffering the loss of a love relationship and may feel left out by their church, uneasy around married friends, unsure of themselves and uncertain about their futures. It helps grieving persons focus on their experience, deal with the natural grief process, and discover an opportunity to turn the pain of loss into an experience of positive growth. For more information, visit the website at: www.beginningexperiencekc. org; send an email to: register.bekc@gmail. com; or contact Jerry at (785) 766-6497.

OKTOBERFEST Holy Name School Pierson Community Center 1800 S. 55th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 16 from 7 - 11 p.m.

There will be Mexican food, live music by Stranded in the City and an auction. There will also be a raffle; tickets can be purchased at the door or through the school. Items include a TV, KU basketball tickets and an Apple watch. Contact Sarah Melgoza at (913) 722-1032 with questions.

OKTOBERFEST DINNER St. Mary - St. Anthony Parish, 615 N. 7th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 17 from 4 - 6:30 p.m.

The dinner menu is roasted pork, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, sauerkraut, dessert and coffee. The cost to attend is: $10 in advance; $12 at the door; and $3 for children. Raffles will be part of this fun evening. Father Mike Mulhearn will be entertaining on the piano from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Purchase tickets in advance to assure your meal. For more information or tickets, call the parish office at (913) 371-1408.

GIFT AND CRAFT SHOW St. Joseph Parish, 11311 Johnson Dr., Shawnee Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The event is hosted by the Ladies Guild in McDevitt Hall (church basement; elevator accessible), with more than 50 tables of gifts

MEMORIAL LITURGY FOR DECEASED LOVED ONES Curé of Ars Church 9405 Mission Rd., Leawood Oct. 17 at 8 a.m.

Following the Mass, the bereavement ministry will have its monthly support meeting in the Father Burak Room. Grief counselor Denise Brown will speak on coping with grief during the holidays. For more information, call (913) 649-2026.

DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLA MEMBERSHIP MEETING Parish Center, 124 E. Park St., Gardner Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m.

Catholic women over the age of 16 are invited to join the Daughters of Isabella, whose mission is to provide a place for Catholic women to meet, grow in their spiritual life, help others in the community and have fun and fellowship. For more information, contact Gini Liveley at (913) 856-7849.

SYMPTO-THERMAL METHOD OF NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING Class begins Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. St. John the Evangelist School 1208 Kentucky St., Lawrence

A reasonable course fee is charged and online registration is required at: www.ccli.org. Call Shannon or John Rasmussen at (785) 749-1015 or the Couple to Couple League of Kansas City at (913) 894-3558 for more information.

LADIES NIGHT AND WINE TASTING EVENT Cathedral of St. Peter Parish center 409 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 22 from 5 - 9 p.m.

This is the school’s main fundraising event. For more information, contact Carissa Handzel at (913) 432-6350.

Join the women of the Cathedral of St. Peter for its first Ladies Night and Wine Tasting event. Come enjoy delicious wines and friendship while browsing our local craft booths. Entry is free and wine tasting tickets are $5. Wine by the glass will also be available for purchase. Join us for our inaugural event and silent auction to raise funds to support the Altar Society. For more information, contact Lil Balliett at (816) 560-5860.

BAZAAR AND CHICKEN DINNER Queen of the Holy Rosary 2277 Metcalf, Bucyrus Oct. 18 from noon - 4 p.m.

HOT DOG DINNER Most Pure Heart of Mary, Formation Room 17th & Stone, Topeka Oct. 22, 5 p.m.

JOHN PAUL II SCHOOL ROUNDUP AUCTION St. Pius X Church, 5500 Woodson, Mission Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m.

There will also be bingo, a raffle, and vendor and craft booths. Cost is: $10 for adults; $5 for children; $30 for two adults with three or more children.

The Christian widow and widowers organization will host a hot dog dinner. All are welcome. For more information, call (785) 272-0055.

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING COURSES Topeka Oct. 18 at 1 p.m.

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME GLEE CLUB CONCERT Visitation Church, 5141 Main St. Kansas City, Missouri Oct. 22 at 8 p.m.

A reasonable course fee is charged, and online registration is required at: www.ccli. org. Call Dana or Eric Runnebaum at (785) 380-0062 or the Couple to Couple League of Kansas City at (913) 894-3558 for more information and for the class location. Learn more about this class online at: www.nfptopeka. blogspot.com.

This is the glee club’s 100th anniversary Midwest tour. Tickets at the door are: $5 for students; $10 for adults; and $20 for families.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS PANCAKES AND MORE BREAKFAST Christ the King, Davern Hall 3024 N. 53rd St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 18 from 8:30 - 11 a.m.

The Greater Kansas City Alumni Council of the University of Saint Mary is sponsoring its fall fundraiser to benefit student scholarships. The event will include tours of the new Thomas Hart Benton exhibit at the Nelson Art Gallery followed by a reception at 166 Morningside Dr., Kansas City, Missouri. For information and to make reservations, call Penelope Lonergan at (913) 651-5265 or send an email to: plonergan@kc.rr.com, no later than Oct. 10. The suggested donation is $30.

WHEN A FAMILY CHANGES: DEALING WITH SEPARATION AND DIVORCE Keeler Women’s Center 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 19 from 1:30 - 3 p.m.

Presented by Chiquita Miller of K-State Extension.

‘HOW CAN WE HELP WITH THE REFUGEE CRISIS?’ Church of the Ascension St. Mathew Room, lower level 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.

This presentation will focus on how the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, a papal agency, is assisting with the refugee crisis, and give an “insider look” at what is happening to Christianity in the East. After the one-hour presentation, time will be allotted for questions and answers. The event is free. For more information, contact Jean Hinman at: jhinman@kcascension.org.

DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLA MEETING Assumption Church - Rossiter Hall 8th & Jackson, Topeka Oct. 25 at noon

The meeting will begin with a covered dish meal at noon. At 1 p.m., there will be a business meeting which includes the installation of new officers for the ensuing two years. A social hour will follow the meeting.

‘33 DAYS TO MORNING GLORY’ Holy Spirit Church 11300 W. 103rd St., Overland Park Oct. 28 - Dec. 8 — afternoon or evenings

The Year of Mercy begins Dec. 8. Join Holy Spirit Parish as it journeys through the All Hears Afire program for parish-based adult formation. Afternoon and evening session group retreats will begin Oct. 28, and group members will be consecrated on Dec. 8. To register or for more information, contact Anne Kinskey by email at: 33days.holyspirit. opks@gmail.com.

ALL SAINTS EVE VESPERS AND HOLY HOUR Redemptorist Church, 3333 Broadway, Kansas City, Missouri Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m.

This will be an hour of prayer and singing with eucharistic exposition and adoration, vespers, a special Litany of the Saints and Benediction for the eve of the solemnity of All Saints. Join in praying and singing with the saints on All Hallows Eve.

TURKEY DINNER St. Benedict Church 670 St. Benedict Road, Bendena Nov. 1 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

The cost for a turkey dinner and all the trimmings is a freewill offering. Raffle tickets for a quilt and other offerings will be on sale. There will also be a country store. Look for the giant turkey on Highway 20, west of Bendena, to find the church.

FALL BAZAAR Holy Trinity Church 601 E. Chippewa, Paola Nov. 1 from 11:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m.

The proceeds benefit Christ the King School.

FALL SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISER Nelson Atkins Museum, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, Missouri Oct. 18 from 3 - 7 p.m.

GERMAN SAUSAGE SUPPER Sacred Heart Parish, Paxico 22298 Newbury Rd., Newbury Oct. 25, Mass at 10 a.m., picnic at noon

Food will be served buffet-style and runs until 3:30 p.m. There will be bingo, games a raffle and a silent auction. Meal prices are: $12 for adults; $4 for ages 4 - 12; and free for children under 4.

A GOLDEN MÖLLER Cathedral of St. Peter Parish center 409 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m.

The Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas, had its M.P. Möller pipe organ installed in 1965. This year, the parish will celebrate its 50th birthday. The cathedral will host a concert featuring present and past organists, including Father Michael Hawken, Virginia Hill and Matt Winterhalter.

There will be a turkey dinner, raffle, bingo, cakewalk, country store and children’s games. Tickets are $9 for adults and $4 for children under 10.

CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION HOLIDAY HAVEN 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park Nov. 20 - 21

Church of the Ascension is looking for unique vendors for its Holiday Haven. To receive a vendor application or for more information, contact Dawnlee Maurer by email at: dmaurer @kcascension.org or call (913) 681-3348.

40 DAYS FOR LIFE 4840 College Blvd., Leawood Now until Nov. 1 from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Join 40 Days for Life groups in cities around the world that are praying and fasting to end abortion. Come to the address in Leawood between 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. through Nov. 1.

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

COMMENTARY TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Oct. 18 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. 19 John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, priests, and companions, martyrs Rom 4: 20-25 (Ps) Lk 1: 69-75 Lk 12: 13-21 Oct. 20 Paul of the Cross, priest Rom 5: 12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21 Ps 40: 7-10, 17 Lk 12: 35-38 Oct. 21 Wednesday Rom 6: 12-18 Ps 124: 1b-8 Lk 12: 39-48 Oct. 22 John Paul II, pope Rom 6: 19-23 Ps 1: 1-4, 6 Lk 12: 49-53 Oct. 23 John of Capistrano, priest Rom 7: 18-25a Ps 119: 66, 68, 76-77, 93-94 Lk 12: 54-59 Oct. 24 Anthony Mary Claret, bishop Rom 8: 1-11 Ps 24: 1b-4b, 5-6 Lk 13: 1-9

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Savior memories or they’ll get away from you

id you know that I’m one of the million dollar babies? The number refers to the cost of educating some of us priests from the archdiocese — from the time we were students at Savior of the World Seminary for high school, through four years of college and then four years of theology prior to being ordained. Now, I have no idea of how accurate that figure is, but I preferred it to the other moniker bestowed upon us in my later seminary days: “lifers” (meaning we’d been in the seminary since high school). I almost didn’t make it to being a million dollar baby. Heck, I almost didn’t make it to being a $5 baby. That’s because I almost left Savior after a week or two. In a nutshell, I was incredibly homesick. I know it sounds silly, because I was only about 19 miles from home. But I was an only child and had lived a pretty sheltered life. Although I tried to hide my tears, one faculty member — Father Al Rockers — saw them and took me aside one day to a little conference

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.

LISTEN to this article online at: www.theleaven.org. room for a chat. His gentle manner helped me to open up. He asked if I liked being at Savior and I told him I did. However, the being away from home was getting to me. He told me not to be embarrassed to be homesick because it meant that I had parents that I loved and missed. He then gave me some practical advice on how to deal with the homesickness and told me he was always available to talk.

Well, his advice did the trick, my homesickness diminished and I spent all four years at Savior. This year, incredibly, Savior of the World Seminary/Pastoral Center is 50 years old. To celebrate that milestone, check out page 5 of this issue for a story on Savior “from the inside” — reflections from some former faculty members and from a couple of other million dollar babies. They cover a lot of what was so impressive and meaningful about Savior for a lot of us. As I reflect on my Savior days, the growing that I did there was significant. I entered Savior in 1969 as the only freshman from my parish, somewhat scared and lonely; I left in 1973 with many great friends that I still keep

in touch with today. (And it’s ever better with Facebook!) I came to Savior a picky, picky eater. Inheriting the taste buds of my mom, I just knew that I didn’t like cheese or salads or pizza or vegetables or mustard or pickles or … well, you name it. That pickiness lasted for a couple of weeks — remember, we lived at the seminary from Sunday to Friday — until I was so hungry, I ate my first-ever grilled cheese sandwich at age 13 (honestly). I found out it was tasty! From that point on, my pickiness vanished — I guess I’d inherited Dad’s taste buds, after all — and, with the exception of a few food items, I’ll eat anything today. Believe it or not, I was at one time rather shy and quiet. You can blame all of the plays that I was in and all of the forensics at Savior for helping me find my voice, which has pretty much continued nonstop since then. Most importantly, though, were the people who were associated with Savior. In addition to the wonderful priests on the faculty, we had plenty of role models among the laity who

taught or worked at the seminary. We could look to people like Bob Runnebaum, Jim Enneking, Herb Sanchez and Steve Knight for examples of how to be a good Catholic man. Although an all-boys school, we learned how to value and respect women in our interactions with Benedictine Sisters Rose Ellen and Mary Blaise, Sister of Charity Shirley Ann and Barbara Summerson. We learned courtesy and kindness from the secretaries and from Frances, who worked in the library. We were taught lessons of service and hospitality from the kitchen staff of Bernice, Doris, Joyce and Roy. And we learned how to work hard from John and Lester, the maintenance staff. It was a privilege to be part of this special place of formation, faith and friendship. On a lighter note, I also learned to never say never. When I graduated from Savior, I thought, “I’ll never see this place again.” Want to guess where the offices of The Leaven are? Yes, God does have a great sense of humor.

Isaiah reading foreshadows our Lord’s passion

ith the atrocities being committed in the Middle East, and with the gun violence going on in the United States, it sometimes looks as though a cruel God is torturing the world. Why does God allow such suffering? Does God take pleasure in our pain? The opening words of Sunday’s first reading might reinforce that impression: “The Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity” (Is 53:10). But the words that immediately follow place that statement in context: “If he gives his life as an offering for sin.” God does not take delight in suffering as such. But the willing-

POPE FRANCIS

IN THE BEGINNING

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

ness to sacrifice one’s self for a worthy cause does please God. God appreciates the love and concern that lie behind

Society and the church have much to learn from the family and, in fact, the bond between the church and the family is “indissoluble,” Pope Francis said. Families bring needed values and a humanizing spirit to society and, when they mirror God’s love for all, they teach the church how it should relate to all people, including the “imper-

such a decision. The reading from Isaiah describes the sacrifice as “an offering for sin.” We should remember that in the time before Christ, sacrifices could be offered in the Temple of Jerusalem in atonement for sin. Sacrifices were offered for other reasons as well: as part of the daily worship at the Temple or as thanksgiving to

God for favors rendered. Ordinarily, the sacrifice involved the killing of a sheep or some other animal. However, human sacrifice was not practiced in the Temple of Jerusalem. In contrast to the usual practice, the reading from Isaiah describes the willingness of this unnamed person to give up his life as “an offering for sin.” It is extending the notion of sacrifice to outside the Temple. It is describing this generous act as an act of worship. What makes it generous is that the person offering himself in sacrifice is not doing so for his own sins but, rather, for the sins of others. As God declares in the reading: “Through his suffering, my servant shall justify

fect,” the pope said Oct. 7 during his weekly general audience. While members of the Synod of Bishops on the family were meeting in small groups, Pope Francis held his audience with an estimated 30,000 people in St. Peter’s Square. He asked them to accompany the synod with their prayers. While the Catholic Church insists that governments and the economy need families

many, and their guilt he shall bear.” It is one thing to suffer for one’s own sins. It is quite another to willingly suffer because of the sins of another. That takes considerable generosity and compassion. That is what pleases God. That is why, centuries later, the followers of Jesus identified him as the unnamed person in this reading from Isaiah. After all, although Jesus was clearly innocent, he willingly gave up his life on the cross. The passage from Isaiah helped them to interpret Jesus’ gift of his life as a sacrifice offered to God. And, since Jesus was sinless, the sacrifice had to be on behalf of other sinners — namely, us.

and have an obligation to give them greater support, Pope Francis said, the church itself recognizes that it, too, must have a “family spirit.” Using the Gospel story of Jesus telling the disciples he would make them “fishers of men,” Pope Francis said, “a new kind of net is needed for this. We can say that today families are the most important net for the mission of Peter and the church.” — CNS

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

COMMENTARY

Nurture your child, both inside and out

ver 5000 kids from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas were in formal Catholic formation over the summer. Camp Tekakwitha, vacation Bible school, Prayer in Action, ReachKCK, Teens Encounter Christ, Totus Tuus, Life Teen Leadership Conference, parish youth ministry, rural youth experiences and Steubenville Conferences are some of the powerful places that our young people experienced deeper closeness to Jesus. In November, our office will lead nearly 600 teens to the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis. We will join 23,000

teens from across the nation to celebrate our faith through praise and worship. We will be challenged to talk to God and — even more importantly — to keenly listen to his ever-present voice. Mass will be celebrated by cardinals, bishops and 400 priests. Additionally, 200 deacons and hundreds of Sisters and Brothers will be vibrantly singing side by side with teens and chaperones. Each of these very moving and powerful experiences has one thing in common. Everyone goes home at the end. The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the home the “domestic church.” Parents, in the baptismal vows that they took for each

SEEKIING CHRIST’S HEART

DEACON DANA NEARMYER Deacon Dana Nearmyer is the lead consultant for the archdiocesan office of evangelization and Catholic formation of youth.

of their baptized kids, promised to keep the flame of faith burning brightly in their children.

I realize that this is not easy. Our office wants to support parents in this critical role. Spiritual formation in the home is the biggest influence on a person’s spirituality. Kids desperately want us to listen them. They deeply desire for us to know and appreciate their often unnoticed interior life.

Their external activities, expectations and accomplishments are often center stage. Many times, this leads to a profound hollowness that many young people perceive as abandonment and can lead to depression and despair. Do not get me wrong. The homework, practices, rehearsals, the programs and other kidbased activities leave us little time or energy to foster and know much about our child’s interior life. Please read Chap Clark’s book “Hurt 2.0” to better understand how to combat what he has termed “the culture of abandonment.” We are exploring how parents can participate in the interior life of children and teens by being

“curators of wonder and imagination.” Parents are called to nurture and inspire their children. Our office is guiding parents, youth ministers and catechists on how to have kids treasure their faith. We have many tips on how to get your family to listen to each other about significant things on both our Pinterest page — “Archdiocese of KCK Parents” — and parent page online at: www.archkck.org/Ecat Parenting. Click the “parenting” tab on the youth office Web page to access both the Pinterest link and the “parenting” page. The externals matter, but the interior life matters eternally more.

Live out the Year of Mercy as an agent of God’s love

ne of the key initiatives of the archdiocesan mutually shared vision for the next 10 years is to “cultivate relationships by engaging in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.” It is so providential then, that the pope has called for a jubilee Year of Mercy that is starting this Dec. 8. In response to these calls, the archdiocese plans to educate Catholics on the works of mercy. In particular, we are going to invite Catholic individuals and families to make a pledge at Mass on Dec. 5-6 to regularly engage in one or more of the corporal and

spiritual works of mercy during the jubilee Year of Mercy. But why is it so important to make the corporal and spiritual works of mercy a part of your faith life? There is no reason to fail the exam of your final judgment. God has given us the questions and answers to the final exam: How specifically did you show mercy? It is important we prepare for this test. The works of mercy are a checklist to help us make sure we are on track. Just as a pilot has a checklist before landing, so, too, does Christ. So just exactly how are you going to answer

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DO UNTO OTHERS

BILL SCHOLL Bill Scholl is the archdiocesan consultant for social justice. You can email him at: socialjustice@ archkck.org.

Jesus when he asks, “What did you do for the least of my brothers

and sisters?” Works of mercy are the completion of your Communion. Mother Teresa of Calcutta talked about her mercy ministry to the poor in terms of “the second Real Presence.” Just as Christ is really present in the Eucharist,

he is also present in “the least of these.” So when we receive Christ in Communion, we are empowered to go out and return that loving mercy to Christ in those who are in distress — physically and spiritually. Jesus loves us so much that he gives us a chance to love him back, and to do so heroically. This is why Pope Benedict XVI taught that “a Eucharist that does not pass into concrete acts of love is intrinsically fragmented.” You are commissioned to be an agent of God’s love. We are born and live in the need for God’s mercy. Christ teaches us that we get to make the

grading curve for “the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” However, more importantly, God gives us the power to be like him, and his mercy is his best attribute. As a baptized Christian, we are charged with going out in the world to make Christ’s love visible, especially to one another. On Dec. 5-6, Catholics will be asked to take their faith life to the next level by regularly engaging in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Now is the time to prayerfully consider how to make works of mercy a greater part of your faith life.

OCTOBER 16, 2015 | THELEAVEN.ORG

LOCAL NEWS

JOINING FORCES

Separately, Immaculata’s and Maranatha Christian Academy’s football programs were near extinction — together, they’ve found new life.

LEAVEN PHOTO BY LORI WOOD HABIGER

Immaculata High School and Maranatha Christian Academy combined forces this year to form one team. The players are, from left: Dalton Ash, Zach Pelham, Anthony Brigg, Jensen Moore, Peyton Schneider, Ben Kynion, Justin Varney, Cory Holcomb, Sam Welch, Chase Gourley, David Peck, Nik DePriest, Dominic Adkins, Micah Webb and Brett Perry.

Coming back

By Todd Habiger todd.habiger@theleaven.org

EAVENWORTH — Forget about Robert Downey Jr. flying around in a metal suit with an army of drones. The real Iron Men resided in Leavenworth last year. These guys weren’t superheroes. Instead, they were the football team of Immaculata High School. Since the small school was only able to field an 11-man team — the exact number of players needed on the football field for every play — every Raider had to play every single down on both offense and defense. Immaculata senior Cory Holcomb said last year was a difficult season, physically and mentally. “You had to push through pain a little more,” he said. “In past seasons, if you were a little banged up, you could have someone go in for you for two or three plays. Last year, that wasn’t an option. Playing through injuries wasn’t always fun.” Football can be a violent game and injuries happen. Twice last year, Immaculata was too banged up to field a team, resulting in forfeits. Other times, they had to make do being a man short. “It made it that much more difficult to do your job,” said Holcomb. “[Our opponents] had substitutions. We didn’t. It was tiring knowing that you had to go out there every single play — sometimes with one less player.”

LEAVEN PHOTO BY LORI WOOD HABIGER

Anthony Brigg (60), Dominic Adkins (81), Nik DePriest (50), Cory Holcomb (3) and Justin Varney (5) are the Immaculata High School football players on the Maranatha Christian Academy football team this season. In the end, Immaculata lost every single game. But they also lost something more valuable — six seniors to graduation. For everyone at Immaculata, it was painfully obvious that they wouldn’t be able to field a team for the 2015 season.

A lifeline Meanwhile, nearly 30 miles away, another school was also struggling with low numbers on its football team. Maranatha Christian Academy in Shawnee had just completed a 1-8 season in 2014 — its sole victory a 51-14 win over Immaculata. Numbers for the 2015

season didn’t look promising. The possibility loomed that Maranatha wouldn’t be able to field a team. An idea formed. Instead of two schools forgoing football for the season, why not combine teams and give the boys who wanted, a chance to play? “It was a blessing for both schools,” said Drew Molitoris, the new athletic director at Immaculata. “Neither school wanted to temporarily suspend their program. This was a solution to help both parties. I think both of us would agree that the plan is to grow the middle school leagues and boost enrollment so both teams could operate independently in the future.”

For Holcomb, the sole junior on last year’s Immaculata team, the combined team was a godsend. He wanted to play football his senior year and now the opportunity had presented itself. Right away, Holcomb felt welcomed by the Maranatha team. He received a text out of the blue from a Maranatha player asking him to join the team. He joined Maranatha for a summer camp and fit right in. He was going to play football his senior year — and he wouldn’t be alone. Four other Immaculata students would be joining him — including an old friend.

For Justin Varney, the 2014 football season was a difficult one — because he decided not to play. “I didn’t think it was going to be enjoyable with so few people out [for the team],” he said. “I didn’t think it was something I wanted to put all my time into.” As his classmates struggled through a difficult season, Varney struggled with his decision. Having played football every year since the first grade, Varney now found himself living without the sport. Watching football — any football — was difficult. “Last year was a hard decision,” he said. “I still feel it was the right one.” This year, Varney again debated whether or not he wanted to go out for football, this time with another school in another town. “This year, I didn’t make my decision until about an hour before our first practice when [Cory Holcomb] called my house and asked me if I was going to play,” he said. “I decided to play and give it a shot my senior year. I definitely don’t regret it. I enjoy the practices this year more than I ever have in football.”

Immaculata no more The uniforms say Maranatha. The schedule says Maranatha. It’s with a tinge of sadness that Holcomb >> See “SUCCESS” on page 7