THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 41, NO. 12 | OCTOBER 25, 2019
SHINE spotlights grads old and new
PHOTO BY DOUG HESSE
Natashia Banks returned to college in order to set an example for her daughter. Donnelly College’s small class sizes and personal contact with the teachers contributed to her completing her associate degree earlier this year. By Jill Ragar Esfeld jill.esfeld@theleaven.org
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ANSAS CITY, Mo. — Though talented and intelligent, Natashia Banks lacked the motivation to complete her college education. But when this young, single mother saw her daughter losing interest in school, she knew she had to set an example. So, she applied to college again — and discovered Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas. Banks was one of two scholar speakers featured at Donnelly’s annual fundraiser SHINE held on Oct. 10 at the Sheraton Kansas City-Crown Center in Kansas City, Missouri. “One of the first differences I experienced at Donnelly was the fact that all new students had to meet with their adviser at least twice within that first semester,” said Banks. “That was very beneficial.” She was also impressed with the small class sizes and the fact that teachers knew and cared about their students.
Save the date DATE: Oct. 15, 2020 TIME: 5:30 - 9 p.m. LOCATION: Sheraton Kansas City-Crown Center, 2345 McGee, Kansas City, Missouri Donnelly College relies on SHINE for the $350,000 in institutional scholarships it awards each year and its mission fund which allows it to keep tuition at $7,000.
PHOTO BY DOUG HESSE
Brother Martin Navarro, SSA, a 2019 Donnelly graduate, was a musician before deciding to abandon a music career and dedicate his life to God. Brother Martin found the community he needed to support his dream at Donnelly College. Banks completed her associate degree in 2019 and now, with the help of a presidential scholarship, is working on her bachelor’s in the business leadership program. “Being a scholarship recipient here at Donnelly has been very
meaningful to me,” she said. “I work multiple jobs and not having to worry about how I’m going to pay for classes and books was a weight lifted off my shoulders.” Brother Martin Navarro, SSA, another 2019 Donnelly graduate, fascinated
the SHINE audience with his story of being a 19-year-old musician studying at Belmont University in Tennessee. Though touted as “the next big guitarist in Nashville,” Brother Martin was not satisfied with his life. “I became aware that the dream I had dreamt wasn’t exactly the reality,” he said. “Something was still missing.” When he decided to give up his music career and devote his life to God, Brother Martin found the community he needed to support his >> See “DONNELLY” on page 4
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
ARCHBISHOP
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Jesus is not some mythical hero, but a real person
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s this week’s Leaven reaches mailboxes in Kansas, I am in the final days of a Holy Land pilgrimage. With me are almost 100 pilgrims, the vast majority from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. This is my fifth pilgrimage to the land and places made sacred by Jesus. Making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is often described as experiencing the “Fifth Gospel.” Certainly, a Holy Land pilgrimage makes the words of the four evangelists come alive. Why are the Holy Land and its current Christian community so important to every Catholic? The answer to that question is to be found in our belief in the incarnation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. It is our belief that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Holy Land is important to us because it is intimately linked to our belief in the historical Jesus. Jesus is not just some mythical figure, the hero of an inspirational but fictional epic. Preserving the Christian shrines in the Holy Land and keeping them accessible to Christian pilgrims is important because we believe that Jesus was a real person who walked the earth. As Christians, we believe that the Lord of the universe, the one who designed not only this earth but thousands of galaxies, so loved us that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the
LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH F. NAUMANN womb of Mary. We believe he was born as a helpless baby in the humble conditions of a stable in Bethlehem. We believe Jesus grew up in Nazareth under the care of Mary and Joseph. We believe that he performed his first miracle during a wedding feast at Cana in Galilee. We believe that Jesus walked the roads of Galilee teaching in synagogues, on fishing boats, and on mounts. We believe that he fed the multitudes and healed many who were sick in body and spirit. We believe that Jesus came to Jerusalem, taught in the temple precincts and drove the money changers out of the temple. We believe that Our Lord gathered his apostles for the Passover meal and, in the context of his Last Supper, celebrated the first Eucharist and empowered — ordained — his apostles to do this in memory of him.
We believe that Our Lord asked Peter, James and John to watch and pray with him in the Garden of Gethsemane. We believe that he was betrayed by Judas, abandoned by his apostles, brought to trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin and the Roman governor, Pilate. We believe that Jesus carried the cross on the Via Dolorosa (the “path of sorrow”), was crucified on Calvary and placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. We believe Jesus was born, lived, ministered and died in actual places that we can visit today. We believe that these places were sanctified by the one who was born, lived, walked, taught, suffered and died there. We also believe that the story did not end on Calvary, but this same Jesus was raised from the tomb, handing death its ultimate defeat. We believe that Jesus is not just like any other historical figure that made his mark on the world and about whom we can read and study. Jesus is alive today still animating the lives
of more than a billion people. Through prayer, we can speak to Jesus and — more importantly — he speaks and reveals himself to us. We do not consider the Holy Land a religious theme park where we can visit interesting exhibits and sites. It is a unique place where we encounter the living Jesus in a profoundly personal way. Sadly, today the Holy Land, because of the political tensions, is a difficult place for Christians to live and thrive. Preserving a vibrant Christian community is important for Catholics everywhere. One of the ways in which we support the Christians in the Holy Land is by making a pilgrimage. Each visit to the Holy Land for me is unique because each time I discover something new. I see something that I did not notice on my previous visits. Each visit is special also because it is a privilege and a joy to help introduce a new set of pilgrims to the wonders of the Holy Land for the first time. A pilgrimage is different from a vacation or a sightseeing tour. It is a spiritual journey in which Our Lord reveals himself to us in new and powerful ways. Sometimes, people ask me what is my favorite place in the Holy Land. This is a difficult question to answer because each site commemorates events of cosmic significance, e.g., Nazareth, where Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit
in the womb of Mary; Bethlehem, where Jesus was born; Capernaum, where Our Lord exercised much of his public ministry; the Sea of Galilee, where he walked on the water and promised Peter he would become a fisher of men; the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus taught the crowds; the Upper Room where Jesus celebrated the first Eucharist; Calvary, where Jesus was crucified, giving his life for us; and the Holy Sepulcher, where Our Lord defeated death. One of my favorite places is the Garden of Gethsemane, where the Church of the Nations is built over the place Jesus prepared himself for his passion. On some pilgrimages, our group was given the opportunity to celebrate a Holy Hour where Jesus asked his three closest disciples to watch and pray with him. It is a beautiful place to pray and ask for the grace to be faithful in striving to do God’s will in one’s own life, no matter what cup of suffering it may require. Please be assured that I carry all of you with me during these days of pilgrimage. I am begging Our Lord to reveal his love to you in the midst of whatever is going on in your life at this moment. I am also praying that I will become more and more a shepherd after the example of Jesus — willing to lay down my life for the spiritual welfare for those entrusted to my pastoral care.
ARCHBISHOP NAUMANN Oct. 18-28 Catholic Foundation of Northeast Kansas Holy Land pilgrimage Oct. 29 Administrative Team meeting Confirmation — Corpus Christi, Lawrence Oct. 30 Catholic Charities annual board meeting, vespers and reception — Savior Pastoral Center Nov. 1 All Saints’ Day Mass — Bishop Ward High School, Kansas City, Kansas St. Martin of Tours Mass — Ascension, Overland Park Nov. 2 Serra convention — Conception Abbey 25th annual Bishop Miege Foundation Mass and dinner Nov. 3 Pastoral visit — St. Joseph, Shawnee
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OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
SACRED HEART CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
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tSPECIAL TRIO
Liz Dennis, Agnes Schiffelbein and Frieda Schmidtlein, some of the oldest parishioners at Sacred Heart Parish in Topeka, present the offertory gifts to Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann during the 100th anniversary celebration of the parish. Assisting Schiffelbein is Nancy McMillen (third from the right).
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Topeka parish celebrates 100 years with special Mass
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
Father Tim Haberkorn, pastor of the combined parish of Sacred Heart-St. Joseph, proclaims the Gospel during the 100th anniversary celebration of Sacred Heart. In addition to Father Haberkorn, Father Dan Morris, archdiocesan vocation director, and Father Al Rockers, served as concelebrants.
By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
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OPEKA — It is said that good things come in threes. And they sure did on Oct. 13, when a trio of women — Liz Dennis, Agnes Schiffelbein and Frieda Schmidtlein, all in their 90s and all lifelong members of Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish — carried up the offertory gifts at a special Mass of thanksgiving celebrated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. The Mass was one of several activities held to mark the centennial of Sacred Heart, part of the combined parish of Sacred Heart-St. Joseph formed in 2006 by the merger of the two parishes. Three native sons of the parish were also on hand to concelebrate the Mass — archdiocesan vocation director Father Dan Morris, former pastor Father Al Rockers and pastor Father Tim Haberkorn. After Mass, parishioners shared fellowship and memories at a social hour followed by a plated dinner. Dennis, 91, recalled being in the parish’s grade school, watching her children receive their sacraments, participating in the Altar Society and attending Mass with her husband. Schiffelbein, 91, said she started playing the church organ in seventh grade — and wound up playing it for another 60 years. She played at graduations, weddings and funerals — including the funerals of her parents and her beloved husband of 66 years. Schiffelbein said she and her husband often prayed for vocations from within their family, and their prayer was answered with the ordination of their grandson. Father Matthew Schiffelbein now serves as the pastor of Christ the King Parish in southwest Topeka. “It’s just been a wonderful life for me,” she said. In his homily, the archbishop discussed the importance of anniversaries. “Anniversaries are important in the life of marriages and families. They’re important for parish families as well,” he said. The occasion gives the parish an opportunity to recall those who helped to “lay the foundation of this parish family” and help mold it into a thriving community. “One of the signs of the vitality of a parish community,” he said, noting his three concelebrants, “is that from it are
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
tOLD MEMORIES
Father Dan Morris, archdiocesan vocation director and native son of Sacred Heart Parish in Topeka, looks over the displays set up to celebrate the parish’s 100th anniversary.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. Sacred Heart has a great tradition of fostering vocations to the priesthood.” The archbishop also expressed his thanks to the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, representatives of which were also in attendance. He noted their “big and important contribution” to the parish over the years. “It occurred to me in reflecting on our celebration today that sometimes
President Most Rev. Joseph F. Naumann
Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799)
those of us who have grown up in the faith, some of us who have been given this gift from our earliest days, that often we take it for granted,” he said. It was his hope and prayer, however, that all Catholics, particularly those gathered, would realize the great gift they have been given and come to cherish it deeply. The archbishop said that with the gift comes “a great responsibility to not
Editor Rev. Mark Goldasich, stl frmark.goldasich@theleaven.org
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keep this gift to ourselves, but to share it with others, to be witnesses in the world of the joy of the Gospel.” After Communion, Father Haberkorn expressed his gratitude to the archbishop for his presence and to everyone involved in planning and facilitating the celebration. He then turned his attention briefly to the church’s Sacred Heart statue. Once located at the back of the church, the statue was for some time in desperate need of repair. Upon Father Haberkorn’s assignment to the parish, the statue’s restoration was high on his priority list. Now, it sits in the front of the church sanctuary, reminding parishioners of their patron, the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “Every time I pass that statue, I always say, ‘Lord, give me a heart like yours,’” said Father Haberkorn. “That’s my prayer for all of you as we celebrate this special day.”
Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 721-5276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. For change of address, provide old and new address and parish. Subscriptions $21/year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
Donnelly inducts two into Hall of Fame >> Continued from page 1 new dream at Donnelly College. “I entered the Society of St. Augustine in 2014,” he said. “And I started taking courses at Donnelly to eventually earn a bachelor’s degree and fulfill the philosophy requirements in order to go to seminary and become a priest.” As part of the campus ministry, Brother Martin was instrumental in founding the Donnelly Pro-Life Club and helping fundraise for the first group of Donnelly students to attend the March for Life in Washington. “The assistance given to me by the faculty and staff gave me the experience to help form me as a leader,” he said. The stories of Banks and Brother Martin demonstrate how today Donnelly College is helping students succeed. But one of the high points of SHINE is always when past alumni are inducted into its Hall of Fame. Dr. Brian McKiernan ’76 and Judith Van Rest ’66 have both become successful businesspeople and community leaders. Both trace their roots to Donnelly. McKiernan, the District 2 Commissioner of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, and adjunct instructor at Rockhurst University, met his wife Patty as a freshman at Donnelly. In his acceptance speech, he said, “I was blessed in my time at Donnelly to be taught by some very compe-
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PHOTO BY DOUG HESSE
Catholic Cemeteries to host All Souls’ Day Masses
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atholic Cemeteries of Northeast Kansas will host special All Souls’ Day Masses at three of its cemetery locations on Nov. 2. The observance gives area Catholics the opportunity to remember departed family members and friends, and to earn a special plenary indulgence for souls in purgatory. Masses will be held at: • 9 a.m. at Prince of Peace Mausoleum chapel, Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd and Quivira Rd., Lenexa • 9 a.m. at Holy Redeemer Mausoleum chapel, Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 126th and Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. • 9 a.m. at Holy Trinity Mausoleum, Mount Calvary Cemetery, 801 S.W. Westchester Rd., Topeka. For more information, call (913) 3714040 (Kansas City area) or (785) 2720820 (Topeka area), or send an email to: information@cathcemks.org.
Donnelly president Msgr. Stuart Swetland addresses the crowd at the 2019 SHINE event. tent and very caring faculty.” Van Rest came to the event from Tunisia, North Africa, where she was part of an international election observation team witnessing the country’s first parliamentary elections. “I feel like the luckiest person in the world,” she said. “I’ve had the opportunity to work in journalism, politics and public service. “And for the last 25 years, I’ve been part of a bipartisan effort to help people in other nations build their own democratic institutions. “But I would not have been able to have such experiences without the grounding I received here.” The evening also featured a video presentation on a new academic building which broke ground on May 2.
Event chairs Dr. Paul and Karen Camarata told the audience that every dollar raised that evening would be matched by a generous donor. “Our mission is to be the most accessible and transformative college in the United States,” said Paul Camarata. At the end of the evening, the Camaratas announced the amount raised and matched totaled $496,000. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann closed the evening with a benediction. He thanked Donnelly president Msgr. Stuart Swetland for his “incredible leadership.” “We equip students for success,” he said. “And we’ve heard some of those success stories tonight.”
Patricia and David Wellman, members of Holy Spirit Parish, Overland Park, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Nov. 1. The couple was married on Nov. 1, 1969, at St. Joseph Church, Fort Madison, Iowa. Their children are Robert and Lisa. They also have five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. They will have a celebration at a later date.
ANNIVERSARY submissions submissions ANNIVERSARY POLICY: The Leaven prints 50, 60, 65 and 70th anniversary notices. They are for parishioners in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Three Scouts from Holy Spirit Parish earn the rank of Eagle
VERLAND PARK — Three members of Holy Spirit Boy Scout Troop 265 here have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest advancement award in the Boy Scouts. Alex Pavlu’s service project was to improve the accessibility for the residents at Atriums Senior Living Community, Overland Park, with two raised garden beds. Brandon Kirmer’s service project was to honor a classmate who died after sixth grade by building a memorial garden at Oak Park-Carpenter Elementary School, Overland Park. Joe Roth’s service project was to witness faith to the community by building an outdoor Nativity scene for Holy Spirit Parish. The Eagle Scout Court of Honor was held Sept. 22 at Holy Spirit.
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DEADLINE: eight days before the desired publication date. INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • the couple’s names • their parish • the date they were married • church and city where they were married • what they are doing to celebrate • date of the celebration • names of children (no spouses) • number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren
From left, Joe Roth, Brandon Kirmer and Alex Pavlu, members of Boy Scout Troop 265 and Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park, earned the rank of Eagle Scout.
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT and CIRCULATION
(Act of October 23, 1962; Section 4369, Title 39, United States Code) PS Form 3526 1. Title of Publication: The Leaven 2. Publication Number: 0194-9799 3. Filing Date: Oct. 1, 2019 4. Issue Frequency: Weekly September - May, except Friday the week after Thanksgiving and New Year’s, and Friday after Easter; biweekly June August. 5. Number of Issues Annually: 41 6. Annual Subscription Price: $21 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, KS 66109 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, KS 66109 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher and Editor and Managing Editor:
Publisher: Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, 66109-3718 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas Editor: Rev. Mark Goldasich, 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, 66109-3718 Managing Editor: Anita McSorley, 12615 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, 66109-3718 10. Owner: Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None 15. Circulation: Av. No. copies Single issue each issue during nearest to preceding 12 mos. filing date A. Total no. copies printed (Net press run) 50,720 50,447 B. Paid Circulation 1. Mail Subscriptions 50,330 50,047 3. Sales through dealers
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and carriers, street vendors and counter sales 0 0 C. Total Paid Circulation 50,330 50,047 D. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 1. Outside-County copies included on PS Form 3541 244 240 4. Free Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or Other Means) 0 0 E. Total Free Distribution 244 240 F. Total Distribution (Sum of C and D) 50,5741 50,287 G. Copies not Distributed Office Use, Left-Over Unaccounted, Spoiled 146 160 H. Total (Sum of 15 f and g) 50,720 50,447 I. Percentage Paid and/ or Requested Circulation 99.5% 99.4% I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Rev. Mark Goldasich, Editor
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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Our Lady of Guadalupe in Topeka hosts renown apologist By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
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OPEKA — They came from Arizona, Wyoming, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas. Some even came from Juarez, Mexico. Close to 500 people filled the Marlo Cuevas-Balandran Activity Center at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Topeka for the ninth Catholic Charismatic Renewal Congress held Oct. 12-13. The theme for the two-day event was: “Come to know the word of God, and you will be truly free.” Featuring Catholic apologist Father Luis Toro, the two-day event featured two talks by Father Toro — one on the Eucharist and one on the veneration of saints — and the chance to hear two different bands perform praise and worship music in a variety of styles, including mariachi. Born in 1973 and ordained to the priesthood in 2000, Father Toro serves on the diocesan seminary formation team for the Seminary of St. Thomas Aquinas of the Diocese of San Cristobal, Venezuela. Designated a Missionary of Mercy by Pope Francis, Father Toro travels the world teaching the Catholic faith from a biblical perspective. His website at: escueladebiblia.com (“Bible School” in English) features downloadable content in the form of videos and handouts with answers to scores of questions about the Catholic faith, including the need for the sacrament of reconciliation and the Mother of God’s role in the plan of salvation. Father Toro can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, where, in addition to videos of his speaking engagements, he regularly posts videos taken at events at which he answers participants’ questions about the Catholic faith. Father Toro has also authored several books, including “Mother of God and Mother of All Christians” and “Dialogue with the Protestants.”
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LEAVEN PHOTOS BY MARC ANDERSON
For Our Lady of Guadalupe parishioners, the weekend provided an opportunity to learn more about their Catholic faith, something which Ventura Morales said he appreciated. “I listen to him daily at work,” Morales said. “I really like that he’s knowledgeable. He’s knowledgeable on everything,” he continued. “I’ve never met anyone so knowledgeable, passionate and truthful about our religion. “Father Toro has a way with words. Every word he says has a principal base that is the Bible and it is the word of God. He never gives his own opinion. He just goes straight to the Bible.” But even the weekend wasn’t enough, said Morales. “I’m always going to listen to him because I discover new things every day,” he said. Dolores DelRio and Luz Perez, who helped to facilitate the event, said they
Close to 500 people filled the Marlo CuevasBalandran Activity Center at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Topeka for the ninth Catholic Charismatic Renewal Congress held Oct. 12-13. Catholic apologist Father Luis Toro, right, was the featured speaker at the two-day event. truly enjoyed the manner in which Father Toro engaged everyone in attendance. “I’ve never had anyone who talks about the Bible and our religion the way he does,” said DelRio. “I’ve never listened to anyone speak it that way. “I’m going to continue watching him because I just love the way he says things, the way he expresses things. . . . It’s not straight speeches. He interacts with the crowd. He’s goofy and funny.” “You can ask him any question,” added Perez, “and he has the answer with the Bible verse. He will tell you the exact Bible verse on anything.”
Santa Marta leads the way through hospitality
LATHE — It seems only natural that St. Martha, the patron of hospitality, should serve as the inspiration for Santa Marta senior living community here. Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, the community’s connection to the saint is not only reflected in its name, but in a shared commitment to faithful service, hospitality and care. “We believe that no matter your position or how long you’ve worked here, providing spectacular service comes first,” said Chet Surmaczewicz, Santa Marta’s executive director, who oversees day-to-day operations at the community. “Even when something may not be part of your official duties,” he added, “we empower team members to take on tasks to the best of their abilities in the name of making residents happy.” Surmaczewicz, who can often be found interacting with residents campus-wide to ensure they’re comfortable and well taken care of, describes Santa Marta’s service philosophy as the perfect mix between Catholic values and Disney’s hospitality and service. “When you visit Disney World, you
PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA MARTA
A culinary team member serves residents at Santa Marta senior living community in Olathe. barely notice them picking up the trash, but the place is virtually spotless,” he said. “The staff is not only meticulous, they’re always friendly and attentive to your wants and needs. “What we’re committed to at Santa Marta is similar in that we want it to be the most magical place to retire. We
not only focus on the physical environment, but the overall resident experience as well.” Thinking ahead is emphasized during team member orientation. Staff members are encouraged not only to meet residents’ needs, but they’re expected to try to anticipate them.
Paying special attention to body language and resident responses to simple questions like: “How is your day going?” is key, said Surmaczewicz. The sharp focus on hospitality is resonating. Santa Marta was a recipient of the 2019 Diamond Award, an annual recognition by Greystone Communities, a senior living consulting firm that develops and manages retirement communities across the country. The community was one of only three organizations to receive the award, which recognizes excellence in resident engagement, hospitality and service excellence, community engagement and more. Santa Marta also ranked in the top 5 of 750 communities surveyed by Halloran International in the U.S. and Canada. “It’s humbling to be part of this exclusive group of recipients,” said Surmaczewicz. “It certainly wouldn’t be possible without the support of residents, team members, our board of directors and the archdiocese. The award is further encouragement to continue following in Saint Martha’s footsteps in how we serve others.”
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
FAMILY LIFE
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Jesus offers us all the chance to ‘choose the better part’
ou’re having a dinner party. You’re in the kitchen. The pasta water’s boiling, the salad needs tossing, the table needs setting. The guests have arrived, and you need to keep things popping. So where’s your sister, the co-host? She’s discovered that the guest of honor is so fascinating that she’s taken off her apron and sat down close to him in the front room to hear all the conversation. Are you angry? Ya think? Since the Gospel of Luke first told a version of this story a couple of millennia ago, millions of women have probably been inclined to think that Martha has a good point. Her guest is Jesus, and probably everyone is hanging on his words. But someone has to cook, serve and clean up. And Martha does get upset. So upset that, rather than remonstrate quietly with Mary, she complains to Jesus himself about her sister. Jesus, it appears in a
EFFIE CALDAROLA Effie Caldarola is a columnist for Catholic News Service.
quick reading, seems to take Mary’s side. Mary has “chosen the better part.” Any woman who has ever juggled Thanksgiving dinner by herself would agree Mary’s chosen a pretty nice option. Forget the stuffing and instead relax with a glass of red. I remember thinking once, as I read Luke’s story, “So, Jesus, are you going to help with the dishes?” But we need to be careful about quick and literal readings of the Gospel. Everyone who reads Scripture prayerfully
“Christ at the Home of Mary and Martha” is a painting attributed to Georg Friedrich Stettner. Mary chose listening to the teachings of Jesus over helping her sister prepare food which greatly irritated Martha. experiences it personally. Saint Ignatius of Loyola taught us that bringing ourselves into Scripture by using our imagination is a beautiful way to find out how God is speaking to each of us. In early October, a weekday reading for the liturgy was the story of Jesus dining with his good friends, Martha and Mary, whose brother Lazarus Jesus was to raise from the tomb. These seem to be people
Jesus knew and loved well, in whose home he was comfortable and with whom he spoke freely. Remember, this was a man’s society where women were secondclass citizens, and, of course, the distaff side of dinner fell to them. Martha must have felt very comfortable and relaxed with Jesus to complain about her sister so freely to a male guest. If you, in your imagination,
sit at this party, you might feel you’re with a family open to jokes, laughter and even a little whining. So on this October morning, I no longer felt sorry for Martha, or irate for her, burdened as she was with the meal prep and hoping for a verbal nudge to Mary from Jesus. Instead, I realized what a beautiful gift Jesus offered Martha . . . and was offering me that very morning.
The point was so much bigger than: “Who’s going to help with dinner?” Jesus tells Martha she is “anxious and worried.” I’m often anxious and worried as well, particularly in these trying times in our country. Other translations are similar: “You worry and fret,” he says, or “You are worried and distracted.” Suddenly, those words told me the whole story. Jesus was talking well beyond women’s work or any particular dinner party. He wasn’t just talking to Martha. He was saying to all of us in these frantic times, with 24-hour news and constant social media and a cultural bias toward always being busy: Don’t be so distracted. Sit at my feet and listen to me. Prioritize the quiet, the reflective, the prayer in your life. Give me your anxiety, your worry, your distraction. Become thoughtful, present to the moment. We all have the obligation and the option to choose the better part.
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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The death penalty is back — again By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The death penalty is back. Four months ago, United States Attorney General William Barr directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to adopt an execution protocol that will clear the way for five inmates to be executed. The first inmate to be executed — Daniel Lewis Lee, who murdered a family of three — will take place on Dec. 9. The remaining four federal prisoners will be put to death by lethal injection during December and January. One of them, Wesley Ira Purkey, is from Kansas. His execution is scheduled for Dec. 13. Each of the inmates has exhausted his appellate and post-conviction remedies, and there are no legal impediments to prevent their executions. So, the death penalty is back — but in truth, it has never really gone away. More than 2,500 inmates are on federal, state and military death rows. The most recent execution was on Oct. 1 in Missouri. Executions have been few, however, because of the lengthy and complicated appeals process — the reason most federal death row inmates die first of illness or old age.
Slow, complicated and expensive The situation is not all that different for state prisoners in Kansas. Deacon John Stanley, a retired attorney and coordinator of volunteers for the archdiocesan prison ministry, said there hasn’t been an execution in Kansas since 1965, despite the fact that the death penalty was reinstated 25 years ago. “No case has yet completed the review process,” said Ron Wurtz, an attorney and vice chairman of the Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty. After a trial court imposes a death sentence, it must be reviewed by the Kansas Supreme Court. Because of the complexity of a death penalty case, the review process is similarly complex and time-consuming. If the court finds an error, the case is sent back for a do-over. And the process starts all over again. Once the Kansas Supreme Court approves the trial process, there are appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. “If it is finally appealed on direct appeal, a second tier of post-trial review, commonly called habeas corpus, is begun,” said Wurtz, a member of Christ the King Parish in Topeka. “During that secondary review,” he continued, “the performance of trial and appeal participants is reinvestigated in minute detail and usually another trial on the question of counsel and court performance is had, followed by the same appeals processes that were done after the original trial.”
CNS PHOTO/JAMES RAMOS, TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD
People take part in a candlelit vigil outside the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville during a scheduled execution Dec. 16, 2016.
A change to the Catechism Bishop Frank J. Dewane, ordinary of the Diocese of Venice, Florida, and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, issued this statement in July: “In his address to Congress during his 2015 [visit], Pope Francis, echoing the views of his predecessors, called for ‘the global abolition of the death penalty.’ He further stated that, ‘[A] just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.’ As the Catechism of the Catholic Church now provides, ‘The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.’”
The oldest Kansas cases are just entering the post-trial habeas corpus phase. Separate lawyers must be retained for each phase so there is no conflict of interest. The whole process is slow, complicated and expensive — and that is why there have been no executions in Kansas since the death penalty was reinstated in 1994 — and won’t be for a long time.
Little movement in the Legislature There have been efforts in the state Legislature to repeal or limit the death penalty since it was reinstated in 1994. None of those efforts has succeeded. Four bills relating to the death penalty were introduced in the last session. The two most important were identical bills in the House and Senate, HB 2282 and SB 21, that would have abolished the death penalty and created the crime of
aggravated murder — the penalty being life without parole. “It was introduced and voted on in the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee,” said Wurtz. It came within one vote of being voted out of committee, but failed to pass. The House bill will not return this coming session that begins on Jan. 13, but the Senate bill could be revived if there is sufficient support. Wurtz said there is significant support for a repeal bill, but he doesn’t know if there is “critical mass” to get the bill out of committee and passed. The Catholic Church has always been supportive of repealing the death penalty in Kansas. In years past, representatives of the church, including Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann and the other bishops of Kansas, have offered testimony against the death penalty. Those offering testimony during the last session in support of the House bill included Sister Therese Bangert, SCL,
Death penalty facts • In the United States, there are 61 inmates on the federal death row, four on military death row and 2,673 on state death rows. • The death penalty is legal in 29 states and has been abolished in 21 states and the District of Columbia. • In Kansas, executions of inmates would take place at the Lansing Correctional Facility. • The death penalty was abolished and reinstated several times in the history of Kansas. The death penalty was struck down in 1972 by a U.S. Supreme Court decision but, with changes in the state law, it was reinstated on April 23, 1994. The last executions in Kansas were a double hanging on June 22, 1965. • Currently, there are 10 inmates facing the death sentence in Kansas. The state has no “death row” per se, but rather administrative segregation. • Nine death row inmates are at the El Dorado Correctional Facility and one is at the Lansing Correctional Facility. There are no female inmates sentenced to death but, if there were, they would be held at the Topeka Correctional Facility.
and John Shively for the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, and Chuck Weber for the Kansas Catholic Conference. In his testimony, Weber said recent popes and bishops have come to believe that the use of the death penalty in the modern world is “undesirable and unnecessary,” and if society can “bring criminals to justice and protect society from unjust aggressors without resorting to their destruction, we should.”
AS BORDER CLOSES, CHURCH OPENS A WINDOW
Ward grad helps men’s shelter retool to help families build lives in Tijuana
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IJUANA, Mexico — Mercedes Caballero’s friends thought she was crazy to volunteer on the southern border in the midst of the immigration crisis today. But five years ago, as a student at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, she had gone on a mission trip to Casa del Migrante, a shelter for migrants and refugees in Tijuana, Mexico. She and her classmates were there as the guests of Father Pat Murphy, CS, the former director of Hispanic ministry for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. At the end of his assignment to the archdiocese in 2013, the Scalabrinian missionary had been named the director of the men’s shelter in Tijuana, and often hosted youth groups and other visitors from the archdiocese. It was there that Mercedes developed a heart for immigrants and the determination to one day become an immigration attorney. The first step on that road was getting a degree in political science. Now a senior at Fort Hays State University, Caballero needed an internship to complete her program. “And I thought, ‘Why not go to the place where my passion for law and political science started?’” she said. “I knew I would get to see something different than when I went before.” Different is an understatement. When Caballero volunteered in 2014, the shelter served mostly men deported from the United States When she arrived this past August for her two-month internship, she encountered families fleeing from many different countries because of violence and poverty, and to save their children from being coerced into joining local gangs. “Now it’s people from the caravans,” she said.
Changes in policy Because of the Trump administration’s Migrant Protection Protocols, commonly known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy, people hoping to request asylum in the United States are stranded in Tijuana while their cases drag through the courts. The process can take months or years, and most cases will be denied. “There weren’t enough places for
7 WAYS YOU CAN HELP AT THE BORDER Casa del Migrante survives solely on donations. Catholics can help in a number of ways.
STORY BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD
Bishop Ward graduate Mercedes Caballero (right) developed a heart for immigrants when she volunteered at Casa del Migrante, a shelter for migrants and refugees in Tijuana, Mexico, in 2013. Now a senior at Fort Hays State University, Caballero is working to become an immigration attorney. She returned to the Casa this year for an internship to complete her degree in political science. them to go,” said Caballero. “So [the Casa] opened their doors to women and children.” Father Pat said the shelter has been the face of the Catholic Church for 260,000 migrants that have passed through its doors over the past 32 years. But the dynamics have changed dramatically in the last few months. “The ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy has had a tremendous impact on life at the Casa,” he said. “We now have people coming back over and over again. “We have people who have up to eight appointments for asylum, and in the end, 99 percent will not get asylum.” The problem will only get worse as the Trump administration plans to slash the number of refugee admissions for the coming fiscal year,
Become a volunteer at the Casa for 2 - 12 months, or just visit to see what it’s all about.
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“THE PERIPHERIES ARRIVE AT THE CASA EVERY SINGLE DAY.” ordering a new record low of 18,000 refugees. This action represents a 40% drop from last year’s already historic low of 30,000 refugees and has been condemned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). In a recent statement, the USCCB said: “Turning a blind eye to those in need with such callous disregard for human life would go against the values of our nation and fail to meet the standards that make our society great.”
Bring your youth group for a mission trip.
Waiting game For Caballero, who has come to know these migrants so well, the situation is heartbreaking. “They are great people,” she said. “Most are fleeing violence in their countries, and it’s really difficult to see them with their children. “They go to their appointment in the United States, and they come back and they haven’t made any progress. “It’s really sad.” Since the very beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has called for the church to reach out to those living on the peripheries — but Casa del Migrante was already there. “The peripheries arrive at the Casa every single day,” said Father Pat.
Organize a collection of items for the Casa (men’s socks, men’s and women’s underwear, bath towels).
Invite Fa preach a (Lenten sion app
Ready to do more? Help the Casa expand
By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
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Father Pat Murphy, CS, director of Casa del Migrante, stands with the Patronato, or board of directors, of the Casa and their children. The Casa started as a men’s shelter for deportees in Tijuana, but is now opening its doors to refugee families and is hoping to expand its services to include education.
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“I HAVE FAITH THAT THESE PEOPLE WILL FIND THEIR WAY, AND THAT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR THEM.” The shelter has space for 150 people and, on average, about 95 stay overnight. It provides child care for 30 children each day and evening meals to another 90 people. The goal of the shelter is to meet the needs of the people at every level. “If they want to stay here, they have to have a job,” said Caballero. “We help them; we have an employment office in contact with different companies around town. “We have the psychologist here and lawyers, and a person that helps people looking to find refugee status in the United States or in Mexico.” The Casa children’s program is new, and Caballero was instrumental in organizing it — an experience that has brought mixed blessings. “The children can be happy at times and just play,” she said. “But then, they become extremely sad all of a sudden and we have to deal with that. “Especially those that have been held by the United States immigration, it’s extremely hard for them because they have bad memories.” Once the children feel safe, they begin to open up to volunteers, telling them about their dreams of life in the United States. “And that can be really complicated,” said Caballero. “Because for
ather Pat to at your parish missions, mispeals).
In response to a change in U.S. immigration policy by the Trump administration, the Casa — originally a men’s shelter — is now housing women and children as well. some of them, you know they won’t make it.”
Faith and hope Caballero’s Catholic faith is the constant that gets her through each day. “Every Sunday, we have Mass with the migrants,” she said. “Every day, we have prayer in the morning to kick off the day. “On Tuesday, we have Mass for the volunteers in the chapel. It’s really small; we sit on the floor and gather around.” And that’s what keeps hope alive. “Having hope is one of the main things that pushes me every day,” said Caballero. “I have faith that these
Follow the work of the Casa on Facebook by going to “Casa del Migrante en Tijuana” and liking the page.
Donate though the Go Fund Me account, organized by Mike Horn (see sidebar) at: www. gofundme.com/f/ casa-del-migrante.
people will find their way, and that God has a plan for them.” In turn, Father Pat has great hope for Caballero’s future. “Mercedes has learned a lot and her life will be changed forever,” he said. “Her experience at the Casa will only fuel her desire to become a great immigration attorney.” Indeed, the difficulties she’s witnessed have not diminished her desire to pursue a career in law. “I think it’s pushed me to want that a lot more,” she said. “I see that immigration attorneys are needed, and my experience has given me perspectives a lot of people don’t have. “I’ll graduate in December, and I’ll dedicate through May to studying for [the] LSAT (Law School Admission Test).”
Donate directly by check to: Casa del Migrante, P.O. Box 430387, San Diego, CA 92143-0387.
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — After serving more than 260,000 migrants, refugees and displaced persons in need of basic assistance, Casa del Migrante in Tijuana, Mexico, is ready to do more. “People arrive at the Casa beaten and broken, and it is our mission to put them back together by offering them security, work, dignity and hope for a new life,” said Father Pat Murphy, CS, director of the Casa. Those who enter the Casa’s doors are currently given three meals a day, shelter and clothing, and access to a lawyer, a psychologist, a job counselor and social workers. But Mike Horn, internal auditor for the Archdiocese in Kansas City in Kansas, said it’s not enough. “The facility they have right now is pretty much just putting out a “SOME PEOPLE quick fire when WANT TO MAKE people show up and they IT POLITICAL, don’t have a place to go,” he AND IT’S NOT explained. POLITICAL — IT’S That’s why Horn is working A HUMANITARIAN with the Casa to fundraise for EFFORT.” a new building Mike Horn that will enhance the lives of those who pass through its doors — this time, with long-term goals in mind. “Our experience tells us that the key to helping people start new lives in Tijuana, where there are lots of jobs, is to prepare for the future,” said Father Pat. The best way to make that happen? Through education, he said. To give migrants and refugees in Tijuana the tools that will shape their future in a positive way, the Casa created the Scalabrinian Center of Formation for Migrants in May 2018. Within seven months of the school’s opening, more than 2,000 adults were learning computer skills, English and Spanish, and taking part in a variety of helpful other courses through the center, said Father Pat. But space is limited, so the Casa purchased a nearby piece of property where it will construct a separate building for the center, which will have the capacity to offer computer, language and Catholic faith classes, as well as courses in trades like carpentry, electricity and solar panel repair. Father Pat hopes to open the center in July 2020, starting with 75 students per week and expanding to 300-400 in the first year. To accomplish this, the Casa needs help — both financially and spiritually. And Horn emphasized one thing in particular to keep in mind. “Some people want to make it political,” he said. “And it’s not political — it’s a humanitarian effort.” Father Pat is eager to open the center and give those it serves “hope for a better tomorrow.” “Our goal is rather simple,” he said, “that every single person who comes through the Casa leaves the Casa as a better person.”
How to donate To donate or for more information, go online to: gofundme.com/f/casa-del-migrante. To donate to this project by check, send to: Fathers of St. Charles c/o Casa del Migrante (Tijuana) 546 N. East Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302 Make checks payable to: Fathers of St. Charles. Donations are sent directly to the Fathers of St. Charles, a U.S. nonprofit in Chicago, and donors will receive a tax donation letter that can be used on U.S. tax returns.
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
NATION
Solar array touted as model for church agencies By Mark Zimmermann Catholic News Service
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ASHINGTON (CNS) — The sun shone on Catholic Charities, literally, Oct. 17 as Washington Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory blessed a solar array installed on five acres of the agency’s land surrounding the Missionaries of Charity’s Gift of Peace home. About half of of the array’s 5,072 panels have been installed. It is the largest solar project in Washington and is expected to be completed and operational by early 2020. “The Lord gave us a beautiful day to celebrate something pretty special for us,” said Msgr. John Enzler, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington at the event. Attendees included Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, representatives of Catholic groups and more than two dozen of St. Teresa of Kolata’s Missionaries of Charity sisters who care for the poor, elderly and sick at the neighboring home. Msgr. Enzler said when he asked the sisters for permission to have the large-scale project constructed on the field next to their home, the convent’s superior and the order’s superior in the United States said yes, as did their provincial council in Kolkata via a typewritten letter, all within one day. The sisters, he said, are “superstars” and provided a key part of making the project possible as partners in the effort to follow Pope Francis’ call to care for the environment in his 2015 encyclical, “Laudato Si’.” The project’s partners include Catholic Charities, which is leasing the land; IGS Solar, which is financing the project; and Solar Energy Services, the general contractor constructing the array. Catholic Energies — a program of the Catholic Climate Covenant based in Washington — is the project’s developer. A fact sheet produced by the
CNS PHOTO/ANDREW BIRAJ, CATHOLIC STANDARD
partner agencies said the array will generate 2.7 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year, equivalent to powering about 350 homes. The proceeds will offset nearly all of the energy costs of Catholic Charities’ 12 properties in Washington and also fund maintenance costs for the Gift of Peace building. Patrick Smith, vice president of business development for IGS Solar, said the project is one of the “most rewarding” his company has ever done because of how it will benefit the community. “This project can serve as a shining example — pun intended — of what is possible when public, private, religious and community groups work alongside each other to accomplish a common goal,” he said. Archbishop Gregory similarly called the project “a great expression of the collaborative spirit of this local church” in working together with industry experts and community members. Kevin Virostek, vice chairman of Catholic Charities’ board of directors, said the solar array will help the agency save about $250,000 in
annual energy costs, so in addition to helping care for the environment, it “enhances our ability to serve those most in need.” “The impact I hope it has is that other Catholic agencies and institutions will see that energy efficiency and renewable energy work is the right thing to do by God’s creation and helps their bottom line, so that then supports their core mission,” he said. Dominican Sister Donna Markham, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, said she hoped similar projects could be launched in the years ahead at many of the Catholic Charities agencies across the country. “Think how many people in need we could help and think what an expression of fidelity (that would be) to Pope Francis’ call to care for God’s creation,” she said. Bowser praised Catholic Charities for answering Pope Francis’ call to help preserve the environment, and said the project demonstrates to other archdioceses and organizations “what they can do” in that regard.
Study outlines dangers suicide laws pose to disabled By Julie Asher Catholic News Service
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ASHINGTON (CNS) — The National Council on Disability said in a new study that “the dangers and harms” physician-assisted suicide laws present to people with disabilities “appear to be as significant today” as they were in 1997 and 2005, when the council earlier analyzed the harms of such laws. “NCD’s concerns, then and now, stem from the understanding that if assisted suicide is legal, some people’s lives, particularly those of people with disabilities, will be ended without their fully informed and free consent, through mistakes, abuse, insufficient knowledge and the unjust lack of better options,” the council said in an executive summary of its Oct. 9 report. It added, “No safeguards have ever been enacted or proposed that can
Florida bishops urge stay of execution
T Workers in Washington are seen near solar panels Oct. 17, that are on the property of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington. The solar panels will be leased to produce renewable energy for Washington residents.
prevent this outcome.” In an Oct. 15 statement, the chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pro-life and domestic policy committees praised the National Council on Disabilities “for its critical research and report exposing serious risks of abuse, coercion and discrimination posed by assisted suicide laws, specifically for people with disabilities.” “Every suicide is a human tragedy, regardless of the age, incapacity or social/economic status of the individual,” the bishops said. “The legalization of doctor-assisted suicide separates people into two groups: those whose lives we want to protect and those whose deaths we encourage. This is completely unjust and seriously undermines equal protection under the law.” The joint statement was issued by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, who is chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop Frank
J. Dewane of Venice, Florida, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. “The human rights and intrinsic worth of a person do not change with the onset of age, illness or disability,” they said, quoting Pope Francis: “True compassion does not marginalize anyone, nor does it humiliate and exclude — much less considers the disappearance of a person as a good thing.” Currently eight states have legalized assisted suicide: Oregon, 1994, Washington, 2008; Vermont, 2013; California, 2015; Colorado, 2016; Hawaii, 2018; New Jersey, 2018; and Maine, 2019. The District of Columbia legalized it in 2016. In Montana, the state Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that current Montana law allows a physician to aid the suicide of terminally ill patient. In January, the New York Legislature will consider the Medical Aid in Dying Act, which would reverse that state’s long-standing ban on doctor-assisted suicide.
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ALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CNS) — The eight Catholic bishops of Florida have written to Gov. Ron DeSantis urging him to stay the Nov. 7 execution of James Dailey at the Florida State Prison in Starke. “While we urge you to stop every execution and end the use of the death penalty in Florida, this case of a veteran with evidence of innocence is especially alarming,” wrote the bishops. Dailey was sentenced to death for the 1985 murder of 14-year-old Shelly Boggio, but another man, Jack Pearcy, has signed a sworn affidavit that “he, and he alone, was responsible for the tragic death of Boggio,” the bishops said in their Oct. 21 letter to DeSantis. “No physical evidence ties Mr. Dailey to the crime; however, the Florida Supreme Court refuses to allow him to present new evidence proving his factual innocence,” they wrote. “The direct killing of the innocent is always wrong and an intrinsic evil.” The letter, released by the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops in Tallahassee, was signed by: Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami; Bishop Felipe J. Estevez of St. Augustine; Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of Palm Beach; Bishop John G. Noonan of Orlando; Bishop Gregory L. Parkes of St. Petersburg; Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice; Bishop William A. Wack of Pensacola-Tallahassee; and Auxiliary Bishop Enrique E. Delgado of Miami. “Florida leads the nation in deathrow exonerations. Florida makes more mistakes than any other state in sentencing innocent people to death,” the bishops said, adding that “there is strong evidence that James Dailey’s death sentence was yet another failure of justice.” If carried out, his execution will be Florida’s 100th since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the 1970s. This is the third death warrant signed by DeSantis, who is Catholic. Florida is “a national outlier” in its high numbers of death sentences, death-row population and executions, the bishops said. “This use of the death penalty wounds our society by allowing a devaluation and coarseness of life in our community.” “As Pope Francis has stated, and as the catechism has been updated to reflect, the death penalty is ‘inadmissible’ due to modern penal systems,” the bishops wrote. “At certain times in history, the teachings of the church did not exclude recourse to the death penalty when it was the only means by which to protect society and guilt was properly determined,” they continued. “Today, however, alternative sentences, such as life without parole, are severe punishments through which society can be kept safe.” Such alternatives “do not degrade us by ending yet another life — perpetuating, rather than ending, a cycle of violence,” they said. In the days leading up to Dailey’s execution, if it is not stayed, dozens of prayer vigils throughout the state are planned, the bishops noted. “Floridians will gather in prayer for Ms. Boggio’s family, for Mr. Dailey, for everyone affected by violent crime, for an end to the use of the death penalty and for you in your difficult position,” the bishops told DeSantis.
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
WORLD
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Pope: Mission is to make disciples for Christ, not for one’s group By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
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ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Every Christian is called to be a missionary, sharing the good news of salvation in Christ and making disciples for him, not for oneself or one’s clique of like-minded believers, Pope Francis said. “What instructions does the Lord give us for going forth to others? Only one, and it’s very simple: Make disciples. But, be careful: his disciples, not our own,” the pope said Oct. 20 as he celebrated World Mission Sunday. Dozens of participants from the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon joined the pope for the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica; many indigenous wore their native headdresses, had their faces painted or dressed in traditional clothes. Before reciting the Angelus prayer after Mass, Pope Francis recalled the 100th anniversary of Pope Benedict XV’s apostolic letter on mission, “Maximum Illud.” The letter, Pope Francis said, was motivated by his predecessor’s conviction of “the need to evangelically relaunch the church’s mission in the world so that it would be purified of any colonial incrustation and freed from the influences of the expansionist policies of European nations.” Today, he said, the letter calls Catholics “to overcome the temptation of every self-referential closure and every form of pastoral pessimism in order to open us to the joyful newness of the Gospel.”
CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING
Indigenous women attend Pope Francis’ celebration of a Mass marking World Mission Day in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 20. At a time when globalization seems more about “homogenization” and power struggles that breed conflict and “ruin the planet” rather than solidarity and respect for differences, Pope Francis said, Christians must be missionary disciples who share the Gospel with humility and respect. The pope asked Catholics to commit themselves to a new effort to proclaim “the good news that in Jesus mercy defeats sin, hope defeats fear, brotherhood defeats hostility.”
Venezuelan priest becomes social media sensation By Manuel Rueda Catholic News Service
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ARACAS, Venezuela (CNS) — Understanding the Bible can be challenging, but Catholics in Venezuela are becoming more familiar with Scripture through the work of a tech-savvy friar. Capuchin Franciscan Father Luis Antonio Salazar is breaking with traditional ways of preaching and bringing the Gospel to thousands of cellphone users each week through an Instagram video series called “Vivir el Evangelio,” or “Living the Gospel.” In the one-minute videos, the robed priest waves his arms and points his finger to the sky as he discusses key passages of the New Testament with the help of electronic music and special effects. Father Salazar, 34, described himself as a “Catholic influencer.” He started posting videos to Instagram in 2018, after a 19-year-old member of his parish convinced him it would be a good idea and offered to help with the editing and special effects. Each video gets thousands of views and hundreds of comments. And in a year, Salazar’s account — @Flas7.0 — has grown from 5,000 to more than 120,000 followers. “The motive behind this is to help people understand the Gospel” said Father Salazar, who celebrates Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Chiquinquira Church, the largest church in Venezuela’s capital. “I want to take those stories that happened 2,000 years ago with the Pharisees, the scribes and the rest of the characters in the Bible and
show people what they teach us about being good Christians.” Parishioners credit the videos and Father Salazar’s energetic personality with bringing more people to the pews as Sunday Mass is now attended by hundreds of people. But Father Salazar told Catholic News Service the videos also have helped him to connect with young Catholics in other cities and even in other Spanish-speaking countries, forming a “digital parish” to which he tries to tend daily. “Recently a catechist who I didn’t know reached out to me asking how to teach her pupils about Moses, Abraham and the alliance of the people of Israel with God,” he said. Father Salazar said he also has been messaged by people with problems such as depression and tries to provide them with prayers and guidance. “I am approached with sensitive issues, so I have to answer all the messages myself,” he explained. “I’m not just any influencer coming up with crazy videos.” The Capuchin said the videos are part of a broader effort to make the church more present in the lives of the Venezuelan people at a time that the country continues experiencing a harrowing economic crisis. Hyperinflation and food shortages have forced more than 4 million Venezuelans to leave the country in the past five years, according to the United Nations. Hundreds of people have been imprisoned for protesting against the ruling socialist party and street demonstrations have been met with police repression.
“Christ is our peace,” the pope said, “and in him every division is overcome; in him alone there is salvation for every person and all people.” In his homily at the Mass, Pope Francis said Christians are called to share God’s love and mercy with all people. “All, because no one is excluded from his heart, from his salvation. All, so that our heart can go beyond human boundaries and particularism based on a self-centeredness that displeases God. All, because everyone is a precious trea-
sure, and the meaning of life is found only in giving this treasure to others.” “Those who bear witness to Jesus go out to all, not just to their own acquaintances or their little group,” he said. The call to be a missionary is a call that is included in every Christian’s baptism, the pope said, telling people at the Mass: “Jesus is also saying to you: ‘Go, don’t miss a chance to bear me witness!’ My brother, my sister, the Lord expects from you a testimony that no one can give in your place.” The first and most important way to share the Gospel with others is by living it, he said. “A credible proclamation is not made with beautiful words, but by an exemplary life: a life of service that is capable of rejecting all those material things that shrink the heart and make people indifferent and inward-looking; a life that renounces the useless things that entangle the heart in order to find time for God and others.” Being a missionary disciple, he said, does not mean “conquering, mandating, proselytizing,” but rather “witnessing, humbling oneself alongside other disciples and offering with love the love that we ourselves received.” “Our mission,” he said, is “to give pure and fresh air to those immersed in the pollution of our world; to bring to earth that peace which fills us with joy whenever we meet Jesus on the mountain in prayer; to show by our lives, and perhaps even by our words, that God loves everyone and never tires of anyone.”
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CLASSIFIEDS
EMPLOYMENT Drivers - Assisted Transportation is now hiring caring and reliable drivers to transport K-12 students to and from school and other activities in company minivans. Positions are now available in Olathe, Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas. Competitive wages and flexible schedules. CDL not required. Retirees encouraged to apply. Call (913) 262-3100 or apply online at: Assisted Transportation.com. EEO. General office assistant - Established company looking for an enthusiastic and detail-oriented general office assistant. Position involves customer care; ordering product; receiving; shipping; filing; invoicing; and other duties as assigned. QuickBooks knowledge is a plus. The company is also looking for someone with computer skills as well as ability to do light lifting. Dependable transportation is a must. Qualified candidates would demonstrate dependability, trustworthiness and excellent customer service abilities. If interested, send resume to: yourcareer101@gmail.com. Career opportunity – Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding a financial representative in the Kansas City, Kansas, and Missouri metro areas, St. Joseph, Mo., and Maryville, Mo. This is ideal for a determined, high energy, high expectation, professional, self-disciplined, independent individual, who desires to serve others yet earn a better than average income. We provide top-rated financial products to our members and their families, and will provide excellent benefits and training. This is a full-time position. For more information or an interview, please contact John A. Mahon, General Agent, 1275 S.W. Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66612; call (855) 3564849; or email: mahonagencymail2@kofc.org. Youth minister - Holy Trinity in Lenexa is seeking a youth minister for high school or junior high ministry. This is a full-time position working with the coordinator of youth ministry and music minister/assistant youth minister. The candidate is responsible for leading weekly junior high ministry or the Life Teen-infused high school ministry; assisting in leading summer trips and conferences; Life Teen Masses; retreats and other special events. The youth minister leads a team of volunteers and advocates on behalf of the students. The right person will be able to relationally lead students into a deeper relationship with Christ. A successful candidate for the position will have an active faith life that the will appropriately and authentically share with students. Resume and cover letter or any questions can be sent to Mac Neal at: mneal@htlenxa.org. Administrative assistant - Looking for something new? Use your administrative skills to help a developmental optometrist change people’s lives. The hours are: T/W/TH from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; summer hours vary. No health benefits. Need to know basic bookkeeping skills. Background needed in Work, Excel and QuickBooks. Customer service and medical office experience helpful. Send resume to: Dr. Beth Bazin, 13600 Washington, Kansas City, MO 64145 or send via email to: bbazin@visiondevelop.com. Lead afternoon teacher - Prince of Peace Early Education Center is seeking a flexible and energetic candidate for our preschool program. This position is year-round, Monday through Friday, from 2:30 - 6 p.m. More hours are available in the summer. Job duties include assisting students with activities; playing games; supervision of children at all times; face-to-face communication with parents; and cleaning and closing procedures. We offer competitive wages based on education level and experience. Send resumes to: kpotter@popolathe.org. Office manager - Sophia Spirituality Center, a ministry of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, is seeking to hire an office manager to provide general administrative support to the staff and exemplary customer service to guests who come for retreats. Grounded in the rich monastic tradition of prayer and hospitality, Sophia Center welcomes men and women of all faiths who are searching for God, peace and for meaning in their lives through offerings that foster spiritual and personal growth. The ideal candidate will be steeped in Benedictine values; responsible; detail-oriented; have excellent verbal and written skills; and be available most Friday nights and Saturdays. Experience with the unique environment of Catholic ministry is a plus. If interested, email sophia@ mountosb.org for details on the application process. Deadline for applications is Nov. 5. Service technicians - Established company is growing their business and looking for enthusiastic and detail-oriented service technicians. This position involves small equipment servicing at corporate customers; electrical knowledge a plus. Position involves lifting and walking as well as regional travel; dependable transportation is a must. The qualified candidates would have demonstrated dependability, trustworthiness and customer service abilities. If interested, send resume to: yourcareer101@gmail.com. Counselor - Full-time LCPC counselor needed at Keeler Women’s Center, located at 759 Vermont Ave., Suite 100B, KCK, 66101. Contact Sister Bridget Dickason, OSB, at (913) 689-9375 or by email at: kwc@mountosb.org.
We love our teachers - Come see why your want to work here! The Goddard School Olathe Northwest is looking for dynamic, energetic, professional teachers to add to our faculty. The Goddard School is a premiere preschool for children from 6 weeks to 6 years who are encouraged to develop at their own pace in a nurturing environment, lovingly guided by our highly skilled, professional teachers. We are hiring for the following positions: full-time preschool teacher; full-time young toddler or infant teacher; assistant teacher to multiple classrooms; and part-time assistant teacher from 2:45 - 6 p.m. or 1 - 6 p.m. Community assistants - L’Arche Heartland of Overland Park serves adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities in day program support services and in residential services. We are seeking assistants who are looking for a unique opportunity in a faith-based organization. We are in immediate need of day service assistants to work in our day program serving 30 adults. We have a recycling program and community activities. Our core members participate in distributing for Meals on Wheels and Rise Against Hunger. They also attend community events such as the library, movies, bowling and going to parks. We also have a need for live-in and live-out assistants in our five residential homes. If interested, contact Jamie Henderson, community leader, by email at: jamie@larcheks.org. Living situation desired - Woman seeking private living space with private entrance. Call (913) 602-1289. Volunteers - Do you want to have more meaning in your life, do something that is satisfying and of great service to your community? Become a volunteer at Saint John Hospital. “The hostess with the mostest” — Volunteers needed for the hospitality cart. For more information, call (913) 596-4195.
HOME IMPROVEMENT Interior painting Update your ceilings and walls with a fresh coat of paint. Cracks repaired with no mess! Serving the Leaven readers for over 25 years. Call Jerry anytime at (913) 206-1144. 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. Quality work - Kitchens, bathrooms, painting and home repairs. Nothing too big or too small. Insured. Call Jimmy at (913) 206-4524. Concrete construction - Tear out and replace amped, stained or colored patios and drives. Retaining walls, footings, poured-in-place safe rooms, excavation and hauling. Asphalt drives and lots. Fully insured; references. Call Dan at (913) 207-4371 or send an email to: dandeeconst@aol.com. EL SOL Y LA TIERRA *Commercial & residential * Lawn renovation *Mowing * Clean-up and hauling * Dirt grading/installation * Landscape design * Free estimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!! www.elsolylatierra.com Call Lupe at (816) 935-0176 Rusty Dandy Painting, Inc. – We have been coloring your world for 40 years. Your home will be treated as if it were our own. Old cabinets will be made to look like new. Dingy walls and ceilings will be made beautiful. Woodwork will glow. Lead-certified and insured. Call (913) 341-9125. Local handyman - Painting int. and ext., wood rot, power washing, staining, masonry (chimney repair, patio’s) gutter cleaning, water heaters, junk removal, lawn mowing, window cleaning, honey - do list and more!! Member of Holy Angels Parish, Basehor. Call Billy at (913)927-4118. DRC Construction We’ll get the job done right the first time. Windows - Doors - Decks - Siding Repair or replace, we will work with you to solve your problems. Choose us for any window, door, siding or deck project and be glad you did. Everything is guaranteed 100% (913) 461-4052 www.windowservicesoverlandpark.com drcconswindows@gmail.com STA (Sure Thing Always) Home Repair - Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Free estimates. Call (913) 579-1835. Email: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity, Lenexa.
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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.
Memory quilts - Preserve your memories in a keepsake quality quilt, pillows, etc. Custom designed from your T-shirt collection, baby clothes, sports memorabilia, neckties . . . Quilted Memories. (913) 649-2704.
NELSON CREATION’S L.L.C. Affordable home remodeling: Kitchens, baths, basements and room additions. All interior and exterior work. Honest, dependable, experienced and family owned. Licensed and insured. Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. (913) 927-5240 or nelsport@everestkc.net
Popcorn ceiling removal - Renew your ceiling and walls with a fresh coat of paint. Replace drywall or plaster repaired with no mess!! 25 years experience. Call Jerry anytime: (913) 206-1144.
SERVICES 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. Tutor - Available for K - 12 in various subjects and test preps. Tutor has 17 years of experience teaching and tutoring. Call Kathleen at (913) 206-2151 or email: Klmamuric@yahoo.com. 8 to Your IdealWeight Get Real, Get Healthy, Get Empowered. Release your weight and restore your power in 8 weeks! http://8toyouridealweight.com/coach/kathi/ Cleaning lady - Reasonable rates; references provided. Call (913) 940-2959. Clutter getting you down? - Organize, fix, assemble, install! “Kevin of all trades” your professional organizer and “Honey-do” specialist. Call or email me today for a free consultation at (913) 271-5055 or KOATorganizing@gmail.com. Insured. References. 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. Garage Door Repair New Garage Doors Platinum Amarr dealer, Elite Home Advisor top rating. Call Joe, mention The Leaven discount. A Total Door (913) 236-6440. Medicare supplements - Advantage plans and Part D. You have options. Let me help you find the best plan or rate for you. Local, licensed, independent and experienced Medicare adviser. Holy Cross parishioner. Contact Rhonda at (913) 579-3349. Speedy Guzman Moving and delivery Licensed and insured Anytime (816) 935-0176 Custom countertops - Laminates installed within five days. Cambria, granite and solid surface. Competitive prices, dependable work. Call the Top Shop, Inc., at (913) 962-5058. Members of St. Joseph, Shawnee. HARCO Exteriors LLC Your Kansas City fencing specialists Family owned and operated (913) 815-4817 www.harcoexteriorsllc.com Diamond painting - Residential/commercial, exterior/ interior, decks, free estimates. Affordable rates. KCMO/ Overland Park metropolitan area. DiamondPaintKc.com, 913-648-4933 Rodman Lawn Care Lawn mowing, aeration, verticutting, mulching, Hedge trimming, leaf removal, gutter cleaning Fully insured and free estimates John Rodman (913) 548-3002
CAREGIVING Looking for assisted living at home? - Before you move, call us and explore our in-home care options. We specialize in helping families live safely at home while saving thousands of dollars per year. Call today for more information or to request a FREE home care planning guide. Benefits of Home - Senior Care, www.benefits ofhome.com or call (913) 422-1591. Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation for seniors in their home, assisted living or nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Pat or Gary. Caregiver needed - Part-time help needed for mornings from 6 - 9 p.m. and evenings from 5 - 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Private-care case. Call (913) 602-1289. Just like family - Let me care for your loved one in your home. Many years’ experience. Looking for night shift coverage, some days. Great price, great references. Have experience with hospice care. Call Ophelia at (913) 579-7276.
FOR SALE Residential lifts - New and recycled. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts and elevators. St. Michael’s parishioners. KC Lift & Elevator at (913) 327-5557. (Formerly Silver Cross - KC)
REAL ESTATE CASH FOR YOUR HOME (913) 980-4905 Any condition in the metro area Mark Edmondson - local parishioner http://www.buykcproperty.com WE SELL HOMES - Looking to sell? This is a seller’s market. Call for a free consultation detailing the steps to selling your home. Ask about our 39-day sales guarantee. Mention this ad for a special offer. Call Jim Blaufuss, Re/Max Realty Suburban, at (913) 226-7442. Jimblaufuss@remax.net. Whole Estates Need to sell a home and everything in it? We buy it all at once in as-is condition. Call (816) 444-1950 or send an email to: www.wholeestates.com. We buy houses and whole estates - We are local and family-owned, and will make you a fair cash offer. We buy houses in any condition. No fees or commissions and can close on the date of your choice. Selling your house as is never felt so good. Jon & Stacy Bichelmeyer (913) 599-5000.
WANTED TO BUY Wanted to buy - Antique/vintage jewelry, paintings, pottery, sterling, etc. Single pieces or estate. Renee Maderak, (913) 475-7393. St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee. Will buy firearms and related accessories - One or a whole collection. Honest evaluation and top prices paid. Contact Tom at (913) 238-2473. Member of Sacred Heart Parish, Shawnee. Wanted to buy - Old cars or hot rods. Uncompleted project cars in any condition, with or without titles. Cash buyer. Call (913) 980-3559.
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
CALENDAR CHICKEN DINNER/CRAFT SALE Sacred Heart-St. Joseph Parish 312 N.W. Freeman Ave., Topeka Oct. 26 - Oct. 27
On Oct. 26 at 5 p.m., there will be a chicken dinner with sides, desserts and drinks served in the church hall. On Oct. 27 from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., there will be a craft and bake sale in the church hall. There will be quilts, crafts, baked goods, cinnamon rolls and much more. Breakfast will be served.
GERMAN SAUSAGE SUPPER Sacred Heart Parish (hall) 22298 Newbury Rd., Paxico Oct. 27 from noon - 3:30 p.m.
A home-smoked German sausage supper will be served buffet-style. The cost is: $12 for adults; $4 for kids ages 4 - 12; and kids under 4 eat for free. There will also be raffles, a silent auction, bingo and other games.
PANCAKE BREAKFAST TO BENEFIT SISTERS, SERVANTS OF MARY St. Patrick Parish (center) 1086 N. 94th St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 27 from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The Sisters, Servants of Mary provide healing and compassion through the care of the sick. Tickets for the breakfast are $6 for adults; $4 for kids 10 and under. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (913) 371-3423.
FALL FESTIVAL CELEBRATION St. Matthew Parish 2700 S.E. Virginia Ave., Topeka Oct. 26 and 27
On Oct. 26 after the 5 p.m. Mass, there will be a chili supper followed by cinnamon rolls. On Oct. 27 at 11 a.m., there will be a turkey dinner and all the trimmings. Cost is: $10 for adults; free for kids 10 and under with the donation of three nonperishable food items for the parish food pantry. (Without the donation, the cost for the kids’ meal is $5). There will also be a 50/50 cash jackpot, children and adult games, gift booths and a sweet shop in the gym.
DAUGHTERS OF ISABELLA LITTLE FLOWER CIRCLE Christ the King Parish (Yadrich Hall) 5972 S.W. 25th St., Topeka Oct. 27 at 12:30 p.m.
There will be a rosary followed by a business meeting. After the meeting, there will be a social. If anyone knows of a member or family in need of the circle’s prayers, call Theresa Smith-Lawton at (785) 640-1403. If you are interested in or would like more information about the Daughters of Isabella, call Cindy Keen at (785) 228-9863.
FALL FESTIVAL St. Dominic Parish 115 E. 5th St., Holton Oct. 27 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
There will be a dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, sides and dessert. The suggested donation is a freewill offering. There will also be $1 raffle tickets, saint-guessing jars and a silent auction.
FALL FAMILY FESTIVAL Divine Mercy Parish 555 W. Main St., Gardner Oct. 27 from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
There will be a fried chicken dinner. Cost is: $12 for adults; $8 for kids 3 - 10; and kids 2 and under eat for free. Advanced tickets are discounted. There will be a beer garden, quilt raffle and Traeger Grill raffle. Bierocks will also be available for sale. There will be two bouncy houses, pumpkin decorating, face painting and other kids activities available. Pre-sale tickets for meals and bierocks can be purchased on the website at: www.divinemercyks.org.
PRIEST APPRECIATION CELEBRATION St. Matthew Parish 2700 S.E. Virginia Ave., Topeka Oct. 28 from 9 - 11 a.m.
You are invited to attend a prayer service and
brunch to celebrate the ministry of the priests in the Topeka Region. A freewill donation will be accepted at the brunch. Please RSVP online at: meadkr80@hotmail.com or call (785) 7573 by Oct. 14.
PROJECT CHRYSALIS Church of the Ascension Parish (St. Luke’s Room) 9500 W. 127th St., Overland Park Oct. 29 from 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Project Chrysalis is a Catholic ministry designed to help parents who have lost a child find hope through sacred Scripture and community in a time of transformation. The guest speaker will be Msgr. Charles McGlinn speaking on hope. The group is open to parents who have lost a child or grandparents who have lost a grandchild. Immediate family members are also invited to attend. More information can be found on the website at: www.hopeinscripture.com.
MULTICULTURAL ROSARY Holy Family Parish 274 Orchard St., Kansas City, Kansas Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.
The Resurrection School community will pray a multicultural rosary in English, Spanish, Burmese and Croatian. Come fill the church with prayers for peace in the community during Respect Life Month. All are welcome!
FORGIVENESS CLASS Church of the Ascension 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park Oct. 29, Nov. 5 & Nov. 12 from 7 - 8:30 p.m.
This three-week class will look at forgiveness in life and the Scriptures. We will study what the “experts” teach us about the common, challenging process. There will be articles, DVDs and opinions of the process. Chuck Jansen is the facilitator for the sessions. There is no cost to attend. To register, go online to: kcascension.org or call Karen Newkirk at (913) 681-3348, ext. 142.
COMMEMORATION OF THE FAITHFULLY DEPARTED Cathedral of St. Peter 409 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kansas Nov. 1 at 10 a.m.
Bishop Ward High School will celebrate the lives of all the deceased Bishop Ward alumni who have passed away this year. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann will celebrate Mass. A small, informal reception will follow Mass in the Bishop Ward library.
HOPE OF THE POOR MISSION PRESENTATION Divine Mercy Parish 555 W. Main St., Gardner Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.
Craig Johring and Danny Leger, founders of Hope of the Poor, will speak about the mission of their ministry. Hear about experiences shared with many in our archdiocese and how countless people have responded to the call to serve.
ANNUAL CRAFT FAIR Holy Angels Parish (Father Quinlan Hall) 15438 Leavenworth Rd., Basehor Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
A wide variety of crafts will be available in 25 booths. There will be items such as dried flower arrangements, woodworking, wreaths, jewelry and Christmas crafts. The event is planned to coincide with the annual crafts fair at Basehor High School. For more information, call Annie Clark at (913) 724-2212.
HOLIDAY CRAFT SHOW AND BIEROCK SALE St. Rose School 530 E. 4th Ave., Garnett Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Vendors will feature both handmade and commercial items, and the school support group will be selling frozen bierocks, fresh-baked
cinnamon rolls and will have hot bierock lunches available during the day.
DEATH PENALTY CONFERENCE Kansas State University Union (Bluemont Room) 918 N. 17th St., Manhattan Nov. 2 from 1 - 4 p.m.
“Make a Difference: Join the Journey to End the Death Penalty” conference will include a keynote speech by former Gov. John Carlin, as well as workshops. There is no admission charge. Registration is open on Eventbrite. For more information, send an email to: info@ksabolition.org or call (785) 235-2237.
MATER DEI FALL BAZAAR Mater Dei Parish and School 934 S.W. Clay St., Topeka Nov. 2 and 3
On Nov. 2 at 4 p.m., there will be a Market Place which will include homemade arts and crafts, a silent auction, book nook, homemade baked goods and a food concession stand until 8:30 p.m. There will also be activities in the school parking lot. On Nov. 3, a traditional turkey dinner will be served in the school for the cost of $10 for adults and $4 for kids 4 - 12. There will also be a Homemade Market, silent auction, book nook, raffles and many other goods and activities.
TURKEY DINNER Annunciation Parish Cigna Center 402 N. Maple, Frankfort Nov. 3 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
The cost for a turkey dinner with all the trimmings will be $10 for adults and $5 for kids 10 and under. Takeout meals will be available (and delivery in Frankfort) by calling (785) 292-4462 the day of the dinner, or by calling the parish office during morning hours (M-F) at (785) 292-4462. There will also be a country store, various food items, crafts and other handwork items and a pot-of-gold.
TURKEY AND TRIMMING DINNER St. Benedict Parish 676 St. Benedict Rd., rural Bendena Nov. 3 from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
The cost to attend is a freewill donation. There will be a raffle for a quilt created by parishioner Marie Lamb, cash and other items. Carryout orders will be available at the parish house garage.
SMOTHERED STEAK DINNER St. John Parish (hall) 2910 Strong Ave., Kansas City, Kansas Nov. 3 from 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
There will be smothered steak, mashed potatoes and sides for the cost of $8 for adults and $4 for kids 10 and under. Takeout is available. The event is hosted by the St. John the Evangelist Altar Society.
FALL BAZAAR Holy Trinity Parish 501 E. Chippewa St., Paola Nov. 3 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
There will be a turkey dinner with dressing, sides and dessert for the cost of $10 for adults; $5 for kids 5 - 10. Takeout is $11 for adults; $6 for kids. There will also be a raffle, games and a country store.
TEXAS HOLD’ EM POKER TOURNAMENT Knights of Columbus Hall 11221 Johnson Dr. Shawnee Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
The proceeds from the tournament benefit Villa St. Francis, Olathe. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. and poker begins at 6:30 p.m. To register, go online to: vsfpoker.com. The $45 paid in advance includes $500 in extra chips; $50 at the door. A taco bar is included with registration. For more information, call Michelle at (913) 485-4416 or send an email to: mcarlstedt@villasf.org. Must be 21 to play.
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TAIZE PRAYER Annunciation Chapel 4200 S. 4th St., Leavenworth Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
Taize prayer is a meditative, candlelit service that includes chants sung repeatedly, silence, and prayers of praise and intercession. These prayer services emerged from an ecumenical community of monks in Taize, France. For more information, visit the website at: www. marillaccenter.org or call (913) 680-2342.
BEGINNING EXPERIENCE Precious Blood Center 2140 St. Gaspar Way, Liberty, Missouri Nov. 8 - 10
Beginning Experience is offering a healing weekend away for men and women of all ages who have suffered the loss of a spouse through death, divorce or separation. This is a time to heal and a time to begin anew. Reservations are required. For more information, visit the website at: www.beginningexperiencekc.org or call Laura at (308) 530-1873.
BEV VYHANEK FALL LUNCHEON AND CARD PARTY St. Ann Parish 7231 Mission Rd., Prairie Village Nov. 7 from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Play bridge, canasta, dominoes, mahjong or board games. Your $20 reservation covers a lovely lunch, wine, dessert table, and door and table prizes. To reserve a table, call Martha Houts at (913) 642-5927 or send an email to: marthamary519@gmail.com.
FAMILY FUN NIGHT/TACO BINGO Holy Cross School 8101 W. 95th St., Overland Park Nov. 8 at 5:30 p.m.
There will be a taco dinner hosted by Rudy’s Tenampa Taqueria. The cost for dinner tickets is: $6 in advance; $8 the night of the event; $4 for kids 4 - 10; and free for kids 3 and under. Free child care will be provided. There will also be a raffle, and all games will have prizes. For more information, call Holy Cross School at (913) 381-7408.
ST. TERESA CIRCLE FRIENDSHIP TEA Holy Cross Parish 8311 W. 93rd St., Overland Park Nov. 9 at 10:30 a.m.
There will be a brunch and a speaker, Sister Diane Steele, president of the University of Saint Mary. Sister Diane will speak on how faith, family and friends guided her on her life’s journey. To purchase tickets, $12 each, call Donna at (913) 402-6843 or send an email to: donnamheit@gmail.com.
USM FALL LUNCHEON Grand Street Cafe 4740 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Missouri Nov. 17 at 11 a.m.
The KC Alumni Council of the University of Saint Mary invites alumni, family and friends to its fall luncheon honoring Sister Susan Rieke, professor emerita of language and literature. The cost is $35 per person; additional contributions benefit student scholarships. RSVP to Maxine Mitchell Staggs at: maxine staggs@gmail.com or call (816) 304-3268.
OPEN HOUSE St. James Academy 24505 Prairie Star Pkwy., Lenexa Nov. 9 from 9 - 11:30 a.m.
See the campus, experience the community and learn about its many academic achievements.
BINGO NIGHT Sacred Heart Parish 2646 S. 34th St., Kansas City, Kansas Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.
The Knights of Columbus will host bingo for cash prizes. Concessions will be sold. For more information, call (913) 850-3348.
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY THIRTIETH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Oct. 27 THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Sir 35: 12-14, 16-18 Ps 34: 2-3, 17-19, 23 2 Tm 4: 6-8, 16-18 Lk 18: 9-14 Oct. 28 SIMON AND JUDE, APOSTLES Eph 2: 19-22 Ps 19: 2-5 Lk 6: 12-16 Oct. 29 Tuesday Rom 8: 18-25 Ps 126: 1b-6 Lk 13: 18-21 Oct. 30 Wednesday Rom 8: 26-30 Ps 13: 4-6 Lk 13: 22-30 Oct. 31 Thursday Rom 8: 31b-39 Ps 109: 21-22, 26-27, 30-31 Lk 13: 31-35 Nov. 1 ALL SAINTS’ DAY Rv 7: 2-4, 9-14 Ps 24: 1-4ab, 5-6 1 Jn 3: 1-3 Mt 5: 1-12a Nov. 2 THE COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (All Souls’ Day) Wis 3: 1-9 Ps 23: 1-6 Rom 5: 5-11 Jn 6: 37-40
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“W
hat are those?” Little did I know at the time how this simple question would lead to a seismic change in behavior. One of the practices I grew up with was going regularly to Mount Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas. We’d always take along a container of holy water to bless the graves of our family and friends. On the big feasts of Christmas and Easter, however, we’d haul something special along. For years, my mom would buy large, elaborate and costly holiday wreathes to decorate the graves. This was always a major project and one that, I confess, I complained about a lot as I had to schlep these unwieldy wreathes from the store to the car and from the car to the graves. One day, however, as Mom and I were shopping at Walmart , she suddenly stopped and asked: “What are those?” In front of us was a huge display of silk
I
How I became a flower child 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.
flowers. I handed one to her to inspect: It had a plastic stem with four flowers on it. I could see by the smile on her face that Mom liked it. Next, she asked how much it cost. “A buck,” I answered. “What? This is only a dollar?” Mom said, shocked. And that’s when the ground shifted. “Why am I buying those expensive wreathes when I could be buying these flowers instead?” she said. “They’re so cheap that
we can buy a whole bunch of them and decorate the graves at the cemetery lots more often!” From that time on, never again did we buy another of those wreathes. On Sept. 8, I headed to Mount Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas, to visit my folks’ grave. It was the day before my dad’s 38th anniversary of death. I thought for just a moment about buying a wreath, but reason prevailed. I took four bunches of “buck flowers” from Dollar Tree instead. I had a good talk and a good laugh with Mom and Dad while there. We’ll soon be in the month of November, a time when the church
asks us to remember those who have died and the country reminds us to be grateful for all the blessings in our lives. You might remember a country song, “Roses for Mama,” recorded by C.W. McCall in 1977. It tells the story of a man heading to Florida for a couple weeks of vacation. He calls his mom and, when she asks if he’s going to stop by, he says he can’t as he’s really pressed for time. On the way to Florida, though, he remembers it’s his mother’s birthday. So, he stops in a florist shop in Georgia to wire her some roses in Chapel Hill, Tennessee. As he enters the shop, he sees a little boy standing there with tears in his eyes. The kid has promised his mom five roses for her birthday — you see, he’s 5 — but he only has a dime and can’t pay for them. To make matters worse, the boy hasn’t seen his mom in about a year as he lives with his grandma. The man kindly puts the boy’s flowers on his tab. The guy is feeling pretty good about
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himself since he remembered his mom’s birthday. As he’s driving out of town, though, he catches sight of the little boy kneeling by a grave in an old cemetery. He stops and goes to the boy, who tells him that this is where his mama stays now and says that she thanks him for the beautiful flowers. The man immediately returns to the flower shop. He asks if the flowers have been sent to Tennessee yet. When the florist says no, the man says, “Well, never mind. I’ll just take ‘em back with me.” Honestly, that song can make a grown man cry. (I know.) If your parents are still alive, make time to visit with them as often as you can and thank them for . . . well, everything. If your parents have died, November is the ideal time to head to the cemetery to remember. And don’t forget the flowers. Take it from me: Get the dollar ones and you’ll visit a lot more often.
This weekend’s readings won’t be found in a Protestant Bible
f you look for Sunday’s reading in a Protestant Bible — Sir 35:12-14, 16-18 — you probably won’t find it there. It comes from one of those books missing from the Protestant Bible, through an accident of history. At the time of Jesus, the list of books belonging to sacred Scripture had not been definitively finalized. There were two popular lists circulating: the Palestinian canon and the Alexandrian canon. The Alexandrian canon had a few books not contained in the Palestinian canon. The early Christians opted for the Alexandrian canon. That choice was reflected in their use of those disputed books. The writings of the New Testament even draw from it at times.
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.
For example, this passage — “Know this, my dear brothers: everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (Jas 1:19) —
echoes these words from the Book of Sirach: “Be swift to hear, but slow to answer” (Sir 5:11). At the time of the Protestant Reformation, this history had been forgotten. Consequently, the reformers opted for the more restricted listing of the Palestinian canon. Sunday’s reading offers a good taste of the entire Book of
Sirach. It repeats concepts already presented elsewhere in the Scriptures. It insists that God is a God of justice, that God will listen to the prayers of the poor and weak: “The Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites. Though not unduly partial toward the weak, yet he hears the cry of the oppressed.” Specifically, God will pay attention to widows and orphans: “The Lord is not deaf to the wail of the orphan, nor to the widow when she pours out her complaint.” The author — Jesus, son of Eleazar, son of Sirach — was a religious teacher who lived in Jerusalem in the beginning of the second century B.C. His writings reflect the instruction that he would have presented to
his students. Sirach is seeking to share with his readers the riches of traditional Hebrew wisdom. He focuses upon practical, common sense wisdom, which makes everyday life more rewarding and fulfilling. For example, he instructs the young to obey and respect their parents. He encourages generosity to the poor. He gives advice on how to treat slaves. Because of these insights, the Book of Sirach found a secure place in the church’s offerings for spiritual guidance. Sirach earned the nickname “Ecclesiasticus,” which means “of or pertaining to the church.” That is how it is sometimes listed in Catholic Bibles.
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POPE FRANCIS Jesus enjoys unmasking hypocrisy, which is the work of the devil, Pope Francis said. Christians, in fact, must learn to avoid hypocrisy by scrutinizing and acknowledging their own personal faults, failings and sins, he said Oct. 15 during morning Mass at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. “A Christian who does not know how to accuse himself is not a good Christian,” he said.
The pope focused his homily on the day’s Gospel reading (Lk 11:37-41) in which Jesus criticizes his host for being concerned only with outward appearances and superficial rituals, saying, “although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.” Pope Francis said the reading shows how much Jesus does not tolerate hypocrisy, which, the pope said, “is appearing one way but being something else” or hiding what one really thinks. When Jesus calls the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs” and hypocrites, these words are not insults but the truth, the pope said.
— CNS
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
COMMENTARY
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Discerning God’s will when registering with a parish
y family joined the newly formed Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe in 1979. The parish community celebrated Mass in a temporary home at the neighborhood Tomahawk Elementary School. Affectionately known as St. Gymnasium, the temporary locale for our worship was where I met many dear people who have remained friends for 40 years. One of our kids was among the first graduates of the school that had quickly grown along with the parish. Prince of Peace grew so fast, it was soon among the largest parishes in the
SIMPLY STEWARDSHIP
LESLE KNOP Lesle Knop is the executive director of the archdiocesan office of stewardship and development. You can email her at: lknop@archkck.org.
state of Kansas. For the next 20 years, our kids attended our parish school and then
St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park. When our youngest child finally was ready to go off to college, my husband’s dream of “moving to the country” was realized. Our baby tossed her mortarboard to the wind at graduation in May and we were in our new home
in rural Miami County by October. It took time before I could fully let go of my former parish life and officially register at our new parish. When we did, an amazing thing happened: My best friend and husband, long a Christmas and Easter Mass-goer, joined the Catholic Church. Little did I realize that the Holy Spirit would call him to Catholic life when we became regular attendees at the beautiful parish in Paola where I learned to “let go, and let God.” These words took on new meaning when I let go of my fears and put my hope and trust in Jesus. There are 106 par-
ishes located within the geographic boundaries of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Serving the northeast quadrant of the state, our archdiocese is guided by the man carrying the crosier, our archbishop. Similarly, each parish, with its own geographic boundary, is led by its pastor, the priest who is responsible for every soul residing within his parish. While we are welcome to attend Mass at any Catholic parish, when it becomes time to register officially at a parish, we are humbly asked to register at the parish whose geographic boundaries correspond with where our
home resides. The archdiocesan website at: www. archkck.org provides a helpful map of parishes and their boundaries. The office of stewardship and development works with parishes to routinely update parish rosters to ensure that all registered Catholics receive The Leaven at their home. I understand very well the feelings of attachment to parish routines and friendships nurtured over many years. When my death comes, however, I know that I will be buried from a single parish. I know not what the future holds for me, but I will remember this: Let go, and let God.
We are not doing ‘just fine.’ We must insist on something greater
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e’ve now had the big launching event to our renewed efforts at evangelization in northeast Kansas. Our parish leaders have been given much insight and wisdom in the methods of “Prayer, Share and Care.” The task was to inspire and to equip missionary disciples to go forth and, from most reports, it was an effort well-executed. It is now confidently hoped that our parish communities will become true centers of welcome, of holy friendship, and that all are to be invited to come inside and cultivate, with us, an authentic and engaged life in Jesus Christ.
AS THE CHURCH PRAYS
MICHAEL PODREBARAC Michael Podrebarac is the archdiocesan consultant for the office of liturgy and sacramental life.
The question now begs: What exactly will they find within our doors?
Will they find a compelling, engaging experience of the celebration of the Lord’s Day: an uncompromised dedication to beauty, to hospitality, to authentic divine worship, to the very best we are able to offer? Or will they experience “business as usual” on Sunday mornings?
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And do we really think that will work? And, if so, then why have so many left over the years, with even more never having come in to begin with? Are we willing to humbly challenge ourselves in our assumptions? It’s a rather complex situation, to be sure, and no pretense was made otherwise at the convocation. Institutions are going through a rough time right now, especially in the so-called developed world — and not only religious institutions, but also political, social, cultural and educational establishments. Rampant individualism threatens genuine community at every
front. Consumerism has brought both blessing and curse. I’m not trying to play the “prophet of doom” here. It’s simply how things have become. But hope is the essence of faith, nurtured by charity. If any of us think it’s just a matter of getting them in the door and then all shall be well, we’re in for a deep letdown. Discipleship with the Lord cannot be hyped, manufactured or hustled through bright lights and excited methods. It will rely solely on God’s grace and our response, intentional over emotional. And, at least according to the mind of the church, true discipleship is rooted — and
ultimately leads back to — our celebration of the sacraments, the very font and summit of the Christian life. We can no longer presume we’re doing just fine. We must insist on something greater. That “greater” begins and ends with what some have termed the “Sunday experience”— our parish at worship. From there, everything else must flow. We know where to begin: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Everything after that must indicate that we’re serious about this, that the liturgy is our very life.
THE SHEPHERD’S VOICE 8:30 a.m. Sundays on 92.9 FM and KEXS AM 1090 Encore Monday at 11:30 a.m.
OCTOBER 25, 2019 | THELEAVEN.ORG
LOCAL NEWS
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ASL interpreter brings Gospel to deaf community By Ellie Melero @eleanor_melero
O
LATHE — Joan Macy lets her hands do the talking. Not in a Chuck Norris/Jackie Chan kind of way. But she literally talks with her hands. Macy is an American Sign Language interpreter and has been one for a long time. “When I was in high school, I started taking ASL classes for fun and just fell in love with it,” said Macy. “At that time, I knew I wanted to be a teacher, so I thought, ‘Well, I want to teach, but I really like sign language, so I guess I’ll teach deaf kids.’” And she does teach deaf kids. Macy works at the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe. But that’s not all she does. She is also the ASL interpreter coordinator for the archdiocesan office of deaf ministry. About 3.8% of Kansans have some form of hearing disability, according to the 2013 Cornell University Disability Status Report for Kansas, and many of those people live in the Kansas City area. The purpose of deaf ministry is to make sure deaf people have the same opportunities to encounter Jesus as hearing people do. “Many deaf people have left the Catholic Church because they don’t have access,” Macy said. “They might show up to Mass, but they don’t know what’s going on, or they don’t have access to some of the faith formation opportunities that hearing people do. “If it’s not accessible to a deaf person, they miss out on learning their faith.” Deaf ministry works hard to make sure deaf people don’t feel like they are being left out of the church and church life. It offers a monthly signed Mass at St. Paul in Olathe and weekly interpreted Masses at four parishes: Prince of Peace and St. Paul in Olathe, St. Joseph in Shawnee and Most Pure Heart of Mary in Topeka. It also offers Bible studies, retreats, workshops, sign language classes and more, and it tries to make sure there are ASL interpreters at any church event deaf people might want to attend. That’s where Macy comes in. There are 15 ASL interpreters who volunteer with deaf ministry, and it’s Macy’s job to make sure there are interpreters at each of the weekly interpreted Masses and at special church events or workshops. “Because deaf ministry is such a global ministry — it’s so broad in what we have to do,” said Katie Locus, the consultant for deaf ministry, organizing interpreters is a fulltime job in itself.
LEAVEN PHOTO BY JAY SOLDNER
Joan Macy is the ASL interpreter coordinator for the archdiocesan office of deaf ministry.
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“MANY DEAF PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE ACCESS. . . . IF IT’S NOT ACCESSIBLE TO A DEAF PERSON, THEY MISS OUT ON LEARNING THEIR FAITH.” “The deaf people in the community are starving for their faith,” she said. “A hearing parish can offer all kinds of opportunities for their hearing parishioners. How do the deaf people get access? Well, we have to provide interpreters.” Every time Macy, or any interpreter, interprets the Mass, they provide more visibility for deaf ministry. Macy said this visibility is important because part of the purpose of deaf ministry
is to help bridge the gap between hearing people and deaf people. She encourages people who want to learn more about deaf ministry to attend one of their sign language classes or the monthly signed Mass. She is also always open to answering questions. “There’s always a time of educating people,” Macy said. “Whenever they see me interpret, they’ll always come up to me afterwards and want to talk a little bit about deaf min-
istry and how we can make sure that the deaf are invited and involved in the Catholic Church.” Macy does more than just interpret events and coordinate the other interpreters. Father Scott Wallisch, the chaplain for deaf ministry, said Macy often acts as an adviser for Locus and himself, and she also helps them run some of the day-to-day operations of deaf ministry. He also said she is an invaluable source for the other interpreters because of how much experience she has with deaf ministry. “It’s a challenge interpreting anything because any time you go from one language to another it’s difficult,” Father Wallisch said. “There’s a whole vocabulary within Catholicism for sign language you would need to learn if you were going to interpret a Mass that you may not know just
from knowing American Sign Language. “As someone who signs the Mass myself, I will tell you that it’s very hard, and it’s given me an appreciation of just how good Joan is at interpreting.” Macy has been the ASL interpreter coordinator since 2014, but she started volunteering with the deaf ministry program in the ’90s. In that time, she has been able to develop relationships with many members of the deaf community. Locus said she loves watching Macy interact with the deaf community because she has authentic friendships with people. Members of that community know they can depend on Macy and trust her. “One deaf person actually came up to me one time and said that they were trying to plan a funeral for their family and her first thought was: ‘How do I contact Joan? Because I know she’ll work this out for me and help support my family,’” Locus said. “The deaf community just knows automatically they can call Joan and depend on her,” she added. David and Roberta Westerman are two members of the deaf community and belong to St. Paul Parish. They met Macy about 10 years ago when she interpreted a Mass they attended. The Westermans said deaf ministry has had a big impact on them, and they really appreciate having interpreters at Masses and other events. They also said Macy in particular has had a big impact on the deaf community as a whole. “The deaf wouldn’t know what to do without her,” Roberta said. “There’s really many people in the church that impact deaf ministry, but especially Joan. She has quite a concern, and she never wants anybody left out of getting the word of God.” In addition to helping run the normal operations of the deaf ministry office, Macy is working with Locus to help organize the National Catholic Office for the Deaf’s Pastoral Week Conference, which will be held in Kansas City in January 2020. Representatives from throughout the U.S. and Canada will attend to discuss how to advance deaf ministry around the country, and Macy will serve 11 states as the Midwest representative. Macy said she loves working with deaf people and she encourages more people to interact with the deaf community. “I love the language, I love the culture and I love being able to share Christ with them,” Macy said. “Their witness and their faith are inspiring to me. “It truly is one of the best jobs anyone could ever have.”