11-07-08 Vol. 30 No. 14

WWW.THELEAVEN.COM | NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF KANSAS CITY IN KANSAS | VOL. 30, NO. 14 NOVEMBER 7, 2008

Meet Paul: In the end, nothing could shut him up

K

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — One time he was nearly beaten to death. On several other occasions, he was merely beaten bloody.

He endured riots, assassination conspiracies, shipwreck, First in bandits, imprisa series onment, abanby donment, and beJOE trayal by friends.

BOLLIG His opponents harassed him relentlessly, sometimes following him from town to town.

He was often cold, hungry, tired, and anxious. Sometimes he was sick, and physical disability became his everpresent companion later in life.

Road Warrior for God. Iron Man for the Risen Christ.

Man of Letters and Man of Action.

Apostle to Jews and Gentiles alike.

St. Paul was all of these . . . and more.

In the end, nothing could shut him up — except the sword.

Turn to PAUL on page 16

Photo by Stefano Spaziani

2

ARCHBISHOP

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

SECOND FRONT PAGE 3

LIFE WILL BE VICTORIOUS

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unday, Oct. 26, was designated this year as Priesthood Sunday by Worldwide Marriage Encounter and the Serra Club. I am very pleased by this initiative of the laity to express appreciation for our priests.

As I visit in parishes across the Archdiocese, I am gratified by the love and affection the people of the Archdiocese have for their priests. I am even more edified by the zeal and dedication of our priests in striving to pour out their lives in service for the Lord and his people.

Next week, more than 30 of our priests will participate for several days in the first session of a program called “Good Leaders, Good Shepherds.” The Good Leaders, Good Shepherds curriculum was developed by the Catholic Leadership Institute that is located in Philadelphia. The Catholic Leadership Institute describes the purpose of Good Leaders, Good Shepherds in these

words: “Using Jesus Christ as the ultimate shepherd and model of leadership, the Good Leaders, Good Shepherds curriculum for clergy was specifically designed to help Catholic priests minimize the frustration and energy spent on their administrative roles and to maximize the joy and time spent on the pastoral duties for which they were uniquely ordained.”

The seminary formation of our priests is concentrated on their spiritual, theological, human and pastoral formation. Consequently, there is relatively little time available to prepare priests adequately for the administrative responsibilities that their pastoral ministry will require. Priests are expected to effectively lead large staffs, as well as direct large volunteer organizations with little formal training in human resource management. They

have the ultimate responsibility with management of large financial budgets, as well as the proper maintenance of large parish plants.

Good Leaders, Good Shepherds is a program uniquely designed to help priests develop some of the leadership and management skills that will help them be more effective in their administrative roles, thus allowing them to devote more time to their pastoral and spiritual responsibilities. The feedback that I have received from bishops in several dioceses where Good Leaders, Good Shepherds has been offered is extremely positive.

I am very pleased that more than 30 of our priests have chosen to enroll in Good Leaders, Good Shepherds. It is a significant time commitment on their part. The Good Leaders, Good Shepherds program will span two years, involving six multi-day overnight workshops, as well as about a dozen half-day meetings.

If your pastor or associate pastor is participating in Good Leaders, Good Shepherds, I encourage you to support them in this endeavor. Their participation in the program will require that they are absent from the parish sometimes for several days in a given week.

This will necessitate some accommodations with the usual parish Mass schedule, as well as require from parishioners some flexibility in the scheduling of meetings, events and even funerals.

Your priests are giving their time to participate in Good Leaders, Good Shepherds in order to acquire knowledge and to develop skills that will help them be even more effective in their priestly ministry. Please give them your support and encouragement.

In my experience, the priests of the Archdiocese are already very good leaders and very good shepherds. I am excited that so many of our priests will have the opportunity to develop and improve their leadership and administrative skills. In the end, our parishes will be the beneficiaries of this program.

Whether your priest is able to participate in Good Leaders, Good Shepherds or not, please continue to give him your prayerful support and encouragement. Pray for me and all of our priests, that day by day we might become more and more shepherds after the heart of Jesus.

Not enough hours in the day?

Education program for priests builds good leaders, good shepherds

By BOB HART Special to The Leaven KANSAS CITY, Kan. — More than 30 archdiocesan priests are heading back to school a little late this fall, but their occasional absence from their parishes promises to pay dividends to their congregations in the long run.

At the two-year-long “Good Leaders, Good Shepherds” program, say organizers, priests will learn to manage the time spent on administrative duties more wisely, so as to leave more time for the pastoral work Father John Riley, that attractchairman of ed them to continuing the priesteducation and hood in the formation for first place. priests “ T h e goal is to have healthier, happier, more energized priests,” said Father John Riley, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in St. Marys and chairman of continuing education and formation for priests.

“We want to be up to the task of leading vibrant parishes and communities.”

The program, created by the Catholic Leadership Institute in Exton, Pa., has had great success in other dioceses around the country and came to the attention of Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, who asked Father Riley to explore it further. Following a successful screening, the program was recommended to the Presbyteral Council and eventually to all the priests of the archdiocese.

“It’s a leadership program for priests — specifically for priests, not just some off-the-shelf executive training program,” said Father Riley. “It’s designed specifically for us to help us face some of the challenges we have today, with fewer priests, more administrative duties and more and more complex decisions.”

“

The goal is to have healthier, happier, more energized priests.

“

‘Shepherds’ program schools priests in management

Today’s priests juggle multiple responsibilities. That’s why the archdiocese is offering a program to teach priests better ways to manage their administrative duties, which will hopefully help them free up more time for the real work they were ordained to do.

The program consists of six modules: •Self-Preparation for Leadership •Leading in the Self Context •Leading in the One-to-One Context •Leading in the Team Context •Leading in the Organization Context •Leading Strategic Relationships between Organizations Each training module includes time for prayer, liturgy and fraternity.

Some of the sessions are half-days, but others require overnight stays at Savior Pastoral Center.

“There will be some sacrifice on the part of the parishes,” Father Riley said. “There are at least six overnight sessions, and they’re absolutely required. No one can leave. That is, in and of itself, a challenge.

“If someone were to die in a parish, for instance, of course the priest would want to be with the family,

Learn more at www.catholicleaders.org “Using Jesus Christ as the ultimate shepherd and model of leadership, the Good Leaders, Good Shepherds curriculum for clergy was specifically designed to help Catholic priests overcome the challenges today of a diminishing number of clergy and more complex circumstances for priestly ministry. The goal is to minimize the frustration and energy spent on their administrative roles and maximize the joy and time spent on the pastoral duties for which they were uniquely ordained. The impact will be more holy, healthy, and happy shepherds of vibrant parish communities, leading more people to a deeper relationship with Christ.”

helping them grieve. We’re going to have to call upon our fellow priests to help out in those situations. And we’ll be asking people to understand that Father cannot be there every minute.”

Priests’ participation is voluntary, and the cost of the program is split three ways. The priest himself pays 20 percent, his parish pays 20 percent, and the continuing education program for the archdiocese pays the remaining 60 percent.

Among the many bishops who have offered their endorsement of the program are: Cardinal Adam Maida, archbishop of Detroit; Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia; Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley, OFM Cap., archbishop of Boston; and Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston.

More than 25 dioceses nationwide have completed or signed up for the program, including the neighboring dioceses of Dodge City and Salina in Kansas.

4 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

Topeka school experiences unprecedented success

By MARC and JULIE ANDERSON Special to The Leaven TOPEKA — Last month, teachers and administrators here at Most Pure Heart of Mary Elementary School in Topeka learned how their students had scored on the State Assessment Exams given last spring.

And, oh, how they scored.

Out of a total of 20 possible areas in which a school could achieve a Standard of Excellence, Most Pure Heart students achieved exactly 20 — the only school in the archdiocese to do so.

It’s an accomplishment that both school and archdiocesan officials say is “unprecedented.”

Administered by the Kansas Department of Education, the exams are administered annually to students in the third through eighth grades and evaluate whether students are meeting minimum standards for their grade levels in mathematics and reading.

For the first time last spring, students at the fourth- and seventhgrade levels were also evaluated in science, while sixth- and eighthgraders were tested in social studies. Currently, schools have the option of taking the exams via pencil and paper or online.

Despite limited financial resources, the school’s administration made the decision a few years ago to update the school’s computer labs to allow for online testing. It’s a decision that Sharon Kenagy, the technology coordinator, said makes sense for students in the 21st century.

“We had lots of people telling us the kids would do much better with paper and pencil,” said Kenagy, “but we believed our kids would do best using their own medium, the computer.”

The assessment results were posted last month on the Kansas Department of Education’s Web site. School officials say they looked up the results almost as soon as they were available and then alerted the teachers and staff by e-mail.

Connor Vining, a member of Boy Scout Troop No. 18 in Tecumseh and St. Matthew Parish, Topeka, has attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He was recognized in a Court of Honor Sept.

14, at St. Matthew.

His Eagle service project entailed landscaping the Karen Memorial EAGLE SCOUTS Stahel Garden at Tecumseh South Elementary School.

Adam Smith, a member of Boy Scout Troop No. 46 and Most Pure Heart of Mary Parish, Topeka, received the Eagle Scout Award on Sept. 21 at a Court of Honor at the church. For his Eagle project, Smith painted the interior of Birthright, Inc., in Topeka.

Leaven photo/Marc Anderson

Wyatt Schmidt, a fourth-grader at Most Pure Heart of Mary School in Topeka,works on an assignment at the computer. Most Pure Heart of Mary School was the only one in the archdiocese to achieve the Standard of Excellence classification in each of the 20 categories measured by the annual test administered by the Kansas Department of Education.

The next day, principal Bill Hund gathered the students who had taken the test for a group picture and announced the school’s success to them. A few days later, teachers rewarded the students with an extra recess, and the Parent-Teacher Organization provided ice cream sandwiches for the students.

Later, during a special meeting for the faculty and staff, everyone in attendance was given a certificate of thanksgiving, along with a turkey, in appreciation for his or her efforts in helping the school become a School of Excellence.

No success comes without a lot of hard work, and both teachers and administrators say Most Pure Heart of Mary School is a place where hard work is a way of life.

According to Mike Stallbaumer, who with Kenagy teaches classes in media and technology for sixththrough eighth-graders, said the faculty and staff are amazing.

“They work tirelessly and ‘beyond the call’ to achieve mastery of

LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

the concepts in all subject areas,” he said. “Our students are strongly supported by our families and highly motivated to show what they know and what they can do.”

In addition to committed teachers, updated technology and hard work, school officials are quick to list parental involvement as another reason for the school’s recent achievement.

Two-way communication is the norm, not the exception. As an example, one teacher shared an email he’d recently received from a parent.

It read: “Never underestimate the power of your words and worth!

Cole came home from school Friday telling me all about the video you put together praising and congratulating the students for their achievements on state assessments. I bet he used the word awesome five or six times when telling me about the whole day. . . . I, too, think it is pretty awesome when you can impress an upper level student the way you did.”

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Nicholas Stone, a member of Boy Scout Troop No. 449 and a parishioner of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood, recently obtained the rank of Eagle Scout. For his Eagle project, Stone planned and supervised the construction of a workbench for use by the technology office of St. Michael the Archangel School.

Joshua D. Van Laar, a member of Boy Scout Troop No. 53 and St. Benedict parish, Bendena, recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

He was recognized at a Court of Honor at Trinity Episcopal Church on Sept 20.

Van Laar’s Eagle project consisted of erecting historical markers throughout Atchison, commemorating key buildings and locations.

Eagle Scouts are printed only when space is available. Notices can be e-mailed to: todd@theleaven.com or mailed to: 12615 Parallel Pkwy, Kansas City, KS 66109.

5

Virgil Dechant, former Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, shared his collection of papal memorabilia with those in attendance at “An Evening of Memories of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI” Oct. 26. Among the items were: (from left) a brick used to cement in the Holy Year Door that was removed in 1975; the constitution of the Missionaries of Charity, autographed by Mother Teresa; and the mosaic, “Mother of the Church,” created by Vatican mosaic studios.

Photos by John Caulfield

True insiders share their memories of life with the popes

By KARA HANSEN Leaven staff LEAWOOD — “Da Vinci Code” fans would have been disappointed.

But for anyone who is interested in knowing what really goes on inside the Vatican, the Church of the Nativity in Leawood was the place to be Oct. 26.

It was that night that Dr. Robert Moynihan, founder and editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, and Virgil Dechant, former Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus and Nativity parishioner, joined forces to present “An Evening of Memories of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI.” Both speakers had personal relationships with the two most recent popes and shared their insights, experiences and observations with the crowd of approximately 125.

“The press described Pope Benedict as the ‘rottweiler of God,’” recalled Moynihan. “And the fascinating thing is that of all the exaggerations in the press, this may be the most extreme.

“In fact, he likes cats, and, if anything . . . he is most similar to Heidi’s grandfather in the Alps.”

“The press called him that because he was so firm in defending the faith,” explained Moynihan. “He has always spoken the truth in love, and his entire pontificate has been a teaching pontificate.”

Moynihan paid special tribute to Dechant during the evening, as their paths have crossed many times over the years.

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Robert Moynihan, founder and editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, autographs copies of his book on Pope Benedict XVI following his joint presentation with Virgil Dechant at Church of the Nativity in Leawood.

Catholics of our time, a man who knows Pope Benedict XVI, who knew John Paul II, Paul VI, and was a best friend of Pope Pius XII. He has truly been inside the Vatican, whereas I’m simply near the Vatican,” joked Moynihan.

Moynihan expounded on the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI, discussing his reform of the church and the historical significance of a German pope.

“He does not believe in imposing the faith but proposing the faith, and then embracing that belief out of love,” said Moynihan.

Dechant, in turn, shared his firsthand account of the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square in 1981.

“Those shots rang out in [St. Peter’s] Square and you could see the

Virgil Dechant, former Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus and Church of the Nativity parishioner, shares highlights of a career spent working closely with the last several popes.

Holy Father being rushed inside,” recalled Dechant. “The crowd was completely stunned; no one knew what to think. Then one archbishop began leading the rosary.”

Despite the shock and fear of that incident, Dechant said the love that John Paul II showed toward his almost-assassin was incredible.

“For him to visit him in prison and to forgive him after spending 100 days recuperating — what an act of mercy,” said Dechant.

For Dechant, John Paul II’s act of public forgiveness was simply the continuation of the type of papacy John Paul II had set out to lead.

“At his first papal audience three days after he was installed, the Holy Father addressed the crowd and told us, ‘Be not afraid’ and to open wide the

doors to Christ. I think those words were the message and theme of John Paul’s papacy,” said Dechant.

Dechant was quick to give credit for his remarkable experiences to the organization he has faithfully served for so long.

“Everything I have is really because of my position in the Knights of Columbus,” said Dechant.

The evening was co-sponsored by the Nativity Knights of Columbus and the Catholic churches of Leawood, comprised of Nativity, Curé of Ars, and St. Michael the Archangel. As part of the event, participants were able to view Dechant’s extensive collection of papal memorabilia and to visit with the speakers after their presentations.

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6 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

Conception Seminary has record enrollment

By JARROD THOME Special to The Leaven CONCEPTION, Mo. — If you turn on the news today, most likely you’ll be inundated with reports of rising prices, economic turmoil, and distillations of fiscal policy discussions from the most recent political debates.

Amid this constant barrage, it’s good to remind ourselves that the U.S. and world economy is a bit different from the “economy of salvation” — God’s plan for our redemption accomplished through the church.

With that in mind, here is some breaking news that you might actually want to hear: A record enrollment at Conception Seminary College in Conception, Mo., bodes well for the economy (of salvation).

Why? Because an increase in future priests means that the message of the Gospel will reach more people, and the people who are already receiving it will receive it more effectively.

With 108 young men on the path to the priesthood at Conception Seminary College — including four seminarians from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas — and nine young monks in formation for Conception Abbey, it appears that the Holy Spirit is at work in answering the prayers of Catholics for vocations.

On a broader level, Conception may very well be a bellwether of the times to come, ringing in the dawn of Pope John Paul II’s “springtime of the church.”

In any case, it is plain to see that this auspicious beginning of the 2008-09 academic year can only mean good

Justin Hamilton (left), Colin Haganey, Jamie Zarse and Brian Jika are four seminarians from the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas who help make up a record enrollment at Conception Seminary College in Conception, Mo. things for the future. What does this growth look like, though, in the specific context of a bustling seminary or a vibrant religious community?

Thanks to an 88 percent increase in enrollment since 1996, Conception Seminary College can call itself one of the largest free-standing college seminaries in the nation. To accommodate this growth, renovations to St. Maur Hall, the main seminary administration and classroom building, were completed in 2005.

Today, the seminarians, faculty and staff are putting the building to good

use. A typical schedule for a seminarian finds him in the Holy Cross Oratory — the seminary chapel —at 7 a.m. for the office of readings and morning prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours.

From then on, the day is packed with classes, Mass, student committee meetings, wellness activities, formation conferences, and/or reflection groups depending on the day. Things finally start winding down with 5:50 p.m. evening prayer and the subsequent evening meal.

As you can see, the young men in priestly formation at Conception really

do have a demanding schedule. But the stretching this causes them to do is nothing more than the growing pains associated with drawing closer to God on the path to the priesthood.

And as far as growing pains are concerned, they’re not the only ones going through them. Due to this blessing of increased vocations, the seminary itself must grow in order to meet the increased demands of more and more young men discerning priestly formation.

This is something Conception Seminary College has done time and time again over the course of its history, as evidenced through initiatives such as program for deacon formation and for pre-theology. The seminary also offers the Language, Culture, and Church program, which this past summer was offered specifically for international priests.

As numbers grow, the facilities, faculty and staff are stretched and strained to their limits, but nothing is uncomfortable yet.

When asked about the possibility of even further growth, Father Samuel, president-rector of the seminary, said, “If enrollment does continue to increase significantly, we’ll have housing, classrooms and additional teachers to worry about — a happy problem, but a challenge nonetheless.”

With the continued prayerful support of the Catholic community, Conception Seminary will continue to face its challenges and, with God’s grace, see them to a joyous resolution.

Donna and Tony Flamez, members of Holy Angels Parish, Garnett, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Nov. 8. The couple was married on Nov. 8, 1958, at St. John the Evangelist Church, Kansas City, Kan. Their children are: Steven Flamez, Joseph and Katrina ANNIVERSARIES Flamez Denk. They have six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Leo and Joan (Ridder) Helget, members of St. Joseph Parish, Flush, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on Nov. 16 with a reception following the 8:45 a.m. Mass for family and friends in the parish dining hall. The couple was married on Nov. 18, 1948, at the church.

Hosts of the event will be their children and their spouses: Gary and Sara Helget, Westmoreland; Donna Helget, Denver; and Jo and Randy Schmitt, Manhattan.

They also have five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Loretta (Tubowich) and Ward Spidel, members of Prince of Peace Parish, Olathe, will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on Nov. 13. The couple was married on Nov. 13, 1943, at St. Anthony Parish, Kansas City, Kan. Their children are: Sandra Spidel, Minneapolis; and Timothy Spidel, Manhattan. They also have a granddaughter.

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NEW EAGLE SCOUTS Troop No. 265 of Holy Spirit in Overland Park inducted four new Eagle Scouts with a ceremony on Aug. 10. They are, from left: Patrick Doyle, Devin Blazek, Matthew Rohde, and Michael Robison. Rohde’s service project was the construction of new clothing racks to be used at the annual parish garage sale, which until then had used rentals. Blazek’s service project was the landscape renovation in front of the Holy Trinity Parish office in Lenexa; brick and mulch replaced dead shrubbery, flowers were planted, and decorative post and chain was placed around the perimeter. For his service project, Doyle designed and constructed a teacher’s podium for Terry Smiley, of Holy Spirit Grade School. Robison’s project was the design and construction of an art easel and drying rack for the Holy Spirit preschool.

LEAVENWORTH — Sister Susan Wood, SCL, Ph.D., a specialist in church and sacramental theology, will present a lecture at the University of Saint Mary here at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 in Xavier Theatre.

Sister Susan, a former theology teacher at USM, is currently the chair of

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LEAVENWORTH — The University of Saint Mary department of fine artsmusic will present its annual Founders Day Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 9 in Annunciation Chapel here, at 4100 S. 4th St. The concert is in honor of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth.

The concert will feature the USM Concert Chorale, the USM Violin Quartet, Freda Proctor (flutist), and William Krusemark (baritone). The program is entitled “Go Ye Into the Entire World,” to reflect the extension of the Sisters’ mission throughout the world. The chorale will perform a setting of the text “Go Ye Into All the World” by Kansas City-area composer Eugene Butler. Other pieces will include instrumental works by Handel, Pachelbel, and Gluck, as well as spirituals by Hall Johnson.

The concert is free and open to the public. Call (913) 682-5151, ext.

6460, for more information.

Correction

Sister Susan Wood, SCL, to speak at USM

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University of Saint Mary to host Founders Day Concert

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LOCAL NEWS

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the theology department at Marquette University in Milwaukee. She is a renowned ecclesiologist with a special emphasis on ecumenism.

Her topic will be “Rediscovering Church as Community.” The lecture is free and open to the public. Call (913) 758-4332 for more information.

The photo of the pro-life procession on page 16 of the Oct. 31 issue of The Leaven was inaccurately credited. Don Wolf took the photo. The Leaven regrets the error. Be sure to check out more of Wolf’s photos from the procession online in the video section at: www.theleaven.com.

A Day of Enrichment for Married Couples

CHRISTOPHER WEST “In the Beginning: Rediscovering the Beauty of Your Marriage” Church of the Ascension Parish 9510 W. 127th, Overland Park Saturday, November 15 8:30am (Mass) - 4:00pm $55 per couple (includes workbook & lunch for each person) Due to limited seating, pre-registration is necessary. Go to www.archkck.org to register or phone Mary Anne at 913-721-1570.

Christopher West will present his talk titled,

“God, Sex, and the Meaning of Life…An Introduction to Pope John Paul’s Theology of the Body” St. Michael The Archangel Parish 14201 Nall Avenue, Leawood Friday, November 14 7-9:30pm.

The talk is appropriate for everyone college-age and older.

Admittance is free.

Dedicated to Kansas St. Boniface in Scipio celebrates 150 years of Carmelite care

BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD Special to The Leaven

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CIPIO — When Father Jerry Williams visited St. Boniface Parish here for the first time in 1986 as vocation director for the Carmelites, he never imagined he’d be part of its 150th anniversary celebration 22 years later . . . but he hoped.

“I was traveling a lot and used to come here and help out during Holy To order a copy Week,” he said. “I fell of St. Boniface’s in love with it right sesquicentenniaway, and I would alal history book, ways leave here saycontact Father ing, ‘I hope I get asJerry Williams signed here sometime at (785) 835later in life.’”

6273.

Last November, when Father Jerry was finishing up his 14th year teaching in Chicago, his provincial approached him with the news that a new pastor was needed in Scipio.

“He said to me, ‘Your name keeps coming up and I need to know if you’re serious about that,’” recalled Father Jerry. “So I told him I had always considered going to Kansas later in life.

“Then he grabbed my arm and said, ‘Well, you’re kind of there.’”

“I guess ‘later in life’ snuck up on me,” chuckled Father Jerry.

It didn’t take Father Jerry long after arriving in Scipio this past July to settle into this small parish of 70 families. And the Carmelites, having just completed an extensive renovation of the priory at St. Boniface, have made a commitment, too.

“St. Boniface is the second oldest Carmelite parish in the United States; St. Joseph in Leavenworth is the oldest,” said Father Jerry. “Our provincial [Father Jack Welch] spoke about that at the anniversary celebration and said that with the renovation of this priory, the Carmelites have made a strong recommitment to stay in Kansas and to serve the archdiocese.”

The parish of St. Boniface was established in 1858 by a small community of German immigrants who still have many descendents in the area. The Carmelites arrived in 1864.

The priory was built in 1905; its recent renovation was financed by the sale of 450 acres of farmland owned by the parish. Father Jerry and former pastor Father Clyde Ozminkowski now live there and hope to open it up for individuals who would like to come there on retreat.

Earlier in October, St. Boniface hosted

The little parish that could St. Columbkille celebrates 100 years

BY JILL RAGAR ESFELD Special to The Leaven

B

an open house of the renovated priory that drew 400 guests for a tour. Many of them were former parishioners who remembered attending CCD classes there, but had never before been allowed beyond the first floor.

So the 150th anniversary held Oct. 19 celebrated both the 150 years of history of one of the oldest parishes in the archdiocese, and the renovation of the priory that will serve Scipio into the future.

“It was a glorious day,” said Father Jerry. “There was a festive atmosphere all day and a very successful and beautiful turnout.”

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann presided at the Mass. In addition to the Carmelite provincial, the Midwest regional superior Father David Simpson was in attendance, as were several other visiting priests.

“Fourth-degree Knights of Columbus provided an honor guard and Archbishop Naumann gave a beautiful homily on the role of priests in parish life and how that was an ongoing part of the Carmelite commitment here at Scipio almost from the beginning of the parish,” said Father Jerry.

After Mass, guests shared a dinner coordinated by the Altar Society. The day also included games and entertainment for children, a quilt raffle,

LAINE — “We’re the small parish that can get things claimed St. done,” Columbkille Parish council president Todd Shepherd.

And the proof was in the lively 100th anniversary celebration of the community’s parish church, which was packed for the occasion.

In preparation for the anniversary event held Oct. 19, which also was celebrating the completion of a new roof, invitations were sent out to area priests and announcement cards were provided to all parishioners so they could notify family members of the celebration.

In the end, the extra effort paid off.

“It was an awesome day, kind of like a little reunion,” said Pat Wulf, a member of the liturgy committee. “It was neat to see cousins and friends and people you grew up with coming back; some nuns were there that taught at the school, and there were priests there who had been in the parish before.

“The church was full. We’re just a really small community with only 55 families, so seeing the church full again was really neat.”

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann presided at the anniversary Mass, and many parishioners, young and old, took part, some in the procession that included a church banner and a picture of St. Columbkille.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann celebrates St. Boniface’s 150th anniversary Mass on Oct. 19 along with: (from left) Abbot Owen Purcell, OSB; Father Jerry Williams, O. Carm., pastor of St. Boniface; Father Clyde Ozminkowski, O. Carm., former pastor, currently retired and in residence at Scipio; Father David McEvoy, O. Carm., pastor of St. Joseph/Immaculate Conception in Leavenworth; and Very Rev. Jack Welch, prior provincial of the Carmelites, Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary. and commemorative pewter Christmas ornaments struck with a picture of the church on one side and a brief history on the other.

The Feuerborn Family Funeral Services put together a DVD of the parish’s history for the occasion, and the parish is publishing a sesquicentennial history book that will be available

by Christmas.

At the end of the day, Father Jerry said he was impressed with the history and stability of the parish, but also confident in its future.

“We have a fairly large population of young families, so it’s got a bright future still. There’s a real commitment and dedication by the families here to support and to care for their parish,” he said.

“My intention is to keep the doors of

Another picture of the church was on display and everyone in attendance was encouraged to autograph it. The church was decorated with an Irish theme in honor of the original Irish community that established the parish and still has many descendants in the area.

During the Mass, Archbishop Naumann, who is from St. Louis, said he was glad to be carrying on the Blaine/St. Louis connection — making reference to the fact that the Irish immigrants who originally started the parish were from the Kerry Patch in St. Louis.

Even among other honorary guests, however, parishioner Mary Cummings stood alone: The 102-year-old was a member of the parish when the original cornerstone of the church was set in 1908.

Mass was followed by a dinner reception.

Pastor Father Arul Carasala said the meal was provided by the parish as a way of thanking parishioners for doing so much work on the church and donating so generously for the new roof.

In the end, all involved with the anniversary celebration felt blessed.

“It takes a lot to keep a parish going, and celebrations like this are so neat because it brings everybody together and gives us all a sense of belonging,” said Wulf. “We are rural people really working hard, and we’re just really proud of our church.”

Shepherd agreed, adding, “I think what’s a blessing to me is how committed our parishioners are to their church, their faith, their priests, the archbishop and the archdiocese.”

Father Arul Carasala, pastor, proclaims the Gospel at the 100th anniversary Mass of St. Columbkille in Blaine.

hospitality open,” he added, “so that not only outsiders, but also younger Carmelites will come and visit and hopefully fall in love with the place, like I did so many years ago.”

Parishioner Jake Strobel provides entertainment for the little ones during Scipio’s anniversary celebration.

Father John Riley assists Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann at the sprinkling rite during Mass at St. Columbkille Church. In addition to marking 100 years, the parish was also celebrating the completion of the church’s new roof.

Father Earl Dekat chats with Mary Cummings, the parish’s oldest member. The 102-year-old Cummings was a member of the parish when the original cornerstone of the church was set in 1908.

Photos by

Susan McSpadden

10 NATION

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

Refugees increase, but still far below pre-9/11 numbers WASHINGTON (CNS) — The number of refugees admitted to the United States in the fiscal year ending in September insubstantialBRIEFLY creased ly over the previous two years, though it still falls far short of resettlements before the 2001 terrorist attacks brought changes to admissions requirements. Of the more than 60,000 refugees admitted between October 2007 and September 2008, nearly 30 percent — 17,283 people — were resettled through Migration and Refugee Services of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In 2007, the U.S. admitted just 48,281 refugees, compared with 94,222 who arrived in the 2000 fiscal year, before post9/11 security concerns changed the vetting system for refugees. Since then, the annual admissions number has dipped as low as 39,201 in 2003. By comparison, MRS on its own processed tens of thousands of refugees each year in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1980 alone, MRS handled the entry of 132,000 of the 207,000 admitted nationwide.

Church must be generous, prudent in uncertain economy WORCESTER, Mass. (CNS) — In these uncertain economic times “the church has to set an example of what it means to be generous but also be very deliberate about how we spend the temporal goods the people have given to us,” said Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester.

He said he sent a letter to pastors recently urging them to be vigilant with the finances of the parishes. “In times like this the wisest thing is not expansion,” he said in a late October interview with The Catholic Free Press, Worcester diocesan newspaper. The economic crisis also has a dimension that can lead people to seek spiritual comfort from the church.

“Sometimes challenging times help people to put things into perspective. And if we are honest in our evaluation of what’s gone on for the last number of years, in some ways some people have been living over their heads,” the bishop said. In an Oct. 24 pastoral letter the people of the diocese, Bishop McManus said, “For many, the opportunity exists to rediscover a life of trust in God, of simpler choices, or the blessing of family life.”

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

Biblical illiteracy can lead to easy manipulation

Stories of Europe’s ‘secret Sisters’ finally told

By PATRICIA BARTOS Catholic News Service PITTSBURGH (CNS) — Theirs is the great untold story of modern Europe — the “secret Sisters,” who for more than 40 years under communism took their vows, lived out their calling and kept the faith alive, all in isolation and in constant fear of discovery.

The depth of their commitment as part of the underground church will come to life on television screens next year through a documentary in production by NewGroup Media in South Bend, Ind. Titled “Interrupted Lives: Catholic Sisters Under European Communism,” the program is funded in part by the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Communication Campaign.

“What strikes me is that we all know about the Holocaust, which lasted for six years, but what about these 43 years of suffering?” said Sister Margaret Nacke. “No one knows this story.”

She and Sister Mary Savoie, both St. Joseph Sisters of Concordia, have collected some 3,000 oral histories from Sisters in eight countries over the last 15 years. The oral histories formed the basis for the documentary and for “Faces of Faith,” a traveling exhibit they take to religious communities.

The exhibit can be viewed online at: www.csjkansas.org, under “News.”

“The Sisters show what it was to be faithful to the church and God and to continue their ministry wherever they were,” Sister Mary said. The documentary “really tells the story of the Catholic Church under communism and tells how these people are an example for us.”

Their stories are stark, dramatic and very moving, telling of Sisters imprisoned in concentration camps, sent to hard labor in Siberia, beaten for teaching and practicing the faith.

Earlier this year, 21 Sisters from Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine and Poland gathered at the Villa Maria Community Center in Villa Maria, Pa., with some 30 U.S. members of the International Forum for Sisters, formed in the 1990s to respond to the

By CAROL GLATZ Catholic News Service

CNS photo/Giampiero Sposito, Reuters

POPE JOHN XXIII LIES IN TOMB — The body of Blessed Pope John XXIII lies in a tomb in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 28. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, celebrated an evening memorial Mass to mark the 50th anniversary of the election of Pope John.

CNS photo/courtesy NewGroup Media

VIDEOGRAPHER FILMS ACTRESS PROTRAYING NUN — Videographer Douglas Thomas of NewGroup Media films an actress portraying Sister Anne Lehner, a Sister of Social Service, who escaped from Communist-controlled Hungary into Austria in 1952. needs of religious communities emerging from the underground.

Sisters in the United States have the support of their community, said Sister Dia Stasiuk of the Basilian order in Liviv, Ukraine, while those living under communism “didn’t know who they could trust.”

In the early ’90s, she said, for the first time since the fall of communism, “the Sisters in Ukraine came together, 90 of them, and began recognizing each other. It was ‘Oh, you’re a Sister too?’ We knew each other only in small groups, and only by first names, for safety.”

The Sisters could not even tell their own families of their vocations, for fear of endangering them.

Sister Terez Muranyi took her first vows in secret in 1977 in Romania, as an Eastern Catholic member of the Sisters of Social Service.

“My family did not know anything till 1993,” she said. When the news reached her mother, “she was very happy,” Sister Terez said. “She wanted to become a nun when she was young

and was happy that I continued her vocation. I was so happy to invite my parents to my 25th.”

Sister Paula Cicos of the Mother of God Sisters in Romania had been a Sister for six years, living at home and working in a biological research lab.

Approaching her final vows, she told her parents.

“They cried a lot,” she said. “It was not easy. They came with me in secret to a house as I took my vows. They gave me a blessing, crying.”

The U.S. Sisters at the Villa Maria meeting were among more than 200 who helped their East and Central European counterparts by establishing pastoral centers, updating libraries, teaching English and hosting leadership workshops.

Romania’s Sister Terez participated in the forum from the very beginning.

“We knew a little of our own world but not of the suffering of others,” she said. “We knew how to suffer, how to be brave, to pray, but not how to live in community life, how to form young Sisters in religious life.”

Blessed Pope John XXIII worked for unity, peace

By CINDY WOODEN Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Marking the 50th anniversary of the election of Blessed Pope John XXIII, Pope Benedict XVI said his predecessor always worked to increase agreement, hope, unity and peace.

“The pope was a man of peace and a pastor of peace who knew how to open unexpected horizons for fraternity among Christians and dialogue with all in the East and the West,” Pope Benedict said after praying at the tomb of Blessed Pope John.

Some 3,000 pilgrims from the Diocese of Bergamo, the home diocese of Blessed Pope John, traveled to the Vatican to mark the anniversary of his Oct. 28, 1958, election.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, presided at the evening memorial Mass with the pilgrims, while Pope Benedict joined them later for prayers at the pope’s tomb and for a brief address.

Bishop Roberto Amadei of Bergamo told Pope Benedict that his diocese wanted to give thanks to God for the papacy of Blessed Pope John.

“He made himself a brother and father on the pathways of the world, in the East and in the West, to tell of the goodness of the Lord, to give hope and to sow that peace that always flows from the merciful heart of God, the father of all,” the bishop said.

Pope Benedict told the pilgrims, “A truly special gift offered to the church with John XXIII was the Second Vatican Council,” which he called, prepared and opened in 1962.

“We are all committed to accepting that gift in an appropriate way, continuing to meditate on its teachings and translate them” into the daily life of the church, he said.

Pope Benedict also used the occasion to ask the pilgrims from Bergamo to remember the importance Pope John placed on families and on parishes as the most important place for Catholics to grow in and celebrate their faith.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A lack of biblical literacy can make people, even Catholics, more susceptible to believing the distortions and falsifications in biblical texts published by the Brooklynbased Watch Tower Society, said an article in the Vatican newspaper.

While secularism “poses serious problems also for the preaching of Jehovah’s Witnesses,” the article said, the reli gi o u s ill i ter ac y that comes with secularism also can create fertile terrain for creating new converts.

L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, published an article called “Jehovah’s Witnesses: Just Incredible!” in its Oct. 29 weekly edition in English.

The article, written by author Valerio Polidori, first appeared in the paper’s daily Italian edition July 25.

“Poor knowledge of the sacred texts favors the spread of garish and awkward manipulations” of the Bible, it said.

It said the Watch Tower Society’s “The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures” contains text that has been manipulated by translators making “completely arbitrary additions or subtractions.”

It said Jehovah’s Witnesses promote the revival of “an Arian type of Christology” which believes Christ was fully human but not divine.

More must be done to promote basic biblical literacy, especially of young people, to help counteract the slow but steady decline of biblical culture in the Western world, it said.

Jehovah’s Witnesses is a millennialist religious body founded in Pittsburgh in 1872.

WORLD

Official welcomes quick response to Jesuits’ murders OXFORD, England (CNS) — An official of the Russian Catholic bishops’ conference has welcomed the quick official reto the murBRIEFLY actions der of two Jesuit priests in Moscow and insisted that Catholic clergy will not be deterred from working in the country. “We’ve received condolences from representatives of Russia’s state president and parliament and strong reactions from press and TV, as well as from other religious communities who were shocked by this dreadful crime,” said Father Igor Kovalevsky, conference secretary-general. As investigations were under way into the murders of Fathers Otto Messmer and Victor Betancourt, whose bodies were found late Oct. 28 in their Moscow apartment, Father Kovalevsky told Catholic News Service, “It’s clear the authorities are fully engaged in inquiries and determined to apprehend the perpetrators immediately and do everything in their power to ensure appropriate punishments.” He said the conference had not received “news of any previous threats or possible motives for the killings.”

Archdiocese starts campaign in state with most murders RECIFE, Brazil (CNS) — Reacting to statistics that show the state of Pernambuco has the highest murder rate in the country, a Brazilian archdiocese has launched a campaign with the Fifth Commandment as its theme. As part of the “Thou Shall Not Kill” campaign, the names of murder victims will be read at weekend Masses in the Archdiocese of Olinda and Recife until the state's murder rate goes down. For the campaign, archdiocesan officials are working with pebodycount.com.br, which keeps track of the murder victims in the state. “It is not possible for the society to think the violence numbers in our state are normal. People don’t have an understanding of the numbers and the complexity of this epidemic,” said Vandson Holanda, coordinator of the archdiocesan health commission. In the first nine months of this year the number of homicides in the state was 3,093.

Roughly 42,000 Pernambucans were murdered between 1996 and 2005.

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11

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12 CLASSIFIEDS ■ EMPLOYMENT Co-ass is t ant ma na ger need ed - To job-share on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Dennis Uniform Company, 6221 College Blvd., Overland Park. For more information or to apply, call Pat at (913) 381-6500.

Fin anci al representati ve - Due to the success and growth of the Knights of Columbus, we are adding a financial representative in the Kansas City Metro and Topeka areas. This position is ideal for a determined, high-energy, high-expectation, professional, self-disciplined, independent individual desiring to serve others, yet earn a better-than-average income. We provide top-rated financial products to our members and their families and will provide excellent benefits and training. For more information or an interview, contact John A. Mahon, 307 Dakota, Holton, KS 66436; or call (785) 364-5450.

W o rk a t h o me - No selling, no inventory, no risk!!! For details, visit the Web site at: www.AtHomeFullTime.com.

■ SERVICES

Piano and voice lessons - Available for 3 years old and up. For information, call (913) 206-2151 or send an e-mail to:mamurick@rockhurst.edu.

W ed d i n g de cora t i on s - Relax, I decorate for church, receptions, anniversaries and parties.

Includes cleanup. Free consultation. References.

Greater KC area. Call Twila at Elegant Wedding Decor at (913) 724-1408.

H o u s e c l e a n i n g - Houses, condos, or apartments. No home is too small. Quality, friendly service with years of experience. Call Charmaine at (913) 972-7900.

Need a housecleaner? If so, two moms want to make your life easier. We also clean small businesses. Free estimates. Call Anatasia at (816) 254-3321 or Monique at (913) 449-6303.

N e e d a n oc c a s i o n a l e x t e n d e d f a m i l y h e l p e r for b usy hous eh olds or seniors ? Transportation, appointments, personal shopping, dinner party assistance, and/or house sitting. My personal care at each visit. Call Mrs. Daryl Duffy, Grand Activities LLC, at (816) 210-6757 (mobile). Serving the JoCo vicinity.

P re s e r v e y o u r m e m o r i e s b y t e ll i n g y o u r l i f e story! I can type your memoirs from handwritten or recorded notes. Also provide secretarial services.

Call All About Words at (913) 438-5922.

Mountain Movers Inc. - Big or small, we move it all. Insured movers specializing in antiques. Call Dennis Higgins, owner, at (913) 285-3399.

Does you car have dimmed, cl ouded-l ooking h ea dli gh t len ses? We will come to your location and recondition your automobile headlight lenses. $77. Call Zep (816) 741-0999.

Piano tuning - Touch-up and full chromatic piano tuning for residential and business clients in the KC metro area. Call Bob at (816) 510-3125.

Bankruptcy - When debt becomes overwhelming, seek professional help. Experienced, compassionate Catholic attorney Teresa Kidd. For a confidential, no obligation consultation, call (913) 4220610; or send an e-mail to: tkidd@kc.rr.com.

Granite, Cambria and Silestone countertops See our new showroom at 5820 Barton, in the heart of beautiful downtown Shawnee. Call The Top Shop, Inc., at (816) 898-8685 or (913) 962-5058.

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008 Machine quilting by Lyn - I also do T-shirt, photo, and memorial quilts too. Located in Overland Park. Call Lyn at (913) 492-8877.

C a r e g i v e r p o si t i on w a n t e d - Retired nurse looking for full- or part-time work. Available days, nights and/or weekends. Hospice experience. Call (913) 579-5276.

C a reg iv i ng - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management, and transportation to the elderly and disabled in home, assisted living and nursing facilities. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Andrea, Sara or Gary.

El dercare support - Are you struggling to find the right support option for an elderly family member? We are providing families with consultation from our licensed social worker as a FREE community service. We can provide valuable information related to: nursing home and assisted living selection; Medicare and Medicaid coverage; home safety and fall prevention; safety assessments; home care options; and more. To get answers to your questions, simply contact Be n efi t s o f H om e at (913) 422-1591 to coordinate a phone or in-home consultation.

Have you considered starting a donor advised fund or family foundation? The C a t h o l i c F o u n d a t i on of N or t h e a s t K a n s a s can help. We help people with giving plans from trusts to gift annuities. If you are trying to stretch your philanthropy dollars further, contact the Catholic Foundation for ideas and guidance. For a confidential meeting, call (913) 647-0365, or visit our Web site at: www.cfnek.org.

■ HOME IMPROVEMENT

L a w n a n d l a n d s c a p e wor k - College student looking for landscaping and mowing work. Four years’ experience. Will do trees, mulching, deck refurbishment and landscape design and install.

Johnson County. Call Josh at (913) 709-7230.

Granite countertops No obligation quote and consultation Turnkey service available Removal, installation and plumbing Member of St. Agnes – Call Tim (913) 626-5020 T o p s o i l a n d f i l l d i r t d e l i v e r e d - Southern Johnson County area. Other landscape materials and hauling services available. Aquinas alumnus.

Call (913) 626- 9500.

House painting - Interior and exterior; wallpaper removal. 20 years experience. Reasonable rates. References. Call Joe at (913) 620-5776.

John son C oun ty on l y - Custom-made overlay stained-glass windows or door-side window panels.

Adds privacy, beauty and insulation. Call Ed at (913) 648-0099. Reasonable.

Professional sprinkler systems - New systems, repairs, mods, winterize. Most new systems under $2500. Family-owned; 30 yrs exp.; free estimates.

Call Mike at (913) 269-1394. Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish.

El ectrician - Free estimates; reasonable rates.

JoCo and southern KC metro area. Call Pat at (913) 963-9896.

C ust om-ki tchen countertops - Laminate tops manufactured and installed within 5 days.

Competitive prices, dependable work. St. Joseph Parish member. Call The Top Shop, Inc., at (816) 898-8685 or (913) 962-5058.

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008 Adept Home Improvements Where quality still counts!

Basement finishing, Kitchens and baths, Electrical and plumbing.

Licensed and insured.

(913) 599-7998 Ma s on ry work - Quality, new or repair work.

Brick, block, and chimney/fireplace repair.

Insured; second generation bricklayer. Call (913) 829-4336.

C oncret e crew l ooki ng for side work - Can do driveways, patios, and walks. Call Josh at (913) 7097230.

T i m t h e H an d ym an - Insured; free estimates.

Carpentry: new and repair deck, doors, windows, siding, screens. Plumbing: faucet, garbage disposals, toilets. Electrical: switches, outlets, ceiling fans, light fixtures. Light landscape: fill dirt, trimming, planting, garden tilling and mulching. Serving Johnson County. Call Tim at (913) 859-0471.

ST A ( Sur e Th ing A lw ay s ) H o me Re pai r Basement finish, bathrooms and kitchens; interior & exterior repairs: painting, roofing, siding, wood replacement and window glazing. Call for free estimates. Cell: (913) 579-1835; phone: (913) 491-5837; e-mail: smokeycabin@hotmail.com. Member of Holy Trinity Church, Lenexa.

Organizing & handyman services - Basements, garages, attics and shop spaces organized! Your items sorted, boxed & labeled; areas cleaned when finished! Wall repair, interior painting, tile work, handicap bars and ramps. Great references and insured. For pictures of current projects, view my Web site at: www.swalms.com. Call Tillar Swalm at (913) 375-9115.

H o me s e cu ri t y s y s t em s on l y $ 99 ! - Protect your family and property. Monitor existing system for $16 per month. Call Mike at (913) 269-1394.

Member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Overland Park.

El sol y la tierra *Commercial & residential * Lawn renovation * Mowing * Clean-up and hauling * Dirt grading/installation * Landscape design * Free estimates Hablamos y escribimos Ingles!!

Call Lupe at (816) 252-3376.

■ REAL ESTATE

L a k e h ou se f o r sa l e - Beautiful and private Lake Kahola, less than 2 hours from the KC area.

Only 10 miles off I-35 at the Emporia exit. This home sleeps 10+ with a 2-car garage, plus a private boat ramp and dock. Located at the water’s edge on a quiet cove with great neighbors. Call Cy at (316) 262-0888.

■ VACATION

Bahamas beachfront condo - Enjoy the crystal clear waters, beachfront pool or the beautiful sunrises from our newly remodeled condo that sleeps four. $125/night; $750/week. Local owner will rent to mature adults and families. Visit the Web site at: www.coralbeach1602.com, or send an e-mail to: coralbeach1602@gmail.com.

Ski cabin in Winter Park, Colo. – 2 BR, 1 BA, on free ski shuttle route. $110/night. Call (785) 8321518. For pictures, visit the Web site at: cabin. forcadeassociates.com.

S k i v a c a t i o n - Winter Park, Colo. 2 BR, 1BA, sleeps 6. Fully furnished, fireplace, rec. center with pool & hot tub. $125/night; $750/week. Call Joe Frederick at (913) 385-5589.

La ke of the Ozarks rental - Osage Beach, million-dollar view, fully furnished; 2 BR, 2 BA; sleeps six. No smoking, no pets. For special rates, call Steve or Sheryl Roederer at (913) 244-2022, or take a visual tour at: www.visualtour.com/shownp. asp?T=338261.

■ MISCELLANEOUS

H e l p s t o c k u p C a t h o l i c C ha r i ti e s ’ d e c l i n i n g food pantry - Bring in a nonperishable food donation anytime during the month of November and receive a one-week membership free. Fitness Plus, 4500 W. 107th St. (off Roe), Overland Park.

■ ROOMMATE WANTED

Roommate wanted - To share charming home in Westwood area. Private bedroom and bath. Call (913) 579-5276.

■ FOR SALE

Piano for sale - Baldwin M 5’ 2” baby grand piano with humidity control. Black satin finish; in excellent condition; tuned every 6 months; new in 1997. $12,995. Contact Janet at (816) 521-9553.

I t e m s f or sa le - Two slab doors; brand-new ironing cabinet with ironing board; two attached, small parochial school desks. Call (913) 722-1604.

■ CHILD CARE

L i t t l e R a sc a l s C h r i s t i a n D a y c a r e - Over 20 years experience! Opening soon at 16550 W. 129th St., Olathe. Care provided for children 6 wks to 5 years. Limited enrollment. For information, contact Colleen or Donna at (913) 397-7100.

Adult baby sitter - For all ages. I love kids and can do evenings and weekends. I will drive and can furnish as many references you need. Call Karen (913) 338-5679.

■ WANTED TO BUY

***Wanted to Buy*** Antique/Vintage Costume Jewelry Member St. Joseph Parish, Shawnee Renee Maderak (913) 631-7179 ***ANTIQUES WANTED*** Postcards, old photos, military items, trains, coins, watches jewelry, political buttons, old toys and banks, Red Wing crocks, Indian rugs, signs and sterling silverware. Call Chris (913) 642-8269.

■ ENTERTAINMENT

Di sc jock ey - For your wedding, kolos, nightclubs, corporate parties, teenage celebrations, holiday parties, sock-hops, ethnic, birthdays, holiday parties, hip-hop/rap, golden oldies. Member of St. Therese Parish, KCMO. Call Zepster’s A to Z Party DJ’s at (816) 741-4777.

TO PURCHASE A CLASSIFIED Send an e-mail to: jennifer@theleaven. com, or call (913) 647-0327. The cost is $16 per column inch, five lines or less. Each additional line is $1.50. Classified ads will also be posted online at The Leaven’s Web site: www.the leaven.com.

M-F 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Summer Months: Sat. 10 a.m to 3 p.m.

Nov. 8

The K n i g h t s o f C o l u m b u s , Bishop Miege Council No. 843, at St. Pius X Parish, 5601 Woodson, Mission, will host a chili cook-off and a Texas Hold’em tournament on Nov. 8. The chili cook-off will begin after 4:30 p.m.

Mass, followed by the Texas Hold’em tournament at 7 p.m. The cost of the allyou-can-eat chili is $5 per person; $15 per family. The card tournament costs $20 per person. Proceeds will benefit the Catholic food pantries. For information, call (913) 722-1695.

The ACCW (Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women) will hold its quarterly meeting from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 8 at Nativity Parish, 3800 W. 119th St,.

Leawood. All women in the archdiocese are invited. Father Richard McDonald will offer a reflection on “The Real Meaning of Love.”

The Mother Teresa Circle at Holy Cross Parish, Overland Park, will host a friendship tea at 10 a.m. on Nov. 8 in Pflumm Hall at the school. Vickie Broxterman will speak on getting through life with prayer and humor. For information or to RSVP, call Maxine at (913) 3832014, or Donna at (913) 402-6843. The cost is $10.

The M o t h e r s o f Y o u n g C h i l d r e n group of C u r é o f A r s P a r i s h , 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood, will host its annual gift gallery from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Nov. 8 in the school cafeteria. The gift gallery features 34 local artisans with unique and upscale gift items. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit local children’s charities. The admission cost is $3 at the door. For information, call (913) 3850795.

Holy Family Church Club, 513 Ohio, Kansas City, Kan., will host a chili dinner and bingo on Nov. 8. Dinner will be served from 6:15 - 7:15 p.m., with bingo following at 7:30 p.m. The cost of $15 includes dinner and a bingo card. For tickets, call Annette at (913) 371-5063.

The third annual Hope Benefit, a fundraiser for the Sanctuary of Hope Prayer and Retreat Center, 2601 Ridge Ave., Kansas City, Kan., will be held on Nov. 8. For information, visit the Web site at: www.hopebenefit.org.

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St. Thomas Aquinas High School, 11411 Pflumm Rd., Lenexa, will present its fall musical, “The Sound of Music,” at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8 - 9. Tickets cost $6 and can be purchased at the school’s ticket office daily until 4 p.m. For information, contact Kim Harrison at (913) 319-2433, or send her an e-mail at: kharrison @stasaints.net.

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The theater department at Hayden High School, 401 S.W. Gage, Topeka, will present the musical “Godspell” at 2 p.m. on Nov. 9 in the Alumni Hall at the school.

Tickets cost $8 and are available at the door. For information, call the school at (785) 272-5210.

The Altar Society of St. Leo Parish, 1340 First Ave. East, Horton, will host its annual chili soup dinner from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Nov. 9 in the church center. There will be a cakewalk, a raffle, a silent auction, door prizes and games for all ages!

Carryouts will be available; call (785) 4863311.

The University of Saint Mary fine

arts and music department will present its annual founders day concert at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 9 in the Annunciation Chapel, 4100 S. 4th St., Leavenworth. The concert is in honor of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The concert is free and open to the public. For information, call (913) 682-5151, ext. 6460.

Join the Singles of Nativity for happy hour beginning at 6 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Barley’s Brewhaus, 11924 W. 119th St., Overland Park. Look for the sign -in table where you will find a greeter until 7:30 p.m. Meet new friends or catch up with old friends! Questions? Send an e-mail to: social@son-ministry.org.

Help the Little Sisters of the Poor at their fall festival being held from 11 a.m.

- 5 p.m. on Nov. 9 at 8745 James A. Reed Rd., Kansas City, Mo. Festivities will include a spaghetti dinner, craft sale, a raffle, and a bake sale. For information, call (816) 761-4744.

Discover the four stages of marriage: (1) romance, (2) disillusionment, (3) misery, and (4) awakening.

Marriages that end in divorce never make it to the fourth stage. If your marriage suffers from disillusionment or misery, contact Retrouvaille. For confidential information about the program or to register for the Retrouvaille weekend on Nov. 14 - 16, call 1 (800) 4702230, or visit the Web site at: www. retrouvaille.org.

The Knights of Columbus at the Cathedral of St. Peter, 431 N. 15th St., Kansas City, Kan., will host a crown roast pork dinner from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Nov. 9 in the parish center. The cost is $7.50 for adults; $3.50 for children 12 years old and under.

▲ St. Mary’s Church, St. Benedict, will host its annual pancake breakfast from 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Nov. 9. A freewill offering will be collected. All are welcome!

St. Ann Church, Effingham, will host a ham and beans and chicken noodle dinner on Nov. 9 in the parish center. Serving begins at 11:30 a.m. A freewill offering will be collected. Carryouts will be available; call (785) 833-2268.

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The cancer support group at Ascension Parish, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park, will host guest speaker Nan Borchardt at 7 p.m. on Nov. 11 in the lower level of the church. Borchardt educates people on the importance of diet and nutrition and will be sharing valuable information on eating to stay healthy. This meeting will benefit newly diagnosed cancer patients as well as cancer survivors.

For information, call Terri Miller at (913) 829-1545 or Jean Hinman at (913) 6813348.

Catholic Cemeteries will host a Veterans Day observance at 2 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the Veterans Memorial at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd and Quivira, Lenexa. The brief ceremony will include a flag-raising, patriotic music, a salute to veterans, a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps. Small flags will be available for gravesite decorations. For information, call Catholic Cemeteries at (913) 371-4040; send an e-mail to: information@catholic cemeterieskc.org; or visit the Web site at: www.catholiccemeterieskc. org.

14-16

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The Sophia Center, 751 S. 8th St., Atchison, will host a retreat entitled “Ministering to the Body, Mind and Soul,” presented by Sister Linda Zahner, OSB, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Nov. 15. The cost is $40; a $10 deposit is required. For information, call (913) 360-6165.

A memorial liturgy for deceased loved ones will be held at 8 a.m. on Nov. 15 at Curé of Ars Church, 9401 Mission Rd., Leawood. The bereavement ministry will have its monthly meeting following Mass in the Father Burak Room. The topic will be “A Journey Through Grief.” For information, call (913) 649-2026.

The Knights of Columbus, Council No. 2332, will host a polka dance featuring the Brian McCarty Combo on Nov. 15 at their hall, located at 11221 Johnson Dr., Shawnee. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the music begins at 7:30 p.m. The cost of $10 includes sauerkraut and sausage sandwiches and beverages served at 9 p.m. For information or to purchase tickets, call Dan Nicks at (913) 631-4633.

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St. Pius X Parish, 5500 Woodson, Mission, will host the John Paul II holiday shoppe from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Nov. 15 and from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Nov. 16 . There will be a variety of crafts, jewelry and baked goods available to purchase.

Holy Trinity Parish, 9150 Pflumm, Lenexa, will host a community health and business fair from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Nov. 16 in the parish center. For information, call Jennifer at (913) 599-3682, or send an e-mail to her at: jsgryska@everest kc.net.

The Knights of Columbus, Council No. 2332, will host a pancakes-and-more breakfast from 8 a.m. - noon on Nov. 16 in their hall, located at 11221 Johnson Dr., Shawnee. The cost is: $7 for adults; $4 for children; or $20 per family.

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The Ladies of Charity will host their annual “Shoppin’ at the Ritz” Boutique at the Ritz Charles, 137th and Antioch, Overland Park from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 11, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 12, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 13.

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Abundant Life Hospice, a Christ-centered and faith-based ministry based in Horton, will host its annual Celebration of Hope from 6:30 - 10 p.m. on Nov. 14 at the Fisher Center in Hiawatha. For information, call 1 (800) 983-3881, or visit the Web site at: www.

HospiceGala.org.

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▲ Have you been saved? Are you born again? Come and hear the answers to these questions and more at a presentation, sponsored by the St. Agnes Altar and Rosary Society, entitled “How to Raise and Keep Our Kids Catholic,” at 6:45 p.m. on Nov. 20 in the parish cen-

CALENDAR

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ter, located at 5250 Mission Rd., Roeland Park. Tom Martin, a lawyer and Catholic apologist, will be the featured speaker.

There is no cost to attend. Free babysitting will be provided in the St. Agnes convent.

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The Mardi Gras committee at Ascension Parish, 9510 W. 127th St., Overland Park, will host its annual holiday bazaar from 7 - 10 p.m. on Nov. 21 and from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Nov. 22 in the lower level of the church. Community vendors will share their products, including jewelry, personalized children’s gifts, religious items, bath and beauty products, home décor, scrapbooking supplies, food items, health services, unique Christmas gifts and more. Friday is ladies night; light appetizers and wine will be served.

There is no admission charge. For information, call Rhonda Kelly at (913) 8512816 or send an e-mail to her at: rlkelly@kc.rr.com.

The Benedictine Sisters at Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, will host a comeand-see weekend from 7 p.m. on Nov. 21 through noon on Nov. 22 for single women, ages 18 to 45, to spend time with the Sisters and with others in discernment of their vocation. For information or to register, contact Sister Suzanne Fitzmaurice, OSB, vocation director, at (913) 360-6219, or send an e-mail to her at: vocations@mountosb.org.

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▲ The Men’s Society at St. Casimir Church, 719 Pennsylvania Ave., Leavenworth, will host its annual golumbki dinner from noon - 3 p.m. on Nov. 23 in the parish hall. Carryouts will be available beginning at 10 a.m. The cost is $8 for adults; $4 for children.

Christ the King Parish, 5972 S.W. 25th St., Topeka, will host a fall festival on Nov. 23. A turkey dinner will be served from 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. The cost is: $6 for adults; $3 for children ages 3 - 11; children under 3 eat free. There will be a Christmas craft shop, a silent auction, a drawing, and several carnival games.

Misc.

Do you have overwhelming medical bills? A volunteer, who is a CPA and who has survived the avalanche of paperwork and crippling debt, will be available to help you wade through the paperwork and the system to find help. Women are scheduled for one-hour appointments, and there is usually at least one follow-up meeting. As you contact us, your name will be added to our waiting list. When we have an opening, you will be called to confirm your appointment at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central, Kansas City, Kan. To schedule an appointment, call (913) 906-8990.

Project Rachel is offering weekly support groups throughout October in the KC metro area for those hurting from an abortion. Registration is required. For information, call Patricia at (913) 621-2199 or 1 (888) 246-1504. All calls are strictly confidential.

14 COMMENTARY

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

¿QUE PASA? — IN HISPANIC MINISTRY

MARK MY WORDS

Editor REVEREND MARK GOLDASICH, STL frmark@theleaven.com Managing Editor ANITA McSORLEY anita@theleaven.com Senior Reporter JOE BOLLIG joe@theleaven.com Production Manager TODD HABIGER todd@theleaven.com Advertising Representative JENNIFER SIEBES jennifer@theleaven.com Reporter KARA HANSEN kara@theleaven.com Circulation sub@theleaven.com Intern Seán T.D. Kane

Catholic Press Association Award Winner 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Archbishop Edward O’Meara Award Winner 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003

’m embarrassed to admit it, but the other day I visited www.bustedhalo.com.

I

Billed as an “online magazine for spiritual seekers in their 20s and 30s,” I’m way beyond its intended audience.

I was visiting this Web site because someone recommended that I check out a video there, entitled “The Saints on Halloween,” written and narrated by a Jesuit friend of mine, Father Jim Martin. The short video summarized not only how saints are made in the Catholic Church, but why they continue to be important. (The video is still posted on the site; use the search feature there to find it.)

The video was so delightful, in fact, that I gave Father Jim a call to tell him so. After chatting with him a while, I went to hunt down and dust off a copy of his book, “My Life With the Saints.”

Its theme is blessedly simple: Father Jim introduces readers to some of the holy people who have been guides for his spiritual journey. He not only gives some biographical information on those special saints, but describes how and why they touched him.

For me, the mark of a great spiritual book is not that I read it word-forword, cover to cover. What makes a

book memorable is if it makes me think. And that’s exactly what Father Jim’s book did for me: It inspired me to set it aside (once more) and reflect on the saints who have influenced my own journey of faith.

So, who made my list?

Well, not surprisingly, St. Mark is at the top. I also have a special spot for St. Benedict, as I was ordained a priest on his feast day of July 11. And rounding out the “A list” is St. Francis, since I was taught and influenced in grade school by the School Sisters of St. Francis of Christ the King; I’m attracted to his simple lifestyle; and his hometown of Assisi remains one of my favorite places in all the world to visit.

Being Croatian, I couldn’t forget Sts. Cyril and Methodius, the brothers who brought Christianity to the Slavs. I confess to feeling somewhat sorry for them, as well, as they have the misfortune of having their feast day on Feb. 14 and are forever overshadowed by someone named Valentine.

I frequently call upon St. Francis de

Sales, the patron of journalists, for guidance and patience when working on The Leaven (and in writing these columns). And, being a moral theologian, I have a deep respect for St. Alphonsus Liguori and his very pastoral and compassionate approach to the moral issues that people wrestle with.

The most puzzling saint on my list is St. Roch, who has fascinated me since my grade school days. A small statue of Sveti Rok (as he’s known in Croatian) sits in a niche on the high altar at my home parish of St. John the Baptist in Kansas City, Kan. I’m sure that I once knew why this patron saint of those who suffer from the plague had such a place of honor there, but I’ve long since forgotten and continue to search for an answer.

Last, but not least, is Blessed Pope John XXIII, whose words opened my very first column here in July 1989: “See everything, overlook a great deal, improve a little.” I continue to strive to live that ideal.

Who are the saints who have guided your journey of faith? During this month of November, spend time reacquainting yourself with these friends and learning more about them. May their prayers and inspiration lead each of us in our efforts to attain a halo, even if it’s a bit busted.

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) Published weekly September through May, excepting the Friday the week after Thanksgiving, and the Friday after Christmas; biweekly June through August. Address communications to: The Leaven, 12615 Parallel Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66109. Phone: (913) 721-1570; fax: (913) 7215276; or e-mail at: sub@theleaven.com.

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Subscriptions $18/ year. Periodicals postage paid at Kansas City, KS 66109.

SCRIPTURE READINGS THIRTY-SECOND WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME Nov. 9 THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA IN ROME Ez 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12; Ps 46: 2-3, 5-6, 8-9; 1 Cor 3: 9c-11, 16-17; Jn 2: 13-22 Nov. 10 Leo the Great, pope, doctor Ti 1: 1-9; Ps 24: 1b-4b, 5-6; Lk 17: 1-6 Nov. 11 Martin of Tours, bishop Ti 2: 1-8, 11-14; Ps 37: 3-4, 18, 23, 29; Lk 17: 7-10 Nov. 12 Josaphat, bishop, martyr Ti 3: 1-7; Ps 23: 1b-6; Lk 17: 11-19 Nov. 13 Frances Xavier Cabrini Phlm 7-20; Ps 146: 7-10; Lk 17: 20-25 Nov. 14 Friday 2 Jn 4-9; Ps 119: 1-2, 10-11, 17-18; Lk 17: 26-37 Nov. 15 Albert the Great, bishop, doctor of the church 3 Jn 5-8; Ps 112: 1-6; Lk 18: 1-8

Coming soon: the Real E! Network

Don’t be afraid if your faith is listing

President MOST REVEREND JOSEPH F. NAUMANN

Our churches stand as symbols of Christ f we saw a man bury his underwear in the ground, how would we interpret that action?

Would we dismiss it simply as eccentric behavior?

Would we suspect it to be an attempt to hide evidence of a crime? What would we think?

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behalf of God. They sometimes also engaged in symbolic actions to make a point, to present their message to the people. Jeremiah’s burying his loincloth offers us a good example of one such symbolic action.

Like the prophets before him, Jesus also occasionally In the case of the prophet THE engaged in these symbolic acJeremiah, none of those exDEDICATION OF tions as part of his message. planations fit. When he digs THE LATERAN That is what he is doing in up the loincloth, he discovers BASILICA IN Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jn that “it was rotten, good for ROME 2:13-22. nothing. Then the message Jn 2: 13-22 As Jesus drives the moneycame from the Lord: So also I changers out of the Temple, will allow the pride of Judah the onlookers challenge him, “What to rot, the great pride of Jerusalem. sign can you show us for doing this?” It This wicked people who refuse to obey is significant that their question inmy words, who walk in the stubborncludes the word “sign.” ness of their hearts, and follow strange In John’s Gospel, the word “sign” gods to serve and adore them, shall be usually serves as the equivalent of the like this loincloth which is good for word “miracle.” It is therefore a word nothing. For as close as the loincloth that resonates with a great deal of clings to a man’s loins, so had I made meaning. But here, Jesus’ challengers the whole house of Israel and the intend for it to mean a sign of authoriwhole house of Judah cling to me” (Jer ty permitting such violent behavior.

13: 7b-11).

Their question shows the depth of The prophets did not only speak on

COMMENTARY 15

their misunderstanding. Far from needing a sign, Jesus’ action is itself a sign.

Jesus answers, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”

Once again, his challengers misunderstand Jesus. They think that Jesus is speaking about the building in which they are standing.

But instead, Jesus is referring to the temple as a metaphor for his body, which will be crucified, and then three days later rise from the dead. The temple is a sign for his body.

That is why this Gospel reading has been chosen for this Sunday, the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. In celebrating the dedication of that church, we also celebrate the dedication of our own. The church building where we will hear that Gospel reading offers us more than a shelter from the cold, a place where we can meet in comfort, with a sound system and lighting. The church building also serves as a metaphor for the community of believers who gather there.

And who are they? The body of Christ. We are a sign of Christ in the world. And our church building is a sign of our presence in the local community.

Father Mike Stubbs is pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lansing and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University.

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quick tour around the world of cable and Direct TV quickly leads you to the conclusion that there must be a network for just about everything.

For example, we now have the Food Network, the NFL Network, the Golf Network and, of course, who of us could ever survive without the E! Network? I guess there must be a network for everyone’s taste and, I hate to do this, but I would like to start the ball rolling for the Catholic Church to start one more network in the ever-changing landscape of TV. I would propose that what we need is The Real E! Network, and that big E should stand for Evangelization.

Yes, I think it is time for us to wake up and take the evangelization challenge a bit more seriously. We talk a lot about it and perhaps we even make plans to do it, but how many of us take seriously the call of Jesus in the Gospel to go to the ends of the earth and make disciples through sharing his teaching and baptizing people in his name?

So it seems clear to me that when all else fails and we need to get the message out there, the best solution is to go

ahead and start up the Evangelization Network. On this new network I would propose that we include the following creative programming: 1) A mini series: “Encounters with the Risen Lord” 2) E! Biographies: featuring testimonies from those who have come to know the risen Lord 3) Real TV: stories of people who really live out their faith in small communities 4) Blockbuster Retreats: experiences that offer people an encounter with Jesus 5) A Discipleship Adventure Series: following people as they do door-todoor evangelization in an effort to make over their community 6) The Catholic Cartoon Network — featuring Pablo the Evangelizer in his journey through the archdiocese 7) CNN: The Catholic News

Network, which only features the “Good News” We could go on, but the point is that we have to get more creative about how we can make evangelization as much a part of our daily lives as the world of TV. In the months to come, I will be sharing with our readers what has been going on in Hispanic ministry to promote the Evangelization Network among the Spanish speaking.

Let me just give you a hint by saying that we pretty much have numbers 1-6 in place, but we are still trying to organize our Cartoon Network.

In the meantime, as we say in the business, stay tuned for more news from the Evangelization Network, coming to a station near you.

Father Pat Murphy is the archdiocesan animator for the office of Hispanic ministry.

CEF CENTERED

Gaudeamus reminded us what it feels like to make a difference atholic education can be the answer we are looking for during challenging times or in times of need!

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Seven-year-old Marcus, the cutest kid in the world, from Our Lady of Unity School in Kansas City, Kan., handed out programs with a smile and offered a welcome to those coming to Gaudeamus. He struggled to pronounce the word Gaudeamus and probably didn’t know it was Latin for “Let us rejoice,” but he sure was having fun. So were the 713 attendees at this year’s Catholic Education Foundation celebration of Catholic education.

Through the inspiration provided by

this year’s “Angels Among Us” honorees Esther White and Ben Zarda, the audience was energized by the CEF’s mission: to provide scholarships for children in need. There is no better feeling than helping the less fortunate who are not able to help themselves.

As Topeka’s Mater Dei principal Andrea Hillebert gave her Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann School of Excellence acceptance speech, the

guests were touched by stories of families helped by the CEF. The scholarships provided allowed them to keep their kids in Catholic schools. The theme of the evening challenged those in the room to remember the lessons learned from their own Catholic education and to allow those teachings to be the focus of their daily lives.

As nine-year-old Sonia, from Holy Name School in Kansas City, Kan., distributed St. Michael the Archangel medals blessed by Archbishop Naumann, did she realize the people in the room were all Angels Among Us? Did she realize that they were there living out their Catholic education dream to help others? Did she realize that, just possibly, someone in that room had helped her? Did she realize that Catholic education is the answer

to working through many of life’s challenges? Probably not, but the Gaudeamus Angels Among Us certainly did!

The large contingency departed with the conclusion of the Gaudeamus celebration. However, the ending of this event is really just the beginning.

Each individual went home taking with them the shared stories, along with the smiles of Marcus and Sonia.

They left knowing their support was making a difference in a child’s life.

The need for this support is never ending!

Catholic education is truly the center of our daily lives!

Michael Morrisey is the director of the Catholic Education Foundation.

INSIDE CATHOLIC CHARITIES

Extraordinary need yielded an extraordinary response

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t was a bad day. The woman who walked through our door that Tuesday morning was battling cancer.

Her head scarf was the telltale sign.

A single mother with two teenage boys, she was managing to get by until the cancer knocked her world sideways. What she needed that day was food for her family. What we gave her was a package of brown-and-serve rolls, all that was left on our barren food pantry shelves.

That night, one of the local television stations aired a story about a Salvation Army food pantry that was out of food. It seems Catholic Charities wasn’t the only agency feeling the

pinch of a bad economy. Finally someone was taking notice. The next day I received a call from The Kansas City Star. Deb Skodack was writing a story about food pantries and asked how we were doing. So, I told her: Demand is up — way up — with lots of first-time families coming in for help, and donations haven’t been able to keep pace. I told her that we, too, were out of food.

The article hit the front page on a Friday morning and, by 10 a.m., peo-

ple were coming to our rescue. A man pulled up with a trunk load of groceries and said he was going back to his local supermarket for more. A woman, on a fixed income, came by to drop off a check for $500. Residents at a local senior housing project went door-to-door and delivered a pickup load that afternoon. The food kept coming and, by the end of the day, our shelves were full. It was a good day.

I want to thank Deb and the editors at The Kansas City Star for bringing this story to the front page. I was confident that once people knew how dire the situation had become at our local pantries they would respond generously. That’s what people do here in the Midwest; they take care of each other.

My biggest concern is that the hungry will too quickly become yesterday’s news.

At Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas we have been blessed with tremendous support from our local parishes, churches, schools and businesses, but we are living in extraordinary times. What used to be sufficient is now falling short, and people who have given in the past are feeling the economic downturn in their own homes.

It would be easy for us to pull back and retreat, to protect what is ours and let others fend for themselves. But that is not our Christian call. Extraordinary times require an extraordinary response. Whether you have a little or you have a lot, please share with those who have nothing.

Jan Lewis is the executive director of Catholic Charities.

16 LOCAL NEWS

THE LEAVEN • NOVEMBER 7, 2008

Paul was bold and controversial Continued from page 1 He died a martyr’s death just outside of Rome — probably by beheading, as was customary in the execution of Roman citizens.

No sword, however, could kill his legacy.

He is more influential now — 2000 years later — than ever.

Year of St. Paul No other star in the apostolic constellation, except perhaps St. Peter, shines so brightly as St. Paul.

The reasons for this are legion.

He was a writer. We know more about St. Paul than we do about any other apostle, mainly because of his writings. Authorship of nearly half the New Testament — 13 out of 27 books — is attributed to him. These works reveal St. Paul to be an indefatigable evangelist, talented writer, and first-class theologian.

He was a traveler. St. Paul traveled approximately 10,000 miles by land and sea when sailing the Mediterranean was only slightly more hazardous than walking the bandit-infested roadways. We can trace the route of his missionary travels still today by the churches he planted.

He was bold and controversial. He was just as willing to shake his finger at his fellow apostles as at unrepentant Jews and Gentiles. St. Paul even scolded St. Peter on at least one occasion. He seemed to pack trouble in his suitcase, because arguments broke out wherever he went — sometimes riots.

He was a visionary. He saw the hunger for Christ’s message in the eyes of the Gentiles. He expanded Christianity’s horizons physically, theologically and culturally by smashing through the 1st-century Jewish traditions and sensibilities that barred the way for Gentile converts.

Thanks to his missionary zeal, Christianity exploded out of its Jewish cradle and blazed across the Greco-Roman world like a wildfire.

He was a convert. St. Paul’s dramatic “road to Damascus experience” took him from being the foremost persecutor of Christianity to its foremost missionary. This incredible reversal continues to fascinate believers and nonbelievers alike.

He was a martyr. Giving all to Christ meant just that to Paul — even to his last breath.

By the end, he was as eager to be rid of all that separated him from Christ as the authorities were to be rid of him. If he had to be absent in the body to be

CNS photo by Nancy Wiechec

This August 2000 file photo shows the statue of St. Paul at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. Paul’s writings are among the most studied works by biblical scholars — quite fitting since nearly half of the New Testament is attributed to him. present to the Lord, believed Paul, so be it. In fact, bring it on.

The church has set aside an entire year — from June 28, 2008, to June 29, 2009 — to honor St. Paul. Special observances are taking place in Rome and throughout the world.

Somehow, a year doesn’t seem like enough.

Paul: A foot in each world St. Paul grew up in a Jewish family, but not in the Jewish homeland.

By the time of his birth, Israel had long since ceased to be an independent kingdom.

It was merely another province of the Roman

Empire, and a troublesome one at that.

St. Paul and his family, like other Jews of their time, were part of the Diaspora — those living in countries where Jews expelled from their homeland eventually settled.

Over time many Jews filtered back to Roman Palestine, but many others didn’t, and they formed communities scattered across the ancient Middle East and Mediterranean basin. In a cultural sense, these were Jewish islands in a pagan sea.

According to his own words St. Paul was born in Tarsus, a costal town in what today is southeast Turkey. In his day, Tarsus was the capital of the province of Cilicia, with a port and shipyard. Several important trade routes passed through Tarsus.

“[St. Paul] was a tentmaker by trade, and that is fairly significant,” explained Father Michael Stubbs, a Scripture scholar and pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lansing. “He would have associated with other tentmakers, and a lot of them were not Jewish. They were Gentiles.”

“He may have belonged to a trade guild," Father Stubbs continued. “In the Mediterranean world, [guild members] supported one another. Often, the trade guilds served as a kind of mutual aid society, so if one of the members became sick, the others would take care of him.”

Some of the trade guilds featured a religious dimension as well as an economic one, affiliating themselves with a patron god.

But not so St. Paul. He was a Jew, and proudly so, even though his father had acquired Roman citizenship for himself and his family.

To his pagan neighbors, he was known as Paul. But within his devoutly Jewish family, he was Saul.

As he was to write later in his various letters, he was of the house of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, circumcised on the eighth day, and named after King Saul in the Old Testament. As a teenager, he was sent to Jerusalem to study under the eminent Rabbi Gamaliel.

“Tarsus was a great university city,” said Joe Durepos, author of “A Still More Excellent Way: How St. Paul Points Us to Jesus.”

“It seems that St. Paul had a marvelous education — the equivalent of a prep-school education today,” he continued. “It was very different from St. Peter and the other apostles. . . . Certainly he had a great understanding of the Jewish Scriptures, and probably a tremendously refined Greco-Roman sensibility, with an understanding of Greek philosophy of the time.”

In short, St. Paul was connected: merchant class, Roman citizenship, good education . . . and more.

He was also hard-core, testifying once, “I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee” (Acts 23:6).

In fact, he was harder than hard-core.

“The Pharisees [movement] had two schools of thought: one was Hillel and the other was Shammai,” said Father Stubbs. “[Biblical scholar N.T.] Wright believes that Saul of Tarsus belonged to the school of Shammai. It was more hard line.”

His zeal bordered on the fanatical, so much so that he joined a lynch mob. Scripture records (Acts 7:58) that the mob that stoned a young Christian deacon named Stephen — the first martyr — piled their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Paul may have even been there in an official capacity, acting as a witness on behalf of the Sanhedrin, a religious supreme court for Jews.

But being a witness wasn’t enough. In his burning zeal, he sought and received permission from the chief priests of the Sanhedrin to hunt down members of a new heresy —those who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah.

This was the job that put him on the road to Damascus — and straight into a remarkable encounter.

An encounter that would change his life.

An encounter that would change the world.